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The first bit was very cool. The dogs were awesome. (Except when they starting doing something besides talking that is impossible for a dog to do. I won't say what it was, but I was like "waaaht noooo") The little kid was annoying as heck. Not in a good way. I'd rank it somewhere in the middle of the Pixar movies, which means it was way better than almost all other animated films. So yeah it was alright. Pity Pixar's previous movie was so epic. Toy Story 3 next, right? (Oh yeah and that Princess and the Frog movie. Conventional animation YEAH. I hope it's good.) BtB
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Or something. Saw Night at the Museum 2 yesterday. It's rentable, but if you want to see a good family movie, I'd wait a week for Up to come out. I laughed at some parts, and squirmed in agony at some parts, and other parts where you were supposed to laugh I was pretty much stone faced. In other words, an above average family comedy. >_< So wait until it comes out on DVD. But I lolololol'd at Kelly from The Office as the tour guide. There were three Office actors in there... they just kept popping up. BtB
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Pretty good. Heck of a lot better than the first one, which is the only other one I've seen. I hat that one. The variation of the robots was nice. Some of the air vehicles reminded me of the UNSC Pelican, but I guess that's just the style. BtB
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You may not believe this, but I actually posted a very lengthy blog entry about the new summer 09 sets when Black Six first posted his collection of Toy Fair pictures. However, the computer ate the entry and left me with nothing... So I'm going to try this again, but keep it short and simple, in case it gets lost again. » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Mata Nui: Yellow = cool, I don't care if it's not gold. Short upper legs = bad, I don't like those proportions. Mask and armor = cool. Will get. Ackar: Mata red = excellent! Note: Mata blue and red have made a comeback, where is mata green!? Orange = cool. Sword = cool. Will probably get. Stronius: Bulked up Skrall = Very good. First skinny Skrall = dumb. Mase = veeery cool. Color scheme and overall appearance = good. Will probably get. Vastus: Weapons = huh? Strange and new... not sure if they're good or bad. Lack of Mata green = sucks. Overall appearance = meh. Probably won't get him. Galu: Swords = Tahu Nuva's fire swords, only icified. This = cool. Rest of him = blah. Copied Inika body/legs/arms + some interesting armor on arms and head = not enough. Strakk at least had an interesting body design. Probably won't get. Kinna: Female = no. Come on Lego, I would've accepted Tarix as a chick, but Kinna... not really. Vahki limb torso armor = nooo! New armor = reminds me of Visorak. Light blue = okay, but that doesn't help her. Most likely won't get. Vehicles = Won't judge until late summer. I want to see more pictures and read more reviews first. Due to money issues, probably won't get.
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Okay, if you read DV's review, then you should know that Tarix sucks. I would refute it, but I'm not a staff member, so my opinion means nothing. Instead, I will talk about this set in my blog, and you can read it if you want. First of all, the basic build. It's basically the classic Inika, with one change. The torso armor is an Inika shoulder armor piece, not the classic and bulky torso armor of old. I approve of this, as I also used it on one of my sets. Lewa Phantoka, during a period of time when Lego was shipping me his actual torso armor that didn't come with the set. It's not a very solid design, but it fills up the worst parts. The upper shoulder areas could use some extra pieces, like Matoro shoulder armor, but alas, tarix has nothing there. His shoulder and leg armor are all Inika style. But the shoulder armor is coolified with the spikes. I think they work well, although the color isn't preferred. (Note, the spikes, tube, and Thorax launchers are the only silver pieces... not too bad compared to the last blue set...) My beef with the limbs (hmm, beeef) is proportionality. The arms are fine, but the legs are the same length... they need to be bigger. Come on, if you're going to copy the Inika that much, why not also bring in the parts where they worked, like those leg pieces. Come on. Well, even though the hands aren't my favorite pieces, I really can't complain too much about them. They are a bit large, but you don't notice it quite as much as I thought you would. The weapons the hands are holding... well, I think they're pretty cool. They have a nice flow to them... which is cool, but somehow they remind me more of fire weapons. The flow works for water, but it could be flames too. If Lego released these weapons again with trans orange or red instead of blue... that would be major win. The mask... yes, this is most certainly a mask. It goes down over the face, completely hiding it except for the eyes. It hooks on like a helmet, but for my benefit it's a mask. Well, it does feel a little small, but I like the overall design. Nothing incredibly complicated, unlike the creepy Vorox. The breathing tube is a little much, but not that bad. My other problem with Tarix is the horrible way his launcher is attached. I didn't even bother putting it on like they wanted... a horrible attachment. The launcher and Thorax is cool and all... double so because it adds one of the knew black straight Hordika heads (there had to be a better name for them than that) In my opinion, Tarix should forget the fruit and just play with the blades. The overall color is interesting. I like the gold, and I like the mix of dark blue and Mata blue... but together they aren't the greatest. I wasn't a fan of Brutaka's scheme either. For once, the gold should've been silver... silver and blue go together well, while gold and blue clash. But complaining isn't going to help here... at least I now have some cool gold pieces and some new Mata blue pieces (besides the friction pins, for once) He's not complicated to build... I didn't need to crack open the instruction book at all... and he doesn't have alot of cool pieces (although those weapons sure do count). But he looks cool, and I need a cool looking Glatorian to pose in my room, so he works for me. Rahkshi Staff Imitation. Armpit shot!
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Finally, I got my hands on one of the Glatorian. Target failed me, three times at three different locations. But the Lego Store pulls it out! Mind you, the trip there wasn't very fun... it was raining outside, the bus was horribly crowded, and my iPod started glitching out. (Stupid apple products... what went wrong this time, 'eh?) But it all worked out... because the shelves at the Lego store didn't look ransacked and they had all six Glatorian. I was very tempted to pick up Tarix, because at this point I'll be displaying them and not MOCing with them... but I still grabbed tanny Vorox. (Maybe I'll get Tarix when they become more widely availible.) A quick mention of the can. It's a nice solid design... The basic structure is the same as the Mistika and Phantoka, but the top is a cool, generic design. Oh, yeah, and the art isn't bad... very deserty... The pieces... well,, most of them have been seen before. Piraka clawed feet... Metru legs... Metru chest armor... hip connector... bent av-matoran arm... even a good old fashion Mata foot (with the new joint system, so basically another piece from the av-matoran). But why are these pieces still cool... They're all TAN!! Good old Mata tan! There are a few other non recolored pieces... the silver sword pieces are cool, although they're getting to the point of overuse that the air katanas dealt with in 03. The new armor looks nice, with enough interesting ways to connect it that I can see it in alot of MOCs. The hands... well, I'm sorta impressed by them, they're not a complete waste of plastic, although they do look a bit big. However, since Vorox is more animistic, it's hard to see just how proportionate they are for a humanoid. And... OMG, the head! Yes, not a mask, a head. It could be a creature of it's own... so many cool spikes and stuff. And the trans piece it connects to isn't bad as eyes go... I sitll prefer the old style of Mata and Metru heads, but this does work better than the av-Matoran heads. The build is basic enough... the torso, legs, and arms are all basic humanoid build. The life counter... unfortunately, is placed on the back of the foot. That was thrown off very quickly... in said picture, I believe I moved it to his lower back, right under his tail. Oh, yeah, the tail... this is what makes Vorox so unique. Well, it's not really much of a tail, as it seems to come out of his upper back. I'd say it's a third, sharp arm. I can't see him using it to strike at people over his shoulder... his spikey mask-head might get in the way. It looked so cool, but it's not as great. So, sorry, if you want Vorox for his cool tail... well, maybe thing twice. (Tan, mask-head, or new armor is a plus, but not the tail) And the launcher, the Thornax launcher... well, it's not as great at firing as the Cordak or Midak or Nynrah, but dude, it's far less bulky. People keep comparing it to the Kanoka launchers of old, but I think they look more like the first disc shooters of Bionicle... McToran arms. Squeeze the two pieces together and fire the fruit... an excellent idea, even if the fruit doesn't go that far. The Thornax isn't a great projectile from the set, but it looks so cool. I like the little rubbery spikes, but I bet it's their rubbery lightweight style that makes it harder for them to fling as far as a zamor. So, overall, is Vorox worth it? The build is kind of unique, but mostly basic humanoid with a tail attached to the upper back... ( ) Sorry, nothing revolutionary. And unlike the other Glatorian, who all seem to have wicked new weapons, Vorox's can be attained in many other sets from the past. But he has good points... the mask is very cool, like the coolest Rahi head ever! The new armor seems to be very useful, as well as cooly colored. Oh, yeah, the color. HE'S TAN!! For me, that makes this whole set worth it. The tan, last seen... um, last seen on... Pohatu Nuva? (And no, I'm not counting those tan plusrods, and the tan on Avak was a different shade) A whole canister with tan as the main color is so cool, especially since Lego's giving brown a chance, and Vorox isn't a completely bad set. So, depending on what you're looking for in a set, Vorox may be the Glatorian for you. He doesn't quite have the best poses, but the pieces are good.
