LEGO Certified Professional Builder Junpei Mitsui

He is the only LEGO certified professional builder in Japan, one of only 21 in the world.

レゴ認定プロビルダー　三井淳平(Mitsui Junpei)

■ Profile

Born in 1987, he founded the University of Tokyo Lego Club while studying at the University of Tokyo. In 2011, he became the youngest person to be selected as a Lego Certified Professional Builder. In 2015, he founded Mitsui Brick Studio, a company that creates Lego creations. In 2023, his work will be exhibited as contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

A "LEGO Certified Professional Builder" is officially certified by LEGO. Of the 21 professional builders in the world, Junpei Mitsui is the only Japanese. Mitsui has been involved with LEGO blocks since he was a child, and after working for a company, he now makes a living solely from creating works using LEGO blocks. We asked him about the mindset needed to continue doing what he loves and turn it into a job.

■What made you want to become a Lego builder?

I first encountered LEGO blocks when I was one year old. I played with them with my brother, who was three years older than me. While I liked other building toys, I became fascinated by LEGO's wide range of options and the ability to create complex projects. However, creating large projects required a large number of parts, which meant it was expensive. So, in an effort to keep costs as low as possible, I began importing parts myself and uploading my creations to my website in junior high. I particularly made a life-size Doraemon and uploaded a video of the process, which garnered a great response and made it very rewarding. I was contacted by a TV program representative who had seen my website, and as a high school student, I appeared on the "TV Champion" LEGO King Championship for the first time. It was my first time creating a project in a limited time frame, and it gave me the opportunity to consider working with LEGO blocks. As a university student, I accepted requests to create LEGO blocks and began selling them. I founded the University of Tokyo LEGO Club, and as a team, we built Yasuda Auditorium. Thanks to the influence of the LEGO Club and TV Champion, we gained attention, and as we received more requests and built a track record, we were able to connect with LEGO. When I graduated from graduate school, I was a qualified Lego builder, but I chose to work for a steel manufacturer. I was attracted to the idea of ​​working on a large scale at a steel manufacturer, and wanted to try it. However, even after I got the job, I gradually received more and more requests to create works, so I decided to go independent.

■What motivates you to continue creating works?

I have been able to continue creating works up until now because I treat it as work, not as a hobby. In work, I am constantly given new tasks through commissions and I have to make my own suggestions. This is why I have been able to keep going without being satisfied with one piece of work. The commissions I receive are often new and interesting to me. Accepting commissions and removing my own internal limitations is a challenge, and it is beneficial for me. I also feel that by cherishing the desire to try new things, I am able to maintain my motivation without getting bored.

■Please tell us your future prospects.

In the future, I would like to shift my focus to creating my own works. Last year, my work was exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA, and I had the opportunity to have the value of my work recognized as art. Creating works on request and creating what I want to express are different approaches, but I would like to gradually increase the proportion of original works I make. The most attractive thing about LEGO blocks is that you can make them yourself. Another advantage is that they are a communication tool that is known by people all over the world. We all have the same original experience of playing with LEGO blocks as children, and I think the great thing about them is that you can share that experience and have people look at your works.

Student Newspaper April 1, 2024 Issue by Tsuda University 4th Year Student Satoshi Okawa