Favorite/Least Favorite Years of Bionicle?

[MarkSurge9411]

What're your favorite and least favorite years of Bionicle and why? Did you like/dislike the story, did you love/hate the sets?

 

My favorites were 2007, 2008, and 2015, 2007 was great because I love underwater things and the Toa weren't exact clones, I liked 2008 because the sets weren't clones and I loved the vehicle, and I love 2015 because the sets are improved versions of the Toa Mata, they have individual builds, they're more complex, etc.

 

My least favorite year was 2010, because Bionicle Stars, 'Nuff said.

Edited May 1, 2015 by ToaMarkSurge

[Cwog]

Favorite, 2015 because Bionicle came back with a bang

Least favorite, 2010 because Bionicle did not go out with a bang.

[WorkbenchManiac]

2015, because the sets are the first time I really liked the look of the figures. They look cohesive, have clearly defined lines and they don't look too busy. Great design all around.

[Irrie]

2009 all the way! 

New planet, new places to discover, new characters to bond with, 2009 was a magical year for me. Plus we got the best Bionicle movie to date in that year. It also had vehicles and amazing usages of the Inika build, second only to the Mahri themselves. 

A three way tie for second is 2007, 2005, and 2008. 2008 for the serials (love them!), 2007 for the amazing canister sets, and 2005 for Challenge of the Hordika, best Bionicle book IMO. 

 

As for least favorite, I'd say 2002. The sets were nice (despite having so many clones), but the story seemed so pointless and could have been handled better. 

Edited May 2, 2015 by The Irrational Rock

[Sir Kohran]

Favourite is 2001, followed by 2004, because I like that situation of a group of new heroes facing great evil on an amazing and mysterious island. This has continued in the current year, even if they aren't making quite as much of it as they could.

 

Least favourite are the Ignition years (2006, 7 and 8) because of the dreadful non-canon promotions, the over-reliance on books that I couldn't buy, the Toa sets' lack of resemblance to their previous forms, and having two groups of heroes competing for the spotlight.

[fishers64]

Favorite: 2004. Although 2005 and 2008 are so close to it. 2005 had the worst movie though, and 2008 was so much more cluttered I have to give an edge to 2004. Plus Mistika Gali. What were they thinking?

 

Least Favorite: 2009. I still can't get over how messed up that story was, the one time I lost interest in Bionicle (almost) since 2005. Blargh. 

[Owlexander]

Favorite years are 2001 and 2015, never really disliked a year of Bionicle.

[LegoSWfan]

Favorite= 2001-2008

 

Least favorite= 2009-2015

[Toa Smoke Monster]

Favorite: Either 2006 (it had the Piraka, who were some of my favorite villains in the whole Gen 1 story) or 2008 (The Federation of Fear, Mutran Chronicles, and Dark Mirror serials were all great, just like the main story.)

 

Least favorite: I probably have to go with 2009. I would say 2010, but I really liked the final battle between Mata Nui and Teridax. Said battle having two robotic figures millions of feet high also makes me likes it a bit more than 2009.

[WorkbenchManiac]

I am honestly a bit surprised that so many posters prefer certain years because of the story. I should not be, since I know that the ongoing narrative was a wildly successful marketing tool, but it is always difficult to escape one's own cognitive bubble.

 

May I ask whether you guys and gals put more emphasis on story or the toys themselves? Imagine a year that had a great story, but sets you did not like at all, or the other way around.

 

To me, it's all about the toys, I don't care for the story one bit. If it's a nice story, okay. If it's a bad story, well that's expected. If there would be no story at all, still okay.

Edited May 3, 2015 by WorkbenchManiac

[Danska: Shadow Master]

Favourite: 2002. Call me nostalgic, but I thought that year was great. The year expanded on everything that made 2001 great - the setting, the mystery, the Toa, and we got to see a brand new, dangerous enemy rampaging around as the Toa desperately try to stop them. The comics were great, and I really enjoyed the web animations and online updates. Plus, the Bohrok were amazing sets. So fun to play with, and an easy storage method for when you need to put them away! It was also the year of the Exo-Toa, so many bonus points there.

 

Least favourite: 2006. After the enormous, varied and fascinating setting of Mata Nui and the sprawling metropolis of Metru Nui, we got...a barren island that was almost exclusively used as a battleground, a trait that sadly continued until the series ended. The characters, I felt, were very weak this year, again serving the main purpose of getting into fights. The Piraka were an attempt at Bionicle gangsters? Really? And the over dramatic advertising was laughable. While I'd say the story was rather lackluster, the sets did introduce us to the world of full articulation, although the gimmicky use of light-up elements and weird rubber faces was...odd. I also think the enormous width and lack of depth of the Piraka/Inika torsos looks really odd and silly, but they still made for good sets.

