Prototype Toa Iruini Label

[Illuminatus]

I'd like to share something I got from eBay back in 2012. This label was printed out and stuck onto a mint-condition Vakama Hordika set. I was hoping it was a prototype Toa Iruini set, but oh well. It wasn't expensive and both the set and the label were very much worth the purchase. I only got around to scanning and straightening the scissor-traced mock-up just now.

Enjoy.

Edited August 28, 2021 by Illuminatus

[Pohaturon]

Man, does that mean Iruini's prototype had the same shade of gold as Toa Lhikan? That would have been so much better than that dark, matte ugly brownish shade we actually got...

 

[emily]

Man, does that mean Iruini's prototype had the same shade of gold as Toa Lhikan? That would have been so much better than that dark, matte ugly brownish shade we actually got...

 

Pretty sure that dark, matte ugly brownish shade is the shade used on Toa Lhikan.   You're right that the gold here is more reflective, though. I'll leave it to a color expert to determine if that's something from the official color palette or photo-editing magic. Sort of looks to me like the gold used on Millenia from Throwbots.

 

Thanks for sharing, Illuminatus! Its got that unique grainy feel of the other 2005 prototype images. Kind of nice to see the set like that, even if it isn't different from the final design.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Pereki

[Illuminatus]

I'm betting this may have been a prototype Toa Nidhiki label too, what with the Metru Nui background. Admittedly, the Visorak webs don't make a lot of sense in either scenario.

[Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)]

Looks the same as normal 2005 backgrounds to me, what with it being green and covered in webs.

[Lyichir]

Man, does that mean Iruini's prototype had the same shade of gold as Toa Lhikan? That would have been so much better than that dark, matte ugly brownish shade we actually got...

 

Yeah, as Pereki said, Lhikan, Iruini, and even Takanuva all used the exact same shade of gold—specifically, Sand Yellow Metallic (which as the name suggests, is actually a metallic version of the color Bricklink calls Dark Tan). I do agree that it was fairly dull and ugly, which is part of why I prefer the newer Warm Gold.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Lyichir

[Taria Pakari]

 

Man, does that mean Iruini's prototype had the same shade of gold as Toa Lhikan? That would have been so much better than that dark, matte ugly brownish shade we actually got...

 

Yeah, as Pereki said, Lhikan, Iruini, and even Takanuva all used the exact same shade of gold—specifically, Sand Yellow Metallic (which as the name suggests, is actually a metallic version of the color Bricklink calls Dark Tan). I do agree that it was fairly dull and ugly, which is part of why I prefer the newer Warm Gold.

 

 

They had a habit of making them look a lot shinier on the packaging. :v

[Pohaturon]

 

 

Man, does that mean Iruini's prototype had the same shade of gold as Toa Lhikan? That would have been so much better than that dark, matte ugly brownish shade we actually got...

 

Yeah, as Pereki said, Lhikan, Iruini, and even Takanuva all used the exact same shade of gold—specifically, Sand Yellow Metallic (which as the name suggests, is actually a metallic version of the color Bricklink calls Dark Tan). I do agree that it was fairly dull and ugly, which is part of why I prefer the newer Warm Gold.

 

 

They had a habit of making them look a lot shinier on the packaging. :v

 

 

Whoops. I never actually saw Lhikan "physically", and all the images I've seen of him online, even in set form, made the gold bits look like a different color. Not like the post-2006 gold either, but definitely lighter and shinier than that on Iruini. Guess its just the difference between photos and reality.

 

My bad 

 

[doodleloot]

The golden parts in this picture look like they're spray painted to me. The shield (and maybe the mask?) seems to be a 3D printed prototype. Did the eBay seller you bought this from have a track record of selling stuff like this? Would be interesting to know how this made its way on eBay. Maybe it came from a Toy Fair or something?

[Taria Pakari]

 

 

 

Man, does that mean Iruini's prototype had the same shade of gold as Toa Lhikan? That would have been so much better than that dark, matte ugly brownish shade we actually got...

 

Yeah, as Pereki said, Lhikan, Iruini, and even Takanuva all used the exact same shade of gold—specifically, Sand Yellow Metallic (which as the name suggests, is actually a metallic version of the color Bricklink calls Dark Tan). I do agree that it was fairly dull and ugly, which is part of why I prefer the newer Warm Gold.

 

 

They had a habit of making them look a lot shinier on the packaging. :v

 

 

Whoops. I never actually saw Lhikan "physically", and all the images I've seen of him online, even in set form, made the gold bits look like a different color. Not like the post-2006 gold either, but definitely lighter and shinier than that on Iruini. Guess its just the difference between photos and reality.

 

My bad 

 

 

 

Don't worry about it, I thought exactly the same thing about Lhikan before I got my hands on him. Wouldn't be the first time they had deceptive packaging though. *cough*toa mata limbs*cough*

[Illuminatus]

The golden parts in this picture look like they're spray painted to me. The shield (and maybe the mask?) seems to be a 3D printed prototype. Did the eBay seller you bought this from have a track record of selling stuff like this? Would be interesting to know how this made its way on eBay. Maybe it came from a Toy Fair or something?

