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Set Review: 71310 Umarak the Hunter


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It's time to get back on the wagon with our 2016 Bionicle set reviews! Today BZPower Forum Assistant Nuju Metru is taking a look at the big baddie of the winter wave, 71310 Umarak the Hunter. As one of the larger sets we get this year, he has a lot to live up to. To find out how he stacks up and if he should be on your holiday wishlist, continue on to check out our video and text review!

 

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I wasn't a fan of this guy at all based on images, but the two reviews I've sseen of it now make him look extremely good.

This is me too - Umarak didn't impress me much in the magazine spread or the cached images, but in actual photos he looks amazing.

 

So has his price actually been confirmed? VBBN said Umarak is a $20 set, which would be awesome because I assumed he would be $30.

 

Also, in the review you mentioned that the Mask of Control resembles Makuta's mask in the movies - you're absolutely right! I hadn't made that connection at all.

 

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That was a great review, Nuju Metru. Really, to me it epitomizes what makes reviews great—great pictures, great info, and a good balance of enthusiasm and valid criticism.

 

Okay, so you didn't double check which parts were new. That's fine, and I like that you admitted to which parts you weren't sure about rather than assuming that they either were or weren't noteworthy. For what it's worth, the light grey Technic bit (I assume you mean the one with a Technic axle attached to a Technic pin-hole? A picture might have helped, but I'm still fairly sure I recognize what you're referring to) is new, as are the Trans. Bright Green 6M bones. The other ones aren't new, but some (like the Silver Metallic chain links) are rare. Anyway, I can't expect every reviewer to recognize every new part, and the only reason I can get away with doing so is that I do reviews for a blog that tends to be as anal about it as I am. :P

Anyway, Umarak looks like a great set, all things considered. A great parts spread, great mask, and great build add up to a must-have figure.

Edited by Lyichir
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Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

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Good review. I have to admit, when I read the bit about "a Chir brother correcting me" regarding the new and interesting parts, the only thought in my head was "my god, somebody's going to read this many years from now and have absolutely no idea who or what it's referring to". But I don't know, maybe I'll be remembered longer than I give myself credit for. Or people will just be able to tell from context that "oh, I guess there were some users back in the day with obnoxious nitpicking know-it-all tendencies". :P

 

I definitely agree the shoulders seem like they'd be much improved just by raising them up one module. I have generally had a harder time getting interested in this set than the Toa, perhaps because it's a character we know little to nothing about, but I love his general "forest spirit" vibe, and have really taken more of an interest after reading this review and VBBN's on Eurobricks. I promise I'll watch the video sometime when I'm not in such a hurry to get to bed. :)

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okay so idk if anyone noticed before but does Umarak's mask look... broken, to anyone else?

 

 

like, between the melty-toxic-green transition, the asymmetry, and the ragged, hagged forms, it looks almost like the poor fool is in need of a new mask! (maybe he was outcast into the jungle from the city for some reason? O: )

Yeah, I noticed that when LEGO's cached images were found. It may be representative of an injury that occurred during one of his many possible hunts. It's cool how the coloring is shifted around that area.

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So has his price actually been confirmed? VBBN said Umarak is a $20 set, which would be awesome because I assumed he would be $30.

 

 

 

He has the same sized box as Tahu and Onua, and I believe initial leak rumors listed him at $20, which is where i am basing my guess off of. It's definitely not a final confirmation though, I also left EUR and GBP prices blank from the review as those are always wild as well.

 

And great review! I'm realizing now I hardly ever bent his knees, certainly changes his overall posture when you do.

Edited by VBBN
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That was a great review, Nuju Metru. Really, to me it epitomizes what makes reviews great—great pictures, great info, and a good balance of enthusiasm and valid criticism.

 

Okay, so you didn't double check which parts were new. That's fine, and I like that you admitted to which parts you weren't sure about rather than assuming that they either were or weren't noteworthy. For what it's worth, the light grey Technic bit (I assume you mean the one with a Technic axle attached to a Technic pin-hole? A picture might have helped, but I'm still fairly sure I recognize what you're referring to) is new, as are the Trans. Bright Green 6M bones. The other ones aren't new, but some (like the Silver Metallic chain links) are rare. Anyway, I can't expect every reviewer to recognize every new part, and the only reason I can get away with doing so is that I do reviews for a blog that tends to be as anal about it as I am. :P

 

Thanks! I knew I could count on you and/or your brother to pick up the slack! :lol:

 

You're thinking of the right little Technic bit, and sorry to all the viewers out there for not having included a picture - I totally didn't even notice the little guy when I spilled out 71310's parts and combed through for ones I didn't recognize. By the time I'd passed that point in building Umarak, I didn't want to go back and take another picture.

