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Aanchir

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Blog Entries posted by Aanchir

  1. Aanchir
    I've been quite productive artistically in recent weeks. I mentioned in a previous entry a drawing based on Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. I haven't colored that yet, but I decided I might as well share the lineart online. Some people might be tired of ponies, but I find them a great source of inspiration, not to mention really fun to draw!
     
    Additionally, I've posted my entry for BZPower's Flash Fire Character Design Contest. I've been working on coloring this drawing for a while, and finally finished earlier today. I have a drawing of Vakama which I'm still busy coloring-- if I'm lucky, I may be able to finish it in time to submit it as well, but otherwise I haven't ruled out the possibility of submitting it with just flat colors, without the same complex gradient shading.
     
    And just this past week, I've created a Ninjago drawing that I'm quite proud of. It's a young Kai and baby Nya with the rest of their family. I know it's not especially realistic (Kai is probably three or so years older than Nya, whereas here he looks six or seven while she's an infant), but once the image popped into my head I knew I'd have to draw it. I did quite well at keeping the lineart clean on this one, which makes me happy.
     
    Overall I am glad that I'm back to being artistically productive. Being on BZPower has been a great motivation for me, what with the many art contests. And I'd be neglectful not to mention that my BIONICLE/My Little Pony crossover drawing Swarm of the Century took the second prize in BZPower's GAC #18 Battlescapes! I'm very proud of this accomplishment, or, to quote Nathan Evo,



     
    I'll do my best to continue drawing whenever I can and wherever I happen to find inspiration. It feels very good to be so productive during my summer vacation, and I pray that the same inspiration, motivation, and encouragement find their way to some of my best friends in the art community who are currently struggling to find these things.
  2. Aanchir
    Well, I already mentioned my thoughts on the Korra finale in the Avatar: The Last Airbender topic in COT. I'd rather keep them there where they can be part of an ongoing discussion than talk about them here. I mean, I'd love to jump on the bandwagon, but something else has happened since I watched the finale this morning.
     
    That being that my family's Amazon.com order for the Avatar: The Last Airbender graphic novels The Lost Adventures and The Promise parts one and two came in.
     
    My goodness. They were excellent. And pretty much everything in them felt totally in the spirit of the show itself despite having to follow up on an already-concluded narrative in a totally different medium.
     
    Hard to say which comic in The Lost Adventures was my favorite, but "Swordbending" sticks in my mind the most. Along with Dragon Days. So much Fire Nation slang! Like the cartoon itself, the writing really starts to pick up in Book 2 and continues to improve from that point on.
     
    Meanwhile, The Promise is shaping up to be an excellent series and I can't wait until that trilogy concludes. It's highly entertaining reading about Toph's "lily-livers", Sokka's "oogies", Fire Lord Zuko's struggle to serve his country as Fire Lord, Aang and Katara's struggles to adapt to their new life together, and of course the brewing tensions over the fate of Yu Dao. Meanwhile, Sneers was the last character I expected to see again (or would have been if I hadn't stumbled upon spoilers on the internet a few weeks ago).
     
    Just another reason to look forward to September!
     
    By the way, just a reminder that GAC #18 final polls are open. A couple entries are dominating, but the race is pretty tight between the rest of them, and I am praying that my entry ("Swarm of the Century") will either move ahead of the pack or fall behind enough for me to know it didn't just lose by some fluke. Links are in the entry below, and I would appreciate support for my entry, but as always give your vote to the entry you feel deserves it most!
  3. Aanchir
    Don't forget, the final polls in GAC #18 are up! Click here to go to the poll! My entry, Swarm of the Century, is in the running!
     
    Now, other updates. On Monday I drew and inked a piece based on Neil Gaiman's The Sandman graphic novels, which I will be attempting to color. I haven't decided how I'm going to color it. I was able to color something very well digitally recently (and am near finishing an older drawing that has been incomplete for far too long). But digitally coloring a piece with lots of characters in it is a challenge I've never really tackled successfully. I also am not sure what style of coloring I'd prefer, so it may be a while before that is finished.
     
    But quick edits are not quite as much of a challenge as full pieces of artwork, and I was inspired for this Avatar: The Last Airbender comic during a recent chat:
     



  4. Aanchir

    Art Updates

    By Aanchir,

    Just about one week to go in the General Art Contest #18 preliminary polls! I encourage voters to show their support for my entry, Swarm of the Century, in Preliminary Poll A! It's Entry 6 in the poll.
     
    In other art-related news, recently a friend of mine who is also an artist had a birthday, and I gave her a portrait of her I had drawn. To my delight, she really liked the drawing! Since she's also an artist (and a much better one than me, all things considered), I was thrilled to have her approval, and I hope it will motivate me to keep drawing over the course of the summer.
     
    Even though I'm often lacking in inspiration, I have tried to keep drawing so I remain in practice. Most of my recent drawings are merely sketches, like this one which shows some human figures of varying ages to approximate scale with one another. But hopefully inspiration will strike again soon and I'll have something more meaningful and finished to show you all.
  9. Aanchir

    Out With The Old

    By Aanchir,

    Not sure if anyone is still following this blog. Can't think why anyone would be; there haven't been any updates since 2009 (and the updates weren't that interesting even back then). But if you are, I'd like to update you on how I've been doing since I was last active on BZPower. I'd also like to offer a warning: Things are going to change here. I can't say how much, or how soon, but things are going to change.
     
    Where have I been since I was last active on BZPower? Well, I think I stayed active on BIONICLEsector01 a bit longer than I did on BZPower. But in the meantime I became a member on another forum. Can we mention those here? I'm going to play it safe and leave that other forum a mystery, but just know that if you've seen a guy named Aanchir posting on a general AFOL forum, it was almost certainly me.
     
    Being at college means I can only have a certain number of LEGO sets with me at any one time. In my first semester in 2009, I had my whole 2009 BIONICLE collection with me. Moving into 2010 I had the Stars with me, but refocused my attention on System themes like Power Miners, Space Police, and Atlantis. LEGO Digital Designer took the place of any themes I didn't have the parts on hand to play with.
     
    I watched the emergence of Hero Factory with amusement, and a bit of disgust at the many noisy BIONICLE fans who couldn't see value in anything that wasn't BIONICLE. Hero Factory was new and different. It was campy. But in some ways it felt like a more authentic LEGO experience. The limited-use parts and my foolish hopes of limiting my LEGO buying, however, kept me from investing in the theme.
     
