LEGO® – Chang’e Maantaartfabriek – 80032

On the right path, but could’ve been more. To start the review, I have watched the Monkie Kid show for context and understood the background of Chinese folklore for its inspiration.
This is a great adaptation of those concepts, but even with imagination, it leaves a bit to be desired. The bunny mech is cool for design and some functions, but it lacks articulation compared to the recent LEGO Creator bunny set. all the joints only more vertically, and the feet feel thin where I think they could have been a little larger, but still hold the model. The bulk of the set in terms of piece count is dedicated to building the rabbit mech, when in reality I think it could have had a more open canopy to store more objects and figures inside. There’s a thick layer in its center comprised of bricks and plates but no function other than over-stability. But the back is neat to remove and access the tiles to fire from the front. I feel like the middle could have had room to store a minifigure, the flaming ring, or some more moon cakes.
The factory portion of the set is narrow for play inside: the conveyor belt doesn’t actually move, just simulated. There’s just enough space for 1 minifigure, 2 tightly, and the most you can do is move the mooncake box in and out of the base. The platforms surrounding the base are nice, and the window is neat if not blocked by the massive oven build.
The hovering platform with computer panels is a unique design for a small hovercraft and fits nicely on its landing platform. The carrot rocket is a clever build with ample space to store every mooncake box in the set inside of the hull.
In the show, Chang’e has a traditional style kitchen from which she streams her cooking show, and above the furnace rests the flaming ring. This could have been a useful addition to the base of the set, whether it swivels out or detaches by clips. A small rover vehicle could have been included for just 20 parts or so, to provide a driving experience on the moon while also having room to passenger a minifigure or deliver another mooncake, perhaps from the factory to the rocket? The cat is canonically not part of the scene, I feel the robot cat in the shuttle set from Monkie Kid could have swapped with this one make alot more sense for both scenes. Perhaps another minifigure would help, like Sun Wukong who actually goes to the moon with Pigsy (included in the set) and MK (not included in the set but in astronaut suit in the shuttle). Maybe another bunny android minifigure, as the show has several of them operating the factory, or even a buildable droid bunny? How about the cook book shown in the episode and an extra tile with Pigsy’s notes added in?
If you can pick this set up for $50, I’d say it’s worth all it offers. But otherwise, it’s a good start that needed something more to play around with.

Another GREAT Monkie Kid set. My family and I have become HUGE fans of the Monkie Kid-themed sets. While they may seem a bit “pricier” than some other themes, they most definitely have not disappointed! Chang’e and the moon cake factory has become one of my favorites! The awesome details of the unique minifigs, interesting building techniques of the moon cake factory and carrot rocket, and the silliness of two bunnies driving a rabbit-shaped space contraption all combine to make this set a fun build as well as an interesting display/conversation piece! I also love how with each Monkie Kid set, I learn something new about Chinese culture (I had no idea what a “moon cake” was before this set or why rabbits were associated with the moon!) A really whimsical and fun interpretation of Chinese mythology!