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Aanchir

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Blog Entries posted by Aanchir

  1. Aanchir
    Well, perhaps not nothing like her, but enough that it is blatantly obvious that Lariska is not a Vortixx.
     
    Evidence is present in "Birth of a Dark Hunter," the short story featured at the end of the first BIONICLE encyclopedia. For people who never bought the BIONICLE encyclopedia, have lost theirs, or were intelligent enough to wait for a later edition, the story can be found here. Of course, there is one paragraph that serves as the least debatable evidence.
     

    Clearly, unless Vortixx have radically differing facial structures (which while not impossible is almost never featured on Vortixx/Xian MOCs of Lariska), this striking difference from the faces to which a Toa would be accustomed, i.e, those of Matoran and Toa, is not present in Lariska, or at least not in the same way.
     
    Of course, certain similarities are reasonable and often even necessary for the making of a convincing Lariska MOC. For instance, dark colors are well-suited to a stealthy character such as Lariska, no matter how often I have been tempted in the past to resort to the use of white as a component of her color scheme. Likewise, piece choice can be similar, as I'd like to think people agree in that it is always a plus in an MOC to ascribe to the norms of part choice of sets in the time period of the character in many situations, though of course 2006 parts might do just as well based on her later appearance in BIONICLE Legends 4.
     
    I hope this succeeds in at least lessening the Roodaka-Lariska similarities I see far too often in MOCs. Note that this is not specifically targeted at your MOC, SZ, though it was yours with its more reasonable similarities such as color scheme and basic piece choice that reminded me of the need to make such an entry as this one.
  2. Aanchir

    Love, Beauty, Etcetera

    By Aanchir,

    Dear Reader,
     
    As you well know, love is a thing which captivates many a person. People often go so far as to speculate pairings between fictional characters. I admit that I myself believe in many of these pairings, such as Takanuva+Gali (still love that Greg made her the first one Takanuva asked about in Dark Mirror, Onewa+Krahka, and Jaller+Hahli. However, there is another pairing I support more than any other, and that is Auric+Cerule.
     
    Auric and Cerule are two characters-- or perhaps people?-- of my own device. Auric loves Cerule, but he does not know whether Cerule loves him. Cerule, being Lady Kopaka in all but name, does not tell him; thus I, being Auric in all but name, cannot answer any better than he can. Nevertheless his love for her-- my love for her-- will never cease until it falls out of her favor; perhaps not even then.
     
    Cerule is the sky, and Auric the pilot. Cerule is the blue, and Auric the golden. Cerule speaks to Auric, but does not always answer when he speaks. Nevertheless Auric cherishes every moment he hears her, every moment he sees her, every moment he feels her breath. No matter how far away she is, Auric knows that if he sees her, she is there, and he thanks God for that every day.
     
    Even Cerule can be fickle, as much as Auric or any living being can. Nevertheless, Auric can see the details. Auric knows that beneath the exterior, Cerule is, like all natural things, perfect. But Cerule is not a mirror, and Auric cannot see himself. Is he as perfect beneath the layers of folly and fickleness? He cannot tell, but he dreams that Cerule perhaps can, and that she is happy.
     
    Auric is called "Skybard," or something to that effect. Cerule shines on him with majestic grace, and Auric considers it his duty to return this grace by making it into things of beauty. They are art, they are poetry, they are everything he knows he can do for her. Auric hopes that he loves Cerule with his whole heart, but will not ask this of Cerule. She can decide whether to do this for herself when she knows that she has seen him for who he is.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  3. Aanchir

    Summer Nuva Mask Review

    By Aanchir,

    Well, while BZP was down I got the last of the summer Nuva masks.
     
    No, seriously.
     
    Alright, it wasn't in the Nuva set. But still, Solek does just as good.
     
    Pic 1: Hau Nuva. Comes equipped with standard accursed double-grooves which thanks to Mask of Light replaced the traditional triple-grooves on Lhikan's Hau. But hey, it's the Hau Nuva, so I'll let it slide. Drawing the new and old Tahu Nuva has been fun thanks to this mask.
     
    Pic 2: Kaukau Nuva. Most obvious of the three. Between the gills/filters, nostrils, and fins atop the head, I doubt anyone having both masks has not noticed the similarities.
     
    Pic 3: Pakari Nuva. Least obvious of the three. Until actually seeing Solek's mask in the plastic it was not entirely clear whether Photok's or Solek's was intended as the Hau Nuva. Similarities began to jump out once I mustered the courage to actually look at the original Nuva masks, as well as once Solek's mask was out of the package. Some of the noted similarities are a bit of a stretch, but when hasn't the Pakari given me trouble for the purposes of these edits? The mouth similarity is next to undeniable, and I find it rather an irony that the Nuva with matching mouth styles in the originals maintain the same similarities in the new masks, albeit with the designs switched to new 2008-edition ones.
     