[Naota Takizawa]

My favorite year was 2010, the sets were amazing and I hated 2001, the setting made no sense, how could robots end up on a tribal island and gain magical powers?

 

I disliked 2006 the most, I didn't like how dark and grim the storyline became in an attempt to be more "edgy".

I like 2004 the most, it was interesting to see where the matoran came from and I liked its portrayal of a more modern world. 

 

 

[masterchirox580]

Favourite year would probably have to be 2004 and 2005, it just did everything right, the cool island, the toa did nearly everything right, and I honestly don't think the vahki are as bad as everyone says they are, and 2005 just did so many cool experimental things that I just have to love it.

 

Least favourite would probably have to be a tie between 2006 and 2010, 2006's sets were largely ugly and tried way too hard to be edgy and appeal to the "hip young children", and 2010 was just a slap in the face to anyone who was a long time fan. 

[Gipsy Danger]

Favorite years:  2006, and 2007.  Why?  2006 had the Piraka(which were the COOLEST villains) and Toa Inika(which were the AWESOME toa) and that is when the BIGGEST Bionicle set EVER MADE!!!!  I like 2007 because of the GLOW IN THE DARK parts. I like the OLD story(which some of you guys know).  And I liked the sets and I'm still getting them on amazon, bricklink, and more.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Gipsy Danger

[WorkbenchManiac]

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

[Booky The Bookworm]

My favorite year was a tie between 2007 and 2008. 2007 because of the Toa Mahri and the Barraki, because their sets were new and cool, and 2008 because the Phantoka were pretty cool and their vehicles were awesome.

 

My least favorite year? 2010. *Cough the Stars sucked cough* 

Edited May 4, 2015 by Booky The Bookworm

[LegoSWfan]

Favorite years:  2006, and 2007.  Why?  2006 had the Piraka(which were the COOLEST villains) and Toa Inika(which were the AWESOME toa) and that is when the BIGGEST Bionicle set EVER MADE!!!!  I like 2007 because of the GLOW IN THE DARK parts. I like the OLD story(which some of you guys know).  And I liked the sets and I'm still getting them on amazon, bricklink, and more.

Only Nocturn had Glow-in-the-dark parts, and he was a Walmart exclusive. A shame, really. Although I think Gadunka had a glowing head.

[Gipsy Danger]

 

Favorite years:  2006, and 2007.  Why?  2006 had the Piraka(which were the COOLEST villains) and Toa Inika(which were the AWESOME toa) and that is when the BIGGEST Bionicle set EVER MADE!!!!  I like 2007 because of the GLOW IN THE DARK parts. I like the OLD story(which some of you guys know).  And I liked the sets and I'm still getting them on amazon, bricklink, and more.

Only Nocturn had Glow-in-the-dark parts, and he was a Walmart exclusive. A shame, really. Although I think Gadunka had a glowing head.

 

Actually, if you look at their instructions on Lego or Brickset, you'll see that Takadok, Nocturn(as you mentioned), Hydruka, and Gadunka had glow in the dark parts.  Here are the links: http://service.lego.com/en-us/buildinginstructions            

 

 http://brickset.com/instructions/theme-Bionicle/page-6

Edited May 4, 2015 by Gipsy Danger

[LegoSWfan]

Takadok did have glowing parts, although they were not as functional as Nocturns.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

Takadok did have glowing parts, although they were not as functional as Nocturns.

 

they were in essence identical to nocturns's parts. one of them is even the exact same part. :0

[LegoSWfan]

Yes, but they do not glow as well.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

Yes, but they do not glow as well.

 

that aspect will vary from takadox to takadox, likewise for noctuns and gadunkas, probably because the glow is injected into another color, so it may be obscured at times.

 

also varies depending on what lighting you'd be keeping them in before glowing them up. :0

[dotcom]

2004 is probably my favorite year. It was the year I got into it, so understandably there is some heavy nostalgia at play, but I just also really like it. The Toa Metru are pretty nice sets, the titans weren't too bad, Metru Nui had a great atmosphere, LoMN was the best Bionicle movie period, I really liked the Toa Metru as characters as well, their arcs and such, and 2004 has the most books of a single year as well as some of my favorites. It's good stuff all around. Only really weak parts I'd say are that the Metru Nui comic art was always my least favorite in the entire run of the series, and like. I guess, the Vahki. The Vahki could be better. And the collectibles left something to be desired but I'm reaching by that point.

