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Aanchir

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  1. Aanchir
    Thanks to money obtained from a summer job, I was able to provide my brother Lyichir with a very special Christmas present: The Special Edition Jetrax T6! He has given me permission to review it here in my blog.
     
    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
     
    Jetrax's box is, like Mazeka's, very similar to that of the Rockoh T3. If you want an in-depth look at the motifs of that box, visit my Rockoh T3 review Like Mazeka's though, there are some significant differences, particularly in the special edition version of the set:
    The word BIONICLE with the signature Ignikaman in the "O" is gold on all sides of the box. The box is waaay larger-- even in height to Takanuva's box but about twice as wide. Beneath the nose of the vehicle on the front of the box is a big ol' yeller circle (similar to Mazeka's), screaming "Limited Edition" above and "New Color" below a graphic best described as {New Antroz standing} {plus sign} {Jetrax in landing position}. The words "Limited Edition- New Color" appear in yellow text on the left side of the box in three languages. The layout of the box is almost identical to Rockoh's aside from these points. Interestingly, though, we notice some facts about the vehicle sets in general-- each has a completely unique backdrop on the front of the box. While all depict the swamp, they are different places in the swamp, and I noticed while browsing sets in Target once that the Axalara T9's even shows the Codrex with a distant Rockoh T3 emerging.
     
    On the back of the box the layout is just as similar. An actual-size Antroz stands in front of the folded yellow Jetrax T6, beneath the BIONICLE logo, the name "Jetrax T6 (which, while not as prominent, is also gold-colored), and a picture of presumably some Danish kid's hand holding Jetrax T6 by its handle. A sidebar to the right shows the other two T-vehicles, and four images run along the bottom of the box-- the first showing the Jetrax unfolding when the top button is pressed, the second showing it folding when the bottom button is pressed, the third showing the cockpit closing over Antroz, and the fourth showing a hand using one of the Midak Skyblasters. All but the last have easy-to-understand arrows explaining each scene's action. The B.I.O. code and the LEGO logo appear in the bottom right-hand corner along with the set number.
     
    Moving on, we see that like the other T-vehicles the yellow Jetrax T6 has three instruction booklets and three bags of parts (notably fewer bags than Rockoh's four). You'll surely be in a hurry to open the first of each. The instruction booklets are much like Rockoh's, with a Phantoka and Av/Shadow Matoran blurb on the back of the first, a Mistika blurb on the back of the second, and a large boxed set blurb inside the back of the first. Notably, though, the Jetrax has the T-vehicle set blurbs (including, surprisingly, the blue version of the set alongside the other two sets) on the two-page spread before the one-page blurb for Vultraz, Takanuva, and Toa Ignika, the third of which kind of spoils the consistency of the page with his "hexagon tunnel" backdrop rather than the swamp backdrop of every other set's "window" The window frames, by the way, have our favorite Codrex pattern of concentric circles around the Ignikaman.
     
    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
     
    Instruction booklet one begins by instructing you to open bag one, containing Antroz's parts. Antroz is a simple build whose appearance will be addressed in detail in later sections. His mask notably varies from the masks of the Pohatu and Lewa figures in the other T-vehicles in that it uses a red pin to attach to the head, thus eliminating the need for a hole in the front. Was this worthwhile? I cannot say. You are then instructed to open bag two and begin building the Jetrax T6. For its awkward shape and largely pin-and-beam structure, the center part of the craft's body is rather sturdy. It also looks clunky as it is being built, but will take on a more streamlined appearance later in the same instruction booklet. The instruction booklet ends when the structure of the cockpit is complete.
     
    The next instruction booklet addresses the cockpit's rollcage and details such as the handlebars, auxiliary engines, and rear landing gear. Several Kopaka Nuva Phantoka Blizzard Blades appear near the cockpit, laser beam pieces included. I am unsure if these are meant to resemble blasters or some sort of targeting system (essential for Antroz's vision). About halfway through this instruction booklet Antroz is hooked into the cockpit and the third phase of building (using the third bag of parts) begins. This essentially consists of the wings, handle, and massive engines, possibly the best-selling sections of the craft. It uses the popular four-knob gears also featured in the other T-vehicles as well as older sets like the Ussanui. Gear functions may be back, but the old toothed variety of gears from the Toa Mata may very well have disappeared without any sort of fanfare.
     
    The last instruction booklet is where the action features of the set begin to come together. This means lots of beams, pins, and rubber bands. At multiple points during construction a hand is shown pressing the large beam either above or below to switch from open to closed mode, since different parts of the wings are easier in different positions.
     
    When Lyichir was building this he misaligned the central beam, attaching it one hole too low. Believe me, you do not want to do this. When the craft seemed finished the action feature failed to work as spontaneously and Lyichir had to undo several parts of the construction to fix this problem. Pay close attention to this part, people.
     
    Once the wings are finally attached via several pins, the Toa Matau Aero Slicers that cover the connection points of the two sections are the last addition. At last the Jetrax T6 is done!
     
    Set Design
    Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.
     
    Antroz's vehicle form is, unlike Lewa and Pohatu's adaptive vehicle forms, scarcely like his original form. Besides some vaguely familiar patterns on his forehead and the shape of the new mask's eyes, there are few similarities between this form of the Jutlin and the other, although to be fair some forms of the Kraahkan have been worse in regard to similarity. His armor is entirely different. I am able to forgive this, however, because I notice that it is almost the same as Icarax's in several ways, despite having simpler but still similar feet and shorter lower arms. Perhaps the set designers originally planned for Icarax to ride it, but changed their minds for some reason? Maybe they wanted a more familiar character, i.e., a non-exclusive set. Perhaps the story team found it impossible to give Icarax a role that helped to fulfill The Plan. Or perhaps the set designers just wanted to reflect Antroz's role as a fitter deputy leader for the Brotherhood. No idea, but my drawings will find a way to explain this as the story has not.
     
    Newly-colored parts in the Jetrax T6 abound, from the yellow Bitil wings/Onua shields to the silver Krika front leg pieces. Surprisingly, my brother's Jetrax T6 had light bley-looking handlebars (Jaller Mahri torso armor for the less-aware) rather than the silver featured in the instructions and images of the set. Since a similar thing happened with my younger brother Meiko's Onua Mistika set's blaster, it seems to be just discoloration, but don't forget that these things happen even today.
     
    There is also one new part to BIONICLE-- a large dark bley System wheel piece, previously featured in the Vikings and Castle sets as well as a firefighting hovercraft and next year's steamroller. Clearly LEGO sees no objection to the use of these moderately-detailed pieces outside old-fashioned lines like Castle and Vikings, and I agree that they work fine on this set as part of the large engines.
     
    Some people will be disappointed with several of the set's pins. Not only are the standards in bright, high-visibility colors (blue 3-length pins, blue pin-axles, red 2-length axles, etc), but some of the pin-axlehole pieces (the types used to attach Kopaka Phantoka's wings on) are in red. Not all of them are in this color, though, only those used to attach the wing section to the nose, and these are largely covered with the aforementioned aero-slicers.
     
    The spikiness of the overall vehicle is in sharp contrast to the other two with their flowing curves and simple angles. It's no wonder this was the vehicle chosen to have a Makuta pilot in the set rather than a Toa Nuva. It still looks O.K. with a Toa Nuva rider, however, but there is a catch.
     
    Antroz attaches to his seat with a pin on his back, as well as axles on the vehicle that attach to his feet. For this reason Kopaka cannot fit nearly as snugly without some modification. Sorry to you who planned to put the vehicle's owner behind the controls. Thankfully Kopaka's color scheme is not as bad as I'd feared against the vivid yellow, not that he ever rides this version of the craft in story.
     
    Speaking of the yellow, the reason Lyi wanted this version was in part that it matches the other two T-vehicles better than the severe amount of silver on the original. Broad areas of color better match Rockoh and Axalara, so that might be something to bear in mind when buying this set.
     
    Playability
    The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?
     
    The action features of the set work like a charm in most cases. When the cockpit's rollcage is open, it does flop around a bit, but thanks to a piece of flex tubing it holds its shape when not being handled and stays in the right shape when closed.
     
    The wings work well with their folding feature, and when closed the Bitil wings on the engines become nearly vertical. The action feature is operated by pressing the Matoro Mahri armor on the nose of the vehicle flat-- this opens the wings. When the wings are open, the central beam mentioned earlier sticks out past the bottom of the handle-- one can press this manually or simply land the vehicle with a firm press against the floor to fold the wings back. The landing gear near the cockpit works well for either play or display.
     
    The Midak Skyblasters of the vehicle are easy to reach even when holding the handle of the vehicle-- unfortunately, the amount of force it takes to launch these is hard to exert when one hand is supporting the weight of the vehicle, and aiming the blasters as you whoosh the vehicle around is difficult.
     
    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
     
    Pros
    What's to like?
    Action features cause a dramatic and exciting transformation in the vehicle, and work like a charm Several yellow parts for your collection, or just for a vivid shelf display of the set Good-sized vehicle that looks like a conceiveable flying machine. Cons What's not to like?
    Simple Antroz figure lacks much similarity to his older form Yellow parts aren't nearly as easy to use in MOCs as silver ones Hard-to-launch blasters on a heavy vehicle Overall, I don't like this set as much as the Rockoh, but it is certainly just as much worth the cost. There are several reasons to buy either version of the set, but I think Lyi was right to want the yellow special edition version. But be wary-- store exclusive sets don't always stay on the shelves as long as regular ones. If you want it, buy this set while you can!
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  2. Aanchir

    Rockoh T3 Review

    By Aanchir,

    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
     
    Rockoh's box is a real beauty. On the front you see the Ignika-styled Vitruvian man surrounded by the concentric circular carvings of the Codrex, just as on the Mistika canisters. The difference here is that Little Iggy Faceman is lined up perfectly with the "O" of the word BIONICLE. This touch is made slightly less amazing by the imperfect roundness of the O (or apparently imperfect, anyway), but the effect is very nice and can be seen on any of the large boxed sets.
     
    Overlying this pattern of circles and lines that appears around Iggy Faceman (who I will henceforth call such in this review, even though he isn't a prominent feature in it) is a textured pattern of-- if you've been with BIONICLE for the past year, you might be able to guess-- hexagons. But these vary from those which appeared over the edges of the swamo background for the summer sets (including Rockoh) and the ones appearing around the edges of the Phantoka canister backdrops in that these hexagons do not touch on the edges. This gives a feel of hexagonal bolts, as does the way the shading opposes that of the inlaid hexagons of the swamp background. It may or may not impact my liking of the packaging-- really, I can't say it makes much of a difference, but perhaps the influence is subconscious.
     