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I've tried to purchase them... no, seriously, I've been to three different Targets, but each one has their Lego isle ransacked. One only have a couple giant sets left, and the space was filled up with Megablock junk. (A choking to death emoticon would be appropriate right here) I saw Malum and Skrall a couple days before Christmas, but I haven't seen any since. And I didn't particularly want those two. I might try and hit up the Washington Lego store this weekend... depending on the weather and homework. I was going to wait to review the sets based on their pictures I've seen until I actually had one in hand, but I guess I'll do it now. I'll go in the order of which they appeal to me. Malum: Alright, he's a bulked up powerhouse with some neat claws. But there just doesn't seem to be anything new with him besides head and weapon. Most of it's just recolored. The bulky design is okay, but not to my liking. I already got Carapar, I see no need to get Malum. Skrall: This one I was greatly influenced by the BZP review of him. Because in about every shot, he looked horrible! The design, while different, lacks. The spinning, spiked shield is great, and the color scheme is a nice one for a black dude, but he's not worth it. Maybe on sale... clearance... Strakk: Dude, this guy reminds me so much of Thok, who was my favorite Piraka. The icy spikes on his head and shoulders are a big win, and the weapon, while maybe not the best for MOCs, works with him. He looks like he has the same body design as Skrall... AKA bent, so he potentially may not pose very well. But, dude, he certainly has the mask... sorry, face... with the most attitude. Gresh: He sounds like a rather cool character and has a nice weapon and color scheme. Unfortunately, his body does scream "I'm an Inika!" so that throws me off a little... plus all that lime, because I still don't trust lime. (Frankly, though, all my new joints are snapping. Lego, what on Mata Nui did you do to your plastic? I can hardly MOC with this new stuff, it's so fragile). Overall, Gresh has a nice flow, especially with the spikes, but he's still too "repeat" to be on the top of the list. Tarix: First off, why did they make him a dude. Lego, take a look; this is the first hero to actually look slightly feminine. You make those bulky horrid blue humanoids girls (Gali Mistika and both forms of Hahli) but then you come up with a good design and you make him a chap! Wha! If I ever write a story, Tarix is so a female. He's got the thinner shoulder armor for torso armor, which I applaud (I actually used it on Lewa Phantoka for a while, when I was waiting for his actual torso armor to arrive, since it wasn't included in the canister when I bought it). The mask (head) looks more feminen than other blue masks as of late (hasn't been a good one since the Great Rau) Even the character Bio could fit with a girl... I just don't get it. Anyway, that aside, while Tarix's design is still very repetitive, I will seriously consider buying it because it flows so well. Cool weapons, awesome shoulder spike, good use of torso armor... and the gold's not bad either. Vorox: Of course, the tan creature calls to me. I must get him. Maybe it's the brown, maybe it's the tan, maybe it's the mask... but he's just so frickin' unique that I must pay Lego for coming up with him. I agree that brown hasn't exactly fared well in the past... of the brown sets of the past, the only one that wasn't part of a cloned bunch that was really good was Pohatu Mata. (I give props to Pahrak and Panrahk, because the basic Bohrok and Rahkshi design was killer). But Pohatu Nuva... Onewa Hordika... Avak... they were not the best designs of their bunch, so it's no wonder the color scheme faded. (I thought Hewkii Inika and, to a lesser degree, Hewkii Mahri were okay design-wise, and Pohatu Phantoka was great, so they may have been able to go with brown without being rejected. Or maybe not... I'm not the target audience anymore, so what does my opinion matter?) Anyway, I find it cool that Lego's taking the chance... even if it's mostly with tan. (BTW, is that classic Mata tan or new Avak tan?) And Vorox's color isn't it all... the mask (head) is really wicked. The new shoulder armor is a plus, as is the stinger tail. On the downside, the weapons are the only ones in the Glatorian that are reused silver weapons. Of course, Hewkii's war-blade and shoulder blades are cool weapons, and I guess the Vorox are so primitive that they have to settle for two year old blades. If I can find one on a shelf, I will buy it... even at full price. And a few notes on the Agori... pathetic. I thought the Av Matoran were bad... these dudes are just repeats of them. The only reason to get them is for some new or cool recolored weapons, and maybe a mask/head. Or I might play it safe and just not buy any at all. (A bleh emoticon would be appropriate here)
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Okay, here's the answer to a question I posed yesterday. What two sets did I buy for $18? People guessed a canister and a Matoran. Nope. Two canister sets. Specifically, two Phantoka. The Phantoka were $5 off each, and they had the three Makuta and Kopaka. I already have Kopaka, but I never got the Makuta, and I was in the mood to buy. I couldn't decide between Antroz (with his cool mask and wings) or Chirox (his feet, thigh armor, and weapons). Vamprah, sorry, wasn't even a consideration. (Heck, I only bought Gali out of nostalga loyalty. Her set was atrocious.) Since they were on such a good sale, I just baled and bought both of them. Could've bought the only 09 set there (Tuma) for a few more dollars, but tis okay. Now, review time. The Makuta Phantoka never really hit it off as great looking sets. Personally, their Mistika counterparts stole the show set-wise, IMO. But let's not deny that they have some interesting features, and besides, it's looking like I'm going to own alot of 08 sets, so why leave the Phantoka Makuta out? Now, I did get Mutran earlier, and he is essentially a Phantoka, but these dudes are the canisters, so let's see what they have to offer. First off... Antroz While he was a cool character, he was a more humanoid set as the Phantoka went. Legs, arms... yeah, pretty basic. Although he looks better here than in Jetrax, I say. The first thing that caught my eye was the color scheme. Yes, I knew he was dark red (despite the bright Mata red canister cover) but the black goes with it very well. I thought for a moment that there would be alot of bley, as there was with the other phantoka (Toa, at least). But while Toa went grey, Makuta went black. And, dude, the colors work together well. Pity Tahu wasn't black himself... I always prefer black as the secondary color over bleh or silver. The basic build is blah, as I mentioned earlier. Piraka legs with some slight recolors... although the clawed feet are purely Hakan's, with the gunmetal grey tint. Arms are a repeat of the legs... pity, because Piraka legs don't work well as arms. It failed with Kopaka, and it does so with Antrox, restricting his arm movement. (It worked better on Tahu because he had the thin shoulder armor. Antroz has bulky Piraka thigh armor, so no go). The wing attachment looked like a good idea, but it's attachment to the arms restricts it's movements as well (and just makes the arms worst). The wing pieces are rad cool, but they don't get positioned to look cool for a flight mode. I think Antroz just has wings to look cool folded back, but not to fly. (Although, really, can any of the Makuta wings realistically give them flight? I doubt it) The weapons are okay... nice blades. They don't exactly work in the position he carries them in... and I don't know how to improve with them on Antroz... but they have potential in MOCing. What really calls attention to Antroz is that mask. Man, that has to be the scariest mask I've ever seen in Bionicle... including those creepy Piraka and Barakki. It's just full of teeth, ready to gorge into your flesh. Anyway... it makes him look waaay creepy, much more so than the Kraahkan (or however it's spelled) or any of the other Makuta masks from this year. Really, it just screams at you! Of this set, I compliment that mask most of all. That's a good one, Lego. Overall, Antroz seems to resemble a gargoyle to me. It's the mask and partially folded wings that bring this off, but it makes him a creepy looking dude, worthy of being the leader of the Karda Nui Makuta. Too bad he died blind. Chirox The mad scientist, the first Makuta I considered purchasing. Well, he doesn't look as nice as Antroz, IMO. Why? Well, part of the reason has to do with his strong resemblance to Mutran. Very, VERY, similiar builds, and I think Mutran pulled it off with his claws and biiiiig staffs. Besides, he was better proportioned than Chirox. Maybe Mutran was really a ripoff of Chirox, but he turned out better. Plus, his blog entries were more fun to read. Regardless, how is Chirox as a set. Okay, first into proportions. I've always complained about overly large arms, and Chirox wins were, with two of the long double socket pieces as well as the Piraka arm piece. About as long as Chirox's body and legs, and the extra long staff only adds to it. Chirox will never have a problem with the "touch you toes" exercise. I found that it you hunch his shoulders up up (as I tried to do in the above picture) he's a bit better porpotioned and he looks way buff. However, that bulky upper body now reflects on his skinny (and short) legs. To fit with his upper body, he needs to beef up his thigh armor and maybe extend it down too. He's already taller than Antroz, but he just doesn't look right. He has some extra perks that I didn't get with Mutran. Of course, the Mask and wings are okay, but they were the same on Mutran (and the lime made his better). Even the mid-torso armor is eerily similiar to Mutrans (or exactly). But the weapons... very neat. Nice thin blades that I can see being used in a sled MOC or something. I know they have potential for building with, and I like then. (And I could've gotten them with Jetrax... but this is cheaper). You also have the nifty two prong feet... an interesting design that I've wanted, but it wasn't enough to entice me to buy a whole shadow Matoran. And the silvery thigh armor. I missed out on Nuparu Mahri, so this will be a first for me. Again, MOCing potential (although I just can't get CF's butterfly out of my head when I thing about those pieces.) Overall, these two make a nice pair of evil Makuta, with a few useful pieces and interesting colors. But they were not worth the full price... not interesting enough to merit a full $13 or so dollars. Instead, I got them for about the price of a Toa Mata or Bohrok. Score. (The Mistika, mind you, were still full price, as would any 09 sets, although they only had Tuma in stock) Antroz is definately the scarier of the two, but Chirox has a better assortment of interesting pieces. I would easily recommend Pohatu or Lewa over these dudes (or Bitil or Kirka, most certainly). But if you can get them cheap, go ahead. (Or if you're a completist, but if you are, wouldn't you have already purchased them?) Oh, and one last note: While the Tridax pod launch features are remarkably unspectacular, I now have eight more of the squishy shadow leeches. Although I have yet to really MOC with them, they are soooo cool and easy to attach to things. Now all my Toa shall become shadowy... And by the way, I have a couple more reviews coming up, because as soon as I finished building Antroz and Chirox, the UPS guy showed up... They don't really have an emoticon happy enough to convey my feelings, so this guy will have to do.