 

Least favorite is probably 2010, for reasons that shouldn't really need to be explained. Other than that...I dunno. 2003, maybe? Probably.

[Naota Takizawa]

2004 is probably my favorite year. It was the year I got into it, so understandably there is some heavy nostalgia at play, but I just also really like it. The Toa Metru are pretty nice sets, the titans weren't too bad, Metru Nui had a great atmosphere, LoMN was the best Bionicle movie period, I really liked the Toa Metru as characters as well, their arcs and such, and 2004 has the most books of a single year as well as some of my favorites. It's good stuff all around. Only really weak parts I'd say are that the Metru Nui comic art was always my least favorite in the entire run of the series, and like. I guess, the Vahki. The Vahki could be better. And the collectibles left something to be desired but I'm reaching by that point.

 

Least favorite is probably 2010, for reasons that shouldn't really need to be explained. Other than that...I dunno. 2003, maybe? Probably.

How come 2003 is your least favorite? I personally thought it was a good year since we got Takanuva, the rebuilt matoran forms, a physical set of Makuta Teridax, bendable knees in the Rahkshi.

[Mocmaker]

Let's see.....2001-2008.   I like 2009 for the vehicles and a few of the characters as well.      

[dotcom]

 

2004 is probably my favorite year. It was the year I got into it, so understandably there is some heavy nostalgia at play, but I just also really like it. The Toa Metru are pretty nice sets, the titans weren't too bad, Metru Nui had a great atmosphere, LoMN was the best Bionicle movie period, I really liked the Toa Metru as characters as well, their arcs and such, and 2004 has the most books of a single year as well as some of my favorites. It's good stuff all around. Only really weak parts I'd say are that the Metru Nui comic art was always my least favorite in the entire run of the series, and like. I guess, the Vahki. The Vahki could be better. And the collectibles left something to be desired but I'm reaching by that point.

 

Least favorite is probably 2010, for reasons that shouldn't really need to be explained. Other than that...I dunno. 2003, maybe? Probably.

How come 2003 is your least favorite? I personally thought it was a good year since we got Takanuva, the rebuilt matoran forms, a physical set of Makuta Teridax, bendable knees in the Rahkshi.

 

The Bohrok-Kal storyline, I guess. Because of that...whole thing, it was the least unified year, and I wasn't even that fond of the MoL story or movie either. I'm not saying it was a bad year, but I'm not really in love with it either.

[Hukster]

2001 has to be my most favorite, mostly because it started the whole BIONICLE franchise, plus my first BIONICLE came from that year, the Mctoran Huki.

2005 had to be my least favorite, since I don't know. I didn't really like the design for heroes, didn't really give me much appeal, pretty boring year for me.

[Evergrey: Toa of Music]

I would have to say that 2006-7 were the best story years, but my overall favorite year would probably have to be 2004. I really liked the concept of the city and the movie was the best of the 4 we got. I also think the story infinitely expanded that year introducing dark hunters, the concept of matoran/toa/turaga evolution among other things.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

I absolutely loved most of Bionicle's years but 2008 had to be my absolute favourite. The story was just amazing that year. A true culmination of the past seven years into a climax of a grand scale. The way the serials (which were all quite quality, save for perhaps Brothers in Arms), the main story mediated by books and comics, and the online content fed into each other made it run at a relentless pace - there was never a slow moment in 2008. The Makuta being used as main villains made the stakes higher than they've ever been, and the return of the Toa Nuva was long-awaited and delivered well. While many questions were answered, there was still a lot of mystery and intrigue throughout the year - Where was Makuta Teridax? And what exactly is Mata Nui? The final twist in Mata Nui's awakening followed by Makuta's take-over represents the highest point in the Bionicle story in my opinion. A well-kept secret and a dramatic reveal. 

 

My least favourite year would probably have to be 2009 or 2005. The first half of 2009 pulled me out of my interest in Bionicle, until I learned Mata Nui was to return in the second half. That was boring, but it wasn't as horrendous as 05. I can look back at 2009 and respect it, but looking back at 2005 makes me question why LEGO even thought revisiting Metru Nui was even a good idea (aside from profitability and familiar marketing of course). The whole year felt like filler, was extremely disorganized and the Hordika weren't great sets at all. There were excellent books and the movie wasn't bad but something about the year just feels... pointless. I dunno, but when I look back on Bionicle, I find 2005 doesn't usually resonate. Which is weird because it was my favourite year growing up. The first time I bought a full six of a line and all the titans.

