When LEGO wants to imprint itself into the Chinese and Asian regional market, they don’t do it by half-measures. Already we have gotten a preview at what the company has planned for release in that country by 2019, one of them being given an in-depth look with several images shown. That was the LEGO Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner set (80101), a marvelous depiction of a Chinese family celebrating Chinese New Year in a totally traditional setting. Accompanying those images is one shot of its companion set the Dragon Dance (80102). Now we have a closer look at that courtesy of the same source, German LEGO news source Promo Bricks.
A close inspection of the box image for LEGO Dragon Dance (80102) hinted at a possible mechanical function similar to what LEGO a couple of months ago with LEGO Forma. These follow-up images confirm it: a crank on one side of the dragon dance platform can be turned, causing the Chinese dragon to undulate as if its bearers were actually moving it.
The set comes with five minifigures, four dragon-bearers (with individually distinct heads) and the CMF Series 12 Piggy Guy leading with the “pearl” ornament the dragon traditionally chases. Why a pig guy? That’s because the set is releasing in 2019, the Year of the Pig in the Chinese Zodiac (specifically, Pig of the Earth element). Interestingly, the included brick separator is colored teal, a first.
Like the Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner (80101), this set will only be available for conventional purchase in China, and possibly neighboring Asian countries. The rest of the world may have to rely on secondary markets to get one of these.