nanoblock: Micro Brick Sets, Sizes and Ages

What nanoblock makes

nanoblock makes micro building bricks. The listings in our data describe the bricks as micro size, roughly 4 to 8 mm, which is a fraction of a standard toy brick. Each set follows a booklet to build one small model. Because the bricks are so small, even a few hundred pieces make a model you can hold between two fingers.

The lineup in our data has three parts: Pokémon figures, other character and object builds, and a few large display builds. The grid above shows all 24 nanoblock sets live on Amazon US as of 2026-10-23. Our data files them as licensed sets and brick sets. You'll see nanoblock next to other makers on the building blocks type page.

People search for "nanoblocks" with an s more often than the brand name. Same thing. The brand writes it in lowercase, with no s, and so do we. Where a set's name, count, height or age appears on this page, it comes from the Amazon listing, because we couldn't open a first-party nanoblock page to check against. If the maker publishes different numbers, the maker wins.

nanoblock Pokémon figures

Pokémon is the biggest group in our nanoblock data. Most list ages 8+, and several give a finished height:

• Squirtle: 110 pieces, 1.7 in tall, 8+
• Pikachu: 120 pieces, 1.8 in tall, 8+
• Gyarados: 170 pieces, 2.2 in tall, 8+
• Mega Venusaur: 250 pieces, 2.16 in tall, 8+
• Rayquaza: 240 pieces, 3.1 in tall, 8+
• Fuecoco (RS Series): 410 pieces, 3.26 in tall, 8+
• Bulbasaur, Eevee, Gengar and Snorlax: 8+, no count or height in our data
• Espeon and Umbreon (2-set bundle): no age in our data

Three Pokémon sets list a higher age:

• Charizard: 200 pieces, 2.2 in tall, 15+
• Dragonite: 190 pieces, 2.3 in tall, 15+
• Mimikyu: 200 pieces, 3.1 in tall, 15+

Here's a small math thing I like. Charizard and Mimikyu both list 200 pieces. One stands 2.2 inches, the other 3.1. Same count, almost an inch apart. The shape decides the height, not the number of bricks. Piece count tells you how long the build takes. Height tells you how much shelf it needs.

The 15+ label on three of these is worth taking seriously. The listings don't say why. It may be the build's difficulty, the smallest parts or something else. We don't guess. The label is the label.

For Pokémon building sets from several makers side by side, see best Pokémon building sets.

Character, food and pop-culture builds

The second group in our data is single-model builds that aren't Pokémon:

• PAC-Man & Cherry: 150 pieces, 8+
• Hello Kitty ver. 2: 140 pieces, 8+
• Kuromi (Ninja): 160 pieces, no age in our data
• Naruto Uzumaki: 180 pieces, 8+
• My Hero Academia Izuku Midoriya: 180 pieces, 8+
• Monsters - Witch: 160 pieces, 8+
• Tonkotsu Ramen: 360 pieces, no age in our data

These are mostly 140 to 180 pieces, which makes them the quickest builds in the lineup. A first nanoblock set from this group is a reasonable test of whether someone enjoys micro bricks at all.

Then there's the Tonkotsu Ramen: 360 pieces, which is a lot of bricks for a bowl of soup. It's the only dinner on this page that takes longer to build than to cook, and you still can't eat it.

Display builds: bonsai, castle and drums

Three sets are bigger display models:

• Bonsai Matsu Deluxe Edition (NB039): 1,300 pieces, 15+
• Osaka Castle: 520 pieces, 15+
• Pearl Drum Set: 1,530 pieces, the biggest count in our data, no age stated

These are the nanoblock sets for teens and grown-ups who want a model for a desk or a shelf. At 1,300 or 1,530 micro bricks, they're long builds, and they ask for good light and a steady hand.

Micro bricks vs standard bricks

If you've only ever built with standard toy bricks, a few things change at this size.

Your fingers do more of the work. A standard brick is easy to pick up off a table. A micro brick takes a pinch, and sometimes a fingernail. Builders who are fine with that enjoy it. Builders who aren't get frustrated fast.

Color does the detailing. On a model this small, most of the picture comes from where each colored brick sits. A model at this size is closer to pixel art you can stand up than to a toy you play with.

The booklet matters more. With fewer, bigger bricks you can often guess the next step. With micro bricks, one brick in the wrong spot shows up three layers later. Follow the booklet step by step and check each layer against the picture before the next one.

