OFFICIAL Bionicle 2015 Topic

[CeeCee]

What day is the panel?

[Tattorack]

I've found some interesting definitions for the new island name. I have a feeling it isn't just a word they made up, but a name they deliberately chose. 

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=okoto

 

Some of these fit with the Mask of Creation as well, and that bit about balance?

 

It also means "Your thing" in Japanese,

and "mussels" in Yoruba.

[UngluedBike]

 

I actually managed to get a free ticket to Comic Con for Friday. Anyone know if the panel will still be there?

Sadly, the panel wont. But hopefully the sets will still be on the show floor.

 

Does that mean the panel is on Thursday?

[Aanchir]

 

 

I actually managed to get a free ticket to Comic Con for Friday. Anyone know if the panel will still be there?

Sadly, the panel wont. But hopefully the sets will still be on the show floor.

 

Does that mean the panel is on Thursday?

 

Yes, the panel is on Thursday at 1:00 pm and is apparently invite-only.

[Taria Pakari]

These next 4 days are probably going to drag on more than usual for me, what with the anticipation for all the new details.

[Boidoh]

 

I think in Japanese, if you change a letter around, Otoko means 'man'.

 

Okoto could also mean Skeleton in some other language. http://glosbe.com/luo/en/okoto

 

In Serbian it means 'Eye'

 

Giant Robot confirmed?

 

Man/Skeleton refers to the Robot, and this island is the eye.

 

[Banana Gunz]

 

I actually managed to get a free ticket to Comic Con for Friday. Anyone know if the panel will still be there?

I'm looking at the panel listing for Friday and I don't see anything involving Lego anywhere, unfortunately; as someone said, they should have a booth up all con... If there is, I'll meet you there for a fruity highfive or something

 

 

Sweet!

 

 

 

 

With NYCC just a few days away what do you think we're gonna find out there, I believe we'll see at least one set image and also some story details, I'm also guessing it will be announced as a reboot. 

 

 

 

I don't have a Facebook.

Whaaaaaaa

 

 

What? Blasphemy?

 

I actually managed to get a free ticket to Comic Con for Friday. Anyone know if the panel will still be there?

 

H-how.... how did you....... I mean... you.... how.........

GAAH!!!

 

I think he won it in that sweet contest that BZP was doing.

 

 

Psshht, I wish. Truth is my friend got some for free from another friend and then gave me one for free. 

 

 

I actually think the new name is quite nice and fitting. It doesn't sound exactly like something Bionicle (more like some sort of japanese name) but it feels cool and ancient and meaningful. I can see why the change was probably made: to make the distinction between Mata-Nui and the island that the matoran (or whatever they're gonna be called now...) live on.

 

I think the "complicated" terms aren't being dropped. Simply used less. Those terms helped to give Bionicle a lot of character.

 

I like what the name means. "Balance" or something like that. The island is the perfect balance between peace and danger. Boom.

[fishers64]

Looks like Lego is going for the anime vibe this time around. Between the "Okoto" and the removal of certain Maori terminology, it would appear that they are heading that direction. 

[UngluedBike]

 

 

I think in Japanese, if you change a letter around, Otoko means 'man'.

 

Okoto could also mean Skeleton in some other language. http://glosbe.com/luo/en/okoto

 

In Serbian it means 'Eye'

 

Giant Robot confirmed?

 

Man/Skeleton refers to the Robot, and this island is the eye.

 

 

So...an even bigger MU robot?

[Toa Kopaka TJByrum]

 

 

 

I think in Japanese, if you change a letter around, Otoko means 'man'.

 

Okoto could also mean Skeleton in some other language. http://glosbe.com/luo/en/okoto

 

In Serbian it means 'Eye'

 

Giant Robot confirmed?

 

Man/Skeleton refers to the Robot, and this island is the eye.

 

 

So...an even bigger MU robot?

 

Hey, it can always go up to eleven.

[Boidoh]

Looks like Lego is going for the anime vibe this time around. Between the "Okoto" and the removal of certain Maori terminology, it would appear that they are heading that direction. 

 

I heard that something word that was almost similar in spelling to Okoto is a New Zealand city, or something. Didn't the Maori come from there

 

 

 

 

I think in Japanese, if you change a letter around, Otoko means 'man'.

