Hey folks, *PLEASE READ* this little blurb before leaving me a comment about the video. Obviously, the topic I'm presenting here is going to generate some disagreement, so I think it's important to remember that at the end of the day, these are just plastic toys that we all enjoy as a shared hobby. There's no need to take it personally if someone doesn't like the same toys as you, nor is there a reason to believe that your preference for one is more important that someone else's preference for another. I welcome discussion and will read even the longest novel that Bionicle fans are always so keen to write me, but I also ask that if you're going down that path, please watch through the video a second time before doing so. There's a good chance that I may have already addressed one of your points in the video or on-screen text and I think there's just too much going on in this one to catch every little detail the first time through. Thank you! 😊 While there are some objective truths that can be claimed (such as the Toa Metru objectively have more points of articulation than the Mata/Nuva), the vast majority of this debate boils down to preference, and no one's opinion on the matter is more valid than another's - not mine, not yours. Lastly, I'm also aware that there are "lore reasons" for certain things I take issue with in this video. Personally, I don't see that as a compelling stance; the lore is written retroactively to justify decisions made with the toys. Had the Toa Metru toys more accurately adhered to the individual characteristics of the Turaga they sought to emulate, the lore would have supported this decision. Had masks continued to be a play feature and the main focus of Bionicle going forward, the lore would have supported this too. In my opinion, lore arguments are totally moot. Anyways, thanks for reading and watching the video! Hopefully we can still be friends even if we don't like the same Bionicles. 😉 Next week, we return to the Orient Expedition! ~ Slugger

@priestking8636

4 ай бұрын

I love unification of Toa Metru cuz in my Childhood I saw them as elite warriors in the Big City, something llike superheroic SWAT and so they wear similar futuristic military armor as like being from one "organisation".

@JPOG7TV

4 ай бұрын

You made a good point about the turaga influence missing. Bionicle always felt like they wanted to make a new wave of hero’s but then gave them names of older characters. The inika and mahri were the only valid ones but the rest especially the Mistika was bad.

@Bionicleforever

4 ай бұрын

I wonder how they could've supported a story where they would have to collect the masks every year, feel like it would have definitely hurt the story if they did but very likely could've made those features just not story relevant.

@GearsAndBricks

4 ай бұрын

Well, I’ll be bold and state that I don’t have skin in this game. However, I would very much like to know what the green trashcan part is at minute 4:20? Also, I love Bionicle as a whole, and I am only just now learning more about it. Don’t necessarily have one preference for one section of the theme/lore over another. I find the most interesting thing about Bionicle is neither of these things, but rather the elements that were produced in the toys. I find the various gear elements and ball-socket elements fascinating, and I like collecting them in the various colors and shapes that were available. There are so many things that can be done with them, whether for shoulders (or lack thereof), or in someone’s brilliant design for some new gearbox! I’ be done with my novel now. 😂 I still want to know about that green trashcan, if that’s alright. Thank you!

@ZannyAisling

4 ай бұрын

@@priestking8636which is funny in hindsight lore-wise since they were relative underdogs compared with the "original" (wait, lore wise they WERE the original iirc... no scare quotes needed? huh) toa

Real Bionicle is when you dislocate your joints and crawl into a tube.

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

Mata: dislocate shoulders Nuva: remove armor then dislocate Metru: forget dislocating, just rip those arms appart when crawling inside the tube.

@tostie3110

3 ай бұрын

Real Bionicle is throwing all that stuff away years ago, because your mom got angry at the space it took up, and then discovering it was part of the story.

@badatgamesguy5399

3 ай бұрын

Piraka: remove head and spine like mortal kombat@@Bionickpunk

I commend your bravery in posting this video. This is like the Bionicle equivalent of saying Empire Strikes Back is the worst OG Star Wars film...hey, wait...

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Oh no, *what have I done??* 😆

@jabronijoestar7038

4 ай бұрын

Of course oboe shows up here lol. Something something icy blast.

@xxsuperdragonslayerxx

4 ай бұрын

doesnt make it wrong

@MistahhMingus

4 ай бұрын

THIS MADE ME LOL wow wow genius comment

@themocingbird2488

4 ай бұрын

Glad to see you haven’t forgotten the password to your main account.

