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18

Kraggh's Works ♫♪

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Ask Kraggh

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Bionicle, BZPower Dec 01 2009 · 25 views

Posted Image

I'd like to thank Dokuma for the idea and for not putting a copyright on it. For this week's theme, there's really no choice, given the current events stirring at the hearts of the community. This is to be dedicated to BIONICLE.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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The End?

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Bionicle Nov 29 2009 · 17 views

Bionicle

So I've heard that Bionicle is nearing an end.  At first I thought this was just speculation, but then the context in which people began mentioning it began to sound much more firm, as if it was fact, not opinion.

There have been many times I've felt like I've been under a rock, but none of them compare to how I feel right now.

To make things clear, I can accept that Bionicle will end.  I do not so much feel shocked as I do curious.  Bionicle seems to be a successful product.  I wonder what the logic of the LEGO company executives made them decide that ending such a successful product would be good for them.  It couldn't be because of the sales, so it seems likely that there might be an internal or legal problem.  Perhaps they have already explained their reasons, but I haven't got word of it yet.  So basically, I'm curious.

I'm also curious as to what will become of BZPower.

EDIT: Okay, I have read the letter.  It all makes sense to me now, and I appreciate their reasoning.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Orange Guard

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Bionicle Nov 21 2009 · 21 views

Bionicle

Regarding the Bionicle Stars, I was considering buying them all, even though it would have meant a hefty burden on my wallet.  Now, I don't think that will be quite necessary if I want to get Tahu to look perfect.

The one little peeve I had with Tahu was his sword hilt guard.  It's the color of steel.  The rest of the sword - indeed the rest of the set - comes in shades of orange and red.  It seems out of place.  Yes, the gold one would work much better.  However, the set that comes with the golden Nuva shoulder armor is the Skrall, which doesn't look that good to be honest, especially considering that it looks like it should be Tuma and I wasn't a fan of Tuma in the storyline.  So it seemed that it might have to go without the golden guard.

All along, I wished that the guard was orange, because it would go well with the rest of the set.  Now, that seems plausible.  To my good fortune, I acquired such a piece yesterday.  Now it would appear that I shall no longer need Tuma, although I might still get tempted by his black Kopaka sword, which has been one of my favorite swords in all of Bionicle.  In the end, though, I don't think I will, though, unless I request him for my birthday or something.

In the meantime, I will get all the rest of the Bionicle Stars, Tahu first.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Berix And Zesk

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Bionicle, Reviews Feb 12 2009 · 21 views

Bionicle

Now, I don't have pictures, and I only have a few minutes to write this.  However, I thought I'd inform you on the sets of Berix and Zesk and what my initial and most dominant thoughts were.

Berix is tall and has the best color scheme of any blue set since Gahlok in 2002.  She is the second-best Agori.  I also really like her yellow head and her helmet.  I have no objection to the colo gold in the set, although perhaps the shield it is part of could have been a better shape.

Zesk is beyond doubt the best Agori.  Seriously, I recommend him.  His helmet is very cool and it kind of makes him look like a puppy.  The tail is perfect, and if you build him like the Zesk Review Rebuttal suggests, his body looks stone-cold awesome.  The color scheme is perfect.  Overall, he can look like a beast, a demon, a monster, or a simple puppy.  Unlike how previous reviews have claimed, he is indeed very posable.  Perhaps the head is restricted, but only to the degree where he can't look up.  He can still look from side to side.  In the meantime, he comes with a great variety of poses.  You can pose him with his legs sprawled out, standing on three legs but lifting up his front paw menacingly, pouncing, ready to pounce, and kicking his hind legs like a bronco.  Surprisingly, in the last item of this list, he actually has considerably good balance.  He looks good from multiple erspectives and I have not found a pose that I didn't adore yet.

Now all I need is a nickname for him...How about Dutch Dog?

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Got Gresh?

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Bionicle, Reviews Jan 15 2009 · 20 views

Bionicle

I finally got him yesterday.  In this blog entry, I'm not going to give him an official review of the set, but I'm going to tell you my thoughts and feelings after getting the Monster Gresh that I didn't have when I only had canister images and an advertisement with awesome action but a cheesy announcer.  Let me tell you first the process of buying him, which was interesting in and of itself.

