Monkie Kid

The Mighty Azure Lion

A heavy, glowering mech with a flowing orange mane and one clever driver-stashing trick.

Brick Rated Score

3.9/5

Set 80048 · 2023

Pieces796

Minifigs5

Year2023

Set number80048

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The verdict

The mane is what got me on this one, three big bright light orange dragon jaws fanned out around a scowling face, and the finished mech has real presence on a shelf.

It is sturdier and heavier than I expected, which makes it a proper play piece as well as a display one. The catch is the price, it runs a touch dear per part for its size, and a few of the building stages repeat themselves. If you are into Monkie Kid or love a poseable mech, it earns its spot.

Best for: Monkie Kid fans and mech lovers who want a sturdy, poseable figure with real shelf presence

The full review

What it is

The Mighty Azure Lion is a 796 piece Monkie Kid mech from the Season 4 wave, and it commits hard to being a single imposing figure rather than a scene. The first time I had it fully built and standing, I was struck by how much it glowers at you, the scowling face ringed by that fanned orange mane really does read as a fearsome villain. It comes with a sword, a scroll, a six stud shooter, and five minifigures: Monkie Kid at the very start of his transformation, the Monkey King, Pigsy Power-up, the Azure Lion himself, and an Ink Demon. Two of those figures are exclusive to this box, which matters if you collect the theme.

The catch

The money is where I have to be careful with you. This is not a cheap set for its size. At the original 79.99 dollar price you are paying around ten cents per part, which nudges it above other recent Monkie Kid sets, and the build itself has stretches that repeat the same techniques as you work up each limb and panel. I did not mind watching each module snap into place, but I will be straight with you, the middle of the build can feel like more of the same. There is also a heavy reliance on stickers for the surface detailing, so if you are the type who peels a sticker sheet with dread, go in knowing that.

Who it's for

The right home for this is easy to picture. If you follow Monkie Kid, or you just love a chunky poseable mech with a strong silhouette, this is an easy yes, and the fold down chest that stows the Azure Lion minifigure as a pilot is the kind of clever touch that makes a set feel alive. If you are chasing minifigure value alone, or you want a smooth flowing engineering build, you may find this one a little repetitive for the money. It retired in late 2024 and now trades above its old retail price, so grab it at a fair number if you find one.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

Building this is very much a mech build, you work up the model in modules, one leg, then the other, then the torso and arms, and each section is satisfyingly solid by the time you finish it. The reward is a figure that feels dense and durable in the hand rather than fragile, and the joints give you real freedom at the hips and elbows, a little play at the shoulders and ankles, and fixed knees. It is heavy enough that it stays put in a pose, which is exactly what you want from something this size.

The standout part is the trio of bright light orange dragon head lower jaws used to sculpt the mane, they are the piece that gives the whole build its face. There is also a fresh symmetric weapon hilt element in the mix, and a fun quirk that a lot of the interesting recolored pieces here are actually Dark Turquoise rather than true azure, despite the name on the box. It is not a set you buy purely as a parts pack, the per part price is a bit steep for that, but the mane elements and the newer weapon bits are genuinely useful in a custom builder's bin.

Fun facts

01The Azure Lion minifigure folds down into the mech's chest cavity to 'drive' it, with the hatch only closing cleanly if you tuck the figure's arms down first.
02Despite the 'Azure' name, many of the set's more interesting recolored pieces are actually molded in Dark Turquoise rather than a true azure blue.
03It released on June 1, 2023 as part of the Monkie Kid Season 4 wave and retired around December 2024, and sealed copies now trade above the original 79.99 dollar retail price.
04Two of the five minifigures, including the Azure Lion himself, are exclusive to this set and appear in no other box.