Set Review: 70786 Gali Master of Water

[Hapori Tohu]

Today we're going to leave the protectors and take a look again at the Toa! BZPower Forum Assistant Zatth has taken a look at 70786 Gali Master of Water from the 2015 LEGO Bionicle wave. Will this Toa of Water make a splash in your heart or will she sink like a stone? The only way to find out is to read on!

 

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[Torran]

Gali's fin-blades look like they will have wide potential in MOCs. Thanks for the review, still getting sold on the mask, but she looks great.

[The 1st Shadow]

Nice review! She's still one of my least favorite of the new sets, but I might end up getting her first just because G1 Gali was my first BIONICLE set.

 

A comment on one of the parts, though. The gunmetal liftarm-like piece with the four plus-holes (trident end of the weapon) has been around since Brain Attack--nearly two years by the time these sets are officially released. It's nothing new, but still a cool piece!

 

(On a completely unrelated note--the Warrior's sonic screwdriver!)

[Ballom Nom Nom]

A very good review, made all the better by the puns. Truly, they are the highest form of literature.

 

Anyway, I love the new incarnation of Gali and can't wait to buy the set! At first I was unsure about her new mask, but by now I'm quite sold on its design.

 

~B~

[Click]

Seeing her in a different, less ridiculous pose (I don't know why, but I really hate the pose on the box) does actually give her a sense of femininity somehow. Maybe I'm just brainwashed into thinking "BLUE = GIRL!" 

 

I have to admit, this review did a lot to change my opinion on Gali. She looks pretty good. A decent selection of parts in great colors that all combine to a very complete build. I think her torso printing is my favorite, and the Kaukau (Mask of Water, whatever) looks a lot better than I thought. I was planning on getting her to at least build one Kaita with my favorites builds, Lewa and Kopaka, but I think I can actually enjoy her. The shoulders are still really odd, but I don't see any way to fix that without leaving massive gaps on her arms.

 

I may possibly ruin the Mask of Water for some of you. The top looks like a nose. Just sayin'.

[Rooster Nui]

She may not be my favorite of the new Toa, but she is definitely my favorite Toa of water. I feel this set really represents the water element most out of all Toa of water released.

[Bfahome]

Yeah, definitely getting this one.

 

Not that I wasn't before, but still.

[Toa Smoke Monster]

This set looks really cool. I really like Gali's body design and color scheme. Her Mask isn't one of my favorites though. She's still probably one of the sets I will get after I get Tahu, Kopaka, and The Lord of Skull Spiders.

 

Thanks for the review!

[dotcom]

Dang bzp making all these sets I wasn't sure about before look so great.

 

I mean, I knew she had some great parts, but seeing them all just laid out....so many trans blue bones. Crystal Beast would be jealous.

 

Seeing her in more natural poses also emphasize how good her build is, too. Every official pose of her I've seen is kinda awkward, but seeing her here, she really does look pretty great.

 

Will probably be picking her up sooner than expected (once they're out, of course) though a couple of other Toa still take priority.

[masterchirox580]

Wait a minute, does Gali really have a different chest piece to the other toa?

[Aanchir]

Wait a minute, does Gali really have a different chest piece to the other toa?

Nope, same mold as everyone but Onua, just with a different pattern. Unless you're talking about the torso shell. In that case, she has the same one as Kopaka, but a different one from all the rest.

 

Anyway, good review! Zatth definitely brought a lot of energy, enthusiasm, and humor to both the written review and the video review. There are a few things I feel like I ought to point out, though. For one, the shoulder armor is attached incorrectly in both reviews. It should be mounted on the ball joints on the gearbox, not on the ball joints on her torso beam. Also, her shark fins can actually combine into one mermaid-like tail fin, which is pretty excellent. And finally, the name of her blue color is Dark Azur, and it's actually brand-new to constraction, although it's been in LEGO System for a few years now.

 

This set is not only my favorite set of the new wave, but also my favorite Toa of Water set of all time! Great colors, great proportions, great mask, great equipment, great functions... just a great set all around!