I walked to Wal*Mart, in temperatures below zero with killer wind chill, all just to buy Strakk and the two Agori that remain in order to complete my collection.  However, the shelves were almost completely barren when I got there.  There were no Agori whatsoever, and the only Glatorian available were Gresh and Tarix.  At first I was disappointed, but then I realized that this brought interesting news.  It meant that 2009 was getting really popular if the sets would fly off the shelves just like that.  It also told me that the usual buying pattern had changed.  Normally, green and blue, according to Bonesiii, rank in the top three when it comes to sales.  Within my area, however, they were the only ones left behind.  It was an interesting observation, and it also gave me a little hope that this might help the tansets stay tan.

Now, with a little reluctance, I took Gresh off the shelf and went to the front of the store with him.  As I have done with all my past purchases since the summer of 2008, I used the check out counter that was being run by my cousin, who I will refer to as Violet.  I payed for the set and left.

I went over to the Hi-Vee which was two or three blocks away.  That's where I had walked from.  My father's car was parked there.  As the good old reviews say, I only made it to the car.  As soon as I got inside, I used my fingernail to open the canister lid (I haven't clipped them raw in a couple of weeks).  Once the lid was off, I reached down and took out the first piece my hand felt.  That piece was one of his leaf swords.

This is where the true examination begins.  I am glad to say that my first impression of the sword was a good one.  It's better than it looks on the canister.  I instantly admired how long and slender it was.  It truly does have a catchy design.  The word that first came to mind was "dynamic", and that word still comes to mind.  The colors blend beautifully.  I will tell you how they work with the rest of the set, but that will be later.

For now, I will work from the toes up.  The feet, in my opinion, have seen their best use they ever have in their three and a half year existence.  They go perfectly with Gresh.  As I am sure you have noticed, Gresh has a leafy design, but that too I will get to later.  For now, I'm just glad that the feet also came in lime green, in which they look very good.

Gresh is the only set to use the Rahkshi calves.  This makes him taller than all of the other sets, because all of the others use a calve than is one unit shorter.  I suppose it contributes to Gresh's look.  Of all the sets, LEGO went with a slender look for him.

His thighs aren't as big of a disapointment as I thought they were.  The odd pieces of armor actually look good for him.  Overall, Gresh has a leafy look.  I like that because it makes him look like he's from the jungle.  Had they tried to go with such a theme for any other set, it wouldn't have worked.  The double socket joint piece is black, as I could tell ahead of time from the canister pictures, and I am glad to say that it blends in.  I always had a philosophy that black worked better than gray because it was a much calmer and more elusive color.  That is to say, it doesn't stand out or distract from the main colors.

Now his torso was something to behold.  As much as Bonesiii would say that these aren't humans and don't need human proportions, he's still an obvious humanoid and deserves to look impressive by human standards.  This torso is a bit more bulked up, and I like that.  The chest armor sticks out farther due to the construction of the shoulder armor, and because of it his chest doesn't seem flat.  He seems to have some depth.  It's great to see this especially because of my basic knowledge of the human muscular system.  I can imagine having a latissimus dorsi, or something like it.  I can imagine the pectoralis major, the trapezius, the deltoid, and the abdominus rectus.  Not only do I imagine muscles, but I can imagine other things, such as a spine, lungs, heart, and digestive system fitting in there.  Human or not, this is definitely pleasing towards his overall appearance for me.

His torso is also almost completely black from behind.  The only green on it is the chest and shoulder armor.  I personally don't mind.  For some reason, it looks totally awesome with green.  I don't know why.  Fortunately, it is also easy to look over, in case the buyer wanted a set where they just wanted green to catch the eye.  I think it is also notable that the black is only found on areas on the torso and the parts of the limbs connecting right to it.  I'm glad that it is made this way instead of spreading it out.  One it's spread out, it begins t look like a secondary color.  However, this way it only brings to mind a specific area of his body, and that is the core strength.  Now, if it was used for his ankle ball joint, then it might have been a bit distracting to the color scheme, but it is, overall, very conveniently placed so that is is hardly noticeable unless you are looking for in.  Perhaps that isn't the right way to say it.  It's there if you enjoy the color scheme that way, but you don't see it so much if you like to focus purely one shades of green.

