LEGO® Ideas set 21361 Gremlins: Gizmo originates from a contest on that platform, and I'm happy seeing a LEGO Ideas set that's not in minifigure scale. But is this little Mogwai a companion worth all the strict rules, and the threat of Gremlins infestation?
Products in this article were gifted by The LEGO Group; the author's opinions are their own.
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21361 Gremlins: Gizmo
- Release date: 1 October 2025 – pre-order available now from the links below
- Pieces: 1125
Price and link to pre-order:
- US$ 109.99 on LEGO.com US
- CA$ 129.99 on LEGO.com Canada
- GB£ 89.99 on LEGO.com UK
- AU$ 149.99 on LEGO.com Australia
- NZ$ 169.99 on LEGO.com New Zealand
- DE€ 99,99 on LEGO.com Deutschland
- NL€ 99,99 on LEGO.com Nederland
- FR€ 99,99 on LEGO.com France
- PLN 439.99 on LEGO.com Polska
- NOK 1399,90 on LEGO.com Norge
- DKK 899.95 on LEGO.com Danmark
Interesting parts
Recolours
- 4x Slope Curved 3 x 1 x 2/3 in Light Nougat (6573542 | 7302)
- Brick Curved 1 x 4 x 1 Rounded Ends in Light Nougat (6573533 | 4045)
- Slope Curved 3 x 2 Beveled with Stud Notch Left in Light Nougat (6573534 | 6822)
- Slope Curved 3 x 2 Beveled with Stud Notch Right in Light Nougat (6573535 | 6823)
- 4x Slope Curved 4 x 1 Inverted in Light Nougat (6530976 | 13547)
The
beveled 3x2 curved slopes have so far appeared only in 77239 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Super Car, in bright light orange with headlight prints.
Tom will review the set later on with his powers of Loftus Analysis,
but in the meantime I checked that its geometry fits existing parts
perfectly. What a pleasant piece!
- 12x +1 spare Dome 1 x 1 x 2/3 in Light Nougat (6573537 | 6908)
This little dome premiered in 2025, filling an obvious gap in the LEGO inventory. Here, 12 are used on the toe- and finger-tips.
- 2x Plate Round 1 x 2 Half Circle with Stud (Jumper) in Light Nougat (6576671 | 1745)
- 10x +1 spare Plate Round 1 x 1 with Hollow Stud and Underside Clip in Light Nougat (6573540 | 5264)
- 2x Bracket 1 x 1 - 1 x 2 in Light Nougat (6573541 | 79389)
Again, some crucial recolours for the design. Just wait to see those stud notches on the round jumpers to form Gizmo's tiny nostrils.
- 4x Wheel Arch, Mudguard 2 x 3 x 1 1/3 with 2 x 2 Plate in Light Nougat (6573531 | 49097)
- 6x Plate Special 1 x 1 Rounded with Handle in Light Nougat (6573538 | 26047)
The mudguards are crucial to the face design. In general, the set designers seem to love this part – it often pops up in my reviews, and I hardly ever review car sets.
- 10x Slope 18° 2 x 1 x 2/3 in Reddish Brown (6518956 | 5404)
- 2x Slope Curved 1 x 6 in Reddish Brown (6573543 | 6801)
This is a character set, and therefore it's only fitting to have good character-building parts in it. I'm excited about these reddish-brown goodies.
- 2x Tile 1 x 2 with Stud Notch Left in Reddish Brown (6570783 | 5091)
- 2x Slope 45° 2 x 1 Inverted with 2/3 Cutout in Reddish Brown (6573544 | 2310)
- 8x Brick Curved 1 x 2 x 1 with Curved Top in Reddish Brown (6573746 | 5841)
While not as exciting, these will undoubtedly prove themselves useful. It's a pity that the notched tile premiers without a right-side counterpart – I think they could have integrated a pair into the fur.
- 4x Plate Special 1 x 2 with Clip Horizontal on Side in Dark Brown (6570064 | 11476, 65458)
There aren't many dark brown pieces in this set, and these are relatively well hidden in the build, so I'm surprised to see this recolour. I suppose it was devised for another set and will appear elsewhere soon.
New print
- 2x Shield Round Bowed with Eye print in White (6600661)
Round shields have been used before, as Groot's eyes, and here Gizmo gets a new, more detailed design.
Rare parts
- 2x Slope Curved 3 x 1 x 2/3 in Reddish Brown (6572894 | 7302) – also in 43010 Nike Slam Dunk (review of set 43010 by Thomas Jenkins)
- 2x Wedge Curved 4 x 4 No Top Studs in Reddish Brown (4517635 | 47753) – in 2 other sets, last seen in 2012
The new "long baby bow" brings us a new curved slope option, which will be useful in character builds, especially muscles; here it represents fur. Thomas analysed part 7302 when it was recently introduced by the Nike x LEGO® sets.
While not as exciting, I was surprised to note that the 4x4 curved wedge in reddish brown was last seen in sets 13 years ago. I use this piece frequently. With such a long gap it has a new Element ID of course, but there are no apparent modifications to the mould.
