OFFICIAL Bionicle 2015 Topic

[Fry]

Canisters are better than bags in my opinion...

Edited September 24, 2014 by PrismWind

[Wazdakka]

Canisters are better than bags, just not for the environment, sadly.

 

Also, are we allowed to discuss the previously leaked images since we now know they are real?

[Bfahome]

Canisters are better than bags, just not for the environment, sadly.

 

Also, are we allowed to discuss the previously leaked images since we now know they are real?

Leaked information can't be discussed, no matter how late in the game it is.

[Aanchir]

Canisters are better than bags in my opinion...

It's a commonly held opinion, and there's nothing wrong with it. It's all a matter of priorities. Personally, I think I have all the canisters I'll ever need and would prefer a type of container with stylish graphics that I can keep without it taking up a lot of space. So far the foil pouches have been the best LEGO containers when it comes to that, because flattening them out doesn't ruin them or render them useless. But I'm hoping if they do go away, the LEGO Group might surprise me and come out with something new that can offer that same advantage.

 

Hopefully we can at least all agree that anything, even a non-resealable plastic bag or a generic, rectangular cardboard box, would be better than plastic blister packs like the ones used for the Toa Mahri and the Ninjago spinner sets. Those kinds of packages combine the worst aspects of plastic and cardboard packages, in my opinion. It's hard to open them without mutilating the beautiful graphics, and they're not the least bit practical as reusable storage. They look flashy on store shelves, but in terms of post-purchase practicality they pale in comparison to most of the LEGO Group's current packaging styles. This year the Speedorz sets from Legends of Chima stopped using blister packs and started using clever cardboard containers, so hopefully that might be the last we see of that kind of packaging for regular LEGO sets.

[Fry]

Perhaps the new Toa will use trapezoid shaped boxes. Lego seems to release weird packaging now-a-days so who knows?

Edited September 24, 2014 by PrismWind

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

Perhaps the new Toa will use trapezoid shaped boxes. Lego seems to release weird packaging now-a-days so who knows?

The Mahri packages were the closest we will get to trapezoid prism boxes. They had two parallel faces- the front and the back- but the front was smaller, so there were two planes that connected them at equal angles to the faces. 

[Aanchir]

Perhaps the new Toa will use trapezoid shaped boxes. Lego seems to release weird packaging now-a-days so who knows?

Do you mean boxes with a trapezoid-shaped footprint, or ones that are narrower at the top than they are at the bottom? Either could be interesting, though the former would be both easier to make and easier to make stackable, I would think. Then again, given the wacky shapes of this year's Speedorz packages, I suppose the LEGO Group might surprise me.

 

Speaking of those packages, I don't actually own any Speedorz sets from this year, and haven't found any set reviews online that describe the new packages in detail. Can anyone tell me if they're collapsible or resealable? They seem like they MIGHT be both, in which case that could be a fantastic direction for LEGO to take with the new BIONICLE packages. It'd have most of the practical advantages of the Hero Factory pouches, the environmental, economic, and logistical advantages of cardboard boxes, and the rigid form factor and distinctive shapes that people love about BIONICLE canisters. Also, like cardboard boxes and pouches, these would allow full-color graphics on every surface, which is one thing that traditional plastic canisters have always lacked. Make them stackable like canisters were, and you'd have maybe the best LEGO packaging to date!

 

One other thing I have to say... I know some people like canisters in terms of their variety, but that's honestly something I'd rather do without. Sure, it helped the newer sets stand out from older ones on shelves, but it also meant that when it came to storage, you couldn't always stack newer canisters on top of older ones. And that limitation is part of what frustrates me about my current collection of canisters. If the new BIONICLE could come up with a packaging design that could stick around for at least three years, I'd be very grateful. It's not as though customers NEED uniquely-shaped packages to tell new sets apart from old ones, after all — LEGO has been making their cardboard and foil packages unique through the printed graphics alone for years and years, so that should work just as well for whatever the new packages turn out to be.

[Calvirick]

I'm not one to be good at debates on whether a canister is great or not.

 

I just didn't like the new pouches because I missed the old canisters. It's my young self fighting the new object. I feel like an old guy telling his grand kids, "Back in my day blah blah blah blah!"

[MrStoneEdge]

I think that canisters are iconic for Bionicle, but if bagged sets are cheaper I'd prefer that to paying more for a, while nice, ultimately useless canister.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

I think that canisters are iconic for Bionicle, but if bagged sets are cheaper I'd prefer that to paying more for a, while nice, ultimately useless canister.

Canisters are a lot more useful than bags, but bags do tend to be more cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

 

Things I've used canisters for:  Storage of Bionicle sets at home at while traveling, storage of various items such as DS and 3DS games, a 3DS, food, Legos and more, rolling it to my dog who then sniffs it and pushes it back for fun, display of Bionicle sets, pretending to use to Toa Metru lids as a Pokeball, and a few more.