    And now in 2011 I have become a huge fan of Hero Factory and Ninjago. The new Hero Factory building system feels a lot closer to the core of the action figure building experience than BIONICLE ever quite reached. And the story, as I mentioned, is fun and campy. Plus, it feels like something that can last just as long if TLG plays their cards right.
     
    I haven't read updates to BIONICLEstory.com in a long time. As far as I'm concerned, BIONICLE reached its ultimate conclusion. I'm sure I could enjoy the story updates of the past several months as much as I enjoyed BIONICLE during its heyday, but while it would be satisfying I don't feel obligated to read it when I enjoyed the BIONICLE story so thoroughly without having to fill in the gaps it left.
     
    Why did I leave BZPower? Well, it might partly have been how welcoming and inviting that other AFOL forum was to me. It might have been just the fact that after the end of BIONICLE, being a site I was newer to, this other site offered a fresh start. Or it might have just been college dragging me away from what I once had so much more time for. As I drifted away from BZPower (and consequently, the Ask Greg topic) I drifted away from BIONICLE. But it will never be forgotten entirely.
     
    Will I be back here for good? It's hard to say at this point. BZPower is a big, imposing community, not like the close-knit communities I've joined before and during its downtime. And if BIONICLE fans here seem irately resistant to themes like Hero Factory and Ninjago that have succeeded BIONICLE, then I can't say I'll be able to enjoy my time here too much.
     
    But one thing is certain: The Sugar Bowl won't be around for much longer. At least, not in its current form. Back when I was a teenager, I used to value posterity far more than I should have. I wanted to remember my mistakes and hold on to the things I once cherished. But I'm beginning to realize change might be for the best.
     
    The Lemony Snicket theme will be gone-- ASOUE is as finished as BIONICLE, and my attempts at matching Mr. Snicket's ingenious writing and storytelling style were shallow to begin with. What is a narrative style worth if it doesn't fit the story you are trying to tell? And what is your life if you can't take the time to tell your own story your own way?
     
    I may even delete entries that I consider "old shames". I was, after all, a teenage boy, and while I value many of the same things and the same people as I did then, there were many things like romance and philosophy which I thought I understood much better than I actually did. If I don't delete those entries, consider them irrelevant from this point forward: with a new name for this blog will come a new beginning.
     
    At the same time, you can count on some things to stay the same. The walls of text, it seems, may never go away.
  10. Aanchir

    Makuta Regions Poll

    By Aanchir,

    A new initiative in the BS01 forum has been established to decide which regions were governed by Makuta Antroz, Vamprah, and Tridax. Here's my take on the issue. Read my opinions if you like (I tried to keep them short ), then cast your vote!
  11. Aanchir

    Brickfair

    By Aanchir,

    -The following is copied shamelessly from my comment in ChocolateFrogs's blog-
     
    I'll be there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Not sure what times. My family's registered this time, so hopefully some of the activities and such will be cool. And we're bringing several MOCs-- three Agents MOCs, a sort of Space Police III spinoff, and one that's either BIONICLE or System depending on your point of view. I haven't (yet) been able to convince Lyi that we should bring our Toa Nidhiki MOC, but if we do bring it I've got a Lariska MOC that'd also be fun to show. One factor in the decision-- is DV still in need of BIONICLE MOCs? (not sure if you've kept in touch with him during the downtime.)
     
    Hopefully there'll be enough going on to keep me entertained for all three days. As usual (unless plans change), I'll be in the shirt with an orange Aanchir face, as well as my spiffy BIONICLE baseball cap (although those are still out at LEGO stores so there might be more people in those than just me). =)
  12. Aanchir
    Does anyone else keeping tabs on the BIONICLE storyline and anticipating the movie find themselves spotting random BIONICLE pseudo-references everywhere?
     
    I listened to the album "Tres Lunas" by Mike Oldfield today during my little brother's baseball game, and stuff jumped out at me.
     
    Track listing:
    Misty** No Man's Land Return to the Origin Landfall Viper* Turtle Island** To Be Free Firefly* Tres Lunas Daydream Thou Art in Heaven* Sirius** *It's kinda a stretch to connect these at all with 2009 story, but it can be done... **Any ties these have with 2009 story are totally bogus. But the fact that this music has an overall BIONICLE vibe helps considerably.
     
    "To Be Free", the only one with what we'd call "lyrics" (some others have vocals, but no more than the Power Pack stuff had), ties in superbly with the 2009 story-- namely, with Kiina's character and perspective. I'd totally write a songfic if I were still into that. As it is, instead you get this cool lyrics entry.
     

    To Be Free You find yourself alone, sometimes
    Without a home, no protection
    You don't know which way to go
    You're lost, no direction
     
    Suddenly, out of the blue
    Some kind of magic comes to you
    You don't know how, you don't know why
    But someday, gonna take off, and fly...
     
    (Wish, make a wish)
     
    My wish would be...
     
    To be free
    To be wild
    And to be
    Just like a child
    And if I get lost
    I really don't mind
    Cos I'm me
    Doing just fine
     
    You're out in the cold, sometimes
    As far as you can see, misty
    And you want to run, into the sun
    The road is lost, sand shifty
     
    Suddenly, out of the blue
    Some kind of magic pushes you through
    You don't know when, how or why
    But someday, gonna take off and fly
     
    And if I had a wish, my wish would be...
     
    To be free
    To be wild
    And to be
    Just like a child
    And if I get lost
    I really don't mind
    Cos I'm me
    Doing just fine
     
    (chorus x3)
     
    Just like a child
    I really don't mind
    Cos I'm free
    Doing just fine
    ' 
    Anyhow, great album; great artist. Listen to some stuff if you get a chance; hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I do.
  13. Aanchir

    New Arts!

    By Aanchir,

    Here. First time I've posted art in some time. If it gets any attention, I'll consider posting more of the stuff that I've done recently-- as of right now I've been mostly posting it on other sites, where I can more easily keep track of it.
     
    Yay for Gelu!
  14. Aanchir

    Ackar Set Review

    By Aanchir,

    Ackar was the first of my new Glatorian Legends I opened, for no reason in particular. This review was typed up after the fact, but I still tried to preserve whatever emotions were attached to the opening, building, and playing.
     
