Review: LEGO Minifigure Series 23
We are now in the second half of 2022 and LEGO released the new Minifigure Series 23. It is the second series this year.
In 2022 LEGO celebrates its 90th anniversary: they released several sets and activities. As for the Series 18 aimed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Minifigure, the Series 23 marks LEGO itself.
The Minifigure Series 23 has the new standard 12 minifigures as for the Series 21 and the Series 22. This new series was announced right before summer, leaks and official pictures were soon available, but finally the series is available!
The series is full of Minifigure in costumes, in a similar way as the Series 18. Actually both series celebrates an anniversary: LEGO 90th anniversary for Series 23 and LEGO Minifigures 60th anniversary for Series 18. Unfortunately, in the Series 23 there isn’t any special character. On the other hand, this Series 23 has a trait-d’union among several characters: Christmas. Of course, along the previous 22 series there were here and there some Christmas-related minifigures, but this time, they is a group of minifgiures all related to Christmas.
Also the Series 23 has the usual bags for the minifigures. The background color is orange and the cost for the single box is 3.99 EUR in Europe.
In each bag there is the usual leaflet: on one side it shows the 12 minifigures, while on the other it depicts the assembly instructions for the most complex characters.
As for the my other minifgure reviews, I include my thought and guess for the forthcoming LEGO sets and the connections and references with other sets and series.
The structure of this review is the usual: you can either scroll the page to see all the minifigures or click on each link to jump directly to the one you are interested.
For each minifigure I have included my personal rating in a 1-5 scale: 1 I really don’t like it, 5 I really like it.
Finally, don’t forget to read my final summary and leave me your feeling of this Minifigure Series 23.
Nutcracker
The first character of the series is the Nutcracker. The small soldier became famous thanks to the Tchaikovsky ballet, played all around the world especially at Christmas time.
At last it is the minifigure version of the nutcracker which was already available as a brickheadz in 2020 together with early sets in 2017 including a LEGO employees exclusive.
Coming back to the minifigure, it comes with a red uniform and white trousers with black boots. The torso and the legs are all well printed, full of details. Including the arms.
The head has a double face, but several common elements like the round pink cheeks and the big black moustaches and goatee. One face is serious with a shut mouth, while the second shows the white teeth in the typical nutcracker mouth.
The minifigure has a special headgear: the typical hat with white hair below it. The hat is well decorated with golden details. Further more, the torso is also enriched with golden epaulettes.
As accessories there is a golden sabre together with the nut. The nut is a decorated 1×1 round tile.
It is a nice minifigure that really calls the nutcracker. I admit that I was expecting a simple hat with some detachable hair.
Minifigure rating: 5/5
Sugar Fairy
Christmas is season of ballet and here we have a nice sugar fairy.
The fair has short legs and a decorated tutu with silver details. It is a young girl in this fairy costume and it has short legs with purple and blue candy printed on it.
The similar print is also on the chicks of the face. As most of the minifigures there are two printed smily faces: one with just a smile and one with a open mouth.
The candy fairy has the fairy wings, like the fairy in Series 8, but now in a new color. It is a hard plastic element in translucent pink color with silver decoration. However, the entire minifigure recalls the Butterfly Girl in Series 17.
The character is very well Christmas-related thanks to the accessory: the candy cane. The candy cane is another new element that I am expecting to see further in the winter villages!
I like this sugar fairy, mostly due to the new elements. Not one of my favourite, but I appreciate it increase the number of Christmas related minifigures.
Minifigure rating: 3/5
Snowman
The snowman is not directly Christmas character itself, but at least in the norther hemisphere Christmas occurs is the snowy winter.
It is for me the main surprise of the Minifiigure Series 23 and it easily became one of my favourite. The reason for that is the hidden character under the snowman, and I found it brilliant!
So, despite the simplicity of the snowman and the easy in the printing, I like the surprise to have a character wearing the typical snowman rounded head.
All the minifigure is a white character with 3 black dots printed on the torso. The head has a face printed on it. Finally the snowman round head turned to be a headgear, whit a orange carrot as nose.
A cylinder hat concludes the minifigure, together with a broom.
The character jumps unexpectedly among my top 5 minifiigiures. It is both simple and brilliant, and the Winter Villages will not be the same without this character.
Minifigure rating: 5/5
Reindeer Costume
From the cold lands of the North Pole, here it is the girl in a reindeer costume.
It is another missing animal in the long list of animals costume of the minifigure series. Of course, it is more than appropriate in this Minifigure Series 23.
The body is all light brown with a white on the chest. As a Santa’s reindeer it has a little bell with a red collar, all printed on the torso. The collar continues also on the back side together with the printed white tail.
