Jump to content

True colors of Tamaru


Recommended Posts

Hello friends and fans of Bionicle. 

 

I'm writing this post in an issue that is bugging my Bionicle friends for years now, and is indeed bugging me way since probably 2003, when I've first seen the Tamaru website and his rendered image. 

 

At first, I'll define some colors: 

  • Teal - the color used i.e. for Tohunga Kongu 2001 mask and feet
  • Lime - the color used i.e. for Turaga Matau 2001 mask.
  • Green - the color used i.e. for Toa Lewa 2001 mask
  • Yellow - the color used i.e. for Tohunga Jala 2001 mask and feet

Now that I have this out of the way, let's start. 

 

I think that Tamaru is not Lime-Teal, but he's Yellow-Green instead. Let me explaing you why.

 

At first, there never was an official brick LEGO set of Tamaru. He never phisically existed, unlike Jala, Huki, Maku, Kongu, Onepu, Matoro, Hafu, Nuparu, Hahli, Takua, or Kopeke. He only appeared as a 3D model:

T1H3pAe.jpg

 

He's also one of Matoran from Mata-Nui Online Game, Bohrok Online Animations and Mata-Nui Online Game 2. 

 

And that's were the misunderstandments come from. 

 

If you look at Tamaru 3D, you'll hardly see his supposed tealness and limeness. That's because he really isn't Lime and Teal. He's clearly Yellow and Green. Don't belive me?

Here's side be side comparison with Kongu, with who he's supposed to have the same color palette, but in reverse. Below is also Lewa and Matau:
M6x63Ij.png

Kongu's body, Lewa's hands and legs and Matau's mask, hands and legs are the same, lime color, no one denies that. Which is different than the color of Tamaru mask and feet. It is not the same color! The color of Tamaru mask is something that is not present on that picture at all. Also, look at Tamaru's hands and body. It is green. It is the same shade of green used by Lewa's mask, body and weapon, and by Matau's weapon and feet. The color of Tamaru's body is different than the color of Kongu's mask and feet. This concludes that Tamaru is Yellow-Green. 

IF Tamaru WAS TO BE Lime and Teal, he would look different. He would look like this. But he doesn't. And he never will because he's not lime. He is yellow. 
 

To cement this, I have both pictures of Lime Rau and Yellow Rau. Side by side:

no615qu.png

 

And, compared with Jalla's mask:

IwrQvqA.png

 

You can also say "but if Jaller and Tamaru both have yellow mask, why they look slightly different?" And that's kind of true. Tamaru's yellow is teensy-weensy more limeish, and Jaller's yellow is teensy-weensy more orangeish. Until you look at the bigger picture and compare their backgrounds. Jaller is in front of a volcano, His background is orange. Tamaru is in front of a jungle. His background is green. That's why these yellows look a bit different. Notice that Kongu has the same background that Tamaru has, but he has no yellowness and greenness on him. So that proves even more that Kongu has different colors than Tamaru. 

 

So let's end it with a conclusion:

TAMARU IS YELLOW

 

 

 

 

 

You may also disagree. It's ok. In MNOG, BOG and MNOG2, Tamaru was not yellow, he was lime. That is true. But what I think that MNOG should not be trusted that much, it is much less canonical than official LEGO pictures. How?

 

1. Was the MNOG Pakari an acurate depiction of Kanohi Pakari? 

2. Was the official Kanohi of Taipu Ruru like in MNOG, or was it Pakari like on photos? 

3. Was the official Kanohi of Hafu Pakari like in MNOG, or was it Ruru like on photos? 

4. Was the official Kanohi of Kapura Pakari like in MNOG, or was it Ruru like on photos? 

5. If the color of Matoro's mask is SandBlue, why was it never any different than MdBlue in MNOG?

 

Since forever, there was this weird dichotomy between the canon and what MNOG was portraying. Things like love from MNOG are also not canonical. Since basically 2003 I've learned that MNOG is not so trustworthy. But I've also concluded that Tamaru was destined to be yellow. It's not really that weird, since Ta-Matoran can be black, and so can Po-Matorans and even Ko-Matorans. Onu-Matorans can be Tan like Po-Matorans, or Orange like Ta-Matorans. Colors seems so flexible in case of Matorans. Yellow fits the element of Air. Why not? Yellow is just a color between Green and Red. To me Tamaru is yellow, but since there is no physical set of him, we will never know for sure. But I believe that 3D model is the most relevant depiction here, and the true Tamaru in MNOG should look like this: 

uOaEOTU.png

 

Please write, what are your opinions on that matter? I know what I say may feel very heretical. But trust me. It really isn't if you consider my way of thinking and the logic I use. 

