Today we take a quick look at the contents of the LEGO Harry Potter set 75979 Hedwig (630 pieces - 49.99 €) with, once is not custom in this range, a product that offers something other than a building or a piece of wall accompanied by a few minifigs. The real star of the set here is Hedwig (or Hedwig), the white owl given to Harry by Rubeus Hagrid for his eleventh birthday.

The display unit on which we fix the owl to build is in itself a real success. No black support without details or frills as is often the case in the LEGO Star Wars range, here we assemble a relatively elegant base with a slightly inclined central post that will highlight the main construction of the set. The stability is there even if it is a little difficult to put Hedwig in motion without holding the base of the model, the support is obviously not weighted.

The mechanism that will be used to move the wings of the bird is integral with the central upright of the support and it knows how to be quite discreet, knowing that you can possibly remove the two side cranks if you do not intend to have fun with the integrated functionality.

LEGO could have offered us a simple exhibition product, many would have been satisfied with it. But the manufacturer has made the effort to integrate a rather original functionality into this model, even if most of us will only benefit the time to discover the process used and the result obtained. In my opinion, this is a real plus for those who expected something other than a simple model of the bird.

The setting in motion of the model is astonishing with a rather graceful evolution of the owl, thanks in particular to a decomposition of each of the wings into two sub-assemblies linked together by a few beams and pines. Technic. The beats are a little jerky if you grind too quickly but the effect obtained is in my opinion very credible when you find the right rhythm of rotation.

The head of the bird, connected to the rest of the construction by a simple pine, perhaps slightly oriented on the horizontal axis but not vertically. The two eyes on a black background are dressed in a golden pad-printed circle. The pupil is intentionally eccentric and it will therefore be necessary to install these two elements correctly to obtain a credible look.

The technical detail that is a bit difficult: The background color of the stickers to put on both Tiles of the envelope does not really match that of the parts and the Tile central which accommodates the red seal with its sticker remains blank. It's ugly. The visual effect obtained with the folding claws which are superimposed on the envelope is however very successful.

The minifig delivered in this box, young Harry in Hogwarts uniform with his house Gryffindor scarf, is currently exclusive to this set even if the character's head appears in a good half-dozen sets from the LEGO range. Harry Potter marketed since 2018.

The Hedwig figurine is for its part rather common, it is already found in three other boxes of the range marketed this year, the references 75968 4 Privet Drive, 75969 Hogwarts Astronomy Tower et 75980 Attack on the Burrow and in the polybag 30420 Harry Potter & Hedwig. The two figures are brought together on a small stand that matches the rest of the model which can be integrated into the main model or presented separately.

In short, I find this box very successful: It offers something different within a range accustomed to declining walls and furniture to the limit and LEGO was not content to sell us a simple too static model. so as not to end up forgotten in the dust after a few years of exposure.

I say yes, even at 49.99 €, for the association between a pretty model and an interesting functionality which allows to benefit in a way a little more "active" of the product.

Note: The product shown here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at 14th June 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

We talk briefly about the LEGO Harry Potter set 40419 Hogwarts Students with the launch of the product, and therefore of a complete gallery of official visuals, on the official online store.

Nothing new, we already knew that this character pack will allow us to obtain four students: Harry Potter (Gryffindor), Draco Malfoy (Slytherin), Hannah Abbott (Hufflepuff) and Cho Chang (Ravenclaw), some accessories, a micro library and a Marauder's card, all for € 14.99.

This reference will be available from June 1, like the other novelties in the LEGO Harry Potter range.

Just a word to tell everyone who has written to me about the pre-order of the new LEGO Harry Potter items for the second half of 2020, initially announced for April 30: The sets are now available for pre-order with an effective availability date. announced as scheduled for June 1.

About the lower prices of certain sets indicated in the article relating to the announcement of these new products: These were the public prices in €, communicated by LEGO, which are, as often, those foreseen for Germany. I modified the prices in question later in the day when the various sets concerned were posted on the French version of the official LEGO store. There was no discreet price increase in France during the day.

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This is the topic of the moment: the extension of the modular playset of Hogwarts in LEGO version, a set of constructions inaugurated in 2018 with the two sets 75954 Hogwarts Great Hall (109.99 €) and 75953 Hogwarts Whomping Willow (74.99 €), then extended in 2019 with the set 75948 Hogwarts Clocktower (99.99 €) and which this year finds a new extension with the marketing of the set 75969 Hogwarts Astronomy Tower (109.99 €). We could also take into account the set 75966 Room of Requirements (19.99 €) which is also obviously designed to connect to other modules.

I intentionally left this last set aside and I tinkered with the assembly above which gives you an idea of ​​the size of the shelves you will need to buy in your favorite DIY store to stage the complete model. Plan a little wider, we are not immune to future extensions even if it seems to me that the essential is there.

I arbitrarily installed the different modules depending on what the official visuals allowed, but you already know that you can organize the different elements as you see fit, to create the version of Hogwarts that you think is closest to the construction seen on the screen or one that allows you to fit this frieze of walls and roofs on your shelves.

Speaking of which, I'm curious about your choices when it comes to the placement of the three different modules already available. Do not hesitate to also indicate where you plan to integrate the Astronomical Tower.

Just for fun, here's what to compare three of the LEGO Harry Potter sets announced yesterday with references on the same theme or almost already marketed in the past: on the one hand, the new products for 2020 75967 Forbidden Forest: Umbridge's Encounter (253 pieces - 29.99 €), 75968 4 Privet Drive (797 pieces - 74.99 €) and 75980 Attack on The Burrow (1047 pieces - 109.99 €) and the other sets 4865 The Forbidden Forest (2011 - 64 pieces), 4728 Escape from Privet Drive (2002 - 278 pieces) and 4840 The Burrow (2010 - 568 pieces).

If most of the minifigs delivered in the boxes sold since the switch to flesh color can easily compare with those created over the past three years as part of the reboot of the Harry Potter range, we can especially measure here the progress made by the designers when it comes to the constructions that accompany the different characters, thanks in particular to the arrival of new pieces, new colors and the implementation of ever more creative techniques, not to mention the fact that the 2020 versions contain much more elements than the sets dating from the early or mid-2000s.

The fact remains that it is often difficult to struggle with nostalgia or childhood memories and that some fans will continue to prefer the sets of their youth to the current reissues. In any case, those who missed or did not know the original sets have in my opinion no regrets to have and those who have played a lot in the past with the oldest references of the range do not will probably not hesitate for long before deciding to invest in these new versions to complete their collections.

If you are a fan of the Harry Potter universe who was able to access the first official LEGO sets on this theme, I am curious to hear your thoughts on the evolution of products derived from the saga. Do not hesitate to express yourself in the comments.