    Rockoh and his rider burst forth from the swampy backdrop, overlapping parts of the blue Faceman-and-circles border, with visible speed lines trailing behind the wing tips. Two Zamors-- err, "light spheres"-- are fired from the craft's front. Truly a sight to behold.
     
    On the back, an actual size Pohatu stands before the folded and parked Rockoh in the same beautiful 3-D. Above, the word BIONICLE features the same Faceman-in-the-O, and a hand holds Rockoh to further demonstrate the craft's size as well as the handle. A column of swampy background appears along one side with Axalara and Jetrax bursting through the fourth wall. And of course, we see the obligatory B.I.O. code and demonstrations of the action features along the bottom.
     
    The sides of the box, needless to say, are boring. Let's open them and see what's inside. (Metaphorically, of course; I opened them days ago.)
     
    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
     
    There are three instruction booklets and an assortment of bags numbered one through four. The first bag and the beginning of the first booklet focus on Pohatu. A pretty simple build, but instead of rushing take time to marvel at the pieces and the surprising stylistic consistency between some of them. Pohatu's mask goes well with the Jaller Inika armor used on his back, which makes up for the torso's holes where the obvious similar shape of the torso to the Pohatu Phantoka's didn't. Set him aside to adore later, and move on to the vehicle.
     
    The #2 bags start Rockoh's aft, whose construction foreshadows the vehicle's firmness and stability. It does this because much of its construction is through pins and the occasional three- to five-length rod. Longer rods are almost invariably reserved for aspects of the action features.
     
    Until the mostly pin-and-beam structure is out of the way, don't build ahead. I accidentally pushed some pins in prematurely and had to puzzle for a brief minute why the gearbox for the action feature wouldn't attach right.
     
    Bag #4 is for the Zamor launcher and gearbox. The parts slide together firmly, even though they are built separately, and make for a very solid body. The beams that finish the vehicle's front and the panels and wings that fill it out come in the number 4 bags. Some easy (if not quick) builds after that, and the craft is done!
     
    Set Design
    Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.
     
    The new parts of the set are basically limited to Pohatu's visor and the dark green side panels. The visor is very nice, and its contours are subtle-- the eyes and head are still very visible through it. Among its contours are an arrow-like pattern on the forehead and two rims around the eyes, the latter seeming almost custom-tailored to match the original Kakama's eyeholes. Four fins mimic the Kakama Nuva's original aerodynamic spines very well, and maintain a subtle pattern with minimal impact on the mask's overall stylistic consistency. The side panels are simplistic, but seem very promising for System and Technic MOCs alike.
     
    The new Pohatu is considerably taller than the old. In fact, he stands a stud shorter than Kopaka Phantoka, two studs shorter than Lewa Phantoka, and even in height to Tahu Mistika. Still, he is shorter than what I use as the standard of height for Toa these days (the Toa Inika) and fits much more comfortably on the Rockoh than a Toa of Pohatu Phantoka's stature would be able to.
     
    The Rockoh expresses great stylistic consistency, and one has to marvel at such details as the seat and handlebars. The only part that might corrupt its stylistic consistency is the Gahlok Kal shield on either side. These admittedly don't match any part of the craft in style and were probably little more than space-fillers for a ship that already has gaping holes immediately in front of these pieces (I don't mind the holes, of course, as it keeps Zamor spheres from getting trapped in the ship's body)
     
    The ship can rest neatly on its handle as well as two small, immovable Mahri blades on the craft's tail. Thus the craft can sit on a shelf nicely but still not have bulky or protruding landing gear. Overall, the set is beautifully designed.
     
    Playability
    The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?
     
    Pohatu fits in the Rockoh's seat nicely, and a long rod protruding from either side of the craft serves as a pair of footholds or pedals. His hands attach to the handlebars nicely, which is good considering their vast physical difference from actual hands.
     
    The cannon on the vehicle's underside operates with a lever on the side of the ship. Some regret that it was not a more easily accessible trigger, since playing with the craft now requires both hands, but I think it a good thing that we'll have less to fear from those who see Rockoh as just "a big gun."
     
    There are six Zamors which can be easily reloaded into the cartridge on top of the ship, which features a simple two-piece addition that effectively eliminates all risk of the Zamors falling out when the vehicle is turned upside-down. But this construction still allows you to pop the Zamors in just as easily, perhaps moreso now that you don't have to carefully nestle them in like in the launchers of the Toa Inika.
     
    The wings also have an action feature, as the front pair fold over the top of the vehicle with the simple turn of a wheel beneath the main engine. A display at Target stores calls the guns mounted on these "rockslide cannons", and I await a response from Greg as to whether this is an official name. The guns, by the way, feature transparent red System parts, so as always there's no need for guilt-tripping over inconspicuous use of System in an MOC which is supposed to pose as a palateable set.
     
    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
     
    Pros
    What's to like?
    Beautiful reimagining of the new Kakama Nuva (and Pohatu, for that matter) Lots of parts in great colors, put together on a wonderfully colorful set Supporting the return of action features to their rightful niche-- sets in which poseability is a non-issue Lots of Kopaka Phantoka wings, pins, and beams A moderately-sized and -priced vehicle set Cons What's not to like?
    Pohatu's short stature is, for the most part, gone (but then, Onua is worse in that department). Folding feature is nowhere near as exciting as on Axalara or Jetrax. Replacing all those blue pins will vastly deplete your resources of black ones. (but come on, who wastes their time on that?) Sorry, guys, you don't get a horrendous new Kakama Nuva that destroys the sanctity of the original. I hear a lot of whining for LEGO to give us one of those. On the same note, Pohatu's still orange. None of these cons are too grating on my appreciation of the set (the last three, after all, clash with my stances on BIONICLE and were mostly included because noone takes a review seriously if they see "flaws" that are glazed over-- plus, I was running out of cons). Pohatu's tallness is sadly near-irreparable; I tried to shorten his upper limbs and it negatively impacted his ability to comfortably pilot the vehicle. The folding feature, however, is to me at least worth the price to have a launcher that doesn't require so much force or grasping around for the tiny trigger. Not to mention a launcher that you can easily reload in the middle of play. I hope my review convinces you to give Rockoh T3 a second look, and hopefully come to love it as much as I do.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  3. Aanchir
    Do NOT ask why we have fewer new pieces than we used to, because we don't. Toa Mata had 21 new parts, Bohrok had 24 (and only if you count every type of Krana, which not even a full set of six Bohrok will get you), Bohrok Kal had... 6, Rahkshi had 27, Toa Metru had 22 (in the US), Vahki had 12 (again, in the US), Toa Hordika had 23 (in the US), Visorak had 15 (you know the drill), Piraka had 22, Toa Inika had 24, Barraki had 25, Toa Mahri had 22, Phantoka had 24, and Mistika had 22. Clearly people who think there are fewer new parts per series today than in the early years of BIONICLE either are too lazy to count or don't know how. Do NOT ask why we have not gotten a new construction style since 2006. Technically, we have. The Barraki were loaded with different torso constructions, even if the limbs were mostly the same as we've had since 2006. The Makuta Mistika, meanwhile, had equally creative torso constructions, and like the Makuta Phantoka had creative limbs, to boot. Do NOT think that we have fewer Toa constructions than usual, either. True, the Toa Inika, Mahri, and Nuva Phantoka/Mistika have all had relatively similar torso constructions. But bear in mind that we have had three torso pieces for Toa since 2006-- the Inika torso (with a fair variety of supplemental armor styles in and of itself), the Piraka torso, and the Kongu Mahri torso. Three isn't many unless you consider that we had only ONE torso construction for Toa between 2001 and 2003. 2004-2005 Toa all had the same torso as well, besides the Toa Hordika who may or may not count in your own opinion. Do NOT think that the torsos we have had on recent Toa have been blocky and unuseable. It doesn't take a genius to tell that the same could be said of the Rahkshi torsos, the Bohrok torsos (more on the "blocky" charge than the "unuseable" one in this case), the Mata/Nuva torsos, the Toa Metru torsos, and the Toa Hordika torsos. While a good MOCist can put any of these torsos to use, it's easier to use a Piraka or Inika torso in most cases, and LEGO has proven that time and time again with our Titan and Warrior sets. Do NOT think that the blue and red pins have ANYTHING to do with set design. The need for those is decided by focus groups and market research, not by the whims of the set designers. They will be changed back as soon as the target market decides that it is a good decision, which could as easily be next summer as never (though one would have to wonder what reason there could possibly be for a soon change when the blue and red pins are more of an asset than a liability among any but serious collectors). Do NOT ask why LEGO caters to the desires of younger or newer fans before older, devoted ones. The reason is obvious: They've always done that, and better to satisfy reasonable standards than those that have become ridiculously high through MOCing, etc. ToM Dracone is the ONLY MOCist who I have seen develop reasonable means of satiating older fans and their taste for nostalgia. Do NOT ask why the new Nuva look "nothing" like the old ones. At least, don't phrase it like that. Greg has told us multiple times that the set designers tried to maintain similarities where it was important, and there's no need to diss the set designers on having different priorities than the typical older fan. There are of course plenty of decent questions to ask. On page 3 of the questions I asked my own, while I'm encouraging Lyichir to post some others we've thought of. I'd list these, but I'd hate those questions to end up dupes! But you're safest to ask "what" questions rather than "why"-- what to expect, what any aspect of set design entails, or what role other LEGO staff might have in set design. I hope the questions returned are all useful-- remember, "Ask a stupid question..."
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  4. Aanchir
    When I first began to see the entries for the Aqua Blaster Blade contest, I was very concerned. Many were cluttered, lacking stylistic consistency between their parts. Many used too many non-BIONICLE components such as Technic beams, rendering them awkward as Toa tools. Many were enormous and unwieldy, which makes it perfectly clear that at least half of the entrants must have seen this as a second chance after losing the Xian Weapons contest, completely ignoring the purpose of the contest to give Toa Mahri Nuparu a decent new tool.
     
    For this reason, I was strongly in support of my own entry, which I specifically designed to defy these flaws, as well as to use tools that did not explicitly feel like “someone else’s.” And I lost, and I was afraid to look back at the contest lest I see a poor MOC make it further than my entry.
     
    Today I worked up the nerve to look at the winning entry on BS01’s article for the Aqua Blaster Blade. I half-expected a ridiculously large conglomeration of beams with maybe some BIONICLE tools pasted on. I was proven oh-so-wrong.
     