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 After seeing this review, my opinions on Umarak have changed from mild indifference to him being my favorite of the villain sets to come out of gen 2 Bionicle so far.

 

 Initially I didn't like the antlers because I thought they looked way too cumbersome for a set of this size, but seeing them from different angles and poses makes it really hard for me to imagine this set without them because of how much identity they add to it compared to the Toa sets. (them and his unique lower legs give Umarak the feel of being some kind of saytr like mythical creature, which I think is awesome)

 

 The scarring and general unevenness to his mask helps show that he's been through his fair share of close calls during his hunts, and the mixing of trans apple and black on Umarak looks just as good as the beautiful mix of trans violet and black present on Onua.

 

 I'm not really sure why they decided to give him nearly the exact same weapons that they gave Skull Archer earlier this year, but I honestly think they feel more at home on Umarak than they did Skull Archer, and I really like the addition of the 'stud quiver' he carries around next to the hilt of his backup knife. (hunters need to be prepared for anything, right?)

 

 The shoulders do admittedly look a bit gappy because of which connecionr on the Hordika neck they chose to use, but as you said in the review that can easily be fixed by simply using the other axle connection instead. His legs on the other hand, while I do really like the look they give to Umarak, I have to agree that their overall gappyness is the one major flaw with this set. (if someone could think of a solution to this one I'd be happy to hear it)

 

 

I definitely see what you mean about the Mask of Control, if you cover the chin and horns the area around the eyes and almost Bohrok shape of its forehead make it look almost exactly like Makuta's MoL/LoMN CG mask. (and it almost looks like it could be the helmet off of a Predator, which is pretty fitting considering the set it comes with)
 
 So all in all, thanks to this review Umarak (which is a pretty cool sounding name) will probably be one of the first couple 2016 sets I pick up. The only other villain I have is an unbuilt Kulta, (I'll freely admit that I got the MMvsSW set purely because I love Ekimu's design so much) so I'll happily pick up Umarak as soon as I can (and probably Uxar because I'm really curious to see what the two look like combined) so my other sets can have a villain to fight on my display shelf.
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Good review. I have to admit, when I read the bit about "a Chir brother correcting me" regarding the new and interesting parts, the only thought in my head was "my god, somebody's going to read this many years from now and have absolutely no idea who or what it's referring to". But I don't know, maybe I'll be remembered longer than I give myself credit for. Or people will just be able to tell from context that "oh, I guess there were some users back in the day with obnoxious nitpicking know-it-all tendencies". :P

 

Scott and Andrew, Chir Brothers on the loose! Pretty funny self admission right there. :)

 

Anyway back to the review. NujuMetru's and VBBN's reviews are a nail on the head. Umarak is the must buy set for 2016! I'm going to have fun letting Umarak hunt down my old Gen 1 Rahi. Umarak slaying Nui-Jaga, Kikanalo, and Keetongu sounds like a fun fan story! Also on the subject of Umarak's printed chest, I don't think of it as a second mouth; but the remains of a jawbone of some beast that Umarak killed long ago. We'll have to wait for the Netflix show to see what Lego officially thinks that mouth chest is for... 

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All aboard the hype train!

 

 

 

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Umarak's mask kind of reminds me of Antroz's mask when he became the pilot of the Jetrax T6. Does anyone else kind of see that as well? Not that it's a bad thing, but they kind of look similar to each other IMO.

 

Anyways, I glad to see that Umarak is a good set. I really like how he looks, plus his mask look amazing. Plus, getting the Mask of Control with him is an great bonus. I will definitely get this set once it becomes available.

 

Thanks for the review!

Everyone is one choice away from being the bad guy in another person's story.


 


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Umarak's mask kind of reminds me of Antroz's mask when he became the pilot of the Jetrax T6. Does anyone else kind of see that as well? Not that it's a bad thing, but they kind of look similar to each other IMO.

Umerak's mask reminds me of Tuma. 

 

Anyway, I really liked the ankles and leg construction when I first saw it, although I suppose it could limit posability. Can the set actually pull off the pose on the box?