    Drawings will come in time.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  4. Aanchir
    OMG
     
    Probably the best thrill I've gotten since... well, since that time Greg said "Aanchir is right." Except this time, the person actually joined the site to post in my topic! *hugs self*
     
    Yeah, I'm probably exaggerating its greatness in my own mind, but I'm feeling very giddy right now and can't help myself.
     
    Meanwhile, I'm turning off the need for comment approval now, since the spam threat was solved ages ago and I want to better be able to keep track of when people reply. Aanchir... away!!!
     
    With all... oh, forget it, there's no adding Snicketiness in this entry at this rate. Casual signoff it is!
     
    -
     
    Haven't done that in ages... guess I typically don't need to, now that W.A.D.R. is a part of my sig...
  5. Aanchir

    About The New Kopaka.

    By Aanchir,

    Yes, his mask maintains a major similarity to the original Akaku Nuva. I both love it and hate it for this. I love it because I no longer have to worry about being biased and thinking "it's OK being different" on account of the reason I hate this-- I hated the original Akaku Nuva.
     
    Anyway, the similarity is so simple it doesn't even need an edit. What does this mean? Yes, it's one of those abominable structural similarities. The ones which are useless on my drawings, the ones which render the old Akaku Nuva a hau with an eyepiece. But at least it's something that doesn't force me to put any time into editing the original to demonstrate similarities.
     
    Observe the slope on the forehead. Gradual, followed by a sharp curve downwards, which straightens into a steep angle that extends to the mouth. Notice a similarity? (Credit to the MOCist for taking a pic showing the mask's side view)
     
    This in no way offers me any more respect for the mask, but at least I and others may have the confidence of knowing that LEGO wouldn't just scrap a design they didn't like.
     
    On another note, my brother Lyichir has demonstrated to me some similarities between the great and noble Metru masks. On some these are simple to render in my drawings; on others it is more difficult. However, on the whole they are useful and prove even more that LEGO isn't going to utterly demolish past mask designs. Whether or not LEGO kept the aspects of masks which we use to identify the masks, LEGO has shown that they put effort into maintaining design aspects they deem appropriate, so we have to give them some credit.
     
    Now if only the Nuva had made things this easy... *avoids drawing grotesquely organic masks in HSB when given the choice*
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  6. Aanchir

    About My Turtwig

    By Aanchir,

    Heh. A funny story...
     
    When I got my first Pokemon on Diamond (shortly after the game came out), I chose the Grass element starter, Turtwig, since I love Ground element (Swampert and Torterra FTW!) and had never had a Grass element starter. Since it was a grass type, I gave it a suitable nickname, as I have with all my starters since Sapphire version. I named him Forrest.
     
    Later, I got around to checking his stats, so I could see about drawing him (I always design personalities for my party PKMN before I draw them or write personalities for them. Sometime I can show you my drawings).
     
    ...
     
    Turns out, his nature was Quirky, and his first characteristic was that he "likes to run."
     
    Irony, why dost thou mock my name choices?
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  7. Aanchir

    Christmas Updates

    By Aanchir,

    All right, I just realized a few minutes ago that BZP was back. Which is good, but at the same time which lends me a lot of catching up to do (apparently, the holiday season gives many people free time for posting). Other sites, too, have come back at this inopportune time, lending me extra grief as I desperately try to catch up. And schoolwork doesn't even factor into those needs, despite that I have a lot to work on over break.
     
    For starters, I was ill-prepared for Christmas this year. I failed to prepare a Christmas-related BIONICLE artwork as I have done for the past two years, I scarcely had time to get presents for the people I know in real life, but worst of all I failed to get Lady Kopaka a present whatsoever! I had a plan that seemed so great, but alas! Too many factors interfered with my giving this gift to her, distance being the least of my concerns.
     
    While the site was down, I managed to finish an interesting System-BIONICLE fusion mech (though it really leans more towards System) and post it on a few other sites. I'll post it here in LGD as soon as I find time.
     
    Oh! Presents! Well, BIONICLE-wise, I only got two sets: Antroz and (to my surprise) Toa Ignika. Lyi got Pohatu as well, so I will also offer my comments on him.
     
    Toa Ignika, I owe you an apology for what I said about you prior to obtaining you as a set! Your neck attaches in a way that worried me, but which works considerably well (despite giving you a mildly hunched appearance). The way I had intended to attach the neck gave you the semblance of a being without a neck, and I must say I prefer a minor imperfection like poor posture to a severe impediment of that sort! Anyway, I now realize that what I previously called the back armor makes far more sense as a sort of backpack, especially considering that it is present on two sets that already have well-constructed backs. Your stylistic consistency is also stronger than had been anticipated, and your color scheme which on Hewkii Mahri failed disastrously works wonders for you.
     
