A Golden-Red Horizon

Yay! Someone who supports the Phantoka! I too have noticed many similarities between their old and new masks...

BtB

by that logic, the Kaukau Nuva looked too much like the Hau, as did the Avohkii.

I don't see that, but I certainly see the similarity to the Great Ruru. Also between the Phantoka Miru and the Huna. Though they are all slight resemblances, they do remind me of said masks.

by that logic, the Kaukau Nuva looked too much like the Hau, as did the Avohkii.

I don't see that, but I certainly see the similarity to the Great Ruru. Also between the Phantoka Miru and the Huna. Though they are all slight resemblances, they do remind me of said masks.

And that's my point. They're slight. The Avohkii shared not only the recessed mouth present on the Hau, but also the cheekholes that are still nearly exclusive to it. And what does this have in common with the Great Ruru? Two entirely-differently-shaped parts that happen to be on the same position on the face? Besides that (which seems to me a minor similarity, that could just as easily be compared to the new or old Miru Nuva) it looks almost identical to the great Matatu, not the Ruru (especially when one considers the new location of the eyepiece *shudders*). I also don't have a clue where you're seeing parallels between the new Miru Nuva and the Huna, Besides the rounded forehead and the shape it projects onto the mask, I can't see any similarities.

 

Lewa: Interesting points. You didn't mention how he is no longer bright green. (I wish he was)

 

Pohatu: Do you like the new Kakama? I didn't get your true feel. Would you rather it be fully face covering?

 

Kopaka: I really don't see a point to having Kopaka have a laser in his eye, but I can always take it out (or never put it in...)

And the eyehole should really be on his right side. The right side.

Wings...if the Nuva/Phantoka have to fly, they have to fly, but the air sets have always had the wings.

Definitely mourning the loss of shield and sword. There is no compromise.

I don't like bley in general, but you know that. Light grey is Kopaka's color, so they could have made it light bley.

 

The Midak looks bulky. More than the Cordaks.

I don't like the torsos and lack of proportionality, but maybe the little guys will be able to give us bodies like theirs with smaller shoulders.

 

-CF

Lewa: Interesting points. You didn't mention how he is no longer bright green. (I wish he was)

I don't tend to mind color scheme changes as long as they're pulled off well. Having similarity to an older form is also nice, as the case is here with the lime, but I rarely think it something that is "necessary."

 

Pohatu: Do you like the new Kakama? I didn't get your true feel. Would you rather it be fully face covering?

I just recently did a comparison edit for it (I can't show it, since I had to use a leaked pic to get enough detail), and I very much think the Kakama is like the old one. As for whether I liked it, I've liked it since the beginning. The only thing that irks me is that LEGO made it the same color and a similar shape to the Vahi, which does not detract from the appearance (or seem a source of confusion to me, given the different shape) but I can't see how LEGO expected anything short of confusion among most long-time fans. So yes, it would be better fully face-covering, but I don't really have a major problem with it as-is.

 

Kopaka: I really don't see a point to having Kopaka have a laser in his eye, but I can always take it out (or never put it in...)

And the eyehole should really be on his right side. The right side.

Wings...if the Nuva/Phantoka have to fly, they have to fly, but the air sets have always had the wings.

Definitely mourning the loss of shield and sword. There is no compromise.

I don't like bley in general, but you know that. Light grey is Kopaka's color, so they could have made it light bley.

The laser is awesome, IMHO, and his eyepiece was red in the movie anyway. Perhaps it's supposed to imply that it's "in use"-- Kind of like how some characters with X-Ray vision tend to have "headlight eyes" that cast invisibility circles on what they hit (and I must say, I like this effect better). It kind of gives the impression of a laser pointer that indicates what he's looking at (or rather, through).

The eyehole is annoying, but I think I'll get over it. Hopefully. Eventually.

The loss of the shield is sad. The loss of the sword... not so much. And I think the bayonet is great for him.

Why don't you like bley? Is it any worse than old grey? I tend to prefer it, myself.