[Makuta Miras]

What about cardboard canisters? Might that work? Cardboard is easily recycled, so that's environmental stuff out of the way, and then cardboard canisters can either be squished to take up less room, or kept in the original form to use for display like the old canisters.

 

It ticks all of the boxes! (No pun intended)

 

Environmentally friendliness: Check

Cool shapes: Check

Pleasing (Old) fans: Check

 

Lego could even make it so that cardboard canisters can be folded down easily and then popped back up when needed.

[Makaru]

There are cardboard canisters. There's a name for those. They're called boxes.

[Calvirick]

There are cardboard canisters. There's a name for those. They're called boxes.

 

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! MAKARU SAVES THE DAYYY!! 

 

*crowd cheers* 

 

But really, 

 

 

I think that canisters are iconic for Bionicle, but if bagged sets are cheaper I'd prefer that to paying more for a, while nice, ultimately useless canister.

Canisters are a lot more useful than bags, but bags do tend to be more cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

 

Things I've used canisters for:  Storage of Bionicle sets at home at while traveling, storage of various items such as DS and 3DS games, a 3DS, food, Legos and more, rolling it to my dog who then sniffs it and pushes it back for fun, display of Bionicle sets, pretending to use to Toa Metru lids as a Pokeball, and a few more.

 

 

Oh man! I totally remember playing with my friends with the Metru lids! UGH! Such great memories.

[Voltex]

I liked the canisters, but I'd be fine with at least a wave of new Bionicle using the bags, since those are cool too. While displaying my canisters back in the day (before my parents threw them all out ugh) was cool, I simply don't have the space for them anymore. A bag, meanwhile, I can just flatten and stuff in a cupboard or something.

[Makuta Miras]

What I meant was basically boxes in the shape of canisters. Sorry if that wasn't very clear in my other post.

[Calvirick]

I liked the canisters, but I'd be fine with at least a wave of new Bionicle using the bags, since those are cool too. While displaying my canisters back in the day (before my parents threw them all out ugh) was cool, I simply don't have the space for them anymore. A bag, meanwhile, I can just flatten and stuff in a cupboard or something.

 

You know I never thought of that! That's a terrific idea! 

And dude, my parents threw mine out too cause of space. Maybe that was a factor LEGO considered. *shrugs*

Edited September 24, 2014 by Calvirick

[MrStoneEdge]

 

I think that canisters are iconic for Bionicle, but if bagged sets are cheaper I'd prefer that to paying more for a, while nice, ultimately useless canister.

Canisters are a lot more useful than bags, but bags do tend to be more cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

 

Things I've used canisters for:  Storage of Bionicle sets at home at while traveling, storage of various items such as DS and 3DS games, a 3DS, food, Legos and more, rolling it to my dog who then sniffs it and pushes it back for fun, display of Bionicle sets, pretending to use to Toa Metru lids as a Pokeball, and a few more.

 

I just remember that it was really hard to fit the Phantoka sets in their canisters for example. I believe that the opening of the canisters only covered half of the canisters. Perhaps it was the Mistika canisters that had that problem, I'm not sure. The original Toa canisters were great. You could fit the whole set and then some in then, and they didn't take up to much space. As the sets and canisters got larger I felt that I began to lack the space necessary for them, so bagged sets are much preferred over canisters. Still it would be nice to have some new sets in canisters for the iconic value. Maybe the first wave of sets could come in canisters and anything that's released after that comes in a bag?

[Makuta Miras]

I could never get the lids off the Mistika. 'Twas a sad day, the day when I got Tahu Mistika, the set which I'd been hyped about all year, and I promptly couldn't open it. The Mistika lids weren't very well designed.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

 

 

I think that canisters are iconic for Bionicle, but if bagged sets are cheaper I'd prefer that to paying more for a, while nice, ultimately useless canister.

Canisters are a lot more useful than bags, but bags do tend to be more cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

 

Things I've used canisters for:  Storage of Bionicle sets at home at while traveling, storage of various items such as DS and 3DS games, a 3DS, food, Legos and more, rolling it to my dog who then sniffs it and pushes it back for fun, display of Bionicle sets, pretending to use to Toa Metru lids as a Pokeball, and a few more.

 

I just remember that it was really hard to fit the Phantoka sets in their canisters for example. I believe that the opening of the canisters only covered half of the canisters. Perhaps it was the Mistika canisters that had that problem, I'm not sure. The original Toa canisters were great. You could fit the whole set and then some in then, and they didn't take up to much space. As the sets and canisters got larger I felt that I began to lack the space necessary for them, so bagged sets are much preferred over canisters. Still it would be nice to have some new sets in canisters for the iconic value. Maybe the first wave of sets could come in canisters and anything that's released after that comes in a bag?