 

-NotS

[Naota Takizawa]

I absolutely loved most of Bionicle's years but 2008 had to be my absolute favourite. The story was just amazing that year. A true culmination of the past seven years into a climax of a grand scale. The way the serials (which were all quite quality, save for perhaps Brothers in Arms), the main story mediated by books and comics, and the online content fed into each other made it run at a relentless pace - there was never a slow moment in 2008. The Makuta being used as main villains made the stakes higher than they've ever been, and the return of the Toa Nuva was long-awaited and delivered well. While many questions were answered, there was still a lot of mystery and intrigue throughout the year - Where was Makuta Teridax? And what exactly is Mata Nui? The final twist in Mata Nui's awakening followed by Makuta's take-over represents the highest point in the Bionicle story in my opinion. A well-kept secret and a dramatic reveal. 

 

My least favourite year would probably have to be 2009 or 2005. The first half of 2009 pulled me out of my interest in Bionicle, until I learned Mata Nui was to return in the second half. That was boring, but it wasn't as horrendous as 05. I can look back at 2009 and respect it, but looking back at 2005 makes me question why LEGO even thought revisiting Metru Nui was even a good idea (aside from profitability and familiar marketing of course). The whole year felt like filler, was extremely disorganized and the Hordika weren't great sets at all. There were excellent books and the movie wasn't bad but something about the year just feels... pointless. I dunno, but when I look back on Bionicle, I find 2005 doesn't usually resonate. Which is weird because it was my favourite year growing up. The first time I bought a full six of a line and all the titans.

 

-NotS

I agree with you, 2005 was an anomaly that only had three benefits. The Rhotuka, the hordika neck pieces and Roodaka. Everything else wasn't impressive, especially the toa since they all looked far too similar in design, why couldn't they be more beast like and unique? (For example, Nokama could have a mermaid tail, fins and a more streamlined build, Matau could have bird or even dragonlike wings with small claws and a face with fangs and Whenua would be built like a mole or another nocturnal creature.) 

[Tarvaxx]

My favorite year is 2015. Although I've followed the series since its start, I find the new sets to be vastly superior over the old ones due to having more relatable humanoid body proportions. I'm also very fond of dual weapons and absolutely despised the blasters that were tacked onto our heroes from 2006 and onward.

 

My least favorite year has to be 2008-2009. In 2008 I was excited to finally get the original Toa in set form once again, visualizing it as being similar to their original forms or even nuva forms with better articulation and masks that used the standard mask connection that started in 2003 and onward. What did we get? We got "adaptive armor", which was basically thrown in as a story explanation for "WE MUST USE STANDARD INIKA BUILD WITH HARDLY ANY NEW MOLDS!!!!" and "FOCUS GROUPS DIDN'T LIKE THE ORIGINAL MATA/NUVA DESIGNS BECAUSE KIDS ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THEY WANT! *sarcasm*". I also dislike 2009 because the story was boring, Mata Nui as a character was boring. Everything was pretty much just a big bore and departure from the original "elements and myths and legends!" type of theme BIONICLE had for so many years. 

Edited May 7, 2015 by BlatantlyHeroic

[MisterJulius]

Set-wise, my favorite year would be 2009. I really want to put 2007 up as my favorite, but the issues with the lime-green plastic really hurt that year's sets. 2009's canister sets don't have as great of a variety in builds as 2007, but they don't completely lack variety. I loved the designs of the new pieces, and the vehicles were great.

 

My least favorite year for sets would be 2010. Now, I don't hate the Stars. I love the Stars. But it's kinda hard to find a year that was worse for sets than a year with only 6 small sets.

 

As for story, my favorite year is 2004. 2004 was the first year in Bionicle's story when I got to experience every piece of storytelling media. I read all the books thanks to my school library, I got the movie when it came out, and I had all the comics. That year's story really solidified my love for Bionicle.

 

Least favorite year for story would be 2010. I loved that giant robot fight and all, but the rushed nature of the ending, the poorly shoehorned-in golden armor gimmick, all paired with being a pretty short "year" for story makes it my least favorite.

[silo]

Favorites: 2008, I always view it as my year and it's story was pretty great IMO. It was the climax of everything the previous years had been building up to, and I loved the aesthetics with the technological heroes and the almost half-creature villains.

