what made bionicle special to you?

[squidmaster]

I have always liked bionicle 

 

but it is the collection that makes it special to me 

things i like to collect

 

masks

discs

spinners

kraata

krana

 

what about you?

[Pohaturon]

The world and the story, pretty much. The whole feel and atmosphere of the Mata Nui arc was mystical and captivating, then with the Start of the Metru Nui arc, when the larger world of the MU opened before us for the first time, things started ramping up in intensity. I guess the uniqueness of it all also contributed. There really isn't anything out there like Bionicle G1. The locations, the factions, the designs - it's all magnificent. Bionicle following be through my childhood also helped, doubtless. The collection aspect you mentioned was also there, but for me, nothing beats the story and the lore. Some think it got too overburdened and complex later on, but for my tastes, that was perfect. Whenever the question of favorite year comes up, I'm dumbfounded as I honestly can't choose. Whenever I 'relive' the various crises that befell the Toa Mata/Nuva, the retrospective adventures in Metru Nui, the perils of Voya and Mahri Nui and the final battle in Karda Nui followed by the actual final battle on Bara Magna, I'm conflicted. The serials are prime, the books are highly enjoyable. I love re-watching the movies too, and even if the two commercially released PC games aren't story heavy, I enjoy having some fun with them. I isn't strictly speaking the story, I guess after this lengthy tangent, rather the feel and atmosphere of the whole franchise. Bionicle is truly a special fictional universe indeed.

 

As for G2, which I count separately, I think a different kind of uniqueness is also at play. They obviously deviated from what G1 was like, but that's fine, since G2 is a complete reboot and is better off for doing its own thing instead of haphazardly trying to replicate G1. While the writing is dodgy, the 2015 webisodes were endearing, and I personally really enjoyed JtO, plus there is plenty of story to go around between the books and the graphic novels (to which I still need to get around). While G2 is definitely not on the same level as G1 and probably never will be due to nostalgia alone, it is still a worthy reboot and people who claim the story is shallow or that there isn't enough material are just blinded by their own bigotry, or surrender to their own little bubble of ignorance which could be popped with ~2 minutes of google research.

 

Basically, it comes down to story and atmosphere in both cases.

 

[Aanchir]

It's hard for me to boil it down to any one thing. I guess a big part of it is the colorful, diverse characters, though, since those are a trait Bionicle has in common with a lot of the other creative properties I enjoy. Over the years, LEGO designers have gotten really good at giving the Toa, their allies, and their enemies designs that really exemplify their personalities, powers, and background. I don't really do a lot of role-play or storytelling with the sets, but I love to line the characters up, put them in poses that reflect their personalities, play with their functions, and just admire what makes each one special.

 

There's a collecting component to that too, I guess, since the more characters I get the more I can compare and contrast them and enjoy the experience of putting together a team, but the "collect-them-all" aspect of the blind-packaged masks and disks and Krana and Kraata and so forth never really held my attention for all that long. What I like most about collecting the masks isn't the idea of owning them all but rather, again, the idea of lining them up and admiring their bright colors and distinctive shapes.

 

Even if the Bionicle story were more conventional superhero/"monster-of-the-week" fare like Hero Factory instead of mythic fantasy adventure, even if it had a vague premise and underdeveloped setting like Throwbots or RoboRiders, or even if the Toa characters were cutesy little figures like the heroes of LEGO Ninjago or LEGO Nexo Knights (or for that matter, the Matoran) instead of big buff action figures, I think the colorful designs and the diverse personalities of the characters would still strongly appeal to me.

Edited July 23, 2016 by Aanchir

[Taria Pakari]

Something to keep me occupied I guess.

[Banana Gunz]

Definitely the story and world. I got into the fandom around 2007/2008, and I was putting my money more towards systems sets at the time (especially later when Space Police dropped into my life) and I got in because I was intrigued by everything. The comics and website as well as my amazing and nostalgic memories of MNOG got me into it and drove me to learn more. For a long time the only Bionicle set I had was Icarax, but during 2009 I had managed to learn most of the story and fell in love.

 

For years I would take Makuta's Guide to the Galaxy with me everywhere and just read and re-read it over and over again, looking at the pictures and day dreaming in my head about the characters and world. It was magical, and those are some of the best memories I have. I caught up with some of the sets later on, but having a vivid and emotional story was what made it great. Sitting there and reading about things and looking at the pictures made me feel like I was in that world. Bionicle was immersive in that way that a lot of things just aren't these days. You could have stories all over that one world, all happening at the same time.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

Bionicle is special to me because it blends epic story with really complex, buildable action figure toys. The story gives me incentive to collect, and the toys give me reason to moc and build and display. Its a fantastic world they've created with amazing characters that I love to be a part of through the sets.