 

The Midak looks bulky. More than the Cordaks.

I don't like the torsos and lack of proportionality, but maybe the little guys will be able to give us bodies like theirs with smaller shoulders.

-CF

Midak's fine being bulky, at least for me. Looks like a cannon, and cannons are always cool.

Torsos are also cool. But I disagree, the torsos for the Matoran scare me (as do most of their parts). If the Matoran torsos are more than one piece, though, they may be salvaged a bit in my eyes.

 

Glad to finally be getting some views from both sides! I keep awaiting new pics of the Makuta Phantoka and Matoran so I can properly review them!

Kopaka: I really don't see a point to having Kopaka have a laser in his eye, but I can always take it out (or never put it in...)

And the eyehole should really be on his right side. The right side.

Wings...if the Nuva/Phantoka have to fly, they have to fly, but the air sets have always had the wings.

Definitely mourning the loss of shield and sword. There is no compromise.

I don't like bley in general, but you know that. Light grey is Kopaka's color, so they could have made it light bley.

The laser is awesome, IMHO, and his eyepiece was red in the movie anyway. Perhaps it's supposed to imply that it's "in use"-- Kind of like how some characters with X-Ray vision tend to have "headlight eyes" that cast invisibility circles on what they hit (and I must say, I like this effect better). It kind of gives the impression of a laser pointer that indicates what he's looking at (or rather, through).

The eyehole is annoying, but I think I'll get over it. Hopefully. Eventually.

The loss of the shield is sad. The loss of the sword... not so much. And I think the bayonet is great for him.

Why don't you like bley? Is it any worse than old grey? I tend to prefer it, myself.

But will you/we ever truly be over it?

I like close hand-to-hand combat. The sword is so powerful. And it brought out his style.

I guess I'll have to have a blog entry on bley. But for now: it was the second color for the Toa Metru, Vahki, Hordika. And it didn't look pretty. IMHO, btw. Wait for that blog....

 

The Midak looks bulky. More than the Cordaks.

I don't like the torsos and lack of proportionality, but maybe the little guys will be able to give us bodies like theirs with smaller shoulders.

-CF

Midak's fine being bulky, at least for me. Looks like a cannon, and cannons are always cool.

Torsos are also cool. But I disagree, the torsos for the Matoran scare me (as do most of their parts). If the Matoran torsos are more than one piece, though, they may be salvaged a bit in my eyes.

So you wouldn't mind walking/flying around with a cannon?

Yeah, I'm awaiting the matoran with curiosity. But us MOCists have always gotten around things. They do seem "ape-like", for lack of better describing how their bodies are and long arms. I still need to blog about this too.

 

Glad to finally be getting some views from both sides! I keep awaiting new pics of the Makuta Phantoka and Matoran so I can properly review them!

Yes, I'm more for nostalgia and purity, not new and exciting, except in MOCs, because those aren't official and don't seem to break away from canon. (IMHO, Lewa as light green is canon. Or maybe I just need more light green pieces....)

 

-CF

Kopaka: I really don't see a point to having Kopaka have a laser in his eye, but I can always take it out (or never put it in...)

And the eyehole should really be on his right side. The right side.

Wings...if the Nuva/Phantoka have to fly, they have to fly, but the air sets have always had the wings.

Definitely mourning the loss of shield and sword. There is no compromise.

I don't like bley in general, but you know that. Light grey is Kopaka's color, so they could have made it light bley.

The laser is awesome, IMHO, and his eyepiece was red in the movie anyway. Perhaps it's supposed to imply that it's "in use"-- Kind of like how some characters with X-Ray vision tend to have "headlight eyes" that cast invisibility circles on what they hit (and I must say, I like this effect better). It kind of gives the impression of a laser pointer that indicates what he's looking at (or rather, through).

The eyehole is annoying, but I think I'll get over it. Hopefully. Eventually.

The loss of the shield is sad. The loss of the sword... not so much. And I think the bayonet is great for him.

