With this LEGO model, build the most iconic Kawaii character, Hello Kitty, and her super-cute friends! Read all about Bulldoozer's HELLO KITTY AND FRIENDS - 50 YEARS submission that reached 10,000 supporters right here! And be sure to help me congratulate them for reaching this milestone in the comments down below.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
My name is Ivan Guerrero. I use the LEGO Ideas username, Bulldoozer.
- Where are you from?
I’m from the Philippines.
- What do you study or do for a living?
When I’m not building LEGO, I produce and direct videos for a living.
- What hobbies do you have?
Aside from designing with LEGO products, I also enjoy reading comic books and collecting memorabilia from my favorite movies and shows. I like building miniatures and customizing figures, too.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
You can see my LEGO creations on Instagram, @bulldoozerbricks. I’m also on Facebook – facebook.com/bulldoozerbricks.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
I was exposed to LEGO at a very young age but fell out of building when I was a teenager. I rediscovered my love for it several years ago, mostly because of LEGO Ideas sets and LEGO Dimensions packs that featured characters based on my favorite movies.
- What does the LEGO hobby mean to you? How does it fit into your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games or 'just' watch the cartoons.
For me, LEGO is a vibrant canvas for expression. Like painting or sculpting, it has a unique artistic language that’s begging to be molded and explored. It has its own techniques and nuances that are ripe for experimentation. There's an inherent joy in the physical act of building, too. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, where the final image remains a delightful mystery until the very last brick clicks into place.
- What is your favorite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
I’m a big fan of the LEGO Ghostbusters sets. While there aren’t too many of them, the sets from that line gave us some of the most accurate representations of the Ghostbusters vehicles and the firehouse in toy form. Those sets also inspired me to incorporate “Easter eggs” and hidden details in all my own creations.
- What is your favorite official LEGO set ever? Why?
One of my all-time favorite sets is the Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters (75827). It rekindled a long-lost love for LEGO and empowered me to unleash my inner builder. It became the launching pad for my MOC journey.
- What is your favorite LEGO element? Why?
With every project I make, there’s always that one part that comes in very handy. For my Hello Kitty and Friends set, that part would be the Plate with Rounded Corner. It allowed me to make everything look curved and soft from the ground up.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
I try to check out the channel of Tiago Catarino often. He usually reviews sets and gives his own insights into designing. I find his comments helpful in improving my own builds.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
I regularly look at the social media content of Brick Fanatics, Back2brick2, Brickdesigned, Ashnflash, JANGBRiCKS, and Tips & Bricks. Check them out when you get a chance!
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
Growing up in the Philippines during the ’80s and ’90s, there was a store called Gift Gate that held a special magic for us as kids. It was a treasure trove of unique toys, gifts, and accessories. For me, it was synonymous with two brands in particular: LEGO and Sanrio. On our weekly visit to the store, my brother and I would gawk at the new LEGO sets on the shelves, while my sister would pick out new Sanrio accessories to take home. Sometimes I would l also check out the cute Hello Kitty stickers, school supplies, and stationery that would be imported from Japan. Through the years, the store introduced us to hundreds of kawaii characters from Sanrio, including Hello Kitty, My Melody, Keroppi, Zashikibuta, Pekkle, Tuxedo Sam, Little Twin Stars, Pochacco, Badtz-Maru, Patty and Jimmy, The Vaudeville Duo, and more!
Sanrio has been around since 1960, and they have amassed hundreds of characters that are famous the world over. Their most popular creation, Hello Kitty, celebrates her 50th anniversary this year. She is a global icon and one of the biggest media franchises in the world. Since her debut on a coin purse back in 1974, she has appeared in movies, coffee shops, theme parks, hospitals, and even airlines. You can walk into any mall around the world and you’ll be greeted by Hello Kitty merchandise, a testament to her enduring popularity. But one dream remains unfulfilled: an official Hello Kitty LEGO set.
This dream was first planted in my mind a few years ago, when both my sister and my wife encouraged me to design a Hello Kitty LEGO set. I initially hesitated, figuring someone else would do it better. However, seeing the genuine joy that Sanrio characters brought to my young niece, I decided I would try making something that she would enjoy. While I’ve submitted sets on LEGO Ideas in the past, this is the first time I’ve built a set that isn’t for me, but for someone else. My set is a tribute to the power of Sanrio characters and the joy they bring to fans of all ages.
- How long did the process of making the project take and what did you have to research? What kind of prep, research and design phases did you go through to produce your creation?
There have been so many different versions of Hello Kitty and Friends stories through the years that finding one to focus on was a real challenge. Thankfully, the recent animated series Hello Kitty and Friends: Supercute Adventures offered a somewhat definitive version of the characters, their mythology, and their shared universe. I devoured every episode on YouTube, researching all the little “Easter eggs” on the show. It was a great starting point for exploring the colorful world of Sanrio.