The finished model is small. That's the point. A shelf that holds one big brick model can hold a whole row of these.

Reading a nanoblock listing

Four lines on a nanoblock listing tell you most of what you need.

• Age. 8+ or 15+ in our data, sometimes missing.
• Piece count. From 110 to 1,530 in our data. It's the best guide to build time.
• Finished height. On the Pokémon listings, it tells you the model's size in inches.
• Series or set number. The bonsai carries NB039, and Fuecoco says RS Series. A number helps you match a box to its booklet later.

If a listing is missing any of these, the box photo usually shows the age and count. We only print what the listing or the maker states.

nanoblock or a bigger-brick Pokémon set

Pokémon fans often end up choosing between micro bricks and standard-size bricks, so here's how the two compare in our data. The nanoblock Pokémon figures list ages 8+ or 15+, run 110 to 410 pieces, and finish 1.7 to 3.26 inches tall. MEGA's Pokémon sets in our data list ages 6+ or 7+, and the two with heights finish over 4 inches (Build & Show Pikachu, 205 pieces) and 12 inches (Jumbo Pikachu, 806 pieces).

So for a 6- or 7-year-old, the bigger-brick sets are the ones whose labels fit. For an older kid or an adult who wants a small model for a desk, nanoblock's size is the point. Same characters, different sizes: one line is bigger and starts younger, the other is smaller and starts older.

Small bricks need a tray

This is the part of nanoblock nobody reads until it's too late. Micro bricks roll, bounce and disappear. Build on a tray with a rim, never on a bare table or a rug.

I learned the tray lesson with ordinary bricks, years ago. After a long build on the living room floor, the last missing piece turned up two weeks later in my slipper. Every build in our house happens on a tray now. With bricks this small, a tray isn't a habit. It's the plan.

Marisol looked at the brick size on the listing and gave her one line: "Small parts want a tray with walls. A flat board is just a launch pad." She has three trays with walls. They're labeled.

Safety: tiny parts and the age label

Check the age label on the listing. Toys with small parts are a choking hazard for children under 3. nanoblock bricks are among the smallest building pieces we track, and the sets list 8+ or 15+. Build away from babies and toddlers, and sweep the floor when you're done.

How to pick a nanoblock set

1. Age first. Most sets say 8+. Five say 15+. A few don't say, so check the box.
2. Start small. A 110- to 180-piece model is the right first build. Squirtle, Pikachu, PAC-Man & Cherry or Hello Kitty ver. 2 all fit.
3. Check the height. Pokémon listings often give one, from 1.7 to 3.26 inches. That's desk size, not shelf-filler size.
4. Then go bigger. Once someone has finished a small one and wants more, the 240- to 410-piece figures are the next step. The bonsai, castle and drum kit are for builders who already know they like this.
5. Plan a tray. Before the box is opened, not after the first lost piece.

Who should skip nanoblock

Skip it for any child under 8. Every stated age in our data starts at 8 or higher.

Skip the 15+ sets for a younger teen, even a careful one. The label applies to them too.

Skip it for someone who gets frustrated by small, fiddly work. These bricks reward slow, steady hands. A kid who likes to build fast and play with the result will be happier with bigger bricks.

Skip the big display builds as a first set, even for an adult. A 1,300-piece bonsai is a fine third or fourth nanoblock build. As a first one, it's a lot of tiny bricks to learn on, and a half-built model in a drawer helps nobody. Start with one of the small figures, and if it gets finished in a weekend and the builder asks what's next, that's your answer.

And skip it if the goal is a toy to play with. A nanoblock model is a display piece. It's built to sit on a desk and be looked at.

nanoblock as a small gift

Most of the character and Pokémon sets in our data sit in the lowest price tier we track, and the boxes are small. That makes them common choices for stocking stuffers and add-on gifts for kids 8 and up who already like building. See stocking stuffers for kids for small gifts by age, and best gifts for teens if the bigger display builds are more the speed.

One caution for gifts: the age on the box applies to the person building it, not the person who likes the character. A 6-year-old fan of a character is still 6.

What our data doesn't show

• Tools in the box. We don't track whether a set includes a brick separator or tweezers. Read the listing.
• Finished size on the non-Pokémon sets. Only the Pokémon listings in our data give a height.
• Company facts. We didn't find a first-party company page to cite, so this page has no history or ownership section.

Tray first, booklet open, then the first brick.