Why don't you like bley? Is it any worse than old grey? I tend to prefer it, myself.

But will you/we ever truly be over it?

As much as I got over Nuju's having an eyepiece in the first place, which didn't take long.

I like close hand-to-hand combat. The sword is so powerful. And it brought out his style.

I didn't like that style of his much. Anyway, a bayonet suits his style as much, IMHO. I suppose we just interpret his "style" differently.

I guess I'll have to have a blog entry on bley. But for now: it was the second color for the Toa Metru, Vahki, Hordika. And it didn't look pretty. IMHO, btw. Wait for that blog....

But not even light bley? I really fail to see how bley is any worse than original grey; certainly it's not good when used for one to three complete sets of canister sets in a row, but neither is any other color.

 

The Midak looks bulky. More than the Cordaks.

I don't like the torsos and lack of proportionality, but maybe the little guys will be able to give us bodies like theirs with smaller shoulders.

-CF

Midak's fine being bulky, at least for me. Looks like a cannon, and cannons are always cool.

Torsos are also cool. But I disagree, the torsos for the Matoran scare me (as do most of their parts). If the Matoran torsos are more than one piece, though, they may be salvaged a bit in my eyes.

So you wouldn't mind walking/flying around with a cannon?

Seems reasonable, yes. Flying with one makes as much sense as walking, and plenty of fictional characters carry around some variety of cannon while walking.

Yeah, I'm awaiting the matoran with curiosity. But us MOCists have always gotten around things. They do seem "ape-like", for lack of better describing how their bodies are and long arms. I still need to blog about this too.

I'm not concerned with how the torsos look as much as how they'll be used in the future. Remember that I judge parts more than sets much of the time.

Glad to finally be getting some views from both sides! I keep awaiting new pics of the Makuta Phantoka and Matoran so I can properly review them!

Yes, I'm more for nostalgia and purity, not new and exciting, except in MOCs, because those aren't official and don't seem to break away from canon. (IMHO, Lewa as light green is canon. Or maybe I just need more light green pieces....)

 

-CF

I'm for new and exciting, see. I didn't expect or want to see the same old Nuva masks, especially considering my opinions on the old ones. And anyway, color changes are and have been since 2004 canon. And, as I stated above, all I need are similarities, not identicalities. Anakin Skywalker from Episode 2 looked almost nothing like Anakin from Episode 1. Were they the same character? Yes; only a few subtle similarities in facial structure and the provided storyline indicators were necessary to keep him familiar to us. That is my logic for the judgement of sets: It's all about the subtleties; anything else is just a pleasant but unnecessary extra.

But not even light bley? I really fail to see how bley is any worse than original grey; certainly it's not good when used for one to three complete sets of canister sets in a row, but neither is any other color.

Light bley is different. That didn't come until, what...Nuparu Inika? That was better because it was more like light grey than bley is like dark grey. I know Lego can't change the color tone, but they can at least use something else to make the sets more colorful. (Earth Toa not included, dark grey is their color, but bley has been a plague to me)

 

*****

 

I don't find that Anakin Skywalker comparison too good. Anakin was growing up, 10 years, so of course he looked different. (and different actors).

But the Toa, they don't quite "grow up" in the sense of our world. Seeing these new sets, I think the theory (one I've seen) is that they got new armor. I don't think somebody gets that much done to themselves if they are changing their look. (I'd compare it to plastic surgery or something like a new nose, but I don't know much about that, and it's comparison to our world and I just said I didn't want to do that with Anakin)

What I'm saying is I think it would make more sense, storyline wise, if the Toa Nuva still had something from their past. OK, Lewa has the lime, but where'd all that bley and gunmetal come from? He had light green and some silver. He looks like a totally new hero to me.

