LEGO® NINJAGO® review and MOD: 71785 Jay's Titan Mech

Gundam! Jay’s Titan Mech looks great. This Beautiful Blue Bot is the second largest of January’s LEGO® NINJAGO® releases. Let's take a look at what this set has to offer, and see whether my idea for a modified version is successful. 

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
LEGO® NINJAGO® 71785 Jay's Titan Mech
US$79.99 / £69.99 / 79.99€ / AU$129.99
794 parts
1 January 2023
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The world of LEGO NINJAGO has been filled with mechs of all shapes and sizes. From the very small, like 30292 Jay's NanoMech with just 54 parts, to the enormous tractor wheeled magnificence of Cole's 70632 Quake Mech. At 1202 parts, the latter weighs in with the most number of parts in a Ninjago mech. However, very few mechs before this one have managed the task of having knees, certainly not while being quite so slimline!

New moulds

Here are the 2023 moulds included in this set. Although I've discussed them already in earlier reviews, I've presented them here for the purposes of completionism. Our reviews of the other sets from the January 2023 releases are: 71786 Zane's Ice Dragon and 71782 & 71800 Cole & Nya's dragons.

  

• 1x Large Figure Weapon Sword with Axle Connector in Pearl Gold (6417341 | 2144)
• 2x Minifig Neckwear Lower Jaw with Fangs in Yellowish Green (6417339 | 2143)
• 1x bone warrior weapons pack family mould in White (6417344 | 2186)

Exclusive recolours

• 2x Slope Curved 1 x 4 with 3 Layers in White (6421592 | 66955)
• 2x Plate 2 x 3 with 1 x 1 Cutout in Bright Blue/Blue (6431782 | 73831)

Rare Parts

In one other set

• 4x Technic Brick Special 2 x 2 with Ball Receptacle Wide and Axle Hole, No Arm Holes in Bright Blue/Blue (6406931 | 67696)
• 2x Slope Curved 1 x 4 with 3 Layers in Bright Blue/Blue (6421594 | 66955)
• 4x Wedge Curved 4 x 3 No Studs [Plain] in Bright Blue/Blue (6411631 | 64225)
• 1x Animal Body Part, Skull, Cattle in Red (6421596 | 13695)

In two or more other sets

• 4x Slope Curved 4 x 2 No Studs in Bright Blue/Blue (6173943 | 93606)
• 1x Large Figure Weapon 6 Blade Ninja Star / Shuriken in Pearl Gold (6421595 | 41125)
• 2x Brick Special 2 x 5 with Slope, Studs on Side in White (6365687 | 79897)

Minifigures

Bone King, Bone Knight & Bone Hunter feature new prints and the lower jaw neckwear piece. 

Jay and Nya are the same figures that have appeared in sets from 2022. To me though, the most interesting figure here is ‘Pixal Bot’ although the box labels her as a Wu-Bot. I'd certainly welcome an extra expression.

• 1x Tile 2 x 2 with Pixal Bot Blue Face on Black Background print in White (6421054 | 3068bpr9429)

Sticker sheet

Just thirteen stickers are provided on one small sheet - but in all honesty, Jay's Titan Mech looks so very, very cool without them. 

Lefthand image showing stickered model ©2023 The LEGO Group

Judging by my comparison shot, I have to conclude that I really don't think the model needs the extra decoration.

Building Jay's Titan Mech

Bag 1

First up, it's "The Baddies" (dun, dun, durrrh!) a.k.a The Bone Warriors, and they're accompanied by a missile cart. According to the description however, the big weapon here is actually a Double Crossbow mounted on a wagon… I might argue that a crossbow needs stringing to really qualify as such but that feels a little unfair for what is essentially an accompanying side-build play element.

Bag 2

Construction of the Mech begins with the torso and Jay accompanies those parts in the bag. The connection at this angle is unconventionally achieved by using a couple of Mixels ball-joints to fix the position.

Bag 3

A fairly simple construction for the thighs: a minor but important variation is present on the left thigh that allows attachment of two swords later on. Here also is the first indication of how enough friction will be created to support the knee joint - two Technic ball joint sockets on each side!

Bag 4

For some undefinable reason, I really enjoyed putting the lower leg portions together. Great parts usage create convincing forms for the knees, shins and calves. 

Pixal is also included in this bag. As a side point, I also very much enjoy when the minifigures in the set are distributed throughout the build. I don't recall when this first started but it is a nice way to shake things up.

Bag 5

The feet are big and use a fairly familiar side-on construction that I have seen before in other similar sized mechs. It's unarguably an effective method, as immediately the mech has incredible stability.

Bag 6

Bag six completes the basic construction: "Oh, he's not 'armless anymore!" 

