Lumibricks’ 1,699-Piece Manga Shop Set Fuses Traditional Japanese Architecture with Neon Cyberpunk Flair

Anyone familiar with Tokyo’s Nakano Broadway may recognize the allure of tightly packed shops brimming with secondhand manga. Lumibricks captures this vibrant essence in their Manga Shop: a 1,699-piece building set that embodies a bookstore, transforming a wooden Japanese shop with neon signs, exposed cables, and a playful robot raccoon perched on the roof. While the tiled roof and lattice windows evoke nostalgia, a brilliantly glowing Shibuya-style billboard heralds a futuristic twist.

Set against a backdrop where paper manga is nearly a relic, the set’s story introduces Eiji Fushimi, a collector who uses a vintage eye implant to digitally archive rare volumes. Joined by Akira Tachibana, a prodigious hacker, and Yuzu Kurose, a manga-enthusiast office worker, their narratives breathe life into this neon-tinged world. Inside, it reveals intricate features like a browsing aisle and a VIP reading room, while the design allows connectivity with Lumibricks’ Izakaya set for a glowing urban tapestry. Priced at $119.99, it invites you to craft your own neon metropolis.

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The Manga Shop: A Neon Wonderland on a Miniature Scale

The shop’s entry is framed by a translucent red torii gate, crowned by a glowing NEUVA billboard in hues of blue and magenta. A striking orange “MANGA” sign punctuates the corner, while a pink ドキドキ (signifying a racing heartbeat) flickers overhead. Vibrant cables snake across the roof, encapsulating the entire theme. Atop, a robot raccoon flaunts a manga page and sports a fan on its arm. Ground level showcases a gashapon machine, arcade cabinet, red lantern, and a watchful black cat.

Blending Old World Charm with Futuristic Elements

This construction ingeniously combines traditional Japanese aesthetics with cyberpunk influences, reminiscent of iconic cultural touchstones like Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” or Katsuhiro Otomo’s “Akira.” Original features, like gabled tiles and wooden eaves, evoke a sense of nostalgia, while neon elements are bolted on to reflect a future narrative. The design embodies more than eye-catching colors; it tells a story of evolution and adaptation, bridging past and present.

Lighting, Assembly, and Technical Challenges

The set is powered via a USB-C cable or a battery box needing three AA batteries, though power must be supplied separately. Building this piece demands patience as Brick Fanatics points out, citing the intricacy of the wiring. The construction uses 81 printed pieces and 35 spray-painted elements, forgoing stickers altogether. Give yourself around eight hours—and perhaps a snack—to see it completed.

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Dynamic Expansion and Authentic Detailing

While priced competitively against Lumibricks’ larger sets, the Manga Shop facilitates the creation of larger street scenes by sharing power across up to four sets. Despite some practical issues, such as figures unable to hold manga, the dazzling neon display ultimately makes this creation a rewarding build.

Source: yankodesign.com

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