    Skyboard, you have more than met my expectations. Not only have you offered the stylistic consistency which was expected of you, you have a beautiful construction that can only truly be appreciated through seeing you in plastic. Even your wings, about which I had my doubts in terms of stylistic consistency, fit beautifully next to your other parts, such as your Brutaka blades.
     
    Antroz, you somehow also managed to exceed expectations, despite your parts and appearance being almost exactly as anticipated! And what's this? Your canister is actually Mata Red? Lo, this bodes well for my theories about summer sets, especially when taking into account the Thok White canister of Kopaka and the Mata Blue canister of Vamprah! Suppose we get these same canisters for the summer sets, or even just the same colors. Either way, I will be satisfied, moreso if it is indeed an indication of Tahu, Gali, and the white Makuta's color schemes.
     
    Pohatu! Your mask, your color scheme... neither disappoint. The mask, as I had expected, does not look much like the Vahi. What's more, Lyi has found that it has the peculiar trait of looking like a unique mask when affixed to the face upside-down, again with the visor, something of which wise MOCists ought to take full advantage. The manner in which your Skyblaster attaches actually exceeds expectations, and moreover your thinness is less of an aesthetic flaw than expected. I find it peculiar that you utilize a new orange, and one of a different sort than your canister, but the difference is even more slight than the difference between old and new gunmetal, which at least one serious MOCist has called minor. It will pose a threat to my theoretical system for 2008 sets, by which Makuta ought to have a darker color than the Nuva, which if the canisters are any clue will not be the case, but perhaps the falsehood of one of these theories is acceptable if it foretells the truth of the other.
     
    My other presents are interesting as well. I have gotten a few system sets, namely Star Wars and Indiana Jones sets, as well as some interesting books. I have found great interest in a book about the number zero and its history, which is far more controversial than one might expect.
     
    I believe I have done an adequate job of summarizing updates in my life which are pertinent to this site. Again I apologize, Lady Kopaka, for my poor organization and lack of preparation for that wonderful celebration that is Christmas, but I will do my very best to be more prepared for your birthday, or any other occasion on which I can make it up to you. All I ask in exchange is that you try to maintain control of your life, or at least comfort from the situations which are so often thrust upon you. It is a small request, for all I ask is that you try, something which I trust you already do.
     
    I now excuse myself, so that I might attempt to tackle some of my other concerns, both here and elsewhere.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  8. Aanchir

    2008 Set Updates

    By Aanchir,

    Icarax's head is attached in a way that is nothing short of ridiculous. Never should a Metru head be used with the Kraahkan in the angled configuration. LEGO has apparently attained the mistaken belief that the Kongu Mahri eyepiece will let them get away with any sort of head issues. Well, LEGO, that's not correct. The Kongu Mahri eyepiece is an opportunity to do things you couldn't do with older eyepieces, but NOT an opportunity to do things you could do but would look terrible.
     
    His tools are nice, and his right arm is amazing. Who'd have thought we'd ever see the Hordika upper arm again? His lower torso is disappointing, as it initially appeared. . With luck, its flaws will be able to be bypassed in my drawings (this means they certainly will if I end up actually drawing him).
     
    And Toa Ignika. His board is even more awesome than I expected. His body, however, is far less. I apologize for being an optimist. When I saw that he used the Piraka torso forwards instead of backwards, I thought it too good to be true. Guess what? It was.
     
    First of all, something that had worried me which I had tried to ignore-- the Y-joint on his neck is on the front. This is only tolerable when you use the "chestless" style with a backwards Piraka torso (add armor and you'll have a set like Brutaka that's actually good). On this, however, it lends to a crooked look (not even hunchbacked). What's more, in conjunction with another flaw it makes his torso look more hollow than Jaller Mahri's, a condition to which I would have preferred backlessness.
     
    What is that other flaw? He has a Phantoka back (i.e. an Inika shoulderpad and a strange pin-block). This seems unnecessary, since there is no Matoran in his set, and moreover ruins his stylistic consistency. Did you see any sign of the 2006-2007 dot pattern on this set, let alone on Toa Ignika himself? Neither did I, and yet they added this when they could have done like was done on Pohatu and given Matoran an alternative mode of attachment.
     