 

Yeah, the Mahri and Phantoka canisters were barely even canisters. The Phantoka were just a rounded plastic box with a removable design, which was better than the Mahri. I would also like the first wave to be canisters and everything else bags- it would be a nice piece of nostalgia.

[Toa Green Ninja]

Those Mahri and Phantoka packaging were just horrible. I sure hope we don't get anything like them again.

 

Is there anyone else other than me who still cannot believe that this is happening? LEGO has never done anything like this before. This past week has just felt surreal. I'm just... I'm just so happy.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Toa Green Ninja

[Voltex]

Nah. I always held onto the belief that LEGO would revive Bionicle at some point. It even fell into my prediction window of 2015-2016, although I will admit that I believed a 2016 revival was more likely.

[Makuta Luroka]

Is there anyone else other than me who still cannot believe that this is happening? LEGO has never done anything like this before. This past week has just felt surreal. I'm just... I'm just so happy.

Bringing back a theme? LEGO has done this in the past, though I never expected BIONICLE to return after such a short time.

[believe victims]

Of course LEGO's never done anything like this before. Bionicle was their first story-intensive theme, and the only one that isn't currently running (well, besides Galidor, but, well....). They've never been able to bring back a story-intensive theme before because none existed. It was quite literally impossible for LEGO to do something like this before.

[Toa Green Ninja]

 

Is there anyone else other than me who still cannot believe that this is happening? LEGO has never done anything like this before. This past week has just felt surreal. I'm just... I'm just so happy.

 

Bringing back a theme? LEGO has done this in the past, though I never expected BIONICLE to return after such a short time.

Well... I mean yes, LEGO has done revivals of their "evergreen" themes, such as Space, Pirates, and Agents, in many different iterations. However, this is the first instance in which they brought back one of their biggest, most original IP, that doesn't fit in those categories. Ninjago doesn't quite count, because there was only a short break in late 2013.

 

Of course LEGO's never done anything like this before. Bionicle was their first story-intensive theme, and the only one that isn't currently running (well, besides Galidor, but, well....). They've never been able to bring back a story-intensive theme before because none existed. It was quite literally impossible for LEGO to do something like this before.

And what about Exo-Force? Adventurers? I remember those themes selling pretty well and LEGO not doing anything about making something similar these past few years. And it is even more niche, because BIONICLE is a constraction theme.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Toa Green Ninja

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

Of course LEGO's never done anything like this before. Bionicle was their first story-intensive theme, and the only one that isn't currently running (well, besides Galidor, but, well....). They've never been able to bring back a story-intensive theme before because none existed. It was quite literally impossible for LEGO to do something like this before.

Could have been, but now it isn't! 

 

Well, I think it would make more sense to say it wasn't, but it is now. But hey- Bionicle references, so that's worth some points!

[Lyichir]

 

Of course LEGO's never done anything like this before. Bionicle was their first story-intensive theme, and the only one that isn't currently running (well, besides Galidor, but, well....). They've never been able to bring back a story-intensive theme before because none existed. It was quite literally impossible for LEGO to do something like this before.

And what about Exo-Force? Adventurers? I remember those themes selling pretty well and LEGO not doing anything about making something similar these past few years. And it is even more niche, because BIONICLE is a constraction theme.

 

Exo-Force is indeed a story theme that is no longer running. But if you count Adventurers as a story theme (I wouldn't), then by that standard Lego has done EXACTLY this sort of thing before. Adventurers was gone for two full years before Lego brought all the characters back for the thematically-similar Orient Expedition theme. Bionicle's four-and-a-half-year absence may be more impressive, but two years is still a long enough hiatus that the theme's return could definitely be considered a revival.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Lyichir

[Banana Gunz]

I dunno. I'd much rather get the sets in a package that is environmentally friendly above all. The tiny "conveniences" that came with those canisters is a lot less important to me than whatever difference it'll make on the environment. All I've ever used them for is storing some extra Lego parts. And besides, it's the set that are most important.

 

Bags win guys. Or if Aanchir is right, dem crazy flippin' Chima boxes will do. 

[Irrie]

I dunno. I'd much rather get the sets in a package that is environmentally friendly above all. The tiny "conveniences" that came with those canisters is a lot less important to me than whatever difference it'll make on the environment. All I've ever used them for is storing some extra Lego parts. And besides, it's the set that are most important.

 

Bags win guys. Or if Aanchir is right, dem crazy flippin' Chima boxes will do. 

I'd have to agree with you on that because canisters serve even less purposes for me other than storing bottle caps (yes, I collect them).

Besides, they don't make much sense if canisters aren't a part of the story in '15. 

[ToaDraco]

Honestly, as cool as canisters are, I'd rather they were in boxes or bags if it brings the price down. 

