The Legend of BIONICLE

[Black Six]

As an aside, I've received official word from LEGO that the mask-maker that is not Makuta is 'Ekimu,' not 'Akimu,' or anything else.

[Gatanui]

As an aside, I've received official word from LEGO that the mask-maker that is not Makuta is 'Ekimu,' not 'Akimu,' or anything else.

Good to know I got the spelling right.

 

-Gata

[LewaLew]

This confirms... pretty much everything I was afraid of with the new reboot. It's a "hard reboot," which means completely disregarding the expansive, mature, deep universe of BIONICLE's first iteration... in this case, in favor of an extremely oversimplified, somewhat generic story... On the set side... well, those are really boring too; almost no new parts, and all huge smooth HERO FACTORY shells where there should be the little technological bits that made BIONICLE's detailing great... Instead, we get lots of bulky HERO FACTORY-style technological attachments tacked on, which make the new Toa versions look like bulky, generic, Bayformers-esque robots... Which, character-depth wise, is probably what we're getting, if the trend started by Chima continues over here.

I'd love to be really optimistic about this line getting better and not being Chima-like, but unless they do a complete about-face with their design trends and method of appealing to audiences, there's really not much to be optimistic about.

It very clearly doesn't "disregard" the old story. There are so many parallels between this story and 2001 that it's quite obviously just a rewrite of 2001 with the conflict altered in order to keep the story from bloating like it did the first time. Even if it had been a soft reboot, it probably would have had brand new characters in the distant future of Spherus Magna with maybe only a cameo of Turaga Tahu showing up every once in a while. If you were expecting LEGO to pick up from where they left off without cutting some fat, you were doomed to be disappointed from the beginning.

 

And the way I see it, the new Toa designs are a compromise between classic BIONICLE and the HF designs. They have the bulky parts of HF, but it looks like they've also brought back gear functions, which is something that BIONICLE didn't even have for the last four and a half years. Did you want the Inika builds back or something?

 

Besides, if you want more Technic pieces, there's always Lord of Skull Spiders.

[renaldohoek]

@Click@Lyichir (for some reason my post button doesn't work)

 

Honestly, some of the best animations ever done for Bionicle were the early Advance CGI renders. Unlike the stylized, albeit accurate MNOG cinematics or this new Danny-Phantom-schmutz, Advance's work stayed as true to the sets as technically possible. The characters moved in relatively realistic ways to their plastic counterparts. There were no fake eyebrows or added moving mouthparts. There wasn't even any talking to be heard; everything was conveyed through body language and context. It was subtle. It was minimalist. In its soft-spokeness it exuded incredible depth. It was honest, and because of that there was no need to juniorize or stylize what we already understood. All it did was reinforce what we had already imagined, and it couldn't have been executed better.

 

It's no mystery to me that the choice to use Flash was likely made with budget and accessibility in mind, but still, I remember a day...

 

Edited October 11, 2014 by renaldohoek

[~X-Clone~]

. Seriously, guys. Bionicle 2001 wan't "deep" or "mature". You just thought it was because you were ten years old at the time.

 

Get a grip.

[renaldohoek]

 

@~X-Clone~

 

Um, ouch.

 

But in all seriousness, think about it: at the time of Bionicle's conception, most in kids were into... what, Hot Wheels and Power Rangers? The former really didn't have a story until that World Racer movie, and the latter invented new exposition just about every six months. Bionicle had a lore. They had fleshed out a story that was meant to last for at least seven years, and that was before they knew if the line would even sell. Roughly a week ago, I played MNOG with the cynical viewpoint of an adult, and, some campy dialogue aside, it was more or less just as I remembered it: pretty compelling for a Flash game. 

 

Also, taking into account that this website was built on the foundation of talking about Bionicle, it kinda makes sense that we would do that here and take ourselves at least a little bit seriously. It's not like we spend every waking moment flapping our jaws in the real world on the subject. My bad head cold is a good excuse to sit here, too. 

 

Also, I was nine at the time, thank you very much.

