BionicleBionicle is a line of toys made by the Lego Group that is marketed towards those in the 7-16 year-old range. The line was launched in 2001. The Bionicle idea originated from the earlier toy lines Slizers (also known as Throwbots) and Roboriders. Both of these lines had similar throwing disks and characters based on elements. The toys are posable, articulated characters and share some pieces with the Lego Technic line. Characters in the toy line are based on a set of classical elements and Polynesian mythology. Most characters; primarily hero Toa, elder Turaga, and everyman Matoran; are matched to one of six elements, commonly identified by a certain color or prefix:
Although every major group of six so far follows this color scheme, most "bad guy" sets have different elemental affiliations or none at all. It is also currently rumored that the summer 2006 sets will break with tradition and come in colors other than the six described above. Though the Lego Group had previously created building sets based on Lucasfilm's Star Wars films, the Bionicle line was the first Lego project to get a story developed in-house, and was the first in the company's history intended to last for over two or three years. It was also the first Lego product to have its own motion picture MASK OF LIGHT. Bionicle has made two more movies since the first. They are called: LEGENDS OF METRU NUI,and WEB OF SHADOWS. BIONICLE is derived from the English words biological and chronicle, thus making them eat, sleep, smell, hear, and feel. Māori ControversyIn 2001, Lego faced legal action by Māori activists from New Zealand for illegally patenting Māori words used in naming the Bionicle product range [1]. Lego agreed to stop commercially using the Māori language [2], which included a number of existing Bionicle words being changed or removed:
The Bionicle Story"This is the tale of Mata Nui, as it has been told for so many years. "In the time before time, when the world was new, the Great Spirit Mata Nui descended from the skies like a burning star. He walked the world, and marveled at its beauty, and watched over all living things. "But Mata Nui had been followed by his brother, the Dark Spirit Makuta. Makuta coveted this world and all his brother had. Makuta cast a spell that made Mata Nui sleep. Then Makuta claimed the world, and darkness and death were everywhere. "Yet all was not lost. The Great Beings sent six mighty heroes - the Toa - to Mata Nui. Six heroes with one destiny: to defeat Makuta and save our world." --the Turaga, Bionicle comic series vol. 1, #2 Mata NuiFor a detailed synopsis, see BIONICLE Book 1: Chronicles Six Heroes, One Destiny: The story begins with the six Toa arriving on the tropical island of Mata Nui, named after the Great Spirit. For a thousand years, the island has been in the dark grip of Makuta, who has been controlling the Rahi wildlife in order to intimidate the native Matoran. With the help of the village elders, the Turaga, the Toa must now face their destiny in defeating Makuta and awakening the sleeping Great Spirit. Beware the Swarms: Makuta has been stopped, but a new threat has arisen: swarms of creatures called Bohrok are rampaging across the island's surface. Directed by the Bahrag, Cahdok and Gahdok, the swarms have the mission of reducing the island to bare rock. The Toa will have to discover the secret of the swarms if they are to save their people from destruction. Coming of the Kal: In the aftermath of the battle with the Bahrag, the Toa have been transformed into Toa Nuva, more powerful than ever. But the threat of the Bohrok is not over: six elite Bohrok called Bohrok-Kal are seeking to free the Bahrag from their prison and unleash the swarms once again. And with the Kal stripping the Toa Nuva of their elemental powers, the Toa may not be able to stop the swarms a second time... Search for the Seventh Toa: The island of Mata Nui is enjoying a time of unparalleled peace when a powerful Kanohi Mask is discovered. Makuta immediately unleashes his most destructive weapons, the Rahkshi, in an attempt to retrieve the mask before it can be used against him. If the mask's destined wearer, the Toa of Light, is not found soon, then Makuta's reign may never end. Metru NuiFor a detailed synopsis, see BIONICLE Book 2: Adventures and see BIONICLE Book 2.5: Adventures The Turaga begin to tell the tales of a thousand years ago, when the Matoran lived in the great city of Metru Nui... When Makuta cast Mata Nui into eternal slumber... And when the Turaga were mere Matoran, chosen to save their people - as Toa... Stop the Morbuzakh: Metru Nui has been under attack by a plant creature called the Morbuzakh. A number of Matoran have disappeared, and so has the city's protector, Toa Lhikan. It's up to six brand-new Toa Metru to save the city, if the Vahki order enforcement squads don't stop them first... Legends of Metru Nui: The Morbuzakh is no more, and the Toa Metru go to present