I'll have you know I did NOT read the blurb before posting! I'm a criminal!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

There they are! GET 'EM! 😆

@diamond_tango

Ай бұрын

TAKE THEIR MASK

wow I didn't know olivia rodrigo was so interested in the design sensibilities of bionicle, she was a great guest-star on the video!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I'm stoked she agreed to collab! 😂

I have a special viewpoint to share with you. In my country, Bionicle became widely available with the Metru Nui release. While I already knew of the Bionicle and was fascinated with the mask part of the toy, I could not get my hands on them at all. So when I got the Toa Metru and saw that their masks didn't just loosely fit in, but where basically their heads, I was kinda confused, but realised that the previous iteration probably had some issues and that's why they changed. Seeing as how all further sets did not have an emphasis on masks, this is what Bionicle became for me. I did get the chance to get the older models as Chinese knockoffs and quickly became annoyed with their lack of opposability. As a kid all I wanted was to play with action figures that moved, not static statues. By far the best figures for that were the Rakshi. Honestly not topped to this day. The second best were the water level Toa (the one you said are unique in the video). So while the masks are a core feature of the draw of Bionicle and one which I wished I could enjoy, I did not have a chance to play with them so they attained some sort of mythical status of long gone play features instead of the defining part of the toy. I assume a lot of other fans are in similar situations. That's why the Toa Metru hold a special place in our heart. They were the first. Also the huge amount of cross promotion with video games in cereal or the movie which was way better than the first for a 10 year-olds mind. Obviously the first movie is a way better movie, but the second one has spectacle and big enemies and robots. To me that was the height of Bionicle. Sure I followed the story and played the games until the end, but this is the period I remember as the hey day of Bionicle. All your criticisms are valid, but seen through the lens of someone who got to play with the first generation. That's probably why disagreements might appear with other people.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing your perspective! I absolutely agree with your assessment - I think the majority of Bionicle fans today did not grow up with the original 2001 - 2003 line and have a very different idea of what a Bionicle should be compared to what I do. I don't think I could have said this all any better myself - thanks for the great comment! ❤

@kulehulfer4385

4 ай бұрын

My main bionicle I mess with daily is a modified rahkshi. Sadly I don't have the worm for it, but I love making new weapons or add-ons or even just adding new parts. Everytime I do I add more to his story so the change makes sense too.

i find 2006's lore excuse for the faceless heads really funny. in-canon their unmasked faces just glow so bright it blinds everyone, and the masks are.. alive kind of??

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Oh man, don't get me started on the Bionicle lore, haha. 🙃

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

​@@RRSluggerYou won't be able to make a short video if you did. The lore is a rabbit hole few dare to jump into. Even in a summarized version its wild to say the least.

@theapexsurvivor9538

3 ай бұрын

​@@RRSlugger9hr 20min RRSlugger Bionicle lore video with 2hr 40min full series set review when?

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

@@theapexsurvivor9538 Haha, hopefully never! 😆 😉

Olivia being a Bionicle fan and singing live about them is the dimension I want to live in.

In retrospect, I realize I was basically a Bionicle genwunner, even if I wasn't an especially vocal one. The original designs just "looked right" to me, and what came after, including the Metru which I believed I owned two of, lost more and more of that charm as they went on.

@PhobosDDeimos

4 ай бұрын

Same here, too.

@justsomeguy5628

4 ай бұрын

I was born in '05 and didn't have any of the sets growing up. I absolutely adore 2004-2009, and they were the first sets I got. Even though I didn't get my first Toa Mata or Toa Nuva until later, I like their design and playing with them so much more, and while I certainly wouldn't want to give up any of what we got later, I can't deny that the later canister sets never quite managed to capture that unexplainable, powerful image that the Toa Mata brought. I do like the Toa Nuva as well, and while I will at times have periods I can't stop appreciating their design, it is ultimately something that I have kinda forced myself to like.

