Review: 7962 Anakin's & Sebulba's Podracers

Set ID: 7962 Anakin's & Sebulba's Podracers

Number of Pieces: 810

Year of Release: 2011

Minifigs: 5

Purchased Price: About SGD160

It's about time LEGO improves upon the old podracers. The first LEGO podracers made their first public appearances in 1999, the year when the range was launched. The difference is, at that point of time, you can have three podracers in one box (7171 Mos Espa Podrace) and now you can only have two, minus the Gasgano's podracer. Well, in the movie, it was the battle between Anakin's and Sebulba's podracers that was the classic scene, so I guess we can do without Gasgano's in this collection.

LEGO has not launched any new podracers since 1999, and after a 13 year wait, these new generation podracers do show some important improvements to bring closer the resemblance between the LEGO vehicles and that in the movie. For the uninitiated, a podracer consists of a open top cockpit, towed by two over-sized engines, which in turn are connected by an energised power stream between them (there may be some more sophisticated names for the parts mentioned but I shall leave it simple here). Once powered, the cockpit will be hovering in mid-air, zipping through the podracer track peppered by dangerous natural landscape and deadly alien sabotage. To create this hovering effect and connect the cockpit to the engines, LEGO relied on long biege coloured bricks (24 studs long, no less) in the 1999 sets. Unsightly to say the least, I wished then that LEGO will make those biege bricks disappeared and yet able to replicate a flying podracer. My wish finally came true in 2011. Not completely fulfilled, but close enough. 

Now you see it, now you don't

In place of the long biege bricks, LEGO used transparent long span bricks instead. Perhaps transparent bricks were not invented back in 1999, but they certainly make the new podracers look more sexy and sleek. Upon closer examination, the transparent bricks are actually connected by biege struts. So I guess if there is a future version of podracers, the struts might become transparent too! 

The transparent bricks also extend vertically downwards to form a handle that you can hold snugly should you want to fly the podracers in both your hands. Should this proposal be appealing to you, you might want to note that Sebulba's podracer is quite heavy relative to Anakin's. However, the two podracers are quite well built, with no parts attempting to come off after some simulated barrel rolls and anti-gravitational manuevre. The transparent frame also doubles as display stand, slotting in nicely to a base. Although the podracer feels and looks flimsy on the frame, rest assure that it will take a hard jolt to knock the podracer over. LEGO engineer has done a great job (again) to find the CG of the vehicle and achieve a well balance pose.

Anakin's Podracer

Anakin has a rather simple cockpit, and has more stickers (eight in total) than my liking. Considering that he salvaged parts from the junkyard to customise his podracer, we should not expect a more elaborate design or complex parts. The engines are much more detailed than the 1999 versions, with moveable air brakes and flaps. Building this podracer can be boring too, due to the symmetrical nature of the vehicle and a rather simple engine design. 

Sebulba's Podracer

Being more well off and powerful, Sebulba made up for his lack of physical presence with a podracer of colossal proportion. Perhaps it was this overly inflated ego that led to his downfall towards the end of the race, or maybe size doesn't matter after all (Yah right ...). Surprisingly, this newer version of Sebulba's podracer actually has a simpler cockpit than the original one, and this accentuates the size of the engines. 

The two huge bright orange rotating cylindrical engines remind me a lot of those found on a Boeing airplane, giving a sense of how many horses it might pack if they are real. Well, if they are, Sebulba will probably be cooked in the cockpit, given his proximity to them. More details (and stickers) can be found in the main engines, which are put together by four identical blocks. I have to say I do like the little touch of those golden sticks found in the engine compartment as the do give a "greasy" and metallic feel to the intimidating engines.

Minifigs

With the exception of the Obi-Wan Kenobi minifig, the other four accompanying ones in this set are all non-standard minifigs. Both (kid size) Anakin and Wald have non poseable legs to reflect that they are vertically challenged. Watto and Selbulba now have more vibrant colours as compared to their 1999 counterparts. LEGO will need to have customised mould to make the Wald, Sebulba and Watto minifigs as they are unique to the Star Wars series. Will their presence inflate the price of this set for collector's in the future? Your guess is as good as mine.