Sprouting from the back is a life counter.  I'm sure we've all formed opinions about these before, and I personally like them.  I think it looks fairly good on him, and makes his back something interesting to behold as well.  Normally, all the focus on a set is set towards making them look interesting from up front and the backs are left to be dull and unattractive.  I found it interesting that the Metru chest piece holding the life counter was black instead of a shade of green.  I'm not complaining, though.  It's my second one so far, and along with the one from Skrall, it should be quite useful for MOCing.  I also like hot this adds more depth to him, just like how the chest armor is put a unit forward.  It helps his body looks rounded instead of wide and flat like he's some sort of gingerbread man.

From there comes the shoulder armor.  This is probably one of the highlights of the set.  It's one of the first things you notice about him on the canister.  I never liked those Tahu/Bitil leg stuff last year no matter how it was used, but I congratulate this set for actually raising it up to share its time in the limelight (pun intended).  It contributes towards his leavf, fern like look, and in the meantime it kind makes him statuesque.  It reminds me of an epaulet, or a pad on the shoulders of a fancy military uniform.  While I don't imagine Gresh being a high ranking official, at least the look is something I can relate to and doesn't look completely random.  It also adds flair to his shoulders.

As for his arms, there's not much to say.  Yeah, we have the familiar Piraka thigh armor now on his bicep, which doesn't look that bad.  I guess  it helps him look muscular, but in a lean way.

Now I am onto his weapons.  I'm start with the Thornax launcher.  I'm already established that I like the thornax launcher, and of all the Glatorian, the way he weilds his is my third favorite.  It's the only launcher I'm seen in all of Bionicle that is held exactly like a regular pistol.  It's even the right size and shape.  Granted, it only has one bit of explosive ammunition that takes up a large chunk of its muzzle, but it still looks pretty good and I like it better than the manner in which Strakk and Vorox hold their guns.

His shield-slash-swords are interesting, and I'm glad that I have finally reached them.  They really complete him.  The shield is interesting, but it is by no means my favorite way to equip the pieces.  They looks better when as used as typical swords, although sometimes they can be difficult for finding a good pose.  No, the best use for them is when he holds them from the plus rods on their sides.  They look excellent that way.  If he's holding his wrists strait, they align just right along his forearm.  It looks like they were built into him, or like they're part of him.  It is in this case that he literally makes me think "Monster Gresh".  You can imagine them as the creepy fins from a swamp monster or an alien.  Or you can imagine him as, most expediently, some sort of plant monster, because when held this way the swords are like his thigh and shoulder armor in that they look like leafy protrusions coming from his body.  He looks like a human plant.  It is very cool.  I also like the image of the built in weapon because I always thought that having weapons built into the forearm was cool.  Let's look at some of our famous super heroes, shall we?  We have Spider Man and his webs, Badman and his blades, Iron Man and that small missile that blows up tanks, Buzz Lightyear and that wrist laser, and probably many more that are really cool.  I just always loved the idea in the way that Bonesiii always likes spiky shoulders.  I just like them.  However, just so I don't give you any misconceptions, they are not my favorite weapons of 2009.  Malum's claws come in first, and Skrall comes in second with his awesome sword-slash-gun.  Gresh is a bronze.  One last note about the swords, one of the first things I noticed about them was that then he has his arms down, they sword go past his feet.

I will end this on where I end all things, the part of the set which I preserve as the last thing on the construction process.  My opinion on the mask is better than I thought it would be.  It continues to add to the leafy look with those three things coming out of it, but I was relieved when I also found out that it looked good on its own, too.  The spikes flow backward in a suave manner.  I don't think I'll mind their pointlessness as far as prose is concerned in making an efficient helmet.  The soldiers of ancient timeshad those funny little mohawk things built into their helmets, so Gresh should be able to pass in having three prongs protruding from his helmet with no purpose other than to look good.  I enjoy the simplicity on his mask overall, which is a simplicity that reminds me of the 2001 masks.  It has its basic shaped and that's about it.  The one gimmick that the designers apparently thought that they'd add was a spine that goes up his forehead.  I don't mind it.  It adds to the jungle look in him, and it can also help him look like some creepy alien if you want to visualize such things.  One of the things that stood out to me about the helmet, however, that I couldn't even guess at by looking into the pictures, is that when he looks down, his masks slips conveniently underneath his chest armor just like Malum's does, at it fist in just perfectly.  I can imagine him digging his chin into his chest armor when he might particularly want to protect his neck, just like I might dig my chin into my scarf to protect my neck (and hopefully my lips) from these blasted winter temperatures this January.

