LEGO NINJAGO has revealed the flagship set for its 15th anniversary celebration: 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary, a massive collection of shops and homes with 23 minifigures from all eras of LEGO NINJAGO.
LEGO NINJAGO 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary will come with a whopping 4,851 pieces and 23 minifigures all for £269.99 / $299.99 / €299.99, releasing on January 1, 2026.
This new anniversary set is one of the largest LEGO NINJAGO sets ever released, just falling short of the third place spot held by 2017’s 70620 NINJAGO City, which has 4,867 pieces. But outside of the NINJAGO City series, 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary is by far the largest LEGO NINJAGO set ever, beating out 71814 Tournament Temple City from 2024 by over 1,000 pieces.
With that piece count, 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary packs in four modular sections to the vaguely circle-shaped complex. The town is made up of a front gate, post office and workshop, a 3-storey tower and a lookout. When connected in their circle form, the modules combine to be 53cm (20.5in) wide and 44cm (17in) deep. The 3-storey tower then does most of the heavy lifting for the set’s 34cm (13.5in) height.
The modular nature of the sections means that they’re not confined to the circular shape; they can be turned into a mostly-straight line that snakes just enough to add some visual variety. The option to display the set in this form is sure to be popular for those with narrower shelves, though the length does then pose its own challenges. There’s no denying that 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary is a huge set no matter how you slice it.
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While its high piece count and price (not to mention all the NINJAGO nostalgia) are likely to reserve the set for older fans, there still are plenty of play features scattered across the model for those at the lower end of the set’s 14+ age rating and the young at heart.
The zipline is one of the most prominent features, connecting the tower to a smaller building that Lord Garmadon seems to frequent based on the official images, so going for a ride down the zipline may be ill-advised for those not trained in the art of Spinjitzu.
A crane just off the opposite side of the tower is the other eye-catching feature, and its string means that it is fully functioning and can handle any task thrown its way. Just don’t ask it to hold anything much heavier than a LEGO barrel element.
Around the rest of the model are the Blossom Tree and what looks to be a lovely section of stonework; Chuck the Carpenter’s workshop; Dr. Saunders’ office and a loyalist hideout. There are also Easter eggs to past NINJAGO seasons, books and comics dotting the entire set that will be a treat to any dedicated NINJAGO fan putting 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary together.
The minifigure roster is a respectable 23 characters strong — the most minifigures to ever be included in a single LEGO NINJAGO set.
Three of those minifigures get their own, rather ornate display stand. And those are Young Wu, Young Garmadon and the First Spinjitzu Master. The stand comes complete with a 15th anniversary decoration and some frogs. There’s plenty of gold as well.
As for the rest of the lineup, fans will be pleased to see that the entire original ninja crew is present in their modernised ZX outfits. These look to be the same as the outfits that appear in other sets — chiefly 71866 Ninja Character Display 15th Anniversary, also releasing on January 1. In celebration of the 15th anniversary, all five ninja get gold armour, meaning Cole and Jay don’t get exact remakes of their 2012 designs. While not a huge deal on its own, it does mean that the gold on Jay’s hood doesn’t match with the extra silver armour he has on his arm and torso.
Nya does feature in the set as well but gets her original appearance rather than Samurai X or her ninja outfit. Wu and Garmadon get their classic looks as well in addition to the special anniversary figures.
Additional characters include Dr. Saunders, Dr. Julien, Harumi, Faith, Mystake, Chuck, a mailman, an administration agent, two Loyalists and young versions of the Time Twins.
There are a handful of side builds to give the large roster of minifigures extra elements to interact with, including a statue of the First Spinjitzu Master, some market stalls and a glider for Jay.
There is certainly more to be discovered in 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary, so be sure to keep an eye on Blocks magazine for a full review once the set is in hand.
And if you’re eager to celebrate 15 years of LEGO NINJAGO with one of the theme’s biggest sets, consider purchasing 71861 The Old Town 15th Anniversary via our affiliate links to help support the work we do here at Blocks, online and in print.
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