LEGO Bumblebee 10338 (2024)

The set that got me “back” into Lego was 2022’s 10302 Optimus Prime.  The fact they made a fully transformable Prime out of Lego bricks was unbelievable, and it was incredibly fun to built.  It took two years, but a second toy in the line has now emerged:  everyone’s favourite yellow Volkswagon, Bumblebee!

‘Bee featured heavily in the first two issues of the Marvel comics but soon faded in importance.  Meanwhile, in the Sunbow cartoon, he was a main character.  In both iterations, he was friend of a human boy named Witwicky:  Buster in the comics, Spike in the cartoon.  As a toy, Bumblebee was a “minicar”:  less detailed, smaller, and affordable.  He was a “penny racer” Volkswagon, small and compact, but could transform into a robot in two or three seconds, unlike bigger toys.

The Lego version of Bee has 950 pieces and costs $120.  Prime had 1508 pieces at double the price.  Bee is also far more complex in terms of construction and transformation.  Prime has always been a simple design:  fold out the legs and arms and that’s the most of it.  Bee has to fold up from a tall robot to a compact car.  There are a lot of steps and tricks to transforming Bee.  He has a lot of hinges and flaps that have to be moved out of the way.  Bee, however, has one weakness that Prime did not:  partsfotming.  Partsforming is a derogatory term for a transformation that involves removing segments and putting them back again in a different place.  On Bumblebee, that would be his windshield/backpack.  The first step of transformation is to remove the windshield segment, and fold it up.  It will eventually become Bee’s jetpack.

Building was fun without a lot of repetitive steps.  There are also some new parts in this set, parts that are new in particular colours, and lots of printed details including two Autobot logo tiles.  We start at the feet.  Once both feet are complete, we clip them together.  This becomes the front of the car.  From then on, we are essentially building Bumblebee in car mode.  In that sense, it’s not that different from building other large Lego kits.  As you build, you’re not entirely sure what is going to go where when he transforms, and that is part of the fun.  When you’re done, you have a really nice Volkswagon model with the curves more or less in the right places.  Leeway must be given for some gappiness in front and back, but it could pass for a Lego Volkswagon model in this mode.  Lego also gives you some extra pieces:  Two plain yellow tiles for those who want the Autobot logo hidden, and an alternate license plate.  The license plates allow you to name your car Goldbug or Bumblebee.  Goldbug was a name that Bee went by when a new toy of his was issued in 1987.  Bumblebee was the first Transformers character ever reissued with a brand-new toy.

Putting this toy together was finicky, since there are so many hinges that clip into place.  Getting to the head and seeing the printed face was a nice surprise.  Lego could have included an alternate toy-accurate face to go with the license plates, but that of course would add to the cost.  The windows are transparent blue, which looks so cool and matches up with some later toy versions of the character.  There is also a tiny transparent piece with a little cartoon bee printed on it.  That goes behind the windshield, as if a little bee was loose inside.

Bee also comes with a name plate, and a blue blaster gun, similar in design to his Sunbow character.  The original toy and comic versions of Bee were unarmed, but later toys include weapons, some similar to this blaster.  It clips onto a bar hidden on his hands.  You don’t need his fingers to hold it, but all eight fingers do move – something that Lego Optimus can’t do.  Lego have learned from that model, listened to fans, and the improvement is here in Bumblebee.

Bee has limited articulation in robot mode.  The knees and feet cannot move.  The hips can, and there is a little bit of an elbow hinge, with about 90 degrees of movement.  You can rotate the arms 360 degrees at the shoulder, and get a little bit of poseability there.  He can stand very sturdily in robot mode, with rubber pads on the bottoms of his feet keeping him from slipping too much.

Prime rated an easy 5/5.  Bee has more value in price per parts ratio, and has a more complex transformation, while still including plenty of printed pieces.  The only thing Bee has going against him is the partsforming, but that’s it.

4.5/5 stars