[dotcom]

But in all seriousness, think about it: at the time of Bionicle's conception, most in kids were into... what, Hot Wheels and Power Rangers? The former really didn't have a story until that World Racer movie, and the latter invented new exposition just about every six months. Bionicle had a lore. They had fleshed out a story that was meant to last for at least seven years, and that was before they knew if the line would even sell. Roughly a week ago, I played MNOG with the cynical viewpoint of an adult, and, some campy dialogue aside, it was more or less just as I remembered it: pretty compelling for a Flash game. 

Actually, wasn't Bionicle just planned as a one year thing? All the big reveals, with Mata Nui being a giant robot and all, were supposed to become relevant much earlier on, with various parts of his body beginning to surface as the plot progressed. It only got stretched out when it was shown that it was profitable. It was definitely not planned out for a seven year in its inception.

Edited October 11, 2014 by farmstink buttlass

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

I think this new direction has potential. Bionicle 2001 was also a very simple story. It wasn't until at least 2004 when Bionicle started to get as "deep" as it did. Give it some time. 

 

-NotS

[Underscore]

 

If Greg is in charge of the storyline, then it will happen. But it will have significance.

 

Greg is not only not in charge, he is not on the team.

 

He's not? Oh. Okay. (But for the record, I was kind of kidding )

[~X-Clone~]

...Um, ouch.

 

Heh, my post wasn't directed at you. Sorry for any confusion.

 

I just felt frustrated at the guys like Tanu who are trying to cling to some magical nostalgic version of BIONICLE gen 1 that never existed.

[FikouSpider]

I think the story is nice. It doesn't completely disregard the old one, but it still allows for a new, cleaner story, imo. The only thing that I would change is the animation style but overall this seems to be a good start for the new story, which will hopefully grow with time just like the old one.

[Boidoh]

Fikou Spider!!

 

 

On another note, why is it that almost every BIONICLE 2015 topic has turned into a mild TTV hate topic at some point.

[Aanchir]

Fikou Spider!!

 

On another note, why is it that almost every BIONICLE 2015 topic has turned into a mild TTV hate topic at some point.

I think any big event like this throws TTV's limitation as a news source into sharp relief, because it's very difficult for them to keep up and make sure they have all of their facts straight before reporting.

 

Personally, I don't really enjoy things like TTV. Just not how I prefer to digest news and speculation. I prefer discussions like the ones we have here, where I can be a part of the exchange of ideas and not just listen to however many minutes of news and speculation and then leave feedback to the video as a whole. Of course, it helps that I generally prefer reading to listening since it's easier for me to go back and reread something than to back up a recording to exactly the part that I need to refresh my memory of.

 

I have no problem with TTV or with the people who DO enjoy it, though. They have made a place for themselves within the community, and there are a lot of people who really enjoy keeping up with news and speculation in that form. It's not my place to say they should get their news in the form I happen to prefer. Different strokes for different folks, ya know?

Edited October 11, 2014 by Aanchir

[Ahpolki0513]

As an aside, I've received official word from LEGO that the mask-maker that is not Makuta is 'Ekimu,' not 'Akimu,' or anything else.

Dangit. Welp, at least I know the proper spelling of the name now. XD

On LEGO's facebook page, you can see a series of sketches of a scene around what appears to be a coffin. In the top-left corner of the image, you can see a sketch of Ekimu over it. Seems like they decided to bury him or something until they can reawake him. If's he's been buried, though, then where's Makuta. Is the Lord of Skull Spiders guarding him (or the Mask of Ultimate Power?)

[renaldohoek]

 

@~X-Clone~

 

It's all good, man. Contextually, though, my comment does kind of fall into the "basking-in-the-glory-of-my-own-idealized-childhood" category, to be perfectly honest. 

 

All things considered, the important thing is Bionicle is back, which is really more than I think any of us could ask for.

[Van Hohenheim]

 

Greg is not only not in charge, he is not on the team.