@Gemini476

4 ай бұрын

For the longest time I was only focused on the big "titan" and combiner sets since they were, well, _actually different_ than the rest. Eventually they returned to being cool and distinct with the 2007 sets, which was nice, but it definitely still had a _very_ different feel and overall vibe than Mata Nui did. Honestly, it doesn't help that the Mata Nui Online Game (1 & 2) existed while later years got... well, the Voya Nui Online Game was cool, I guess? If completely different from the rest and non-canon?

@DragonxFlutter

2 ай бұрын

When it comes to sets specifically, I do find myself trending more towards the brighter tones and simpler designs of the '01 - '03 era.

Ah-ah-ah! Gali Mata has broad shoulders (still a good look in my eyes, gives her an warrior princess vibe) Funny enough, I DID give my Toa Metru secondary colors for a few years… but I eventually decided it was too loud for the shaping of the armor and just clashed too obnoxiously, switching back to the grey as a mid tone.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Whaa?! Wow, total Mandela Effect there - I could have sworn she had slender shoulders too! Good catch - I can't believe I messed that up! 🙃 Welp. Guess the whole video's debunked now.

@NickonPlanetRipple

4 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger It’s okay. I typo’d “a warrior princess” so you can dismiss my comment. 😅

@MistahhMingus

4 ай бұрын

Love it when I see Nick commenting here, you guys are definitely the most unique and soulful Lego channels in existence, BY FAR! Cheers to both of y’all

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

@@MistahhMingus I love seeing Nick comment too! Makes me feel like I have a real LEGO channel! 😀

I think the biggest set back for the toa metru for me was the standardization of the toa bodies. The Mata were unique across each toa having subtle quirks between body styles. The metru toa where basically the same body but with different masks and toa tools.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I certainly have a lot to say about that in this video, haha - couldn't agree more!

@thePanOfPans

4 ай бұрын

I hear a lot of people say this but I think people grossly overestimate how 'unique' the Mata builds were in comparison to later sets. Like sure there was the stud on Tahu's chest, Onua's head being mounted nearer to his chest and Pohatu's upside-down torso, but I don't find those very minor modifications between eachother make them more interesting than the Inika builds, which I still think was a better choice for the line than people give it credit for. I found the Mahri in particular much more creatively designed than the Mata, and even pre-Inika lines like the Hordika I still think are more solid than the originals. I still maintain that the Metru have the least variation of any of the waves, but I still think the sin-of-the-father mentality towards what came after them is silly sometimes

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

@@thePanOfPans You're definitely right about this - honestly, both perspectives have a lot of merit, I think. It's why I mention in my video here that the Toa Mahri showcase some of the best differentiation between Toa designs out there! Would that it not for the complete lack of a gear system and apathetically treating the masks like they're character faces, I'd be really interested in them! Oh well... 😔

@keilafleischbein59

3 ай бұрын

The shoulder joints, hip joints, body orientation, head attachment, and limb diversity make the toa mata very unique individually.

@DragonxFlutter

2 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger Realistically, the masks were _always_ just faces. 2001's story was just too good for the toyline it was trying to sell and made the masks seem more important than they really were. Additionally, if we're being honest here, standardization of Toa design started with the Nuva. Tahu, Gali, Kopaka, Lewa, and Takanuva all have the same basic design. The only differences outside Masks and weapons are the arms; Gali and Takanuva share arm designs, and frankly, Kopaka should have followed Tahu and Lewa's leads.

I'm just happy we get to talk about Bionicles again. The masks where always my favorite part, still have some.

One thing that I do love about the metru( and I can’t really explain why) is the fact that they have angled shoulders. There was something just so cool about those back then.

