1978年，樂高在城鎮、太空、火車等產品線內，正式推出了沿用至今的樂高人仔，官方定名為LEGO Minifigures，這也是樂高產品線中最為重要的元素的正式確定，也宣告了樂高自Town Plan時期到樂高積木發展20年之後對於樂高化人仔的表達方式探索的終結。
時至今日，樂高依然沿用了1978年樂高人仔的構造，除去對人仔細節刻畫趨向更加精密後，基礎結構完全沒有改變，也秉承了樂高一直以來System的設計理念。
其中最為著名的初代樂高人仔，便是出現在600套裝中的警察，在2018年樂高為人仔40周年推出的特別紀念版抽抽樂中，也復刻了這款警察套裝，並且附帶了一塊1x2的樂高600印刷封繪零件。
樂高初代人仔-警察（源自套裝600）
樂高抽抽樂（樂高人仔40周年特別紀念）71021 變裝舞會季
1977年8月29日，樂高正式提交了關於樂高人仔的專利申請，在本份專利中詳細描述了基於樂高系統下的人物造型內容。以下的圖片也就是樂高當年提交的樂高人仔申請的專利的完整掃描圖。但是需要值得注意的是，樂高提交人仔專利的年份是1977年，距今41年，而樂高第一次發售樂高人仔則是1978年，由於發售人仔的時間不具備統一性，所以對於樂高人仔生日的界定是將發售年份和專利申請日期進行了結合，共同組成的1978年8月29日，也就正好是40年前的今天。
關於這段歷史的描述，可以參考以下內容：
「August 29th has been chosen as this was the original date that the first patent (in Danish) was handed in, in 1977. The first minifigures were not launched until 1978, hence we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first launched minifigures and not when the first patent was handed in.」
樂高人仔專利（1977年，掃描版）
2018年8月29日，LEGO GROUP發布了題為「Little Figure, BIG STORY」（小人仔，大故事）的樂高人仔40周年紀念文章，來紀念樂高人仔誕生至今40年的歷程。
由於目前該文本還沒有中文版本，「木頭鴨子」將英文版原文作為附錄放置在文章最後，供大家參考。
而樂高人仔是怎麼生產出來的呢？今天樂高給出了關於樂高人仔生產製造過程的視頻，大家可以在視頻中一探究竟。
此外，為了製造一個樂高人仔，需要對各部分零件都採用不同的模具，樂高今天也一併發布了製作樂高人仔需要採用的模具與零件的對於圖片：
樂高人仔零件模具-零件對應圖
樂高人仔，可以分為一體成型人仔和積木類人仔。而今天所討論的樂高人仔，均歸結在樂高積木類人仔的範疇之下。早在樂高Town Plan時期，樂高就打算將人物這一元素囊括到樂高模型的體系之中，由於早期樂高模型的尺僅允許樂高建築採用積木拼搭，所以無法實現載具和人物、配件等積木化，最早的樂高套裝的人物形象其實是塑料製成的。而由於一體成型的緣故，樂高目前並沒有將其劃歸到樂高積木人仔的發展範疇之中。
樂高200 家庭套裝，現記載最早的樂高積木人仔套裝之一（攝於四川成都）
伴隨著樂高人仔成長的，還有樂高套裝的設計比例。除去樂高積木零件的尺寸作為樂高設計的基準單位，樂高人仔的尺寸也成為了現役樂高模型尺寸的衡量標準之一。尤其是在樂高城市等系列中尤其明顯，現役樂高套裝均逐漸趨向於樂高人仔同比例的載具和建築，以保證產品相互之間的交互特性。
引自 冰川在溶化，樂高套裝的比例問題，AFOL FESTIVAL 2018 會場特別講座「樂高產品發展過程中若干關鍵元素的探索」
現役的樂高人仔，在樂高積木人仔變遷中屬於第三代，其中第一代為樂高基礎零件搭建的大型人物，第二代為與現役人仔比例相同，但是不具備手臂、腿部可動的版本。第三代樂高人仔開始嘗試全身多個部分的可動結構，並且擁有了標誌性的樂高笑臉。這個最初的表情，在樂高街景系列前10年的發展中，被一直以致敬的方式進行沿用。