Edited by Gaku 745
  • Upvote 1

oYIRL7I.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally, I have always gone with the CGI render over MNOG. The fact that MNOG2 agrees with it convinces me further. The mask and feet in the CGI don't look yellow to me, they still look lime green. They probably rendered it with different lighting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could also argue that it’s canonically an “in-between” color that simply doesn’t exist in LEGO’s plastic.

Yes, exactly. This is my second possible option. One of my friends thinks that way.

 

I'm rather the follower of "it's 2001 yellow Tamaru" theory, because LEGO probably wouldn't create new plastic color for just one character. But everything is possible. Maybe he's between lime and yellow. But not lime. And neither is he keetorange for sure. 

Edited by Gaku 745

oYIRL7I.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whoa. This is quite the argument, isn't it?

Honestly I hadn't even seen Yellow Tamaru until now... He looks fine, I guess. Of course, this means I'm more familiar with Teal Tamaru, but it's no big deal, really.

How about we find a (second?) middle ground and take him as yellow when diminished and Teal when rebuilt?

I'm Vrokdann in Skyrise: Ascent, and Luntep in the BZPRPG.

[sigfig in tunnel]

My profile pic's a cool little thing I made called Bettani. That thing up there's just a me inside a tunnel.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know, when I was younger, I was convinced that he was yellow in that picture; it's only looking at it again recently (before this topic came up) that I came to the opposite conclusion: that it was just a variation on the lime shade xD

 

Didn't those images for the Matoran who didn't get physical sets come along later than MNOG? I could be wrong, but I don't remember bios or images for them existing online until mid-2002, after Nuparu was added with the release of the Boxor. (The earliest saved version of Nuparu's page seems to agree with my recollection, but I dunno for sure.) If that was the case, wouldn't that mean MNOG was the original source for Tamaru's colours, and the CG image was the variation?

 

It doesn't exactly answer the question either way, but... I thought it was interesting to note, at least ^^

Edited by Darth Jaller
  • Like 1

Banner.png.3e903c5c49a30ba9503c72b2d57066b0.png

"New legends awake, but old lessons must be remembered.
For that is the way
of the BIONICLE."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didn't those images for the Matoran who didn't get physical sets come along later than MNOG? I could be wrong, but I don't remember bios or images for them existing online until mid-2002, after Nuparu was added with the release of the Boxor.

This is how I remember it. Some of those Matoran either didn’t even have names before or simply didn’t exist until then (specifically, Nuparu, Kotu and Hahli). Those bios were added due to their significance in the Bohrok animations. It just so happened that the names MNOLG-exclusive Matoran’s significance carried over into the animations, too. I think the only one who had rendered artwork in 2001 was Hafu, because he was actually released as a set (Power Pack).

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 3

My friend went to Po-Wahi and all I got was this lousy rock.

logowithbackgrounnd100.png

Blue sea...a Ruki leaps...the sound of water

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

You could also argue that it’s canonically an “in-between” color that simply doesn’t exist in LEGO’s plastic.

Yes, exactly. This is my second possible option. One of my friends thinks that way.

 

I'm rather the follower of "it's 2001 yellow Tamaru" theory, because LEGO probably wouldn't create new plastic color for just one character. But everything is possible. Maybe he's between lime and yellow. But not lime. And neither is he keetorange for sure. 