    Credit to Toa Balta of the Sun and his Toa Ignika and Icarax review for all the reference pics.
  9. Aanchir
    I may come up with more later, but here goes for now...
    A new Zamor launcher for the Toa. It would make sense if the new launcher has the same ammo as the Skyblasters, but they'd better not have called them Skyblasters if they planned to use them for the summer sets, which will NOT be sky-oriented. Colors as follows: Tahu in red or dark red (since he practically looked dark red in the movie, anyway), Gali in Mata blue, and Onua in-- what else?-- black. A Makuta in dark green, simply because I'd hate to see two lime ones in one year. We averted a close call with Lesovikk (since his color scheme managed to remain distinct from Hahli and Kongu Mahri), let's not spoil our luck. A new basis for the remaining Makuta. How about DRAGONS?!? =D If these Makuta don't fly, a new way to launch the Trydax Pods. Again, no need for a change in ammo, but I don't think bombs will be too effective unless the Makuta fly (then again, dragons... ). Some sort of fancy adaptation for the new Nuva... not sure what would be good for swamps, LEGO, so go ahead and surprise me. A visor on Gali. Maybe some on the other Toa if LEGO can pull it off as well as they did for the Phantoka... No, scratch that. If LEGO can do better than they did for the Phantoka. After all, Pohatu's should have been Jaller Inika trans-orange, and we all know LEGO will do it in orange for Mars Mission anyway if that lasts much longer. THOK WHITE MAKUTA! ...please? A sword for Tahu (though LEGO has proven themselves capable of coming up with equally suitable weapons for our old Nuva pals). A Maxilos-quality or better titan. No matter how ownedage Toa Ignika is (or how much LEGO focused on the too often ignored issue of stylistic consistency with him), we need something spectacular for this year. If that female Makuta doesn't look female, at least make her not look male. And no concave chest like Hahli Mahri. MORE DRAGONS!!! =D Please TRY to use the new Matoran parts in one of the titans, LEGO, if only to prove to me that you're not afraid to try. A new Takanuva, perhaps? Creative tools for Gali and Onua. I don't mind a surprise, but at least make sure their tools look creative, whether you change them significantly or not. An orange (or Avak Brown, if you want to push the envelope) Makuta, because the Hewkii Mahri/Toa Ignika color scheme on one of these shady evil dudes is a bit too vivid. PLEASE MAKE DRAGONS!!! Creative feet, legs, etc. Not the same combinations as the winter sets. Toa with Inika torsos, or at least ones that look like Inika torsos, for the sake of continuity (and the fact that I'd hate to see Piraka torsos on these guys. If that's not failure to have stylistic consistency with their teammates, I don't know what is. On that note, more bley for Nuva! More black for Makuta! Though it would be nice if there was more of the primary colors, I'd at least like the neutral colors to be maintained from winter. Practical Pistons (didn't think I'd forget that, didja?). You know, dragons really would be pretty cool... With all due respect, Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  10. Aanchir

    Phantoka Updates!

    By Aanchir,

    New Phantoka pics are available through LEGO.com, including PDF instructions! Here's the rundown:
     
    Pohatu's still awesome. Sadly, his eyes aren't orange... it seems LEGO is returning to the schemes of '06 where all the good guys and all the bad guys share an eye color with their side. Ah well. I'd say "I can switch it" like everyone else, but it seems they've overlooked that ice blue eyepieces don't exist for Kopaka (if you haven't noticed, it's different than the blue used in Nuju's or Kohrok's eyes-- more like the Mahri visors, Matoro Inika's legs, or the eyes on Kazi). His new arm pieces are neat, hope this won't be their only use. His shoulders still bug me... maybe I could try my hand at a revamp. Tools aren't quite as awesome as I anticipated, but whether their function will be cooler in the plastic remains to be seen. Mask edit pending.
     
    Kopaka is made of win. I KNEW he had more armor on his back! The wings are also nice. The Midak seems to have ample attachment points, forming a sharp contrast with the Cordak blasters, and Kopaka takes advantage of them very nicely. His mask, while it looks even more different from the old Akaku Nuva from the side, is even cooler looking from that view. Other faults mentioned in my (p)review a few entries back still stand. Oh, and the 3-length pegs are apparently now blue. I wish they'd done it sooner so people wouldn't have the option of just using an abundance of black ones. This is one of those cases where hey, it doesn't really matter! Adapt now or be picky and SUFFER!
     
    j/k . Seriously, I love you guys, but there's times when your complaints really don't matter so much. I can't say I blame you too much for not adapting quickly to such changes, since in some cases they are radical, but once you have as I have it's easy to cast a blind eye to the blue +/O pins. A bit of frustration pays off in the long run...
     
    Oh, and if you feel the MOC cannot permit blue pins or red axles, either due to an overabundance of pins and 2-axles in the MOC or the fact that they're just a bit too obvious, then go ahead and change them. I don't blame you; some sets like Vakama Metru and most of the Metruan (as if they were redeemable in the first place ) looked horrible with blue pins. Ehlek looked horrible with red axles. But Nuparu Mahri has proven that this change is not an all-encompassing one, so I'm confident that from now on LEGO will avoid placing them where they're annoyingly obvious or abundant. At least, I hope they will... *never wants to see the likes of the Metruan again*
     
    The Matoran have one-piece torsos, it looks like. I knew I had reason to be afraid. Perhaps the better MOCists will be capable of using them, but sadly these are the sorts of situations in which the better MOCists would rather not try. Matoran legs... some are better, some worse than anticipated. Again, might not see too much use. The evil Matoran also have rather bizarre heads... Even now I can't divine how they will behave in sets or MOCs. Both attach in interesting ways... Their masks also are neat, like Matoran forms of the masks for their larger canister counterparts.
     