    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
     
    The Glatorian Legends canisters intrigued me a fair amount. The first thing that caught my attention is obviously their shape. Although the same height as the Glatorian canisters, the lid’s sides curve towards the center, then abruptly angle downwards into a concave meniscus. A bulge protrudes from the top of the canister, decorated with ridges, and similar ridges emerge from the canister’s peaks.
     
    Something I had not realized from pictures alone is that the Glatorian Legends canisters (lids aside) are actually the same as the winter Glatorian canisters. This was obviously intended in the design of the original Glatorian canisters, as the recessed portion of the canister’s base extends from the central ridge of the original canister lids, allowing one to stack the new canisters on each other, the old canisters on each other, or the new canisters on the old canisters.
     
    The design of the canister’s labels remains intriguing, but varies a great deal from the Glatorian canister design. In the background of every canister’s front label, a design similar to the Skrall insignia glows a bright white against a colored negative space, obscured by a bright starburst toward the center. The backdrops are still unique for each canister, however, as has been the case for all canisters since summer 2008, as elemental environments are visible on the ground. Ackar stands on a presumably uncomfortable bed of lava, with reddish, glowing rocks off to the side.
     
    The typical set info is aligned about the same as on the Glatorian canisters, besides the name of the set appearing below and to the left of the word BIONICLE rather than above and to the right.
     
    The back of the canister has been hailed by many as an improvement from the canisters of the winter Glatorian, and I have to agree to some extent. While I had no particular distaste for the stylized coloration of the Glatorian and Agori on the previous canisters, here we get instead a stunning lineup of the six Glatorian Legends. Above, where the word BIONICLE and the Action Figure Game logo sat on the older canisters, an ad appears for BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn, proclaiming “New Movie Out!” If only, LEGO, if only.
     
    The fare below remains the same: the Thornax demonstration, the leetastic B.I.O. Code, the demonstration of storage in the set’s canister (Yay!), and the relocated Action Figure Game logo. Then follows the legal text, which is very ignorable unless you’re as fascinated as I am at how country names are spelled in other languages.
     
    The instructions feature Ackar in the same dramatic pose as that on the front of the canister, albeit blown up, as well as the set name and number and the “Caution” label. Inside towards the end are another B:TLR ad, the basic BIONICLE Action Figure Game instructions, a layout of all the usable sets in the game as well as info about BIONICLE.com’s expanded online rules, and an ad for BIONICLE.com’s 2009 features (including Glatorian Arena). As with the Glatorian instructions, some sets will have additional set ads in the back—Ackar’s instructions lack these. Now, with a ridiculously-lengthy presentation section concluded, on to the part you actually want to read!
     
    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
     
    Ackar is built in a fairly straightforward fashion. With a fairly standard Inika-style build, he should be easy enough to build without the instructions—I, however, didn’t take this initiative.
     
    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.
     
    Ackar’s pieces spawned much discussion among BIONICLE fans when pics first emerged—they are, after all, in two colors rarely featured as primary colors: bright red and orange. Only six of these molds, however, are old pieces in new colors: the bright red Inika shins, the bright red Inika torso, the bright red Vahki shins, the orange Inika thigh armor, the orange-bright red blended Berix helmet, and the orange webbed Inika feet. Still, looking at those colors it’s easy to see why there was such celebration among older fans in particular.
     
    Initially, I strongly questioned this color scheme’s effectiveness. There is no strong and abundant dark color to offer contrast, a trait that even the Toa Mata had with their massive quantities of black parts. Furthermore, a neutral dark bley is featured on the neck joint and hands, a sparse placement that could potentially undo a color scheme. It turns out, however, that there was no cause for alarm—the color scheme works fairly effectively, and even the bley works well, remaining distinct from the rest of the color scheme while still echoing the silver of his tools and life counter assembly.
     
    For a fairly standard Inika build, Ackar manages to pull off a stunning overall look. The shoulder armor, a set of orange 2007 Matoran blades which I questioned for their lack of consistency, manage to offset this motif inconsistency with a marvelous overall shape.
     
    His helmet is well suited to him, but only to an extent. Early on I dismissed many claims that Berix’s helmet was better suited to a fire character, and even now I think it was more effective on a Water-tribe Agori. The thin, rounded, intertwined back of the helmet reflects a dribbling liquid, which could of course represent magma, but only if the set elsewhere reflected a magma motif. Admittedly the thicker, pointier flame patterns on the front of the mask work effectively for Ackar. And I have no opposition to the reuse of a helmet for this set—it just doesn’t prove a noticeably “better” look than it did in its original usage. It is, in the very least, unique-looking, enough that no-one would have a remote chance of confusing Ackar and Berix (as if that was a possibility).
     
    New parts to Ackar include his ankle guards, and his sword’s hilt and blade. The ankle guards attach via 1.5-length pins to his Inika shins, and maintain a good deal of stylistic consistency with these pieces. They appear fairly versatile for MOCing as well, and I am surprised they have not been featured in more sets besides Ackar and Mata Nui, particularly considering they appear only in that one application as ankle guards. Some dislike how they shake from side to side, but not only does this seem to reflect the jingliness of many styles of actual armor, but I fail to see where it is an issue—after all, most of the set’s playability is basic posing or active, chaotic roleplaying (besides the AFG, which is somewhere in between). In the former, one does not shake the set much, and in fact relies on this stable influence of gravity to ensure that the set is posed realistically. More chaotic play has never been up my alley, and I can’t imagine how one can even keep track of where those parts are when one’s smashing the sets against one another maniacally.
     
    The silver hilt is also featured as Mata Nui’s Scarab Shield and shoulder armor, as well as the upcoming titan form’s sword hilt. However, it is questionable how effective it is as the hilt of a sword—after all, it covers up more than half of the blade’s front edge, making it almost more of the sword’s blade than the actual blade piece. The blade piece is the same translucent orange as that which has been blended with countless dark red parts over the years. It is a beautiful piece, but its many angles form a fairly sharp contrast with Ackar’s curvilinear helmet—thankfully, there are also curves to keep it from being totally inconsistent.
     
    I fervently deny any claims that this set would in any way have made a suitable new version of Toa Tahu. While the shins almost evoke the shape of Nuva armor, there are not any places where the color scheme’s organization remotely evokes the color scheme of either previous form. I much prefer the actual set, which features black y-joints and a silver torso. A firesword and bright red do not a Tahu make, however awesome the firesword might have been for Tahu.
     
    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?
     
