Lego Elves (stylised as LEGO Elves) is a discontinued Lego product line produced by The Lego Group that was launched in 2015.[2][3] The product line was based on the storyline of accompanying animated series on Disney Channel, the Lego YouTube channel, and Netflix which follow the adventures of a character named Emily Jones who travels to a magical land called Elvendale. It went through a reboot at one point, where the animation had the characters with typical Lego-figurine-styled hands. The theme aimed to introduce a fantasy element to girl-focused Lego products. It was discontinued in 2018.
Overview
The Lego Elves theme was underpinned by the storyline of its accompanying animated series. The Lego Elves animated television series began with a mini movie special titled Unite The Magic. An animated webisode series was released on the Lego YouTube channel. An animated series titled Lego Elves: Secrets of Elvendale was produced and aired by Netflix. Both the Lego toy line and the animated series targeted the girls market. The series focus on a human girl named Emily Jones, who inherits a magical amulet from her grandmother and travels through a portal to a magical realm called Elvendale. The storyline relates how she meets four elves with elemental powers (fire, earth, wind and water) with whom she fights against evil forces, and who help her to return home.[4][5]
Development
Following the success of Lego Friends and Lego Disney, The Lego Group aimed to launch another Lego theme targeted at the girls market. In contrast to the contemporary setting of Lego Friends, Lego Elves aimed to introduce a fantasy setting into girl-focused Lego toys. The theme was developed after testing several story ideas with girls around the world.[6]
Launch
The Lego Elves theme was announced on 12 February 2015 at the American International Toy Fair. The toy line began with the release of eight toy construction sets that introduced the four main elves and their home environments which began to launch in March 2015.[7] An official teaser for the animated series was released on the Lego YouTube channel on 15 December 2014.[8] This was followed by the release of a trailer on 19 February 2015.[9]
Characters
Main Five
- Emily Jones (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) is the protagonist, a resourceful, modest, amicable, and affectionate human girl, whose "element" is love.[10][11]
- Azari Firedancer (voiced by Erin Mathews) is a fire elf who is spontaneous, extroverted, loud, sometimes reckless, and usually cheerful.[12][13]
- Farran Leafshade (voiced by Kyle Rideout) is an earth elf who is honest, loyal, reliable, and slightly self-important and has a crush on Aira.[14]
Toy line
According to BrickLink, between 2015 and 2018 The Lego Group released 33 toy construction sets, two polybag sets and six foil pack sets for the Lego Elves theme.[34] The product line was discontinued in 2018.[35]
The construction sets released each year were developed around a different storyline (which were reflected in the four seasons of the webisodes). The printed clothing featured on the "main five" mini dolls changed with each storyline; storyline four featured an armored look with designs representing each Elemental Guardian.
- Storyline One focused on Emily Jones traveling to Elvendale, meeting the elves, and trying to get back home.
- Storyline Two was about saving dragons from the evil elf witch Ragana.
- Storyline Three was about Emily’s younger sister Sophie being captured by Cronan Darkroot, the Goblin King.
- Storyline Four was about rescuing the Elemental Guardians from the dark elf Noctura.
2015 sets
Animated series
Lego Elves (2015–2016)
An animated television series, Lego Elves, was produced by Ja Film in Aarhus, Denmark. In the United States, the first special titled Unite The Magic aired on 8 March 2015 on Disney Channel.[43] The second special titled Dragons To Save, Time To Be Brave aired on 6 March 2016 as a two part special on Disney Channel.[44] The third special titled Down a Dark Path (a sequel to Dragons to Save, Time to be Brave) aired on 14 August 2016 on Disney Channel.
These specials (also referred to as episodes or mini movies) were released in conjunction with the webisodes released on the Lego YouTube channel.
Critical reception
Jenny Nixon for Common Sense Media gave the series a three-star rating, commenting, "This series is jam-packed with little girl bait - sparkling rainbow oceans, a flowing-haired Pegasus or three - and though the plot has a similar amount of depth, there's still something kind of fun about it. The quests Emily and her elf friends go on can be a tad generic, sure, but it's always nice to see a show with a high percentage of female characters, most of whom jump right in on the action and don't need a boy (or boy elf) to lead the way."
Other media
Character spots
Several short character spots were released on the Lego YouTube channel to promote the Lego Elves series. Meet Aira, Meet Emily Jones, Meet Farran and Meet Naida were released on 22 January 2015.[55][56][57][58] LEGO Elves - Azari was released on 11 March 2015.[59] Introducing Tidus and Sira, Emily the Elves and the Dragons and The Baby Dragons were released on 9 February 2016.[60][61]
Reception
In September 2015, The Lego Group reported that the Lego Elves line and Lego Jurassic World, "were received very positively by children all over the world", and that these themes had helped to push revenue up by 23%.[67]
See also
- Lego Friends
- Lego Disney
- Lego DC Superhero Girls
- Lego Unikitty!
- Lego Dreamzzz
- Lego Gabby's Dollhouse
External links
References
- BrickLink Reference Catalog - Sets - Category Lego Elves www.bricklink.com, retrieved 2021-04-12^
- Jens Hansegard. Lego Bucks Industry Trend With Profit Growth The Wall Street Journal, 25 February 2015, retrieved 12 April 2015^
- Katarina Gustafsson. Lego Seeks Some Help From Elf Friends to Reignite Franchise