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Still not sure what his mask even is. Looks weird to me, but I am starting to dig it. I wonder how tall he is when compared to the rest of the Toa. I hope he is bigger than Skull Grinder, because I was disappointed he was not as big as a box set would intend. 


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I wonder how tall he is when compared to the rest of the Toa. I hope he is bigger than Skull Grinder, because I was disappointed he was not as big as a box set would intend. 

Comparison of Umarak to Tahu.

 

Comparison of Umarak to Skull Grinder.

 

Photos courtesy of VBBN, from his review on Eurobricks.

 

He's certainly an impressive size!

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I must say! Umarak is an very awesome set! I love his machine-gun bow! It's like Skull Warrior's, but looks slightly different and has neat colors. His mask looks pretty sweet. Looking a bit ruined and having a transparent green color can make him look menacing. I don't know why there is a mouth printed on his chest plate piece, but that looks very cool. I love his giant antlers and that you can build a Shadow Trap from a few of his parts. That's a neat feature! Plus, I also love the idea of him being able to combine with other creatures. That's another very cool feature, too!:D

 

I'm not too impressed with the lower legs, though. They look a bit weird. I can see that they're meant to look like an animal's, since he is a hunter, but this is a bit awkward.

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I'm not too impressed with the lower legs, though. They look a bit weird. I can see that they're meant to look like an animal's, since he is a hunter, but this is a bit awkward.

 

 Yeah, those legs really are kind of a bummer. The only thing I could think to improve them would be to attach a piece of Vorox/Skrall armor to the front of them using one of those three length connectors with two pins holes and an axle hole on the side. (like the green one under his chest piece) His shins would lose most of the animalistic look I like so much about them, but it would definitely help them look more complete, and I kinda like the look of having the dark red Bohrok eyes on his knees stick out from under the (presumebly) black Vorox armor like the hidden barbs some animals have as a form of self defense.

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Though I never got the Mask of Creation personally (Mask Maker vs. Skull Grinder wasn't sent to me for free like this thing, so)

What's this about?

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Though I never got the Mask of Creation personally (Mask Maker vs. Skull Grinder wasn't sent to me for free like this thing, so)

What's this about?

This is about LEGO sending out review copies of sets.

 

But the set has been out for months now, the reviewer could have bought one. If you're a fan and want to support Lego, why wouldn't you?

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Though I never got the Mask of Creation personally (Mask Maker vs. Skull Grinder wasn't sent to me for free like this thing, so)

What's this about?

This is about LEGO sending out review copies of sets.

 

But the set has been out for months now, the reviewer could have bought one. If you're a fan and want to support Lego, why wouldn't you?

 

Not everyone has the money or interest to do so. Or they may have other priorities. It's kind of a weird question you're making.

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Though I never got the Mask of Creation personally (Mask Maker vs. Skull Grinder wasn't sent to me for free like this thing, so)

What's this about?

This is about LEGO sending out review copies of sets.

 

But the set has been out for months now, the reviewer could have bought one. If you're a fan and want to support Lego, why wouldn't you?

 

 

Seriously, this.

 

I shuddered when I read that line. LEGO is kind enough to give you sets for free, and you even have to show so openly that you're not interested in their products unless they're for free? I get it man, it's a harsh life and all, but 30$ for what is the best set of 2015 don't sound like a bad purchase to me, especially if you're a BIONICLE fan. At least you could have avoided the explanation for the absence of the mask.

I don't know about you, but I would think twice before taking into account the opinion about a toy by someone who doesn't show interest in them.

My words may be harsh themselves, but you sounded greedy and between the lines I read "pls send more sets".

 

>Inb4 ban

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Goodness gracious, there's nothing wrong with not buying a set. And, I don't think that Nuju Metru ever implied that MMvSG is a bad purchase.

I fear you missed the point of my message.

The problem is not avoiding to buy something, but giving a certain type of explanation. He just sounded like "I never buy LEGO but I'm allowed to get them for free a month before they're on store". You know, we're on BZP, not some random blog about toys. You'd expect from an influent user (and overall an influent reviewer) to own THE most important set of a certain year, at least because it may be useful for comparisions. "LEGO didn't send it to me" sounds really dissatisfying for your average user, who visits your site to get the very best from the BIONICLE community.

 

In a word, we want to see passion. Not "LEGO didn't send it to me".