[believe victims]

Having warmed up to the mask considerably (certainly far more than I likely ever will with the new Miru), the only thing still getting me is the colors. Not the colors themselves, but their distribution. There's too much metal, not enough Dark Azure, imo.

 

Good review.

[Aanchir]

Having warmed up to the mask considerably (certainly far more than I likely ever will with the new Miru), the only thing still getting me is the colors. Not the colors themselves, but their distribution. There's too much metal, not enough Dark Azure, imo.

 

Good review.

I think the colors are somewhat balanced by Dark Azur being a near-match for Tr. Light Blue, which the model has in spades. But then again, I'm generally a fan of "metal" colors, especially when they're organized well, as I feel they are here. And also from the Dark Azur and metallic blue pattern on the chest plate. Together that results in almost a 50/50 split between blue and neutral metallic on the finished model. Also, the yellow accents (the gears and chest plate pattern in particular) really do make the azur parts pop by way of contrast, I think.

 

I definitely hope to see more Dark Azur parts in the future, but I think Gali has as much of it as she really needs. Her elemental water theme is certainly not ambiguous.

 

By the way, I just noticed another build error — the shell on her back should be attached one module lower. Also, oddly, I noticed that the shoulder armor is attached correctly in the pic showing the gears behind her chest plate, but incorrectly in many of the other photos. I guess maybe you retook that photo after the livestream?

[masterchirox580]

 

Wait a minute, does Gali really have a different chest piece to the other toa?

Nope, same mold as everyone but Onua, just with a different pattern. Unless you're talking about the torso shell. In that case, she has the same one as Kopaka, but a different one from all the rest.

 

 

Oh good, for a second I thought that awkward conversation we had over at the 2015 topic would be brought up again.

[Gatanui]

I'm a bit disappointed that the translations on the back of the packaging don't get across that she's female. Confused kids incoming. Gali is one of my favourite sets, though, and one of the first I'll get. Thanks for the review!

Edited November 19, 2014 by Gatanui

[Cambion]

I'm a bit disappointed that the translations on the back of the packaging don't get across that she's female. Confused kids incoming.

[sighs loudly]

 

really, Lego? really?

 

anyway.

 

Gali is The Best set of the winter line and i didn't need a set review to know this, but it was worth the read anyway since it was packed with so many bad puns. thank you based Pablo

[Zeb]

Seeing her in a different, less ridiculous pose (I don't know why, but I really hate the pose on the box) does actually give her a sense of femininity somehow. Maybe I'm just brainwashed into thinking "BLUE = GIRL!" 

 

I have to admit, this review did a lot to change my opinion on Gali. She looks pretty good. A decent selection of parts in great colors that all combine to a very complete build. I think her torso printing is my favorite, and the Kaukau (Mask of Water, whatever) looks a lot better than I thought. I was planning on getting her to at least build one Kaita with my favorites builds, Lewa and Kopaka, but I think I can actually enjoy her. The shoulders are still really odd, but I don't see any way to fix that without leaving massive gaps on her arms.

 

I may possibly ruin the Mask of Water for some of you. The top looks like a nose. Just sayin'.

You know, most people would think you were weird if you told them you were brainwashed into thinking blue=girl, because typically pink is used for girls and blue for boys... Bionicle is weird.

 

I'm a bit disappointed that the translations on the back of the packaging don't get across that she's female. Confused kids incoming.

[sighs loudly]

 

really, Lego? really?

 

anyway.

 

Gali is The Best set of the winter line and i didn't need a set review to know this, but it was worth the read anyway since it was packed with so many bad puns. thank you based Pablo

 

Before I really got into Bionicle, I thought Gresh was a girl because Breez from Hero Factory was...

[~Shockwave~]

I quite like this set. I was originally going to get Pohatu and the protector of stone, since Pohatu was my first set.

 

But that may change, and since I'll probably only get one.

[ToaGreshWave]

I really wish that those yellow connectors on the staff were blue or something.  Other than that, it doesn't look bad.

[Aanchir]

I really wish that those yellow connectors on the staff were blue or something.  Other than that, it doesn't look bad.

I actually really like those, and the other yellow accents (like the gears and the chest pattern). I feel like they provide really nice contrast.

