Hi there!
Today we’re reviewing a set that has repeatedly been mentioned here on the blog and on our social media channels as a particularly interesting Investment set. It is the LEGO One Piece 75636 Hut in Windmill Village from the first wave of sets based on the Netflix adaptation of One Piece.
Although I’m a big anime fan, I haven’t watched either the Netflix series or the original One Piece anime yet. So, strictly speaking, this set shouldn’t really be of much interest to me. But since I’d heard so many positive things about it from so many sources and was able to get it on sale for a really good price, I just had to give it a try.
Did it win me over in the end?
Let’s get started!
The Minifigures
This time, we’ll start right away with the Minifigures. There are three in total: Makino, Shanks, and Monkey D. Luffy.
And actually, for me personally, the figures are even the weakest part of the set—though that by no means means they’re bad.
Makino
Makino goes first. She’s wearing a simple gray skirt with no print at all. I like the top much better, though—it features a nice print that matches her jacket.
She also has two facial expressions: one is a fairly neutral smile, and the other is a much happier face with her mouth open.
The character’s look is rounded out by her green hair.
Overall, it’s a solid design, but I would have liked to see more detail, especially on the skirt.
In my opinion, a few folds or other small details would have made a noticeable difference here. As it is, the lower part of the figure unfortunately looks a bit empty.
Shanks
Next up is Shanks. He has simple brown legs but a beautifully printed torso with his loose-fitting shirt, just like the original.
Shanks also has two facial expressions. In one, he looks a bit more grim, while his other expression appears much friendlier and more relaxed.
And then, of course, there’s his black coat.
I especially like the two options for the head: Either Shanks simply wears his red hair, or you can use the additional element featuring his hair and the legendary yellow straw hat.
Of the three characters, Shanks is actually one of my favorites, and I think he’s portrayed quite well, even compared to the original.
Monkey D. Luffy / Ruffy
Last but not least, we have the young Monkey D. Luffy—or Ruffy, as many people here in Germany probably still know him.
Since this is the young Luffy, he’s wearing the Medium-sized pants in dark blue. His top is quite simple and features a matching anchor print on the front.
Luffy also has two facial expressions: a cheerful smile on one hand, and a crying face on the other. He also has his black, tousled hair.
Just like with Shanks, there’s a second option for the head here as well. So, of course, Luffy can wear the yellow straw hat that Shanks gave him.
Overall, all three Minifigures are well-designed. However, I feel like Makino, in particular, is missing that certain something, and in general, I actually find the set’s structure more interesting than the Minifigures.
The Cabin in the Windmill Village
Before we get to the cabin itself, there’s a small dinghy.
Included are two paddles and, of course, the Devil Fruit, which gives Luffy his powers.
Small, simple, and a good match for the rest of the model.
And then we come to the real highlight of the set: the little beach bar, complete with a pier.
I really like the footbridge. It wasn’t just built to be perfectly straight and neat; instead, it looks a bit irregular and, in places, even slightly run-down. This immediately gives the model a lot more character.
Most of the bar is built on stilts over the water, while the rear section was partially built on the sand.
As you walk across the footbridge, you’ll see a surfboard with a menu on your right. This brings us straight to one of my criticisms, though: Unfortunately, the whole thing is depicted only by a sticker.
This theme carries over into other parts of the set as well. For example, above the bar: there’s another decorative element that was simply added as a sticker.
I think that’s a real shame.
Now let’s move on to the interior.
We have a small bar counter there with two stools. Behind it are several shelves with mugs, glasses, and other small items. Above it hangs a sign that says “Party”—which, unfortunately, is just a sticker.
Even higher up, there is also a swim ring serving as a decorative element. In the right-hand corner next to the bar, there is a mop and a bucket.
If we look at the right-hand side, we’ll find a sort of bulletin board. This is where you can display the various “Wanted” poster tiles that are randomly included in the different LEGO One Piece sets.
Fittingly, my copy was *Buggy*—which isn’t such a bad fit for my Investment project after all.
Right below that, on one of the posts in the water, there’s also a little yellow crab.