There's a lot to say overall.  Personally, I will give him the honor of being the second best green set of all time.  The winner is the classic Lewa.  However, Gresh would have pulled off a gold if the Metru green was instead Mata green.  I swear, he actually would have.  I would have actually admitted that there was a better set than the classic Lewa.  If his Metru had instead been Mata, my brain would have blown up because he would look so awesome.

He's definitely taller and more slender than all the other sets.  However, it doesn't bother be.  I always imagined Toa of Air (or in this case, Glatorian of Jungle) being taller and more slender than all the rest.  The classic Lewa was tall and gangly compared to his Toa brothers and sister, after all.  This is my consultation for when I see Gresh right next to Malum and making him look like a shorty.

Gresh is incredibly easy to pose if your have his swords in forearm mode.  He looks fairly good in most poses and you don't have to struggle to find something you like.  Having him interact with other sets is interesting.

I have yet to give my Gresh a nickname, like I have for my other three sets.  Malum is Malum Man, the Skrall is Hannibal, and Vorox is Zand, which is Dutch for sand.  I'm considering naming Gresh the Monster Gresh, although I'm also having fun posing him wish his Thornax held high, gazing at it from behind his helmet.  What comes to mind so incredibly easy when I pose him like this is the image of a Predator holding a human skull.  I might be one to something here...

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Tan

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Bionicle, Music Jan 13 2009 · 17 views

Music

:kakama:
Yo listen up, here's the legend
About a Vorox set who lived in the tan world
And all day and all night and everything he sees is is just tan like him
Inside and outside
Tan his hands with the tan little stinger and there's still more yet
Introduce a little tan to your shelf
Cause classic "stone" is back to glisten

I'm tan
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
I'm tan
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die

I roam the tan sands where the raw wind blows
Tan is the hue of the armor I wear
Tan is the color of the waterless land
Greg gave me a girlfriend, and she is so tan
Tan are the Vorox here that roam around
Tan's elemental, I'll take it pride
Tan looks like sand to good degree
Tan is the essence of what makes me me

I'm tan
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
I'm tan
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die

I have a tan foot with tan colored toes
Tan is the hue of the helmet I wear
Tan isn't all but its design get fans
I still want a girlfriend, and we'd be so tan
Tan are the Zesk who like to play around
Tan looks so sandy, and that's what I am
Tan is so perfect for my vibrancy
Tan is the essence of what makes me me

I'm tan
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
I'm tan
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die
Da ba dee da ba die

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The Monster Gresh!

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Music, Bionicle Jan 11 2009 · 21 views

Music

:mahiki:

I was walking down the aisles of Wal*Mart
When my eyes beheld a joyous art
LEGO seemed to hear our cries
I can't believe my very eyes

They did the Gresh!  They did the Monster Gresh!
The Monster Gresh!  He's coolness in the flesh!
They did the Gresh!  Those colors really mesh!
They did the Gresh!  They did the Monster Gresh!

From the Arena Magna where he fights with beasts
To the Roxtus tribe where you'd expect him the least
They say he's traveling the champion's road
And he'll show off his moves in his attack mode

They did the Gresh!  They did the Monster Gresh!
The Monster Gresh!  He's coolness in the flesh!
They did the Gresh!  Those colors really mesh!
They did the Gresh!  They did the Monster Gresh!

The critics were on the run
To Bonesiii he's number one
The set is quite attractive
There's nothing much to shun

His colors are flawless and are perfectly sound
He's perfectly elemental all around
The leafy shield makes the set come alive
It splits into swords, the coolest of knives

They did the Gresh!  They did the Monster Gresh!
The Monster Gresh!  He's coolness in the flesh!
They did the Gresh!  Those colors really mesh!
They did the Gresh!  They did the Monster Gresh!

The appropriate use of Tahu's leg things
Is on his shoulders, creativity rings!
He's probably on most everybody's list
And he says, "Whatever happened to the haters who always hissed?"

It's now the Gresh!  It's now the Monster Gresh!
The Monster Gresh!  And it's thrill in the flesh!
It's now the Gresh!  Those colors really mesh!
It's now the Gresh!  It's now the Monster Gresh!

