A Brick-Built Hull That Respects the Source Material
The most impressive design choice on 75639 is what it does not do. LEGO's licensed pirate sets, from the Caribbean wave to Ninjago ships, have historically leaned on large single-mold hull elements — quick to assemble, cheap to produce, but visually flat. The Going Merry rejects that shortcut.
Every curve, every taffrail segment and every section of the Merry's distinctive sheep-head figurehead is built from standard elements. That decision is what lets reviewers consistently flag this as LEGO's best pirate ship since 2010's Imperial Flagship. The brickwork creates shadow lines and panel detail a solid-mold hull would wash out.
1,376 pieces at US$139.99 / £119.99 / €129.99
The Straw Hat Minifigure Lineup
The set carries five minifigures: Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Usopp and Sanji — the founding Straw Hat crew as it appeared in East Blue. Zoro ships with his three-sword accessory, Luffy arrives in his signature straw hat, and all five figures feature original prints tied to this set.
Crucially, 75639 is the cheapest currently shipping set to include the Straw Hat Luffy variant. Collectors chasing just the figure often factor the ship itself as nearly-free at the US$139.99 price point, since standalone licensed minifigures on the secondary market regularly clear US$20–30 each.
What Is Inside: The Multi-Deck Interior
The ship opens for play access across multiple levels. The main deck holds the wheel, crow's nest and cannon positions. Below, a furnished crew cabin sits alongside a small kitchen fit-out — a nod to Sanji's role on the ship — and a storage hold with crates. A separate accessory workshop holds Usopp's gadgetry.
The printed sail pieces carry the Straw Hat Jolly Roger, and the sheep-head figurehead uses curved stickers that elegantly wrap the prow edge. For a ship at this scale, the level of furnished interior is unusual — most LEGO ships at this price point are display shells with minimal play value below deck.
Pricing and Value Verdict
At US$139.99 / £119.99 / €129.99 / AU$199.99 / CAD$169.99, 75639 lands in the mid-tier licensed ship band. A good comparison: the Disney Black Pearl retailed near this price at 2,545 pieces but used large hull elements. The Going Merry delivers half the piece count but with denser detail and a full crew minifigure roster.
Reviewers at Jay's Brick Blog, Brick Fanatics and New Elementary each independently rate the set a must-buy for One Piece fans and a strong optional pick even for non-fans who collect licensed ships. The only frequently-cited complaint across reviews is availability — the set sold out quickly in most regions in August and September 2025 and has only stabilized on shelves since late Q1 2026.
Should You Buy It?
If you have any interest in One Piece: buy. This is the flagship set of the launch wave and the one fans will remember in five years. If you collect LEGO ships generally: still buy. The brick-built hull technique is a reference point that will get borrowed across future themes.
If you don't care about either franchise or the genre: 1,376 pieces of ship construction is a long build. At US$139.99 it is priced fairly but without a connection to the material, the model is a harder sell than, say, a modular building at a similar price. Skip if neither Straw Hat crew nor pirate ships motivate you.