    Vamprah has no new wing piece, just two blue ones of Chirox's variety in addition to the black ones that match those on Chirox. Mask is nice, I guess... still going to be tough to adapt to my style.
     
    Chirox's luscious practical pistons on his tools are awesome... these tools may see good use in the future. His mask has redeemed itself greatly, and his armor exhibits amazing stylistic consistency. His arms still may bug me in actuality, it remains to be seen. Now just to wait for personality information on him and his allies...
     
    Phantoka also have one HUGE torso piece... and the angularity means that this, too, will see only occasional use from the best of MOCists. Worse, the pistons on it which LEGO could have made practical are not such by any stretch of the imagination. The function of the launcher is interesting, though...
     
    So... yeah. Debate anything I appear to have neglected mentioning, or anything I have mentioned with which you find fault. Oh, and take the part about pins with a grain of salt. I don't mind many of the complaints, or the refusal to use the pins in MOCs (even blue/red ones... I don't get where people get the idea that if there's a variation elsewhere on it in the scheme, it counts as the same color). It's when people start complaining about the Cordak ammo in sets (which makes about as much sense as complaining about the Piraka's or Inika's Zamor spheres), or whining about how Hydraxon doesn't have room in his color scheme for a third main color, if you count that as a major part of his scheme, that slay me.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
     
    P.S.: O_o I was WAAAAAAAY too hyper when I wrote this...
  11. Aanchir
    Well, since everyone else has done (p)reviews, I figure I'll do one, especially in light of the new pic with which the magazine has provided us, better in quality than the leaked pics, even! (Greg was right! )
     
    I'll start with the Nuva, since I want to get this started on a good note.
     
    Lewa Nuva-- Lewa Nuva was initially that which I liked least. Now, with new and better pics available, that role has been passed to Kopaka. The new Miru Nuva, some might argue, is vastly different than the old one. Not so, say I. Though the spikes are not present aside from a finlike one on the top, there are other similarities which include the two cheek-boxes on the sides (now in propellor flavors!) and the overall shape of the mouth. Yes, I made an edit to prove it.
    As for the rest of Lewa's construction, let me begin by stating that I don't like his sword all that much, though I will not deny that it is suited to him. The reason I don't like it is a matter of function-- no practical pistons, no apparent joints, no evident function whatsoever from the pics with which we have been provided. However, I must say this is just a bad direction LEGO seemed to take with the Mahri, and perhaps one I will grow to love. The jet on the back brings relief in that it has implied pistons and that yes, they appear practical!
    People complain that the torso construction is boring, but as I have pointed out in the past, normal Toa torso constructions have varied more in this story book than ever before, and at least the Inika torso piece has been shown to be useable in other sets (more than can be said than ANY other Toa torso piece in the past). The practical pistons on the Nuparu Inika chest armor are also a plus. His feet and legs are a bit disappointing, though the feet will grow on me and I can't complain about the use of Inika thigh armor-- possibly the best armor suited to the Nuva. More on that later.
     
    Pohatu Nuva-- Pohatu Nuva initially was a bit upsetting-- some of the ideas I'd seen in "OMG brown is gone!1!11!!" topics had been semi-reasonable, the best being the idea of using Keetorange and Avak brown in conjunction. However, I think the more subdued color scheme used here actually seems better-suited to Pohatu, and as I have said since the start we at least won't have to hear all that cool dudic (for the word I would like to use is censored, and this evokes the same meaning in use of the same suffix) whining about how "yellow rocks don't exist! yellow sand doesn't exist!" Anyway, I've grown to like this new color scheme (and anyone who says orange is a fire color should tell that to the makers of all those Nuparu revamps).
    Pohatu's mask, while it bears a less obvious resemblance to the older form, still has a few minor similarities, and more importantly a look well-suited to Pohatu. And LEGO knew what they were thinking by making it Vahilike in both color and shape-- whether or not people like the mask, people will buy it in order to get their hands on "the new vahi." (sorry, no edits until I can get my hands on a pic both large and non-leaked).
    As for his torso, I applaud it. It gives Pohatu that beefy look that works so well for him, though I would have preferred if his shoulders were attached in the exact same way as Kongu's (they are too flat as-is). His leg and arm armor is not the ideal armor I mentioned before, it is necessary to keep him from looking lanky as opposed to beefy. Feet and armor choice also helps to provide stylistic consistency with his mask.
    The drills/propellors are probably the best tools for early '08, though I can't see any pistons that appear practical. Thus is the dreadful result of function and poseability-- practical pistons are lost each time such a change is made. Still, without the function, these tools would be rather pathetic, so I'll get over it.
     
