Nanoblock vs Lego: Battle of the blocks

Lego has secured a spot in most people’s childhoods (myself included), spawning a whole industry of cheaper Lego alternatives from overseas.

But one brick-building brand that bucks the trend is Nanoblock. This Japanese company offers tiny bricks, but partnerships with Japanese anime and video game companies give it a unique edge.

If you’re not sure which one is right for you, keep reading for our full Nanoblock vs Lego comparison, from brick sizes to popular sets and more!

Affiliate disclosure: Articles on Tiny Workshops may contain affiliate links.

Nanoblock vs Lego: Overview

First of all, both Nanoblock and Lego are among the most legitimate brick-building companies out there. After all of the copyright controversy of Chinese knock-offs like Lepin, this is more important than ever.

Lego needs no introduction. The plastic brick giant has been pumping out excellent sets for well over 50 years at this point, and shows no signs of stopping.

The company makes sets for children and adults alike, with its larger Duplo blocks aimed at children as young as 1.5 years old, and huge sets that are recommended for ages 18 and up.

Nanoblock, on the other hand, is aimed at teens and adults. The tiny blocks are not suitable for tiny fingers, and are absolutely a choking hazard for little ones. Even the lowest difficulty sets are still recommended for ages 12+.

Both Lego and Nanoblock are of exceptional quality, although Lego sets tend to use more custom pieces with complicated shapes, while Nanoblock uses more standard blocks to create a look closer to voxel art.

Nanoblock vs Lego brick size and quality

The biggest difference when comparing Nanoblock vs Lego is the size of the bricks. Nanoblocks are roughly half the width of Lego bricks, and one-third the height.

Check out the images below for exact measurements, but a simple 1×1 Nanoblock measures roughly 3.8 x 3.8 x 3mm, while a 1×1 Lego measures roughly 7.8 x 7.8 x 9.5mm.

Height-wise, Nanoblocks are almost exactly the same as Lego plates, as seen below.

In other words, if you have large hands, you may struggle with Nanoblock sets. Tweezers help a lot, and there’s even an official Nanoblock set of tweezers.

Another very important difference is the locking mechanism. Lego uses tubes while Nanoblock uses something called a double-ridged backing system.

Lego’s approach leads to a more secure fit, but I found Nanoblock bricks to have plenty of clutch, too. However, they do slide vertically down the rail, so you often have to align pieces manually.

The two brands also differ when it comes to the types of pieces they make. While Lego employs a huge variety of pieces, some of which are only used in one or two sets, Nanoblock pieces are all pretty similar.

They are most similar to standard plate-style Lego pieces, but some Nanoblock pieces look more like Tetris bricks than Lego. See the image below to understand what I mean.

Quality-wise, both are top-of-the-line. They are both made out of strong ABS plastic, and although Nanoblocks are smaller, the simple shapes interlock just fine for the most part.

The only issues I encountered were with 1×1 Nanoblocks, which are so small that they fall quite easily. While many Lego sets can be actively played with, Nanoblock sets are clearly designed exclusively for display.

Case in point: There is no Nanoblock equivalent to Lego minifigs.

Instructions and build

Bricks are only half the battle when it comes to comparing Lego and Nanoblock sets, so I want to take a moment to talk about what else is in the box.

Lego has numbered bags for most sets, making it easier to keep track of pieces throughout your build. Nanoblock, on the other hand, seems to organize pieces by size. They have nothing to do with the order of the build.

As for the instructions, Lego does a lot more hand-holding than Nanoblock. Instructions are printed with large pictures, often in several booklets, with each step adding just a handful of pieces.

Nanoblock instructions are (with the exception of very large sets) printed on a single sheet of paper. They typically show two layers or more in a single step, and it can be difficult to keep track of where you are. Expect to backtrack a few times.

Still, both Nanoblock and Lego are very satisfying to build. Just be aware that Nanoblocks will be much more challenging, and not just because the pieces are small.

Also note that you will find many more spare pieces in Nanoblock sets. For example, my 170-piece Caterpie set had 32 extra pieces. That’s nearly 20% more than what’s listed on the box!

Themes and sets

Nanoblock is owned by Japanese toy company Kawada, and as a result, it has scored excellent partnerships with video game and anime production companies.

By far the most popular theme is Nanoblock Pokemon, but the company also makes sets for popular franchises like Sanrio (Hello Kitty), Dragon Ball, Naruto, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kirby, and more.

Apart from these pop culture icons, Nanoblock also makes excellent architecture and building sets that are a good match for Lego Architecture sets. Again, they take a more blocky approach, while Lego favors complex pieces. Unsurprisingly, Nanoblock architecture sets tend to feature locations in Japan.

Both companies also make sets for flowers and trees, although the Lego Botanical Collection is quite a bit more fleshed out. Nanoblock is limited to a large Bonsai set and a smaller Bonsai Sakura set.

Overall, Lego has a much, much larger catalog of themes and sets. The company has partnered with huge franchises like Harry Potter and Minecraft, and it makes a huge variety of sets in its more advanced Lego Creator lineup (now called Lego Icons).

It’s also worth mentioning that unless you live in Japan it will be very difficult to buy many Nanoblock sets. Some themes are not sold abroad, and most micro sets can only be purchased in gachapon machines.

Then again, Lego is infamous for discontinuing sets, driving up the second-hand market for collectors.

There are a few themes that neither company will touch, and those are military and weapons. If that’s what you’re after, you’ll have to look at the likes of Mould King, COBI, JMBricklayer, Nifeliz, and others.

Price and value

Lego is well known for being the most expensive brick-building brand out there, so it should be no surprise that Nanoblock is cheaper. However, considering the pieces are so much smaller, the overall value is only slightly better.

Here’s a quick breakdown of a few popular sets, their pricing, and price per piece (PPP).

From the data above we can see that Nanoblock sets are not only cheaper, but they also cost roughly half as much per piece as Lego sets. That’s impressive until you remember that Nanoblocks are less than half the size of Lego blocks, putting them at rough value parity.

However, it has to be said that Lego sets are far more intricate than Nanoblock sets, with much more variety in the types of pieces. You will see large molded windows, huge plates, curved pieces, and more.

Still, the more basic pieces found in every Nanoblock set may appeal to MOC fans, since basic pieces are far more versatile.

Nanoblock vs Lego: Which is better?

For most brick fans, Lego will have a lot more to offer. Sets cover a wider range of ages and themes, and there are some super unique designs. It’s the largest brick-building company in the world for a reason.

But don’t completely discount Nanoblocks. If you want something more challenging or just don’t have space to display huge Lego sets, Nanoblocks are a great alternative.

Nanoblock sets are also great gifts for fans of video games, anime, and Japanese landmarks, although you may struggle to buy them overseas.

Still not sure? Decide for yourself by checking out what each brand has to offer below!

Other FAQs

---

That’s it for this in-depth Nanoblock vs Lego comparison! Any questions or comments? Drop them below and we’ll get to you as soon as possible!