I love the addition of thumbs but are two fingers enough? I think using the modified plate with bar handle with open ends (2540) would have made it possible to add another finger, but the overall look isn't harmed - and who's to say two fingers are more appropriate than three?

This mech or robo-suit looks pretty good to me in this (unfinished) form and I couldn't resist trying out a pose! I'm getting strong Madness One Step Beyond vibes from it too! Which I guess is appropriate for this heavily articulated mech.

Something of Superman's blue and white Containment suit in this look?

Bag 7

Nya and a couple of big shoulder cannons are in the penultimate bag. The cannons are built around projectile launchers (49743). Once the two were attached at the shoulders I couldn't un-see an owl's face in there, and now neither can you I suspect, sorry. 

Bag 8

First thing in the final bag to build is the mech’s head. The head itself is a straightforward little build. Then using two hoses (57539) that were packed outside the bags we thread 2x1 Technic beams like beads to create a crescent cable.

We then build two side-mounted swords (that I assume are Katana) and finally we build a much larger sword that the mech is wielding. Is this larger sword an Ōdachi, a Nodachi or just a really big sword? Ōdachi translates as ‘Great Sword’ and Nodachi translates as ‘Field Sword’ both are longer than a Katana and therefore require greater skill and strength to use… but the sword as shown is delightfully massive, just as a good BFS should be.

The completed mech

Gloriously poseable, this blue, white and gold mech has plenty of play value and features. From the multiple weaponry to the stylish looks, it's a joy.

The build is great, and I enjoyed the variety of methods used that create each of the sections. A few familiar approaches are used but, because of how the process is led, it never seems to become a chore to construct. In fact, I was eager to progress to each next stage. The set was designed by Niek Van Slagmaat (Toothdominoes) and it’s a fabulous bit of design: sturdy and well balanced, and the extent of the articulation allows for some pretty dynamic poses.

 

Where looks are concerned, it's similarly impressive. Niek really has created an epic looking model that's a much sleeker mech than we generally see in Ninjago sets. At a roundtable interview in December 2022, Niek discussed his tendency towards making mechanical things look blockier and heavier-set, but that in this case he was challenged to create something more slimline and elegant.

I only have one nitpick and it really is a minor criticism: I am unsure what the large blue crescent cable that comes off the back of the head is. 

Is it a mechanoid's cranial umbilical or a cybernetic spinal cord that has become detached? Perhaps it is simply a charging cable or aerial? In any case, it hangs loose, attached to nothing, and is not perhaps the neatest at its end where two clips hold the ‘strung’ or 'beaded' pieces in place. I think it could look better if it was finished off with a plug end or if this conduit was attached back into the body by some kind of cowling, socket or other mechanical structure. 

It doesn't change the fact that Jay’s Mech is an exemplary example of its kind. With knee joints!

The blue, white and gold colour scheme is striking and appropriate to the character, and produces an eye-catching model, probably enhanced by the massive weaponry. There aren't an excessive number of small or unnecessary parts: it's all very economically built.

Kev Levell's modification of LEGO® NINJAGO® Jay's Titan Mech

The great array of blue parts provided in the set easily inspired me to try to create something with a Classic Space flavour. I figured, even if I just swapped out those White parts for Light Bluish Grey where I can and add a Trans-Yellow canopy in place of the mech's head, I'd be in the orbit of something pretty neat?

It turned out to be more than the quick morning's work that I had intended, but it was still a relatively quick MOD to create. In all honesty, finding alternatives for some parts I didn't have (or couldn't find) in Light Bluish Grey was the biggest time drain.

Conclusion

71785 Jay's Titan Mech costs US$79.99 / £69.99 / 79.99€ / AU$129.99 and, judging by my native UK price, I think this is good value. It has a fair selection of parts that I think might be a very good starting point for other kinds of mechs. 

As an addition to the large number of mechs already out there, I think Jay's Titan Mech brings something new to the table. Neat building techniques create refined and convincing anatomical forms. The degree of motion in some joints is limited, but necessary to ensure sturdiness and balance. However, the dynamism that is possible with the Titan Mech is exceptional. More than once I have had to remind myself that this is a LEGO model!

 

To achieve all this, and to stand out in looks at a price point that isn't exactly wallet-busting, is a considerable feat in a heavily populated field. 2023 is another bumper year for mechs, boasting over ten already! It's definitely one to add to the wishlist, or just go treat yourself to it now. As ever, if you enjoy our work, we'd really appreciate it if you'd follow our affiliate links to purchase from LEGO.com, we may get small a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop.

Editor: Chris Baginski

READ MORE: LEGO® Friends review: 41728 & 41733: Thought for Food

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