    The winner of the contest is magnificent. It exhibits some degree of stylistic consistency with the quadrilateral patterns of Nuparu’s armor, mask, and shield. It flows together, acting as a single weapon even if made of numerous parts. It is a decent size and shape, fitting the criteria for a Toa tool, particularly the Aqua Blaster Blade. And most of all, it does not seem like some other tool for some other Toa, proving itself distinct from the tools of Toa Mahri Hewkii and Onua Nuva Mistika, whose parts it utilizes.
     
    My confidence in the judgement of the populace of BZPower and BS01 has been reaffirmed. I apologize for not being steadfast in this confidence, and I congratulate the builder of this tool and all who voted for it for their impeccable judgement.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
     
  5. Aanchir

    Toa Nuva Mocs...

    By Aanchir,

    ...are far too often nothing like the Nuva.
     
    Quite a few lately have been "improved" versions of the new Toa Nuva, which regrettably are every bit as bad as the "improved versions" we see on Brickshelf from 2001 and 2002. Essentially, a clutter of armor thrown onto either the original set or some blocky framework meant to somehow look like a Toa. Search "Pohatu Nuva" on Brickshelf and you'll scarcely find a decent MOC. I've seen about one so far.
     
    And what ever happened to color scheme? MOCs you see these days tend to use trans. green and trans. neon green Bohrok eyes on MOCs as if they were a part of the color scheme-- never mind that they are typically placed on the waist or feet, with no notable uses of the colors anywhere else on the MOC. And let's not ignore the mindset of "use the old Nuva color scheme, plus Metru colors out of necessity, plus ample bley and black because neutral colors can't possibly hurt a color scheme". (It takes a great deal of stamina to refrain from segueing into a rant about the opposition to blue and red pins and axles).
     
    I have scarcely seen a decent Nuva MOC since the Mistika came out. After the announcement of new Toa Nuva sets, there was a flood of ingenuity in Nuva MOCs. About time, too, since previous attempts had either been the aforementioned "improved versions" of the early years or Metru Toamods (which admittedly I myself produced at one point, depicting the Mata rather than the Nuva with little improvement on the meager concept the Metru Toamod embodies). After the release of the Toa Nuva Phantoka, we saw people adopt the new model provided for them. ToM Dracone built a stunning Lewa Nuva Phantoka MOC based on the idea of thicker silver-and-bley armor, while Bundalings offered MOCs of Tahu, Gali, and Onua Nuva which were creative to say the least.
     
    Meanwhile, LEGO proved that its talent with Toamods far surpassed that of MOCists, producing sets that not only looked good but also had some creativity, far surpassing the "improved version" Toamods with their excessive armor and the "series-imitation" Toamods with no premise beyond "Hey, let's put this dude's mask and tools on a Metru/Piraka body!"
     
    [/rant]
     
    I hope to do a Mistika/Phantoka photoshoot soon. In the meantime, Lyi and I have a new MOC we're expecting a good response to. Pics are taken, and we hope to post it in the near future.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  6. Aanchir

    Hi. << >>

    By Aanchir,

    Errr… glad to still be alive?
     
    Many apologies for not having been on any of my usual sites in weeks. My laptop’s adapter is broken and has been for a very long time, but the most direct reason for my inactivity is that my brother’s adapter has broken as well! It still functions when you line it up right, but… since I’m uncomfortable on any computers besides my own laptop and the school computers (maybe in part because of this “tab” business I have to deal with on more recent versions of Internet Explorer), I’ve tried to avoid social interactions on the internet and have restricted myself to the sort of news-browsing and Wikipedia-scavenging that I can more easily get away with at school.
     
    This is being typed at school on Microsoft Word, and will most likely be put on other sites via flash drive.
     
    Now, in the news department:
     
    - My brother has finally given me the initiative to get up off my Do not bypass the word filter! <<DV>> and draw HSB artwork. So draw I did, and as of today (10/3/08) I have a WIP drawing of Gorast in a pose I’ve been trying to manage for a long time (still need to decide what to do with those extra arms). I am also looking into drawing Teridax, though I remain uncertain what the pose will be and am considering a rather macabre comic that demonstrates how a humanoid being can replicate the bizarrities of the Makuta species.
     
    - I’ve also worked to expand my artwork, not only into other styles of BIONICLE but also beyond BIONICLE and into such other media as Artemis Fowl. Sometime I’m gonna have to scan in that latest drawing of Artemis, which depicts the Irish youth better than I could have thought possible. In all sincerity I sketched his face, left the drawing in my backpack, and came back to it to wonder “why didn’t I keep going with this?” So be prepared to see that.
     
    - I’ve lately been playing Tetris considerably. I’ve managed to reduce the symptoms of Tetris syndrome (which is a condition after playing a repetitive strategy game a lot that causes you to visualize strategies and gameplay even when not playing), but besides my recently created file in my brother’s town on Animal Crossing: Wild World, Tetris is basically the only video game I play.
     
    - I wonder how the Aqua Blaster Blade contest is going… Wow, BZP’s had a good deal of news since I left. Maybe I’ll check that when I get home to the remaining laptop computer. *checks contest* Wow, polls are up. Everyone interested should check Bioran23’s blog. My entry is in preliminary poll “Pineapple.”
     
    - I read the latest book of the Inheritance Cycle (which currently consists of Eragon, Eldest, and the latest installment, Brisingr). The author is really nowhere near as bad as some people claim, and has managed to churn out a creative (if excessively verbose) tale while using both traditional and modern fantasy archetypes. Of course, he had my vote as soon as I learned he didn’t use the word “Orc.”
     
    Hope the site is still running well. I’m sure if any annoying trends have emerged my absence did little to prevent them, though of course I am no firewall against the negative side of internet society. I’ll try not to get into another “crusade of reason” in the sets forum when I return, though of course we all know that if a conflict arises I will be there to at least offer one of my tirades in the defense of logical acknowledgement of LEGO’s successes and failures. Can't wait to come back for longer!
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
     
    EDIT: Didn't realize that that word qualified as bypassing the word filter. I can explicitly remember Omicron using it at one point, and believe me, I had no reservations about using it since it did not seem to me an infraction of the rules. Glad to now have a more authoritative example to look to when determining what term's allowed and what isn't.
  7. Aanchir

    Klakk Review

    By Aanchir,

    Again, a pictureless review. But hopefully there won't be enough to say about it that it needs pics. I've seen a couple decent reviews of this, but I will try to surpass them in adequately explaining this enigmatic set.
     
    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
     
    For those familiar with Brickmaster magazine, you probably know that the set arrives in a corrugated cardboard box. However, recently (I forget how long this has been going on) the set and magazine have been shipped together, no doubt to prevent one or the other from getting lost in the mail. Thus we have a considerably large box (roughly 8.5" x 13") holding the magazine, the set, and the much-anticipated new comic.
     
    The set is in a bag akin to most small LEGO set packaging. Far more ephemeral than the typical BIONICLE packaging, but there's not much to see. The Klakk appears on the front at around actual size (larger than you might expect) above the address for BIONICLE.com and the obligatory Brickmaster logo that sets this apart as an exclusive set.
     
    On the back of the bag you see an image of the Klakk in a "perched" position on all fours, as well as images and set numbers for (oddly enough) the six Matoran sets. I wonder if this is meant to go with them in any way...?
     
    The instruction booklet features the image from the front of the bag and is surprisingly large. It is smaller than the typical canister set instruction booklet or the Toa Mahri/Mahritoran instruction booklets, but larger than your average small set instruction booklet. It warns you to divide the pieces neatly on a table and not on a rug as is the case with most post-2006 set instructions, but of course all but the pins and rods (plus a few connectors) came out with the instructions so a rug will have to do. Let's start building.
     
    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
     
    The construction of the Klakk is about as straightforward as it looks on the box, but you'll be surprised how nice it is to build a set this small that does not adhere to the norms for Matoran and similarly-sized sets.
     
    Set Design
    Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.
     
    I'll begin by stating the obvious: you should NOT get a subscription just for this model. The magazine and comic have beautiful pics to which internet scans pale in imitation. But if you didn't think of buying the magazine until now, feel free to keep waiting.
     
    Bottom view is possibly this set's worst angle due to its hollow chest. Thus it should be no surprise that the image on the box doesn't do it justice. So unless you hang it from your ceiling, it makes a good display piece.
     
    The Klakk looks great overall, and the Aqua Warblade and Mistika jets blend well with the head to produce a cohesive whole. The black wings are a bit of a bother color-scheme-wise, and I'd have much preferred the gunmetal-and-silver blend from Vamprah's (thank you Bunda) front wings.
     
    The jets on the head give the set a Boom-Box appearance similar to the Pokemon Loudred. Not a bad look for something with sonic powers.
     
    The set hasn't got much to say for itself stylistically, but that's what one should expect of a 38-piece set with no new pieces to itself. Though if you need other sets' parts, like the jet engines, Gorast claws, or white waist and torso, this is a set to look forward to.
     
    Playability
    The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?
     
    Since the Klakk has no action features, you'd think there'd be nothing to say here, but you'd be wrong. The Klakk's poseability fits the bill, and let me tell you that it is superb. The arms, puny as they are, are perfectly-sized to grasp something to the creature's chest. Tridax pod? Unwary matoran? Homestar Runner fans, imagine the answer in a LIMOZEEN voice: I don't know! That's how it went through my head. But I'm sure you'll be able to put off scrapping this baby long enough to experiment a bit.
     
    The wings have a wide range of motion, greater than that of Mutran's wings. I do not kid. While the joints are black, upsetting the color scheme as much as the wings, they were still a delight to see in the instructions. Sadly, the body is too small for the wings to fold behind ol' Klakky too well. Ah, well. Also note that most reasonable poses are possible in spite of the massive warblade coming off the back of the head
     
    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
     
    Pros
    What's to like?
    Good set of parts Great poseability Pretty great-looking for a freebie Cons What's not to like?
    No action features Simpler than we've seen since... well, I guess the Hydruka. And I feel it beats those. But still simpler than some would like. Really, as I said above, the $50-some price of Brickmaster is a waste of money for this set alone. But I hope noone thought that that would be a reasonable price for any freebie set like this. I am confident that, while it has NO action features, people who buy this set will put it to good use, either as scrap or as part of the collection. As was the case with Takanuva, if you know what you're getting into you're likely to appreciate this set.
  8. Aanchir

    Takanuva 2008 Review

    By Aanchir,

    Sorry, still pictureless. Forgot to get pics of the building process, and I'm sure you can find plenty of poses and comparison pics to smaller Toa, as well as pics from different angles, on Brickshelf. In fact, building-process pics should be easily accessible thanks to LEGO's highly convenient online building instructions. Anyway, on to the review!
     
