LEGO Reviews Seasonal40417

Year of the Ox

Name: LEGO Year of the Ox 40417
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 40417
Rating: 4.93 (14 reviews)

62 · MIXED REVIEWSINVESTMENT GRADE: BB2021168 pcsHigh agreement · 98%

Expert reviews

2analyzed

Owner ratings

Consensus

WAIT FOR SALE

BrickScore

Mixed Reviews

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"Year of the Ox is a competent but unspectacular entry in the zodiac animal series that earns Mixed Reviews: critics found the ox a less inspiring subject than some predecessors and noted minimal design evolution, making this a clear buy for series completionists and a skip for everyone else."

The Year of the Ox lands in Mixed Reviews territory, with two expert reviewers offering a measured take on a set that is pleasant but not exceptional outside of its zodiac collector context. Both reviewers acknowledge the articulated limbs, new printed eyes, and attractive circular base, while pointing to limited design innovation and the ox not being the most visually compelling zodiac subject. Owner data is thin at only 14 Walmart ratings averaging 4.93, which likely reflects the gift-with-purchase demographic rather than a broad critical consensus.

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LOVED (6)

01Earthy color palette works well for the subject
02New printed eye tiles with light brown iris add character
03Articulated limbs and head turntable allow for multiple poses
04Decorated circular red and gold base adds visual appeal
05Traditional red envelope accessory ties in to cultural gifting practice
06Consistent with and complementary to the rest of the zodiac animal series

CRITICIZED (4)

01Nose piece using the grey 1x3 plate with reduced studs reads as too big and blocky
02Design follows the established zodiac animal formula closely with limited innovation
03Oxen are not the most glamorous subject in the 12-animal cycle
04Only one red envelope included

What reviewers are saying

"Oxen are not the most glamorous or attractive animals but designer Mel Caddick has done a decent job of making this an appealing model. It's not my favourite by any means, but as I said at the start, if you have a collec…"

Brickset Reviews

"As far as long release cycles go, I believe nothing will beat the Zodiac Animals for the time it takes to collect the entire lot"

Jay's Brick Blog

Ecosystem

40186 Year of the Pig — Part of same zodiac series; sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, and rat previously released; ox is the latest addition to the collection

11003 Bricks and Eyes — The printed eye tiles used in the ox set first appeared in this set from 2019

80106 Story of Nian — The Year of the Ox model pairs really well with the Ox Suit minifigure from 80106 Story of Nian, creating a cohesive bovine celebration for 2021.

Year of the Rat (2020) — Follows the Rat in the Zodiac cycle with similar design principles but introduces new printed eyes like the Rat did.

SeasonalTier 1Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 2

Avg score

Consensus

WAIT FOR SALE

Brickset Reviews

Editorial Source

Key Pros

✓Articulated limbs provide posing options
✓Head turntable allows range of poses
✓Circular decorated base adds color and visual appeal

Key Cons

✕Nose piece is too big and blocky
✕Oxen not the most glamorous or attractive animals to recreate in brick form

READ FULL REVIEW

Jay's Brick Blog

Editorial Source

WAIT FOR SALE

"As far as long release cycles go, I believe nothing will beat the Zodiac Animals for the time it takes to collect the entire lot"

Key Pros

✓Earth colours work really well for the Ox
✓New printed eyes are a nice addition
✓Quite easy to get with a lot GWP purchase threshold

Key Cons

✕Still only comes with 1 red envelope
✕Design fairly consistent with previous animals – not a lot of innovation

READ FULL REVIEW

Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (2)Wait for sale (0)

Exclusivity

Brickset Reviews: Gift-with-purchase at LEGO.com with orders exceeding $85 (USA/Canada February, Europe March); also available at TRU and Mastermind retailers

Jay's Brick Blog: GWP exclusive to LEGO.com, LEGO Brand Retail Stores, and Myer (Australia); worldwide availability February 1-14, 2021 on LEGO.com.

Resale

Jay's Brick Blog: Likely to retain value or appreciate as collectors work towards completing the full Zodiac collection; Keepability [4] rating suggests strong long-term appeal.

Minifigures & Standout Parts

Standout parts (per reviewers)

printed eye tiles
first appeared in 11003 Bricks and Eyes in 2019, used here to suit the ox design
grey 1x3 plate with reduced studs
used for nostrils but reviewer considers it too big and blocky
Printed eyes with light brown iris
One of the newer developments compared to previous models – the set has 2 new printed eyes, which have a light brown iris, which have not been seen before. It follows on from last year's Rat, which had its own unique printed eyes as well, which are a nice way to differentiate each animal from each other.
Black hooves on each limb
A cute touch included on each limb to give the Ox definition and realism.
Chocolate fudge piece for the tail
Used for the Ox's bushy tail as a finishing detail.

What Owners Say · summarized from 10 written reviews (LEGO, Amazon, Walmart)

Owners consistently praise the set as a charming, quick build that works well as a gift or collection addition, especially for those who enjoy Chinese Lunar New Year themes.

COMMON PRAISE