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...is a throwaway joking comment about getting a review copy for free really something to get up in arms about? Maybe the set didn't appeal to him, maybe his budget didn't allow for it, I don't know, and it's not my business (or anyone's, really) why he didn't buy MMvsSG. It wasn't about greed, it was just a small, probably tongue-in-cheek note that the reason he has this set, while not having MMvsSG, is that he was sent this one for free to review. Honestly, it just comes across to me as intentionally reading malice where there is none.

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Nah, you should sense I'm pretty bored if I'm typing up all this. But I have to say the whole idea behind that sentence (a joke, fine) bugged me a lot.
Oh well, I sure ain't the big name in the hood, so my words have little to no weight here. At least I said what I wanted to say.

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Hey, don't fight!

 

While I'm here, I'll finally state my opinion on the set. I quite like it, and as a set, I think Umarak the Hunter is the best villain set we've gotten for Generation 2. He's tall, dark, spiky and in general, very imposing. I also quite like the colors and asymmetry of his Hunter Mask. It's nice to see what could possibly be an injury or bit of damage done on his right side of the Hunter Mask. It's definitely something different. I also really like the idea of the Shadow Trap being formed from his shoulder armor; it reminds me of Generation 1 Makuta's knees in which they could store Kraata.

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Though I never got the Mask of Creation personally (Mask Maker vs. Skull Grinder wasn't sent to me for free like this thing, so)

What's this about?

 

 

This is me trying to be funny. And look how much people laughed at the joke! Ain't I just a hoot?

 

For those of you who are actually up in arms about me not owning "THE most important set of 2015," here are the reasons I don't:

  • I no longer buy BIONICLE sets for myself, since I have nowhere to display or store them whole... And my CCBS parts bin is almost too full to close.
  • The only reason I ever buy myself any LEGO these days is because I want certain pieces. When I get a new, boxed LEGO set, 49 times out of 50 it gets built, admired for a moment, and then almost immediately sorted out into my parts bins. Since I generally don't use BIONICLE sets' parts, pretty though they may be, in my dominantly-System MOCs, I have no real reason to actively purchase whole CCBS sets anymore.
  • Besides, I'd rather spend my pleasure money on stuff like new clothes (blasphemously, I prioritize other things over my LEGO hobby).
  • I'll freely admit that the only new BIONICLE/CCBS sets I own these days are ones that BZPower ships me and/or ones I'm given as gifts. MMvsSG wasn't shipped to me, so that's a simple reason I don't own it.
  • MMvsSG isn't the most important set of 2015, in my opinion-- In terms of BIONICLE, I think the most important set for me is actually first-line Gali; she's an excellent figure, who in my opinion epitomizes everything gen. 2 wave 1 did right. But I don't even own her, for all the reasons listed already.

Me not purchasing all the BIONICLE sets has nothing to do with my love for the brand or my support for TLG. It has more to do with the fact that I'm an adult living a life that doesn't have as much storage space, leisure, or toy money in it anymore.

 

If you think someone who doesn't own every last BIONICLE product is also someone unfit to review new ones, I'm hurt and confused. I put more work than you might imagine into the reviews I write, film and photograph. Although I'm a very busy person, I'm still willing to dedicate hours to composing and editing these multifaceted reviews as quickly as I can turn them around, so that you in the community can see the sets as soon as possible... I think this reflects that I have a great deal of passion for what I'm doing. I have immense passion for the product - whether or not I like any particular set I'm reviewing, I'm deeply invested in the BIONICLE brand overall, as I've been for fourteen years - and immense passion for the responsibility that comes along with being a BZP Official Reviewer.

 

So please, don't mistake a flippant line (it was a joke!) from my review for me discounting how freakin' awesome it is that I'm among a few people in the world who get sent these products ahead of their release, for free, to take a good look at. I worked hard - and still work hard - to be here; but I nevertheless think of my Official Review gig as an incredible privilege, something I don't take lightly. Understand that I'm grateful for all the stuff LEGO and Andrew send to me. I reiterate this at the beginning of every review I write.

Edited by Nuju Metru
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1: "Lower legs gappiyash"

Yes, it gives off more of a skeletal look, which makes no sense.

 

2: "Shoulders low and emptyish"

Same as above.

 

3: "Bow difficult to pose with"

This is a problem with all three characters who have a bow like that. They're hard to pose.

 

4: "Six-shooter hard to fire without a lot of elbow grease"

I think this is great, so you don't accidentally shoot studs off if your hand slips.

 

5: "Surprise Shadow Trap sucks Umarak main figure dry"

Well, I won't be using said surprise, so it doesn't effect me.

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