[Munty]

I still don't really like that mask, though I think the reason is mainly that it doesn't have a visor of some description like 2001 Gali. In fact now that I think about it, I'm probably not a huge fan of Gali Nuva's mask for the same reason! Anyway... I think I'll get over it as it does look kind of 'watery' I guess thanks to the way it flows but I still think it's one of the ugliest masks with no real ties to the original.

 

The other thing that I think is pretty nasty on this set is the 'trident' end of her weapon. And I don't mean the fact that it's clearly an axe and looks nothing like a trident. I mean the yellow connectors and the way the whole thing looks a little unfinished. Not to mention it seems very out of proportion (especially for a girl ) a bit like Onua's huge hammer. The problem is the single axle holding these huge heavy weapons looks a bit wierd. The weapons need to be smaller or the handles need to be bigger IMO.

 

Gali is currently my 4th or 5th favourite new Toa, way above Onua but not haven't seen Lewa's review yet so could go either way...

[Zidonaro]

Nice review, tho it didn't change much my opinion on the set. She's kinda... there, like Pohatu. I think the silver is reeeally overused and it kinda don't tell to me that she belongs to the water element. The mata blue would work better I believe. And her mask is just... urgh.

 

Anyway, she will probably be the last one I get.

[Aanchir]

I still don't really like that mask, though I think the reason is mainly that it doesn't have a visor of some description like 2001 Gali. In fact now that I think about it, I'm probably not a huge fan of Gali Nuva's mask for the same reason! Anyway... I think I'll get over it as it does look kind of 'watery' I guess thanks to the way it flows but I still think it's one of the ugliest masks with no real ties to the original.

The new mask's ties to the original are a lot stronger than a lot of people give it credit for. Even though the new mask doesn't have a transparent visor, the outline of the visor is still present on the new mask, as is extremely visible in this image from her character page on the BIONICLE website. In that respect, it's closer to the original mask than the Kaukau Nuva was, since that didn't even have the semblance of a visor. Also, from side view, the curve of the forehead is also very similar to the original Kaukau. You can sort of see this in that image I just linked — compare the flat vertical surface on the side of the new mask's forehead ridges with the flat vertical surface on the side of the old mask's forehead. And additionally, the triangular mouth area is still present on the new mask, though the protruding nose/muzzle is no longer present.

 

A lot of the changes from the original mask design, like the more pointed chin and more curved outline, contribute to its feminine appearance. And the ornate shaping feels a little more "tribal" and a little less overtly futuristic than the original Kanohi Kaukau, which sort of stood out from the other masks on account of its perfect computer-generated curves and outlines. Overall, I think this is my favorite of all the mask designs that have been used for Toa of Water!

 

The other thing that I think is pretty nasty on this set is the 'trident' end of her weapon. And I don't mean the fact that it's clearly an axe and looks nothing like a trident. I mean the yellow connectors and the way the whole thing looks a little unfinished. Not to mention it seems very out of proportion (especially for a girl ) a bit like Onua's huge hammer. The problem is the single axle holding these huge heavy weapons looks a bit wierd. The weapons need to be smaller or the handles need to be bigger IMO.

I really like Gali's trident. Its design echoes the aqua axes she carried as a Toa Nuva — it's just one larger axe now instead of two smaller ones. I think it conveys a great combination of strength and elegance. Also, keep in mind that in underwater combat, supporting its weight would require much less brute strength. It also works great in adrenalin mode as her power harpoon and shark fins. I especially like how you can use the red pins to join the two shark fins together into a single "tail fin". I don't know if I'd call this Gali's best weapon, since I've really liked most of her past weapon designs, but I certainly feel like suits the new Gali's design to a T.

 

I think if the handle were thicker, it would seem less elegant, especially since as her power harpoon, it benefits greatly from having such a slender design. Another note: in the comic included with the set, when she combines her shark fins and power harpoon into the elemental trident, she carries it as a two-handed weapon. This can be done with the actual set with just minor modifications (swapping the two 8M axles for three smaller axles), though it might impede the gear function.

