Shape notes
Shashibo Character Cubes: TMNT, SpongeBob, Avatar and More
Every Shashibo character cube in our catalog: TMNT, SpongeBob, Avatar, Grateful Dead, Hello Kitty, Pudgy Penguins and Star Trek, with tips for building a set.
Character cubes are where a lot of people fall into the fold. A kid who has never heard of a Shashibo will reach for a Ninja Turtle; an adult who would never buy a puzzle toy will stop at the Dancing Bears. Underneath the licensed art, every one of these is a classic DODECA with 36 magnets and 100+ shapes, so you are choosing a story, not a spec. Here is the full lineup on our shelf.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The biggest set in the character range comes in two series.
- Series 1: Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello.
- Series 2: Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo and Donatello.
Series 2 gives the whole team a fresh look, and each turtle pairs with its Series 1 version for a double build. Leonardo, the blue-masked leader, appears here in Series 2.
SpongeBob SquarePants
Two Bikini Bottom designs: Beach Buddies, with the beach crew, and Krusty Krab, the most famous kitchen under the sea. They snap together magnetically, and they are a breezy pick for fans eight and up.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Four nations, four cubes: Water, Earth, Fire and Air. The set is built to be completed, and the four together make one of the most satisfying collections on the shelf. Fans usually start with their own nation and work outward.
Grateful Dead
Dancing Bears and Haight Ashbury. The bears are trippy and nostalgic; Haight Ashbury is named for the San Francisco neighborhood tied to the band's early days. Dancing Bears was around $17 at the time of writing, which makes it one of the easiest character cubes to gift.
Hello Kitty
Three sweet designs: Kawaii, Rainbow and Garden Doodle. Kawaii leans into pure cuteness, Rainbow rearranges a full spectrum as you fold, and Garden Doodle has a hand-drawn, sketchbook feel.
Pudgy Penguins
Paxton in cornflower blue and Polly in pink. They are designed as a pair and look great connected side by side.
Star Trek
Enterprise Legends pays tribute to the famous ship, and Starship Tech has a technical, engineering-inspired look. Together they make a small fleet for a Trekkie's desk.
How to choose a character cube
- Start with the fandom, not the series. Every character cube folds the same way, so the art is the deciding factor.
- Check the set size. TMNT and Avatar reward collecting; Pudgy Penguins, Star Trek, SpongeBob and Grateful Dead are tidy pairs.
- For a gift, pick the recipient's favorite character first and add a partner cube later.
Character cubes and the wider family
Because they are standard DODECA cubes, character cubes connect to everything else through their outer magnets. A TMNT cube links to a Wild Series habitat or an ICOSA XL just as easily as to another turtle. That makes mixed builds fun: an Avatar Water cube next to the Mystic Ocean design, or Star Trek beside the Holographic Cosmos.
The official collect and connect ideas work well with sets. Fold all four Avatar nations into stars and join them; four stars combine into a large hexagonal sculpture. Or fold one turtle into a ball and another into a star, then set the ball in the star's hole.
A word on care
Character cubes are often display pieces as well as fidgets, so keep the art looking good. Handle with dry hands, close the cube back into a box when you are done using the outer pattern as a guide, and keep it away from heat and electronics. Our safety and care guide has more on keeping stickers and hinges in shape.
Quick answers for gift shoppers
- For a young fan aged 8 to 10: SpongeBob or a TMNT turtle are easy wins.
- For a teen or adult fan: Avatar, Star Trek or Pudgy Penguins.
- For a longtime Deadhead: Dancing Bears or Haight Ashbury.
- For a Sanrio lover: any of the three Hello Kitty designs.
- For a sibling pair: two halves of a set, such as Paxton and Polly, so the gifts connect.
Most character cubes were around $25 at the time of writing. Because each set is made to connect, it is easy to keep adding one cube per birthday or holiday until a fan has the full team, the full nation set or the whole fleet on their shelf.
Pick your hero, open a corner and let the story fold.