(Especially Pohatu, but that's Lego's issue with the brown....) As for Kopaka, he has the white, and still the grey, but now it's dark bley, and it just doesn't seem like Kopaka to me. (hence the sword and shield loss)

For Kopaka's personality: he was cold as ice, a lone wolf, yet caring for his people and understood the whole "hero" concept. He seems like someone who could ski in and cut you up with the sword and be gone before you knew what hit you. Bayonets are different. They require you to get closer, twist, pull out, and take away the fun of a sword to sword battle.

 

Um, that was a lot, and I probably made some of that jumbled and my true thoughts aren't out. What are your thoughts?

 

-CF

But not even light bley? I really fail to see how bley is any worse than original grey; certainly it's not good when used for one to three complete sets of canister sets in a row, but neither is any other color.

Light bley is different. That didn't come until, what...Nuparu Inika? That was better because it was more like light grey than bley is like dark grey. I know Lego can't change the color tone, but they can at least use something else to make the sets more colorful. (Earth Toa not included, dark grey is their color, but bley has been a plague to me)

Actually, light bley's as old as dark bley. The first light bley parts usable in a color scheme are only slightly newer; they are featured on the Kikanalo.

 

I don't find that Anakin Skywalker comparison too good. Anakin was growing up, 10 years, so of course he looked different. (and different actors).

But the Toa, they don't quite "grow up" in the sense of our world. Seeing these new sets, I think the theory (one I've seen) is that they got new armor. I don't think somebody gets that much done to themselves if they are changing their look. (I'd compare it to plastic surgery or something like a new nose, but I don't know much about that, and it's comparison to our world and I just said I didn't want to do that with Anakin)

What I'm saying is I think it would make more sense, storyline wise, if the Toa Nuva still had something from their past. OK, Lewa has the lime, but where'd all that bley and gunmetal come from? He had light green and some silver. He looks like a totally new hero to me.

(Especially Pohatu, but that's Lego's issue with the brown....) As for Kopaka, he has the white, and still the grey, but now it's dark bley, and it just doesn't seem like Kopaka to me. (hence the sword and shield loss)

They don't look "entirely new" to me. All the "new aspects" of them are a result of the new masks and armor, which is certainly better than I would have anticipated (after all, they could have done like Aang (my other double-A N homie) in this season of Avatar, and changed the wardrobe entirely (I was also including this among the changes in Anakin-- his hairstyle isn't even vaguely similar in Episodes 1, 2, or 3, nor is his outfit between the first and the others). Observe my edit for the old and new Miru Nuva again and tell me, with the official concensus being that masks can be any shape regardless of their power, and tell me set designers did not go "above and beyond" in adding so many similarities. The structure of the masks have changed, the details remain similar (and I must say I'd have preferred all but the Akaku on the original Nuva).

 

As for color scheme, I approve of the changes in that they remained true to the old forms. The bley (where are you seeing gunmetal?) has been established since 2004 as an acceptable representation of the muscle areas of BIONICLE; therefore, the color existed in their color schemes already. They could certainly have added black instead to up the similarities between sets, but that would have made it unclear which sets were the heroes (or if there were any). I'm fine with the bley about everywhere but Lewa's feet. Those could have been lime. As I've stated about the new Pohatu, the subdued quality in the color scheme grants it the same earthy feel as Pohatu's original scheme. Kopaka's color scheme is the least radical, and I'm fine with it that way.

 

For Kopaka's personality: he was cold as ice, a lone wolf, yet caring for his people and understood the whole "hero" concept. He seems like someone who could ski in and cut you up with the sword and be gone before you knew what hit you. Bayonets are different. They require you to get closer, twist, pull out, and take away the fun of a sword to sword battle.

I saw the Marine Corps band play recently. Bayonets can be incredibly awesome, believe me. It's like a spear, but on a gun. And while I can't see him juggling the

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Midak Skyblaster

like I can see someone doing with a real gun, there is still a level of grace visible in the weapon.

 

Um, that was a lot, and I probably made some of that jumbled and my true thoughts aren't out. What are your thoughts?