Not really. I dug up an old copy of our messages in my email from October 2012, here's what the seller said when I asked them about the origin of the (proclaimed) set #8762:

 

Dear jay_bee_0129,

 

Hello

My brother-in-law used to work for lego....Thanks

 

- clifford5224

[Tuuli]

That dark bronze color was way better than the cheap "Warm gold"in my opinion, but that's not what this topic is about is it?

[Toa of Ice - 1987]

 

 

 

They had a habit of making them look a lot shinier on the packaging. :v

 

 

Thats what marketing startegist often do, use visual effects to make it look impressive to fool those who cant spot the difference from photoshop alteration compared to press release pictures months earlier.

 

 

But i think lego has gotten over such silly tactics with the gold stuff. But they tend do overdo it with how strong the glow in dark bricks can be compared to out of the box.(On Ninjago sets for example from last year)

[Lyichir]

That dark bronze color was way better than the cheap "Warm gold"in my opinion, but that's not what this topic is about is it?

I wonder what on earth gives you the impression that Warm Gold is any "cheaper" in any sense of the word. It's not like anything about the material changed other than the dye.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Lyichir

[Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)]

Heh.  To think that I was actually around on BZP when Bionicle made the switch from the old gold to the Knights' Kingdom hue.  I remember the forums raising a fuss about... I forget what the specifics were, exactly?  I think people said the new gold looked cheaper or more fake or something.

 

Personally, my only issue is that the new gold stuck out like a sore thumb when I tried to mix it with the old gold.  

[MrSciFiGuy]

So this was printed out ON the canister? Like amateurly or manufacture quality? That'd be interesting enough to see on its own. Never saw prototype labels from Bionicle before

[Xboxtravis]

That dark bronze color was way better than the cheap "Warm gold"in my opinion, but that's not what this topic is about is it?

I agree to. The bronze color looked regal, a bit worn down, a bit more real. Pearl Gold does look more "gold" but it's so plastic in its sheen it's obviously not real. I like both for some reasons, but the bronze-gold of Lihkan and Iruini were very cool looking.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Xboxtravis

[Lyichir]

Heh.  To think that I was actually around on BZP when Bionicle made the switch from the old gold to the Knights' Kingdom hue.  I remember the forums raising a fuss about... I forget what the specifics were, exactly?  I think people said the new gold looked cheaper or more fake or something.

 

Personally, my only issue is that the new gold stuck out like a sore thumb when I tried to mix it with the old gold.  

Warm Gold wasn't actually used in Knights' Kingdom II, at least not until 2006, the same year it started being used in Bionicle. Some of the 2004 and 2005 Knights Kingdom sets did use Reddish Gold, and to be honest I kind of wish that color had been used in some Bionicle sets instead of Sand Yellow Metallic. It's a much richer and warmer hue, closer to how Takanuva's colors appeared in most 2003 media. My brother actually has a prototype Avohkii in that color and it's quite attractive.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Lyichir

[Cheesy Mac n Cheese]

I'm betting this may have been a prototype Toa Nidhiki label too, what with the Metru Nui background. Admittedly, the Visorak webs don't make a lot of sense in either scenario.

 

According to Greg, the whole "Toa Nidhiki" idea only lasted a few seconds before being shot down. So I doubt it.

 

Still, it's always nice to see more prototype art, especially this high quality.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Cheesy Mac n Cheese

[emily]

 

I'm betting this may have been a prototype Toa Nidhiki label too, what with the Metru Nui background. Admittedly, the Visorak webs don't make a lot of sense in either scenario.

 

According to Greg, the whole "Toa Nidhiki" idea only lasted a few seconds before being shot down. So I doubt it.

I strongly suspect Greg must've missed something on that matter. Not only do Iruni and Norik have specific part choices that tie them to Nidhiki and Dume visually, there's no way that the mask design for Iruni wasn't made to evoke the Vahki head. 

[Cheesy Mac n Cheese]

 

 

I'm betting this may have been a prototype Toa Nidhiki label too, what with the Metru Nui background. Admittedly, the Visorak webs don't make a lot of sense in either scenario.

 

According to Greg, the whole "Toa Nidhiki" idea only lasted a few seconds before being shot down. So I doubt it.

I strongly suspect Greg must've missed something on that matter. Not only do Iruni and Norik have specific part choices that tie them to Nidhiki and Dume visually, there's no way that the mask design for Iruni wasn't made to evoke the Vahki head. 

 

On the set designer's part, yes. However, I was referring to the story meeting, when they were deciding how to integrate them into canon. Something along the lines of the set designers saying "Here, these are Nidhikin and Dume as Toa," and the rest of the tam saying "Nah, let's make them Iruini and Norik."