    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
     
    The front of Takanuva's box is much like the front of Rockoh's. Naturally, the speed line effect is gone, although there remain speed lines behind the Zamor/light sphere, which originate from a stunning flash of light in front of the launcher. The border details still involve the Vitruvian Man pattern of the Codrex in the center of BIONICLE's O, with concentric circles and intersecting lines radiating from that central point. The studded hexagons that interspersed Rockoh's, though, are gone from both the front and back of the box, replacing the industrial feel with that of something pure and mystical, like the big man himself.
     
    Speaking of "the big man," the pic of Takanuva on the front of the box is, like Pohatu on the back of Rockoh's box, actual size. Well, to an extent. It is impossible to perfectly match the size of a 3-D figure to the size of an image when perspective is brought into play, so only at around waist-deep does it correlate perfectly to the set. Further back parts will appear smaller than the set, and further forward parts like the head appear larger (in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if LEGO expanded the mask a bit just to make the leaning-forward pose more dramatic).
     
    On the back of the box we see a smaller image of Takanuva (though not by much) in a simpler pose. He no longer leans his left side towards us so dramatically in this picture. Like on Rockoh's box, we see the large vehicle/titan sets bursting from a "window" on the right side of this back panel. Below the vehicles in the same window are the Mistika sets, clustered around their series logo. Naturally, Takanuva's B.I.O. code rests between his feet, while his "action features" are demonstrated below (if you can call them that-- the first is merely the ability of the staff to spin in his hand, while the second is the by-now-familiar Midak Skyblaster).
     
    The left side of the box features a smaller version of the front image, while the top features a (relievingly) actual size image of the new Kanohi Avohkii. Nothing else of note appears on the box.
     
    The instructions of Rockoh of course featured the usual ads, but nothing of note (really, they were only "filler" for the back page of each booklet). Takanuva's one instruction booklet, however, is thicker than any of Rockoh's and features two-page spreads advertising first the Phantoka and Karda Nui Matoran, second the Mistika, and third the vehicle sets (including Toa Ignika and Vultraz, two not featured on the box's exterior, but not the exclusive set Mazeka). But before we get to that, let's go through the front of the booklet and the processes involved in building.
     
    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
     
    Takanuva's parts are divided into bags numbered 1-3. Bag one contains his torso pieces, including his "shoulder blades" and waist support joints. The build is as basic as one might expect for a Toa set with no particular distinctions in stature. Of course, it still has its intricacies and is thus not a fast build even if it is an easy one. I should probably note that this section is mostly attached with pins, which for me slows the build down a bit-- pressing pins is kind of more difficult than sliding things along smooth axles.
     
    The next bag is for the two legs, which are identical and begin with the construction of the feet. These also largely rely on pins, but as you reach the ankles you'll shift into the use of axles for much of the remaining construction to be done on the set. The feet, much like the torso, hold themselves together well,even though you see the first and not the last of pins/axles that stick out beyond where they are needed.
     
    The leg pistons are next constructed, followed by the lower legs. Both are very simple, but that changes with the upper legs. They use ingenious methods to hold the bulky thigh armor on with-- surprise!-- no exposed pins, blue, red, or otherwise. You move on, attaching the legs to the body and then affixing a few more pieces that attach to those support joints we saw earlier.
     
    On to the #3 bags, which contain the arms, Skyblaster, and Power Lance. I should note that the arms, as well as the legs, are somewhat tiresome thanks to being mostly symmetrical. The arms manage to mix it up a bit, since they cannot be built at the same time as one of those "2X" things LEGO loves, but it doesn't take a genius to put them together without needing to consult the two instruction sections individually. The right arm has the Midak Skyblaster, of course, but since it comes first in the instructions it is no great sacrifice to skip the instructions for the left arm.
     
    Shoulder armor attaches to the arms after they are affixed to the body, most likely to make the places the joints attach that much clearer.
     
    The staff is very basic in structure. I'm sure you already know all you need to know about this from the pictures alone. The set is now complete, let's look at what we've built.
     
    Set Design
    Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.
     
    Before we cover the overall aesthetics of the set, I'm sure people would like to hear the nitty-gritty of Takanuva's expanded height. Taka is 41 modules tall, 42 with the mask attached. For comparison, the usual Toa set of today (reference: Toa Inika; Kopaka Nuva Phantoka) is roughly 27 modules in height including the mask. Takanuva's mask is also noteworthy for being six modules tall, a bit above most masks (but equal to the height of Gali Mistika's mask). Takanuva, wearing his mask, therefore appears to be seven heads high-- a realistic measurement for humans, but far taller by proportion than is usual for Toa.
     
    The only new piece exclusive to Takanuva is his mask, which oddly enough fits on 2001-2003 Matoran heads! Onua Nuva Mistika's mask also had this trait, but on Takanuva it seemed far more deliberate, with the lower side-spines truncated to line up perfectly with the "whiskers" of the Matoran head. Of course, it comes at a price: Most of the masks this year follow in last year's tradition of not fitting on the more often used Toa Mata heads (even if you remove the visor, the easy solution among the Toa Mahri masks).
     
    Takanuva also features the new Bitil wing piece for his torso armor, Gorast's claw piece for his fingers, three Lewa Nuva Phantoka swords on his tool, and Pohatu Nuva Phantoka's arm pieces on his upper legs. As I explained in the "Building" section, these work marvelously. Older parts that appear in new colors include white Hordika feet and gunmetal/dark silver Takadox heads.
     
    Takanuva is a very sturdy set, and incredibly stable compared to some Titan/Warrior sets of recent years. This is helped by his marvelous suspension, which is for the most part not overly stiff and which furthermore prevents his knees from being double-jointed (able to bend forward as well as back).
     
    Some people complain about Takanuva's red and blue pins. However, when the set is shelved they draw little attention, besides the blue pins on his hands and all along his back. Others are clearer when playing with the set, for those whom it might bother. His back, too, has drawn much criticism for the straight beams used on it which produce a striped effect. Trust me, this is not too bothersome, and the shoulder blades more than make up for it. These, by the way, are Matoran arms on his back that produce added support for his arms.
     
    The biggest flaw I personally found is that his thumbs stick out too far. This could be solved by moving the hand pin onto the other hole in the thumb piece, but it forces you to redesign the attachment of the Power Lance and interferes with the beauty of Takanuva's hands when closed.
     
    Overall, Takanuva is a great set and a cohesive one-- his structure has few gaps or irritating hollow areas and leaves little to be desired.
     
    Playability
    The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?
     
    There's not much to be said here that wasn't addressed above-- while devoid of entertaining action features besides the usual launcher, he poses extremely well and holds together even better.
     
    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
     
    Pros
    What's to like?
    Beautiful new rendition of the Avohkii Well-structured set that holds together and poses well Beautiful new gunmetal armor pieces HUUUUUGE First completely custom-built legs on a humanoid set ever Cons What's not to like?
    Not very entertaining in terms of action features HUUUUUGE Overall, you know what Takanuva is: A titan set, not your average Toa. If that's what you're in the market for, go for it. But he won't be anything spectacular in the field of action features, and will look a little strange in a lineup with the Toa Nuva of this year. There are no serious flaws in his construction, and none in his color scheme unless the pins prove too bothersome. In other words, if you liked the titans of 2006 and 2007, this is the set you've been holding out for to fix their flaws. I encourage anyone who feels differently to get the set just for the mask and the beauty of the set. It's worth every penny.
  9. Aanchir

    Brickfair, Etcetera.

    By Aanchir,

    Everyone loves the Takanuva. He is a terrific athlete.
     
    Now back to business.
     
    I attended Brickfair yesterday. I had lots of fun, but I'll probably wait to describe it in-depth until the official BZPower coverage does a good deal of that for me. But I'll tell you that I got to meet Omicron and Roa McToa, plus got to see ChocolateFrogs again. A worthwhile experience.
     
    At the event my family managed to purchase the Tarakava set, and afterwards got to go to the Tyson's Corner LEGO store, where I bought Rockoh, Lyichir bought Takanuva, and my little brother bought the Ultimate Collector Series AT-ST from LEGO Star Wars. Surprisingly, the prices for the two BIONICLE sets were each ten dollars less than the online prices (Takanuva for $30 US and Rockoh for $40 US), and the AT-ST was marked down dramatically from its original 2006 price of $80 (we got it for $50).
     
    I had gotten to see Rockoh demonstrated by Roa at Brickfair, but after getting the set there were still surprises in store, namely the number of pins used in its construction! It took some time before the massive framework began to take shape. All of the action features work flawlessly, and the new Pohatu mask is spiffabulous. New Pohatu has some evident flaws, but I hope to produce a "best of both worlds" MOC merging this with the amazingness of the original Phantoka set.
     
    Rockoh's true beauty, however, lies in the details. It features a delightfully cushy-looking seat, as well as fabulous handlebars and a well-structured body.
     
    Hope to draw Rockoh and the new Pohatu soon. Of course, after watching the Democratic National Convention, I realized that whatever your views on Obama's policy and personal life decisions, he has a beautifully-sculpted face. Trying to find a BIONICLE character who would look good with his facial features, it hit me: Holy Shrimp, that's my Toa Vakama concept! And so it was, just as I had drawn him long before. So a pic of Toa or Turaga Vakama may be pending now that I have a real face to base it on and to use when working out the kinks in his design.
     
    Also, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox is fabulous. Buy it now.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  10. Aanchir

    Chuck Norris Jokes

    By Aanchir,

    This concerns all of the people who post "anti-Chuck Norris Facts" or just post the "truth" about Chuck Norris to spoil everyone's fun
     
    News flash: No one takes Chuck Norris Jokes seriously.
     
    They are not meant to tell the truth about an aged martial-arts film actor. Their only purpose is to parody the butt-kickin' attitude and aura of the characters Chuck Norris portrays, and in some cases to parody the egotism he is accused of having. No one truly thinks Chuck Norris is some omnipotent being, at least no one reasonable.
     
    But the jokes are funny because they are a facet of Internet culture. The jokes could conceivably apply to anyone, not just Chuck Norris. But if everyone was telling jokes about their own mock hero, the jokes would lose their universal charm. As it is, they have become essentially the positive, non-offensive equivalent of the "your mom" joke.
     