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

It is nice! But angled shoulders *with* ball joint articulation would be even better! 😉

@goodpotato1000

3 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger agreed ! And unfortunately they could have done it with parts that existed at the time

Slugger and bionicle together warms my heart

AMAZING video. A lot of these points are exactly why I, as an adult, have only really cared to collect sets from 2001-2003, despite the WHOLE Bionicle story being a large part of my childhood that I am still very fond of.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! The interesting part, for me at least, is that I felt this way about these toys even as a kid, though I wasn't able to put it into words back then. Returning to the subject as an adult has allowed me to better flesh out what I felt back then and reason as to why it was my perspective. Often times, I find that my opinion changes over time, but when it came to writing about the Toa Metru, I was a little surprised how similar I felt now 20 years later! 😮

For me, simply being Technic-built figures was enough to "be Bionicle" to me, since Technic as a building system allowed for so much creativity in the builds that I didn't get to see in any other Lego theme, during or since. Galidor or traditional action figures would never allow me to seamlessly mix and match parts from the Rahi and vehicles together with the main characters. That said, I will admit that as someone who grew up with 2006-onwards Bionicle, I always did yearn for more collectible masks, as opposed to having each mold be specialized per character - that was something that always drew me in during the fiction, and looking back at the older toys. That said, having a gear system to smack masks off, *that* always felt like a gimmick to me that I could do without, even as a kid. Being able to play with the toys with any poses I wished to get them in, and having the gimmicks all be self-contained like the disk launchers, spinners, blasters, and (my favorite) the Tridax pods, was always preferable, as it meant "the toy gimmick" wouldn't be intrusive in the build of the actual toy, plus they'd work on a narrative level as simply "being functional representations of the in-story weapons", lol. Anyways the Kanoka disks could've used more individuality, but their concept and play feature rocked, so hush you, haver-of-poor-taste. On the note of fiction though, I heavily disagree with your gripes about Metru Nui as a setting - firstly you tremendously miss the point of prequel stories in general, thinking none of it matters if you know "everyone turns out okay" - bro, we all already know the heroes are going to turn out okay in nearly every story ever made, because otherwise there wouldn't be a satisfying plot; the ending isn't the point, "it's about the journey"; and in the case of prequels, also adding extra context or new wrinkles to enhance existing stories. to this day, Metru Nui is probably still one of the most creative and compelling sci-fi settings I know of: the transport hub of Le-Metru with all its suspended water tunnels being a gigantic transport hub, Ta-Metru being a literal enormous furnace, Onu-Metru's mazelike archives, the great coliseum with its modular floor and nonsensically-tall tower, the island surrounded on all sides by liquid metal, and so much more make it feel both lively and curiosity-piquing, especially with the narrative of it being a 1984-esque police state that also somehow plays home to ungodly creatures like the Morbuzakh vines, numerous gigantic dragons that could easily level the entire city, and whatever things stalk the spiraling tunnels like the Krahka (literally Bionicle's The Thing). Knowing that all of this grande and dramatic nonsense existed in the distant/recent past of a setting as humble-yet-mysterious as Mata Nui, which itself played home to several previously-unknown terrors literally climbing out from the depths like the Bohrok and Rahkshi, only adds to the intrigue of the overall setting, if you asked me.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I certainly can't argue with your preferences here! To each their own. 👍 As I said in the video, to me the masks ARE Bionicle and I'm pretty entrenched in that perspective, for good and for bad. As you can see from some of the other sets throughout the video, I tried to get back into it again and again, but none of those later figures *felt* like Bionicle to me - not as toys and not within the fiction either. A sci-fi industrial aesthetic was not at all what I wanted to see from Bionicle; it felt like such an abrupt shift in tone to me back then and completely alienated me from engaging further. Every year from 2004 onwards would also ditch the emphasis on the masks for some kind of new launcher gimmick - it just all felt too tacky to me. 🤷‍♂