時至今日，樂高已經推出了超過20種不同類型的樂高人仔角色（警察、消防員、醫生、騎士、太空人、建築工人等）、650款樂高人仔表情、超過8000款可供收集的樂高人仔，可以為全球樂高玩家帶來不同的角色扮演體驗和收藏樂趣。
樂高人仔40周年發展歷程（LEGO GROUP，2018年8月29日）
若干典型的樂高早期人仔及其設計原型（LEGO GROUP，2018年8月29日）
樂高人仔也很好的匹配了樂高積木的尺寸，首先樂高人仔的腿部正好可以安插在樂高積木的兩個凸起之間，而如果只考慮人仔的頭部、身體、腿部（不含頭髮、帽子），其高度正好和四個樂高積木拼搭起來是一樣的！此外，由於樂高質量的保證和要求，即便現在購買的樂高人仔，都可以和1978年出產的任何樂高人仔的部件進行互換。
樂高人仔尺寸與樂高積木的關係（圖據網絡）
伴隨樂高人仔發展的，是樂高對於人仔的不斷探索。可以看出，樂高人仔在經歷40年的變遷之時，經歷了若干的探索和變遷。其中也不乏失敗或者曇花一現的作品。而更多的，是樂高為了追求真實感而訂製的不同的零件。現役樂高人仔以及擁有了不同的膚色，最早的非黃色人仔可以追溯到2003年，同時期的NBA籃球明星人仔、星球大戰和哈利波特人仔，都採用了肉色或者棕色等進行表示。而諸如星球大戰R2-D2、樂高Unikitty這類與傳統人物造型存在差異的角色，樂高也會採用特別的零件進行還原，進一步擴大樂高人仔的規模。
對於樂高而言，樂高人仔也不僅僅是樂高產品的一個標準，近年來，樂高甚至將人仔作為自己的名片進行對外宣傳。最為著名的，無非就是一部分樂高員工所擁有的獨佔名片人仔，名片上會有員工的姓名、聯繫方式，並且還有與樂高員工本人形似的人物造型。
樂高第三代所有人Kjeld Krik Kristiansen名片人仔（圖據Prince Jiang）
此外，樂高人仔已經脫離了樂高套裝的元素之一作為獨立產品出現，例如近年來非常風靡的樂高抽抽樂或超級英雄拼砌包。此外，樂高人仔還經常作為樂高特別限定贈品登場，這些人仔可能只會在特定的會場或活動出現，不會對外以買贈形式販售，所以數量稀少，更是樂高收藏愛好者瘋狂追求的對象。
樂高品牌旗艦店（迪士尼小鎮店）開業一周年紀念人仔（一套三款），也是中國首次獨立打造的限定人仔
中國大陸AFOL FESTIVAL 限定人仔，只有參加展會的樂高玩家才可以獲得（圖據RANGESHOW）
對於樂高而言，樂高人仔現在已經不僅簡單是一個人物的玩具而已，更代表了樂高集團不懈的設計與玩樂體驗，還有樂高人仔的角色扮演特性和創意性。根據樂高發布的玩樂體驗報告，這些設計有助於幫助孩童更好地進行體驗、交流和提升創造能力，也正是每個樂高玩家所應當從樂高獲得的能力與收穫。樂高人仔經歷了40年的發展變遷，已然成為了樂高標誌性的元素，並愈加受到樂高集團的關注與重視，擁有無限廣闊的未來。
祝樂高人仔40周年生日快樂！！！
附錄1：
樂高人仔設計變遷（LEGO GROUP，2018年8月29日）
附錄2：樂高人仔40周年紀念文稿原文（LEGO GROUP，2018年8月29日）
Little Figure, Big Story
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the LEGO® minifigure
In 1978, Disco was dominating the charts, mobile phones were non-existent and the Internet was still more than a decade away. It was also the year the very first LEGO® minifigures went into production. Fast forward to today and those inaugural characters have evolved nearly as much as the world around them, offering endless roleplay possibilities. So, as one of the planet’s tiniest icons celebrates its big 4…0, here are some milestone moments from its very big story.