themselves to the city's leader, Turaga Dume. But Dume declares them imposters and calls for their arrest. Now the Toa are on the run, and they discover something that will change Metru Nui forever. Web of Shadows: The Matoran have been captured and the Toa Metru have been forced to flee Metru Nui. They return to find the city conquered by hordes of Visorak spiders, who are able to capture them and turn them into monstrous half-beast Toa Hordika. Now the Toa have to rescue the Matoran and find a cure for their mutation... before it becomes permanent. Voya NuiFor a detailed synopsis, see BIONICLE Book 3: Legends So far, only bits and pieces of information about the Voya Nui storyline have emerged. Here is what we know so far: The Matoran, Turaga, and Toa Takanuva all return to Metru Nui and repopulate the city under Turaga Dume. The Toa Nuva stay there briefly before they are sent on a new quest to keep the Great Spirit Mata Nui from dying. Meanwhile, rogue Dark Hunters called Piraka have come to the island of Voya Nui, pretending to be Toa. Their goal is the powerful Mask of Life that is supposedly somewhere on the island. The Toa Nuva arrive and quickly join up with a small group of Matoran that are opposing the Piraka. If the Piraka get their hands on the Mask of Life, then an ancient evil could be awakened... This page about bionicle includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about bionicle News stories about bionicle External links for bionicle Videos for bionicle Wikis about bionicle Discussion Groups about bionicle Blogs about bionicle Images of bionicle |
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If the Piraka get their hands on the Mask of Life, then an ancient evil could be awakened... Eagle fibula, often worn in pairs, commemorate the worship of the Sun, common among the pagan tribes. The Toa Nuva arrive and quickly join up with a small group of Matoran that are opposing the Piraka. They were usually made of precious metals and often had encrusted gem stones. Their goal is the powerful Mask of Life that is supposedly somewhere on the island. They came in many varieties and held prominent significance for the identity of the wearer. Meanwhile, rogue Dark Hunters called Piraka have come to the island of Voya Nui, pretending to be Toa. They were shaped somewhat like a large safety pin and were used to hold clothing together. The Toa Nuva stay there briefly before they are sent on a new quest to keep the Great Spirit Mata Nui from dying. Fibula (or Fibulae plural) are ornamental clasps or broochs used by migratory tribes in Europe during the 3rd through 7th centuries. The Matoran, Turaga, and Toa Takanuva all return to Metru Nui and repopulate the city under Turaga Dume. As fashions in brooches changed rather fast, they are important chronological indicators. Here is what we know so far:. The earliest known brooches are from the Bronze Age. So far, only bits and pieces of information about the Voya Nui storyline have emerged. Brooches are often decorated with enamel or with gemstones and may be solely for ornament (as in the stomacher), or sometimes serve a practical function as a fastening, perhaps for a cloak. For a detailed synopsis, see BIONICLE Book 3: Legends. They are usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material. before it becomes permanent. Brooches (or broaches) are decorative items designed to be attached to garments. Now the Toa have to rescue the Matoran and find a cure for their mutation.. They return to find the city conquered by hordes of Visorak spiders, who are able to capture them and turn them into monstrous half-beast Toa Hordika. Web of Shadows: The Matoran have been captured and the Toa Metru have been forced to flee Metru Nui. Now the Toa are on the run, and they discover something that will change Metru Nui forever. But Dume declares them imposters and calls for their arrest. Legends of Metru Nui: The Morbuzakh is no more, and the Toa Metru go to present themselves to the city's leader, Turaga Dume. It's up to six brand-new Toa Metru to save the city, if the Vahki order enforcement squads don't stop them first... A number of Matoran have disappeared, and so has the city's protector, Toa Lhikan. Stop the Morbuzakh: Metru Nui has been under attack by a plant creature called the Morbuzakh. And when the Turaga were mere Matoran, chosen to save their people - as Toa... When Makuta cast Mata Nui into eternal slumber.. The Turaga begin to tell the tales of a thousand years ago, when the Matoran lived in the great city of Metru Nui.. For a detailed synopsis, see BIONICLE Book 2: Adventures and see BIONICLE Book 2.5: Adventures. If the mask's destined wearer, the Toa of Light, is not found soon, then Makuta's reign may never end. Makuta immediately unleashes his most destructive weapons, the Rahkshi, in an attempt to retrieve the mask before it can be used against him. Search for the Seventh Toa: The island of Mata