@fanb1536

4 ай бұрын

@@RRSluggerYeah I hear you there, nothing I can do if it's not something you vibe with besides just sharing my own perspective, lol. Besides getting into the series later, I feel part of the reason why the industrial setting was so easy for me to accept was because, well, if I'm being honest the Mata Nui era of figures were already extremely industrial-feeling to me in their designs. from 2004-onwards, increasingly less attention became given as to exactly where pistons/gears/other molded details were placed on the pieces, often placing them in pretty nonsensical/ineffectual spots, while the Toa Mata's molded details by comparison felt extremely intentional - they felt believable in that they could mechanically be constructed in real life. And that's of course putting aside the larger 2001 Rahi strongly resembling construction vehicles or even tanks, lol. What was important for me fiction-wise was whether they retained the air of mystery, which was to me incredibly integral in the early years of Bionicle; it wasn't just a sci-fantasy adventure series, it was a huge mystery story as the reader slowly uncovered the past of these characters and their world, only to be met with more questions the more they learned. For me, Metru Nui was in itself a shining example of doing just that: Sure it was a much more hard-scifi locale, but there was still so much that made utterly no sense about it if applied to conventional sense. It has a sky with a sun, yet exists beneath Mata Nui after a series of winding tunnels? What was the purpose of the great archives, where did all its creatures come from? Why was Metru Nui such a large production hub in the first place, what was it making besides masks? And how does a world like this possibly exist so close to an island seemingly so naturalistic and familiar? We learned where the Matoran and Turaga came from, but were only left with increasingly more questions about their origins, and that left child-me's mind racing, haha. I don't think Bionicle ever truly lost that air of mystique until after 2008, which makes sense, as that grande reveal was always meant to be the final ending that wrapped everything up, something that instantaneously answered nearly every question you could have about the setting. I really liked the world building in 2009/2010 regardless, but it wasn't until that particular soft reboot that I felt Bionicle had truly and completely evolved into something else. But at least, hey, that's just my views on the matter, haha.

I am a Toa Metru fan but I agree completely with all your criticisms of the sets except the colors - I totally see what you're saying about how people might just like the greys for familiarity, but I personally love the more muted and urban look because I think it fit in so well with the new city setting. That's also why I think I'm more lenient with the homogenized look, though I do wish they had some sort of variety. Personally I stayed with Bionicle during the shift to Metru Nui. It was jarring for sure, but this strange city existing underground mixed with the knowledge that there was some upcoming tragic ending to this tale? That was more than enough to keep me invested in the story. IMO the story started to fall apart around 2007 when we got too many filler fight scenes and character interactions became quips and the serials introduced a million new subplots that went nowhere. I'm also not a fan at all of the Mahri sets, and I think even lower of the 2008 sets so that's about when I lost interest in the franchise.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Fair point! I can't tell you that your love for the Metru colours is fueled by a preference of the familiar anymore than someone could tell me that my preference for the Mata is fueled by nostalgia. It doesn't stop them from doing so, mind you haha, but you're right. 👍

Honestly so refreshing to see such a levelheaded analysis of Metru. The shoulders were so limiting and less fun for play! Love your vids, Slugger.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! I was getting kind of sick of all the hyperbole surrounding them - "peak Bionicle" and whatnot. In my opinion, they are a very necessary yet very flawed outing for the series.

"When mask became faces, Bionicle ceased to be Bionicle"... It was the bravest and hottest take I've ever heard about Bionicle. And gosh, it feels almost criminally right...

Lol! Your falsetto is incredible! Not related to the videos topic, but combining your natural talents and creativity with your Lego interest are what keeps me patiently waiting and coming back for more. Thanks slugger!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Haha, thank you! I was super pitchy in places, but I guess I thought it lent better to the humour of the moment. 😅

I played the 2001 Nestlé CD-ROM so many times, but my first set was Toa Vakama. Metru Nui and its heroes have long held a tender spot in my heart for being the first of the theme I could get my hands on, and for painting a wondrous vision of a city filled with vibrant life and deadly intrigue. ..But I wouldn't say the Metru build is top of my personal list when it comes to playability. Trying to aim Vakama's disk launcher always led to his other arm flopping around, the angled shoulder connection made it difficult to get Nokama to hit that blades-out swimming pose, and any time I wanted them to do anything outside of a walking motion I had to realign the gears. Their masks bothered me, because outside of Nokama's Rau it didn't feel like there was a clear through line to the Noble Masks of their old age. And yet, I love them dearly. I even still keep Lhikan built with his delectable color scheme. The way their proportions feel "grown up" compared to their Matoran hit just right. Their drab, uniform grey gave them a sense of seriousness to a kid my age. They will always be classics to me. But thank you for sharing your own criticisms! I could feel some of them in my bones for sure

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

What a genuine, level-headed take from a fan of the Metru designs! Thanks for that - I enjoyed reading your insights very much. ❤ I wish I had more time to talk about the masks in the video itself, but I had to cut a bunch of stuff for time. Also, it did start to feel like I was beating a dead horse towards the end of it..! 😅 Like I said in the video, I wasn't out here to change people's minds. Those who love the Toa Metru decided that they did 20 years ago - I wasn't going to move them out of that trench, haha, nor should I try. You're allowed to like or dislike whatever toys you want, at the end of the day!