Well, by all means, reply! I'm rather enjoying this conversation, and you have as many chances as you need to get your true thoughts out!

Well, this has been interesting to read through. All of this boils down to differences in perception, really, on several levels, as far as I can tell...

 

On the issue of color scheme, I perceive color consistency as absolutely essential to a (Bionicle) character's appearance; you think entirely the opposite, it seems. What with the story based on the sets, and the color being half of the sets, the simplest way for a new set to be a transformation of an old set is to keep the color scheme. I mean, in the teaser picture of the Nuva with them entirely blacked out, I could tell them apart just by eye color, for instance, and I relished that. (Seriously! I was quite hyper over the Nuva, so picking them out in that picture was so fun...) That's something I find mandatory in a line where color plays such a crucial role.

 

Next, about perceptions of character personality in relation to sets. In the case of the Nuva, I find that certain parts from the sets are as indispensable personality-wise as character elements like Kopaka's icy loner...ism... whatever you want to call that. Kopaka's sword and shield and Pohatu's upside-down torso and toe guards are essential parts of the two to me. The only way you could do away with them, to my imagination, is if you kept other central parts of the sets, i.e. making Kopaka Nuva in white and grey (either shade works) with silver chest and shoulder armor and a mask with the eyepiece on the right. Similarly, I dislike the airplane wings both as pieces, in their position on the set, and don't imagine them on Kopaka...

 

So, since you lost Kopaka's sword, shield, and mask (I'll go into detail below); Pohatu's entire color scheme, mask, and toe guards; and Lewa's primary color and mask, I simply don't easily see the Toa Nuva in the Phantoka.

 

Can I, with effort? Yes, in some cases, but this brings us to another point of perception – you apparently find details to be the essence of recognizability (do correct me if I'm wrong), while I think overall appearances are that essence. Since color scheme has been beaten to death, the masks are a good example of this – when I look at Lewa's mask, I see the Faxon straightaway because of its main features, even though if I look at it more closely I find elements of the Miru Nuva. With Pohatu's, I see the Vahi, and because of that unique shape I don't even bother to look further.

 

Now, to the point debated previously here. On the Akaku Phantoka, I see the overal shape and basic vents of the Great Ruru, plus the eyepiece-on-the-left of the Great Matatu. So despite the eyepiece, which makes the Akaku a canidate, the greater resemblance I see to other masks make me associate it with them rather than the Akaku Nuva. Just like the other two.

 

 

But I must ask two questions of you – practical pistons are quite good on a body (on limbs we don't really need them anymore), unless, in my opinion, they detract aestheitcally, but what would they do for Lewa's sword?

 

Also, about Pohatu's new color scheme, either orange or yellow-orange, whichever he has, is a much brighter color than either brown or tan, so I'm curious why you think of it as as subdued as his original colors...

 

 

Hm, I just realized a more general contrast between us – I (and I think CF does, too) seem to think in terms of aesthetics and visuals, while you're more technically-minded... which would explain our frequent clashes in opinion...

They don't look "entirely new" to me. All the "new aspects" of them are a result of the new masks and armor, which is certainly better than I would have anticipated (after all, they could have done like Aang (my other double-A N homie) in this season of Avatar, and changed the wardrobe entirely (I was also including this among the changes in Anakin-- his hairstyle isn't even vaguely similar in Episodes 1, 2, or 3, nor is his outfit between the first and the others). Observe my edit for the old and new Miru Nuva again and tell me, with the official concensus being that masks can be any shape regardless of their power, and tell me set designers did not go "above and beyond" in adding so many similarities. The structure of the masks have changed, the details remain similar (and I must say I'd have preferred all but the Akaku on the original Nuva).