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Saw it tonight. It was pretty good, and much better than I expected. ... I'm to lazy to go into much detail =/
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The last book to describe the epic adventure we've been witnessing for 8 years. The end all to end all. Good verses evil. Toa verses Makuta. Will Mata-Nui awake or die? Which character will have the final say... and will it be a bad joke or something? Well, if you haven't read Bionicle Legends 11, The Final Battle, then obviously... well, you haven't purchased it and read it yet, which is pretty likely, as maybe the book hasn't come out to where you live, or it doesn't come out there at all because they don't sell in your country. But I have it, and since spoilers are now in the okay, I will give my thoughts on the book, on the high points and low points and how it was worth the money. Because, yes, it was worth it. There have been some books that haven't quite been worth it... the one that jumps to mind was Bionicle Legends 7... but this one was not a flop. Now, if you want to spoil yourself, or have already done so (perhaps by having read the book yourself) then continue on into the spoiler tag. » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «All that hype for one of my blog book reviews? Jeez, I really do need to find something better to do. Okay, this is a good book. It has alot of action and stuff, even while it's cramming in a ton of characters. It doesn't quite have the element of the hive battle from Bionicle Legends 9 (you know, where Kopaka and his gang home wrecked Mutran's crib) but it still has some good battles going on. Plus, it's nice to see the whole story wrapped up in one place... the only thing that wasn't really well described in the book was Mata-Nui's rising, and let's face it, that certainly works better as a visual. Anyway, who were the characters to watch here. Believe it or not, the Toa weren't on the top. The problem is, we've been watching this particular group for years (Taka a little less) We didn't get quite the same amount of character development (or whatever) for the Toa as we did in Bionicle Legends 10 with all the flashbacks. (Although there were a few references, including the Toa rediscovering the interior of the Cordex. It would've been real shocking if we hadn't just read about it in Bionicle Legends 10... but it was necessary all the same) The Toa had their good lines and good moves and good spirit-ness-stuff-es, but they were not what made the book shine. That was the Makuta. I was disappointed with the Makuta in the previous books. With the exception of Antroz and Mutran, I felt none of them got enough limelight. Gorast just seemed a little braggy. Kriki said stuff that made him different from the others, but he didn't act that way at all. Vamprah was just... well, silent. They were background villains, just there to fight them "much cooler" Toa. They didn't get to use all their masks powers and show off their cool moves and all. Greg changed that here... and I liked the way he did things. First of all, I loved Icarax in this book. In Bionicle Legends 9, he seemed a little off. I mean, sure, he challenged the fabled Mask of Life, and ultimate got totally owned. But there was nothing to suggest he was big bad bully, which was disappointing after vican spent so much time stressing about it. Well, Icarax made up for it in this installment, with a spectacular attempt to overthrow Terry's plan. And this brought out the best of other Makuta too. Krika showed where his true loyalties were... not with the Plan, that is. (I actually liked his method of taking down the field) Vamprah got to be the master of the sky by pretty much taking on Icarax alone and blind (for a time) And Gorast's plan made her all the creepier... something she totally did not pull off in Bionicle Legends 10 to this degree. I loved Icarax's death... totally epic. The other Makuta didn't have as much glory to go out on. Krika's was just kind of sad... it showed how ruthless Gorast was, but for him to just fade away helplessly... sorry, Krika. Bitil got to die as a turncoat coward, the blindies just kinda got vaporized on the side, and poor Gorast just stood by and did nothing. Although Mutran got a nice kick-out. I wonder if he figured out something fundamental in his last moment, like "This could be enough to power a mobile universe!" While I expected alot on Takanuva, I didn't get much. Why? Because I read his blog. Yes, that thing pretty much covers word for word what he does in the book... it adds in a few things here and there, and only skimmed over a few pieces of dialogue from the book. But, yeah, it's just a repeat. And in the end... the "whoa, so totally unexpected ending to the Bionicle universe." Well, I was not surprised at all. How, you ask. Did I have a precognition of what Greg would be writing? (Or did I peak at the comic first? No, I actually read the book before I looked at the comic scans, sorry) I mean, come on, Greg has been hinting for years that this will not have a happy ending. "What if Makuta wanted the Toa to think Takanuva defeated him." "What if he wants the Toa Inika to find the Mask of Life." "What if the Makuta want the Toa Nuva to wake Mata-Nui in Karda Nui, so they're going easy on him." Come on, since Bionicle Legends 4 where Zaktan finds that carving that says, "Makuta will let old MN wake up and then do something" I knew that the Toa would triumph, celebrate prematurely, and then fall into Makuta's next stage. Sure, some of the fine details evaded me... how was I supposed to know that he'd control Mata-Nui's body (which turns out to be the entire universe, go figure) and eject MN's spirit into the void that was neither here nor there (why didn't he just say space? It was spacy in the comics, why go so vague in the book?) And, the way I see it, the Toa Nuva are in pretty deep now, so I don't see how they'll fight back... better hope MN comes back, guns ablazing. (And you know he'll have guns, the target age group loves guns) No, this book wasn't about the ending... it was about the really cool usage of powers, masks, and other tricks by the Toa and Makuta in Karda Nui, making it an exciting read all the way to the Toa's final escape. It kept a pretty speedy pace for the most part (why must we slow down for Tahu to confess... boring!!) and it was a good way to end the year. And we got to see our Toa Nuva, the guys who started it all (as Mata, mind you) in 01, finish things up. Now, fore some quotes! "So if we fail, everybody quick-dies. And if we succeed, everybody quick dies. Oh, those Great Beings and their wacky sence of humor." ~ Lewa Unfortunately, Icarax's plans were about as subtle as an axe to the head and only half as interesting... Icarax's plan was daring, bold, and naturally, incredibly risky for someone other than him. "What just happened? And that was repulsive - so how could we make it happen again?" ~ Mutran "This is what you wanted, wasn't it? Toa consumed by darkness, Toa not hampered by things like mercy or morality. Well, now you can choke on it." ~ Takanuva. "You, Vamprah, and Chirox would only slow me down. Find your own way home." ~ Bitil "They lit this inferno. Let them burn in it." ~ Tahu "Show myself, you insignificant flea? Look around, Tao Tahu - I am everywhere. I am everything you see." ~ Makuta (You know, Teridax.)
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Is the greatest animated movie ever, and one of the best movies ever. I don't see how Pixar can top this. A pure joy from start to finish. Go see it now. Pyramid! BtB
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Sue me. The only worst thing about me finding a Bionicle on sale is me also having the money to buy it. I seem to have no self control when it comes to these things... Okay, first off, let's cover the basics. He's an Avi-Matoran. He's probably named after a photon of light. Wow. Anyway, he has one giant body piece, one-piece-pre-bent limbs, and no pins or rods or anything intricate. He's about as tall as a Toa Mata and wider than most, and is the largest Matoran to date (well, this new style is). It's the same old bla bla bla you hear about all the smaller Matoran sets these years... the primary difference is the shadow Matoran have wings instead of jetpacks. But I was faced with a dilemma when I saw a 15% off sale at Fred Meyers. Should I get Photok or Solek? Well, here's where you see if I made the right decision. So, now onto the review that is exclusively about Photok, and not his whole genres of Matoran sets. First of all, the orange is brilliant. Possibly a slightly different shade than oranges of the past, but not as bad as purple. And, man, the orange is cool... much better than Keetongu yellow. I said it for Pohatu, and I'll say it for Photok... it works. Whereas white and lime don't blend well with the bley, the orange really stands out. Frankly, I'm amazed. The build (if you can call it that) of Photok gives him a distinct look, as he's got the body with high shoulders and the thicker limb pieces for arms. He looks like an Olympic weight lifting champion! I don't see any Rahi giving this guy a problem, especially if he can shoot light too. The chronicler staffs are good, but I would've liked Solek's fins instead. Although for Photok, shorter weapons work better. The mask is awesome. Tanma's was a mess, something that tried to look like the new Miru while trying to look like something else too. Photok's is sleek and smooth and nice. It fills up the whole face, but doesn't seem bulky or anything. I hope Lego does reuse this particular mask in other colors in the future... it's a keeper. As for pairing up for instant teamwork fun... And I thought I had a big head. Overall, Photok has a fitting, strong man look, which are improved upon with a good color and a smooth mask For an Avi-Matoran, I'd recommend him over Tanma and Vican. As an overall set... well, if you don't want the orange pieces and mask, go with something else. The Avi-Matoran are disappointing sets if you compare them to anything earlier on, but Photok is good by today's standards.