Now everything's cool with his Thornax in hand
And he's smarter than most out in the sand
For you, the old guards, this set was meant too
When you get to Wal*Mart tell them Kraggh has sent you

Then you can Gresh!  You'll get the Monster Gresh!
The Monster Gresh!  And play with thrill in the flesh!
Then you can Gresh!  You'll see his hues indeed mesh!
Then you can Gresh!  Then get the Monster Gresh!

The Monster Gresh!

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My First 2009 Sets!

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Reviews, Michael Phelps, Bionicle Jan 07 2009 · 29 views

Bionicle

Congratulations to me?  Absolutely!  Yesterday I took a trip down to Wal*Mart and made a large purchase.  I was fortunate enough to get four Agori, three Glatorian, and a box set.  I'll tell you how I feel about each of them.

First, however, let me make a generalized statement.  Their joints were the firmest I've ever seen in a set.  They are definitely not floppy.  I like that.

Second, the Iron Man heads.  They are definitely like Iron Man's helmet, and they are definitely cool looking heads.  The way the helmets connect does not bother me, and I think that even the heads on their own, if on a well proportioned body like Raanu, look good on their own.  They have the Bionicle look, and they also have extra plus-rod insertion points, so they could potentially be a useful MOCing piece.  They are also quite small, the smallest heads we've ever had, I believe.  I'll make that out to be a good thing, especially because it means that less plastic needs to be used on production.  Vey to go!  On top of all that, it's my second favorite head piece of all time.

Third, the hands.  Let me get this straight with you: I like them.  Perhaps they are not as useful as the old hands, but they definitely look good.  The whole business with the thumb isn't a concern to me.  Some people find it awkward, but they just don't know how to count their blessings.  This is still more realistic looking than the previous hands.  Besides, you have to be looking closely in order to notice it.  However, even then, I don't think that it hurts the look of the hands that much.

Fourth, the Thornax launchers, while perhaps not having the perfect name in my opinion, are the best projectile and launcher I've seen since the Rhotuka.  They are long, simple, lean, and sharp looking.  I like the look, especially on Skrall and Malum, as you will read later.

Agori

Tarduk

Tarduk was an interesting set, the first one I put together.  I loved his pure color scheme, which definitely gave him a solid character, and how his Iron Man head added flair to it.  Even if his eyes were green, I would have liked the orange better.  Besides, I'm somewhat sick of green eyes at this point.  It's going to take me a while to recover.

I gave some observation to his mask.  Although it does have those odd prongs protruding, I really like the front.  It reminded me of the style of the 2001 Bionicle.  It had this thing in front of the mouth that made it bear a similarity to a noble Huna, although the face has the overall shape of the noble Ruru.  Overall, I liked it.

His design was like a cross between a gorilla and plant life.  All of those things extending from him, from the shoulder blades to the head prongs, actually help his look because if you pose him right, he reminds me of a tropical bush, although by no means looks like a politician.  Okay, I'd say that he looks more like a fern, for a more accurate comparison.  Either way, he looks like a type of jungle plant life, so he definitely looks his element.

Metus

Metus was interesting.  I'm glad to say that he has a shield, staying true to the old ways of the Ice set.  No less, the shield is in the shape of a...well, it's cool.  I liked his helmet more than I thought I would, and I enjoyed the Iron Man head in ice blue.

I think that the sword looks right with him.  Not all the sets need to be completely devoid of the color of steel.  Hey, it's a weapon, I'll cut him some slack.  At least it doesn't take up any of his body.  The sord seems to be the right size and proportion for him.  Very good.

Finally, when he stands in a simple pose, he looks like an unseemly cross between a bandit and a Ko-Koro guard.  I kind of like that, since it brings back memories of good old MNOG.

Atakus

Atakus has a fine color scheme by me.  He has some gray, but it's evenly balanced with his black.  On the whole, you can tell that he's a black set without any question.  The gray just prevents him from being monotone and is an understandable secondary color.

I liked the helmet more than I thought I would.  It reminded me somewhat of the Great Ruru, due to its cheeks, but that wasn't why I liked it.  I think that overall they made it very cool.  I remember a review saying that it looked rocky, and I didn't know what they meant until now.  The pictures don't do this helmet justice.  Yes, it definitely has a rocky look to it.  It looks like it was carved out of stone.  I always wanted something like this.  To tell you exactly what this means to me, this was what I was expecting of Onua for his return.