Nui is enjoying a time of unparalleled peace when a powerful Kanohi Mask is discovered. And with the Kal stripping the Toa Nuva of their elemental powers, the Toa may not be able to stop the swarms a second time... But the threat of the Bohrok is not over: six elite Bohrok called Bohrok-Kal are seeking to free the Bahrag from their prison and unleash the swarms once again. Coming of the Kal: In the aftermath of the battle with the Bahrag, the Toa have been transformed into Toa Nuva, more powerful than ever. The Toa will have to discover the secret of the swarms if they are to save their people from destruction. Directed by the Bahrag, Cahdok and Gahdok, the swarms have the mission of reducing the island to bare rock. Beware the Swarms: Makuta has been stopped, but a new threat has arisen: swarms of creatures called Bohrok are rampaging across the island's surface. With the help of the village elders, the Turaga, the Toa must now face their destiny in defeating Makuta and awakening the sleeping Great Spirit. For a thousand years, the island has been in the dark grip of Makuta, who has been controlling the Rahi wildlife in order to intimidate the native Matoran. Six Heroes, One Destiny: The story begins with the six Toa arriving on the tropical island of Mata Nui, named after the Great Spirit. For a detailed synopsis, see BIONICLE Book 1: Chronicles. 1, #2. --the Turaga, Bionicle comic series vol. Six heroes with one destiny: to defeat Makuta and save our world.". The Great Beings sent six mighty heroes - the Toa - to Mata Nui. "Yet all was not lost. Then Makuta claimed the world, and darkness and death were everywhere. Makuta cast a spell that made Mata Nui sleep. Makuta coveted this world and all his brother had. "But Mata Nui had been followed by his brother, the Dark Spirit Makuta. He walked the world, and marveled at its beauty, and watched over all living things. "In the time before time, when the world was new, the Great Spirit Mata Nui descended from the skies like a burning star. "This is the tale of Mata Nui, as it has been told for so many years. Lego agreed to stop commercially using the Māori language [2], which included a number of existing Bionicle words being changed or removed:. In 2001, Lego faced legal action by Māori activists from New Zealand for illegally patenting Māori words used in naming the Bionicle product range [1]. . BIONICLE is derived from the English words biological and chronicle, thus making them eat, sleep, smell, hear, and feel. They are called: LEGENDS OF METRU NUI,and WEB OF SHADOWS. Bionicle has made two more movies since the first. It was also the first Lego product to have its own motion picture MASK OF LIGHT. Though the Lego Group had previously created building sets based on Lucasfilm's Star Wars films, the Bionicle line was the first Lego project to get a story developed in-house, and was the first in the company's history intended to last for over two or three years. It is also currently rumored that the summer 2006 sets will break with tradition and come in colors other than the six described above. Although every major group of six so far follows this color scheme, most "bad guy" sets have different elemental affiliations or none at all. Most characters; primarily hero Toa, elder Turaga, and everyman Matoran; are matched to one of six elements, commonly identified by a certain color or prefix:. Characters in the toy line are based on a set of classical elements and Polynesian mythology. The toys are posable, articulated characters and share some pieces with the Lego Technic line. Both of these lines had similar throwing disks and characters based on elements. The Bionicle idea originated from the earlier toy lines Slizers (also known as Throwbots) and Roboriders. The line was launched in 2001. Bionicle is a line of toys made by the Lego Group that is marketed towards those in the 7-16 year-old range. "Tohunga" (the race of villagers, replaced with the term "Matoran"). "Puku" (character name, respelled as "Pewku"). "Maku" (character name, respelled as "Macku"). "Koli" (name of a sport, respelled as "kolhii"). "Kewa" (a type of bird, Kewa birds became one and the same as Gukko birds). "Jala" (character name, respelled as "Jaller"). "Huki" (character name, respelled as "Hewkii"). Blue characters are identified with water and use the prefix "Ga-". Green characters are identified with air and use the prefix "Le-". White characters are identified with ice and use the prefix "Ko-"; these characters also wear light shades of gray and blue. Black characters are identified with earth and use the prefix "Onu-"; secondary colors for these characters include purple, orange, and shades of gray. Brown characters are identified with stone and use the prefix "Po-"; these characters also wear tan and sometimes black. Red characters are identified with fire and use the prefix "Ta-"; many characters also have orange, black, or yellow as secondary colors. |