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Yes, I have no self control. It's especially difficult when I have actual money on me. But anyway, I passed through Fred Meyers and just happened to see a 15% off sale on all LEGO Bricks... seriously, wait a week and Fred Meyers will have some new kind of sale. It wasn't great, but it made a $13 set $11... so I saved about two bucks. Anyway, onto my last Mistika review (unless somebody gifts me with a set)... Okay, I have to start off by saying this. His spikes are wicked cool. Yes, probably the best weapon-ish piece of the year. The red and pearly white blend together for a spikey, neat look. The seven pieces in this style totally make the set worth it... On the other hand, the rest of the set is rather lackluster. So in the end, Krika is his spikes. Look any further and his reputation is at risk. I'm not a huge fan of the quadruped canister sets. Vamprah didn't entice me, and now that I have Krika I wish he had thicker lower legs that could support his weight. He looks cool when he's down on all fours, but he also takes up alot of room. I have narrow shelves for display, and Krika won't fit on them. (Thus why I photographed him on my bed instead) He's intimidating (and large) but very spread out. That was my problem with the Fenrakk spider... took up more space than it was worth. As for the build... huge disappointment. Seriously, Krika was made for his spikes, and the rest of his design works because it doesn't draw attention to itself in the pictures. This time I am truly reminded about how large the Phantoka body is, and it seems like even more useless plastic without the storage of a tridax pod. The white piece of armor that fits inside it is nice... like it is with Onua. I feel compelled to MOC with it. Of course, there's that annoying thing with the neck attachment. Lego, there's a plus rod right next to the neck connection... why'd you have to use one of the big round holes instead? Being the constant set adjuster that I am, I used a few extra pieces (most likely from my scrapped Ussalnui) to stabilize the neck attachment by connecting that rod to a second rod that hooked solidly into the white armor. Now Krika isn't a bobble head! Onto the Nynrah. The red air tube suits Krika's color scheme, the lime does not. I almost wish Lego had further diversified the colors of the Nynrah projectiles like they did with the Inika... I want more colors, like blue and red, for those things. But I guess gunmetal gray and lime will have to do. The one thing I hear in all the Krika reviews is the pesky fifth arm... and how the user removes it at once. Somehow, it doesn't bother me. In fact, I rather like it. Both Nuparu Inika and Pohatu Phantoka had shoulder mounted launchers... this is technically what Krika's is. The Slizer arm is a little bit longer than the others, but it gives Krika a wider range of aiming the Nynrah. In fact, I much prefer it over Bitil's situation, where Lego wanted him to hold it in his hand with his staff. True, it was too loose with the original build, but the amazing thing is that when I strengthened the neck pin, I strengthened the fifth arm pin as well, so Krika now has a stable shoulder (or back) mounted blaster. One last thing to nitpick on. I hate the Avi-Matoran arms. Well, not hate, but I don't like them on Krika. It takes away so much articulation, so I feel this baddie has really been scammed. Plus, I've had Krika for only a few days and haven't moved him around that much, and one of the sockets is already broken. The quadruped thing might work better if he had elbows and knees, but I just don't think much of those pre bent limbs. They were okay on the Avi-Matoran, but don't make them a stable element, Lego. Please. One last note about the head. I like the unique design... I forgot to mention it, but Bitil's head piece had a little pin hole in the top, so it hooked down more like a Hordika head than a mask. Krika's head, however, is more like the Rahkshi, which is fine, because Rahkshi heads were very cool for their time. (Until they got overused on the Rahaga and Hydruka) I especially like how the hand socket was tilted vertically (unlike it was for the Rahkshi heads) and the eye pieces are nice. Good creativity there, and boy does he look mean. Unfortunately, Krika's long spikey "hair" does tend to smack into his fifth arm or back in general, so it's precarious when he looks "up." Plus, the general placement of the hand piece attachment to the neck further inhibits articulation. The Rahkshi could look all around without much problem, but Krika and his big head don't have quite the same view. And, since I was bored, I wondered what Krika would look like if he's four limbs were all the same length. Well, in doing so, he got a little something extra. I present to you, KRIKA.... WITH A CROSSBOW!
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It's that time again. Time for summer set reviews, by yours truly. Anyway, I got a good deal on three Mistika, so I'm reviewing them now. First up is that ever lovable... Before you continue, be warned; these are my opinions on the set. I've seen alot of controversy over it, so if you have a problem about my views, keep it to yourself. (Unless you're just here to point out that, despite my constant assurances of the opposite, the Metru and Vahki limbs are the same length) Okay, first a little thing on the canisters. Gali's canister totally throws you off with the bright Mata blue lid. However, there is Mata blue in the set... those stupid recolored pins and rods. But the majority of the blue is dark Metru blue... a color I was never much of a fan of. And now I see that silver doesn't go well with it. Yes, I was impressed by Tahu's silver and dark red color scheme, but the same cannot be said of Gali. The blue doesn't stand out, and just looks dull. And, in her case, there is way too much silver. She might as well be a Toa of Protodermis. One last thing on the canisters... I discovered they didn't stack well. Better than the Phantoka, true, but not well enough for constant storage. Harumph. Now, onto Gali's build. Blah. The Piraka torso does not work (even when I flipped it, as shown in the image above). And the Inika legs as arm and leg pieces were too much for her... it made Gali look like the buff-est Mistika around. This would've worked well with Onua or Pohatu, but I don't see it with Gali. I don't mind her being as bulked up as the others (as apparent in her Nuva form) or even slimmer (like in the MoL movie) but being the toughest looking Toa? I don't think it fits her character or element. Sorry if you think I'm being sexist, but I don't think it works. (As a note, I already did away with the Inika leg pieces in her upper arms, switching them out for Onua's arms, which are slimmer looking and still in the same shade of silver) The two pieces that stand out the most for Gali is her mask and shoulder armor. Okay, yes, I can't see any similarities between the adapted Kaukau and any of its previous forms. The shape isn't bad... not exactly feminine, but I can deal. And the fins... I was expecting them to be new pieces, but they're just the silvery fins also seen in Tahu and Onua Mistika. Slight disappointment there. They do make her look odd (although they give her an interesting look when you tilt them downward) but this isn't a major point of criticism. In fact, I may be able to make use of the fins in silver. The real problem is her neck attachment... it's hunched over. No, no, no, Gali is not a hunchback. Onua is, Pohatu is, so is Whenua and even Hewki Mahri. But not Gali. I gave her a traditional neck attachment (used a blue +o rod) which increases her height by a length and alos gives her better movement. Bulked up Gali is bad enough... bulked out and hunched over is too much. The shoulder pieces are certainly the coolest parts of the set. They don't quite have the bulk of the Inika armor, as they leave alot of empty space around the shoulders, but the spikes are wicked cool. I can easily see these as weapons for some MOC... or even spiked feet or something. They look good, but again I have to question their use on Gali. It's only a short question, though, and I like them, and I can certainly see potential for them in future sets. The Nynrah blaster... well, I've said I liked it before, so why repeat. However, it doesn't give Gali the same kind of dangerous look that Kopaka's lone Midak gives him. First off, her sight is some small dinky piece... nothing very intimidating. It could've easily been included along with a small melee weapon for her other hands. They could've done better with her. And she also looks rather meek because her whole flight ability comes from two wimpy legs on her ankles... at least Kopaka had giant wings. When I pose Gali with her Nynrah in one hand (with both hands it looks tacky) I just know she needs something more. Plus, overall, she's way too short, thanks to the low Piraka torso. When sized up to the Phantoka and other Mistika Toa, Gali (and Tahu) just seem too short. Yeah. So, overall, Gali Mistika is full of disappointments. Too much silver, and what blue there is doesn't stand out. Jets might be enough to keep her in the air, but they don't look like much. The Nynrah is okay, but not enough to overcome the lack of a second weapon. The bulky legs and armor make Gali look too buff. And her mask power is useless since she'll just be mutated if she tries to swim in the swamp waters (Okay, so that last one isn't set related). On the bright side, you have the spikey shoulder armor. And I have all three versions of Gali now. So, in the end, I bought this set for the two silver pieces and the collectibility value. Yeah I don't think Gali is worth it... she looks better than Gorast, true, but if you want a good canister set, go for one of the other four Mistika. So, while this is a depressing review, I still have two others that I will be writing up. And I only did Gali first because she was my least favorite. So, yeah, expect others soon.
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Next up... Alright, the final Nuva set of the year, Onua. How does he stack up? Well, first of all, Onua's tall. Yeah, TALL! I complained that Tahu and Gali were a little too short with their Piraka bodies, but Onua has the opposite problem. He probably could've pulled off a Piraka body, but his current design makes him tower above the other Toa... even the Phantoka. Well, not quite, but he's eye level with Lewa and Kopaka. So you must think that I think his body is messed up. (Yes, I know what you think I think... I think...) Well, no... I really like the torso design, possibly the best since Jaller Mahri. Okay, so in basics its the same as everything else... same lower hips piece, Inika shoulders, blah blah blah. But the new chest armor fills him out rather nicely, especially when compared to the Inika torso armor pieces (both of them). It's a smaller piece, but it looks more useful than other armor pieces. And of course the silver Metru armor helps fill in the gaps. There's also room for adjustments... by moving a few pins I managed to pull his hip piece up a notch, in order to make him slightly shorter. The legs are your basic Inika legs... except for the jets. I tried the leg mounted jets on one of my MOCs earlier, and totally messed it up. Now I realize that Lego figured it out with Onua (using one of those angled connectors... duh) It gets the jet piece out far enough from his leg to avoid contact problems and has a nice angle so that it looks... well, nice. It also has an interesting connection to the Rahkshi leg piece, which gives it a bit more black. However, the Rahkshi leg seemed too short, so I swapped it out with an Inika leg piece from Gali (as seen in the picture I took) Fortunately, the connection can still work. The arms are a different story. The shield attachment on the shoulder is a nice touch, but the other shoulder looks lame with the loose Inika armor. It might have been better to have given him the shield piece on both shoulders... but that would've taken too much plastic, I guess. As you can probably guess, I ditched the whole shield on the shoulder thing and just put it in his hand, and then made the shoulders symmetrical with just the red fins (which are cool, BTW) The shield itself is a interesting new piece... doesn't have the same flair as Kopaka's former shields, but it has plenty of connections so that it can be used as many things. Shield, armor, wing, foot (I want to try that last one out on an MOC). And, if Onua is really in need, he could probably use it as a shovel too. The downside is that it is rather bulky. Onua's Nynrah cover is much better than Gali's... it bulks out his gun and makes it look alot scarier. The Nynrah fits below it nicely, and the many connections let Onua hold it in various ways. I prefer it slightly under one arm, as seen above. This also lets him hold his extra ammo without problem, unlike Gali's connection. And, it worst comes to worst, I suppose he could just swing it around like a club. Onto the mask. Some people claim that it looks like the Kraahkan, while I believed it looked more like Whenua Hordika's face. Having neither of these pieces, I guess I can't accurately judge it based on them. However, now that I have the actual mask, I think it looks more like a battleship, or one of those old alien masks (somebody made a topic about it earlier, and now I must say I agree) It's got fins and a viewing port... this could easily be the cockpit for some spaceship MOC. I guess it could also be alot like a Fenrakk head. In the end, I sitll don't see anything saying "Pakari" on it, but I guess that's not the point. (Anyway, if it dd look like the horrid Pakari Nuva, then I'd be greatly displeased). Overall, a nice piece, although it's too wide, so that you can't see the eyes when you look head on at it. Onua now had a blind spot ahead of him. The color scheme is... well, new. Black, silver, red, a bit of bley, and lime green eyes. Well, the silver and black blend together well enough, and the red does highlight it, but doesn't draw away too much attention. Overall, it works. Personally, looking over this set as a whole, I think it could be a Mistika form of Nuparu, who was a taller Toa with odd armor and all. But it doesn't destroy Onua's image... in fact, it is one of the cooler Mistika sets. So although he's too tall, lacking a real melee weapon (even taking the shield off doesn't make up for that) and he has a mask that could as well be leading a star fleet, he's good. If you have the money and the will, I see no reason not to buy him. He looks alot sleeker than either Tahu or Gali, (although Tahu's tool is much better). So, yeah... My ramblings will end now.