 

One thing I can agree with entirely is that "elemental trident" is a misnomer. The Power Harpoon she carries in adrenalin mode could much accurately be called a trident than the axe-like weapon she carries in battle mode.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Aanchir

[END]

I just realized that it always a red skull spider in the comics that takes over, yet we haven't seen it in a set yet, hmmmm.

Another good review from bzp.

[Munty]

The new mask's ties to the original are a lot stronger than a lot of people give it credit for. Even though the new mask doesn't have a transparent visor, the outline of the visor is still present on the new mask, as is extremely visible in this image from her character page on the BIONICLE website. 

 

Thanks for that pic, I haven't really seen this mask up close and detailed. I kind of see the visor shaped hole but what is a hole if not a space to put something?! Also the sort of recessed 'gill' area is disturbing IMO, looks vaguely skeletal (though not really sure why I see it that way) and I think having it recessed instead of protruding is a mistake. Maybe they were trying to avoid making it too much like actual real life diving gear (like Gali Mata arguably) but I think this could have actually benefitted from a little recognisability...

[Ektris]

I think it should be pretty well established that I'm not adverse to the acquisition of more yellow pieces.

 

That said, even I feel that the yellow pieces on Gali's trident have absolutely no place here. There's accents, and then there's sticking out awkwardly like a sore thumb and not feeling like it belongs. For once, I feel myself actually wanting silver parts.

 

Keeping in mind, of course, that this is an entirely subjective matter and nobody should really be getting criticized for disagreeing on a simple taste in colors. Yet every time colors have come up in the review talkbacks, somebody feels the need to swing in and start defending it. There's really no need for that that I can see. You think what you think looks nice and what doesn't and so can everybody else.

 

One of the things I'm loving about these reviews is seeing all of the new technic pieces (or newer even, since I've just been out of the loop for a while). Things like the beam at the bottom of Gali's trident are awesome and I'm really looking forward to seeing more of them.

 

Gali does still overall look really good, and is considerably close to the top of my list. Even her mask I warmed up to straight away, unlike a certain green one.

 

~|ET|~

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

still not sure why the small one's the harpoon and the big one's the trident, since the big one looks more like a (heavily exxagerated) harpoon, and the small one's clearly a trident...

[Aanchir]

Keeping in mind, of course, that this is an entirely subjective matter and nobody should really be getting criticized for disagreeing on a simple taste in colors. Yet every time colors have come up in the review talkbacks, somebody feels the need to swing in and start defending it. There's really no need for that that I can see. You think what you think looks nice and what doesn't and so can everybody else.

So I guess the point you're trying to be so cryptic about is that when my personal opinion differs from somebody else's, I should just keep it to myself? If I reply to people's opinions on colors with my own, different opinions, that doesn't mean that I think their perspective is invalid or that I'm trying to "correct" or silence it. It just means I want to share my own perspective, in case they or other people reading the talkback hadn't considered it from that perspective.

 

Everybody's welcome to their own opinions, but as soon as you post your opinions, other people are free to weigh in with their own. That's the nature of open discussion.

[Wazdakka]

I've all of a sudden realized that I like TTV's reviews more, because they don't take so darn long. 

[believe victims]

I've all of a sudden realized that I like TTV's reviews more, because they don't take so darn long. 

 

the good thing about text reviews is they take as long or as short as you want

 

video reviews are inferior in pretty much every way save showing action features

[Oroki]

I may possibly ruin the Mask of Water for some of you. The top looks like a nose. Just sayin'.

CAN'T. UNSEE. IT.

[Ektris]

 

Keeping in mind, of course, that this is an entirely subjective matter and nobody should really be getting criticized for disagreeing on a simple taste in colors. Yet every time colors have come up in the review talkbacks, somebody feels the need to swing in and start defending it. There's really no need for that that I can see. You think what you think looks nice and what doesn't and so can everybody else.

So I guess the point you're trying to be so cryptic about is that when my personal opinion differs from somebody else's, I should just keep it to myself? If I reply to people's opinions on colors with my own, different opinions, that doesn't mean that I think their perspective is invalid or that I'm trying to "correct" or silence it. It just means I want to share my own perspective, in case they or other people reading the talkback hadn't considered it from that perspective.