First time learning about the gearbox bypass 😮 Definitely missed that in the instructions

@SuperSecretBricks

4 ай бұрын

Yeah me too! I can't believe I never figured my Tahu Nuva could trade off one of its swinging arm for a locking mechanism. I did double check, and yeah it is demonstrated I'm the instructions! I guess little kid me just discarded the instructions as soon as the figure was built

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Apparently the Toa Metru set designers missed it too because we never saw it again! 💀

They used a double balljoint holder as upperarm yet they didn't use the upper balljoint. It would have solve the armlength problem and the posebility.

@theapexsurvivor9538

3 ай бұрын

Yep, and they could have just used a small part similar to 43700, 32474, or 50923 if they wanted relatively short shoulders that could be rotated with gears. And if they'd made the 2x7 double socket connector 61054 at the same time, they could control arm and leg length to allow for variations of body types.

as someone that fell into the Lego dark age right before the Bionicle era, i find this history very interesting.

I share a lot of the feelings about Bionicle here! Very well-written video, especially with the handful of humorous visuals paired with what you were saying. It was interesting to turn on the TV today and see a new R.R. Slugger video posted "8 seconds ago"... I don't remember what I turned it on to watch now! I'm sure this was better than whatever it was, though.

@CarsSimplified

4 ай бұрын

Unrelated: A few minutes into the video, you just started talking about a release, and "update [some numbers] has been applied" popped up on the screen. After it didn't go away after 10 seconds, I was thinking "odd artistic choice by Slugger here!"... It was my TV.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

@@CarsSimplified Haha, that's great! 😆 Thanks for checking out the video, Steve! I hope you find whatever show it was that you wanted to watch initially, haha.

No WAAAAAY I’m so happy you actually made it I’m commenting before I even watch it!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Hahaha, thank you! To be completely honest, I debated with myself on this one whether or not actually releasing it was a good idea - in the end, I thought my argumentative work was strong enough here that it would be a pity *not* to release it, so here it is! I'm really proud of this one. 😊

@Cosmalano

3 ай бұрын

Yeah I loved it! I completely agree with you, and I was a bionicle fan all the way through. As an adult ive found myself most interested in the first year especially, and I think it’s clear why for so many reasons, not least of which the ones you explored. Just because it says bionicle on the box doesnt mean that’s what it is, and now I’m wondering if just because it DOESNT say bionicle on the box, does that mean it isnt a bionicle? Maybe that’s why the robo riders and the slizers have also been so interesting to me. Thanks for this, you always make the best videos!

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

@@Cosmalano Now there's an interesting thought! There's definitely something about those early Technic/constraction years that's so appealing. Glad to hear you enjoyed the video, thanks! 😊

Lol I was simultaneously listening to your music and remembering how you're one of the other few detractors of the metru earlier this morning

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Haha perfect timing! 😀

Promises made, promises kept

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

A good slug always keeps his word! 😉

I love that song you made near the end!

I'm gonna be real, I wasn't expecting to be hit with a Spoony "BETRAYAL" clip. That one made me jump out my seat.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Haha, sorry! It was just too perfect for the situation! ❤

@TheMightyNovac

4 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger I just never expect it when you bring up old internet memes. You just don't seem the type with how articulate your videos are 90% of the time, so it always makes me do a double take haha.

I see your point at 17:16 but raise you with the fact that their weapons actually work under water. The Mahri series really brought back after gen 4 Inika, especially with each set, both heros and villains being unique. The Mahri and the Barraki were phenomenal returns to form, but once again soured by the Phantoka.

EVERYONE COME QUICK! SLUGGER POSTED HIS VIDEO ABOUT THE TOA METRU!!!

Toa Metru were my Bionicles growing up, I loved the aesthetic and builds, but the Mata were definitely iconic!