 

Okoto could also mean Skeleton in some other language. http://glosbe.com/luo/en/okoto

 

In Serbian it means 'Eye'

 

Giant Robot confirmed?

 

Man/Skeleton refers to the Robot, and this island is the eye.

 

 

So...an even bigger MU robot?

 

 

If the island is the eye of the robot, probably.

[LaputanMachine]

Island of Okoto = eye-land of Okoto.

 

How many letters in Okoto? Five. What year is #BIONICLE2015 confirmed for? 2015.

 

Okoto confirmed for the eye of the third giant robot, after the MU bot and the prototype bot... so HL3 is confirmed, with the Mask of Creation as a promotional hat for use in Team Fortress 2. Calling it now.

[Flex Lord Splash]

To me the Okoto thing is cool. I'm digging the reboot. I mean why else would they be searching for the mask of power? Which they have already done. Assuming it is the Toa Mata we know. But since this is Okoto now would they be the Toa Okoto?

 

As for people hating on a reboot bionicle has an limitless amount of alternate universes and realities. This new chapter is only a new slice of the big bionicle megaverse pie. And I'm going to enjoy this slice while enjoying the old slice too. Heck people can even make fictions now about a crossover of the slightly different universes but it looks to me like core elements of bionicle is still going to be there and that it's moving back to it's roots for an island 2001 vibe which makes me happy since that was my favorite year.

[Banana Gunz]

I personally don't  think that the giant robot concept is coming back, but I could be wrong. It's an interesting thought that the island could be just on top of Mata-Nui's eye.

 

MATA-NUI HAS A MONOCLE CONFIRMED. MONIONICLE THE MONOCLE CHRONICLE CONFIRMED.

 

I can just imagine Mata-Nui waking up and then blinking. *crushes island to tiny pieces by accident as matoran all over scream for their dear lives*

 

But I think we need to be more creative/open as to how we interpret this news. I doubt Lego would go for the exact same story arc as before. If this is a reboot, then things are definitely different with objects like the Mask of Creation being a prominent part. This could be a hint to something bigger and a lot more different than we know... or it could just be nothing.

[Boidoh]

I hope they did like what they showed in some concept art with a Knee Island and Three Finger island or something. It just has a Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker feel to it. I want a ton of island to explore.

[fishers64]

 

Looks like Lego is going for the anime vibe this time around. Between the "Okoto" and the removal of certain Maori terminology, it would appear that they are heading that direction. 

 

I heard that something word that was almost similar in spelling to Okoto is a New Zealand city, or something. Didn't the Maori come from there

It's not just Okoto, they are fighting in the "mountains of Okoto". Fighting/living in a mountain setting is Asian-y culture generally. Also the leaked set names which we can't talk about seem to suggest this as well. 

 

I wouldn't rush to assume anything at this point, though. They seem to be aiming for an Asian/anime feel, but that's only a theory, and it could be wrong. 

[LaputanMachine]

 

 

Looks like Lego is going for the anime vibe this time around. Between the "Okoto" and the removal of certain Maori terminology, it would appear that they are heading that direction. 

 

I heard that something word that was almost similar in spelling to Okoto is a New Zealand city, or something. Didn't the Maori come from there

It's not just Okoto, they are fighting in the "mountains of Okoto". Fighting/living in a mountain setting is Asian-y culture generally. Also the leaked set names which we can't talk about seem to suggest this as well. 

 

I wouldn't rush to assume anything at this point, though. They seem to be aiming for an Asian/anime feel, but that's only a theory, and it could be wrong. 

 

 

Well, it worked wonders for Ninjago, so I wouldn't be surprised if they used some of the same themes in Bionicle as well.

[CeeCee]

 

 

Looks like Lego is going for the anime vibe this time around. Between the "Okoto" and the removal of certain Maori terminology, it would appear that they are heading that direction. 

 

I heard that something word that was almost similar in spelling to Okoto is a New Zealand city, or something. Didn't the Maori come from there

It's not just Okoto, they are fighting in the "mountains of Okoto". Fighting/living in a mountain setting is Asian-y culture generally. Also the leaked set names which we can't talk about seem to suggest this as well. 