    Ackar’s playability is basically identical to that of any Glatorian earlier in the year, due to its main function being use in the BIONICLE Action Figure Game. To recap on that, it’s a very entertaining activity. I still have never tried to use many unofficial “house rules” suggested on BZPower, but have a substantial amount of fun playing with one of BIONICLE.com’s varieties—the one for each player having two Glatorian. With a vast number of variables, it makes for a game that can be played multiple times without growing old.
     
    Regrettably, there are no new innovations that come with the Glatorian Legends for this game. However, I still maintain that if there were any, it would be almost impossible to maintain the overall feel of fairness that is instrumental for enjoying the game.
     
    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
     
    Pros
    What's to like?
    Copious bright red parts Awesome flame sword Unique color scheme Cons What's not to like?
    Simple build with few distinctions from past sets with similar builds No revolutionary play features Overall, I can’t bring myself to recommend Ackar in particular above the other Glatorian Legends, partly because some of the others are so awesome and innovative. However, I would not advise people against getting this set either—Ackar proves a very attractive set with a look that one does not find among other sets. So it’s all in where you want to put your money—choose wisely.
     
  15. Aanchir
    Anyone remember Part 1 and Part II? Well, I figured since I haven't lately done a compilation of my feelings on the sets, and since better pics have shown up of so many, I might as well present one last statement before I actually obtain the sets.
     

    Wrapping It Up There is only one new set to critique here, and that is of course the much-discussed large boxed set that goes by "Toa Mata Nui". He will be hard to critique, since he did not appear at ToyFair and thus has only been seen from one angle. But let me present an opinion on him, wrapping up my pre-purchase reviews.
     
    Toa Mata Nui
    Toa Mata Nui appeared, and as with all sets, opinions were mixed. I have seen people celebrate the set for various reasons, including its variety of useful parts and its overall godlike stature. Others are disappointed in it for its seemingly muddled color scheme and chaotic build (my stance on color schemes has been known to change over time, so I'm trying to avoid judging this aspect too harshly, but the build will be addressed to the best of my ability).
     
    First, I will denounce any statements that this dude is "exactly like Takanuva". His torso can be plainly seen to be entirely different-- only his arms and legs have remained roughly the same, and while his arms are a disappointment, his legs are a mixed bag. True, the upper legs are chunky and overly technical, but the lower legs don't seem to do all that much beyond remedying what many perceived as a flaw concerning last year's largest titan-- the holes in the leg construction. The arms are more of a disappointment, with the corner remaining unfilled rather than joined brilliantly with armor as was done with Takanuva. True, removing Takanuva's shoulder armor does not cost the arms too much of their appeal, but on this Mata Nui the shoulders are not nearly as sloped-- more on the problems there in a bit.
     
    Mata Nui's feet strike me as a nice throwback to the feet on the smaller version. True, their proportions change due to using the exact same foot piece for the main armor. However, they are perhaps one of the most unified areas of the set, and I hope that this impression is not lost when pics from different angles become available. The hands, too, are ingenious, with a considerable range of posability and, again, a generally unified feel.
     
    Tools. Well, for starters, the sword is no disappointment. It is to a reasonable scale with the rest of the set, it is stylistically consistent, and it generally just does a good job evoking the same feel of the sword we saw in the latest Brickmaster's movie stills. The other weapon is a quandary. I have no idea what it is supposed to be. Perhaps another rendition of his shield, but if so it is held peculiarly and does not strike me as very reminiscent of the smaller set's Scarab Shield at all. One wonders why both the launcher and the shield must attach to his arm and wrist, when he has a perfectly good hand without anything to do.
     
    And that brings us to the torso. Apparently, I am the only one who is seriously impressed by the build. The armor style, while a bit awkward, evokes the general shape of the smaller set's armor astoundingly well. The hip-support pistons seem brilliant, and actually remind me very much of the pistons that actually appear on the Metru chestplate that forms Mata Nui's lower body armor. It's all going well until you come to that Inika thigh-armor that covers his groin-- no, it's not terrible, but it keeps the torso from looking like an enlarged version of the smaller set, not looking like any part in particular.
     
    With the construction addressed, let's move our attention to the color scheme. Two colors are easy to recognize, if only by the colors the parts come in-- yellow and Keetorange. Black is the chief neutral color in the color scheme. Truth be told, I do not mind this color combination much. But then we are met with a bit of a puzzle-- what color is Mata Nui's Kanohi Ignika? Many celebrate that it appears to be 2006's yellow-gold, which many had anticipated the old-style Ignika appearing in.
     
    Is it wrong to hope that the Ignika is not yellow-gold? In my opinion that accomplishes a few things: totally spoiling the color scheme, making the set even more inconsistent with the smaller version, and appeasing a fanbase that for some reason can't just be happy with Keetorange. Keetorange has been used to evoke majesty since its debut in BIONICLE-- The novelization of Web of Shadows described Keetongu's armor as looking as though it had been forged from the sun, and of course Keetorange was a key part of Toa Ignika's color scheme. In my opinion it is a beautiful color, and I was thrilled to see the new Ignika in this color. However, it doesn't seem as though the old one will get that treatment for this set.
     
    How is the color scheme organized? I've long held that that aspect, not the colors that are part of the color scheme, is critical to determining a color scheme's look and effectiveness. Overall, this color scheme adheres rigidly to the color scheme of the smaller set which I have come to love, although it substitutes much Keetorange with yellow. I don't regard this as a particular loss-- it is done fairly evenly, and from what I can tell effectively augments the vividness of the Keetorange in places that so need an accent color.
     
    Things fall apart at the lower torso. Between the pistons and the groin armor, the feel of the smaller Mata Nui is lost, even if the pistons are a minor loss due to their continued presence as a neutral color. Moving on, the upper legs are as much a mess in terms of color scheme as they are in terms of construction. Thankfully this situation is remedied once one reaches the lower legs and feet, which continue to be very effective.
     
    Overall, I am starting to wonder whether this set might be worth my investment. In the very least, I hope I or some more capable MOCist will have the patience with the set to produce a revamp which remedies the set's flaws.
  16. Aanchir

    Awww, Man...

    By Aanchir,

    So Kiina's the only character this year named after a person. Pity, it would have been mighty ownage had Gresh been named for Greg, even if it might have spawned dreadful and premature character shippings.
     