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A Makuta from the swamp! It's Bitil the Beetle, but without the good music. He is my fourth Mistika purchase, also my second Makuta purchase, so how does he add up? The basic design works, but it's not all too impressive. You've just got one of the new Matoran bodies with basic Rahkshi leg limbs. It's a little boring. I thought the most remarkable thing about him would be his wings, but they're not terribly good. The Slizer arms look good for making poses, but he doesn't have a majestic winged appearance like some of the Phantoka, and they tend to bulk up his back. The extra long neck seems kind of odd, and would surely ruin a Toa set. However, since the Makuta are more animistic, it works for Bitil. The extra long neck is a far cry from looking like a beetle, but I think Bitil looks more like a bird with his neck extended. Now, Bitil's power comes in the new pieces he's made up of. Now, all the silver pieces on him are new designs (although not primarily exclusive to his set) You've got spiked feet (also seen on Gorast) spikey leg armor (Tahu has some) large silver wings (check out Onua's shield) wicked looking staffs (I think they might be on the vehicles too) and of course the Nynrah. These seem good for MOCing, but I thing Lego went a little excessive on Bitil. Both the wings and leg armor seem too bulky for him, and the spikey feet aren't the best I've ever seen. (Maybe for clawed hands. I must admit, they do have MOCing potential) The staffs are pretty awesome, undoubtedly the coolest silver pieces in the Mistika group (Tahu's weapon as a while is more fun, and Lewa Phantoka's sword owns) However, I don't like the way he has to hold a sword and blaster in one hand... looks funky. I seem to remember having similiar feelings about Takadox and his knife and squid launcher. Back then, it was easy to toss the squid launcher, but the Nynrah is way too good, so I tried to attach it to his shoulder. The color scheme on his is awesome. better than those silvery Nuva, with their dull, dark colors. Even the bright Phantoka Toa don't compare with their bley. The yellow and black are perfect... reminds me of good ol' Jet the Slizer. However, when I compared the two, I saw that this yellow wasn't the same shade as the old. It's lighter than keetongu-orange, but a tad... bolder... than Throwbot Jet or Mctoran Jaller. Of course, maybe it's just because these new pieces are... well, new, and my other yellow pieces have had seven years to fade. Anyway I think I prefer this yellow over keetongu orange. The silver compliments the set well enough (although, as I said, it's slightly overdone) and the red doesn't stand out too much, but it could've been without. The recolored Nynrah pieces are cool... I stuck the red tube onto Tahu's launcher, and the green projectiles look nice... not with Bitil, but still, lime is good. (Especially a lime that wont snap in half). One thing I noticed about Bitil is that he takes uo alot of room, eve if he's not that bulky. But with wings spread and arms out, he's alot wider than my Toa Mistika in poses. The neck extension makes him look alot taller, and you wouldn't even realize that his body is a squat Matoran one. He's too thin and tall to be much of a beetle, and the pinchers on his mask look alot like a beak, so I keep picturing him as some sort of bird. One strange feature of his is the Matoran connection. Yeah, with the pieces included, the Matoran looks like it's supposed to rid him just like the Phatoka... with the Matoran sitting up perpendicular to the Makuta's back. But in the instruction manual, it shows the shadow Matoran riding on as a backpack, just like the Phantoka Toa. I prefer that method better, but I'm not sure where the connection piece is. Not that I have any Matoran to try it out with... well, I do have Vican, but I have him on Mutran's back. Overall, Bitil is a sweet deal. Sure, he's not the pillar of canister sets, but he's alot better looking than Krika or Gorast (in general terms). Better yet, he comes with a cool variety of pieces, including a myriad of silvery weapons and claws, and pure yellow pieces. (I might even try for another yellow Toa Jaller MOC, now that I have correctly colored limbs) If you want a Mistika Makuta, I'd recomend Bitil first and foremost. Heck, he's cooler than most of the Phantoka too (although Icarax does look menacing... but he doesn't count, he's a Titan and nearly twice as expensive)
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He was awesome in the book, he was wicked in the comics, but how is he as a set? Well, here are some of my opinions on... Okay, I actually got him a couple of weeks back at Target. I stopped by on the way to the grocery store (a little out of the way, perhaps, but I digress) I was searching for the Mstika, and Fred Meyers didn't have 'em yet. Well, Target did. They had a bunch of Gali and Onua and a few Bitils, but only a couple of Gorasts and one Krika. Oh, and they also had one Tahu. It was obvious that they had been stocked recently, and judging by the general absence of Krika and Tahu, they were popular, even at the price increase. So, IO grabbed the Tahu (did I mention it was at the very back, so I didn't notice it at first). And then I forced myself not to build it in the car and instead went shopping for food stuffs (the original reason my mom let me leave the house... otherwise it's hard manual labor digging trenches) Now, off the story of acquisition and onto the set itself. First off, the canister. Yeah, it's the best since the... well, Inika, although it's better than those. I'd have to say that the only other canister to top it were the Toa Metru, with their circular lid and everything. This canister rocks. It looks wicked cool, and also stacks! Yes, it's a storable canister. Mind you, it's still massive... easily as big as an Inika canister. But on my shelf where I'm storing my sets in the canisters, the Mistika will be standing up properly next to the pathetic piles that are the Barakki and Mahri (and even the Phantoka, who don't stack well). Of course, it took some reefing to get the Ignika lid off, but still... Now onto the set. I was pleasantly surprised with the color scheme. Of course, it's Metru-red... cursed Mata-red canister lid threw me off (well, not really). But it wasn't that... it was the silver. The limb pieces and armor (and weapons, and jets, and claws) are all shiny silver. Why am I excited about an obvious overuse of silver? Well, because I thought it would be bley. I have all three Phantoka Toa, and they're plagued with bley everything. Pohatu and Kopaka can only really boast two feet, four armor pieces, and a mask in their primary color... the rest is blah gray. So, as I never looked too closely at the Mistika in pictures, I assumed Tahu's limbs and body piece would be in dull bley as well. Nope, shiny silver. And it's a good shade of silver... more like the Bohrok Kal's silvery pieces. So while other people gripe about it, I'll just say this; I'm so happy it wasn't bley instead. Moving onto other distinct features. The limb pieces are all Piraka legs. I was worried about this, because they worked poorly on Kopaka, as the Piraka legs on the arms jammed with the armor piece, so Kopaka couldn't get a good bend at his elbow. But Tahu's armor is the old Metru armor, and much thinner... so there is no problem with the limb pieces. Bravo. Additionally, I like the leg spikes jutting out of Tahu's lower legs. At first they seem out of place, but they do blend in, and could be to make him more aerodynamic. Of course, the arms and legs are the same length (being made of mostly the same pieces) which I frown upon. Arms should have a slightly shorter limb piece, at least. But I guess I've gotten used to it, as Lego had shown to be much more ill proportioned with other sets (Carapar and Lewa Phantoka come to mind) The torso, of course, it supposed to be backwards. It's the same for Hewkii and Hahli Mahri, and Gali, I believe. Well, as with Hahli and Hewkii, I was able to flip the torso around on Tahu without much difficulty, and it looks much better. The only problem is there's a bit more restriction with the head, but it's not terrible. The jet connections to the body are nifty, and I like the jets with the fins (I especially like the red fin pieces... I believe Onua has more, and I hope to get him too) The jets in and of themselves are a disappointment... shames they're the only things holding Gali in the air. On Tahu they work nicely, so no complains with him, but I wasn't quite as satisfied when I tried to attach the pieces to my Makahi MOC. (Which was the main reason why I bought Tahu first... although he is the coolest of the Mistika). Lego could've been more original with the other Toa, but I guess molds are scarce. Now, the weapons. I love the spinney shield. Not as good as Pohatu's propellers, but certainly the best of the Mistika. The Bohrok shield is not great... I can't fit it to the hand without making it look awkward. And if you put it in like the instructions say (having it cover up most of the hand piece) then the rod space is pressed upon by the ball joint, so it doesn't spin! The blades are wicked awesome... especially since they have a small connection instead of a pin of their own. The tri-blade owns, most definitely. Then there's the Nyhrah blaster (or however it's spelt). Well, it doesn't look a million dollars, but it's interesting and made up of multiple pieces. Plus, the pieces don't amount to the same mass as Midak or Cordaks, so Lego must be saving on plastic with those. (But then why'd the prices go up?) They shoot pretty far... first time I shot it off, I lost it across my room. I was surprised at the distance. They can pack a pretty powerful punch for just some air pressure. Only thing is... they misfire a lot. Half the time (or ore often) I hear a soft hiss but the projectile doesn't move. It can't be jammed in too tight, or it sticks. And it it's too loose, the distance is terrible. It has to be just right... and pressing down hard and fast helps. The ammo itself is cool looking, although the color is dull. I think the green that comes with the Makuta Mistika is better. Overall, Lego has impressed me this time with their projectiles. And, lastly, a note on the mask. Doesn't look at all like a Hau Nuva (thank goodness... I was never a fan of the Hau Nuva) and it doesn't look like a Hau Mata (shame). But it's nice, and looks good for a flier. (And it's much smaller compared to the Phantoka Toa Kanohi) I like the idea of giving it a connection slot instead of a rod makes MOCing a lot easier. I think this is so that you can opt to put in a visor or not. For example, Kopaka's Akaku can fit a visor, but the rod is too short to support it and stick to a face. While a visor doesn't really work well in the Hau, it's a nice feature for other masks, I'm sure. All in all, is Tahu worth the extra cash? Well... probably not, but he's one fine Toa. Not speaking for the other Mistika, this Toa is cool enough to bear the name of an elite Toa Nuva. There could be improvements... for one thing, he's short compared to the Phantoka, which is odd since I picture Tahu as a taller Toa. But with those jets (and the fin!) and that spinning tri-blade, I'd say he can lead the Toa Nuva. If you're going to buy a Toa Phantoka, get him. In the future, I plan to pick up Gali and Onua (mostly just for nostalgic sake... I want all forms of the Toa Mata / Nuva / Phantoka / Mistika) On the Makuta side, I must have Bitil, and Krika looks nice too. I'm hoping to stop by Fred Meyers in a few months. They always have these "Buy Two, Get One Free" sales on Lego... and if it's a "Buy One, Get One Free" I'll pick up four, including Krika. But since Fred Meyers is probably just now stocking them, I may have to wait a while for the sales.