 

I wouldn't rush to assume anything at this point, though. They seem to be aiming for an Asian/anime feel, but that's only a theory, and it could be wrong. 

 

I woulnt count the word Toa out of the story just yet

[masterchirox580]

 

 

Looks like Lego is going for the anime vibe this time around. Between the "Okoto" and the removal of certain Maori terminology, it would appear that they are heading that direction. 

 

I heard that something word that was almost similar in spelling to Okoto is a New Zealand city, or something. Didn't the Maori come from there

It's not just Okoto, they are fighting in the "mountains of Okoto". Fighting/living in a mountain setting is Asian-y culture generally. Also the leaked set names which we can't talk about seem to suggest this as well. 

 

I wouldn't rush to assume anything at this point, though. They seem to be aiming for an Asian/anime feel, but that's only a theory, and it could be wrong. 

 

I've also noticed this, I think it's an interesting idea and I'd be willing to give a shot.

[Archon~]

I think in Japanese, if you change a letter around, Otoko means 'man'.

 

Okoto could also mean Skeleton in some other language. http://glosbe.com/luo/en/okoto

 

In Serbian it means 'Eye'

 

Giant Robot confirmed?

 

Man/Skeleton refers to the Robot, and this island is the eye.

 

Actually "Oko" means eye in Serbian, Okoto doesn't mean anything. Source: native tongue.

[Voltex]

Island name is interesting, as is the confirmation that the heroes are searching for masks. Hopefully terms like "Toa" and "Matoran" will still be present, but I have faith that it will still be awesome.

[Archon~]

Does anyone think we'll encounter humans in the series this time around?

[Aanchir]

Does anyone think we'll encounter humans in the series this time around?

Nope. Why would they do that?

 

Also, I've seen a couple posts talking about how good it is to have confirmation of Masks of Power, or a mask quest. Didn't we already have that? I mean, the original announcement post on the LEGO Bionicle Facebook page said "We are ready to take you on an epic quest to find the Masks of Power." Doesn't seem like they'd tease us with something like that and then go "whoops, the actual story has nothing to do with searching for masks after all!"

Edited October 5, 2014 by Aanchir

[Flex Lord Splash]

So Asian/anime vibe huh? Does anyone else think that an actual bionicle anime show would be amazing? Like normal anime style drawings and such but with bionicles. Would be epic.

[Banana Gunz]

Asian/anime vibe? Please no, just not for Bionicle...

[Irrie]

So Asian/anime vibe huh? Does anyone else think that an actual bionicle anime show would be amazing? Like normal anime style drawings and such but with bionicles. Would be epic.

I don't really want to see the Hau's eye sockets inflate to half the size of its face, thank you. 

[Aanchir]

 

So Asian/anime vibe huh? Does anyone else think that an actual bionicle anime show would be amazing? Like normal anime style drawings and such but with bionicles. Would be epic.

I don't really want to see the Hau's eye sockets inflate to half the size of its face, thank you.

 

Taking cues from manga and anime (something BIONICLE has always done to a certain extent) does not mean reinforcing all the anime stereotypes and cliches people seem to dread for some bizarre reason. Do the mobile suits in the Gundam series have giant eyes? I didn't think so.

[Wrinkledlion X]

To be fair, the MNOLG-style animations from 2002 to 2003 were heavily influenced by anime. They employed limited animation and a lot of anime sound effects/staging: 

 

http://youtu.be/1xZH_Idw6dE?t=2m35s

 

There are also a lot of anime hallmarks in the scenes between Huki and Maku during the Ga-Koro episodes. They get spots of blush on their cheeks when they're embarrassed, and I remember a giant drop of sweat appearing on one of the Matoran's masks when he gets nervous.

[dotcom]

 

So Asian/anime vibe huh? Does anyone else think that an actual bionicle anime show would be amazing? Like normal anime style drawings and such but with bionicles. Would be epic.

I don't really want to see the Hau's eye sockets inflate to half the size of its face, thank you. 

 

Haha! All anime is huge-eyed moe garbage! Lol! So smart!

 

edit: Seriously though can we not? It is really irritating that once the possibility of asian/anime influences on Bionicle comes up there's always a bunch of posts of just "NO BUT ALL ANIME HAVE BIG EYES AND TERRIBLE ANIMATION AND LOOK HOW LITTLE MY KNOWLEDGE IS OF FOREIGN MEDIA DOESN'T THIS MAKE ME SUPER FUNNY AND SMART?"