    Also, Certavustime:
     
    Now to figure out what to do for Surel...
  17. Aanchir
    Just was rereading Comic 2 of this year, and noticed something very intriguing.
     
    By now I'm sure most people have noticed the sillhouetted weapons by each Agori bio in the centerfold. Atakus's has a Skrall shield, Tarduk's has one of Vastus's vinelike shoulder armor pieces, Metus's has one of Gelu's swords (I'd have loved it if in story those were some type of multi-crossbow, but I suppose it was not meant to be), Raanu has Ackar's flame sword, Berix has Kiina's trident, and Zesk has a Thornax. I suppose Zesk and Atakus didn't get new tool sillhouettes because Mata Nui has not much to do with Zesk and because Stronius's club would look pretty boring in sillhouette.
     
    But today I noticed that there is yet another easter egg I hadn't picked up on. Along the crease between the two pages, each section splits into several colored horizontal bars. It turns out that the colors of those bars form an almost complete inventory of important colors used in small and canister sets within that tribe/color group.
    Atakus's colored bars include black, red, dark red (Stronius's secondary color), dark stone gray (dark bley to the layman MOCist), a lighter gray which presumably represents silver, a pale reddish-orange representing transparent fluorescent red-orange (the trans. orange used for so many eye colors), and a light yellow representing glow-in-the-dark. Tarduk's colored bars are, in order: dark green, lime, dark bley, silver, transparent fluorescent yellow-green (Vastus's eye color), and transparent fluorescent red-orange. Metus's horizontal bars depict white, dark blue, light blue, silver, a very light blue which represents transparent fluorescent light blue (the eye color of Toa Metru Nuju and the color of many blended Ice-tribe parts this year), and a not-so-light blue which represents the so-called "transparent ice blue". Raanu's depict dark red, red, orange (or possibly the trans. orange present in Malum's flame claws and helmet), dark bley, yellow-orange (Keetorange), silver, and trans. fluorescent red-orange. Berix's set of colored bars shows dark blue, light blue, blue, gold, silver, trans. fluorescent yellow-green, dark bley, trans. fluorescent light blue, and black. I'm intrigued that black and dark bley are on here as parts of the color scheme, and it is probably a result of parts such as Tarix's Metru chest that holds his life counter, or Kiina's shoulder joints and back. Finally, Zesk's colored bars portray yellow-orange, black, silver, brown, trans. fluorescent red-orange, and trans. ice blue. I don't think there's any excuse for tan (brick yellow, according to LEGO) not being here save for mere lack of attentiveness. So it seems LEGO's graphic artists had a field day with this one centerfold. Personally, I was tickled pink. Others might not find it so funny, but I suppose it's a bit of an inside joke.
     
    Anyway, notice also the tribe insignias appearing behind the Agori themselves-- all match the tribe of the Agori besides the curious plus-mark behind Atakus which might be a generic symbol, or else the symbol for some neutral territory like Atero. Graphics also appear above the character/set names and numbers of each village. I hope we get to see this artwork at a larger scale, as it will be pure gold for the BS01 Wiki.
     
    Can't wait to see more brilliant media from BIONICLE!
  18. Aanchir
    First, if you haven't checked out Part 1, go ahead and do that. I'd love to hear where my first thoughts agree with or differ with your own.
     

    Bara Magna Vehicles 
    The vehicle sets for 2009 prove impressively unique. Some of them have flaws, but all are nevertheless amazingly creative. This year's vehicles vary from most we encountered last year in that these tend to be land vehicles. As such, there are plenty of treads and wheels to go around. Overall there are some flaws, but the sets are nevertheless impressive in their style and creativity. Without further ado, let's delve into these intriguing sets.
     
    Cendox V1
    Concerning the names, I like these just as I have liked most Bara Magna terms. However, the "V#" after each grows mildly tiresome. Not what you'd expect from a society as primitive technologically as the Agori seem to be. But then, neither are some of the vehicles.
     
    In its vivid yellow, Cendox is eye-catching, and the color scheme seems well-organized. I like the style it uses, with a back tread and a sledlike nose. The front-mounted Thornax is something that would never have worked with a bulkier launcher on such a small, sleek set as this one. I like the styles of piece it uses, ranging from Kiina's aerodynamic thigh armor to the good ol' Brutaka swords in black (as they also appeared in Tuma). Of course, stylistic consistency is not nearly as good as it was on some of the vehicles last year. The seat, using the otherwise next-to-useless Kalmah armor, looks as comfy as ever. Certainly not a worthless set, regardless of size.
     
    But then there's Crotesius. He's a good Agori, of course, and I've never much minded simplicity in the riders of vehicle sets, but alas! Bohrok feet!? They were the ideal Matoran feet from 2004-2007, in my opinion, with their two-toed glory, but the Av-Matoran limbs and torsos make them seem downright puny-- and unlike among Matoran, Crotesius doesn't have continuity to his defense.
     
    Crotesius wears his set's only life counter on his back, a variation from the previous vehicle/creature set, Fero and Skirmix. The amount of variation among vehicle sets in this respect is peculiar, and I hope it does not have any negative impact on the Action Figure Game.
     
    Kaxium V3
    Kaxium demonstrates just how much variability land-based vehicles can offer. Using more traditional Technic wheels, it is an amazingly clever motorbike with sidecar. It has decent stylistic consistency and a decent color scheme. The forward-mounted Thornax Launcher on the sidecar works well, just as it did on the nose of the Cendox.
     
    When we come to the Agori pilots, of course, things begin to fall apart. The color schemes are moderately OK, although they lack any real contrast with the vehicle. Moreover, I'd have preferred that they be twins than that one have light blue, throwing a wrench into the color scheme. Metru feet also are a bit peculiar, and I don't see why the vehicle Agori couldn't have followed the winter tradition and used Mata feet.
     
    The Agori do have something to say to their advantage, which is that they reuse Crotesius's mask-- but backwards! I think this is brilliantly executed, and it will be seen in several other vehicles this year. I hope it continues in the future, as it allows LEGO more creative opportunities with fewer pieces-- after all, until closely examining the ToyFair pics I didn't notice how many of the masks were reused in a backwards configuration.
     
    ...Still lookin' for that life counter...
     
    Thornatus V5
    The Thornatus stands out with its copious tan. I don't know what to think of this-- tan is a bright color, but not a particularly vibrant one, and not what I'd have expected on such a large vehicle. However, it seems to work considerably well, and the number of tan parts we get (including some of this year's new panel pieces) is very encouraging.
     