As expected, the minifigure has two faces: a smily with a open mouth and one with closed eyes and open mouth with teeth.
The most interesting part is the head gear: the head of the reindeer with rubber horn on top. It is a very funny headgear and very accurate.
A Christmas box with a heart-shape gingerbread biscuit completes the minifiigure.
It is a typical animal costume, a traditional entry in the minifigure series. I like the most the reference to Christmas.
Minifigure rating: 4/5
Elf Girl
An elf girl: a Santa helper.
It is not Christmas without the fantastic elf helpers of Santa, and here it is one of them, in the Minifigure Series 23.
LEGO released the Elf club house in Christmas 2020, in the set there were 4 minifgures: all boys. This girl is a fantastic add-on for the set!
The elf girl has the green dress with a brown belt and a red collar. Short legs with black shoes and white socks complete the miniifiigure.
She has the double fare: with smily faces and freckles on the chicks.
The headdgear is the very nice part of the minifigure. It is the elf’s hat with pointy ears and with red hair and two nice tresses.
Finally, the accessory is the Christmas glass ball. Inside the ball there is a printed 1×1 brown plate and a slope that represents very well the Elf club house.
It is another great minifigure, I like it very much. I missed the Elf club house, now I have too find a way to have it, to include this Elf girl among the other minifigures.
Minifigure rating: 5/5
Cardboard Robot Costume
Not an usual costume but a clear call to other minifiigures and sets: the cardboard robot costume.
The girl in the costume has a blue and orange print, full of details on both right and left hand. The front is quite simple with a silver belt with a red triangle on the clasp.
On the right arm there is the a bandage with american tape, very useful to fix holes in the cardboard.
Then on the left arm there is the on-off switch button of the robot.
The back side is quite simple as well, with even less print.
However, the torso is fully covered with the robot headgear. A new element that recalls the robot minifigure in series 6 and the one in series 11. The headgear is well printed with a big hole for the face, furthermore there is a stud on top and two a side.
The accessories are scissors and a 2×2 decorated tile with a screen printed on it.
It is not Christams related, however, in 2021 there was a cardboard spaceship as a Gift with Purchase. This minifigure can be a nice add-on to the set.
I like this minifigure very much, I was not expecting this high level of detail.
Minifigure rating: 4/5
Pop Corn Costume
Time to relax at the cinema? Don’t forget the popcorn.
This is a minimal but nice costume. The minifigure has a simple white torso with dark red middle legs.
Of course double face: two smily faces.
The main part and characteristic is the popocorn headgear. It recreates the white and red stripes bag with the popcorn covering it.
It is quite simple and minimal without any further accessory. Maybe they could have included a popcorn bag. This minifigure is not Christmas related, however I am used to go to the cinema the second day of Christmas and I will include it in the list of the Christmas related costumes.
Minifigure rating: 4/5
Wolf Costume
This minifigure is in a wolf costume.
There were already several wolf minifigures in the collections: one in the Series 14 and also in the Vidiyo bandmates, but this is the first of a wolf costume.
The minifigure has a blue overalls with short and ripped trousers printed over the dark grey fur of the wolf.
In the back, the print continues, and it is further improved with the wolf tail, in rubber element.
The wolf has two faces: one with the tongue and one while blowing. The blowing one recalls the tale of the three pigs. In both faces, there are big black eyebrows.
Finally, the headgear is the head of the wolf with the mouth open.
To complete the minifigure there is a sack printed with a mend patch, and other small rips.
It is the second animal costume of the Minifigure Series 23, but in this case, the character is the bad wolf. It is nice to recreate tales from the Brick Tales Pop-up book LEGO IDEAS set.
Minifigure rating 5/5
Turkey Costume
It is almost Christmas time with the turkey of the thanksgiving day.
We are not really at Christmas, but the turkey costume recalls the Thanksgiving day and the pumpkin the Halloween.
The costume has the brown print of the turkey feather and the wings as arms. The arms are one of the alternative minifigure arms introduced with the Chicken Suit in Series 9.
The back continues the print in the front, including the red collar.
The rear print is covered by the big turkey’s tail element, a plastic brown element.
The headgear is the head of the turkey with the beak and a small crest.
The minifigure has two faces, a smily one and an angry one. Of course the turkey is not happy at the Thanksgiving day!
Finally, the accessory is a simple pumpkin.
It is really a nice costume full of elements and new parts. I will include in the Christmas related minifigures.
Minifigure rating: 5/5
Ship Captain Costume
There is the captain of a ship in the Miinifiigure Series 23.