- 2x Brick Arch 1 x 3 x 3 [Gothic] in Light Nougat (6569136 | 13965) – also in 21359 Italian Riviera (see our review of set 21359 by Ben Davies
- 2x Slope 18° 4 x 1 in Light Nougat (6424077 | 60477) – also in 43222 Disney Castle (see review of 43222 by Tobymac)
- 2x Plate Round 2 x 2 with Rounded Bottom [Boat Stud] in Light Nougat (6438565 | 2654) – in 2 other sets
- 4x Plate Special 1 x 2 [Side Handle Closed Ends] in Light Nougat (6440975 | 48336) – in 2 other sets
- 2x Slope Curved 2 x 1 Inverted in Light Nougat (6492197 | 24201) – in 2 other sets
- 4x Brick Round 1 x 1 Open Stud in Light Nougat (6546466 | 3062) – also in 31175 Unicorn Castle (review by Ben Davies coming soon!)
There has been a proliferation of light nougat elements over the last few months, so while not new or unique, these have premiered only recently.
- 6x Plate Special 2 x 2 with Double Inverted Curve, 1 Stud in White (6511007 | 4190) – also in 31168 Medieval Horse Knight Castle
- 2x Cone 1 x 1 [Top Groove] in Medium Nougat (6532065 | 59900) – in 2 other sets
While initially designed for temple roofs, the set designers have found many interesting uses for this double-inverted curved plate. I'm looking forward to discovering their potential in MOCs.
The completed Gizmo
As in the Gremlins movies of 1984 and 1990 (and TV series, soft drink ads, Game Boy Advance game, and so forth), Gizmo is simply a little dude covered in brown and white fur. He is a magical creature called a Mogwai, a species that [spoiler alert!] multiply if they come into contact with water, and become mischievous Gremlins if fed after midnight.
The original LEGO Ideas design was an entry to the If We Could Turn Back Time contest by Japanese builder Fuma Terai, aka Terauma. The model has gone through a major re-design by New Elementary alumni Chris McVeigh, now a senior designer on the LEGO Ideas team. This has thoroughly improved the model. The rounded belly, very large ears and wide head have been re-created faithfully here.
It is also worth noting that this is not Gizmo's first appearance in LEGO form: a minifigure was available in LEGO® Dimensions 71256 Gremlins Team Pack from 2016. LEGO Dimensions truly is the treasure trove of weird licences. The Gizmo minifigure looks less amiable than the new character model.
Gizmo is accompanied by 3D glasses, which appeared in the original film. He can't wear them while standing up without extra brackets for connection, but they're perfectly sized for him.
The set includes extra pieces which enable standing and sitting poses, similar to alternative models on LEGO® DREAMZzz™ sets. I think this is a great idea, as any sort of hinge or joint would have ruined Gizmo's beautifully round belly. It took me about 15 minutes to switch between the modes. I prefer the standing pose, as it displays Gizmo's rounded shape better.
The model has a small amount of movement. The legs can be rotated, the arms swivel, the fingers move, head turns, and the ears can be adjusted with ball joints. The mobility is sufficient, but I think an ability to tilt Gizmo's head would have made him even more adorable. In my own character building experience, head tilts bring characters alive.
The Mogwai's eyes can, however, be tilted slightly, enabling a ponderous appearance.
The fanciest technique is used on the sides, under the arms. The sides are slightly angled using a simple geometric structure, making the torso egg-shaped. The angled section is touched by the 2x4 curved slopes under them. But look closely: there is a plate-thick layer between the 2x4 and 2x2 curved slopes, hinting at more advanced geometries inside. I won't spoil them but I will say well done, Chris!
Referring to the Mogwai's replicating reaction, a splat of trans-light blue "water" is included. However, the blue hue looks barely water-like, reminding me more of toothpaste. I would have preferred a trans-clear splat instead. Nonetheless, the model looks better without it.
The greatest feat of this set is making Gizmo look actually cute and amiable. This is more difficult on a static model compared to the original moving animatronic puppet; and in general, recreating soft forms such as cloth and fur is never easy with this blocky, hard medium. I speak with some experience.
The challenges are evident on the faces of 75371 Chewbacca (see my review of set 75371) from 2023 and 75255 Yoda from 2019. They both feature prominent, dark gaps around the eyes, making an eerie effect of empty eye sockets, and therefore looking uncanny. Here, rather, I simply want to pat Gizmo.
There are some differences from the source material, though. The set's brow is heavier, and the eyes are very flat. The flatness was evaded in the fan design by using dinosaur tails along the upper edge, and it would have worked here as well. I suspect they went with overall simpler forms to make the model look clear.
Conclusion
As a character model, 21361 Gremlins: Gizmo might be the best such set so far. As a parts pack, it has an excellent variety of recolours and rare parts. The value of 1125 pieces for US$109.99/ £89.99/ 99.99€/ AU$149.99 is good. I'm content.
READ MORE: LEGO® 3D-printed elements: 10361 Holiday Express Train has one you can buy
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