The real stars of LEGO Minifigures Series 28 are beneath the costumes

Even if you don’t care for costumed characters, there’s still something in LEGO Minifigures Series 28 for you, because the real stars of the show are hiding beneath their outfits…

71051 Series 28 Animals is going all in on costumed characters, serving up 12 different minifigures dressed in animal-themed outfits. And while these themed series tend to be an all-or-nothing deal for most collectors, there’s one good reason to give Series 28 a second glance even if costumed minifigures aren’t your thing: the wide range of new and expressive face prints on their heads.

Not every minifigure includes a new head, but you’ll find them with the monkey, lion, parrot, cat, Dalmatian, frog, crocodile and koala. And they run the gamut from versatile to incredibly specific, but in all cases they’re bound to find one or two uses (at least) beyond 71051 Series 28 Animals – especially those that communicate character and narrative with only simple printing.

The monkey’s alternate face, for example, looks a bit worse for wear, so could fit well anywhere minifigures might be causing themselves injury: a skate park, a ski slope, a hospital, and so on. The lion’s roaring face could work very well for a lead singer who’s really feeling the music, while the Dalmatian’s sweating face is perfect for minifigures in the gym (or journeying to the centre of the Earth, if you like).

The frog’s bubble-blowing face is also a good match for a minifigure who’s just eaten some particularly spicy food, the koala’s sleep mask would be perfect for giving to 60502 Airport with Airplane’s passengers, and the parrot’s extravagant makeup could be fun in a cabaret setting. Those are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are pretty much endless.

You could say the same about the more generic (yet still expressive) prints too, including the monkey’s extended tongue, the cat’s sleeping face, the Dalmatian’s crafty smirk and the frog’s blushing cheeks. All of these offer new ways to add a little character and detail to your LEGO minifigures in any given situation, rapidly expanding the scope of LEGO minifigure heads in a way not often afforded by regular LEGO Minifigures series.

So even if the animal costumes aren’t necessarily doing much for you, there’s at least one reason here not to overlook 71051 Series 28 Animals in the new year. If you want to pick out just those characters with the specific heads you’re after, download Brick Search on Android or iOS to make use of its best-ever minifigure scanner. Brick Search Plus members get full use of the scanner, unlimited access to the app’s back catalogue of sets and much more.

71051 Series 28 Animals debuts January 1, 2026 for £3.49 / $4.99 / €3.99 a pop. Check out our full review here.

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