What makes a minifigure?

[DrBeaker]

After some recent reviews, I began to ponder a simple question:

What makes a minifigure? Is it a collection of parts? An implied expectation of function or playability? Or just what the box tells us? Consider the picture below:


Han Solo in carbonite from 8097 and the sentry droid from 8092.

Both of these items are clearly shown on their associated box art with the other minifigures. Yet neither contains obvious elements that are typically associated with minifigs. No arms, legs or head. No torsos. No special printing.

Don't get me wrong, I think the new carbonite Han is a wonderful accessory and one of the selling points of the new Slave 1. I am just curious as to what you all think. What makes a minifig distinct from an accessory or any other LEGO build?

[Tomatoe]

Its a character in the movies.

[vynsane]

Yeah, seems to me LEGO is playing fast-and-loose with calling a small pile of bricks a minifigure. In my estimation, a minifigure should be comprised of AT LEAST:

• Minifigure head
• Minifigure torso assembly
• Minifigure legs (or an equivalent, I've seen some cool variations)

To me, a minifigure IS NOT:

• A robot made of bricks
• A single piece of plastic with the bas relief of a minifigure on it

[legitimatealex]

Minifigure Head
Minifigure Torso
Minifigure Legs or Equivalent

I barely count those piece of crap battle droids they make in the Star Wars sets as minifigures since we are charged the same for them but they have far cheaper pieces and are not nearly as pose able. They also use the body, the head, the legs and the arms separately in different sets yet amazingly don't count it as part of a minifigure. They are so inconsistent.

[NIGELTTF]

After some recent reviews, I began to ponder a simple question:

What makes a minifigure? Is it a collection of parts? An implied expectation of function or playability? Or just what the box tells us? Consider the picture below:


Han Solo in carbonite from 8097 and the sentry droid from 8092.

Both of these items are clearly shown on their associated box art with the other minifigures. Yet neither contains obvious elements that are typically associated with minifigs. No arms, legs or head. No torsos. No special printing.

Don't get me wrong, I think the new carbonite Han is a wonderful accessory and one of the selling points of the new Slave 1. I am just curious as to what you all think. What makes a minifig distinct from an accessory or any other LEGO build?

It is simple, a minifigure is whatever TLC says it is. If they abuse that privledge too much, the public will not believe the minifigure count in the set, and it will no longer factor in the purchsing decision.

They have already reached that point AFAIAC.

[possum]

I barely count those piece of crap battle droids they make in the Star Wars sets as minifigures since we are charged the same for them but they have far cheaper pieces and are not nearly as pose able.

I count them as MFs because I count the skeletons as MFs. They may not be true MFs, but they have unique parts (excepting arms) that aren't used anywhere else that I've seen. I suppose by this rationale I have to count the rock creatures from Power Miners as MFs too...but I don't like it.

That droid pictured above is definitely not one. I consider the Han in Carbonite to be a modified brick.

[legitimatealex]

I barely count those piece of crap battle droids they make in the Star Wars sets as minifigures since we are charged the same for them but they have far cheaper pieces and are not nearly as pose able.

I count them as MFs because I count the skeletons as MFs. They may not be true MFs, but they have unique parts (excepting arms) that aren't used anywhere else that I've seen. I suppose by this rationale I have to count the rock creatures from Power Miners as MFs too...but I don't like it.

That droid pictured above is definitely not one. I consider the Han in Carbonite to be a modified brick.

I definitely count the skeletons as minifigures because they have in almost every case the same unique parts as a minifigure should. Skeletons have a minifigure head, two unique skeleton legs, and the skeleton body. The only parts of him that aren't really unique are the arms but if you get the original skeleton arms then he is unique.

The droids actually have had all of their parts used elsewhere for different reasons other than being a minifigure. The Hailfire droid set uses the torsos as feet, the heads are used as legs and feet in certain sets, or as decorations. I don't mind this, but I feel that it cheapens the minifigures over all.

The Rock Monsters I definitely count as minifigures, or at least as animals. They might not be very poseable but they're round little turds anyways so I don't expect it of them. They're definitely not up to par as a minifigure per se but they are better than the droids in my opinion.

[ncbarrett]

... I suppose by this rationale I have to count the rock creatures from Power Miners as MFs too...but I don't like it...

Of course rock monsters count as minifigures!!!
I can't get enough of them. :D
They are some of my favorite minifigures LEGO has made.

I think in this example carbonite is a chest to hold a minifig, and the droid is a machine, not a minifig.

[vynsane]

I've moved this to LEGO General, as it doesn't pertain solely to SW minifigures.

I suppose by this rationale I have to count the rock creatures from Power Miners as MFs too...but I don't like it.

Hrm... yeah, there's always a loophole. Rock Creatures are minifigures, too, because their sole point is to be figures. I guess the distinction is if it's made up of bricks, or not articulated in any way, it's not a figure.

[BobaFett2]

I consider a Minifigure not to be made up of Standard Parts, but to be either a Minifigure or made of Droid Parts/other Special Minifigure Parts.