 

Plus we're really just guessing that Bionicle is going to go on an anime-inspired route simply because we have one word that is vaguely Japanese sounding? (truly the k is the most japanese of letters, i guess) That seems pretty premature

Edited October 5, 2014 by farmstink buttlass

[Archon~]

I personally don't like anime and wouldn't like to see it in Bionicle.

 

At

All

[Aanchir]

 

 

So Asian/anime vibe huh? Does anyone else think that an actual bionicle anime show would be amazing? Like normal anime style drawings and such but with bionicles. Would be epic.

I don't really want to see the Hau's eye sockets inflate to half the size of its face, thank you.

 

Haha! All anime is huge-eyed moe garbage! Lol! So smart!

 

The narrow-mindedness of the BIONICLE fan community has surprised me in the past few months. I always knew the BIONICLE fan community could be embarrassingly pretentious, but the way people scoff at things they know next to nothing about really shows how desperately this community needs new fans with new perspectives. If that means shedding the most insular and reactionary segment of the old fanbase, all the better! I want to be a part of a community that can love BIONICLE without belittling everything else that isn't classic BIONICLE, and ignoring the ways it was itself inspired by the pop culture landscape of its time.

 

I personally don't like anime and wouldn't like to see it in Bionicle.

 

At

All

Hmmm... what was I just saying about "insular and reactionary"?

 

Don't get me wrong. I don't watch a lot of anime. Never have watched much besides stuff like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh that would air on Saturday mornings back in the day, or movies like My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke. But dismissing the whole category because I haven't found a lot that I really love would not be very smart. It'd be like seeing a handful of American cartoons I dislike and assuming that means I dislike ALL American cartoons.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Aanchir

[Irrie]

Haha! All anime is huge-eyed moe garbage! Lol! So smart!

 

 

edit: Seriously though can we not? It is really irritating that once the possibility of asian/anime influences on Bionicle comes up there's always a bunch of posts of just "NO BUT ALL ANIME HAVE BIG EYES AND TERRIBLE ANIMATION AND LOOK HOW LITTLE MY KNOWLEDGE IS OF FOREIGN MEDIA DOESN'T THIS MAKE ME SUPER FUNNY AND SMART?"

 

Plus we're really just guessing that Bionicle is going to go on an anime-inspired route simply because we have one word that is vaguely Japanese sounding? (truly the k is the most japanese of letters, i guess) That seems pretty premature

 

I actually have great respect for most of Japanese culture, as I am studying it right now. 

Anime just isn't one of those parts that I enjoy. But that's besides the point. 

 

I don't like Bionicle portrayed in visual mediums because it creates a set image that people follow by. What is a very unique thing about books is that my vision of various islands and characters could be radically different than other people's. The creation of a unique scenario in one's own mind is what I really loved about Bionicle (of course there were movies and comics, but I didn't read or watch those very often). 

However with the televised Ninjago, Chima, and Hero Factory lines, I don't think that this creative aspect its going to carry over to the next generation. 

Edited October 5, 2014 by The Irrational Rock

[Aanchir]

I don't like Bionicle portrayed in visual mediums because it creates a set image that people follow by. What is a very unique thing about books is that my vision of various islands and characters could be radically different than other people's. The creation of a unique scenario in one's own mind is what I really loved about Bionicle (of course there were movies and comics, but I didn't read or watch those very often). 

However with the televised Ninjago, Chima, and Hero Factory lines, I don't think that this creative aspect its going to carry over to the next generation.

BIONICLE has always been highly visual in terms of its marketing, whether you're talking about the sets themselves, the comics that were its first story media, the immersive Mata Nui Online Game that let fans step into the universe themselves, or the maps, key visuals, and CGI animations that helped set the tone. Ignoring that aspect of the old BIONICLE doesn't mean it wasn't a key part of the theme's foundation from the start.