I'm not complaining about mask shape for the most part. (I wish Kopaka had an eyepiece on his right side, and the propellers seem silly on Lewa (more for show than use) and Pohatu, well, his mask has it's own problems we've discussed)

 

 

As for color scheme, I approve of the changes in that they remained true to the old forms. The bley (where are you seeing gunmetal?) has been established since 2004 as an acceptable representation of the muscle areas of BIONICLE; therefore, the color existed in their color schemes already. They could certainly have added black instead to up the similarities between sets, but that would have made it unclear which sets were the heroes (or if there were any). I'm fine with the bley about everywhere but Lewa's feet. Those could have been lime. As I've stated about the new Pohatu, the subdued quality in the color scheme grants it the same earthy feel as Pohatu's original scheme. Kopaka's color scheme is the least radical, and I'm fine with it that way.

I'm assuming the armor is gunmetal rather than bley (that'd be silly) or silver (because in my pix it looks more gunmetal).

As for the bley being an "acceptable representation of the muscle areas of Bionicle," I beg to differ. It's not very colorful and when it popped up in the Metru I was wondering why they didn't have another color like other Toa? (I don't remember what I thought of the Rahkshi, so don't ask) For making the Toa Metru (and Vahki, and Hordika) more bland and less colorful, I have not been fond of bley. There are other colors out there. Everyonce in a while it turns out to be a good idea (Particularly the Earth sets), like in Bundalings the Bunny's Pohatu MOC. That was impressive. As we discussed, black seemed to be to classify the bad guys. I think Kopaka should have light bley and Lewa should have light green, in keeping with tradition and making them colorful, as well as representing their element. (Pohatu and brown are down their own path now that I can't even think of what would be a good replacement color for him.)

As for light bley, it doesn't look as ugly IMO. You pointed out the Kikanalo. Good. That' two pieces that I was happy about. I even didn't make a connection to bley. Light bley, being a lighter color, is fine with me, especially since it doesn't plague things with the absence of color.

 

I saw the Marine Corps band play recently. Bayonets can be incredibly awesome, believe me. It's like a spear, but on a gun. And while I can't see him juggling the

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Midak Skyblaster

like I can see someone doing with a real gun, there is still a level of grace visible in the weapon.

OK. To each his own. I just don't think a bayonet is conventional, where as he used to have a sword (or double sword) and was pretty awesome with it IMO.

 

-CF

Well, this has been interesting to read through. All of this boils down to differences in perception, really, on several levels, as far as I can tell...

 

On the issue of color scheme, I perceive color consistency as absolutely essential to a (Bionicle) character's appearance; you think entirely the opposite, it seems. What with the story based on the sets, and the color being half of the sets, the simplest way for a new set to be a transformation of an old set is to keep the color scheme. I mean, in the teaser picture of the Nuva with them entirely blacked out, I could tell them apart just by eye color, for instance, and I relished that. (Seriously! I was quite hyper over the Nuva, so picking them out in that picture was so fun...) That's something I find mandatory in a line where color plays such a crucial role.

On this, I admit: My standards are the opposite. This may be an aftereffect of my drawings, since I tend to draw in black and white. I therefore prefer the shapes of parts (and other details, like practical pistons) when I judge them (though perhaps it would be nice if once they come out you edit them so we can see if they look any better in the old colors). Also, keep in mind that I'm a bit biased-- I hated and still hate many aspects of the old Nuva. Though I agree it would be nice if LEGO could keep eye colors the same.

 

Next, about perceptions of character personality in relation to sets. In the case of the Nuva, I find that certain parts from the sets are as indispensable personality-wise as character elements like Kopaka's icy loner...ism... whatever you want to call that. Kopaka's sword and shield and Pohatu's upside-down torso and toe guards are essential parts of the two to me. The only way you could do away with them, to my imagination, is if you kept other central parts of the sets, i.e. making Kopaka Nuva in white and grey (either shade works) with silver chest and shoulder armor and a mask with the eyepiece on the right. Similarly, I dislike the airplane wings both as pieces, in their position on the set, and don't imagine them on Kopaka...

