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Illuminatus

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I recently purchased what appears to be a North American release of Onua Mata (#8532) in mint condition. Upon comparing the shape of the canister to its European counterpart, I couldn't help but notice that the NA release appears to have an extra ridge of sorts at the base that makes it stand about 2 mm taller than the other canister.
 
A quick search on eBay revealed that no other NA editions of any Toa Mata seem to have that peculiar ridge and right now I'm thinking of attempting the impossible by figuring out just how many distinct releases (or batches) of the Toa Mata there were, available all over the world.
 
Here are some of the variables I've been able to spot so far:

  • Extra ridge at the base of the canister, making it taller.
  • Distinct arrangement of graphics on North American and European canisters.
  • North American black and white mini CD packed inside, signified with a black symbol under the set name.
  • North American full-color mini CD packed inside, signified with the same black symbol under the set name.
  • European black and white mini CD packed inside, signified with a black symbol under the set name, identical to the NA symbol.
  • European gold/tan mini CD packed inside, signified with the same symbol under the set name.
  • Poster packed inside with a clear image of the one Toa on the front and various early 2001 Technic sets advertised on the back.
  • Poster packed inside with a clear image of the one Toa on the front (identical to the one above down to the very item number) and the Turaga and Rahi sets advertised on the back.
  • Poster packed inside with an image of the one Toa and a sequence of all the Toa Mata on the front and the Turaga and Rahi sets advertised on the back.
  • Poster packed inside with ads of 2002 sets on the back.

I don't know if there are any other variations of the posters but I do know that there are no more than four different types of CDs packed inside. Also, the instruction booklets appear to be completely identical for every release.
 
Can you guys take a look at your Toa Mata and tell me if I'm missing something or if there seems to be some extra merchandise packed inside that I haven't yet come across?
 
Photo credit goes to Mask of Destiny, BrickLink and various others.

Edited by Illuminatus
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I got my Toa Mate in a small toy store in a small town in Germany, in the Amsterdam Airport, in Charlotte, NC, and outside of Albany, NY. I know that the European ones had different stuff from the American ones, but it's been ages and I don't remember. This is a neat collection of all that, though.

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You've probably already noticed this, but I believe European releases didn't show a piece count on them. I can't say for certain, but from what I remember that was usually only on NA releases.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I might be able to check my own Toa Mata Pohatu set around the twenty-first. I remember having one of those posters packed in with him, but I can't recall which exact one. I'll get back to you when I can verify though.

Okay, finally got around to doing this!

Here's everything that might be worthy of note in and on my Toa Mata Pohatu canister. I bought the set on Amazon still sealed and have kept everything that went with it together since then.

 

— Taller canister with the extra ridge.

— Piece count, meaning it was a NA release.

— The sticker graphics actually on the canister show off each Toa Mata along the top with their respective masks and can codes in the middle. The lower images show off Toa Pohatu arriving on a beach, being built, and using his action feature.

— The slip cover's graphics show off the standard LEGO Technic logo on the top with the 2001 Bionicle logo on the bottom. A picture of Pohatu is on clear display between the two. On the "back" is the character's name, a picture showing him in his canister, a picture of one of the posters included, legal stuff, and what looks like a seal from "Inmetro" and some other organization.

— A standard instruction manual for the set, also containing one third of the instructions required for the Kaita.

— The set also seems to have come with an extra 4 length beam.

— Toa Mata Pohatu poster with no lower border. Bionicle sets and merchandise advertised on the back, including an advertisement for the unreleased Bionicle game for 2001. There also seems to be a 2001 Bionicle movie advertised that was going to be produced by Universal. Technic race cars are advertised on the lowest quarter of the poster.

— A second poster was included. This one displays all of the Kanohi for year one, each different Kanohi is labeled and grouped together by type. On the lowest quarter, there is a hint at the Mask of Time and text stating "FIND THE POWER." On the back, there is a simple story synopsis along with brief descriptions of the Toa and their powers in English, German, and French. There are also a couple of www.bionicle.com advertisements.

 

That should be everything. If you would like photos of any of this stuff, I would be happy to deliver.

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Thanks, Katanga, that's a very extensive description. :)

 

I'm curious about the extra poster; in fact I'm pretty sure I've seen it in an auction for a used European edition Gali Mata set. Odd thing was, the Gali poster there had the extra "slideshow" at the bottom.

 

Do you think you could check the inventory number for the additional poster so I can look it up on BrickLink? Thanks!

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Thanks, Katanga, that's a very extensive description. :)

 

I'm curious about the extra poster; in fact I'm pretty sure I've seen it in an auction for a used European edition Gali Mata set. Odd thing was, the Gali poster there had the extra "slideshow" at the bottom.

 

Do you think you could check the inventory number for the additional poster so I can look it up on BrickLink? Thanks!

You're welcome!

 

This is the additional poster. If you still need the inventory number it is 4160419. Not sure what sort of "slideshow" you are referring to, but the synopsis on the reverse side of the poster does have many pictures on both sides of it. Not sure how to describe it and I'll need time before I can snap a photo since my desk is cluttered with minifigures. :P

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  • 3 weeks later...

You've probably already noticed this, but I believe European releases didn't show a piece count on them. I can't say for certain, but from what I remember that was usually only on NA releases.

 

Actully that's half true, in european sets that we got in iceland it wasnt until the after the toa inika that sets showed a parts count bit i think it was rare because usually parts count is only visible on newer lego system based theme sets that we get here.

 

 

What country is that if you don't mind me asking, necross hordika?

Oops i forgot to mention that in my earlier post.

 

Im from iceland

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Edited by necross hordika

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Looks like there's another variation of the Toa Mata posters that's got ads of 2002 sets at the back, including the Bohrok.

 

That means the Toa Mata were still produced in 2002. That's gotta be longer than the usual production course of any set wave.

Kinda, but when you consider they were released June '01 in the US it makes more sense that they would keep them on shelves until the Nuva debuted mid-02.

 

Part of the pitch for the Bohrok, in fact, was that they complimented the existing sets instead of replacing them.

Edited by Pereki
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