Tag: NBH

Review of nanoblock Himeji Castle NBH_099

October 30, 2025November 28, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Himeji Castle build. Himeji Castle is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_099

Country: Japan

Number of Pieces: 330

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

This build begins by laying the outline of the castle and wall on the baseplate.

The next steps are adding a couple layers of bricks to create the castle and the wall.

The next steps are to add the large walls on the side of the building. These use dark grey to create the roof details on the walls. Each step also adds a layer to the castle building.

Then, a couple more layers are added to the castle before starting on the roof.

The next several steps are to create the light grey roof.

The last step was to add the trees to the baseplate. I didn’t add them when the instructions said to because I knew I would keep knocking them off when I was building the rest of the building.

This kit also came with nanoids, but I didn’t include them because I knew they didn’t match the scale.

Things I liked:

I like the various shades of grey that are used to add details to the build

Things I didn’t like:

I don’t love how the tower at the wall corner doesn’t line up with either of the walls

Review of nanoblock Classic Camera NBH_076

October 23, 2025November 28, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Classic Camera build. Classic Camera is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_076

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

The box says Bic Camera Limited. I believe that this kit was only available at limited stores.

I began the build by laying out the base layer of bricks on my nanoblock pad. Then I added the second layer of bricks which connected the base layer together.

Then, I began to build up the camera’s sides. This means that the actual camera is hollow.

After adding a couple of layers to the sides, I built and added the base of the lens.

Then, I followed the clear directions to build the rest of the side of the camera and the lens.

Then, it was time to add the top and close the build-up. This was by far the most difficult part of the build. My build even exploded the first time, and I needed to restart.

The problem with the build comes from the fact that the back is offset. This means there is a wall of bricks that aren’t connected. While I was building, it tried to pop out. The hard part was making sure that when the camera back pops back in. The first time, it wasn’t lined up, so when I pushed down, the whole roof collapsed, causing the bricks to explode.

The final few steps are adding the details to the top of the camera.

Things I liked:

I really like how the details make the build look like a miniature camera

Things I didn’t like:

I didn’t enjoy it when my build exploded while I was building it

Review of nanoblock Arc de tiomphe de l’Etoile NBH_075

October 16, 2025November 28, 2024shygal

Arc de tiomphe de l'Etoile build and box

This post is a review of the nanoblock Arc de tiomphe de l’Etoile build. Arc de tiomphe de l’Etoile is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_075

Country: France

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Arc de tiomphe de l'Etoile build front view

I bought this kit used to all the bricks were combined into 1 bag. The fact that all the bricks were combined made building more difficult because it was hard to tell the difference between grey and dark grey. Most of the bricks are dark grey, and the grey is only used in 1 step.

The build begins by laying out the 4 base columns on the 20×20 base plate.

Arc de tiomphe de l'Etoile build side view

The 4 columns are built in very straightforward layers. In the layers, the details on the inside of the arch and statues around the outside.

Then, the columns are connected in pairs by building a structure for the main building. Then, there are 2 columns.

The 2 columns continue to go up. In several steps, the instructions say where to start the layer, which is unusual but a very nice detail.

Arc de tiomphe de l'Etoile build back view

Then, the 2 columns are connected to create the roof of the Arch. It goes up in layers. The layers switch off between dark grey and cream. At one point, the layer uses grey bricks instead of the dark grey.

The Arc de tiomphe de l’Etoile is in the center of a giant roundabout. I don’t remember there being trees or street lights in the center of the roundabout, so I left them out of the build.

Arc de tiomphe de l'Etoile build front 3/4 view

Things I liked:

I liked how the instructions included where to start a layer. This made it easier to keep things lined up.

Things I didn’t like:

I found it hard to tell the difference between the 2 greys, which means rebuilding the kit would be hard unless I was super careful taking the build apart in the first place

Review of nanoblock Big Tree NBH_006

October 9, 2025November 28, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Big Tree build. Big Tree is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_006

Country: USA

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

I’m honestly not sure what “Big Tree” nanoblock is referring to with this build. I live in the USA, and there are no particular trees that I know of that have national significance.

The build begins with laying out the base bricks for the 4 trees.

The next step is a pull out set of instructions to build the main body of the tree. This is the main section of the build. The base was too large for my nanoblock pad, so I laid the bricks out on the table. It took several layers for everything to all be locked into place. Once everything was connected, the rest of the tree became very straightforward.

Under the cut there is a small build in the small direction to build the trunk to connect the tree to the base. I almost missed it while I was building the tree.

The next step is to build the 3 trees in the background. The trunks are simple towers of bricks. The tops of the tree are a little tricky to build because the instructions are so cramped. I’m not sure that I got them perfect, but I know that it at least gets the point across.