    Kopaka Nuva-- Mask equates to disappointment. I love the lightsaber blade eyepiece-- it works well with Kopaka-- and will get over the switching of the eyepiece in time, though it will make an awkward transition present in my drawings of Kopaka. Also, it is ridiculous to say that it looks too much like Whenua's mask-- by that logic, the Kaukau Nuva looked too much like the Hau, as did the Avohkii. My main problem with it is a shameful bias-- I hated the Akaku Nuva in the first place.
    Wings are good. I don't care that they look like airplane wings; I think airplane wings are much better than angel wings or FINS (THEY'RE NOT WINGS!!!!) for a Toa of Ice.
    The bayonet is a plus-- while I mourn the loss of his sword and shield, this seems just as well-suited to Kopaka's icy personality. Plus, it gives some much-needed variation to the skyblaster. No practical pistons, sadly.
    The torso seems cliche at first glance, but from various pics I have ascertained that these torsos are more than they appear (they have to be to make the piggyback feature possible and simple). Leg, arm, and foot armor is also good, though it is beginning to appear said armor is not light bley as I so earnestly hoped.
     
    Overall-- Midak Skyblaster is a beautiful weapon, and one that will be thankfully easy to draw with some minor stylization. It also looks promising in terms of function. Color schemes look promising for these Toa, though I should hope they will not become standard-- I was liking the variation in sets as of late. Torsos are as much as we could have expected based on precedent. I sat that overall, these new Nuva get an 8/10 (mostly brought down by Kopaka). That is apt to change once better pics (or even better, the sets themselves) become available.
  12. Aanchir
    Now that we have good pics of the Makuta Phantoka, I feel fit to continue my review.
     
    Vamprah looks to be rather awesome. His mask is nice (but I foresee it being a pain to draw in my new style), and his limbs are nice. The silver Takadox armor will be a MOCist's dream, at least once they make more of it. Limbs are nice. His wing/arm design is marvelously batlike, and I love the legs. Wing pieces leave something to be desired ("something" being practical pistons). I wonder why he has to have four of them, and where the two not on the hands are attached. That may determine whether he's a good or a bad set in my eyes. Oh, and also... Mata Blue...
     
    Antroz's wings aren't nearly as well executed. Their attachment to the arms rather than the torso means that when you adjust the arms to pose him you'll have to adjust the wings to compensate-- an extra step I'd rather not have needed to take. The wing pieces themselves are lacking in the same way as Vamprah's. I also am wondering why LEGO even took the extra step to make so many wing pieces instead of spending their new piece budget on something more awesome, but what the heck. I'll find uses for them. Swords are awesome, especially if those pistons are practical *is hopeful*. The mask seems OK as well... I'm not too enthused about any of the masks as an MOCist, since I can hardly picture them on good guy MOCs, something even the Kraahkan had the potential for. I also may have trouble drawing this one in my style; only time will tell.
     
    Chirox's tools look so unconventional that I can tell neither what they are nor whether they have pistons whatsoever; the small size of available (legitimate) pics fails to help. Are his wings the same as Vamprah's? Hard to tell. The new variation of Piraka feet is nice; I wish people would realize that the more similar a part is to an older version the more useable it will be on MOCs that intend to have stylistic consistency. The use of Nuparu Mahri armor is awkward in my opinion. The double elbows will also make him seem more awkward if one intends to place him in any normal humanoid poses. Metru chest armor is NEVER good when used in that manner, IMHO. Lastly, the mask scares me, and not in a good way. He's the Phantoka I'm least anxious for (though it's decided that our little bro's getting him, anyway).
     
    Overall: The weapon looks promising. The torso and "ribcage" pieces are harder to judge. While stylistic consistency would appear to be present, there's a serious fault by my standards in that there are no practical pistons evident. In this lack of practical pistons throughout, the Makuta Phantoka remind me (not in a pleasant way) of the Rahkshi, but for them this makes more than a bit of sense, and will be convenient in my drawings (on which I remove or replace most pistons anyway). Sadly, I don't think I'll be able to draw these guys until Greg releases info on their personalities, or such information is acquired from a source like Amazon.de. Still, I expect to be able to put together awesome drawings of them, and this optimism means you can expect at least one once info has been released for me to work with.
     
    Good Makuta? As with the Nuva, without a doubt. Good sets? As with the Nuva, that remains to be seen, and I'm not too optimistic. Still, the choice of parts seems superb with both in most cases, and the design of the new parts seems OK as well. Thanks for listening, please leave any comments you may have. Vale.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time.
  13. Aanchir

    Art Contest!

    By Aanchir,

    Because I don't want to be the only competitor.
     
    I find it confusing that an entry can get over twice as many comments as most of mine and still not get the entries it requests. C'mon, guys. It's a great contest, and you've had plenty of time to recover from AC#14 and S&TC#3.
     
    On another, more selfish note, please tell me what you think of my entry in this topic.
     
    Thanks for lending me your attention. Mind the step on the way out.
     
    ...
     