    From the first time I saw pics of the Thornatus it reminded me of the Jetrax. While unique in several ways, it nevertheless uses many of the same pieces as its main motifs. Bitil wings, Krika blades, and an amazingly similar cockpit construction. It is not a bad thing, however, with so many other details setting this apart from the vehicles of yesteryear.
     
    The wheels are all reused from system sets-- the wheels on the sides are from the Power Miners theme of this year, while the large rear wheel originated in a 2007 Exo-Force set (do not confuse it with the similar but far larger wheel from an earlier LEGO Star Wars set, the Technic Hailfire Droid). Both wheel designs work well for BIONICLE with their pointy, mechanistic style.
     
    This set has two life counters, one in front of the pilot's feet and another on the Bitil wing used on the top aft of the Thornatus as a wheel well. The Thornax Launcher is mounted near this second life counter, with an apparent ability to fold back and lie flat on the Bitil wing in question. This is worthwhile, as it seems to stand considerably above the vehicle when not folded prone.
     
    On the subject of wheel wells, a silver Kanohi Crast curves over the side wheels, adding stylistic consistency with the Krika blades used further towards the front. These wheels are affixed to side sections of the vehicle which are able to fold forward much like the claws of the Boxor, albeit without the nifty foot-pressing ability. I certainly hope there is a control for this feature and they are not just loose. Nevertheless, it is a nice trait for this set.
     
    The set reuses the Midak Skyblasters of yesteryear, and while I do not mind this I very much wish LEGO had utilized a different color of Zamor. Perhaps gold Zamors to represent unripe Thornax? Whatever the case, there had better be an explanation for such high-tech-looking blasters in such a low-tech society.
     
    Finally we come to Perditus. Like the other riders we've encountered so far, he has his flaws. For instance, he uses both black and bley as neutral colors-- were I the designer I'd have stuck with purely bley. His mask is nice, and will also appear on the charioteer of the Baranus in orange. It looks hoodlike and menacing, and my first impression of it is positive.
     
    Baranus V7
    Baranus makes even less sense than the others with its "V#" classification, since it is not even a motor vehicle. However, it could also be argued that it makes more sense since it is the only one that seems to be mass-produced (if it is indeed one of the Spikit-drawn wagons mentioned in Empire of the Skrall). Regardless, I do not think it is a dreadful problem, just a peculiarity.
     
    Here's our rider, Sahmad, wearing that orange Perditus mask I told you about! If he indeed serves the Skrall, then I am curious why his armor is so vibrant-- most other Skrall-affiliated beings reserved such vivid coloring for accents to their primarily black armor. Regardless, I like Sahmad, in part since he is the first of the riders to use armor not typical of his build (black Mantax claws on his upper arms). Sahmad carries a whip (black Kalmah tentacle) to drive the Spikit that draws his chariot, and also carries the set's sole Thornax launcher in the same hand as a Bitil longsword (I have never liked this practice-- it was a stretch on the Barraki though it seems a bit better here). His back also holds the set's (apparently only) life counter.
     
    The Baranus is a simple vehicle, but one which fits together charmingly. I had considered creating a BIONICLE chariot before but never had such brilliant ideas of how to armor it as the set designers did here. The rear of the vehicle, sadly, is very bland. It is attached to the Spikit with Hewkii Inika/Vezon/Karzahni chain pieces.
     
    The Spikit is not as disappointing as I expected from descriptions, although the dark silver in its color scheme seems a bit much. It features a spine made from one of Gresh's shield-halves, and heads made from (apparently) Glatorian heads with Bohrok eyes attached to the sides. The head and the eyes don't match, but the head is almost completely obscured by an interesting choice of mask-- a reversed version of the alien-looking mask used on Telluris, the rider of the Skopio XV-1. I am much relieved that this creature, featured so early in the story, is not a depressing combiner but rather an integral part of a rather attractive set.
     
    Skopio XV-1
    The Skopio is an interesting vehicle with an interesting pilot. The vehicle seems very technologically advanced, with the ability to fold down its four massive legs to act as treads. The rider, Telluris, is just as intriguing-- the tubes connecting him to his vehicle imply advanced technology, an alien-looking mask defines his overall look, and his medium-sized stature denotes him as a seemingly distinct species from the Glatorians and Agori.
     
    Telluris's mask is the same as that used in the Spikit, although it is orange rather than a dark green-lime blend and reversed in position. His arms are comprised of Throwbot arms attached to the shorter variety of double-joint (a style I used a long time ago on Toa Metru toamods), wearing orange Kalmah armor on the upper limbs, while his legs are essentially Metru legs with Photok's orange feet. All this on the conventional Av-Matoran/Agori torso. It's a creative build, if simple.
     
    The Skopio has life counters on the front and back of its stinger. Most of its look is defined by pistons and paneling-- the main BIONICLE-patterned pieces besides its blasters are a Jaller Mahri torso armor piece on its "head", Antroz's claw-blades for its "teeth", and Hewkii Mahri shoulder spikes on its "legs"... err... legs. No quotes. Its legs introduce a new style of joint to BIONICLE, a click-joint used prolifically in LEGO Star Wars and some other System sets before this.
     
    Its legs may be massive, but the tail is measly in comparison-- some rare Technic pieces form its main structure, with a bulky Midak Skyblaster on each side overpowering the meager Thornax Launcher where its "stinger" ought to be. The Skopio XV-1 is very well-structured in most places, but the tail is not something to be proud of from the pics I have seen.
     

    ~~~~~~~ 
    I'm certainly very impressed with what LEGO's cooked up for us later this year, although surprisingly we haven't seen even one Titan/Warrior set besides Tuma. Then again, perhaps massive warriors aren't as common on Bara Magna. And of course we have yet to see whether the larger Mata Nui set Greg hinted at will be a reality, and what nature it might have. Regardless, my high hopes in the future of BIONICLE have once more been reaffirmed. Can't wait to see where the story goes from here.
  19. Aanchir

    Mazeka Review

    By Aanchir,

    Merry Christmas, BZPower! Or... a late Merry Christmas, anyway, if that's how you see it. Anyway, Lyichir was kind enough to give me two wonderful gifts: Mazeka and Makuta Icarax. A review of the latter should come soon. Sorry this will be pictureless, but I'm more comfortable with pictureless reviews-- with my sloppy photography skills, I couldn't really count on the pictures to explain anything by themselves, anyway, so hopefully the text would suffice regardless.
     