 

Seeing as the whole point of BIONICLE was to sell the toys, which depended heavily on visual appeal, that aspect is probably never going to change. You'll just have to ignore it like you always have. But something to keep in mind is that BIONICLE was every bit as creatively inspiring for people who enjoyed every bit of it as it was for people who just read the books and ignored everything else. So if you think anything will be lost from the theme continuing to embrace visual media, you're sorely mistaken.

[dotcom]

I actually have great respect for most of Japanese culture, as I am studying it right now. 

 

Anime just isn't one of those parts that I enjoy. But that's besides the point. 

Because we all know that, unlike every other form of media on the planet, anime is entirely homogenous, and, regardless of genre, demographic, quality, or authorship, all anime can be branded as "stuff i don't like even though i have not seen any" and, as such, it's ok to keep pushing outdated cliches and dismiss all of it, because there is no possibility that one could take inspiration from anime and have that inspiration be from something appropriate and similar to the subject at hand, and not the hundreds of anime that have nothing to do with robot adventures. Of course.

Edited October 5, 2014 by farmstink buttlass

[Archon~]

 

 

 

So Asian/anime vibe huh? Does anyone else think that an actual bionicle anime show would be amazing? Like normal anime style drawings and such but with bionicles. Would be epic.

I don't really want to see the Hau's eye sockets inflate to half the size of its face, thank you.

Haha! All anime is huge-eyed moe garbage! Lol! So smart!

The narrow-mindedness of the BIONICLE fan community has surprised me in the past few months. I always knew the BIONICLE fan community could be embarrassingly pretentious, but the way people scoff at things they know next to nothing about really shows how desperately this community needs new fans with new perspectives. If that means shedding the most insular and reactionary segment of the old fanbase, all the better! I want to be a part of a community that can love BIONICLE without belittling everything else that isn't classic BIONICLE, and ignoring the ways it was itself inspired by the pop culture landscape of its time.

 

I personally don't like anime and wouldn't like to see it in Bionicle.

 

At

All

Hmmm... what was I just saying about "insular and reactionary"?

I've watched anime shows, seen a couple, and quite frankly ever liked only one. I've been a bionicle fan for most of my life, starting at 7 when the line first started.

I am opposed to Bionicle going in that direction as I don't think the 2 things being combined any further would be good at all. I recognize the influence its had already, but if you think that yet another asian/anime influenced theme would be good, then you're not really to open anything different and are a little stuck up in fact.

 

Bionicle has had its own vibe since its inception, and I would hate to see it ruined, and while this anime argument was based off a silly name, I think that attacking the members for not being fans about other entertainment media or "cultures", on a Bionicle forum, is incredibly disrespectful to the fans and the line.

 

Some Bionicle fans are traditionalists and don't want to see the line mixed with preexisting concepts, but I don't think that whinning and whinning about it helps at all other than cause arguments.

 

EDIT:

@farmstink butlass: I don't think this is the place to be starwartly defending anime, some people just don't like it, just accept it, or as people would put it more commonly today: get over it.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Archon~

[dotcom]

@farmstink butlass: I don't think this is the place to be starwartly defending anime, some people just don't like it, just accept it, or as people would put it more commonly today: get over it.

 

It's not about "defending anime," I don't give a hoot about whether you guys enjoy the same silly cartoons I do. It's about the surprising willingness of people to simply dismiss anything they know nothing about simply because of some strange cliches or stereotypes they have already formed beforewards. You see the same thing whenever you bring up modern cartoons or sometimes even other lego themes in this forum. People can be extremely close-minded about their pre-conceived notions here, and it's ridiculous. You don't have to "like" an entire country's animated industry. but you really shouldn't dismiss all of it from whatever few samples you have happened to see. That's like watching two mainstream movies ten years ago and saying "i just don't like movies, period"

 

Anyways, the anime thing aside, if the new Bionicle really is going to take influence from japanese media, it would make more sense to take them from the tokusatsu genre, seeing as how Bionicle is already about a group of color-coded heroes. That's actually something that could be really interesting to see.

 

(cue "but that's just power rangers!!!")

[Toa of Gallifrey]

MNOG has always been quite anime-like, IMO. I'd love to see that animation come back.

[Aanchir]

I've watched anime shows, seen a couple, and quite frankly ever liked only one. I've been a bionicle fan for most of my life, starting at 7 when the line first started.

