Hi there!
The time has finally come: LEGO is actually launching Dragon Ballin November—one of the most famous anime franchises of all time. For many, Dragon Ball is a staple of their childhood, and a few months ago we reported here on the blog about the first rumors surrounding LEGO Dragon Ball. Now the first set has been officially unveiled: LEGO Icons 11390 Dragon Ball: Shenron & Goku.
And it consists of no less than 1,764 pieces, costs a very reasonable 139.99 euros here, and comes with not only the mighty Shenron but also a young Goku Minifigure.
What can the set do, how big is it, and will this be the only Dragon Ball model available?
Let’s get started!
Shenron as a large display model
Even before this, the rumors had made it relatively clear what the first major set would be about: the legendary dragon Shenron. And that’s exactly what we’re getting now.
Shenron majestically winds his way upward on a black display base, coiling around a large stone pillar. At the bottom, of course, are the seven Dragon Balls, from which he is practically rising.
Added to this are various lightning and energy elements, which make the whole scene appear even more dynamic.
LEGO itself states that Shenron’s head and claws are adjustable. So the model isn’t completely static and can be positioned to some extent as desired.
Especially when viewed from the front, the whole thing looks pretty impressive in the product photos.
The Seven Dragon Balls
Of course, a set like this wouldn’t be complete without the seven Dragon Balls.
All seven are located at the bottom of the display and are appropriately printed with one through seven stars.
And here’s another piece of good news: As things stand now, the entire set doesn’t require any stickers. Accordingly, the large Dragon Ball logo on the front of the base is also a print.
I’m actually very happy about that.
Especially on a 140-euro display model, I would have thought it was a real shame to have a big sticker on the front.
Young Goku with Kintoun
Of course, the set isn’t made up entirely of Shenron. It also includes the first LEGO Minifigure of Son Goku.
And it’s not the adult Goku from Dragon Ball Z we’re getting here, but the young Goku from the original Dragon Ball series.
He’s sitting—or rather, flying—on his Kintoun, the famous supersonic cloud, and can be removed from the main model and positioned freely. LEGO has even developeda new hairpiecefor Goku.
This should be particularly interesting for Minifigures and anime collectors, of course.
And I also think it’s fitting that LEGO is really starting with the original Dragon Ball series for its first set, rather than jumping right into the middle of Dragon Ball Z.
Shenron himself looks really strong
If we take a closer look at the dragon, I think the design is truly magnificent.
In my opinion, the color scheme matches the original very well. The bold green, in particular, combined with the lighter belly areas, the red eyes, and the golden or yellowish details, works really well.
From the pictures I’ve seen so far, I can’t spot any place where a completely mismatched color stands out.
Shenron’s long body winds gracefully around the column, making the model appear much larger than its actual footprint would suggest.
The tip of its tail is partially hidden in the lower part of the structure, but I don’t think that’s a problem at all. On the contrary: it almost makes it look as if the dragon is just rising out of the Dragon Balls.
According to LEGO, the design team even studied scenes and classic poses from the original series in order to recreate Shenron’s silhouette as faithfully as possible in LEGO form.
And in my opinion, you can really see that in the result.
Technical Details
Title: Dragon Ball: Shenron & Goku
Set Number: 11390
Theme: LEGO Icons / Dragon Ball
Parts: 1,764
Minifigures: 1 – Kid Goku
MSRP: 139.99 euros
U.S. MSRP: $179.99
Price per piece: approx. 7.9 cents
Dimensions: 32 cm high, 24 cm long, and 26 cm wide
Recommended age: 18+
Estimated construction time: about 2.5 to 3 hours
LEGO Insiders Early Access: November 1, 2026
Scheduled Release: November 4, 2026
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And regarding the price, I really have to say: I can absolutely live with that.
We’re talking about a licensed Dragon Ball model with 1,764 pieces , an exclusive (or rather, first-ever) Goku minifigure, several prints, and a pretty massive display model. For that, I think €139.99 is really fair.
Especially considering that the set was announced in the USA at $179.99 , I’m quite glad that LEGO didn’t simply go for around €180 here as well.
At around 7.9 cents per piece, the whole thing is in a very good range for a licensed set, in my opinion.
And it doesn’t stop at just one set
And now things are getting especially interesting for Dragon Ball fans.
LEGO and Toei Animation have officially announced a new partnership. LEGO explicitly states that this first set will be followed by additional Dragon Ball products in 2027 and beyond.
So this isn’t a one-time thing.
However, exactly what will be released in 2027 has not yet been officially revealed.
Rumors are already circulating about a whole series of smaller playsets featuring various characters, new Minifigures, unique building pieces, and familiar locations from the Dragon Ball universe.
However, these specific sets remain rumors at this point and should be treated as such. Officially, all we know right now is that Dragon Ball will continue in 2027.
And that alone should make many fans pretty happy.
My Conclusion
I’ve actually never watched *Dragon Ball* all the way through myself.
Of course, I’m still familiar with Shenron, Goku, the Dragon Balls, and, in general, a lot of the iconic elements of the franchise.
And even without all that personal Dragon Ball nostalgia, I have to say:
The set turned out really great.
Shenron looks impressive, the colors match well, the design has a dynamic feel, and the Goku Minifigure rounds out the set perfectly.
Based on the pictures I’ve seen so far, I can honestly hardly think of anything that makes me say, “LEGO really should have done this much better.”
And now that it’s clear the Dragon Ball logo is apparently printed and the set doesn’t require any stickers, this is pretty close to a 10-out-of-10 set in my book.
LEGO is finally opening the door to more anime
And I find what might come of this set in the future even more exciting than the set itself.
After all, if LEGO starts venturing more deeply into the classic anime genre with a brand like Dragon Ball, that naturally opens up some pretty interesting possibilities.
Dragon Ball is huge and probably one of the most logical brands to use for something like this.
But if it’s working well, why stop there?
Personally, for example, I’d be thrilled to get a nice LEGO Icons set based on *Frieren* or *The Apothecary’s Diaries *.
And I could list dozens of other anime that, in my opinion, deserve either a large Icons model, a small display set, or at least a BrickHeadz set.
But I’d rather spare us that here, otherwise this article will turn into a Wishlist.
In any case, I’m extremely excited that LEGO is taking this step now.
And if a larger Dragon Ball series does indeed follow in 2027, that should be really interesting for anime fans once again.
Now I’m curious: What do you think of the LEGO 11390 Shenron & Goku set? Do you think it’s well done? Will you be picking up the set, and would you generally be excited to see more anime licenses from LEGO?
And if so, which anime would you like to see as a LEGO set?
Feel free to write anything in the comments!
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Author: Dante