 

-NotS

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

the story brought me in a lot but i am gonna be honest and just say it was the fact that i already sold my soul to Lego by that point and they were MAGIC ROBOT WARRIORS

 

i mean,  even if the sets got a little ehhhhh on the building experience, especially later, there is no denying that this kinda character design still holds up as "a really cool thing you wanna see more of" right?

 

 

I dunno i am still kinda a kid at heart, and still easily captivated by colorful magic robot islanders vs decrepit robot vampire lords* 0:

 

(for gen2, swap vampire lord for "Lich King" i guess)

[FrozenFlash]

I don't know. I'm just gonna be like everyone else and say the more compelling, epic story compared to other Lego themes . Also, the artwork, sets, and promo material looked really cool and that kind of drew me in.

[Tahu3.0]

What made Bionicle special for me in those days where the sets and the website full of content and I would usually go to the Bionicle Story.com site to see old sets but what made me more interested was the site.

[Electric Light Gunhaver]

It is probably its values, its mystique, and its ability to enthrall me in a world. Bionicle came to me at a time when my ideals were still being forged and my thoughts were still childish. Bionicle gave me a story filled with heroes who could overcome any odds by working together as a team and I saw those heroes grow. Not just by themselves, but through each other as well. The Toa were never overpowered to me. They gave me hope that I could overcome anything if I believed in myself and if I never shouldered monumental tasks by myself. The world was amazing to me and it tapped into my love of nature. It was mysterious and I loved looking around every turn of the story to try to understand more. It reeled me in, and I stuck around.

 

Bionicle also taught me things that have become very important to me. Bionicle taught me that if I stand by my friends, they'll stand by me. Unity. Bionicle taught me that there are certain situations where backing down is not an option, and that I should fight for what I believe in. Duty. Bionicle taught me that even when I'm down and I'm lost, that there will always be something that I can hope for and that things happen for a reason. Destiny. 

[Reya]

2001-2003. I loved everything back in those days, mainly the collectibles.

[Fry]

I got into it young. And, there was a story to keep me occupied - I doubt I would have gotten far with Bionicles if the movies, MNOG, and the comics hadn't been released. I distinctly showing off my sets to people who didn't care telling them about said set's story significance.

[MrSciFiGuy]

The world mainly, building out that realm of fantasy blending with mechanical elements. Plus having colored elements and collectible masks is great. 

[Elephant Knight]

Everything about it. The collecting, the story, The cool sets, the premise. Aesthetics of the first few years,  ANIMALS WITH TREADS. Seriously, where else would a an animal with treads fit right in? Characters are great, the movies even. Seriously, there is NOTHING about Gen 1 Bionicle I don't like. I have even grown to like the giant robot.

 

Toa Han

Edited July 25, 2016 by Toa Hanahtu

[Evergrey: Toa of Music]

Bionicle was special to me because my cousin introduced it to me via his MoC's. His MoC style was so cool and I thought they were sets at first and then he said he built them from scratch and then I was sold. It didn't take much for me to get into Bionicle lol

[squidmaster]

The world and the story, pretty much. The whole feel and atmosphere of the Mata Nui arc was mystical and captivating, then with the Start of the Metru Nui arc, when the larger world of the MU opened before us for the first time, things started ramping up in intensity. I guess the uniqueness of it all also contributed. There really isn't anything out there like Bionicle G1. The locations, the factions, the designs - it's all magnificent. Bionicle following be through my childhood also helped, doubtless. The collection aspect you mentioned was also there, but for me, nothing beats the story and the lore. Some think it got too overburdened and complex later on, but for my tastes, that was perfect. Whenever the question of favorite year comes up, I'm dumbfounded as I honestly can't choose. Whenever I 'relive' the various crises that befell the Toa Mata/Nuva, the retrospective adventures in Metru Nui, the perils of Voya and Mahri Nui and the final battle in Karda Nui followed by the actual final battle on Bara Magna, I'm conflicted. The serials are prime, the books are highly enjoyable. I love re-watching the movies too, and even if the two commercially released PC games aren't story heavy, I enjoy having some fun with them. I isn't strictly speaking the story, I guess after this lengthy tangent, rather the feel and atmosphere of the whole franchise. Bionicle is truly a special fictional universe indeed.

 

As for G2, which I count separately, I think a different kind of uniqueness is also at play. They obviously deviated from what G1 was like, but that's fine, since G2 is a complete reboot and is better off for doing its own thing instead of haphazardly trying to replicate G1. While the writing is dodgy, the 2015 webisodes were endearing, and I personally really enjoyed JtO, plus there is plenty of story to go around between the books and the graphic novels (to which I still need to get around). While G2 is definitely not on the same level as G1 and probably never will be due to nostalgia alone, it is still a worthy reboot and people who claim the story is shallow or that there isn't enough material are just blinded by their own bigotry, or surrender to their own little bubble of ignorance which could be popped with ~2 minutes of google research.

