Set Review - Orangutan's Banana Tree 41045

Who would have thought that Friends could generate such an intense study of biology?  I had my doubts that this animal was properly labeled.  Though Friends animals tend to be a bit more bubbly and cutesy than their City counterparts.  Look at the dogs and cats, for instance.  So when it comes to primates, a salt lick should be offered as well.  Orangutan, really?  Those eyes, so far apart.  I could compare this to a chimpanzee since we got to see one of those in Collectible Minifigs.  But this ape is a bit bigger even if it does otherwise have the same pose.  Personally, I'm leaning towards a gibbon.

Whatever it is, I am deeply disturbed by the need to place a hole in its back in order to plant a ribbon on the creature.  These poor things.

I barely got to see this set.  My middle daughter is becoming a proficient LEGO builder and took over construction fairly easily.  She let her little brother add a few pieces but took the lion's share herself.  Simply, this set is a tree with a bunch of lime and a few magenta pieces.  I just. don't. get it.  Can a set not qualify for the Friends subtheme if it doesn't have at least three of the psychedelic colors?  Just to be on the safe side, some dark pink flower studs are included.

The coolest part of this set has got to be the curved whip element in green.  This piece is highly flexible and the TLG designer used this to great advantage.  The piece curls around the tree allowing our primate to swing to a new bunch of bananas.  Bonus points for including an extra whip (just in case you break the one from overplay).


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