Recent Thoughts
I've recently been compiling piece lists for Phantoka versions of Tahu's half of the team. While I can't MOC these or even perfectly envision them until the Mistika come out along with the parts I need, I've managed to make some crucial decisions based on such mundane statistics as number of new parts, number of parts in new colors, and overall number of parts.
For the record, Tahu and Gali so far have 54 parts inventoried, including a wicked sword for Tahu that doesn't call for a new part (but calls for innovation never before seen in canister sets, which I hope others see as forgivable on what is meant to be setlike in nature-- if Vakama could have a Toa disk, it follows that the leader of the Nuva can be afforded a slight innovation). Gali, meanwhile, is being given a staff, based both on the ideas of ToM Dracone and myself, which I hope will prove as awesome as I have pictured it since the initial debut of the Mistika, on whose parts it depends.
I have yet to identify how Gali's jets will be attached, though I am confident that they are the best means of propulsion for her given the similarly-sized propellors which she wielded as a 2002 Nuva. Tahu will have wings, but I'm feeling that his leg-blades are a tad too organic-shaped to prove suitable to the more mechanical-looking heroes which BIONICLE tends to deal us. Onua's propulsion means is still anyone's guess, as the only Nuva Mistika part I have not abused is Tahu's propellor-blade, and I can't see how to give it to Onua without him taking the appearance of Pohatu. I had earlier envisioned it affixed to his back much like on the Exo-Force Fire Vulture, so he might bear the appearance of one of those swamp-boats, but not only is this idea better suited to a Mistika but it is also impossible if I plan for him to have a Matoran attachment as the sets this year have governed.
Oh, and for Gali I have designed a semi-custom torso. It depends on a Mistika part, so I hope it proves as attractive as it does in theory. Onua's torso, like his means of propulsion, is anyone's guess-- so far, I have avoided reusing any of the torso designs on the Phantoka and I'll be danged if I break the trend here. Granted, it would make Tahu's design so much easier, but he's got enough Phantoka resemblances already, and as I'm reusing a part for the sword, even if in a new color, I can afford to introduce another "new part" (i.e. a part not in the Nuva Phantoka, 08 Matoran, or previous sets). I'm thinking of a Piraka torso for Onua, but how to pull it off is still up in the air (lol Phantoka pun), particularly with the added difficulty of distinctifying his color scheme from the chiefly black-armored Makuta against whom he must contrast heavily.
So far these bear enough resemblance to the Mistika to serve as adequate transitions between the classic Nuva and the new Mistika. This is good, as with the Mataesque (that's a yucky spelling indeed) appearance of the Mistika masks such a transition is quite necessary. It helps that LEGO would seem to have used similar motifs on the new Mistika masks to on the Matoran masks which I plan to use, though it is regrettable that they did not simply use the much preferable Matoran masks on the rest of the Nuva in the first place.
In other news, I am in love with Rockoh. Stylistic consistency abounds, and while his rider would be much better with a Matoro Inika-styled chest back armor piece, the backwards torso and mask adaptation are enough to convince me that this will be the vehicle set I get. Also, the set would appear to have a few action features, one to fire the Zamor launcher inside (which I wish LEGO had just called a Midak Skyblaster, though the reason they didn't is clearly to lessen the disappointment of someone who bought the set expecting such), and one situated in the wings which may be the same or may be an entirely different one. Jetrax has turned me off considerably thanks to its rider, though the mask is still close enough to Antroz's original to be convenient, and Axalara's use of Takanuva blades alongside Bordahk staves and various Mahri blades renders it a stylistic consistency disaster. The mask on Lewa Newva Newva may or may not be good, but right now it is also disappointing me as Lewa no longer seems like a flying monkey and many Miru similarities from the original are distorted, though thankfully maintained.
Deciding whether I or one of my siblings will get Takanuva may be hard, considering that both myself and my little brother Meiko got him in 2003 but Lyi has a severe deficiency of white sets. I'm thinking I'll get Rockoh, though, and maybe Vultraz or Mazeka (depending on what Mazeka looks like), while Lyi gets Takanuva and Jetrax and Meiko gets Axalara (they may dispute this, but right now this seems to be a distribution that would satisfy everyone).
In other news, I have an idea for AC15 that will knock your socks off. Drawing it might be difficult, but I managed Karzahni back in the day and believe my custom movie-styling of characters should hold up for this. Let's just hope I can manage to movie-style original characters...
That about sums it up.
With all due respect,
Aanchir: Rachira of Time
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