This is one of the best blog entries I have seen in a long time. (Okay, not that long, blogs just started. )
I really like your blog, Bonesii, you delve int othe deeper meaning of BIONICLE. I like you as a BZP person (although I don't know you) because you try to find that which is deeper than the outside. I like to do that as well. I don't look at the Mahri alone; I look at what led to the Mahri and how they fit in to the BIONICLE franchise. I agree wholeheartedly on soem points, not so on others. I agree that BIONICLE is headed in the right direction, and that "cool" can be determined by so many things that we consider everyday. Take the sun for example. As you showed, the sun looks like a Zamor sphere. It looks like a Zamor sphere. But it's not.
The Barraki were one of the greatest genius BIONICLE ideas ever. Taking oceanic creatures and combining them with BIONICLE's mechanical style, in essence humanizing them. You now have Pridak, Mantax, Ehlek, Carapar, Takadox, and my personal favorite, Kalmah.
Where I disagree is the Mahri. I believe the direction was right. Scuba-diver heroes, in essence. Cool. But as they say, right idea, bad execution. Scuba divers are not fish, and while the idea to mix them was "cool", they don't look that great. (Granted, they are prototypes, and the person who posed them tried to make them look bad. )
The Cornak blasters (official name) are okay. I can't say I'm crazy about them, but I wasn't crazy about Squid Launchers at first, but once I got the hang of them, they're actually quite great. But the blasters just seem too big, too bulky.
The Mahri themselvse hold mixed feelings. Again, right idea, bad execution. Jaller looks great. Hewkii's mask, IMO, looks horrid. A lot of the designs lack, such as Kongu. Two collectible launchers, and no personal weapon?
What I look for in BIONICLE is the innovative, the new, and the just plan awesome. The Barraki had that. The Inika had that. The Piraka had that. The Bahrag had that. Umbra had that. Vezon and Fenrakk had that. The 2007 Titans have that. The Mahri don't for me. Jaller, Hahli, and Hewkii have nice designs. (Excluding Hewkii's mask.) But the ones I like have the innovative, the new, and the plan awesome. The rest do not. Hewkii's arm is a new, great idea. Hahli's wings, amazing. Jaller, just plan awesome. Nuparu, lacking. Matoro, not so well done. Kongu, lacking. See what i mean?
But I agree with you that BIONICLE remains strong, remains innovative as a whole franchise, and remains, well, just plan cool.
And by the way, those pictures are awesome.