 

I actually sort of disagree with Lego not bothering to create a new plastic color for one character, quite a few Toa had eye colors that weren't used for other parts as far as I can remember (thinking of the transparent pink Tahu had mainly). If I recall, that was actual a criticism of early BIONICLE: an extended color palette and a lot of single-use parts that cost a lot for molds and production. I like the look of them a lot, but I know it was an expensive endeavor, which is why later years saw a much more centralized and toned down color scheme.

 

As for my opinion, I think Tamaru is lime green and the early CGI-renders have inconsistent lighting, which gives the appearance of inconsistent coloring. We see most Koro having between 4-6 colors for making a diverse selection of Matoran. Off the top of my head, I recall Lime, Teal, Green, and Dark Green for Le-Matoran. I think consistency wasn't the biggest factor in their designs for Tamaru, as they existed as a side character purely in media and never saw a physical set release. Colors were likely chosen for MNOG, and reused a few years later in the Bohrok Saga animations, Bohrok-Kal animations, and MNOGII. The renders, taking a more realistic set look, attempted to match the other renders but failed to in some aspects due to lighting and other effects. Something to keep in mind is that the CGI for that is very old, and I doubt they were trying to one for one match other renders.

 

As to the argument that MNOG can't be trusted as canon due to other inconsistencies? Eh, that's sort of fair. A great many things are inconsistent in those games, but I think Tamaru keeping the same color throughout both MNOG and the in-between animations is a more solid basis than a singular render. Still, there's a good point to be brought up in that other colors go against canon, and of course the famous Hafu/Taipu mask switch up.

 

The color comparison is a solid idea, but I think that for it to be more accurate you need to account for lighting. You're using a dark picture of the actual Rau, versus the lighter shades of two very shiny renders. With Tamaru's render in particular, the actual color of the mask isn't the shinier portions of it, but sort of the mid-ground lime green.

 

Overall, I think the 3D render of Tamaru is a bad reference for their color. The online animations and MNOG use a more consistent color, and while they are only semi-canon, I think consistency there is more canon than a singular photo.

dat_logo_newer.png

qs56078.jpg
 My Brickshelf, please don't copy!

... :t: :b: :m_o: :c:...

Looking for shiny Regirock, Articuno, and Virizion!

(Can trade most any legendary for them!)

My 3DS friend list is full, sorry!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't Kapura wearing a Pakari technically canon? According to BS01, he switched to a Ruru after the Bohrok Invasion.

 

I can't help but consider buildability when considering these things. That is, if MNOG is taken as reliable, Tamaru can almost be built with actual pieces (lime green Rau with Maku's body). The only issue is the feet. I did use this discrepancy to build a MNOG Kopeke. He has sand blue feet and a light blue Komau. Yes, it looks atrocious, but it's better than no Kopeke at all.

"You are an absolute in these uncertain times. Your past is forgotten, and your
future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer.
"
-- Turaga Nokama

nichijou2.jpg

Click here to visit my library!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Alright.

2/3) They're like in the photos, this is a well-noted error.

4) Originally a Ruru, but the Pakari has been retconned canon.

5) Same reason Kopeke wasn't, and same reason Kongu appeared medium blue as opposed to teal. Sand Blue, Teal and Medium Blue were made the same color in MNOG, that does not mean they weren't intended to be Teal or Sand Blue. By the logic that Matoro is Medium Blue in MNOG, so is Kongu and Tamaru. In MNOG II, this was kind of fixed, but the Sand Blue Ko-Matoran are a very wierd light blue color, that is almost, but not quite, identical to Medium Blue.

WIth the argument that the Lime color does not match the one on Kongu, the same can be said about it not matching Yellow. If you are to assume them to be as absolute as you are, wouldn't Tamaru's 'Yellow' be identical to Jala's?

There is more in Tamaru's image to tell us why he does not match Kongu: The background itself. It's the same setting, but the color of it itself is off. It's more a yellow taint to it. This tells us the image is off-colored, and that Tamaru should therefor too be off-colored in the image.

