LEGO takes us back to Middle-earth again! Following Rivendell and Barad-dûr, this year's new "Lord of the Rings" series LEGO set The Shire is officially launched. This highly anticipated new product condenses the iconic scenes of Hobbiton into a beautiful LEGO model, including Gandalf's carriage, Bilbo's birthday party and the fan-favorite Bag End. Whether it is a loyal fan who once followed the Lord of the Rings expedition on a journey or a LEGO collector who loves idyllic scenery, this set will bring great satisfaction.
In terms of detailed design, The Shire shows LEGO's usual exquisite craftsmanship. From the round green gate of Bag End and the vine-covered roof to the long table, delicious food and fireworks decorations at Bilbo's birthday party, everything is full of a warm atmosphere. And Gandalf's carriage also faithfully restores the classic image in the movie, and even contains some hidden little easter eggs, which makes people can't help but savor it carefully. It is worth mentioning that the minifigure lineup of this set is very strong, including not only Bilbo, Frodo, Sam and other hobbits, but also important characters such as Gandalf, providing players with richer playability and collection value.
This blog will conduct a detailed review of LEGO The Shire, deeply analyzing the shape and accessories of the minifigures, the design ingenuity of the building structure, the interactive functions and the price positioning of this set. Can it meet the expectations of fans? Is it worth buying? Let's walk into this quiet and mysterious Hobbiton together and explore its charm!
Setting Overview
Mini Figures
Construction Experience
Show Creativity
Pros and Cons
Conclusion
Related Lighting Kits
Set Overview
LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Shire™ 10354 shows the complete model and some characters on the front of the box, highlighting the various details of the set. Inside the box are numbered bags filled with LEGO bricks, and detailed instructions to guide you through the building process. This toy has 2017 bricks, providing builders with a pleasant building process.
Based on the Hobbit Hole, which plays a major role in The Lord of the Rings, there’s a lot to celebrate with this set; not only is it Bilbo’s 111th birthday, but we’re finally getting an affordable LEGO Tolkien set. Plus, there’s a ton of new elements, including 2 new molds, 8 exclusive minifigures, and 13 recolors. Let’s take a look!
MINI FIGURES
Bilbo Baggins looks as elegant as ever in a gorgeous vintage vest and crimson coat. His hair is a different shade of grey than other versions, bringing his look closer to that of The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell (10316). The facial details are exquisite, especially his age, which is reminiscent of the aging features he actually exhibits after handing over the Ring.
Frodo Baggins’ costume is equally exquisite, with a white shirt and a detailed vest, paired with blue trousers, which fit his classic look. His hair is dark brown and curly, with a double-sided head design, one side has a cheerful smile, which perfectly fits the atmosphere of the party.
Gandalf's image is basically the same as the previous version in "The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell" 10316. He still wears a dark blue-gray robe with natural folds on the robe, a folded hood on the back, and belts on both sides. Although the classic wizard hat still exists, from a personal point of view, this design is a bit outdated, and perhaps a more unique Gandalf hat can be considered. However, the overall shape is still exquisite enough. If the beard is removed, Gandalf's facial expression looks quite serious, which may not be suitable for Bilbo's birthday party scene. But fortunately, the beard conceals this, and he is also equipped with replacement hair accessories and Gandalf's iconic scepter, making the overall image more complete.
The images of Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took may explain Gandalf's serious expression! The troublemaking duo are dressed to impress, with Pippin's jacket trimmed in gold and detailed with a graphic pattern. Their hair is also very well done, with new head designs, one side showing a happy expression, while the other shows them looking soot-covered after firing a firework at close range. There's also an additional hair element, which cleverly repurposes Kai's hair from the NINJAGO series, but in a dark blue-grey colorway, which is new for this title. Merry even comes with an apple, further recreating the movie scene's details.