    So please, don't go posting the "truth" about Chuck Norris, because most people know and few people care. I only know a few things about who Chuck Norris really is, and knew squat about it before I checked Wikipedia. But who he is doesn't matter; he is for the sake of these jokes merely a name to paste to them which has connotations of ownage and egotism attached.
  11. Aanchir
    Alright, because I've seen a great number of ridiculous ideas of what the Makuta Mistika are based on, I figured an entry on this would be worthwhile.
     
    Remember that at this stage, these ideas are not laid in stone. Most are merely ideas, albeit ones which I think to be true, and I would be overjoyed if someone can come with a vastly different idea and demonstrate why they feel theirs is correct. Seriously, however awkward some might be, there is a reason you think them to be true, and perhaps a legitimate reason for me to think the same.
     
    Let's begin:


    Makuta Gorast
    This is one of the few I am almost completely certain of. Makuta Gorast is based on a mosquito. My reasons for thinking such, from least to most meaningful, are as follows:Gorast has two thin wings-- a trait mosquitoes share. Gorast's attitude is characterized by an almost suicidal persistence. D'oh! Gorast has a stinger! I can't believe I forgot that one! Thanks to Mr. Spock for reminding me. Gorast is described as "lightthirsty" by Krika in BIONICLE Legends #10. This makes perfectly clear what should already have been evident from the vampiric Makuta Phantoka: light in this sense is the BIONICLE equivalent of blood. Mosquitoes, sucking blood, are therefore the foremost candidate for Gorast's real-world origin. Makuta Bitil
    Again, I have much confidence in my belief that Makuta Bitil is based on a beetle. Reasons from least to most meaningful are as follows:Bitil's head, keeping the other similarities in mind, looks much like it should for a beetle-based Makuta, although other insects have similar heads. Bitil has large, platelike wings-- a trait that is obvious in the wings, or rather wing covers, of beetles. Bitil's name is in fact identical, if I remember correctly, to the Old English origin of the word "beetle." This was the similarity people noticed long before pictures of the sets were even released. On an entirely less serious note, Bitil's head is almost identical in design to the cicada-based Pokemon Ninjask. I am doubtful that Cicadas are a type of beetle, though I'm not at all knowledgeable about that. I just thought it was a cool coincidence.
     
    Makuta Krika
    Here's the one where I would most appreciate the opinions of others. While unsure, I'm leaning toward the suspicion that Makuta Krika is based on a cricket. You know the drill by now.Krika has spiky legs, like some crickets but also like a number of other insects. Krika's face is relatively cricketlike, most notably sharing the highly evident antennae of a cricket and the roundedness of the face. The face's overall shape differs from the taller heads of most crickets, however.
     
    Alternatively (and far more likely-seeming at the time), it is possible that Krika is based on a mantis, specifically a species called the Orchid Mantis.
    Krika can literally "disappear" into the swamp. The Orchid mantis has a similar talent for camouflage, although of course nowhere near as perfect as the magic of BIONICLE powers will allow. Mantises are noted for their long and spiky forelimbs, which hang in front of them as Krika's would had he other legs to support him. The Orchid Mantis can shift from a pinkish-red to a ghostly white. Krika is, like a picture provided recently in the (woe is me!) official 2008 sets topic, is somewhere between the two colors. Offer whatever comments you have; I have seemingly bottomless curiosity based on the sort of questions I tend to ask Greg.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  12. Aanchir

    A Tahu And A Job

    By Aanchir,

    ...I has them.
     
    First, the job. I'm interning at my local paper (which my family essentially owns). I've mostly been doing copy editing, and managed to catch at least two instances where LEGO was not in all caps as it should have been. But two days ago I also got to check out the new hospital being built in a neighboring county with the photographer, which was a neat experience. And yesterday I got to meet the editorial staff.
     
    Now, for the Tahu, or rather the Tahu and Krika. I has them, and I'll give a brief review. Sorry, no pics, still need to get my camera software installed.
     
    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
    First of all, the canisters look awesome. As you're probably aware, the lid is molded in the shape of the Kanohi Ignika, with heavy wear and tear on one side. On Makuta canisters the Ignika faces left, displaying the worn side in front, while on Toa canisters the Ignika is reversed, showing the smooth, pristine left side of the Ignika.
     
    The stickers on the canister are beautiful, featuring to the delight of many (excluding those who need their parents to buy "Mistika" sets) the word BIONICLE in large lettering across the top of the front sticker, with Mistika and the LEGO logo across the bottom. On the back the word Mistika is presented at the top of the canister.
     
    A border around the front sticker widens on the side closest to the Ignika's face, displaying the concentric circles and Vitruvian figure of the Codrex. This pattern used in the border is used more prominently on the back of the canister.
     
    Within this border, perhaps too subtle to be seen unless you have the actual canister or a large photo, are the hexagons typical of Phantoka canisters, this time merely as a texture across the edges of the swampy background.
     
    But beware-- this work of beauty that is the Mistika canister is Karzahni to open, presumably the price we have to pay for such spectacular canister design. Thankfully the perforation lines in the sticker are aligned so that none of the text or pictures are cut into, but even once the stickers are split or cut opening it remains a hassle. As with the Phantoka canisters, there is a half-octagon-shaped hole smaller than the top of the box, so disassembly is assumed to be necessary to stow the completed set and in mosty cases is (Lyichir, my brother, was able to store Gorast just fine).
     
    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
    Tahu, to the relief of those who bought the Karda Nui Matoran and hoped to MOC with the pieces, has an abundance of pins and axles; so many that he has a small plastic bag as packaging for his smaller parts. Krika has no such abundance, his only axles being the two that hold his Nynrah blaster together and the one that holds the Nynrah blaster on his fifth arm. Krika, as you would naturally assume from that, is a simple snap-together build, although one who has not paid close attention to pictures will still need to use the instructions to construct his head, neck, and fifth arm (Don't feel bad, I had to check and make sure I was adding the fifth arm right, as I'm sure many people will intelligently do even if they remember how it was shown in pics).
     
    Tahu, on the other hand, is a mild adventure to build: He may be another simple, "build-from-the-pics-on-the-box" construction, but using the instructions you'll notice that the Piraka thighs used for his forearms are attached like Kopaka's according to the instructions, with the "open" part facing forward when the arms are straight. This boosts his poseability a decent amount-- ironic, since it did the opposite for Kopaka.
     
    Set Design
    Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.
     
    Tahu proves himself to be every bit as good as I'd anticipated. I'll warn you that in overall shape his Hau Nuva is vastly different than previous forms of the Hau and Hau Nuva. But it lends a look very suitable for the newer and more responsible Tahu.
     
    His limbs are beautiful-- more beautiful than I had anticipated, even though I was already warming up to them as soon as I tried using Metru armor on Kopaka to get a better idea of how such a leg would look on a set. No angle suffers for the use of the thinner, shorter armor pieces-- they contribute well to his athletic look, and while he looks less heavily armored there as he does elsewhere he still maintains attractive proportions.
     
    The back of his legs feature a silver claw piece also featured in the same color on the Gorast and Bitil sets. I dislike when a new piece is used so casually on more than one set in a series, particularly on a set representing a different faction, but the parts look good even if they'll be immensely difficult to stylize in my drawings or any others where they are meant to look distinct from Gorast's tools or Bitil's upper legs.
     
    Tahu's torso does not look as hollow as sets such as Hewkii Mahri or Gali Mistika thanks to his jets, whose attachment points fill in the chest cavity slightly. He still looks pretty awful from a direct side view, but most poses won't require such an angle. His silver jets (another new piece, also featured in silver on Gali Mistika or in red on Onua Mistika) look best at an angle at which the left edge of the left jets lines up with the right edge of his left shoulder joint. Hope that wasn't too complicated.
     
    The upper jets feature small dark red wings, also released in Mata Red in Onua Nuva for those seeking to revamp the set in that color (hint: use Hakann's hip/waist joints) or in silver on Gali Nuva and various other sets this year. Stylistically they could look decent next to Kopaka's larger wings but look nowhere near as similar as I imagined when the first pics of the sets came out.
     
    His spinning blade, admittedly, does not scream "Tahu". It lacks the flame motif of his previous weapons, and on their own the blades look small-- nowhere near as awesome as Brave Dragon's concepts for their use as individual daggers. The three "rotors" match the motif of many BIONICLE wings, featuring a triangular hole near the tip, and attach to a rod much like the older ball joint. It remains to be seen if these will remain tight-fitting on an axle after much removal and replacement, but I'd exercise caution in how often I MOC with these parts. Other than that one axle hole, there are no intended attachment points on these pieces.
     
    The silver of his parts is not the same light and marbled silver we saw in 2006, and is a much more consistent color. And no, it doesn't seem to overpower any of the Mistika color schemes except Gali's, and even for her only at certain angles.
     
    Krika uses the same chest armor as Onua Mistika, which surprisingly looks as good in the back as it does in the front. On Onua it looks muscular, while on Krika it seems thin and sunken, already demonstrating the part's versatility.
     
    Krika's back blades are surprisingly huge, with large spines that seem to attach to pistons, the purpose of which I have yet to identify. They're not as curved as they have looked in some pictures. The front blades are larger, but not by much, and feature the smaller, more organic spines also seen on his head piece (more on that later). Between the spines on the flat end of the blade is a small section of webbing that resembles the texture of Gorast's wings, not featured on any previous BIONICLE sets.
     
    Krika's mask, besides its "antennae", is TINY. I warn you now. It gives Krika a wonderfully gaunt look, as well as boosting his appearent height, but the mask will likely look awkward in a lineup of Kanohi.
     
    The Nynrah Ghost Blaster has abundant connection points, although two are used to hold the soft button piece onto the blaster. The button piece, a translucent red on the Makuta blasters and transparent black (the tinted glass color used on various System vehicles, or on Onua Mata's Kaukau from the mask packs) on the blasters of the Toa Nuva. Be wary-- the translucent red color of the Makuta blasters is actually normal Mata red in very thin plastic that allows some light through-- it will probably look better with Mata Red than the transparent red used in various eye pieces.
     
    Playability
    The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?
     
    The Nynrah blaster would seem to vary in strength between sets. My little brother's Onua set has an immensely powerful blaster, regardless of the attachment, while the blasters of my Tahu and Krika sets pale in comparison. Spinning or pressing the button sometimes gets it into a position in which it is tighter, which would seem to be beneficial to the strength of launching, but I advise against doing this too much as it may or may not wear away at the plastic and eliminate such "tight spots" for good.
     