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Today I picked up the graphic collection of the first Bionicle comics at B&N. A little pricey, but it's excellent! All the pages are colorful and glossy, just as good as the original comics, or even better. True, it is a little bit smaller, but the artwork looks just the same. In fact, considering how thick each page is, I'm surprised its only a couple dollars more than the regular books. Now, why did I get this book? I already know the story by heart... and I have half the lines memorized anyway. Plus, back home I still have my entire Bionicle comic collection; some in better condition than others, true, but they're still readable. I even have a limited edition copy of Comic 1, which I got from BZP when I achieved OBZPC-ship. No, I got this entirely for it's nostalgic properties. Because, when asked about the golden days of Bionicle, I think of the first two years of the comics. (Well, and the MNOLG, but that's beside the point) The dialogue and action are supreme, and there are countless lines in there that I've used in epics over and over again. The Rahi and Bohrok era were the pinnacle of Bionicle comics in my mind. By the time the Rahkshi came around, half the story was being left out because it was already told in the movie. The Metru-Nui sagas were even worst, as the comics just delivered colorful side stories, leaving the movies to carry the bulk of the main plot. (And comics > movies in this sense) By the time we got to 06, we had a new artist who no longer drew the characters in their set forms (just as the sets had become articulate enough for him to do so, really) and most of the battles became blasts and witty comments. I'm not saying that I dislike the comics of today... but they hold nothing to the original comics. Lego was kind enough to re-release these comics, showing that they are reaching out to some old nostalgic fans. Although I don't need the book, because I already have the original material, I still bought it to support Lego. And also, no matter what, having artwork with the Toa Mata in action is super cool. What got me hooked on Bionicle in the first place. If your comic supply in insufficient, then you most certainly should pick these up. Otherwise, it's just a repeat of your comics... although this book is bound to stay in better condition than some of the old comics from 01. Of course, I am not going to buy every Graphic Novel that comes out... the Rahkshi era may be worth it, but Metru-Nui and beyond definitely aren't. Yet I couldn't pass up a chance to get one last reminder of 2001 and 2002. » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Plus, after having read the flashbacks in Bionicle Legends 10, I can see soooo many similarities. Greg was obviously drawing from the comics when he wrote those flashbacks... something I didn't realize until I looked through the Graphic Novel today. Yeah!
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Didn't I say that I didn't have enough money to afford the Phantoka until they went on sale? Just ignore that part and I'll put off eating for a day to compensate. Now for a picturefied review! Well, well, well. Here I am with the last Toa Phantoka, and the team leader, Kopaka. Does me meet up to his counterparts from previous years? Kopaka Mata was super WIN. Not my favorite Mata, but still an excellent and unique design (with the shield and all). Anyway, I spent two months searching through retails stores in 01 looking for him... whenever my mom went somewhere they might sell Lego sets, I went too, but he was just never there! Kopaka Nuva was okay, but overly bulky. So far with the Phantoka, I must say the new sets do look better than the Nuva, but not the Mata. Just so I have that cleared up. The most disappointing thing about Kopaka is his Inika-ness. His basic design is almost identical to the Inika, with only a few minor changed. Sure, he does look okay, but I won't truly say that Lego's moved away from clonism. I remember somebody saying in a blog review that they have seen Lego move away from the clones, and now they want them back. I laughed at the time, but they're right. Even if the sets are semi-clones, if they're decent sets like the Bohrok, Rahkshi, or Piraka, they'll probably do well. The Kal were a problem because they weren't just clones of each other, but clones of the previous villain line of Bohrok. I hate to say this, but Kopaka just looks like a clone of the Inika. If Lego started making cloned sets again, then they would be able to afford to make new limb and torso designs for just one set of canister sets. I thought the Inika were okay, but now I'm just bored down the line. (Although bonesiii did point out that there's not much they can do to improve on the mobility of the set, so why change a good thing?) 'll talk about the limbs for a moment... they consist primarily of Piraka leg pieces. While they do make excellent lower legs... and I'm fine with Kopaka's legs... they make horrid lower arms. First, having the same piece for the arms and legs is bad. The arms should be shorter or thinner, preferably both. The Mata all work, as do most of the Nuva, and Kongu and Jaller Inika can pass as well. But the same pieces for arms and legs blow the proportions. Gali Nuva wasn't amazing when it came to arm pieces, and I said the same thing with a majority of the Inika, and Kopaka as well. Worst, with the shoulder armor, it's impossible for Kopaka's shoulder to go into a 90 degree angle because the arm piece and shoulder armor collide. It's irksome, and I might switch out Kopaka's arms later on for something better (like Rahkshi leg pieces, I think I might have a few of those in Metru grey). And, while I'm on the limbs, I will say I like the white Inika feet. They be cool. The major new thing that Kopaka has that the Inika don't are the wings. The design for them is somewhat basic but effective. The airplane wings do work for Kopaka, in my opinion. Kopaka's always had a super technologic look about him... something to do with a mask with lenses in it. Plain and effective airplane wings would suit him fine, much better than propellers or jetpacks would. And dragon wings... no, I don't see that for a Toa of ice. The wings do look a bit awkward if positioned incorrectly. They aren't meant for flapping, after all. The best position is to push them in until they're blocked by the back piece that's made to hold Solek. (BTW, I said earlier that Lewa's connection piece was a unique design compared to Pohatu... but I guess Kopaka has the exact same design. Oh well, it still works, and is better than the Makuta's.) Anyway, the wings make for great potential MOCing pieces... much better than either the jetpack pieces or Pohatu's propellers. The weapon... unfortunately, Kopaka is mostly limited to a Midak blaster with a scope. I prefer him to hold the blaster in one hand, but they leave the other hand feeling empty. But when he's holding onto it with both hands, the pose-ability (understandably) goes down. Oh well, maybe I can fit a custom shield in his spare hand. I've already gone over the Midak... excellent shooter that holds the spheres pretty well, but bulky. Bu I truly do like Kopaka's scope. It's what Lego's Matoran need more of; smaller silver weapons. I really hope that it is used again in smaller sets of years to come. because it is a nice piece. For Kopaka, it makes a rather puny melee weapon, but for my custom Matoran, it's ideal. But... I thought you were dead! Moving onto the New Akaku, it's a interesting mask. I think mine may be slightly deformed, because it has trouble being placed on the Metru head... there's some overlap in the plastic that doesn't quite fit until the mask is all the way on, and it makes that process tricky. (Has this happened to just me, or is it a common trait for the new mask?) I think this ne is more of a merger between the great Ruru (Whenua's mask) and great Matatu (Nuju's mask). It no longer holds the "roundish" shape of the original Akaku, but it sure makes Kopaka look dead serious about everything he's doing. Of the new Phantoka masks, this one probably best matches his earlier styles... and hey, it's been a while since we've seen a mask with a scope, right? The red laser is a bit tacky... a good piece, but why would you want that sticking out of your eye. I found a much better use for it. I stick my tongue out in your general direction, Makuta! And, just for fun, I tried out a new weapon design that allows Kopaka to more easily handle his Midak blaster with both hands. Of course, I disassembled his back connection piece and had to rearrange some of his armor, but it's kind cool with him pointing this new massive Midak. Seriously, Lego, don't take this for inspiration. If I saw this weapon as a set, I'd break down and cry at the horribleness of it. But since this is a total amateur design with limited pieces... I can hold back my tears. Color wise, Kopaka disappoints, but that's to be expected. Like Pohatu, his main white pieces are his armor, feet, and mask. Kopaka gets the extra boost by also having his body pieces be white, but who really cares about those. The armor and limb pieces are all an ugly dark grey... the armor especially. Don't you remember, Lego, that Kopaka came with light gray? But I guess it goes with all the other Phantoka Nuva, who also have grey as their secondary color. I really wish that the chest armor hadn't come in gunmetal gray, but silver. Yes, Silver works well with white... get over it, all you silver haters. And since Kopaka has silver wings and weaponry, a silver Inika chest piece would've have killed, right? Oh well, the contrast isn't too bad. Overall, Kopaka has a lot of pieces to offer. I like his wings and scope, and the mask is okay. The limb pieces are good for MOCing, but together they don't work too well and are far to reminiscent of sets of the past. Of the three Toa Phantoka, I must say that Kopaka is my least favorite, behind Lewa (2nd) and Pohatu (1st). But he's cool enough, the the trio look great. Besides, I'm planning to make this my last big set collection year, and I will probably honor Lego by getting most of the Nuva in their third form. (Except maybe Gali). So, what I'm trying to say is, Kopaka's good for a few pieces and if you like white (and grey), as well as those nostalgic fans. But if you only want one Phantoka Nuva... I might be temped to point out the other two first.