 

 

 

 

Doesn't mean that the new team might make a reference to him, or even not make him have a cameo. If he were to reappear, it'd likely be brief, but funny. XD

 

*Vezon falls through a portal*

"Nope, not this universe."

*falls through another*

[TheSpecial]

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

[Illuminatus]

All right, after some consideration I've decided to give this direction a chance. It's simple, yes, but some of the sets look fantastic (Pohatu and Kopaka, in particular), there is some amazing concept art on Facebook, which leads me to believe there MIGHT just be some competent people working on the project. Really, it was just the cartoon that got on my nerves, I still think it's a horrible idea, but if we exclude it from the major picture, BIONICLE 2015 might just work. Makuta is Makuta, the six Toa are our Toa. The story is set on a Slizeresque island (which looks awesome in non-cartoon form), and that's good enough for me.

 

If they put some tribal dubstep in the equation, they'll have won me over entirely.

[bohrokmaster]

As much as I enjoyed watching the Bionicle trailer, in a 2D cartoonish style animation, I hope the BIONICLE reboot won't have a 'childish' approach similar to LEGO Legends of Chima (for example, The 2015 Toa Mata with child-like personalities similar to Laval). I loved the new Origin of Bionicle with the two mask makers and everything else. But even though I love Ekimu as the brother of Makuta ''Teridax'', I wish it was Mata Nui as the mask maker and Makuta's ''real'' brother (in my opinion). But it doesn't matter, I like Ekimu a lot.  I'm glad LEGO is using the british narrator again to tell the new story. But if he simply tells the story without the change of the narrator's voice tone (for example, ''mask of ultimate power''), then the vision of the story would feel cinematic and exciting!

Edited October 14, 2014 by bohrokmaster

[Toa of Gallifrey]

My only fear about the animations is that Gali sounds like Hahli Mahri in the commercial from 2007 with the Toa Terrain Crawler and the Mask of Life.

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

Sorry, just a little OT correction, but Mata Nui didn't create Makuta, the GBs created both of them.

[believe victims]

My only fear about the animations is that Gali sounds like Hahli Mahri in the commercial from 2007 with the Toa Terrain Crawler and the Mask of Life.

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

Sorry, just a little OT correction, but Mata Nui didn't create Makuta, the GBs created both of them.

No? Mata Nui created the Makuta. It's right there on the BS01 page. The GBs created antidermis, but Mata Nui created the Makuta.

[TheSpecial]

My only fear about the animations is that Gali sounds like Hahli Mahri in the commercial from 2007 with the Toa Terrain Crawler and the Mask of Life.

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

Sorry, just a little OT correction, but Mata Nui didn't create Makuta, the GBs created both of them.

Yeah Im a bit scared about Gali's voice as well.

[The Meta Knight]

 

My only fear about the animations is that Gali sounds like Hahli Mahri in the commercial from 2007 with the Toa Terrain Crawler and the Mask of Life.

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

Sorry, just a little OT correction, but Mata Nui didn't create Makuta, the GBs created both of them.

Yeah Im a bit scared about Gali's voice as well.

 

Personally, the most terrifying thing for me is the voice acting. I'm especially worried they'll give Pohatu an Australian accent to compliment his boomerangs...

[TinkerTech]

Well, it's certainly been a while since I was on here! Just had to put in my two bits before I headed to bed. 

 

 

The way I see the reboot: It's called the LEGEND of Bionicle for a reason. this new reboot has all the core features of our favorite tale: Six heroes searching for a mask in order to defeat a terrible evil. But a lot of the smaller details have changes for this retelling. It may be set in a different dimension/universe to the old canon, or someone other than Turaga Vakama is telling the tale for once. *Proceeds to get lynched by the fandom*

 

Honestly, I wasn't too sure about it at first; some of the character bios still have me a little worried. But at the same time, I'm happy to see our favorite hot-headed toa of fire and our clowny, lovable, definitely-going-to-get-into-some-kind-of-trouble-this-year toa of jungle Air, because we all know that's what it really is. (And that's one of the things that bugs me; why Jungle instead of Air? Jungle is not an element. It is a biome.)

