Jump to content

Washington Post Bionicle Article circa 2001


Max_Nui

Recommended Posts

I was browsing the interwebs today and found this article about the early days of Bionicle: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2001/08/19/lego-plots-a-comeback/8b0fdf1f-534b-4996-8429-b45ac055d9d6/

Its a fascinating read, as it was written before many of the sets were released. Really gives you a perspective on how the theme was viewed externally.

  • Like 5

:m: :a: :x:    :n: :u: :i:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fun fact: I was interviewed for this story but I guess they didn't like what I had to say. I'm pretty sure I have a print copy of it somewhere.

Also, BZPower wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the two people mentioned here:

Quote

Christian Gemuenden, a 20-year-old student in southern Germany, started a Bionicle site but had to shut it down after it attracted too much traffic. Gemuenden, who follows changes to the Bionicle story closely, has collected the 72 masks of power. "I have them all, but there'll be more," he said.

Gemuenden is now helping to gather information for British friend Michael Edwards, 19, webmaster of a fan site launched in March. It lists the characters, the story and news about rare collectible masks. Edwards has found about 32 promotional masks that haven't yet been widely released.

Christian and Mike ran fan sites that eventually merged to become Kanohi Power, which merged with BZCommunity to become BZPower!

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you think there are any TV news recordings mentioning it? Stuff like this. I mean, I know it was never a craze quite like that example, but maybe some report about popular Christmas toys or something, and they happen to mention Tahu, or the Bahrag.

Edited by Cheesy Mac n Cheese

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

I had a chuckle at the article describing the '01 sets as "futuristic-looking". I remember feeling like the Bohrok were the most space-age toys imaginable when I first had my parents help me build them in '03, and then being awestruck every year thereafter after as each wave seemed to top the last! 

11 hours ago, Max Nui said:

I was browsing the interwebs today and found this article about the early days of Bionicle: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2001/08/19/lego-plots-a-comeback/8b0fdf1f-534b-4996-8429-b45ac055d9d6/

Its a fascinating read, as it was written before many of the sets were released. Really gives you a perspective on how the theme was viewed externally.

Thanks for finding and posting this, it really does add an important perspective that gets lost sometimes: that Bionicle truly was a phenomenon that was hard not to take notice of.

 

 

personal_banner_6.png

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Black Six changed the title to Washington Post Bionicle Article circa 2001

This is fascinating. Bionicle really did have such a large impact on the toy industry and really the culture for many kids (myself included) growing up in that era. Great find!

:exclamation:currently searching for ANY Gray Plastic Krana Kal (GPKK):exclamation: If you were a member of Proto-squad, or know someone who was, please feel free to get in contact with me

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I just ran into something that reminded me of something Bionicle and I ended up here (I was surprised I was able to guess my old password) - feels weird looking back ~20 years.

I got hooked on the MNOLG and the community discussions, stories, etc. on here back when I was in middle school - Bionicle wouldn't have been as interesting to me without the connected online communities in addition to their new marketing strategies.

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
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...