    Tahu's spinning blade, propellorlike as it seems, does not spin as easily as smaller LEGO propellors, in which a quick brush with the finger or a small breath will send spinning for a number of seconds. It takes a quick push of one of the rotors to get Tahu's blade spinning for a maximum length of about three seconds, and requires repeated pushing to keep it spinning longer. Note also that if you press the Gahlok-Kal shield (the round piece which attaches the blade construction to Tahu's hand) in against his hand completely, the blades will spin very poorly as Tahu's wrist joint will push the axle out of its free-spinning position.
     
    Krika is a relative hassle to pose. His "knees" may bend inwards accidentally when posing, and keeping three of his limbs steady while moving the fourth into a more ideal position is a tedious trial. Still, it is more the number of his limbs that are needed to support his weight than any faulty joints or poor design that give him this problem.
     
    Tahu offers many opportunities for poses, though the jets on his shoulders inhibit his neck movement a considerable amount, but no more than restricting him to the sort of poses possible for a human. His height is not as awkward as I'd feared next to the taller Kopaka and Lewa Phantoka, but rether just a bit shorter. His mask's top fin raises his height just enough to distinguish him as the leader, while his slightly shorter stature helps reflect his less bossy and reckless role, ready to listen to the advice of those he leads.
     
    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
     
    Pros
    What's to like?
    Tahu's proportions are far from awkward for those typically seen in BIONICLE, and far suitable to some seen as of late. Versatile new pieces, as well as a lot of pieces in silver among the Toa Nuva. Collectibility-- because Tahu will look great alongside your Phantoka sets. The Nynrah blaster is fun to launch once you get it going. Lots of new dark red pieces, namely the 7-length double joints and Inika feet on Tahu. The sinister and ghostly presence of Krika on an eye-level shelf. Fabulous-looking canisters. Cons
    What's not to like?
    The Nynrah Ghost Blaster is like a box of chocolates-- you never know what quality of launching you're going to get. Krika's mask will be awkward for MOCing, as will his other blended parts for their lack of similarity to any other prolific colors in BIONICLE. Tahu's mask is not so clear as a new Hau Nuva, even if it would seem to me to suit the character. Lots of the pieces could be gotten in other sets. Canister wrangling is not the funnest of sports. Overall, if I were chiefly an MOCist, I'd veer away from Krika. While it might be good to show up your peers by using such awkwardly shaped and colored pieces, Krika has few versatile parts to add to your collection for a monstrous price. I'd wait on him until he's on sale, since you aren't so apt to need his parts for MOCing as Tahu's. Krika is also only so fun-- shifting his pose is a hassle that could get in the way of spontaneous play.
     
    Tahu would be a good set for MOCists and collectors alike for his great pieces, beautiful look, and stylistic flair (my dad even noted without prompting that these sets are stylistically far better than older sets). I'd recommend him to anyone who wants him for his pieces, for reference in drawing, or just for being Tahu, Toa of Fire.
  13. Aanchir

    You Will Be Missed

    By Aanchir,

    It is apalling that the 2008 sets topic has been closed. This is a blow from which I am not apt to recover anytime soon, given that my schedule rarely allows the casual browsing of forums.
     
    The 2008 sets topic was amazingly useful because it was all-inclusive. Thus, it was a very active topic, receiving many relevant posts in a day even if spam posts proved common as well. I could go there and I would immediately have access to all the in-progress debates concerning this year's sets. Thereby I could quote posts to which I had replies, page by page, until I reached the end and became able to tackle many posts at once.
     
    The playing field was also even. If you want to join a good sets debate these days, it has to be in blogs. This is because most other debates take place in complaint topics or "Why does everyone hate ______?" topics. You rarely get a good sprinkling of reasonable people who respect logic in such topics. If you do, it's not on both sides, or else it's impossible to find amongst the poll-like nonsense posts people make just to bash one another's opinions with horribly unfunny jokes, or more often just to state their opinion and not share any constructive information, like their reasons for having it.
     
    People posted such things as potential real-world models for the Makuta Mistika. One person proposed the Orchid Mantis for Krika, something I do not wish to support but which admittedly has a good deal of factual information in its favor. A topic on the subject would be promptly met by a few "I agwee" posts, then finally someone deciding it's a coincidence topic and closing it. Such is the brutality of this sort of free-for-all discussion-leading which we didn't have to put up with under one unified topic for a broad field of discussion.
     
    I'd say shame on those who got the topic closed, but most probably didn't know and didn't care. It's hardly a loss to them, since they didn't have anything on-topic to contribute there and probably spammed many times just out of a lack of regard for warnings among the above posts. So I will simply mourn the loss of the Official 2008 Sets Topic. You will be missed.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  14. Aanchir

    Shoutout

    By Aanchir,

    Can anyone give me a reason that the Faxon is feminine? Because seriously, the Elda is feminine. The Faxon is hardly so. Its eye holes are jagged rather than rounded. In fact, its whole design is jagged. And while the Elda has a "mustache" that doesn't look at all like one, the Faxon has two bizarre entities sprouting from its cheeks.
     
    I'll be impressed if anyone can provide one reason the Faxon is more feminine than a typical mask.
     
    EDIT: I'm officially impressed, not with the mask (it'll take some more solid convincing, not that anyone should expect that they have to make me believe them to be right) but with the feedback I received. I'm making a list of the current reasons people have offered (at least those that are solid in judgement).

    Streamlined appearance-- while I don't find that enough to override all the jagged edges on the mask, particularly the eyeholes, it cannot be denied that the Faxon is as streamlined as people posit. Still, I find it hard to believe that this is a deciding factor when the larger mask of the Toa Terrain Crawler is more streamlined and looks distinctly masculine. Thanks to Seranikai and BCii for pointing this out. Large eyeholes that offer the visor a delicate shine-- this one was the result of BCii's observation again. The shape of the eyeholes jumps out at me more than this, but still such small details could have had a big impact otherwise. Gender not specified-- this one I could argue against, given that the sharp and jagged angles of the Faxon certainly strike me as masculine and not feminine, but still it does address one way the mask is superior to the Elda, which looks feminine and not masculine, even if it is in some people's eyes not feminine enough. I would be disturbed if I were to see an Elda on a male Toa. Credit to ToM Dracone and BCii for pointing this one out. Please continue to offer whatever reasons you came to see the Faxon as feminine. I do not ask that you convince me that it is-- that's up to me, and these sort of debates don't exist for such a purpose but rather to help us understand each other's views and possibly encourage one another to believe. But I am still curious, and love a good debate. Thanks to everyone who has offered their opinions so far!
  15. Aanchir
    There's TWO of them now...
     
    A quick analysis of this MOC:
    It is not called the Great Ice. It is called the Brackacksis. The model was built by bionicleminotaur for this website's own BBC contest #9. bionicleminotaur may not have his name captalized, but based on his entry post he seems to have a good grasp on the English language. Thus the original (dare I call a plagiarized MOC original?) GREAT ICE is undisputably fake due to its poster's poor grammar and desparate (perhaps disparate would be a better word... maybe even disparaging) abuse of the Caps Lock key. bionicleminotaur, who is happily still with us today, is according to his profile from the United States-- not Argentina or Romania as the alleged "builders" of Great Ice and GREAT ICE purport to be. The descriptions, based on the entry post of the actual MOC, are complete Kane-Ra droppings. Pardon my Matoran. Could either of these be the real Brackacksis under a different name? Not a chance. The GREAT ICE mentions the Piraka, whose concept most likely had not even been conceived by the time of the ninth BBC contest. The Great Ice, meanwhile, did not appear until after the original all-caps version. It takes someone whose idiocy cannot be expressed properly using words available for use on this site to plagiarize an already plagiarized MOC, much less to steal its name and post it on the same site where you found it. Meanwhile, just because I think it's hilarious (as hilarious as such a cheap and selfish offense can be), let me share the verbatim description of this MOC.
     

     
    Humorous, perhaps, but I hope everyone understands how shameful this situation is.
     
    Ah, BIONICLE.com Gallery, how glad I am to be somewhere where people actually post quality MOCs which they themselves build.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  16. Aanchir
    Anyone who read my last entry on Mistika height might get the impression that I have dabbled before in BIONICLE heights for set and story, and so I have. In fact, a few of my recent PMs to Greg have dealt with the height of certain characters in story. But anyway, I've managed to get a decent word document together for my own reference when dealing with issues of height, and decided today while updating it with tentative information on the canon height of Takanuva that it was worth posting here, though I expect only artists and others who pay attention to this stuff anyway to read all of the information that follows.
     


    Matoran
    Matoran are about 1 bio tall. (Reference: Metru Nui Matoran; Toa Metru). Today’s standard for average Matoran height is still about 16 modules, as was the case in 2004.
     
    An Av-Matoran exposed to the energies of Karda Nui is 16-18 modules tall. Therefore, while some are scarcely above average height, others reach a height of 5 feet, or 1.11 bio.
     
    The Matoran of Mahri Nui are around average height. One can estimate a Voya Nui Matoran to be around 0.8 bio in height, given their set-based height of around 13 bio, or half the average height of a Toa. Pre-2004 Matoran do not conform to a one-bio height, as is detailed in the Turaga section below.
     
    Toa
     
    Toa are about 1.6 bio tall. Today’s standard for average Toa height is around 26 modules, or around the height of Kopaka Nuva Phantoka
     
    A Toa of Light exposed to the energies of Karda Nui is assumed to be 2.63 bio tall or 11.81 feet tall. This is derived from the height of the Takanuva set of 2008, which may like many large boxed sets deviate from the canon height relative to Toa of the era. (Interestingly, this approximation of Takanuva’s height relative to the height of a regular Toa is around the same proportion as the height of a Toa to the height of a Matoran. This ratio in turn is approximately equal to the golden ratio.)
     
    Turaga
    Turaga are arguably about 1 bio tall. (Reference: Turaga Dume; Metru Nui Matoran, Toa Metru). Today’s standard for average Turaga height is still about 16 modules according to this model. However, the Turaga of Mata Nui had highly differing heights with a mean of 10.33 modules and a mode of 11 modules. This means Turaga are on average only around half of the height of a Toa, or .8 bio. The solution to this puzzle becomes clear when one considers the height of the rebuilt Matoran of Mata Nui. These sets were also 11 modules tall. Rebuilt Matoran are supposedly normal Matoran height, represented by the Metru Nui Matoran to Toa Metru ratio. It becomes clear that a change arose in the BIONICLE canon around the time of BIONICLE: Mask of Light, rendering average Matoran height and thus average Turaga height larger, as is visible in the movie. Thus, we can assume that the Dume model is the more up-to-date model and that the standard for average Turaga height today is indeed 16 modules. Variance from this norm has not been shown, but it is likely as possible as it was among the outdated heights of the Mata Nui Matoran.
     