Next came the challenge of capturing the essence of Sanrio magic in LEGO. Sanrio's motto, "Small Gift, Big Smile," resonated deeply with me. Just like real Hello Kitty products, I envisioned creating playful diorama sets that doubled as functional objects. Each creation transforms into a coin holder, pen organizer, or even a mobile device stand. My aim was to craft authentic Sanrio pieces that spark joy whenever someone glimpses them on their desk.
While constructing each build, I was also very conscious of keeping the theme open for future expansion sets. Inspired by the classic design of LEGO Fabuland sets, I envisioned a growing town, welcoming future buildings and characters. This way, the LEGO Sanrio adventure could continue and bring in more favorites from SanrioTown.
- What special challenges or frustrations did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
Bringing adorable Kawaii characters to life in LEGO form presented two key challenges.
One major element of their appeal is the inherent softness and roundness of the characters and their world. Translating this aesthetic into LEGO bricks, known for their angularity and grid-like structure, proved especially tricky. To overcome this, I embraced an art direction and building technique that utilized a lot of rounded slopes and curved edges to evoke a sense of softness to the structures. I also had to carefully select colors that exuded a gentle, pastel-like quality, further enhancing the overall cuteness factor. When possible, I added elements that included ribbons, hearts, fruits, sweets, and stickers to give a kawaii aesthetic.
As LEGO Ideas sets must use only existing LEGO pieces, capturing the unique head shapes and likeness for each character posed a significant hurdle. Embracing my tinkerer spirit, I got creative with my part usage. Surprisingly, finding the perfect parts took longer than actually building the rest of the set! But through creative exploration and a sprinkle of luck, I managed to capture several character likenesses, with varying levels of success.
- If you could talk to yourself before you started on this project, what would you tell him/her? What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
Sanrio fans are deeply passionate about the look of the characters. In fact, many were initially taken aback by my minifigures, built with existing LEGO parts instead of sculpted heads. In keeping with LEGO Ideas rules, I had to be creative and resourceful in finding parts to recreate their head likenesses. Unfortunately, many fans did not understand my limitations and felt that substitute heads clashed with the "perfect" representations of the characters. The characters likenesses are so iconic and recognizable. I believe the inaccurate representation of their heads hindered the set's appeal to a portion of the voting audience. It took me several months to fully understand this dynamic and communicate effectively the temporary nature of the head designs and the potential for official sculpts if the set was chosen during the LEGO review. In hindsight, I realize that better communication could have swayed some hesitant voters.
- How long did it take to complete the model? Did you finish it fairly quickly, or did it take a long time? And how did the build time compare to the time you spent promoting your Product Idea to reach 10,000 supporters?
It took me about three weeks to research, design, and build this set. However, I kept refining and editing the design over the course of the voting period. I kept trying to pack in more “Easter eggs” and improvements to my build.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
It took me about a year and seven months of campaigning and revisions to get to the magical 10K votes. At the end of the voting period, I felt relieved. I know there are so many Sanrio fans who want to see this set happen and I really don’t want to let them down.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
This model was built with 2,060 parts.
- What is your favorite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
True to Sanrio’s philosophy of “Small Gift, Big Smile,” it was the very tiny builds that brought me the most joy. It was fun to figure out how to build the mini crocodile, Pochi, Hello Kitty’s vintage airplane and tricycle, and Gudetama the lazy egg. I really like the efficiency and creative part usage to make these builds, using up to 10 parts only.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I built this set using Bricklink Studio.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
My stickers were designed using a mix of Adobe Photoshop and PartDesigner.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas Product Idea?
I learn something new with every project I submit to LEGO Ideas. Whenever I build a set, I start by immersing myself in the worlds of beloved films and shows. I enjoy uncovering fascinating details and behind-the-scenes stories. I want my sets to feel like authentic experiences for fellow fans, made by a superfan like myself. So, I try to put in as many “Easter eggs” and hidden references in the set as I can, and I hope they spark a sense of discovery and excitement for fellow builders. I also think that storytelling is key with a set like this. You want to be able to create the building blocks for many stories to play out as the set is being built or played with.
I have learned to value "playability," too. I've actively sought to prioritize the fun factor, ensuring my builds are engaging and endlessly playable for all ages. After all, LEGO sets are, at their core, toys meant to bring joy to builders of all ages, backgrounds and experiences. My role is to find that element of fun at the heart of every creation.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
It was a big help that I had active social media accounts on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X for my LEGO Ideas projects. These were the primary platforms that I used to campaign. However, the biggest boost I received in promoting this set came from a Hello Kitty fan, who posted about my design on TikTok.
- What is your favorite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
My all-time favorite LEGO Product Idea is Voltron by len_d69. Not only did it capture the likeness of the old toy line and cartoon perfectly, but it also made use of some ingenious building techniques that allow it to break apart and transform. I think that’s quite an achievement!
As for Ideas that are up for voting, I would definitely like to see the sets Gothic Villa by Claude90846, The Lampposts in Love by LeoAdriLeo, and Tea House by Archengineering get more attention.
By
JacobM366