Raanu

He had the most mixed color scheme, but it was understandable.  Fire Matoran in MNOG II occasionally had a very similar color scheme.  I am not bothered by the gray body because it reminds me of soot, smoke, and ashes.  In other words, he definitely looks volcanic.

I like his shield.  Perhaps it is not the best, but it uses a recolor not yet seen in Bionicle, although it has made an appearance in that one other LEGO branch.  However, their name exceeds me at the moment.  Anyways, I am glad to have the new pieces.  They would certainly be useful for MOCing if I ever decided that I felt like having him with only a melee weapon for a while.

One of the things that I found worth noting about Raanu once I got him was that he looked just as good with the helmet off as he does with it on.The head seems to be the right proportion for his body, both in terms of his height and his shoulder width.  It seems appropriate.

His helmet, of course, is something to be interested in.  Like all the other sets this year, his helmet is unique and attractive.  It definitely looks like a helmet, too.  He has eye holes and four square openings upon the top of his head, which reminds me somewhat of Jaller Inika's Kanohi.  I like how it has a simplicity about it, likea smith from Volcanus wanted to make a helmet, yet wanted to imbue it with elements of his culture.  It is a very pleasing helmet.

Glatorian

Skrall

I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it now!

Well, I finally got the Skrall I wanted.  Let me see, where to start off...

Well, the first thing that comes to mind is the color scheme.  The red and black really works well for him.  Of course, this works well for his about any set.  However, what I mean is that it doesn't disrupt his rock tribe appearance.  I say that it's a reasonable color scheme, and with the shield, it looks like a decoration.  Perhaps it could represent their vanity.  Perhaps it is just meant to make them look more threatening.  For whatever reason, though, it definitely gives him a personality.

Here are some things that he reminds me of.  First of all, I'll give you he one that makes more sense.  He reminds me of a Xenomorph from the Alien and AVP series.  Like I said, it makes sense.  He's black and has a long head.  Plus, the red parts give him a futuristic look, especially on his three different blades.

The second thing he reminds me of is a dragon.  Perhaps this isn't quite as obvious as the Alien comparison, but it still is understandable.  He's tall and has those things on the shoulders.  He looks intimidating, powerful, and dark.  He looks like he's a member of a superior race, which is not too hard to imagine because he is.  In a lot of literature, dragons are a superior race.  Since I bought him, I have referred to him several times as both "Red Dragon" and Black Dragon".

Now, the third thing he reminds me of is, for some reason, Hannibal Lecter.  Whoa, that was random!  Yet, yes, that is my official nickname for this particular Skrall.  To me, he looks like a Hannibal.

Now, I must say that I liked the sword.  It looks very cool as a combination between a gun and a sword.  It looks like a high-tech weapon, which kind of matches his alien-like look.  Of all the Glatorian, the Black Dragon looks the most high tech.  The red in the blade looks like it could be some sourt of energy.  Of course, this is definitely promoted by adding the Thornax launcher onto it.  When was the last time you saw a sword that shot explosives?  His weapon is very unique.

Okay, I liked his helmet.  Perhaps it is rather large, but the designers put that extra plastic to good use.  Hannibal has a cool, long head.  I am reminded of when I once said "I think it would be cool if Bionicle made sets based off of Xenomorphs".  I sort of got my wish with this helmet.  I always thought it would be cool, and now that I have it, I am proud to say that my opinion hasn't changed.  My opinion on Bionicle doesn't change too much over time.  What I also like about the helmet is that once again I have come across a pattern like course rock.  How very pleasing it is.  Overall, the helmet is unique and very cool.

I didn't put the life counter on his foot, no.  I will eventually visit my mother's house and get pieces so I can add it onto his torso instead in a way that works.  However, for now it shall remain off so that Hannibal doesn't look like he's wearing a pace counter.  The last thing that I'd like to say about the life counter is that I am very happy to finally have a black Metru chest piece.  I have several gray ones and a golden chest piece, but I am glad to have a black one to add to my MOCing collection, especially since I find black one of the most useful colors for MOCing.

Go Hannibal!