 

Everybody's welcome to their own opinions, but as soon as you post your opinions, other people are free to weigh in with their own. That's the nature of open discussion.

 

I wasn't referring to anyone in particular...

 

But yes, when you reply specifically to a person instead of just stating "hey I think this looks/doesn't look good" on its own, I do see it coming off as corrective in nature sometimes. I wholly understand and believe that you specifically would never intend that. I just don't personally see much of a point when you're unlikely ever going to change somebody's mind about something like color preferences.

 

~|ET|~

[Aanchir]

video reviews are inferior in pretty much every way save showing action features

Well, also for sound effects. Or for accessibility for people who are dyslexic, or for people who are better at listening than reading. Or for just generally showing things that are better conveyed through trial and error than through words and pictures, like how well a model can support its own weight. Or just for showcasing a set's play value in ways that don't involve action features, like a spaceship's "swooshability". Or for "speed builds" that show how a complex set is built without a billion pictures. Or for capturing the reviewer's real-time reactions and first impressions. Sometimes even just being able to see a set in motion (like the 360-degree spins on certain LEGO.com product pages) can tell you more about the set than having to decipher the same information from still photos, and convey a better sense of how the parts occupy their space.

 

I'm not a huge fan of video reviews, but I do think they have enough advantages over text and photo reviews to justify their existence. Reviewers do need to explore how to make the best use of those advantages, though. Sometimes that means conveying the same information to a different audience, but other times it means specifically tailoring the information to make the best use of the video format.

[dviddy]

I've all of a sudden realized that I like TTV's reviews more, because they don't take so darn long. 

TTV hasn't made any reviews, as they don't have the actual sets.

[Tahtorak ate my house!]

(Inspired by the review, I tried quite hard to come up with some puns in my following comments to no avail )

 

Regarding Gali's new mask, it took me some time to get used to it but still I find her new mask not that shabby. It reminds me of both the movie-version and set-version of Kaukau Nuva.

 

Her color scheme looks smooth and, characteristically of Gali, harmonious. Those bit of gold in her chest plate look a bit out-of-place, but the yellow bits in her gear axle and "trident" kinda balance it a bit.

 

Did I say "trident"? Ah yes, as pointed out by Munty earlier I also don't SEA how Gali's primary Toa tool actually resembles a trident. Nonetheless, ain't that a cool weapon for Gali?   One end is big enough to whack two Skull Spiders with one swat, and the other end is an elegant spear (if you prefer a more "feminine weapon") for harpooning... well, more Skull Spiders. On the other hand, those two "fin-like" weapon parts fit nicely as Gali's "feet-fins". Great weapon design for Gali!

 

Last but not least, I love the fact that Gali's right arm can stay in place even when raising her huge Toa tool, thanks to the new & improved gear axle.

 

All in all I think Gali is still a decent set which doesn't let the whole 2015 line down.

 

(  lol I did manage to leave a pun in my comment after all!)

 

Edited November 20, 2014 by Tahtorak ate my house!

[Iblis]

TTV hasn't made any reviews, as they don't have the actual sets.

 

This is objectively wrong. Look up the definitions of "review". It can fit.

No they didn't necessarily have a complete & correctly assembled the set, but they had still seen them & ultimately offered a good look at them for people that hadn't gone along. I won't deny that it was misleading in areas but it was still a review. Not a formal one.

But it was still a review. That you & 4 others can't be bothered clarifying this and just saying that X wasn't a property ox X is lazy.

You don't need to like them, you don't need to consider them a 'proper review', but actually write something meaningful and true.

 

As for this review; I quite liked the video & personally the length didn't bother me; if data size or time was an issue I would have only read the typed review, generally though it just made me realise just how much I like love the Dark Azure.

_{I still think the Mask of Water is the best of the Elemental Masks.}.^{.I'm there were like a dozen other people who voted it number 1?}

[Tattorack]

Thanks for slowing down the build on the gearbox!

Was a helpful insight on how that functioned!

