I'll be honest: when LEGO announced an entire Collectible Minifigures series dedicated to animal costumes, my first thought was "there goes my January budget." My second thought was "worth it." Having now seen the full lineup of 71051 Minifigures Series 28 Animals, I can confirm both thoughts were correct.

This is the first time LEGO has dedicated an entire CMF series to a single costume theme, and they absolutely nailed it. Twelve characters, twelve animal costumes, zero duds. That's a rare achievement for any blind bag series.

The Standouts

Peacock Costume

The Peacock might be the showstopper of the entire series—which feels appropriate for a bird known for, well, showing off. The tail piece is genuinely impressive: a large hard plastic element with metallic printing that slots between the legs and torso. It's heavy enough that the minifigure can be a bit top-heavy (or... tail-heavy?), so you'll want a baseplate handy. The blue and turquoise color scheme with that yellow beak just works. Even the chicken-wing arm pieces feel intentional here as peacock wings.

Parrot Costume

Speaking of birds, the Parrot is an absolute riot of color. Red, blue, yellow—it's giving tropical vacation energy in minifigure form. The new oversized headgear captures that curved beak shape perfectly, and there's even printing on the wings. But the real party piece? The tail uses two different fabric textile elements to create layered plumage. A fabric tail on a CMF! LEGO's really flexing their design muscles here.

The Parrot also comes with a printed box of "Parrot Snacks," which is the kind of cheeky accessory detail that makes these series fun.

Familiar Faces, Fresh Takes

A few of these characters might trigger some nostalgia if you've been collecting CMFs for a while—but don't mistake familiarity for repetition.

The Dolphin shares some DNA with the beloved Shark Suit Guy from Series 15, using a similar full-body costume approach with the headgear extending into a tail. But where Shark Guy was all menacing grays and teeth, Dolphin Girl is friendly blues with a smirk and sunglasses on her alternate face. She even comes with a clamshell containing a pearl. Completely different vibe.

The Crocodile is clearly a spiritual successor to Series 5's Lizard Man—same general headgear style with spiky ridges down the spine—but the execution is distinct. The croc has a mouthful of sharp teeth giving it a "menacingly cute" look, plus she comes with a rubber duck and a new dual-molded life preserver element. (Finally, LEGO has given us a proper life preserver that minifigures can actually hold. No more toilet seats!)

The Bunny joins a proud lineage of rabbit-costumed minifigures, but this "Cute Bunny" is distinctly Easter-themed with cream-colored fur, one flopped ear, and an actual printed Easter egg with basket. The Series 6 Bunny Suit Guy isn't going anywhere in our hearts, but this one earns its own spot.

The Rest of the Zoo

The remaining characters are no slouches either:

  • Frog — Bubble-blowing, rosy-cheeked perfection. The headgear's mouth opening creates a built-in smile. New opalescent bubble element included.
  • Monkey — Mischievous expressions, a banana (obviously), and a tail that can actually grip objects.
  • Koala — That sleepy alternate face with a sleep mask is chef's kiss. Australian fans, your time has come.
  • Lion — Glorious mane sculpting, rubber tail with darker tuft at the end. Accessory is just a drumstick, which feels like a missed opportunity, but that headgear makes up for it.
  • Dalmatian — Spots everywhere. Panting alternate face. Printed frisbee with the LEGO City Outdoor Sports logo. 101 of these would be excessive but I'm not not thinking about it.
  • Fluffy Cat — Giving Siberian or Maine Coon energy with all that fur printing. Ball of yarn included.
  • Goldfish — Honestly the weirdest one in the series and I mean that as a compliment. Those big lips on the face cutout are wild. The headgear is dual-molded so the lips and fins aren't printed.

Halloween Potential

Here's a thought that might not have occurred to you: every single one of these minifigures is a person in a costume. You know what else involves people in costumes? Halloween.

If you're building a Halloween scene, a trick-or-treat display, or just want to populate your haunted house MOC with something other than ghosts and skeletons, this series is a goldmine. A kid in a frog costume going door-to-door? A peacock at the office Halloween party? A goldfish that's clearly someone's last-minute costume choice? The storytelling possibilities are excellent.

Value Check

At $4.99 per blind box, this is standard CMF pricing. A full box of 36 should contain three complete sets of 12, running you about $180 at retail. Various sellers are offering complete sets in the $55-65 range if you'd rather skip the scanning ritual.

The boxes still have the QR codes on the bottom, so if you want specific characters, bring your phone and a scanning app to the store. (Or just enjoy the chaos of true blind-box randomness. I don't judge.)

The Verdict

LEGO Minifigures Series 28 Animals is that rare CMF series where there's genuinely no weak link. Every character has a unique, well-designed headgear mould, most have fun accessories, and the overall cohesion of the theme makes collecting the full set feel satisfying rather than obligatory.

If you're an animal costume minifig collector (and honestly, who isn't?), this is your moment. If you're new to CMFs, this is a great entry point. And if you're trying to save money in January... well, I'm sorry. I truly am. But also: look at the tiny frog blowing bubbles and tell me you can resist.

I couldn't either.

Sources

Which animal is your must-have from Series 28? I've already resigned myself to army-building frogs. It's fine. Everything's fine.