WorkbenchManiac

I got that piece out of this set.

I used two of these pieces. This is the back without the boomerangs: The right connector can be flipped down to smooth out the back when the boomerangs are in use.

I really love the design of Pohatu, the slight asymmetry, the slightly shorter, stocky build, it just all combinies into an awesome toy. But his shoulders seem to be placed a little low on his torso, compared to his chestplate. So I started tinkering a bit, with the goal to keep as much of the original aesthetic as possible. Pohatu lost his gear function, but gained more range of motion in his shoulders and weapon storage on his back. He can even reach back and grasp his boomerang while it is still on his back, but of course I forgot to actually snap a picture of that. Here is a comparison between Pohatu's new proportions and his original self. Or at least a colorful represantation made out of spare parts. Meet Gaudius, Master of Comparisons (His mask power seems to be color coordination). The shoulders have moved up by 1M. Their breadth also increased by 1M. The neck has been slightly extended as well. Nonfunctional gears try to give the impression of trapezius muscles. What do you think?

Thanks for the explanations. I think I'll have a go at the MNOG myself. Might be fun.

Very nice, I like the inclusion of play functionality. The wide hips and skeletal lower legs also works very well, invoking a somewhat avian appearance. I also think the light translucent blue might be preferrable to regular translucent blue, it lightens the color scheme and gives a warm /cold contrast to the translucent orange, as well as a light/ dark contrast to the black pieces used. Overall a really nice model.

I appreciate the kind words. You have a point regarding the greens. Maybe I'll try and cut back on the lime green. Is the difference in between Jaga and Rama in the colors? Please excuse my ignorance, I am a recent "convert", the great new toys enthralling me. I knew it was a name with "F"! Thanks. And it is exactly the same as the original, but like I said, it's a great little build, and I liked it enough to simply copy it. I have to agree, although I was going for a more "prehistoric anapsid" inspired look. They are posable, too. A very simple build: Thank you. That's very good to hear, since me tinkering with critters is largely your fault to begin with. Cheers! The color issues (the greens, the orange-ish red) are most likely a result of me still trying to find the best settings for the camera and this specific setup. My usual lightbox is too small for these models, so I had to improvise. The cardboard background being nearly the same color as the dark tan brcks did not help either.

Initially inspired by the excellent Wildlife of Okoto topic and then going on to take a look at the original Rahi, I just had to build some critters myself. Featuring a large, herbivorous quadruped, with a heavily armor plated back for defense, and the ability to retract its head when it feels threatened. This beast is impervious to all but the fiercest predators of Okoto. It still needs a name, though. Any ideas? An old spider Rahi (I can't remember the name at this moment) impressend me with its simple but very effective build, so I replicated it. Not much of a MOC, but I like the look of the model. I envision this Rahi not as a spider, but rather as antlike. Living in hives of up to 30 or more individuals, these Rahi are not fully eusocial, but form a loose hive-like community. Then there is the Ussal crab. This little feller feeds on plant material and relies on its tough exoskeleton for protection. When startled it can run laterally with surprising speed. From what I understand, the Ussal crab has been a perennial staple of Bionicle, and I can see why. And a close-up of the flying Nui Rama (or is it a Nui Jaga? I don't know...) This predatory Rahi relies on its grasping claws to seize its prey. This creature is often falsely believed to be venomous, based on the appearance of the large ovipositor. The truth is even more ghastly: The Nui Rama lies its eggs within still living Rahi, where the larva then develop, comsuimg the host creature from the inside. I hope you enjoyed these images, because I had a blast putting the models together.

It is what DecepticonWarrior insists on calling it, yes.

Judging from the sets I snatched up lately to pilfer for parts, I have to agree completely. The only figure I actually really liked was the core hunter (or is that his proper name?). Although there was a lot of improvement evident over the course of the line. Storywise I can't judge, don't know, don't care. I really am more about the plastic.

Great stuff. How about putting out parts lists, so we might build them IRL?

Regarding coolest villain, I always liked the lanky look of the Rahkshi (sic?). The huge feet with those long legs just tickled me the right way. The heads still look decent today.

I really appreciate all the friendly advice, thank you. I am not particularly keen on delving into Bionicle's storyline (honestly rather reluctant), but your enthusiastic way of sharing your passion is quite infectious. I'll poke around the web a bit, try various related pieces of media, heeding your advice, who knows, there might be a hidden gem. Again, thanks!

I'd like to clarify that me not wanting to read Animorphs anymore is not due to the content at all, but because the prose is aimed at a younger audience. It made it a good choice for me to read when I was still learning english at age 11 (I'm not a native speaker, cheers from Germany!), because it was accessible to my younger self, not overwhelming me with complex sentences or uncommon vocabulary. But nowadays such fare is a bit tedious to read. No age snobbery intended. Also, very good points in the rest of your post.

No, I have not read much of the old story. I imagine reading a Bionicle book to be quite harrowing, since it's probably not aimed at my reading level, the same way I would not pick up a book of, say, "Animorphs" anymore. It would be interesting if anyone here would actually recommend them as literature in their own right, to someone not particularly invested in the Bionicle story. In other words: Are they good reads? I have seen the movies, although only recently. Suffice to say, I was not impressed by the storytelling. But then I am far out of hte target demographic. Furthermore, my comparison regarding the intended age ranges was only between the 2001 and 2015 sets. To be honest, I don't even know what a Piraka is, nor do I have any particular desire to find out. I looked up an image, and the toys did not appeal to me at all. But I did take a gander at their packaging, and their recommended age range is 7-16. I would conclude from this, that teenagers were absolutely part of the intended audience, but absolutely not the sole target. And the point I'm trying to get at remains: Even if I were to agree that these Priaka were intended solely for teens, would that have made them any better or worse? Take a movie like Wall-E, by Pixar. That movie can be watched by children of all ages, and is still a very mature and smart movie, with rich cinematography and elegant storytelling. Pacific Rim on the other hand is not suitable for small children, but is in no way a smart or mature movie (to be fair, it did not set out to be one). The point is, the true measure of maturity is sophistication, not violence, sex or "darkness". Another point would be this: Things for little kids can be enormously fun. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is targeted at little girls, but I haven't had that much fun with a cartoon in ages.

Gipsy Danger, it would be good form to at least acknowledge when your points have been adressed, instead of ignoring the numerous and well thought out responses you get. It appears honestly rather disrespectful. Regarding the pistons being part of Bionicle, I have to agree, to an extent. The ball jointed arm that debuted (to my knowledge) in the Slizer line of toys featured two prominent piston designs, and many of the later Bionicle pieces would feature similar sculpted, nonfuntioning facsimiles of gears and/or pistons. Note, that while I agree, that this has been a design feture on many Bionicle pieces, it has decidedly not been a feature of Lego Technic as a whole. However, as Dina Saruyama pointed out, this prevalence of sculpted machinery does not equate to the sole defining feature of Bionicle. It also bears noting that there is no obligation for the new Bionicle to adhere to all visual design cues of toys released well over a decade ago. In short, you not liking the absence (although it is not a total absence, there are sculpted pistons to be found) does in no way equate to an objective shortcoming.