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They finally got here today, after 16 business days. They're pretty cool, despite the fact that they don't work they way I thought they would. While they look much cooler than Muaka and Kane Ra, they don't work nearly as well. At the end of their lunge, they're mouths don't snap shut. That was a disappointment. Also, they're teeth can't grip the target on they're chests. Try as I might, I cannot pull the darn thing out. >< All faults aside, (and they all most of them happen to be in the mechanism) they look really cool. They are surprisingly small. About as tall as a Rahkshi. (or half a mask taller than a Mata) One more flaw: From head on they're faces are so wide it's unseemly. But taking all this into account, they are still quite cool, and they contain many wonderful MOCing parts. :: Check out BZPower's review here for more info. :: Go vote in BBBCC #1 here. -Taipu- (really Bunda)
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Okay, here is the new Lewa in which I redesigned his armor. Actually, I think it's rather nice myself... it makes him look slimmer, which fits a Toa of Air (boo on you, Kongu Mahri) Although it is kinda too thing, and the blue friction pins don't help... but I went with what I had. I was actually planning on following some members advice and returning it to Target... I need to go to Target again anyway. of course, it had to wait until after my classes were over for the week. But then, as I started to put that plan into action, I noticed something of importance... I don't have the receipt! I must've thrown it out with the bag last week, and I've taken out the trash already. (I have a new roommate who moved in, so the inflow of garbage in our room doubled, to say the least). So, I haven't had an extensive history with returns, but I'm pretty sure the receipt is a necessity. Darn. So I went back to Plan B: Call Lego. I had a number, and it was still daylight hours, so i figured somebody would be on the other end, right? I talked to a salesman, and before I knew it, he was filling out a form. I had the most trouble getting my dorm address right. :annoyed2: He's a was a pretty nice guy, and we even discussed what I could do with broken pieces (yeah, he pointed me to the right link on the website that I could've probably found on my own, and mentioned that the problem with weak lime green plastic was solved... ha, I had Ehlek, Hahli, and Tanma break, that's from sets spanning about 1.5 years!) Nonetheless, it was really helpful. Now, I don't know if I'll receive the part anytime soon (he said 2-3 weeks) or if I'll receive it at all, but so far things are flowing smoothly. And, until that piece arrives, Lewa is doing just fine with his slimmer armor. Which is grand, as he's not really doing anything but posing on my shelf in my room. I know I said that I wouldn't bring many LEGO Bricks with me, and I still don't have a great percentage of my sets here... but my side of the room is crawling with these plastic figures! They might creep out a person with a weaker heart... Or not.
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Okay, I'll say this up straight. I was very disappointed in my Lewa Phantoka set. So disappointed that I'm writing to Lego about it. See if you can tell why. How much time do you need to figure it out? It took me a while. I purchased the thing at Target, along with some other essential supplies that could only be obtained through big scale retail stores. (Yum, Goldfish) I poured the pieces out and began to construct him, but I was kind of curious how the back of his body was constructed, so I looked at the instructions after I finished building his limbs. I got as far as to putting on his chest armor when I noticed that the piece wasn't on my table. Or under my table... or in the canister... or in my room in general. Yes, my room is a mess, but not so much that a piece that big and bright could just vanish. This is surprising... I haven't had a set that was missing a piece since my first Gali set, in which I was unable to locate her eye piece (and I built that in the car, so it's likely that I lost the piece somewhere in it and it got vacuumed out later.) I'm sure it was just an innocent mistake, but I am still writing to Lego to demand my lime green Toa body armor! (Just watch... I'll get it and it'll snap in half or something). Oh well. How about a review of the rest of the set. In general, he's an average Toa build of nowadays. Although there are more elements I like about him than in some of the Mahri. First of all... Toa of Air, and he's tall and powerful. Yeah, that fits... take that short and squat Kongu!! The nice thing about Lewa is that he comes with two different limb pieces for his arms and legs... they're parts of the wrong limbs in the official set, but I can easily switch them around. The Inika pieces for legs and Rahkshi pieces for arms work out very well for proportions. Also, I like the Mantax feet... certainly a breath of fresh air after so many repeats of the two Inika feet styles, and Mantax's feet look good too. His weaponry is nice. The Midak isn't as cool on him as it was on Pohatu... carrying that huge thing really shows its size. All the Nuva should've had it mounted on their shoulders... although that would've been difficult for Lewa. Even though I'm not thrilled about the jetpack piece, the set up with it and the Matoro claws on Lewa's shoulders looks nice. I forgot that Lewa came with the Matoro claws... those pieces looked interesting, but I didn't really want to purchase Matoro to get them, so for a while I was considering buying Kirop for them, but not anymore. The claws hanging over Lewa's shoulders looks really cool... great shoulder armor. They do slightly restrict arm movement, but I can get past that. Now, Lewa's sword... that is wicked! It's long too... longer than Hewkii's war blade (the silver piece, not including the rod). Actually, it reaches up to Lewa Mata's chin... and that's just for one piece. besides it's length, the groves in it look really sweet. They put a lot more effort into making this a radical weapon than they did in, say, Jaller Mahri's sword. The mask is a lot better than Tanma's. Sure, I don't connect it to the Miru... maybe the Faxon or Huna. The blue faceplate works really well, giving it a shinny look in the gaps on the mask. They do blur out the actual eyes a bit, but I can live with that. I also like the nifty propellers in his cheeks... I never really noticed than in the promotional pictures, but they certainly make it an air mask. Nice. The Matoran attachment piece on the back has a cooler design than, say, Pohatu's or Mutran's. Well, it actually has a design, and not just a piece. however, as I took Tanma home and left him there, I can't experiment with the attachment. So, instead, I took the silver Inika shoulder armor and placed it on Lewa's torso, so it looks like he does have some body armor now. He's skinny, but that works for a Toa of air. The piece looks good from the front and side, but there is a substantial and noticeable gap between the armor and the neck. My camera's dead, but I might take a picture of it later. Overall, the set looks pretty swell. Sure, he has the cliche's of a Toa since 06, but his weaponry is beefed up enough that you can kid yourself into saying that he's now an elite Toa. The silver, lime, and grey do blend well together. of course, I could do without the bley... always could. If they'd made some of the limb pieces and Inika leg armor bright Mata green, then the set's coloring would be supreme. (But if they'd made it dark Metru green, I would've been disappointed anyway). Lewa's a pretty good set, about on par with Pohatu. Just one tip... take a look in the canister before you buy it, and make sure it has that giant, lime green body piece. Because the simple fact that he's missing that totally ruined the experience for me.