In 2021, LEGO released the HMS Titanic set: a gigantic set of the iconic cruise ship. The set has no minifiigures, and this minifigure recalls Edward Smith, the Titanic’s captain.
The minifigure is in the typical dark blue uniform, with all the golden details of the rank and buttons.
The face has white beard and moustaches and it looks like captain Smith.
The hat is a traditional white captain hat with a big anchor printed in gold over the black background.
The accessory of the minifigure is a black and white ship with red chimney, even if the Titanic ones were golden.
The ship is a mock-up like the airplane in Series 21 or the speed car in Series 18.
It is a nice minifigure if you are passionate of boats and ships, furthermore if you have the Titanic it is nice to include it in the display. I don’t have the Titanic, but I included the girl with the airplane costume in the Amelia Earhart tribute set.
Minifigure rating: 5/5
Pink Knight Costume
The Miniifigure Series cannot miss the castle theme and here we have a great tribute to the theme with the pink knight costume.
It is a young girl in a knight costume with the pink marks of the yellow LEGO castle. It is absolutely the greatest recognition for the 90 years of LEGO and to one of the most beloved themes. Furthermore, in summer 2022 LEGO releases also a big Lion knights Castle.
Coming to the minifigure, she a printed torso with the yellow crown in pink background and the collar is a chain main shirt. Then, arms are in grey blue and the medium size legs are light grey.
The back is just the continuation of the front. Furthermore, she has two faces: a smily and a furious one with a very detailed movement of the eyebrows.
The minifigure is full of accessories and elements with a helmet, a golden sword an the shield. The shield has the same patch as the print of the torso, while the helmet has a pink plume.
An armour vest then covers the front of the minifigure and there is a small pink shield with the yellow crown in the middle.
Finally, the wooden horse is the great feature of this minifigure. Apparently it looks like just a small horse head with a 3 stud red stick. In reality it is a reference to a real LEGO product released in the early years of the company.
In conclusion, the young pink knight is a great reference to the LEGO anniversary. This minifigure full of links to the LEGO products is the perfect element in this Minifigure Series 23.
Minifigure rating: 5/5
Green Dragon Costume
Another great costume of the Minifigure Series 23 is the green dragon.
The costume is a green dragon printed on the torso, with claws on the legs and green hands.
The headgear is a great dragon head with a open mouth to see the minifigure’s face. As expected, there are two faces: a smily and an aggressive one.
Then, on the back there is no print but there are two rubber elements: the wings fixed at the neck and the scaly tail fixed between the torso and the legs.
I like the dragon costume, but I was a bit disappointed that it is the same minifigure as the red dragon in Series 18 just in different color.
I would have expected the dragon of another color in a build-a-minifigure station, like what they did for the brick costume in turquoise or azure.
Minifigure rating: 4/5
Final Thought of the Minifigure Series 23
Here we are at the final consideration of the great minifigure series 23 with all minifigures in costume to celebrate LEGO 90th anniversary.
In my opinion there are several surprises I was not expecting and a few unexpected drowbacks.
Starting with the positive aspects, I appreciate a lot the long list of minifigures related with winter and Christmas time. Over the 12 minifigures, I consider 7 minifigures linked to the Christmas theme: the snowman, the elf, the nutcracker, the candy fairy, the reindeer, the popcorn guy and the turkey.
Then, I like very much the pink knight with all the connections to the LEGO factory and the anniversary.
On the other hand, a few drawbacks: I am a bit disappointed by the green dragon, and the wolf costume, because I don’t see them much related with the other minifigures. Also I didn’t like the few minifigures without accessory, even if they have a great headgear: the popcorn guy and again the green dragon.
Anyway, all in all I am very happy of this Minifigure Series 23, it is not my favourite but there are great minifigures. So, my top 5 list is:
With my list of favourite minifigure, I conclude my review of the Minifigure Series 23 and I really hope you enjoy reading it.
Let me know in the comments which is your favourite minifigure of the series or simply let me know your feeling of this series.
Thank you for reading Bricksphere and enjoy your LEGO time!
I must admit, I’m not a big fan of series 23. I expected more characters similar to popcorn guy, cardboard robot, and the dragon and wolf costumes. Although the snowman was a nice addition, I kind of expected more from a minifigure series. Anyways, thanks for the post! I’ve been looking forward to this one.
I was really surprised by the young girl in the knight costume.
As I said, not my favourite series but I appreciated a lot the linked Christmas/Winter theme. For the Winter Village lover some minifigures will be a must.
I agree that the winter characters would go nice in a winter modular set. I’m just not sure why they dedicated so many minifigures to that theme, and then we have dragon and wolf costume minifigs, which, as you said aren’t really related to any other characters.