    Presentation
    From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
     
    Remember my Rockoh T3 review? Most of the essentials of that box's design hold true here, with some exceptions:
    The box stands vertically rather than oblong. The word "BIONICLE" (along with Mazeka's name) is gold on every side of the box, though it retains the Ignikaman in the center of the "O" on the front and back of the box. Mazeka, standing beside his Swamp Strider on the back of the box, is not actual size. Instead, a pic of his mask and head stands above small text reading "Actual Size" on the top of the box. Like Takanuva, though, the front of Mazeka's box features a seemingly actual-size pic of him on the Swamp Strider-- a real treat for buyers who want a good idea of the set's content as they casually browse store shelves. There's a big ol' yeller bubble between the Swamp Strider's legs on the front of the box screaming "Limited Edition" and showing {pic of Mazeka} {plus sign} {pic of Swamp Strider}, apparently to clarify that there are two separate models in this set. Of course the left side also has that yellow text reading "Limited Edition" in three languages Going beyond graphical content, we find a bit of a layout difference. The back of Mazeka's box advertises all three T-vehicles in the sidebar-- more than Rockoh advertised, but less than Takanuva did with his full blurb of all three vehicles plus the six Mistika. Three "windows" running along the bottom demonstrate the vertical and rotational range of poseability the Swamp Strider has, as well as its "modified Midak Skyblaster" (more on that later). The lower half of the blaster's demonstration pic is cropped off to accommodate the B.I.O. code, as well as the LEGO logo.
     
    Already we have a very splendorous presentation of this set-- thankfully, the set lives up to the expectations set by the box.
     
    Mazeka has only one instruction manual, which features little on the cover besides the set and the gold text reading "BIONICLE" and "Mazeka." But of course, the pieces are what interest a builder most, so let's proceed.
     
    Building
    Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
     
    The Mazeka set's parts are divided into three bags. The first contains Mazeka's own parts, the second the parts to the Swamp Strider's upper section (including the vertical joint), and the third the Swamp Strider's legs and turntable.
     
    Mazeka's construction is essentially the same as Solek's, save for his torso being reversed. The Swamp Strider is far more complicated, but is not a frustrating build. It begins with a flattish platform (not entirely flat, mind you-- that would be boring) to which the blaster mechanism is added, and the clever joint mechanism attaches here. Bag Two is concluded with the addition of the "seat", the handlebars, the Zamor cartridge mechanism, and some auxiliary armor.
     
    The legs are built two-at-a-time and attached together in a modest way. Once all four are done the center section is largely hidden by the turntable piece and some well-chosen armor pieces.
     
    The set has a clever way of using pistons while keeping the Swamp Strider relatively free of Y-joints. Instead, it takes advantage of the rarely-used L-shaped leg pieces from the 2003 Matoran sets. There are double-joints on the legs, though, and while I had no trouble with parts breaking I cannot guarantee this for all buyers of this set.
     
    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.
     
    Mazeka himself has no notable new parts besides those beauties we saw in Solek. If you want some nice one-piece limb joints, these are a good type to invest in. His mask, a silver Volitak just like the one in Toa Mahri Nuparu, was well-chosen for its large, Matoran-like eyes, but it is the only silver part on him and if LEGO were into making it in a brand-new color I'd have suggested dark bley. Another flaw in this mask is that without the visor, the eyeholes stand very far off the face-- something that would have been nice to avert, even if I cannot postulate a means of doing so.
     
    Mazeka's torso, as it is, looks very good, even with an empty chest. Lyichir has found, though, that to improve his appearance and complexity one need only attach two Matoro Mahri shoulder armor pieces to his upper arms. They fit marvelously and look stunning for an OoMN member, though I hope we can come up with something similar to spruce up the wingless Vultraz.
     
    The Swamp Strider, meanwhile, has very sturdy legs and balances well on four Carapar claw pieces. It is easy to keep it in one pose despite the minimal traction offered by the Technic turntable. The modified Midak Skyblaster, as it is addressed on BIONICLE.com, is essentially a Zamor Launcher whose trigger extends all the way through the back of the vehicle. It works very well and holds all nine Zamors in the set. Another would fit, but then the six of them in the top two cartridges would not be able to feed properly into the bottom part of the Y-shaped mechanism. The overally mechanism looks rather like a Skyblaster, if a little squished, and might have looked more like one had it used a regular Hordika foot on top, though that would call for severe alterations in the design. Mazeka clips on the set with a pin on each of his feet and hands, but does not seem to sit all that comfortably in the Inika-foot seat provided for him.
     
    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?
     
    As I said above, the poseability of the Swamp Strider is very effective. This makes the modified Skyblaster easy to aim at a target. The trigger is conveniently located and, since the set can aim anywhere by standing (unlike most vehicle sets which need to be flying to hit anything not on the ground in the direction they are facing), it is a lot easier to fire. No need to reach around for a small trigger whilst you struggle to keep the vehicle airborne with your other hand-- the button is conveniently located in the back of the platform. I can imagine, though, that when role-playing a flying vehicle would be much more evasive than this one.
     
    The Mazeka figure, being a mere Matoran, is not as fun to pose as the riders to the T-vehicles, and thus has little play value on his own. But he's still an essential part of the set, as a vehicle with no conscious person controlling it is pretty lame to play with. Much more fun to take the role of an active combatant than a hollow robot.
     
    Final Thoughts
    Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
     
    Pros
    What's to like?
    Excellent poseability and aiming for Swamp Strider Well designed 2008 Matoran, for whatever that's worth Easy-to-use blaster mechanism with ample ammo Cons What's not to like?
    Basic 2008 Matoran means basic 2008 Matoran poseability Not too easy to soar around with No new pieces or pieces in new colors (unless you count Takanuva's dark silver Pohatu Phantoka arms) Overall, Mazeka wasn't high on my list of 2008 sets to get. He has a minor story role and a vehicle that, to be honest, isn't as thrilling as my darling Rockooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
     
    *ahem* But that aside, he is a set I and any other BIONICLE fan will be grateful to have. He's a well-designed and clever set, with few considerable flaws that you don't anticipate when you get the set. I can't encourage you to get the set, but I can tell you that if or when you do, you are bound to be more than satisfied.
  20. Aanchir
    I discovered today that it's really easy to make a clean edit from the posters in the "Downloads" section on BIONICLE.com. I discovered it rather fortuitously, having copypasted some hi-res Mistika and Phantoka pics from there with the intention of making some generally simple edits. You know, a quick negative and then a complete hue reversal, which in essence kept the colors the same but swapped the light and dark areas of the original image.
     