Pohatu's upside-down torso has been and continues to be a hassle in my drawings, and in most interpretations of him (I understand perfectly why they gave this attribute instead to Gali in the films). The toe guards... alas, I would have loved them and the feet onto which they go to stay! The feet annoy me greatly in all of the new Nuva, it seems I made little mention of this in the entry. But still, it's clear that the fanbase does not want to see them back, evidenced in the amount of complaining I saw about how Matoro "can't stand up" (your reasons for changing Matoro's feet in that revamp were justified, though, despite my dislike for the use of the pearly-sheened Rahkshi feet as a substitute). I do like the airplane wings, though... Angel wings just don't seem to me like they'd work for him.

 

So, since you lost Kopaka's sword, shield, and mask (I'll go into detail below); Pohatu's entire color scheme, mask, and toe guards; and Lewa's primary color and mask, I simply don't easily see the Toa Nuva in the Phantoka.

And there is where we differ, I don't think these things totally necessary to recogniseability. I will proceed:

 

Can I, with effort? Yes, in some cases, but this brings us to another point of perception – you apparently find details to be the essence of recognizability (do correct me if I'm wrong), while I think overall appearances are that essence. Since color scheme has been beaten to death, the masks are a good example of this – when I look at Lewa's mask, I see the Faxon straightaway because of its main features, even though if I look at it more closely I find elements of the Miru Nuva. With Pohatu's, I see the Vahi, and because of that unique shape I don't even bother to look further.

The only things the Faxon has in common with the new Miru are the visor and the color. Other aspects require a stretch of the imagination, the same stretch of the imagination required to say that the original Akaku Nuva is not a Hau. With Pohatu's, there are again two things that remain standard-- Structure and color. True, these things are what determine if you buy a set. But the details are what determine whether I'll enjoy it.

 

Now, to the point debated previously here. On the Akaku Phantoka, I see the overal shape and basic vents of the Great Ruru, plus the eyepiece-on-the-left of the Great Matatu. So despite the eyepiece, which makes the Akaku a canidate, the greater resemblance I see to other masks make me associate it with them rather than the Akaku Nuva. Just like the other two.

The basic vents on the Ruru are as similar to the Akaku as the mouth of the Hau was to the Akaku Nuva. The greater resemblance on it was to the Hau, not the Akaku. This was one reason I hated and continue to hate the original Akaku Nuva, and the reason I feel the same about the new one, if to a lesser extent because this one actually looks good to me. I associate the new Kakama Nuva with the old one for the same reason. If we were to think that way normally we would never be able to see another mask with the same structure as the Vahi, and that is something I do not want. The Miru, as I said above, bears little resemblance to any mask other than the Miru, unless you judge based on color, which I almost never do for individual parts.

 

But I must ask two questions of you – practical pistons are quite good on a body (on limbs we don't really need them anymore), unless, in my opinion, they detract aestheitcally, but what would they do for Lewa's sword?

Same they did for Kopaka's, or maybe something new. Perhaps allow it to retract halfway? I'm not sure, but LEGO has managed to surprise me with practical pistons many times, and I don't doubt their ability to do so here.

 

Also, about Pohatu's new color scheme, either orange or yellow-orange, whichever he has, is a much brighter color than either brown or tan, so I'm curious why you think of it as as subdued as his original colors...

What I mean is that it's more subdued than my original hope for it, that being Avak brown and Keetorange. This color scheme has the same earthy feel as his original, while the one I just described is vibrant and better suited to Inika Hewkii or another stone Toa.

 

Hm, I just realized a more general contrast between us – I (and I think CF does, too) seem to think in terms of aesthetics and visuals, while you're more technically-minded... which would explain our frequent clashes in opinion...

Exactly. Glad you could interpret that correctly, it becomes annoying when people continually tell me (no, CF, this isn't just you) that I have no taste for nostalgia.