There are instructions on how to build a bunch of nanoids. I didn’t include them because I’m unsure if they fit the scale of the tree.

Things I liked:

I really enjoyed building the main body of the tree. It starts as a ring with a cross in the middle and ends up in a hollow, closed dome.

Things I didn’t like:

Overall, I felt the instructions were very cramped. I wish they had been printed front and back, but this was before nanoblock was printing double-sided directions

Review of nanoblock Tokyo Tower Transparent ver NBH_001R

October 2, 2025November 28, 2024shygal

Tokyo Tower Transparent ver build and box

This post is a review of the nanoblock Tokyo Tower Transparent ver build. Tokyo Tower Transparent ver is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_001R

Country: Japan

Number of Pieces: 260

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Tokyo Tower Transparent ver build front view

This is a rerelease of the original Tokyo Tower (NBH_001). It was released using clear red bricks for nanoblock’s 10 anniversary.

The build began by laying bricks out on the base. This includes some tree trucks, the supports for the tower, and the building under the tower.

Tokyo Tower Transparent ver build side view

The next few steps add to the supports of the tower and create the building under the tower. I didn’t add the treetops at this point because I didn’t want to need to look out for the tree while I was building the tower.

The next couple steps of the build require building a structure of the tower and then adding that structure to the tower. There is also a tower of dark grey bricks going up the tower’s center. I don’t like how visible the grey bricks are.

Tokyo Tower Transparent ver build back view

After adding 3 structures that were built off the tower, it is time to finish the tower. The instructions for each layer are very clear.

The last step for me was to put the tops of the trees.

Tokyo Tower Transparent ver build 3/4 view

Things I liked:

I really like the clear red bricks and how they changed the color to create the tower

Things I didn’t like:

I don’t like how visible the center dark grey tower is in the build

Review of nanoblock Schloss Neuschwanstein NBH_106

September 25, 2025November 28, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Schloss Neuschwanstein build. Schloss Neuschwanstein is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_106

Country: Germany

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

This is an update of Schloss Neuschwanstein NBH_010. It includes newer bricks such as round 2×2 and a clear blue base.

This build could be lit using one of the LED base plates because it is on a clear blue base. If it was on an LED base, all the windows in the castle would light up.

The build begins by laying the green base layer out on the 20×20 base plate. A bit of the center section remains uncovered which is why I think that putting it on the LED baseplate would light the windows. There are a couple layers of green grass to represent the hill the castle is on. Then, there are a couple of layers of grey castle foundation.

While I was building the actual castle, I needed to be careful to check each instruction for when there were additional bricks scattered around that build that needed to be added. Sometimes, I missed the bricks and needed to go back and add them in when I noticed.

Then, I began adding the layers of the actual castle. In general, there are 2 kinds of layers. 1 layer is solid white, and the other alternates between white and clear bricks. Each layer is very clear and straightforward. I just needed to be careful to not lose my place while going between the directions and the build.

Schloss Neuschwanstein build front 3/4 view

After several layers to create the walls of the castle it is time to add the roof. The roof is navy blue with gold details. White is also added to finish the main body of the castle.

After the roof is added, the final details are added to the towers on the side of the castle. The towers start at the beginning of the build and rise until they are the highest point in the building.

Schloss Neuschwanstein build back 3/4 view

Things I liked:

I like the update. I feel that the towers are a lot more stable and clear than the original version

Things I didn’t like:

I don’t like how the instructions kept cutting more out of the picture. It made it hard to see when to add bricks around the outside

Review of nanoblock Farm NBH_166

June 26, 2025August 11, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Farm build. Farm is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_166

Number of Pieces: 250

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

This set is made up of 4 major sections. There is the base, the cow, the tree, and the nanobbit.

I began by building the base. I needed to be super careful with placing the first layer of brick on the 20×20 base plate. There are flowers, the base of the cow and tree and the fence. After the first couple of layers, the only thing added to the base is the fence, farm sign, and cow legs.

The next section of the build was the cow. Building the cow was very straightforward. I like how the udders are created while building the cow. I had a hard time attaching the cow’s body to the legs that were on the base. After attaching the body to the base, I built and attached the head.

The next section is to build the tree. The tree greenery was a bit tricky because there were so many overhangs and so much staggering in the build. The directions are straightforward and clear where the previous layers are. Once the tree is built, it is added to the base, where a trunk section is added when building the base.

The final step is to build the nanobbit. The instructions are very clear.

Things I liked:

I like the nanobbit. They are fairly uncommon in nanoblock builds
I liked how the udders of the cow were created

Things I didn’t like:

I never like building base plates where everything is sprinkled around the base. If one brick is out of place, the entire build might not work properly, and it’s hard to find

Review of nanoblock Schloss Neuschwanstein NBH_010

June 19, 2025August 11, 2024shygal

Number: NBH_010

Country: Germany

Difficulty Rating: 3

Schloss Neuschwanstein is a castle in southern Germany. It served as an inspiration for the Disney castles.

