Second LEGO CUUSOO Set Headed to Japanese Market

[Hapori Tohu]

The second release from the LEGO CUUSOO line is making its way to Japanese store shelves, <a href='http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=593751480757' target='offsite'>handpacked</a> in boxes as in days of yore. The set, <em>Hayabusa</em>, is an unmanned spaceflight vehicle; its Lego rendering is the result of a Japanese CUUSOO initiative that began in 2008.

 

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[GeluNumber1]

Too bad these aren't released in the US. Still, looks cool. Hope project minecraft works.

[DarkShadow]

It looks like a decent set. I hope Lego keeps up with the CUUSO idea, because its a really nice idea. Plus, I may need to use it for my own evil purposes in the future........after getting 10,000 people to agree with me....

[Waffles]

If this is any indication of how long it takes to perfect a Cuusoo idea, then hopefully LEGO Minecraft won't be showing itself soon, if it happens anyways.

[Sumiki]

If this is any indication of how long it takes to perfect a Cuusoo idea, then hopefully LEGO Minecraft won't be showing itself soon, if it happens anyways.

As I've questioned many times previously, what's with all of the LEGO Minecraft hate?A line you don't like? Big deal - just don't buy 'em! I do not care if it is a fan-generated and fan-supported concept or if it was developed by the set designers.I digress. Moving back on topic.It's a great thing for LEGO, getting Cuusoo working fully and getting sets produced. Hopefully the international production of sets only instills in them an urgency to move along with Cuusoo projects in the United States, to get the kinks in the system worked out, and to eliminate some time in developing ideas and MOCs for set production.

[Ektris]

I only wish I could get it here. All of the singing about Hayabusa in Kamen Rider Fourze got me interested enough to research it, and the fact that there's a LEGO set now is just plain awesome. :PEven though it took so long, I agree that it's great to see the set finally actually getting out there. This is another good milestone for Cuusoo.~|ET|~

[Akuna Toa of Sonics]

Too bad this Cuusoo stuff isn't in America yet (is it).Also the first thing that popped into my head when I read Hayabusa was Halo 3's amor .

[Binary Code]

Now this is how CUUSOO should work.An original creation, with interesting, unique pieces, that you wouldn't normally be found in an existing line that appeals to a wide range of Lego fans.Find one condition in the above list that Minecraft satisfies. None. 100101010 BC 010001001

Edited January 12, 2012 by Binary Code

[Aanchir]

Now this is how CUUSOO should work.An original creation, with interesting, unique pieces, that you wouldn't normally be found in an existing line that appeals to a wide range of Lego fans.Find one condition in the above list that Minecraft satisfies. None. 100101010 BC 010001001

Where in Cuusoo's Terms of Service does it specify that these are the only types of proposals Cuusoo is supposed to be used for? Even when the site was still exclusive to Japan, there were proposals for things like the DeLorean from Back to the Future. Cuusoo is for crowdsourcing and finding out what kinds of ideas the community has and can agree to support, whether or not they're completely original.As for the "interesting, unique pieces" aspect, since we have not as of yet seen anything about the Minecraft proposal suggesting that it won't have those, or anything suggesting it needs those to be a good set. After all, the Architecture sets are very popular, but those tend to use basic pieces and very rarely introduce new ones aside from the standard printed nameplate. It should also be noted that we don't know anything about the Hayabusa set having "interesting, unique pieces" any more than its predecessor, the Shinkai 6500 set. Certainly neither had pieces entirely unlike those found in existing lines.And finally, as for the "wide range of LEGO fans", I don't know about you, but I've encountered lots of LEGO fans who are also Minecraft fans. And anyway, who's to say the set is just for LEGO fans? The Shinkai 6500 and Hayabusa sets are essentially display pieces that any model submarine or spacecraft collector could appreciate. Not even all regular sets have to appeal to "a wide range of LEGO fans" to be successful, much less all Cuusoo proposals (as seen in the case of the Minecraft proposal, much of the support for which came from Minecraft fans who may or may not have been die-hard LEGO collectors).I see a lot of this sort of criticism leveled at the Bring Back BIONICLE proposal as well. And while that has many of its own faults (hence why I haven't given it my support), one of the most annoying criticisms which I still hear all the time is "Cuusoo is for what I say it's for, and this isn't it". It's the same sort of pretentious attitude held by many LEGO fans regarding certain themes such as BIONICLE or Ninjago. LEGO isn't about telling kids stories, it's about letting kids make up their own stories! LEGO isn't about detailed action figures, it's about versatile, non-specialized building blocks!Overall, I think if TLG were to adhere strictly to fans' own ideas about what the product was truly "about" in all situations, it would essentially shut down a lot of the brand's innovation, versatility, and potential. And the same is true for the Cuusoo platform. As with regular LEGO, it is a mechanism with a few preset constraints, and it's entirely in the hands of the audience to decide what to do with that mechanism. So far, the Japanese market used the platform to celebrate scientific and historical milestones. The global market has used it to celebrate a significant franchise in popular culture. And it's not the place of any fan to say that's the "wrong" thing to do with the platform, because LEGO left the option for this type of proposal open so it would be there for the audience to reach for if they should so choose.