 

They don't look "entirely new" to me. All the "new aspects" of them are a result of the new masks and armor, which is certainly better than I would have anticipated (after all, they could have done like Aang (my other double-A N homie) in this season of Avatar, and changed the wardrobe entirely (I was also including this among the changes in Anakin-- his hairstyle isn't even vaguely similar in Episodes 1, 2, or 3, nor is his outfit between the first and the others). Observe my edit for the old and new Miru Nuva again and tell me, with the official concensus being that masks can be any shape regardless of their power, and tell me set designers did not go "above and beyond" in adding so many similarities. The structure of the masks have changed, the details remain similar (and I must say I'd have preferred all but the Akaku on the original Nuva).

I'm not complaining about mask shape for the most part. (I wish Kopaka had an eyepiece on his right side, and the propellers seem silly on Lewa (more for show than use) and Pohatu, well, his mask has it's own problems we've discussed)

The propellors are... OK. It's nice to see BIONICLE getting back to a more mechanical look, IMHO (though never would I wish it to acquire the blocky robotic look I see on far too many MOCs). Pohatu's, again, is OK-- the spikes and round eyeholes have been removed, two features I never liked in the first place, and which thankfully found no welcome in my new HSB style. (I realize I call it my "new style" too much-- I'd better come up with a name for it or I'll be lost should it change again!)

 

As for color scheme, I approve of the changes in that they remained true to the old forms. The bley (where are you seeing gunmetal?) has been established since 2004 as an acceptable representation of the muscle areas of BIONICLE; therefore, the color existed in their color schemes already. They could certainly have added black instead to up the similarities between sets, but that would have made it unclear which sets were the heroes (or if there were any). I'm fine with the bley about everywhere but Lewa's feet. Those could have been lime. As I've stated about the new Pohatu, the subdued quality in the color scheme grants it the same earthy feel as Pohatu's original scheme. Kopaka's color scheme is the least radical, and I'm fine with it that way.

I'm assuming the armor is gunmetal rather than bley (that'd be silly) or silver (because in my pix it looks more gunmetal).

As for the bley being an "acceptable representation of the muscle areas of Bionicle," I beg to differ. It's not very colorful and when it popped up in the Metru I was wondering why they didn't have another color like other Toa? (I don't remember what I thought of the Rahkshi, so don't ask) For making the Toa Metru (and Vahki, and Hordika) more bland and less colorful, I have not been fond of bley. There are other colors out there. Everyonce in a while it turns out to be a good idea (Particularly the Earth sets), like in Bundalings the Bunny's Pohatu MOC. That was impressive. As we discussed, black seemed to be to classify the bad guys. I think Kopaka should have light bley and Lewa should have light green, in keeping with tradition and making them colorful, as well as representing their element. (Pohatu and brown are down their own path now that I can't even think of what would be a good replacement color for him.)

As for light bley, it doesn't look as ugly IMO. You pointed out the Kikanalo. Good. That' two pieces that I was happy about. I even didn't make a connection to bley. Light bley, being a lighter color, is fine with me, especially since it doesn't plague things with the absence of color.

The muscle areas of BIONICLE do look grey/silver in the movies, though... unless you'd have preferred sand purple? Though if this is gunmetal, I'll be happy as a clam (as it is, I can't see any of the parts besides Pohatu's chest armor being that color). I didn't mind the bley in the Metru & Company until it became overused in the same color schemes over and over. Had the Hordika, Metruan, and maybe Vahki had different primary colors I'd have been happy.

 

I saw the Marine Corps band play recently. Bayonets can be incredibly awesome, believe me. It's like a spear, but on a gun. And while I can't see him juggling the » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Midak Skyblasterlike I can see someone doing with a real gun, there is still a level of grace visible in the weapon.

OK. To each his own. I just don't think a bayonet is conventional, where as he used to have a sword (or double sword) and was pretty awesome with it IMO.

I never got to see him being even slightly graceful with his old sword. That changed with his new sword in MoL, but I still feel his bayonet is pretty good at evoking the feel his old sword did. Ah... the good ol' days...

 

Can't wait to see actual photographs of the new sets. And Tiome, once better official pics of the new Nuva are available I'll begin waiting for those edits!