This is also not the only image in which we see this, as well. Kopeke and Matoro, despite both being intended to be Sand Blue, appear different. Taipu's tan appears a lot whiter than Hafu's. I also wouldn't say Onepu's purple matches his set color.

image.thumb.png.5891b38a6034328c56ab2a94e9c1105b.png image.png.e601ab1a6de3f1479e7727aca80b222d.pngimage.png.f15450ddb1eeb496f0d86174ca8401d5.pngimage.png.79a99473bc7ded32ae31348fee65928a.pngimage.png.ad57846950c9eb3e2fba6a4c25f00302.pngimage.png.48333c0eb975e02cc260e362687e448f.pngimage.png.f9a65f661b897ddb37b22e26411e8a66.pngimage.png.1152647fae62913f27623b8bc0e3e833.pngimage.png.2d3f440f6c4b93ca67f9934105ff26f7.pngimage.png.979acf711ef49a0d24760aebf762cdfb.pngimage.png.0e9419d7a091ece6cfa3cdeff6ce6946.pngimage.png.8ebb0e970d8d47f1274e724ebee908b0.pngimage.png.4a59c4ece9dde7d390b57f88e71fc3b3.pngimage.png.7fb0b9295b2e9b51e6060ad4b03b9057.pngimage.png.6ab8803ef637eee45e91c994d6524cd5.png

Edited by WOLKsite
Link to comment
Share on other sites

:kaukau: I just have to say how much I appreciate your first post on BZPower.  You could have posted about any unceremonious thing, but you go through all of this trouble to create an image of a yellow MNOG2 Tamaru.  That represents the exact sort of pedantic nerdiness that Bionicle fandom is supposed to be.  Gosh, I love this nerd culture.

As WOLKsite said, there were several different interpretations with how colors were rendered.  I would say that I would trust MNOG and the Bohrok animations more.  The reason being, the promotion render is just one still image, whereas the MNOG games and the Bohrok animations were consistent over time.  This meant that it was had to be approved by creative directors more times than the individual still.  It seems to me that the LEGO company was more committed to this look than the yellow-lime-ish color in the render.

As it stands, the most appropriate answer is that, pending Greg falling out of the sky and announcing his return to answering fan questions on a long-since dead franchise that no longer employs him for his time, there is no canonical color.

24601

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Jean Valjean said:

:kaukau: I just have to say how much I appreciate your first post on BZPower.  You could have posted about any unceremonious thing, but you go through all of this trouble to create an image of a yellow MNOG2 Tamaru.  That represents the exact sort of pedantic nerdiness that Bionicle fandom is supposed to be.  Gosh, I love this nerd culture.

24601

Thanks! Glad I can represent!

8 hours ago, Jean Valjean said:

It seems to me that the LEGO company was more committed to this look than the yellow-lime-ish color in the render.

24601

Mm-hm. I also find it unlikely LEGO would make a new color for a character that does not even appear in a set. It has happened a color is only used for one set, but only appearing in media seems very out-there. Yes, they have done prototype colors, such as 125 Light Orange, that weren't used in sets, but those never made it into media either, did they? Of course, this is an assumption.

8 hours ago, Jean Valjean said:

As it stands, the most appropriate answer is that, pending Greg falling out of the sky and announcing his return to answering fan questions on a long-since dead franchise that no longer employs him for his time, there is no canonical color.

 

24601

He is currently answering questions occasionally on the TTV Message Boards. This question has been posed to him, but he has not answered it:
https://board.ttvchannel.com/t/colors-of-tamaru/48300

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tamaru is Lime and Teal. 

In MNOG each Matoran village has 3 base colors (Ta, Po and Onu do share Black, Tan & Orange, but that is another story...), Le Matoran have Green, Teal and Lime. Although the cancelled LOMN game depicts Tohunga in various shades never seen, other games & comics depict the villagers all having the same color (and even the same mask at times), so it's never been consistent anyway.

Since Tamaru was introduced in MNOG, and almost exclusively stays there as far as media goes, his color scheme should be based on that. 

I think whoever was mocking up the promotional image of Tamaru accidentally slid the Hue bar slightly to the left before dropping him in the jungle background. Here is Tamaru "fixed". You will notice that his torso/arm color also goes back to true LEGO Teal and not the slightly blue Green color that never existed in their lineup.

tamaru_fix.png

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...