    On the subject of height in modules
     
    One module represents approximately 3.185 inches in story-defined Earth measure according to today’s standards. Therefore, the variance between a 27-module Toa Mahri Jaller and a 21-module Toa Mahri Kongu is around a foot and a half—A considerable difference, considering that this renders Kongu less than six feet compared to the average Toa height of 7’2”! This is perhaps the highest negative variation from the norm that can be allowed, that is, five modules today. The highest positive variation yet seen is in Lewa Nuva Phantoka and Toa Mahri Nuparu, with a mere one stud. Thus the “average” heights referred to on this page should be read as “normal” heights, and are more a mode than a mean approximation. An accurate mean sadly cannot be established, not having seen a considerable amount of Toa who fall into today’s standards of measurement.
     
    For Artists Only
     
    Using one comic book standard for proportions which approximates an adult or superhero figure as 7½ heads high, we find that a 3½ module head (the almost unvarying norm) calls almost exactly for our convenient 27-module Toa. The 3½ module head and 16 module height of a typical Matoran give us a height of 4½ heads high. This rarely will suffice for an artist in HSB, due to the tendency of expressing Matoran as preteens or at least well-developed children, but may prove suitable for other styles. Remember that in any style the head height in inches, feet, or bio is not to be identical—If one Toa is taller than another, this likely owes itself to the figure having a larger head (Sorry, Tahu).
     
    In movie style or any other style requiring an expressive mask, remember that the head height is dependent on the height of the mask-wearing figure. Therefore, you may wish to deviate significantly from the normal human proportions and follow the movie-style criteria. A movie-style Toa figure is typically around 6 masks high, while a movie-style Matoran falls closer to their height in feet—approximately 4-4½ masks high.
     
    There may be errors-- I tried to proofread it and ended up messing up some of my calculations in the process, and have since attempted to fix my mistakes. I hope someone finds this useful.
  17. Aanchir

    On Mistika Height

    By Aanchir,

    A lot of people have formed opinions of these sets based on height. Some of these are reasonable. Some of these are not. I'd like to offer some of the info I managed to put together from the newest images.
     
    "Bitil/Gorast is too short"
    Hardly. The base of Gorast's head when the legs are stretched out (You have to assume a knee joint on Matoran legs, but this is typical of all accurate height measurements) is exactly the height of the base of an Inika's neck. Her legs, when outstretched, are likewise the same height as Inika legs. Her height with neck stretched vertically is therefore 28 modules, not counting the extra height added by her mask. With neck horizontal her height drops considerably to 24 modules, but I have yet to see an official image of Gorast in this hunchbacked pose.
     
    Meanwhile, with his neck stretched vertically as seen in the S@H image, Bitil is in fact the tallest of any of the Mistika, at a whopping 29 modules. A horizontal neck places him at a shorter 25 modules. For reference, we have never had a Toa set of this height besides Takanuva. The maximum normal Toa height encountered so far is 27 modules on Onua Mistika, Jaller Mahri, and Nuparu Mahri. 26.5 modules is the height of a Toa Inika, and what I typically regard as the "normal" Toa height for Toa of 2006-2008. 25 modules is just the edge of what I regard as "normal" height and posture, and is the height of Hahli Mahri or Tahu Mistika.
     
    "Krika is awesome because he's so tall"
     
    Krika... poor, poor Krika. Assuming his rear leg blades are 10 modules tall (a reasonable assumption), his legs are like Gorast's the same length as Inika legs when outstretched (remember that this is impossible in the set, but necessary in determining his true height). 16 modules, the longest we've ever seen legs on a canister set besides Lewa Phantoka with his taller-than-average feet. Fair enough. Interestingly, Antroz's legs and torso are the same height as Krika's. We find that from base of "feet" to base of neck both Krika and Antroz are 27 modules high. Huh. Looks like Krika is pretty tall.
     
    Don't count your squids before they hatch. With a five module neck, Krika should be far taller than Antroz with neck stretched vertically, right? Yes and no. It is impossible to stretch Krika's head to full vertical height on account of the orientation of his head joint. Thus, at most Krika is able to reach 29.5 modules in height, one half a module taller than Antroz (and this is assuming his leg joints are able to bend, which they aren't). As anyone knows, it's hard to make an exciting pose with any of your figures' legs stretched rigidly to their full length, so of course Krika is still bound to look very tall when posed next to your other BIONICLE sets. I'm not saying he's worthless for his height. But anyone who is of the belief that Krika is of some gargantuan form under which Tahu can get a decent amount of shade is in for disappointment.
     
    "Tahu and Gali are too short / Onua is too tall"
     
    The first one is a misconception, but the reasoning behind it is entirely accurate. How in the world can our formerly hunchbacked Earth Toa be the tallest of the Mistika? But Tahu and Gali are of no unusual height. Tahu, as mentioned before, shares his 25-module height with Hahli Mahri. Gali is merely one module shorter due to her creative but perhaps (depending on your opinion) out-of-place neck configuration. Onua, to my and others' regrets, is the aforementioned maximum Toa height of 27 modules. LEGO disappointed me quite a few times with his set, but this isn't the place to rant about that, only to present concrete facts about set height.
     
    "Takanuva is too tall"
    While I love tall Takanuva to pieces, for the purposes of my drawings keeping his proportion with other sets even nearly the same is inconceivable (remember I work in HSB). Av-Matoran under the energies of Karda Nui are taller than other Matoran, true, but not by too much. At most their height comes to 19 modules with legs outstretched (Source: Solek). The normal height for Matoran has remained pretty consistent since 2004 as 16 modules (story-wise, one bio). Thus, they are over 1/5th of the height of a normal Matoran due to Karda Nui's energies.
     
    I do not mean in any way to imply that Toa and Matoran are due the same effect from Karda Nui's energies, or any energies that have as of yet remained unexplained. But Takanuva has grown from an assumed 26.5 modules of modern set height to 42 modules in height! He has therefore grown by almost a full bio, or 15.5 modules. Some might be apalled at this. I just find it an inconvenience that I will have to cope with in my drawings and in my fervent Takanuva/Gali shipper status (though after he leaves Karda Nui this will no longer matter so much). Certainly from a set standpoint the height is more than made up for by the creativity and beauty of the set.
     
    And last, like the last not dealing with the Mistika themselves,
     
    "Trinuma is definitely not 9 feet tall!"
    Like the last, this is true. Trinuma in the set rises to 30 modules counting his horns, whereas 9 feet would be closer to 32 modules. I'm sure it's a height difference most people can live with. As with Takanuva, I'm impressed enough with Trinuma not to care.
     
    I hope this entry has been enlightening, even if it does not change your opinions on the sets. I do not mean to change your opinions with this entry, although some of your opinions could in my eyes do well from a change. But I want to make sure that Mistika buyers know what they're getting when they purchase one of these new sets, and plan for the one they will truly enjoy most based on their own preferences.
  18. Aanchir
    It doesn't make sense.
     
    It's not supposed to make sense.
     
    Names are usually chosen arbitrarily from words that sound like an English word with a related meaning and do not exist as brand names for any company, nor as sensitive words to any culture.
     
    The Official BIONICLE Languages Topic is perhaps one of the largest breeding grounds of misinformation on BZP. Today and a few times before I have had to explaint to people that the BIONICLE language, if it does make sense, perhaps only does so as much as any other language, meaning it cannot be adequately explained using the flimsy vestiges of a language with which we are currently provided.
     
    Some facts to keep you on the right track:

    Many words in the BIONICLE language may mean the same thing as one another. For instance, even if "iden" is not found in the word "Phantoka," the two can still both exist with their meanings in the same language. Spirit has many meanings in English. Even so, in other langauges each of these meanings may have its own word with its own spelling and pronunciation. Plus, just because the word "spirit" appears in the definition does not mean that the word came from a word meaning "spirit," particularly one that also exists in this language. Just because a word means something in the real-world language from which it is derived does not mean that it shares the same meaning in the Matoran language. Umbra is the clearest exception so far, but still, know that Greg has yet to confirm that "Nui" means great or large, even if that was the real-world meaning for which it was chosen for so many names. I can tell you right now that Hydraxon's name has nothing to do with water, that Mantax is no more named for a ray in the BIONICLE universe today than he was before his mutation when he had nothing to do with the things, and that Icarax is not the son of some "Daedazaxiz," especially in the BIONICLE universe where biological reproduction is almost unheard of. Even if a real word sounds like a BIONICLE word, that does not make it the origin. I found it laughable when Umbra's name was revealed in an Italian catalog that one person thought it to be a hoax merely because Italy has a province called Umbria. Krika wasn't given his name in the BIONICLE universe by some Cuban great being who sorely hated him, and last I checked Nocturn doesn't fancy composing soothing nighttime melodies. The only major thing I think the BIONICLE languages topic has to offer that BS01 does not, besides total speculation, is an explanation of the pronunciations of words based on how they are spelled. These are still speculative in that LEGO does not universally adhere to these conventions, and the conventions could easily be upended if LEGO releases a name like "Grflabcde" which is pronounced "Bob." However, LEGO still sticks to these naming conventions a fair deal, even if not conciously, because the pronunciation and spelling of a word are both part of what decides whether it "fits" in BIONICLE. Still, they are not decidedly canon. Not all BIONICLE words are in or to a greater extent from the Matoran language. For instance, Sidorak's name or Voporak's could very easily be from some no-longer-used dialect native to Stelt. The Piraka names all use similar sounds not found in abundance elsewhere in the Matoran language, indicating that they perhaps follow some primitive naming convention of Zakaz. That's all for now. Just wanted to get some of that out of my head. With luck it will convince BZPers not to jump to conclusions about the BIONICLE language.
  19. Aanchir
    There are two colors used for the eyes of most 2006-2008 sets. Many have begun to think these eye colors are tiresome. Their official LEGO names are Transparent Neon Green and Transparent Neon Orange, and they are unique in having the distinctive addition of "Neon" in their names. Why is this?
     