    What can I say? It's a spur-of-the-moment entry. You don't come here for the jokes, right?
     
    ...
     
    ...right?
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  14. Aanchir

    About Wayside

    By Aanchir,

    I really need to see that show. I have yet to see ONE legitimate complaint; as of yet all which I've seen treat the illustrations as "immaculate." My opinion is that if the author doesn't demand that a depiction of their book follow certain criteria, it's open for interpretation. And to my knowledge, Wayside falls under that category.
     
    Is it important what color a character's hair is if it does not affect the plot? What about skin? Eyes? I fail to see how any of these things are important, but yet I have seen twice these sorts of complaints without any legitimate ones alongside them.
  15. Aanchir

    Phantoka? Why Yes!

    By Aanchir,

    Just got back from a Drama field trip to see Dracula at VCU.
     
    Awesomeness.
     
    And now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some Phantoka to be drawing. See you next time.
     
    *credits roll and the theme to "Bill Nye the Science Guy starts playing*
     
    All right, seriously. This will be the first time I've ever drawn a Makuta, and I need ideas. I want them to look humanoid, given their resemblances to Matoran, but at the same time distinctly "not human," even demonic. They will be drawn in my new style, demonstrated here in my Mahri sketches (OMG UNPOSTED ART!), and will probably share some of their less-human characteristics with my Rahkshi. Since I have little experience with this, any suggestions of how to make the Makuta look evil/demonic will be appreciated. But bear in mind that this is manga. Unrealistic, cartoony looks just won't cut it.*
     
    Thanks in advance.
     
    *Since apparently this seemed self-contradictory to those awesome people who actually know something about Manga, I'll clarify that what I mean by this is that tips for a Fairly Odd Parents style ain't gonna fly.
  16. Aanchir

    S&t #3: Voting Has Begun!

    By Aanchir,

    S&T #3 voting has begun, and this time Aanchir's in the running! You know what that means!
     

    Vote Entry 2 in Preliminary Poll B! 
    (A link to the entry itself is in the first post)
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  17. Aanchir

    Ummm... Shine? Anyone?

    By Aanchir,

    The files on the WoS disk aren't compatible with Windows Movie Maker. Any advice?
     
    Sorry for troubling you. If anyone else has answers, feel free to post them here. That's why I made this a blog entry and not a PM. All I need is the video footage.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  18. Aanchir
    Sounds like a badly translated Anime episode title, doesn't it? Anyway, it seems that, while in the preliminary polls I was behind by three votes, I was nevertheless chosen as the wildcard entry for this contest! While the competition is fierce (I'm against Arpy's entry, as well as two entries which though I dislike them are nevertheless aesthetically appealing to many voters), who knows? With the good response I got in the prelims, I may have a chance at this!
     

    So, what are you waiting for? Vote Tufi Piyufi (with a twist!) in BBC #45 Semifinal Poll: Roadblock!
     
    (And if not, please vote Arpy's entry. I didn't like it as much as my own entry, but it's one of those MOCs that are awesome enough for me to regret not voting.)
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  19. Aanchir

    My Class Schedule

    By Aanchir,

    Well, I've gotten my class schedule for next week. I'll run it by you.
     
    P1: Adv. English 11
     
    P2: Adv. Chemistry
     
    P3: Technical Drawing/Design
     
    P4: Adv. VA/US History
     
    P5: AP Statistics
     
    P6: AP Horace/Catullus
     
    P7: Drama 1
     
    So, that's what my life is going to be like come next week. I hope I do all right.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  20. Aanchir

    Bbc Voting!

    By Aanchir,

    Vote Entry 4: Tufi Piyufi (with a twist!) in Preliminary Poll Ross 154!
     
    ...
     
    Really funny naming system they've got for the polls, using star names. I don't see why we couldn't stick with letters; they were much simpler to remember. Now it'll take forever to vote in all the polls, since I won't even know which I've voted in.
     
    When you get a chance, also check out the topic for my entry and tell me what you think!
     
    May the best entry win!
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time.
  21. Aanchir

    Does Anyone Know...

    By Aanchir,

    ... how to use preexisting footage from a DVD *coughWebofShadowscough* for a music video? I'm trying to make a Bionicle music video on Windows Movie Maker (I know it's cheap, but what can I say; it came with the computer), but I can't find a way to save the movie footage I need to my computer. Is this even possible? Thanks in advance.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  22. Aanchir

    Bbc45 Progress

    By Aanchir,

    UPDATE: I'm probably not going to make Shine. I want to give Tufi as much space in the entry pic as possible, and doing Shine would require that I edit in a demonstration of the transformation.
     
    For the first time in a long time, I am entering an official contest. For BBC45, I have nearly finished an MOC of Tufi. It has a twist that I hope will help me to win this contest, but you'll have to wait until I post it to find out. The remainder of the parts I need will likely come in today or tomorrow, according to my dad have come in. Expect pics soon.
     