We love you Slugger🐌

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! ❤

@MunchYoutube

4 ай бұрын

Youre welcome ;)

I appreciate Bionicle content and I appreciate you Slugger! Thanks for putting in a heap of work!

@therealtroy8275

3 ай бұрын

P.S. you successfully fooled me into thinking Olivia Rodrigo is a Bionicle fan. I guess I'll go back to my Essenger memes...

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thank you! Yes, this one was a lot of work (and a lot of money, buying up all the other Metru/Hordika/Hagah that I needed!) 😅

I really need to get into Bionicle to feel the impact this video must have within the community. This was really awesome to listen to despite my lack of knowledge!

funny, I was just talking to a friend about being kind of underwhelmed by the metru while rebuilding a box of bionicle parts I rediscovered at my parents' house. can't wait to watch this one after work!

I love a good Slugger rant!

14:30 So true. The mask is literally the most important part of a build. MOCs included. Its usually the hardest thing for me to figure out when trying to make one. To find the perfect fit for the character. It ties the entire build together.

Mr. Slugger, you make the best Lego content. Legos were my first love as a hobby, and because of your sluggy words, I am going back to that hobby! Love you big guy! ❤️

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thank you very much, Ian! I’m glad my videos are helping to inspire you! ❤️

I enjoy the Toa Metru because the theming for the whole wave has some amazing Y2K vibes but also bc Nuju was the first Bionicle I picked up. Certainly understand the disappointment of something you loved becoming something else though

8:41 "These are not clone troopers from star wars" _Shows a stormtrooper on screen_ The subtle trolling is STRONG with this one lmao

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

Legends SW: That checks out, I've played OG Battlefront 2. Canon SW: After Bad Batch stuff, not sure.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Haha, why limit myself to picking on Bionicle fans when I can *also* pick on Star Wars fans! 😉

@mystic-malevolence

3 ай бұрын

@@BionickpunkPer Rebels, the clones were the initial stormtroopers but were phased out over time as the clone program was dissolved.

Interesting thoughts right here. Great video!

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😊

So much power in this video.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! ❤

That "BETRAYAL" is very familiar! 8:08

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I'm surprised it's taken me this long to find a place for it! It's iconic to "old KZread", haha. 😊

@docnecrotic

4 ай бұрын

​@@RRSluggerSpoony, right?

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

@@docnecrotic Bingo! 🙂

@RipOffProductionsLLC

4 ай бұрын

​@@RRSluggerI miss him, he used to be the best...

@davewills94

4 ай бұрын

As someone who loved the Toa Mata and Nuva, and started to feel disenchanted immediately as the Metru Nui arc kicked off in 2004… thank you, soooo much. I feel so validated 😂

8:40 DID MY BOII SLUGGER JUST CALL A STORMTROOPER A CLONE TROOPER!?

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Haha, caught another one! 😉

@bigsurf77

3 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger I can forget about this mistake for a free copy of Olivias Rodrigo's Gear album

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

@@bigsurf77 Deal!! 😉

Honestly kinda crazy to hear you left Bionicle after Metru Nui, that's when I got my first set and thought the later 06-07 was deep.

SO TRUE BESTIE, excellent points I agree with entirely. Love seeing bionicle content from you!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! It's rare, but every now and then I find a Technic topic that makes it into a full blown script. 😊

It’s funny because, as a system fan, I never even got bionicle. So I have no dog in the fight. I’m just invested for the entertainment factor of seeing Slugger’s passionate and articulate soliloquy and what it lets me know about the apparent views in the fanbase. The song was hilarious. Another brilliant video, my guy!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! I'm really proud of this one; despite my error in Gali's shoulder design that some viewers caught, I think I really argued my points well across the board. 😊

I am so extremely happy that I have survived long enough to be a happy, healthy, well-adjusted 30 year old who can find such a breadth of well-articulated videos about extremely niche hobbies that I was ridiculed for loving as a child. There's a beautiful karma to this, is all. (Also I agree with all your points, especially from a Lore and practicality standpoint--Vakama's Kanohi disc aim was always a sore point for me since I could never keep his arm straight)

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Haha, thank you! My channel is nothing if not niche, so I’d say you’re right at home here. 😊

Great video! Points well made! You definitely changed my mind (not that I had very strong opinions on the Toa Metru, they released just before I grew out of Bionicle. I just remembered being impressed that the Rakshi joints had been implemented on a Toa.)