Samwise Gamgee joins the party, with a more plain outfit than the other hobbits, but still faithful to the movie setting. His torso is very flexible and may be re-appeared in other products in the future. Unlike the previously introduced hobbits, Sam's double-sided head is a repeat of past versions. It's worth mentioning that Sam's frown at Bilbo's party is particularly appropriate, as he keeps a nervous eye on Rosie Cotton throughout the feast.
Rosie Cotton's look is equally detailed, with her dress rich in detail, perfectly reproducing her image in the movie, and her curly hair adding a sense of layering. Her head element has only appeared in "76439 Ollivander and Madam Malkin's Robes", and it is now a delight to see it reproduced in this series. Sam is also equipped with a pair of gardening shears, which can not only be used for late-night gardening, but also hints that he may have participated in eavesdropping at some point.
At this party, LEGO also has many lesser-known Hobbits to choose from, among which Oddo Proudfoot's addition is a surprise. His brief appearance in the movie is quite classic and forms the framework of the whole story. He witnessed Gandalf's arrival in Hobbiton and the return of the four Hobbits after the destruction of the Lord of the Rings.
Oddo's wife, Lady Proudfoot, also appeared together, and the couple's looks are outstanding. Their costumes are unique, and Lady Proudfoot's dress is a new element, which is longer than Rosie's dress. In addition, her hairstyle also uses a new color - reddish brown. Originally designed for Wendy Darling in the Peter Pan series, this is the first time this hairstyle has been seen in this color.
Mrs. Proudfoot’s hairstyle features intricate curls at the back, and her other side has a serious and gloomy expression, which perfectly matches her appearance in the movies. Oddo Proudfoot’s appearance is also as expected, and he uses the head design of Professor Slughorn from the Harry Potter series, showing a typical irritable look. He also carries a broom, while Mrs. Proudfoot holds a giant parsnip to add more fun to the party.
This scene brings together several iconic characters, and each character’s clothing, hairstyle and accessories are extremely faithful, making Bilbo Baggins’ birthday party a real visual feast.
Construction Experience
The finished model is colorful and overall a very accurate reproduction of the famous location shown on the screen. The set includes some additional models to recreate the scene of Bilbo’s 111th birthday party, which greatly increases the playability and display value of the set. Hobbits love growing things, so here is a colorful garden filled with flowers and vegetables. One of the most interesting details is the fence made of recolored boomerang parts, which shows the designer's ingenuity. In addition, the mailbox made of D-SNOT (3386) technology is also a very creative use of parts, adding more realism to the scene.
Much of the landscape of the Hobbiton hillside is made up of large areas of greenery, which not only provides a good modeling effect, but also reduces the number of parts used. However, in some areas, the terrain seems too flat and the layout is too dense, lacking some layering.
There is a large brick tree on the top of the Hobbit cave, but its proportions are slightly inconsistent compared to the big oak tree in the book or the movie. The size is acceptable, but the symmetry of the canopy makes it look unnatural and a little stereotyped.
Viewed from the back, the interior of the cave is beautifully decorated and full of warmth. There is enough space to accommodate multiple well-wishers, distant relatives, and an old friend to make the whole scene more vivid.
Behind the iconic green door is the entrance hall, which is richly furnished to highlight Bilbo's hospitality. There is a large dressing table in the hall with many hat and coat hooks on it, showing Bilbo's love for visitors. In addition, there is a treasure chest here, which may contain interesting small items. The re-colored white pens are cleverly used as candles, and their molded details perfectly reproduce the appearance of melted candles.
On the right is Bilbo's writing room, equipped with a brick desk and a small fireplace, showing Bilbo's identity as a writer. Without stickers, the room looks a little empty, but it still shows a strong bookish atmosphere.
On the other side of Bag End is the living room, which is the most exquisite part of the entire interior. There are exquisite furniture designs here, and the most eye-catching ones are two chairs made of dark orange re-colored elements, which show elegant style.