 

As for people complaints about the "depth": What they mean is the culture of the matoran that was introduced in the first few years. It wasn't just six heroes on a quest. There were villagers with homes, friends, economies under pressure, even a sport! The toa weren't just in it for their own gain of the masks; they were helping to ensure the survival of the matoran. I think that's something we would all like to see again, and something a lot of LEGO's other lines are missing; universe building. (I haven't really looked at LEGO lines in the last few years, but it doesn't seem like there's a lot of depth universe-wise.) Y'know, as long as they don't go overboard like last time...

 

All in all, I'm excited about this new reboot and where it will go. It's still early, so there's plenty of chance for LEGO to release new content and backstory for these characters, and for new ones. If it goes sour, I'll just drag out my old Quest for the Masks board game and cuddle my Onua Mata.

 

Also: Makuta. It's JUST Makuta. And there was much rejoicing. (Let's be honest; it's hard to come up with a better villain name than Makuta. Just say it aloud. or even better, watch MoL and listen.)

[Kathaarian]

 

 

My only fear about the animations is that Gali sounds like Hahli Mahri in the commercial from 2007 with the Toa Terrain Crawler and the Mask of Life.

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

Sorry, just a little OT correction, but Mata Nui didn't create Makuta, the GBs created both of them.

Yeah Im a bit scared about Gali's voice as well.

 

Personally, the most terrifying thing for me is the voice acting. I'm especially worried they'll give Pohatu an Australian accent to compliment his boomerangs...

 

I always hoped they'd do him with the kickers again, and make him sound like a football guy, but that's just me.

As for the Aussie accent, I just imagined it and now I can't stop thinking Lego's going to do that and annoy me out of the animations. GAH.

[Kyori]

@Click@Lyichir (for some reason my post button doesn't work)

 

Honestly, some of the best animations ever done for Bionicle were the early Advance CGI renders. Unlike the stylized, albeit accurate MNOG cinematics or this new Danny-Phantom-schmutz, Advance's work stayed as true to the sets as technically possible. The characters moved in relatively realistic ways to their plastic counterparts. There were no fake eyebrows or added moving mouthparts. There wasn't even any talking to be heard; everything was conveyed through body language and context. It was subtle. It was minimalist. In its soft-spokeness it exuded incredible depth. It was honest, and because of that there was no need to juniorize or stylize what we already understood. All it did was reinforce what we had already imagined, and it couldn't have been executed better.

 

It's no mystery to me that the choice to use Flash was likely made with budget and accessibility in mind, but still, I remember a day...

*cough* It's Toon Boom, which is a different software and used by lots of big name companies like Disney and Warner Bros.

 

As for animation, I think we have to actually see it in action before we can judge. I was iffy on the style too, but the stills shown so far look really nice and have a good Bionicle feel. But, again. we shall see.

[Mr. Cup of Fail]

...     So MLP G4 anyone 

Anyway I don't know if G2 of bionicle will be better then G1 or not, it most likely not going to be because for the start of 2015 we'll getting a HL2 headcrabs again (just like the Brain Attack) but one think I would like to know is, are we going to be getting Forums for the G2 of bionicle or G1 and G2 are going to be in the same forums?

 

 

As an aside, I've received official word from LEGO that the mask-maker that is not Makuta is 'Ekimu,' not 'Akimu,' or anything else.

That I little funny when in the video they called him Makuta and not Akimu 

[TheSpecial]

 

 

My only fear about the animations is that Gali sounds like Hahli Mahri in the commercial from 2007 with the Toa Terrain Crawler and the Mask of Life.

 

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

 

Sorry, just a little OT correction, but Mata Nui didn't create Makuta, the GBs created both of them.

Yeah Im a bit scared about Gali's voice as well.

Personally, the most terrifying thing for me is the voice acting. I'm especially worried they'll give Pohatu an Australian accent to compliment his boomerangs...

To be honest, I actually wouldn't mind an Australian accent.