The evolution of the LEGO minifigure
It all started in 1974 when the LEGO building figure was launched, made mostly of large square LEGO bricks with moveable arms but immoveable legs. This was followed in 1975 by LEGO stage extra figures with solid torsos, immoveable arms and legs, and no printed features. Basically, very different to the LEGO minifigures we know and love today! Not that we had to wait too long for them to arrive, with 1978 ushering in a new era of LEGO minifigures equipped with moveable limbs and simple facial expressions comprising two solid black eye dots and black painted smile. Fast forward to 2018 and there are now more than 650 unique faces in the collection, meaning children can have fun roleplaying different characters and personalities – anytime, anywhere.
From 20 to 8,000
To begin with, there were around 20 different LEGO minifigure characters, including a police officer, doctor, firefighter, knight and astronaut. But in the four decades since, the number of minifigures available has risen to more than 8,000. To put that into context, if the global population had grown at the same rate, there would now be nearly 144 trillion of us living on Earth!
The perfect height
Take away the hair or any other headpiece and LEGO minifigures are exactly the same height as four LEGO bricks fitted together. This means they fit perfectly into the LEGO System in Play. Oh, and if you stacked them head to toe, you would need 20,750 to reach the height of the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Jack of all trades
Over the years, LEGO minifigures have shown they can turn their hand to pretty much anything. From pirates to paramedics, engineers to elephant keepers, veterinarians to Vikings, there have been thousands of different minifigure characters. Three LEGO minifigures even blasted into space onboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft in 2011. But one thing has remained consistent throughout: whatever role, character or personality children fancy playing, there’s sure to be a minifigure to match.
Diversity Champion
Did you know the traditional yellow colour of the LEGO minifigure’s head was chosen based on focus group feedback in the early and mid-1970s saying this was preferable to white ones? Since then, minifigures have become increasingly diverse – from the first figures with natural skin tone in 2003 (Lando Calrissian from Star Wars and NBA basketball players) to 2016’s inaugural wheelchair. LEGO minifigures have also done their bit for unstereotyping gender roles with the likes of female firefighters and ninjas, through to fathers equipped with baby carriers. In fact, the whole point of minifigures is they let children create and be anyone they want – male or female, helmet or hair, freckles or glasses, anything. And if you’re worried about our robotic friends, don’t be. There have been plenty of C-3POs and R2D2s (not to mention other robots) too.
Hollywood Star
The LEGO minifigure has starred in a number of Hollywood blockbusters, including THE LEGO® MOVIE™, THE LEGO® BATMAN MOVIE™ and THE LEGO® NINJAGO MOVIE™. In 2007, LEGO Group even created 10,000 gold chrome C-3PO minifigures packed in random sets to mark the 30th anniversary of Star Wars.
1978-2018 precision mates
Did you know that eight different moulds are used for the production of every minifigure? Two sets of these moulds are the same in design but reversed to mould the right and left minifigure arms and legs! The precision that goes into these moulds is exceptional, and because the original moulds are almost identical to the ones we use today, minifigures from 1978 can be mixed and matched with the more modern characters from today! However, one thing that has changed is the number of elements each mould can produce and the speed scale of this – for example, the minifigure head mould construction has improved from an initial eight elements per 9,8 sec. to 128 elements per 14.7 sec. today!
More than just a figure
LEGO minifigures may be made for fun but there’s a serious side to them as well. By offering an endless choice of roleplay possibilities, they’re designed to let children play inventively, engage with different emotions and tell their own stories. First and foremost, that means a whole lot of enjoyment. But, crucially, it also allows young people to develop key life skills like emotional intelligence, creativity and communication – skills that, according to new research for the LEGO Play Well Report, parents believe will be vital to helping their children build their own bright future.
相關連結：
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【樂高品牌發展史特別篇】承載樂高60周年發展的紀念大蛋糕
歡迎大家關注「木頭鴨子」，我們會有很多關於樂高的獨家和搶先的內容哦~