Vorox

Vorox had a few surprises for me.  I, for one, had no idea that he had a double jointed neck.  Although I'm not a fan of double jointed necks, I think that it comes to use with him on occasions.  I can foresee its uses in making him look like an animal.  For now, I have him hunched over as far as he can go, and whenever he looks to one direction I tend to move the next a little bit as well from left to right or vise versa.  I suppose that if he was posed as leaning over or something like that, the neck could be lifted up and he could do a better job of looking up.  Basically, I move the neck with the head.

Once again, I am glad to have a recolored Metru chest plate, this time tan.  Like Hannibal, I did not make any effort to attach his life counter to the foot.

I enjoy his armor.  It definitely feels like something that could be used in MOCing.

I liked the tail.  For a while, I worried that it would be useless for posing because I wondered if it could reach over his shoulders without having to use too many pieces.  Fortunately, his tail worked and it definitely looks right on him.  It is perhaps one of his most defining traits.

Because the tail called for an altered torso, the result left me very pleased with the side effect.  Vorox's body is of just the right thickness.  His Inika torso is backwards for a change.  I think it definitely makes him a bit different and gives the front of his body a good look without the use of a big, generic armor piece.  Speaking of which, because he lacks armor around that area, it makes him look more beastly.  Since when was the last time you saw a primitive half-beast wear armor instead of its bear chest?

For me, the most distinguishing feature of this set was the helmet.  I absolutely adore it.  It is one of the best masks I've seen since 2001, and that's saying something.  I like its cruel design.  I also like how you can see his head under it, reminding you that it's just a helmet.  Sometimes you need that with the masks in Bionicle, you know?  The helmet is both complex and simple, but the key word that I used a little while ago was that it was cruel.  That's how I would describe the curves and the spikes of this helmet.  Nothing is overly drastic.  The claws protruding from it truly make him look awesome.  The picture on the front of the canister does not do this helmet justice.  It truly looks like it was designed to look like a horrifying beast.  Because it looks clearly like a helmet, I was reminded of how primitive tribesmen would put on masks of frightening creatures to intimidate their enemies.  That is what I see in Vorox's helmet.  Frankly, if I met a person in a dark ally way wearing something like this, I would be scared out of my wits and run away.

Malum

I.  AM.  MALUM MAN!

Come on, there was no way I was possibly going to forget to sing that while I put him together.  I went crazy over this set!  The sheer about of satisfaction that came once I could finally hold him in my hands was overwhelming.  Although he bears more resemblance to Marvel's villain Juggernaut, which is just as fitting, I'm still addicted to the song.  ("I am Malum Man!" he fiercely raved.")

I've wanted to say this for a long time, but I never put the time to put it down into text.  Malum's name is perfect.  It is one of the best names Bionicle has ever had.  I would put it up in the top five.  The name flows in perfect harmony with the set.  I looked Malum up on dictionary.com.  It said, quite simply, "An evil".  That was the most blunt definition I have ever received.  The name also sound like "maul" and "malice".  I look at the set and I think that he looks like a Malum.

Despite what some people might think about his general build, I like it.  I like how everything about his bulked up and blunt (does the word "maul" come to mind?).  He looks incredibly strong and tough.  I'll just go out and say that he looks like a tank.  Perhaps the shoulder armor might have some restrictions on his flexibility, but the posed that he is incapable of are nor poses that you would use with him anyways.

What I thought added to this look perfectly was the claws.  Perhaps the have fire on them, which I appreciate, but that is not the main reason I like them.  They are big and tough looking.  We have five week little fingers on each hand, controlled by tendons connected to several individual muscles in the forearm.  However, he only has two on each hand, and they are both very thick.  The hands look very strong and also very deadly.  What's more, they are even hooked, ready readied in appearance, and looking like their ready to become can openers, and a tank would be the can.  Once again, he looks like a tank.

Okay, they have the color gray.  However, I didn't mind, because it was like with the Metru because all the gray was covered up.  Meanwhile, it doesn't look incredibly out of place.  It still looks smokey.  At least, that's the way I have trained myself to see things.

Of all the Glatorian, Malum has the best use of the projectile launcher.  The launcher looks awesome sticking out as a cannon on his shoulder, and I usually have it sticking straight out.  It looks good no matter how you position it.  Of all the times Bionicle has tried the whole "put the missile on the shoulder because there's no room in the hands" technique, this was their best so far.