    First, let's look at a peculiarity of the Shop-At-Home catalog advertisements for the Av-Matoran and Shadow Matoran sets. The page screams, "Av-Matoran have yellow eyes...!" and "Shadow Matoran have red eyes...!" Funny that they do not embrace their own color names. We'll get to that in a minute. Clearly, on another note, people are wrong to assume that eye color is not a selling point, or that distinctions in eye colors between heroes and villains is not beneficial. At least, this is the view held by LEGO, who through focus group testing and market research has a lot more evidence backing their views than the assumptions of "what makes sense" by amateur critics.
     
    Now, why, if yellow and red are the eye colors LEGO intends to depict with their current eye color preference, do they not merely use transparent red or transparent yellow eyes? The answer lies in that word "neon." If you have sets that date back this far, find transparent red and transparent yellow System windscreens, as featured in classic space sets-- again, seperating good and evil characters and vehicles. Now draw forth the more prolific trans. neon green and trans. neon orange, the latter of which is of the sort featured in Aquasharks and not the same sort featured in Mars Mission. Comparing the two, it should be clear enough that the "neon" colors seem to glow. The others rather take on the appearance of colored glass.
     
    This phenomenon is just as evident in BIONICLE. Construct heads featuring all four colors in question and it should be clear that the neon colors seem to glow more when not focused in direct light.
     
    Now note that transparent neon orange as an eye color has had a special place in villain sets for a very long time. It can be seen in the Rahkshi sets, the transparent neon orange Kraata featured in the Guurahk shoe, Turaga Dume and Ultimate Dume, the Nivawk, Roodaka, the Piraka, CF's Piraka Fusion, Brutaka, and now the Makuta and Shadow Matoran. Even the Tridax pods are depicted in the glowy evilness of trans. neon orange. Others may not remember it as such, but I always found images of the Roodaka set more striking than images of the Sidorak set, and eye color played a major role.
     
    Ironically, the eye color trend seemed to be reversed in the movies, where yellow-green eyes were featured on Rahkshi and Vahki, and even more notably the "turned" Toa Vakama Hordika. Red-orange eyes found welcome in most hero characters, with the exception of many Ga- and Ko-Matoran who featured blue eyes. It is worthy of note that transparent blue of the variety featured on Kohrak or Toa Nuju might also suffice as a vivid eye color, but with the clear benefit to be had in distinctifying good and evil in sets LEGO might have deemed it in their best interest to go "all the way," rather than leaving such a middle ground.
     
    So I hope people now understand why LEGO offers us what would seem to be cliche and meaningless color schemes. These color schemes depict two of the most bright eye colors in BIONICLE, as well as two of the most vivid colors of transparent LEGO pieces. Merry Christmas, everyone.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  20. Aanchir

    Inconceivable!

    By Aanchir,

    New art. I has it
     
    It's some of my best work, too (imo), and certainly some of my cleanest. Please look and offer me your opinions. Think of the kittens... .
  21. Aanchir
    Sometimes, all it takes is a narrow-minded person for us to realize that we're sometimes as wrong as they are.
     
    I had disliked the Mistika Makuta Kanohi and was holding out for some story explanation that might rectify what I thought to be a grave injury by the set designers. After seeing one person fervently debate the point in the official 2008 sets topic (and very well, I might add, as he certainly had ample reason for his views and little opposition proposed that truly conflicted with them), I discovered a crucial aspect of the Mistika Makuta Kanohi we had all up to now ignored.
     
    Take a look at these masks. When looking at Gorast's you might notice it doesn't fit so snugly as the Hordika masks/faces did. I had previously regarded this as a flaw. But it never hurts to take a second look. Take a look at how the mask attaches. It is not some horizontal attachment like the Hordika had, an attachment which impedes its removal. It is vertical, like the Ultimate Dume Kraahkan, or Teridax's Kraahkan, now Icarax's...
     
    It would appear, at least to me, that a Mata or Metru head might just fit in the standard Kraahkan configuration. Certainly it is obvious that these masks are not "flip masks" like the Kraahkan. But it seems that they would fit as the Kraahkan always has in sets before.
     
    Just think... all this time, we had a mask that fit on Makuta two ways. When new Makuta were released we saw that they tended to wear masks that only worked one of those ways. What fools we all were never to even fathom that there might be more who tended to wear masks that only worked in the other configuration!
     
    Congratulations, set designers, for once again putting us in our place and reminding us that you're putting thought into your noble work.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  22. Aanchir

    On Clonism

    By Aanchir,

    Dear Reader,
     
    The ethics of cloning is an issue that comes up often these days, and the cloning of BIONICLE sets is no exception. Whether you are an MOCist, an artist, or a stockholder, you have no doubt noticed a significant change in BIONICLE since the phasing out of clone sets. In this post, however, you will find a tedious degree of math and basic counting which serves to confirm that, while it may seem that the sets for 2006-2008 have been repetitive, many things have not changed. Among the discoveries in this post are that the third story book has more Toa torsos than any other story book has ever had, that the number of new parts in each series of canister sets has been between 20 and 24 with the exception of four lines, all of which were clones, that the price of steel, not the price of oil, is the primary determining factor in whether new molds can be produced, that Aanchir should really spend his time on more important things, and that some later-posting members are wise enough not to read the excruciatingly, a word which here means "torturously," long posts that Aanchir is accustomed to make.
     
    At the dawn of the Toa Mahri I found myself disappointed, in that there was no longer standardization among a team of Toa, a severe impediment to my drawing. However, I gradually came to understand with which the Mahri endowed us, and while they are still very difficult to draw as an instantly recogniseable team I have learned that they showed the sort of innovation that good BIONICLE sets call for.
     
    Thus I hope we have reached a concensus in that it is much more effective to have a clone read my posts in your place, and thereby save you a great deal of stress and time.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  23. Aanchir

    Tahu Nuva Phantoka

    By Aanchir,

    Well, I've decided I will design a revamp of Tahu Nuva Mistika. About time I tried my hand at setlike revamps. However, since I want to be able to pretend this is official for the sake of my drawings, this revamp will not be Tahu Nuva Mistika, but Tahu Nuva Phantoka. Here is a list of what I have decided to do so far:

    Same feet as the set. Tahu Nuva Mistika is my favorite of the Nuva Mistika on account of his abundant similarities to Kopaka, a trait which has been standard for Tahu both in story and in sets since his debut. Bley limbs. I had so hoped the Mistika would share this trait with the Phantoka, and while silver is no worse (perhaps even better), I want the team to look more unified as I had initially intended. Piraka glaives, as are on the set. Again, similarities to Kopaka are a must. Dark red Inika thigh armor, like Kopaka's but flipped. His current thigh armor has not disappointed in pics, but after experimenting with it I find that it is possibly the least attractive design from direct side view, which is saying something considering that direct side view almost never is flattering for any simple thigh layout. This thigh armor is chosen for its stylistic consistency and overall attractive appearance, but flipped so his legs are not identical to Kopaka's. Leg blades as on the set. While I haven't seen what they actually look like, making this subject to change once building of this revamp is underway, I feel that these are rather attractive on him. Forget realism! Dark red (possibly) Inika torso. Kopaka and Tahu may not see eye to eye in the story, but I feel that they need to in the set, which Tahu's current height does not facilitate. Also, I am not a fan of how his "backpack" is currently attached, as it appears too low for my tastes. This decision may change depending on how the wings work out in this configuration, but the dark red is more than likely a must unless bley proves more suitable. (Possibly) Extra chest armor. This depends largely on the appearance of the actual set and on whether I use an Inika torso. What armor I would use remains to be seen, as I find Kopaka's the best but do not want to overexpress the similarities of the two characters. (Possibly) No jets. This is my desperate attempt to hold onto the system established among the Phantoka that each set will have three new parts which it does not share with any of the other Phantoka: the mask, the tools, and the means of propulsion. Of course, if I keep the leg blades, this attempt at continuity and uniqueness is scrapped, but I figure it would be nice if this pattern could be maintained, as I am not at all a fan of the random sharing of new parts seen in the Mistika. (Carapar and Jaller Mahri were tolerable in sharing Mantax and Matoro Mahri armor, but here we're seeing parts shared between the Toa and Makuta, as well as among the members of each group!) Silver wings. All of the Phantoka maintained this in that the means of propulsion was silver (though of course Pohatu's means of propulsion was also his tool, and his budgeted new piece was rather the arm armor piece used in the functioning of both). I love that Tahu has a variation on Kopaka's wings, and this is the one new piece that must be kept at all costs. Arms identical in style to Kopaka's. Of course, I may leave the lower arms flipped as they are on the actual Tahu set for the sake of poseability, as I see the configuration of Kopaka's as a definite flaw. Nevertheless, the upper arms are more my focus. Midak Skyblaster. The Nynrah Ghostblaster is becoming all the more intriguing in the story with a recent revelation in OGD concerning the nature of the Nynrah Ghosts, but I still find it rather ugly as a projectile launcher and would have preferred that the Midak Skyblaster continued to be used. After all, if it works on the large sets, it should work here. (Possibly) New tool. I like his tool, but it is rather sloppy from the look of it, and while Tahu without argument ought to have some sort of blade as Kopaka thankfully did, I feel that this one (which would appear to double as yet another unnecessary means of propulsion) is not the best he could have. What it will be replaced with remains to be seen. Solek's mask. Here's the most important aspect of the whole revamp. Solek's mask is the one I feel should have been the new Hau Nuva all along, and moreover serves as a perfect means of bridging the gap between the old Hau Nuva and Tahu's Mistika mask. It will need to be painted of course, and for this reason I continue to wonder whether it ought to be dark red as is more convenient or Mata red, which would require painting many other pieces but would better match the rest of the Phantoka's bright colors. Many of these ideas are subject to change once it becomes possible to begin work on this revamp. However, I personally can't wait to see whether this will prove an improvement on the set, and whether it might be possible to revamp the other Mistika similarly. Oh, the possibilities...
  24. Aanchir

    Sig Fad No More!

    By Aanchir,

    Hi, everyone! Hate the "fake statistics" fad that's been spreading in people's sigs? Want to protect the good name of rap, or of factual statistics in general? Fret no more! This sig quote aims to solve all your troubles!

     
    Want to add this to your sig? Then copy and paste the following code into your sig:

    [quote=Académie des Beaux-Arts, circa 1870]92% of artists have moved on to impressionism. Copy and paste this into your sig if you are part of the 8% that still creates real artwork.[/quote]
     

     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  25. Aanchir

    Recent Thoughts

    By Aanchir,

    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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