    The point to this, of course, was to sort of get a glimpse of how the Toa Nuva might have been had they all been Mistika/Phantoka. The Mistika, after all, consistently use silver as a base and a Metru-tone primary, just as the Phantoka have vivid primary colors on a dark gray base. By reversing the light and dark areas and making a few subtle adjustments of color saturation, I would get a vague look at how such color schemes might have been arranged had they been applied to the opposite sets of Toa Nuva.
     
    Thus today, in an attempt to take a more in-depth look at that effect, I discovered how easy it was to select a piece neatly around its edges for recoloring. Naturally I took the initiative of doing this with the whole primary color, then the whole base color. And behold, the Pohatu I have long advocated as a middle ground between the classic brown and the vibrant orange.
     

     
    Dark orange is a hard color to replicate; I fear I have done a dismal job here. But note that I also attempted to change the bley to silver, in hopes of maintaining contrast. Contrast is a key to any viable color scheme at this simple, canister-set scale. Hence my appreciation of both the Mistika and Phantoka sets in their depiction of the Toa Nuva.
     
    It is natural that I would make some errors in formulating the color of dark orange, and I happened upon one incorrect color which I felt was worth pursuing. I imagine this is probably what you came for, so I will delay no longer in showing you this picture (again with the Mistika-style silver base color).
     

     
    This one certainly turned out beautiful, and as much as I prefer the vibrant orange tone in conjunction with the vibrant colors of the other five elemental tribes, I felt that this was worth sharing with the world. Who knows? An orange canister and a can or two of spray paint might be all that separate you from this alternative!
     
    Have a nice day.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  21. Aanchir
    Dear Reader,
     
    I would like to begin by saying that I would love the readers of this blog to show their support for my entry, entry 3 in Poll F, titled "To Cerule".
     
    However, I find that so far the poetry contest voting has gotten little attention. Not a single entry at the time of my voting had even ten votes! At such a state, even the slightest vote cast for reasons of bias could upset the fairness of the competition, and I do not wish for a winner (even myself) to be decided due to campaigning alone.
     
    Therefore, I encourage people to read not only my entry, but the others in its poll, and for that matter all of the entries. Some are tedious, some are lacking in beauty, but until you know which are truly deserving of your votes I encourage you to withhold those votes.
     
    I would very much like to recommend some of the poems that I found truly beautiful, but my own posting of this is perhaps enough to instill a bias, and I do not wish to do any more of that. However, I will recommend that you read my previous blog entry, Love, Beauty, Etcetera, granted without letting any eloquence it carries be mistaken for beauty in my entry, which might not contain the same degree of beauty in all aspects (I still regret having written it in my typical iambic pentameter).
     
    Go forth to demonstrate your opinions in the first ever COT Poetry Contest, and may the best poem win.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  22. Aanchir

    Sketch Dump

    By Aanchir,

    Hordika: Vakama, Nokama, and Matau.
     
    Nuva Phantoka and Toa Ignika
     
    Nuva -???-: Note that the new versions of these Nuva masks are speculative and are based on observations outlined in this entry.
     
    Random Characters: a.k.a. "The far-too-recent days when Aanchir was running out of graph paper." Quite a few Makuta on this one. And Zaktan! 8D
     
    And, as a special bonus...
     
    Po and TLH: a.k.a. "Aanchir finally found these people's incredibly obvious Brickshelf/maj account names after being in correspondence with them for however many months!" Just goes to show how little effort I was willing to put forth back in the day. These are horrendously sketchy, but as sketches I hope nothing more is expected of them.
     
    Comments, compliments, and constructive criticism appreciated as much as they would be on an actual artwork topic.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  23. Aanchir
    Here's my latest attempt. Now if you really care what exactly a Rachira is, you know where to look.
     
    Thanks to Lyichir for fact-checking this.
     
    I don't think I'll have time to revisit that topic, and moreover it is not the sort of topic that one wants to clutter up with comments. Therefore, post any comments you might have here rather than there.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  24. Aanchir
    Let me get this out of the way, since the new Good Guys topic in the reference corner reminded me of this unpleasant aspect I have seen in a lot of stories.
     
    Please, for the love of Pete, STOP sticking Onepu in Toa teams with the Chronicler's Company!
     
    Yes, we were all weeping and moaning when Nuparu became a Toa Inika instead of Onepu. This is, of course, completely sarcastic. Onepu never was anything more than a "Mata Nui Cowboy" in the storyline, and no matter how cool that is, Nuparu had already been fleshed out as a character far more (though they managed to do that in BL7 for even the less prominent members of the team, so I suppose it could have been done). But that aside, has noone realized that sticking Onepu in a team largely comprised of the CC is doing the same thing to Taipu?
     
    I personally was disappointed with the outcome of the contest Greg held to determine the next Chronicler-- Taipu is a character who has been fleshed out plenty in the storyline, but has yet to earn the attention he deserves in the fan community.
     
    Anyway, have you forgotten what Onepu is today? He's RETIRED. While he still serves in the Ussalry (and by the way, does anyone know if that still exists on Metru Nui? I certainly hope so), he has given up Ussal racing. I take that as a pretty clear sign that he has had enough thrills for a lifetime, though his becoming a Toa would have given him that awesome Coriolanus vibe .
     
    So, all in all, I'm trying to say that you should do as my brother Lyichir has done and place Taipu among his peers in terms of heroism and virtue. Because aren't those what being a Toa is all about?
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
  25. Aanchir

    Frost Rising Is Back!

    By Aanchir,

    Remember that entry where I said I would not be continuing my epic, Frost Rising? Well, I changed my mind.
     
    You heard right. Chapter VIII of Frost Rising is up, thanks to my realization that the story so far was good, and that finishing my half-completed chapter was easier than surpassing something that I myself wrote not too long ago. Believe me, this story is one that is so wonderful to me I can't keep myself from writing it, no matter how much I may hate the process of doing so at times.
     
    Spread the word.
     
    With all due respect,
    Aanchir: Rachira of Time
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