It must be mentioned that Malum looks awesome in any, and I mean any, pose.  Make him look like he's about to give you a bear hug and watch as he morphs into another type of awesomeness.  Make it look like he's about to slam dunk and you get another kind of awesomeness.  Either way, whatever pose I give him, they're all awesome.

I also went gaga over the helmet.  It looks perfect.  It looks unique and yet it is completely practical.  It looks like something to be expected of a gladiator.  The right amount of his face of revealed, whereas the rest is protected.  There's style to it, but nothing is overdone.  The helmet is round and blunt.  There aren't any long prongs or pony tails attached to it.  It looks just right for Malum.  Yet, despite all of its bluntness, it still somehow manages to look incredibly awesome, almost as much as the Hau Nuva and the 2001 Kanohi.

Vey to go!

By the way, I think you all know what nickname this guy deserves.  Let me sing the last verse from my little song...

I AM MALUM MAN!
I can rip you up like a small tin can!
Once banned from my clan
I'm still loved by Bionicle fans!

Box Set

Link

It was awesome.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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We Will Strakk You!

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Bionicle, Music Dec 17 2008 · 14 views

Music

:matatu:
*Thump thump thud!*
*Thump thump thud!*
*Thump thump thud!*
*Thump thump thud!*
*Thump thump thud!*
*Thump thump thud!*

Icy as the south pole making heads role
With a mighty ax that we'll remember someday
And he wins first place
The set will race
Off the shelves with inhuman pace

We will we will STRAKK YOU!
We will we will STRAKK YOU!

Bloody Glatorian, hard man
Shouting with that ax to pound someday
So he takes first place
And hearts will race
The Strakk put a smile back onto your face

We will we will STRAKK YOU!
We will we will STRAKK YOU!

Ugly little hunched man, big man
But is that the Inika Torso used the creative way?
It puts him in first place
The set will race
Unlike past sets he ain't a disgrace!

We will we will STRAKK YOU!
We will we will STRAKK YOU!
We will we will STRAKK YOU!
We will we will STRAKK YOU!

I've played my doom
Time after time
I've fought with fury
In this desolate climb
And bad mistakes
There's only few
I thank the designers for the praise that I face
And I'm thanking you

We are Glatorians, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting - till Bionicle ends
We are Glatorians
We are Glatorians
No time for losers
'Cause we are Glatorians
Of the Ice

I've taken my bows
I thank you all
You've brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it
Except a Skrall

Yet behind all my poses
I have virtues
I'll make you pay before I save your face
And I wont' take empty woos

We are Glatorians, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting - -till Bionicle ends
We are Glatorians
We are Glatorians
No time for losers
'Cause we are Glatorians...

Of the world

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I Want A Skrall!

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Music, Bionicle Dec 15 2008 · 23 views

Music

:pakari:
I want a Skrall!
(yeah yeah!)
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it now!

Faster and stronger than the average chunk of meat
They rule the arena with might none can meet
There's no time for naming if Tuma has doubt
In your stance in danger when the fighting breaks out
They are the masters at roughhouse play
They'll make themselves the winners, move out of their way

I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it now!
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it now!

Listen all Glatorians, do you here that sound?
They've got a game plan, they're going to pound you to the ground
They're hunchbacks, which suites me fine
Nothing on this set lacks, 'cause Bionicle's in its prime
They have a torso that gives us proof
We're getting creative and no longer goofed

I want a Skrall!
(get a Skrall!)
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it Now!
I want a Skrall!
(Yes, I want a Skrall!)
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it now!

They're the clan who can take their time
And yet they never fall behind
(do you hear me?)
Not the tribe for compromise
Their awesome shields will get them buys
So we're loving the Skrall (yes we're loving the Skrall)
And we're buying the Skrall (and we're buying the Skrall)

Ain't much we're asking if you want the truth
These sets will sell well, even to the fanbase youth (to the fanbase to the fanbase youth)

I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it now!
I want a Skrall!
(yeah yeah yeah)
I want a Skrall!
I want a Skrall!
And I want it now!

I want it!
Now!
I want it! I want it!

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Me

Username: Emperor Kraggh
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Age: 19
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Heritage: Half Dutch, 25% Hungarian, 12.5% Swedish, 6.5% German and Irish
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