    I'm trying to decide whether to make another MOC to go with it, but I can't afford to enter another MOC if it's not of at least the same degree of quality as my Tufi MOC. I'm considering building a Shine MOC as well, but making a good mane is a problem that has bugged Bundalings as well as me, and there are the additional issues of making good cat-like legs and finding my red Kaukau, among others. Still, until the parts come in, I will devote a great deal of my time to making such an MOC.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  23. Aanchir

    Another Song?!?

    By Aanchir,

    Goo-rop-rop biggi-bep-bep ah GOO-rah GOO-rah
    Goo-rop-rop biggi-bep-bep ah GOO-rah GOO-rah
    Goo-rop-rop biggi-bep-bep ah GOO-rah GOO-rah
     
    I actually enjoy doing this. But sorry, no Confounding Clue hidden in there this time.
     
    Oh, and, by the way... Does anyone have any work ethic they could lend me?
     
    -
  24. Aanchir
    I'm back from Family Camp at Camp Alleghany in West Virginia with my... err... family, and life is good! Let me update you on some stuff that might interest y'all.
     
    First and foremost, I GOTS THE MAHRI! Certainly, this happened before I left on Saturday, but I hadn't the time then to make a blog entry. So far, my favorite Mahri in terms of both sets and story are Kongu and Matoro. You can probably expect some Mahri drawings soon.
     
    Also, I have now read both Eragon and Eldest, as well as The Tale of Despereaux. I reread the seventh Harry Potter book too (and it's no less compelling than when I read it the first time).
     
    The most obvious update should be that BZP is back, although the forums are now defying my every attempt to read new posts, blog entries, topics, etc. Don't worry, though, because if your blog/topic is one I read often, I'll start from the last place I read next time it gets updates
     
    Also, thanks to some hard work put in before the closing of the forums, The Sugar Bowl has a brand new header, as well as (irf you failed to notice before), a new directory content block. If you have any more suggestions for my blog, feel free to post them here, particularly those that concern my topic archive. It's not my most attractive content block, and it's size makes it hard to work with. I want to keep some sort of public archive, but I need ideas!
     
    Anyway, glad to be back to BZP.
     
    -
  25. Aanchir

    A Note On Contests

    By Aanchir,

    Dear Readers,
    It has come to my attention that I have recently recieved an award for my blog. Like mobs, warnings, or TV news broadcasts, contests often are an excuse to draw necessary attention to an unpleasant truth of life that most would be happier to avoid. Such is not the case here, however, for there is no reason that the contents of this blog are necessary or even safe for reading by the general public. I believe it is my duty to redirect you to blogs that might be found to be more jovial, a word which here means, "merry and good-humored," blogs.
     
    First, let's turn our eyes to the Multidimensional Rift, home of the Lemon Club. Lemons, however Lemony, are usually welcome to any occasion that doesn't take place in a Citrus Allergy Awareness convention, or in one's eye. Although I do little more for the Lemon Club than I do for V.F.D., I support them as joint leader with S. and B. in whatever endeavors call for my presence.
     
    Next, draw your attention to The Life of Lady K., where my muse formerly resided. While this blog has been out of service for some time, and for that reason of little interest to me, I am proud to say that Lady Kopaka is still with us, and not in the clutches (or worse, the ranks) of members on the opposite side of the schism. Anyone who expressed interest in my entry The Confounding Clues is invited to read this blog.
     
    Of course my next choice would be Etcetere's blog of that very name. While he and I are not even familiar enough with one another to consider ourselves associates, Etcetere's blog is a great place to let go of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind, at least for a short time. I am currently investigating its recent abandonment, and trying to discover whether a villain is to blame.
     
    [O.o], Dokuma's blog is usually a peaceful and fruitful locale, which made it the optimum battleground for the Second Fruit War, in which I supported the Lemon Club as general. Though war is rarely beneficial to those involved, this was what prompted [O.o]'s inclusion into this list. I consider the Fruit War recommended reading for anyone with a lot of time on their hands, and also suggest that you read the other entries for some cheap comic relief.
     
    While ChocolateFrogs does not have the happiest or most entertaining blog by any means, he is to my knowledge the only member of our organization to have earned his blog a position among my favorites, and it is definitely a good place for a serious read. The fact that upon meeting me he recognised me by my miserable and depressing blog is all the more reason to redirect you to his.
     
    I am not too well acquainted with Nikira or her B.L.O.G. (evidently a secret organization of some sort), but I do recognise her as one of the greatest artists on BZPower (I won't say the greatest, because Lady Kopaka and Schizo Kaita, among others, are artists of similar skill). Her blog is the best place to get important art updates, aside from her art topic itself.
     
    GregF's blog is every civilian's number one source of news relating to the state of the toy line Bionicle, and isn't that what we're here for in the first place?
     
    I hope you will take my advice and read these blogs as opposed to my own.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
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