Psychological theory recognises an inclination for individuals to adopt, as part of their identity, an “us-versus-them” mindset. Like any community, members of the AFOL one exhibit this trait – for example, loyalists of the minifigure characters with the iconic (and allegedly neutral) yellow skin colour, versus proponents of the natural flesh tones that arose (and continue to expand) in the 2000’s onwards. In the AFOL world, the us-versus-them phenomenon (on various points of difference) manifests from good-natured banter to hardcore fanaticism.

When one browses various forums that host AFOLs, one of the apparent divisions that features is between fans of minifigs (à la, classic LEGO themes) and mini-dolls (emergent Friends+ themes). Personal preference is natural and need not be competitive nor combative – there’s obviously a strong market for both lines (as noted in my previous article). Additionally, if The LEGO Movie 2 (and abundant anecdotal stories from “LEGO families”) is anything to go by, then at least some fans are perfectly prepared to mesh the two worlds together (not least of all children).

However, a discernible chunk of AFOLs that are minifigure devotees appear unwilling to adopt mini-doll based sets into their collections. Some reasons cited for this include the fact that the dolls have restricted articulation and a less diverse range of facial expressions (at present) when compared with their minifigure counterparts; the dolls are also perceived as more feminine, which may not suit some people. Another reason is that the colour palette of the sets that are inhabited by mini-dolls is sometimes judged as being garish and/or overly “girly”.

But, the LEGO community – the designers, the builders, the products within it – is continually evolving. The evolution of the character cast from the first to second LEGO movies exemplifies this. And then this year (2023), unexpectedly appeared the LEGO Friends #41757 “Botanical Garden” set. When the first images were released, there was a collective jaw-drop within the AFOL community. The set, based on real plant and butterfly species, is simply stunning; it adopts a broadly appealing architectural style – sans gratuitous technicolour! (You can read more about the set in this review by @jayong28). Notably, it potentially fits as well in a LEGO City world as in a LEGO Friends one. This set is predicted to be pivotal in promoting the adoption of the mini-doll universe into the aforementioned, formerly impenetrable one of diehard minifig loyalists.

Personally, it’s certainly no secret that my AFOL collection is all about the mini-dolls. This is in part owing to the influence of my young daughter (the target demographic) during my rediscovery of LEGO as an adult. Additionally, the mini-doll aesthetic reflects my own inherent preferences over those of the minifigure. And so, in a plot twist that takes us in the opposite direction to the Botanical Garden case mentioned previously (i.e. of the prospective adoption of the mini-doll world into the minifigure one) – this particular mini-doll fan is instead being lured by a new minifigure-based theme into that world … Welcome, LEGO DREAMZzz!

The new in-house Dreamzzz theme is a gloriously colourful, fantastical and sometimes nonsensical world (in the best possible way!) of dreams and nightmares. It includes many of the elements that are enjoyable in the mini-doll themes, such as bold colours, beautiful shapes, distinctive characters, and a fusion of both whimsical and darker vibes*. [*Vibes lacking in Friends, but exemplified in Elves, and able to be entertained in the Disney Princess and DC Super Hero Girls worlds owing to extensive canon and derivative source material.] Indeed, various reviews (such as this one by @ramblingbrick) have already drawn parallels between the features of some Dreamzzz sets with characteristic elements of Friends and Elves (in particular).

The ground-breaking Friends Botanical Garden set, and the original LEGO Dreamzzz series, may serve as possible bridges between the worlds of the minifigure and the mini-doll. It could be expected that other bridging sets and themes are likely to appear in future releases also, based on this precedent. Clever marketing strategies like this are good for TLGs profits, and for providing more diverse consumer choice. But, most importantly to note perhaps, is the moral parallel here between the world of play (or imagination) and the real world, wherein cultivating interconnectedness between different camps can help to de-escalate tensions of differences and build a more cohesive, empathetic and fulfilling world together.

“Think of playtime like an innovation lab where tomorrow’s civilization is being actively designed.“
Jordan Shapiro