[Lyichir]

...     So MLP G4 anyone 

Anyway I don't know if G2 of bionicle will be better then G1 or not, it most likely not going to be because for the start of 2015 we'll getting a HL2 headcrabs again (just like the Brain Attack) but one think I would like to know is, are we going to be getting Forums for the G2 of bionicle or G1 and G2 are going to be in the same forums?

 

 

As an aside, I've received official word from LEGO that the mask-maker that is not Makuta is 'Ekimu,' not 'Akimu,' or anything else.

That I little funny when in the video they called him Makuta and not Akimu 

What? Makuta and Ekimu are different characters, and both of them were referred to by name in the video.

[Boidoh]

He was saying that Ekimu is the correct spelling. Before that was confirmed, BS01 refered to as Ekimu as Makuta's brother, and he is refering to Ekimu there as "the mask-maker that is not Makuta".

[Mr. Cup of Fail]

Opp I just noticed that I said Makuta and not Ekimu.

[Ahpolki0513]

To be honest, I actually wouldn't mind an Australian accent.

 

 

 

Now part of my wants John Patrick Lowrie (The voice of TF2 Sniper) to voice Pohatu. XD

[Constructelf]

My only fear about the animations is that Gali sounds like Hahli Mahri in the commercial from 2007 with the Toa Terrain Crawler and the Mask of Life.

 

I honestly am liking everything about this; the characters, the story, the sets (especially Tahu and his awesome new mask). I'm glad they're going back to a similar story and island, and I much prefer Mata Nui/Ekimu and Makuta being brothers instead of the former creating the latter. I like the new Ekimu and Makuta backstory and really enjoyed this video. I hope the videos that feature the toa are as good as this one, and I hope that the toa have good voices. The only thing I'm not sure whether I like or not is the new animation style, it doesn't really seem anything like MNOG and I feel it's significantly more like the mixels. I assume this style was chosen mostly based on budget. I'm really happy with what we've seen so far, and am probably most excited to see makuta in set form. I can't believe Bionicle is really back, this is exciting.

Sorry, just a little OT correction, but Mata Nui didn't create Makuta, the GBs created both of them.

Huh? Character animations are out?

[Dallior]

Wait. Couldn't this just be an alternate reality?

 

Any second, we'll see Takanuva come out of the shadows...

[Van Hohenheim]

Wait. Couldn't this just be an alternate reality?

 

Any second, we'll see Takanuva come out of the shadows...

I'm just sittin here, waiting for Vezon..

[Lyichir]

 

Wait. Couldn't this just be an alternate reality?

 

Any second, we'll see Takanuva come out of the shadows...

I'm just sittin here, waiting for Vezon..

 

Stahp. You're going to jinx us and make it actually happen.

[Torchbearer]

What's wrong with Vezon making an appearance? All they need to do is have a Turaga say "We once had a strange traveler like you, he soon vanished and none of us have seen him since. Vezon, was it?" when they meet a Toa/all 6 Toa.

Edited October 29, 2014 by Torchbearer

[fishers64]

What's wrong with Vezon making an appearance? All they need to do is have a Turaga say "We once had a strange traveler like you, he soon vanished and none of us have seen him since. Vezon, was it?" when they meet a Toa/all 6 Toa.

Nobody likes Vezon. 

[The Meta Knight]

 

What's wrong with Vezon making an appearance? All they need to do is have a Turaga say "We once had a strange traveler like you, he soon vanished and none of us have seen him since. Vezon, was it?" when they meet a Toa/all 6 Toa.

Nobody likes Vezon. 

 

Lies. All of them.

I wouldn't mind something like that, as long as they could do it without making it seem super corny. I honestly don't really want something like that to happen, but I wouldn't freak out if it did like all of you big babies. And everyone likes Vezon, contrary to popular belief. (Popular belief on this particular topic anyway.)

[Toa of Gallifrey]

Personally I love Vezon, but I thought I was in the minority for that ever since the Olmak fusing. I just want a tiny shout-out. Just one. xD