Do Bionicle characters eat?

[eilrach]

I have wondered for a long time, do Bionicle characters eat? Or was this never answered in the storyline.

Sorry if this have been asked before.

[TuragaNuva]

The various sapient species of the Matoran Universe (e.g. Toa, Matoran) do not have digestive systems, so they don't eat like we do. They get energy by absorbing it from things like plants, either through their hands or mouth.

[Makuta Luroka]

Does this count as eating?

[Aderia]

All info/screenshots from BS01

 

From the "Matoran" page: 

 

From the "Ga-Metru" page: 

 

From the "Flora" page:

Bula berries are the only plants that jump to mind that specifically are to restore energy. I'm not sure on the canon use for these. Were these items in the MNOLG? 

I'm not sure about Rahi - canonically if they eat and if they are eaten, but it seems within the realm of possibility. 
 

Most interestingly, from the Skakdi page, a more cultural tidbit : ( edit: what @Xboxtravis mentioned, I think)

I found this bit to be the most insightful.  One thing - there's so much of our cultures and daily lives that are facilitated and structured around food, mealtimes, grabbing a coffee with a friend, holiday meals and traditions, regional cuisine, etc. While a lack of foodstuffs and what societal developments come with it, it makes sense  mechanoid-based society, but it sometimes does feel like there's a layer missing. As @Makuta Luroka pointed out above, I guess there are exceptions, probably moreso in early G1 than later on. 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Aderia
ninja'd, edited accordingly

[Xboxtravis]

Yeah I think the canon is, Matoran, Toa etc. eat via osmosis. Absorption of food through touch. I don't know if that was the original intent or not though, as the above poster shows with the Tales of the Masks a meal is brought up and treated casually with no mention of them absorbing the food. If I remember right that book was published in 2002, 2003 or so? 

The more interesting question is with the other races, the Vortixx and Skakdi in particular. Skakdi definitely have the mouth and teeth to support eating and that is supported in canon showing them eating orally. As for Vortixx, I am not sure entirely. 

[Tarn]

might be wrong, but from what I remember those early books have some dubious canonicity in some places. then again, Tales of the Masks is the one GregF wrote. the line about the meal seems vague enough that it could be interpreted either way they actually "ate" or just absorbed the energy per usual canon

[Sir Keksalot]

One thing I'd like to know is, when Matoran suck out energy from their food, do they also suck out nutrients, water, etc.? Or do they ONLY get the energy, and they need to manually drink and stuff? I remember Nokama drinking orally in one of the books, though I don't recall why.

[That Matoran with a Vahi]

13 hours ago, Sir Keksalot said:

I remember Nokama drinking orally in one of the books, though I don't recall why.

I think that was when the Toa Metru first got to Mata Nui, she drank a sample of the water? Let me check...

Yeah, here it is: Voyage of Fear, p114: "She reached down and caught some water in her cupped hand. Cautiously, she bought it to her mouth and took a taste. She immediately spat it back out."

 

It's interesting this topic should be brought up now, because I'd just been thinking about it the last few days (due to making an RP post where my Matoran character was eating). I knew the absorbing food through their hands was something that had been mention in fanworks and in passing jokes here on BZP - I remember one post in particular hypothesising a date between an Agori and a Matoran where both would be disturbed by the way the other ate, but I genuinely can't remember the thread context that was from - but I don't think I know where, if anywhere, that was mentioned in canon.

Was it another fact that just came from GregF answers, or did it have a basis in any of the books? There's no references listed for the relevant facts on those BS01 pages, that I can see.

[chuckschwa]

After Matoro rescues Takua from the snowstorm in MNOG he offers him "Energy". This item is strikingly similar to the Bula berries in Legend of Mata Nui PC game, which are used as an health pick-up item for the player.
Although I consider game mechanics as non-canon, you do absorb the berries by running over them. It is also implied in the MNOG cutscene that Matoro hands/places the bula fruit before Takua, who is coming in and out of consciousness. Whether Takua absorbs the fruit in that moment, or it is placed in his hands for later, is unclear.