In addition, the set also has an interesting interactive function-Gandalf throws the One Ring into the fireplace to reveal its true nature. By rotating the knob at the bottom, players can switch the objects in the flames and freely switch between the envelope and the Supreme Ring, which enhances the playability.
Bilbo's birthday party part includes some additional accessory models, such as the carriage that Gandalf rides, the banquet table full of cakes, dragon-shaped fireworks, pavilions and stages. These details make the whole scene more vivid and show the warm atmosphere of the Shire.
Gandalf's fireworks are ingeniously designed and provide two forms: the unlit rocket version is composed of a small number of red parts, while the explosion version uses transparent orange parts to restore the image of the evil dragon Smaug. In addition, the set also comes with an additional black plant stem (19119) to represent the debris of the burned fireworks. Although this small detail is slightly humorous, it can create a relaxed and interesting atmosphere when combined with the mini figures of Merry and Pippin.
The stage part also hides a special interactive function: by rotating the gears, players can recreate the classic scene where Bilbo suddenly disappears after the birthday speech. This simple and ingenious design perfectly reflects the mysterious magic of the Lord of the Rings.
The side construction design is a bit contradictory. On the one hand, we can see beautiful printed fabric elements, as well as a high-quality Gandalf carriage with rich details that meet the exquisite standards of 18+ LEGO sets. On the other hand, the large tree at the back of the stage is too simple in design, giving the feeling that the designers have exhausted all the parts when building it, which is a bit haphazard.
Display ideas
LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Shire™ 10354 is definitely a fun building, but also an impressive display piece for your home or office. This set can be the centerpiece of any Lego Icons collection.
One idea is to place it on a LEGO display stand with other themed sets, such as Baradur, to create a mini LEGO temple diorama. The height and modular design of the set make it easy to integrate with other display pieces, adding depth and character to your collection.
If you prefer to display it as a standalone model, consider displaying it on a dedicated shelf or in the corner of a table. From the exterior to the exquisite interior, its design makes it an eye-catcher in its own right. You can also highlight the interior by placing it on a turntable, allowing the audience to spin and admire the hidden details inside.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Details: The set carefully reproduces the style of the Shire, including iconic buildings such as Bag End, and the detailed design is impressive.
Various characters: The set contains multiple miniature figures of the Hobbits and other characters, which meets the expectations of fans for character collection.
High collection value: As a fan-oriented set of the "Lord of the Rings" series, it has a high collection value and is suitable for display and collection.
Disadvantages:
High price: Due to the scale and rich details of the set, the price is relatively high and may not be suitable for all consumers' budgets.
Complex assembly: For beginners or young players, the assembly process may be complicated and require a certain amount of patience and skills.
Limited playability: Although it is rich in details, as a display set, the playability may not be as good as other game-based Lego sets.
Summary
LEGO 10354 "The Lord of the Rings: The Shire™" perfectly restores the charming style of the Hobbit's hometown in Middle-earth. From the round door of Bag End to the lush hilly landscape, every detail is full of ingenuity. It is not only a building toy, but also an excellent choice for "Lord of the Rings" fans to collect. It successfully brings the warmth and tranquility in the movie into reality, allowing players to immerse themselves in Tolkien's fantasy world during the building process.
This set enhances playability through rich interactive elements and movable designs (such as rotatable mills and openable doors), while taking into account the display value. Whether it is placed alone or paired with other LEGO Middle-earth series, it can become a highlight in the scene. It not only pays tribute to the classic IP, but also allows players to re-experience the classic scenes of "The Lord of the Rings" in a unique creative way of LEGO, combining nostalgia and freshness.
As a sincere work of LEGO and "The Lord of the Rings", the 10354 set is suitable for adult fans to collect and can also stimulate children's interest in fantasy stories. Its high degree of restoration and delicate design demonstrate the maturity of LEGO in IP cooperation, and further consolidate the position of the "LEGO × Lord of the Rings" series in the hearts of players. For players who love Middle-earth, this is undoubtedly the starting point of an adventure worth having.
Related lighting kits
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