LEGO - FORMA - 81000 - Koi MISB

This lot is a very unique LEGO set. The box is in great condition, seals are all intact.

81000 Koi was a FORMA set released in 2019. The set contains 294 pieces, which are used to build a model of a Koi fish. Most of the pieces used are TECHNIC pieces, which build a round base at the bottom with a TECHNIC stand used to hold the main koi build. The set was included in the launch of FORMA on Indiegogo. Around 1000 sets were sold in the first wave.

Lego FORMA was the first and only crowdfunded Lego theme. The theme's builds were inspired by fish, consisting of a base "Koi" set and several separate "skin" sets to customize the build. It was licensed and crowdfunded via Indiegogo, and managed by the LEGO Group. FORMA was considered to be a development upon the ideas of the 2011 Lego Muji theme, which combined paper and LEGO bricks. The theme was introduced on 1 January 2019 and was discontinued by the end of December the same year

The set consists of 293 pieces and foil skins. The koi model measures 27.9 cm high and 12.7 cm wide. The fish body is built using Lego Technic, before the foil skin is added. A crank at the base of the model allows the fish to simulate lifelike movements. The foil skins from the other sets can be added to the model's Technic frame to change its appearance. Each of the foil skins used holes to connect to the frame and prevent the material from being damaged when builders change the skin. The designer explained, "We designed the hole as a triangle, so the material can easily stretch when the connector element is attached. Also, the triangle is just the right size, so the connector element stays centered.