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*About the title... yeah, I'm a little off, but must try to keep the countdown going, whatever the countdown is for* *Anyway, I'll change it later to a more fitting title for this topic at hand* Bionicle Legends 9: Shadows in the Sky » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «I got this March 1… like the days it came out. There’s one good thing about living within walking distance from the largest Barns and Nobles this side of the Mississippi (or something like that); they’ll have the book I’m looking for in on time. Or at least they’re slightly more reliable than the B&N at home. Anyway, I got it, read it, bragged about my ownership online, but I couldn’t write a review or anything because of spoiler. Well, that’s changed. If they can post spoilers across BZP and Biosector01, then I can do it here in my blog… at least within the safety of this comfy spoiler warning. Read on? Okay. The book starts back in time a few days, with the Makuta first taking on the Matoran. Then it fast forwards to the Makuta getting blinded, and the Matoran flying out to battle them. The Matoran, despite being small sets, take the center stage here, especially Tanma. Although I preferred the stories of the Voya-Nui Matoran more, these light dudes aren’t bad (except for their shadowy counterparts). The arrival of the Toa really sets things into motion. Of course, it consists mostly of Lewa, Kopaka, and Pohatu. Gali, Tahu, and Onua get a few mentions and lines, but ultimately it’s like they’re not even there… and then they leave and they’re really not there. Of the remaining Toa, Lewa and Kopaka have great contrasting personalities. I really enjoyed Pohatu, though. I liked him in the comics, but now reading extensively about him makes me like his character all the more. He can take a joke, but also knows how to be very serious. Plus, lots of his power usages were really good… when they escaped from the Makuta hive, he puts good use into his stone powers (to free Lewa) and his mask of speed (to fight the Makuta… as speed is one of the powers they don’t have. YEAH!) Kopaka and Lewa have some good lines and moves too… particularly Kopaka vs Mutran. Kopaka thinks in battle, unlike some certain hotheaded Toa leaders of previous years. (Tah-who?) Speaking of characteristics, the Makuta aren’t quite so bad. Vamprah is a silent and vicious hunter… okay, great, but not too exciting. All the Makuta are harsh to a point, and that being Vamprah’s main attribute doesn’t make him stand out… despite what his set form may look like. Chirox, my former favorite Makuta personality of the three Phantoka, is characterizes as being a poor warrior… and scientist, when compared to Mutran. He is very impatient and straightforward… and somehow I didn’t think he was quite as cool. Now, Antroz… there’s a cool dude. Good lines, good attitude… a little bit like a watered town Teridax, but keeping many of his good parts. Like boasting and threats, always good. Antroz makes a good leader for a bunch of villains. Onto the Titans… Mutran is easily the coolest Makuta here. Not only does he have the whole mad scientist thing going… always thinking about how to make the better shadow leach… but he’s a good fighter too. He really can use mind tricks… keeping Pohatu and Lewa in an illusion while shattering Kopaka’s mind at the same time! Maybe it also helps that he could see too. Even though he did get defeated, he’s cool. And he even made the final call… true leadership, Teridax would applaud him (especially ‘cause he sacrificed his well being so his brothers could continue on with the plan). His assistant, Vican, was a disappointment. Vican’s personality revolved around him being afraid of what Mutran might do to him, afraid of the weird Rahi steed he’s riding, afraid of Icarax… the list goes on. Icarax is great, causally blasting enemies and allies on a whim. However, my favorite part of the whole book was when he got devolved by the Ignika. The Toa-fied Mask of Life made a cool character, especially when he keeps on silently saving the day and all. But still, the best part was when he totally owned Icarax. LOL! The big final battle was pretty good, and ended on a nice cliffhanger that’ll lead into the next few books. (How can it be a cliffhanger… they’re al flying) Although this book had plenty of good battles and elemental attacks, it also contained a fair portion of ingenious plots and twists, making the Toa Nuva’s comeback truly golden. I can’t wait for the next Legends book. If you haven’t got this one yet… GET IT NOW! That is a command. From Antroz himself. Now, for some cool quotes. “That’s a first- someone expecting a being born of shadow to look on the bright side.” ~ Chirox “Simple Rule. First priority goes to protecting Matoran who aren’t shooting shadow at me.” ~ Tahu “I’ll stay here, since I am the only Ta-hero good at flying. Kopaka, you should jump-dive into the swamp, I think.” ~ Lewa “Why?” ~ Kopaka “’Cause I ever-always end up on your team, and you’re not exactly a Matoran sack of laughs.” ~ Lewa Mutran didn’t answer. His smarter creations had a habit of rebelling, so he had tended to keep his Rahi beasts short on brains. “Five other Toa to choose from, and I am stuck with the two that are just this side of being Rahi.” ~ Kopaka “Mask of Vision, remember. It’s not just a cute name… unlike, say, ‘sky-blaster.’” ~ Kopaka “When’s the last time we met a giant, slimy, jaw-mouth full of teath, peaceful Rahi?” ~ Lewa “You have thirty seconds in which to be extremely amusing.” ~ Icarax “I guess I forgot not to include my fellow Makuta as a target. I suppose after almost 100,000 year, your memory begins to go.” ~ Icarax “And we don’t have an army. We barely have a kolhii team.” ~ Pohatu He had never been a believer in unity of duty, those virtues the Matoran clung to like drowing stone rats cling to driftwood. But the third one they cherished, destiny? Ah, yes, he believed in destiny. ~ Makuta Teridax
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Who makes the shadow leaches? Who mutates the shadow Matoran? Who is just a rip off of the black Phantoka and his Matoran counterpart? The answer is the duo Mutran and Vican, the newest Lego set I purchased via Shop At Home! (Mostly because I won't step foot in a wal-mart) Anyway, I got these two because they're apparently cheaper to get than a Makuta and Matoran separately. Unfortunately, shipping makes up the difference, but I also got a cool Nuparu shirt too, so it's worth it. Now for a review. Well, this was my first Makuta and Shadow Matoran sets, so I can't necessarily compare these two to their canister counterparts. But they're not too glamorous. Vican, although he has a few extra silver pieces than the others, is just an average Shadow Matoran. The body screams to be used in MOCing (something I won't be able to do for a while) and the limbs are kinda okay. But the wings aren't as good as I thought they'd be, and the claws just don't work for him. Translucent head and mask are good, though. He has some nice pieces, but that's about it. Makes an interesting playmate for Mutran, but I'm not looking for that at my age Sorry. Mutran... well, he's my first real look at a Makuta, and I'm not very impressed. Oh, where to start? Well, for starters, the legs and arms don't work together. I can see him with the same arms, but he'd need thicker legs... maybe Inika legs instead of Rahkshi. And if they wanted to keep the legs... fine, but shorten down the arms, or at least get rid of that bulky Piraka armor on the shoulders. Both could work, but together they don't. The body piece is quite impressive... not sure how I'd MOC with it, but it works well in holding the shadow leaches. The opening chest thing is fun, but not as amusing as, say, Pohatu's propellers. A step in the right direction, Lego, but you needed more of a leap to appease me. (You know, the fan who's growing out of the sets and only buys a few... oh, wait, they ignore me, I forgot). The shadow leaches themselves are nice... first collectible since the kraata that stick to something (I believe... and I don't count the Cordak in this assessment). The head and wings... the wings are oddly placed and kinda a weak attempt to include them in the set. I'm not sure what exactly they should've done, but they don't look all that great. The wing pieces themselves are really cool though... are these brand new pieces or were they borrowed from some other set (like a dragon from one of the Castle or Viking sets) and recolored. Anyway, I like them and can see potential use for them... much more than I would for Hahli's wings. The mask itself is okay, but waaaaaay too long. I mean, we've seen masks that extend way over the head, but this one is riddiculas. Plus, the way it's angled (it has this odd setup, so the mask is kind of angled down when placed on the face) leaves too big of a gap over the head. It's different, but the other Makuta may still have better design than him. Onto his hands... I love the Mantax claws, which really give him spiked hands. There's no real way to attach a sword or spear, which makes holding his weapons awkward. But the claws do work best on their own. I like the weapons (I am especially fond of Hewkii's war blade, which I now have two of) but I think Mutran can leave those in my pile of bricks, waiting to be MOCed with, rather than take them with him on display. One other note that was brought up in the BZP reviews... the Makuta heads do not stand sturdy because of the design of the body piece. Well, I found a way to make it work! All I needed was a friction pin (a +o one, of which I had a spare in black from the good old days) and one of those +oo+ pieces (ones I use on my custom Matoran, also used on the Mahri-Matoran's bodies.) I pulled the gray pin used to hold Mutrans neck in, and pushed it through the +oo+ piece and back through the hole to reconnect the neck piece. I then used the +o friction pin the hold the +oo+ piece in place at another connection piece lower down on the body piece. (If you don't understand what I'm trying to say, look at the picture and figure it out for yourself) This effectively holds the neck in one place... no more tilting for him. On the downside, it gets in the way of his chest-claw release bar, so dropping his shadow leaches becomes more difficult. Furthermore, the extra pieces block the eyepiece when Mutran tilts his head back while flying. That, and the pieces themselves stick out a little too much. But this is just my custom fix... not ideal but it solves the initial problem. Overall, is this set worth it? I think the main question is, are the Makuta Phantoka worth it, as Mutran is only minorly different from them. Well, they're new, but they aren't my favorite baddies of recent years. Hopefully, the summer Makuta will blow me out of the water... I'm already thinking of picking up Krika and Bitil when I can. The plus side of Mutran is that he comes with some pieces that I won't get unless I buy a Makuta: a new body piece, wings, chest launcher and a orange rock thingie with shadow leaches inside it. Mutran also comes with a lot of cool silvery pieces (the coolest of which are Hewkii's war-blade and one of his shoulder blades, as well as SIX Mantax claws!) I also got two new masks, which also are tinted with lime green, which is always a cool color (although a fragile color... Tanma's leg joint broke today when I was having him fight Vican. ) And the best part is, you get a slightly more beefed up Makuta and Shadow Matoran for a couple of dollars cheaper than if you bought a canister Makuta and Matoran. Woot. (Of course, to do this without shipping, you have to make a trip to evil Wal-Mart or make a lucky find in a Lego store) I'm satisfied with the set, because I'm not planning to get any other Phantoka Makuta. But is it a super great buy... nope.
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Here is my review of Gali Nuva. PROS: I think she is a good set. As I said before, the boxes are simply amazing this summer. I like how the Ignika is in the top. The fins on her mask are cool. The Nynrah Ghost Blaster is also cool. I like how all six of the Mistika have different color projectiles. The spikes on the legs are neat also. CONS: Too much silver and not enough blue. Her mask is assymetrical and kind of weird-looking. The Matoran connector is unnecessary. She only has a Blaster and no other weapon. Overall, a 7 of 10 for Gali Here are the images for my summer reviews: [url="http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=309032[/url]