Close second is 2015 - I mean it's Bionicle's return, for mata-nui's sake

Least favorites: 2010 - while it was the climactic end of all of Bionicle, it...wasn't actually climactic  Also 2005, the plot felt forced, like it had been hurriedly wedged between two existing plots...as for Vakama's evil-ness, that was probably the most forced thing of all.

Edited May 19, 2015 by 000

[Cap'n Shirley J. Puma]

I'm gonna have to say '08. This is because this was the year that brings the most nostalgia to me. I can still remember my first experiences with the tridax pod, and want to, and eventually getting, the "one with the Mohawk looking thing," better known as Tahu Mistika. Finally, I loved the way the year ended, with it basically being the endgame, and the inhabitants being on the run/fugitives in the matoran universe in the serial "Reign of Darkness." The only think I disliked was the fragility of the redesigned sockets, but I may have actually found a solution for that, which is in my pocket as I type this. Overall, 2008 was probably my favorite year. As for my least favorite, I'm going to have to say 2010. No explanation needed.

I'm gonna have to say '08. This is because this was the year that brings the most nostalgia to me. I can still remember my first experiences with the tridax pod, and want to, and eventually getting, the "one with the Mohawk looking thing," better known as Tahu Mistika. Finally, I loved the way the year ended, with it basically being the endgame, and the inhabitants being on the run/fugitives in the matoran universe in the serial "Reign of Darkness." The only think I disliked was the fragility of the redesigned sockets, but I may have actually found a solution for that, which is in my pocket as I type this. Overall, 2008 was probably my favorite year. As for my least favorite, I'm going to have to say 2010. No explanation needed.

[Klack]

'09, '10, and '05. Not a lot of innovation went into those year with the sets, but I love their respective stories though.

[Leoxandar Arktanus]

My favorite would've been 2003, but THAT STUPID MNOG2 GAME BROKE MY SOUL! IT HAS A TERRIBLE ENDING!!!!

 

My least favorite is 2010. While I enjoy the story of the year, it should've been about Mata Nui's journey in the maze and his battle against the Element Lords.

[Evergrey: Toa of Music]

See I'm part of the generation that is a few years to young to experience the MNOLGI & II. Had I been that age, maybe I would've like the story from those years more. I stand on my previous statement that 2004 was the best story year. Set year however, we're living in it. Never have we had such big Toa, such awesome villagers (despite them having no identities), and so many masks without mask packs. These guys are giving the sets everything they've got. Every set this year that has come out (minus the protectors) includes some extra mask, even if it's not for that character (Skull Slicer, Skull...). Plus the gears and posing if just pure gold. I'm really happy with the sets from this year. They are the greatest honor to the name Bionicle.

[sydorack]

This is a tough question to answer clearly.

Favorite: EDIT - I went back and thought really hard and i change my answer to 2005.  Story wise and set wise.  The titans are absolutely my favorite, the toa hordika were awesome (even as clone like as they were), the visorak were awesome, and the rahaga were some of the coolest smaller sets.  

 

The story is my favorite chunk of the story as well.  It's incredibly dark and twisted, and it always really roped me in.  

Least favorites: set wise definitely 2006. To this day I still just don't like the inika. They're so ugly and not in a good way. They just don't fit with the rest of bionicle. I was always real mehhh about the piraña as well.  They've grown on me more recently. Story wise they're pretty great but as far as looks go, they're more goofy than evil looking. Maybe that was the point. Either way 2006 is my least favorite builds.

Story wise, I'll go with the majority and say the ending. It just didn't end well. Too abrupt and just bleggghhh. Oh well.

2015 is awesome so far. The sets rule and I'm excited to see how the story really does play out in the books and graphic novels. Party time.

Edited June 26, 2015 by JanitorJake

[Grungemeister]

Favorite: 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008. All for reasons that people have already stated.

 

Least favorite: 2005, 2006. Something about these years seemed like Lego was trying to do the "2edgy4me gritty dark" thing a little too much. While 2007 and 2008 had this feel too, they handled it better. 

[Element Lord of Milk]

For favourite I'd probably say 2004. It was when I really started getting into the story with the comics and, up until 2015, the Toa Metru were the best fusion of gear functions and posability in the line. I also think that Legends of Metru Nui still holds up the best out of all the movies.

 

For least favourite it's hard to decide, since I liked pretty much all the years, but if I had to choose I'd probably say 2008, although only based on the sets. I just wasn't really a fan of most of the designs, mainly because silver, black, and grey were primary colours across all the sets, and being right in the middle of the brittle sockets debacle didn't help matters. Although I did love the story for the year.