If we keep rotating the entire set, we can see how the shelves were built using LEGO bricks. They used window frames with lattice elements. Modified plates are attached to these, and the various objects are then placed on top of them.
I think this is a versatile construction technique for shelves.
Last but not least, there’s the left side. It has an open design, and a palm tree grows out from the edge, adding a touch of color to the whole set and giving it that Caribbean vibe.
The roof can be completely removed. This allows you to look into the bar from above and make much better use of the interior.
Under the roof, you’ll find one of those details that some people would probably call a classic “color blunder”: four blue pins that hold the structure together. However, since they don’t really stand out in the finished model, it hardly bothers me personally.
Overall, the construction is surprisingly sturdy, and the entire model looks very well-proportioned for its size.
Technical Details
Name: Cabin in the Windmill Village
Set Number: 75636
Parts: 299
Minifigures: 3
MSRP: 29.99 euros
Price per piece: approx. 9.9 cents
Dimensions: 13 cm high, 19 cm wide, and 19 cm deep
Recommended age: 8+
Estimated construction time: about 20–25 minutes
You can find a direct Price Comparison for the LEGO One Piece 75636 Cottage in Windmill Village here: https://www.brick-tracker.de/preisvergleich.php?set=75636
Investment Conclusion
As I mentioned at the beginning, we’ve repeatedly referred to this set as an interesting long-term Investment in the past—and now that I’ve built it myself, I still stand by that assessment.
What you get here is a solid, standalone set featuring three Minifigures and a truly beautiful design. On top of that, of course, there’s the One Piece license, which has a massive international fan base.
So I can definitely imagine that the hut in Windmill Village will become one of the more popular small sets from the first LEGO One Piece wave over the long term.
Especially if you can get the set for significantly less than the MSRP, I think it’s an interesting long-term Investment. In five to six years, I could definitely see the price reaching 60 to 70 euros. Of course, that’s no guarantee—especially with LEGO Investments, the market can take a completely different turn—but I definitely see the potential in this set.
My verdict – Hit or Miss?
I bought the set on sale for about 16 euros and was really looking forward to finally building it myself.
And I wasn’t disappointed.
I actually had a ton of fun building it. Of course, we’re still talking about a 30-euro set here, not some huge model that costs 100 or 200 euros. But especially when I compare it to other sets in this price range—for example, small Star Wars spaceships, speeders, or the numerous Marvel mechs—I had significantly more fun building this one.
It was varied; I enjoyed the building techniques, and at no point during the entire build did I think, “I’ve built this a hundred times already” or “This is taking way too long.”
And sure enough, right after I finished assembling it, I felt like expanding the model even further.
Ideally, I’d love to place the entire cabin on a large blue 32×32 baseplate, add some water and waves, build a beach, and extend the dock quite a bit. That would make for a really nice little diorama.
There are a few points of criticism, however.
For me, the biggest issue is definitely the stickers. Especially with a licensed set, I would have liked to see at least some of these elements printed. In my opinion, the surfboard, the “Party” sign, and other small details could certainly have been included as prints.
I also feel like some of the Minifigures are missing something. In particular, Makino’s completely unprinted skirt strikes me as unnecessarily plain. The figures aren’t bad at all, but to me, the building itself is clearly the star of the set.
Still, the cabin in the windmill village really surprised me.
And that’s why I’m giving the LEGO One Piece 75636 Hut in the Windmill Village a whopping 9 out of 10 stars.
This set has actually made me want to maybe give *One Piece* a try after all. So far, I haven’t gotten around to watching either the Netflix series or the anime—maybe that will change now.
And here’s another little teaser: Another reason I bought this set was actually the Makino Minifigure. Maybe some of you already know why this particular figure might be of interest to me. Let’s just say: It might have something to do with a future project.
I won’t reveal any more at this point.
Now it’s your turn: What do you think of the cabin in the windmill village?
How many stars would you give this set?
Did you watch *One Piece* and get the set because of that—or did you, like me, jump right in without really knowing much about the original series?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
As always, you can find the best LEGO Deals here on our LEGO Price Comparison site: Exclusive LEGO Deals for all ages
Author: Dante