The build begins by laying dark grey bricks on the green 20×20 base. Since everything is connected, it was fairly easy to lay out the initial layer.

There are several layers of dark grey bricks. These bricks create the foundation and the entryway of the castle.

Then, I started to build the main body of the castle. The layers alternate between plain white and white with clear windows. There are several layers of white. In addition to the main section of the castle, there are towers of bricks that grow along the side of the castle. These towers are tricky because they can easily pop off.

The next step is to add the navy blue roof. Over 5 steps, the entire roof goes from being open to being closed. The roof is mostly flat.

The final step is to add the details. There are 3 towers of differing heights. Each tower has different instructions so they all look slightly different. There is also a center peak added to the roof. There are also a bunch of trees to add around the base of the castle.

Things I liked:

I feel that the building does look quite a bit like the actual castle

Things I didn’t like:

I don’t really like the trees and how they look

Review of nanoblock Brandenburger Tor NBH_031

June 12, 2025August 11, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Brandenburger Tor build. Brandenburger Tor is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_031

Country: Germany

Difficulty Rating: 3

The Brandenburger Tor is also known as the Brandenburg Gate. It’s in Berlin, Germany.

This kit is split into 3 sections. There is the main body, roof, and details.

The main body is the structure holding up the gate’s roof. It begins with laying bricks out on a 20×20 plate.

The structure goes up in very straightforward layers. Due to the size of each step I placed a counter on the step I was on to make sure I didn’t try to add in extra steps. As I neared the end of the structure, keeping everything straight was a bit of a challenge because the columns had gotten so tall.

After building the main structure, set it aside to begin working on the roof. The roof began with 9 long pieces all lined up next to each other. I wanted to make sure things were lined up properly, so I used my nanoblock pad.

After getting the first step tied together in the second step, the rest of the roof is fairly straightforward. There is a direction that is a bit hard to follow because it is creating an overhang but once I got the first piece lined up, the rest fell into place fairly quickly.

Next, attach the roof to the main structure.

The final set of steps is to add all the details.

The first set of details is the statue at the top of the gate. I found these directions to be very cramped and hard to read. I even missed some bricks that I was supposed to place and needed to go back and reread the directions. I was eventually able to figure it out.

The kit also comes with bricks to add nanoids and trees to the build. I didn’t add the nanoids because I don’t think they would fit properly to scale. I didn’t add the trees because I looked online, and the Brandenburg Gate doesn’t have any visible trees nearby. There are some gardens, which may be what nanoblock was going for. I feel that neither the nanoids nor trees added to the build in any meaningful way and were not to scale.

Things I liked:

Although it isn’t accurate to the actual gate, I really like how the different colors used in this build look in combination

Things I didn’t like:

I felt the directions for the roof details were difficult to read
I don’t like when extra stuff is added to the build just because especially when it isn’t to scale

Review of nanoblock The Parthenon NBH_066

June 5, 2025August 11, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock The Parthenon build. The Parthenon is part of the nanoblock Sights to See collection. Wondering what else is part of the Sights to See collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBH_066

Country: Greece

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

The instructions for this kit include several nanoids all around the base. I didn’t include them in my build because they don’t really fit the scales of the rest of the build.

For me, the trickiest part was keeping track of all the pieces. I normally build on a tray balanced on my lap. This kit had a ton of round pieces, so every time I sifted, the round bricks would roll all over the tray.

This is a large NBH build because it is built on 2 20×20 plates, whereas most kits have only one plate.

The build begins by outlining the base of The Parthenon. This step also connects the 2 base plates. There is some rubble scattered around the build as well.

The next couple of steps is to build the actual base of The Parthenon. There appear to be steps going all around the building. Two 10×10 plates are used to create the base at the top of the platform.

The next couple of steps are to create the ruin of a building that used to stand on top of the base. I’m not sure how accurate the building is because the only photos I can find appear to be only walls, while the nanoblock build appears to have a roof.

The next step is to create all the columns around the outside of the building. There are columns on all four sides. I like that there is some slight variation of the columns by adding cream and gray bricks to the columns instead of having them just be white. After all the columns are all, each section has a bit where the column connects to the roof.

Overall, I feel that the build has a feeling of the Greek ruins, but I’m not sure that it’s accurate enough I would recognize it as The Parthenon.

Things I liked:

I like how the additional colors break up the white in the columns. I wish there had been more of this in the build

Things I didn’t like:

I’m not sure how recognizable it is as The Parthenon, but it looks more like a generic ruin to me