 

Basically, it comes down to story and atmosphere in both cases.

 

never thought of it that way

[Onvermel]

Well many many different reason for me. One would have to be as many would say the uniqueness, story and atmosphere which are all great within Bionicle plus the collectables have always been fun for me as I always wanted to collect the mask which in the past year or two have grown into not just mask but disks, karaata, krana and anything else. 

 

However probably the most important factor for me would be the fact it has always been there for me. I got into Bionicle in 2001 which was pretty young for me and it always had something for me weather it was a way for me to be creative and build mocs or play with action figures which was also unique for lego but later years it allowed me to express my creative writing and world building in a way that I don't think anything else had given me. Threw my whole life (at least the stuff I can remember well) Bionicle had been there giving me what I need threw reading, playing, building or writing.

 

Onvermel

[Heontris]

In the specific order (I think) time wise.

 

1. Sets (my cousin had a Bohrok)

2. Characters (Matau and the entire feeling of interactions in the Toa Metru group)

3. Story (Metru Nui and on)

 

Originally I liked them because they looked cool.

Then I read how the characters interacted, and it made them seem so much more real.

Then I began delving deep into the story of the world, and I've never wanted to escape since.

 

Also the entire time is felt like it was dangerous, even when I knew the heroes would win, there was the worry that they would not.

 

Also I guess part of it was that it awakened my forever inner child who is happy with getting new story all the time. This has let me love BIONICLE through all of its years, World of Warcraft through its expansions, and pretty much everything else, because it always feels like a great new world.

Edited July 30, 2016 by Heontris

[MetroidwaveX50]

I originally only collected a few of the sets, never realizing that there was a story until MoL came out, though it would still be a few years before I looked into the rest of the story. What I treasured most was how all the different media linked together to form a single universe. No one medium told all of it, but only together they formed a complete picture. It helped that Greg was the writer for almost all of this, maintaining consistancy. Still don't know how Takanuva was ressurected though. That's the only real plot hole I can think of.

[Reya]

The collectibles. Loved collecting them!

[Sir Keksalot]

Lego actually tried. They could have done what so many other toy companies did and just made a bland, tremendously awful story and generic characters who get little to no development. But they didn't. They worked to make an interesting, captivating story; a rich, intriguing world; and fleshed-out characters who, if we do not relate to them, we at least understand. That's why Bionicle is special. In an industry of not actually giving a heck, Lego put forth effort.

Edited July 30, 2016 by Sir Keksalot

[Elephant Knight]

 What I treasured most was how all the different media linked together to form a single universe. No one medium told all of it, but only together they formed a complete picture. It helped that Greg was the writer for almost all of this, maintaining consistancy. Still don't know how Takanuva was ressurected though. That's the only real plot hole I can think of.

 

Well said. And as to Takanuva getting resurrected, well, no one understands that, and no one ever will.

 

Toa Han

[RaidMaster Productions]

For me, what made Bionicle special was its atmosphere and strong focus on story and character development. The way the Island of Mata Nui was designed, especially in the MNOG, with its six distinct areas all focused on each element (Ko-Wahi a snowy plain, Po-Wahi a vast desert, Ta-Wahi a volcanic wasteland, you get the picture) made it a genuinely facinating place to venture around, and thus made it a more unique place than, say, The Island of Sodor from the Railway Series or even Cybertron fron the Transformers. Oh, and the music from the MNOG was unlike anything I had ever heard, with a tone similar to Peter Gabriel with synthesis provided an increadibly unique experience experience that hasn't aged in fifteen years!

[Senrab]

Definitely the storyline. It was so much more complex and interesting than what you'd expect from the average toy line.

[MetroidwaveX50]

 

 

What I treasured most was how all the different media linked together to form a single universe. No one medium told all of it, but only together they formed a complete picture. It helped that Greg was the writer for almost all of this, maintaining consistancy. Still don't know how Takanuva was ressurected though. That's the only real plot hole I can think of.

Well said. And as to Takanuva getting resurrected, well, no one understands that, and no one ever will.

 

Toa Han

I asked Greg and not even he knew.

[Atarius. Master of Flame]

I loved the complexity of the story and how every aspect of the world was filled with information. Be it the names of the masks, rahi, species of beings, islands and all the artifacts of power. Everything had a title and a purpose. It was truly a universe that someone could immerse themselves in and as a child I loved it all. 

Edited August 3, 2016 by Atarius. Master of Flame