I am opposed to Bionicle going in that direction as I don't think the 2 things being combined any further would be good at all. I recognize the influence its had already, but if you think that yet another asian/anime influenced theme would be good, then you're not really to open anything different and are a little stuck up in fact.

How does being open to one thing mean not being open to anything different? I don't for a minute think we'll be seeing any explosion of anime inspiration in the new BIONICLE, but it would be stupid to assume that adding more anime influence in any way would ruin BIONICLE. Particularly since anime is an extremely diverse category, every bit as diverse as animation from any other country.

 

If we don't see a lot of anime influence in the new BIONICLE? Eh. The new BIONICLE doesn't NEED to take inspiration from anime to be good, necessarily. But there's no reason to think it'd hurt.

 

Bionicle has had its own vibe since its inception, and I would hate to see it ruined, and while this anime argument was based off a silly name, I think that attacking the members for not being fans about other entertainment media or "cultures", on a Bionicle forum, is incredibly disrespectful to the fans and the line.

I'm not saying you have to be an anime fan. I'M not really much of an anime fan! I've seen very little anime in my life. But I'm just saying you're drawing a premature conclusion that any anime influence would make BIONICLE less unique or appealing, when in fact it sounds like you've seen even less anime than I have. It'd be like judging the entire American animation industry based on South Park and Family Guy. Yes, they're popular! But that doesn't mean they're an accurate picture of the entire industry.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Aanchir

[Archon~]

 

 

@farmstink butlass: I don't think this is the place to be starwartly defending anime, some people just don't like it, just accept it, or as people would put it more commonly today: get over it.

 

It's not about "defending anime," I don't give a hoot about whether you guys enjoy the same silly cartoons I do. It's about the surprising willingness of people to simply dismiss anything they know nothing about simply because of some strange cliches or stereotypes they have already formed beforewards. You see the same thing whenever you bring up modern cartoons or sometimes even other lego themes in this forum. People can be extremely close-minded about their pre-conceived notions here, and it's ridiculous. You don't have to "like" an entire country's animated industry. but you really shouldn't dismiss all of it from whatever few samples you have happened to see. That's like watching two mainstream movies ten years ago and saying "i just don't like movies, period"

 

Anyways, the anime thing aside, if the new Bionicle really is going to take influence from japanese media, it would make more sense to take them from the tokusatsu genre, seeing as how Bionicle is already about a group of color-coded heroes. That's actually something that could be really interesting to see.

 

(cue "but that's just power rangers!!!")

It really shouldn't be a surprise that people aren't open to new things, you see it in everyday life, why would it be different here? You might not like sports, but then I could make an argument and ask if you've tried all of them, and people would still dismiss it as "oh sports dumb jock stuff im over it", and I find that okay here since it's a forum to discuss the Bionicle franchise. People are tend to be polarized and partisan, and maybe don't like mixing other entertainment into their Bionicle and that really shouldn't be a surprise.

 

Anyway, I always connected Bionicle to Power Rangers, but instead of animals they used the classical elements, and in fact I'll say that because they were so similar to Power Rangers is what initially attracted me to the theme.

[Aanchir]

It really shouldn't be a surprise that people aren't open to new things, you see it in everyday life, why would it be different here? You might not like sports, but then I could make an argument and ask if you've tried all of them, and people would still dismiss it as "oh sports dumb jock stuff im over it", and I find that okay here since it's a forum to discuss the Bionicle franchise. People are tend to be polarized and partisan, and maybe don't like mixing other entertainment into their Bionicle and that really shouldn't be a surprise.

I get that being polarized and partisan comes naturally to many people. That doesn't make it a good thing. That doesn't mean it's above criticism.

 

Going by your example, I don't really like sports. I can bear watching a sporting match if I have family or friends to talk to, but it's not how I'd ever choose to spend my free time when I'm on my own (and I'm no more interested in actually PLAYING any sport). Still, that doesn't mean I consider sports anathema or think mixing it into franchises like BIONICLE or Harry Potter is a bad thing. In fact, I think the Kolhii matches in BIONICLE: Mask of Light or the Quidditch matches in the Harry Potter books and movies were pretty awesome! If I had a knee-jerk reaction like "eww, there's sports in my BIONICLE" I'd never have gotten to enjoy things like that.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Aanchir