 

(Oh, by the way, was that a sonic screwdriver? XD )

[Lenny7092]

You do give a great review on Gali! Although Gali looks different from her original incarnation, like how her mask kind of looks like a combination of 2002 Gali Nuva's mask and Takadox's face, and more man-ish, but she looks great!

The trident looks epic! The long length on it does make our home-girl look like she means business. The fins look great, too.

The trident and fins do match Gali pretty well because since she can control water, she has some water-based elements.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Lenny7092

[Lyichir]

 

TTV hasn't made any reviews, as they don't have the actual sets.

 

This is objectively wrong. Look up the definitions of "review". It can fit.

No they didn't necessarily have a complete & correctly assembled the set, but they had still seen them & ultimately offered a good look at them for people that hadn't gone along. I won't deny that it was misleading in areas but it was still a review. Not a formal one.

But it was still a review. That you & 4 others can't be bothered clarifying this and just saying that X wasn't a property ox X is lazy.

You don't need to like them, you don't need to consider them a 'proper review', but actually write something meaningful and true.

 

As for this review; I quite liked the video & personally the length didn't bother me; if data size or time was an issue I would have only read the typed review, generally though it just made me realise just how much I like love the Dark Azure.

_{I still think the Mask of Water is the best of the Elemental Masks.}.^{.I'm there were like a dozen other people who voted it number 1?}

 

I think you're mistaken. The fact is that a product review can only really be made by someone who owns the product. TTV's "previews" (as they should really be called) may come close to the actual sets, but to consider them reviews would be like "reviewing" a video game based solely on the demo, or "reviewing" a movie based on a pre-release clip.

 

TTV may have done their best to recreate the sets accurately, but they didn't have the instructions, and they didn't have all the component parts. As such, their "reviews" ended up having significant errors, ones which would be easily avoided if they had actually been doing proper reviews of the finalized sets. It doesn't matter how many after-the-fact corrections they make; a true product review relies on the subject of the review being a typical example of the product that will be available to consumers. TTV's set previews fail that criteria, and thus to consider them "reviews" is what would be "objectively wrong".

Edited November 20, 2014 by Lyichir

[Iblis]

I think you're mistaken. The fact is that a product review can only really be made by someone who owns the product. TTV's "previews" (as they should really be called) may come close to the actual sets, but to consider them reviews would be like "reviewing" a video game based solely on the demo, or "reviewing" a movie based on a pre-release clip.

TTV may have done their best to recreate the sets accurately, but they didn't have the instructions, and they didn't have all the component parts. As such, their "reviews" ended up having significant errors, ones which would be easily avoided if they had actually been doing proper reviews of the finalized sets. It doesn't matter how many after-the-fact corrections they make; a true product review relies on the subject of the review being a typical example of the product that will be available to consumers. TTV's set previews fail that criteria, and thus to consider them "reviews" is what would be "objectively wrong".

 

 

I agree it would have been better if they called them previews, however, the definitions Google offers me don't exclude what they did, therefore: they were reviews. Not necessarily good reviews, but reviews none the less. Comments such as this;

 

TTV hasn't made any reviews, as they don't have the actual sets.

 

aren't entirely fair, I won't dispute the point about "the actual sets" but they saw them, & frankly that they didn't have a perfect copy on video doesn't undo what they did say at the time. If I see a product, & I say what I think about it, I've done a review. Whether something is or is not is not a statement just about the quality of it. So I don't accept "true product review" but I do accept "good product review" or "proper product review" et cetera,

 

You doing a good job of highlighting the flaws, but it doesn't make DeeVees comment any less wrong.

 

I'm being pedantic, but frankly such a derisive comment invites it; one could have said they were misleading but instead it seemed nasty. I didn't particularly want to make a topic about it or derail this one, but I'm surprised at peoples disregard for actual definitions; point out how a given word (review) is misleading in the context but don't twist the meaning of words into their implications just to attack someone else. These may not have been what DeeVee intended to do, but frankly I don't think my interpretation is that far-fetched.

 

Somewhat more on-topic is that Set Review: 70781 Protector of Earth is out & I quite liked the written & video review.