[believe victims]

 

Of course LEGO's never done anything like this before. Bionicle was their first story-intensive theme, and the only one that isn't currently running (well, besides Galidor, but, well....). They've never been able to bring back a story-intensive theme before because none existed. It was quite literally impossible for LEGO to do something like this before.

And what about Exo-Force? Adventurers? I remember those themes selling pretty well and LEGO not doing anything about making something similar these past few years. And it is even more niche, because BIONICLE is a constraction theme.

 

 

Both Adventurers and Exo-Force used story as more of a framing mechanism, IMO, Adventurers more than Exo-Force. Neither had the committal to story Bionicle had, and I highly doubt most Exo-Force fans bothered keeping up with what story their was. Exo-Force was more about LEGO trying to break into the mecha genre than about story.

 

Bionicle, on the other hand, was defined by its intensive story.

 

At least in my opinion, before Bionicle's end saw an outpouring of them, there has never been another LEGO line as story-intensive as Bionicle, for better or for worse.

[emily]

Exo-Force is indeed a story theme that is no longer running. But if you count Adventurers as a story theme (I wouldn't), then by that standard Lego has done EXACTLY this sort of thing before. Adventurers was gone for two full years before Lego brought all the characters back for the thematically-similar Orient Expedition theme. Bionicle's four-and-a-half-year absence may be more impressive, but two years is still a long enough hiatus that the theme's return could definitely be considered a revival.

It's tangental to the topic at hand, but Adventurers didn't really go through a two-year hiatus, at least entirely. In 2001 Johnny and Pippin had a presence in a number of Studios sets and factored into promotional material for the theme, and in 2002 lego.com/johnnythunder was launched with a couple of interactive Flash stories added throughout the year to lead into Orient Expedition in 2003.

[masterchirox580]

Huh I wonder if bionicle Fridays is gonna become a thing, well if it is then every Friday morning I'm gonna wake up and start singing it's friday friday "explosion" 

 

I know I've just made the most outdated reference in all the internet, I'm truly sorry I just had to make that joke.

 

On a more on topic note I have a feeling that the information we will receive on Friday will be the last till comic con.

[Chro]

Am I the only one who just throws out the bags, recycles the canisters, et cetera, instead of keeping them around?

 

 

 

Perhaps the new Toa will use trapezoid shaped boxes. Lego seems to release weird packaging now-a-days so who knows?

The Mahri packages were the closest we will get to trapezoid prism boxes. They had two parallel faces- the front and the back- but the front was smaller, so there were two planes that connected them at equal angles to the faces. 

Yes, that is a very precise description of a trapezoid.

[bioniclepluslotr]

Is this line starting in the Spring of 2015? Cause it would suck if it's the fall season, and we have to wait basically another year.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

Am I the only one who just throws out the bags, recycles the canisters, et cetera, instead of keeping them around?

 

 

 

Perhaps the new Toa will use trapezoid shaped boxes. Lego seems to release weird packaging now-a-days so who knows?

The Mahri packages were the closest we will get to trapezoid prism boxes. They had two parallel faces- the front and the back- but the front was smaller, so there were two planes that connected them at equal angles to the faces. 

Yes, that is a very precise description of a trapezoid.

Technically its a trapezoid prism or a trapezoidal prism, since a trapezoid is a polygon not a solid, but we are talking about packaging for building toys, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

[Zeb]

Is this line starting in the Spring of 2015? Cause it would suck if it's the fall season, and we have to wait basically another year.

It's starting this Winter 2014/2015. The official date of release is January 2015, but I can assure you that the sets will start popping up in stores before December is over.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

 

Is this line starting in the Spring of 2015? Cause it would suck if it's the fall season, and we have to wait basically another year.

It's starting this Winter 2014/2015. The official date of release is January 2015, but I can assure you that the sets will start popping up in stores before December is over.

 

I would explode from excitement if there was more proof this was true. It seems like speculation, but it also seems very likely! That means I might be able to have new Bionicle in my movie!

[dviddy]

The official BIONICLE Facebook page confirmed January.

[bioniclepluslotr]

Omg Christmas/Birthday shopping time (I'm a January)

The official BIONICLE Facebook page confirmed January.

Which Facebook page is official? There's two that I know of, one that's been around for years called Bionicle (16,000 likes), and a new one that just appeared called Lego Bionicle (7,000 likes).

Edited September 25, 2014 by bioniclepluslotr

[Makaru]

Omg Christmas/Birthday shopping time (I'm a January)

The official BIONICLE Facebook page confirmed January.

Which Facebook page is official? There's two that I know of, one that's been around for years called Bionicle (16,000 likes), and a new one that just appeared called Lego Bionicle (7,000 likes).

 

Lego Bionicle.

 

Simply "Bionicle" is a fan-run group.