LEGO Ninjago Interview!

We chat to LEGO’s top designer to get the lowdown on LEGO Ninjago…

Do you love LEGO? Well, who doesn’t love playing with these brilliant building blocks?! To celebrate the release of the LEGO Ninjago Movie, we caught up with LEGO’s senior model designer Michael Svane Knap. Check out what he had to say!

NGK: Hi Michael! Your job looks fun! Have you always dreamed of being a designer for LEGO?
Michael: When I was a child I was a huge fan of LEGO! When I was older, I studied Fine Art and Industrial Design at university, and made sure I got the skills needed to get a job at LEGO. It’s great designing toys that make kids happy!

NGK: We think the LEGO Ninjago characters are awesome! If you were to be a LEGO Ninja, who would you want to be?
Michael: One of my favourites is Ash – he was a competitor in Master Chen’s Tournament of Elements. He is the master of smoke and can vanish into thin air and reappear in a different location!

NGK: Wow, he sounds really cool! Which ninja do you think most matches your own character?
Michael: I would say Zane. His personality is calm and thoughtful – but he’s not afraid to go first when there is danger.

NGK: In the movie, the Skeleton Army is super scary – we wouldn’t want to fight them! Which skeleton soldier would you least like to meet in a dark alley?
Michael: It wouldn’t be great to bump into Samukai! I think anyone with 4 arms would be a lot to handle!

NGK: We agree! Who would you like to have on your side if you were up against the Skeleton Army – based on their super ‘Spinjitzu’ moves?!
Michael: When it comes to do Spinjitzu, any ninja would be great to team up with – it’s a strong power and a great fighting style! But I’d have to go with Kai. The ability to control fire is a strong move against any enemy!

NGK: Which Lego Ninjago character did you have most fun creating?
Michael: When we were making the bad guys in the Skysbound season, we had to create a mix of different personalities. My favourite one is definitely Flintlock. It was fun to mix different bits of iconic pilots and pirates and tie that into the Ninjago universe.

NGK: The movie’s ninjas all master different ‘elements’. Which element would you most like to master and why?
Michael: It would be cool to have the element of teleportation – just imagine how much time you could save! I could spend more time with my family and be more productive at work. That would be brilliant!

NGK: How would you encourage children to use their own ‘elements’ to conquer troubles in their daily lives?
Michael: I believe in the power of kindness. We have to be good to others and we should treat others the way we want to be treated. It’s important to remember the power of a smile, too. When you meet someone, a smile gets you a long way.

NGK: Thanks for answering our questions, Michael!

Now check out the awesome new LEGO Ninjago model sets – if you’re a fan of the movie, you’ll love these top toys!

Take on the Shark Army with the fearless hero and master of fire, Kai! Join him in the cockpit of his fab Fire Mech and let the battle begin!

And jump in the cockpit of Jay’s epic Lightning Jet and face the Shark Army’s new terrifying weapon… a six-legged robotic crab. Yikes!

Uh oh – there’s even more trouble ahead! The Shark Army are trying to capture Shen-Li? Can you and the LEGO ninjas save the day in the magnificent Manta Ray Bomber?