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you, and thanks for approaching the video with an open mind! ❤

omg! it's happening! the metru build slander has begun! XD i kid, looking forward in seeing what your take is.

Thanks for sharing your opinion @RRSlugger / I was into Bionicle since 2001, but Toa Metru still are some of my favorites. I never cared about gear functions, and the lack of the articulation of the original sets was really a big issue for me, as I was into super poseable action figures growing up, and I just couldn’t overlook the fact that you can’t even turn their heads left and right. But. I do understand your issues with Toa Metru and I honestly agree with most of them, but I still love them, just like I love 2001-2003, even thought they lack articulation.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! And hey, if you're into super poseable LEGO action figures, then you may want to give Galidor a try! 😊

@koscokos

4 ай бұрын

@@RRSluggerI have Galidor 😅 I loved it in 2002 and still love it. I never understood why people outright hate it, it was an excellent toy line.

Calling a slug dense is like calling a meter fast.

honestly i never thought about it this hard. i just really liked all of them regardless of their features, bionicles just look cool no matter what to me.

This video was quite interesting and I do think you have a point hahahahaha! Good stuff

This man is the villain of bionicle nostalgia lol Honestly we need less rose tinted glasses on bionicle in my opinion. That sentiment has prevented the community from truly accepting the reboot which if I’m honest, had better articulation and gear mechanics than we ever had.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I think I agree on all points here, haha - even casting Slugger as the villain, in this case! 😉

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

I would agree with that, if we tore appart the G1 poster children, the Toa Mata as well. Otherwise this is just favoritism of one thing while disregarding the other, thinking that there can only be one or few things that represent Bionicle. Saw the similar sentiments made from Gen 1 Pokemon fans, Classic Sonic fans, Original Trilogy Star Wars fans, and TOS/TNG Star Trek fans. And I don't agree with that, a franchise can be more than one thing, same with build toys. The fact that Bionicle lasted for as long as it did proves that their changes were successful enough to warrant them. There is certainly a discussion to be made with where the line made bad decisions, but with less reverence to the Mata, as even they made some decisions that would plague the line in it's entirety.

@jacoblyman9441

4 ай бұрын

The G2 reboot was honestly great as far as the sets go, once people overcome the aesthetic differences between G1 and CCBS. The Masters are legit one of my favorite Toa waves, and while the Uniters are a bit of a step back they're still more standout sets than the Inika were.

@mechadeka

4 ай бұрын

But nostalgia normies don't care about anything after first wave Toa Mata?

@mystic-malevolence

3 ай бұрын

Hero Factory's first wave was good. There, I said it.

A Slugger Bionicle Video? Oh boy! I sure hope he didn't say anything rude about my hideously ugly, ugly, precious childeren :)

Metru was a necessary stepping stone. ELBOWS and KNEES. I'm so mad at ninjago for this right now specifically.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I can definitely agree with that sentiment. Necessary? Absolutely. The "peak of Bionicle" as some claim? Not a chance. 😅

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

​@@RRSluggerWell obviously Bionicle Peaked with the McToran. Were the Toa Mata ever sold in McDonalds Happy Meals? I think not. Search your feelings Darth Slugger, you know it to be true. Even if the McToran bodies are mostly made of rubber, their chibby collectible nature has no rival.

@BoardGamesBricksHobbies

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, wild than Exo-Force came out in 2006 and Ninjago is just barely figuring out how to put knees on its large mechs.

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

@@BoardGamesBricksHobbies They intentionally not put knees on mechs because of an internal policy that came out of playtesting, as mentioned by Niek van Slagmaat, main mech designer for Ninjago and set designer for Bionicle G2. In one of his interviews he would state kids would complain that the knees would bend and make the build fall down when they do rough play. Not sure what age group it was used, but probably young test group. This is why even if they could do mechs with knees, they dont, at least not for sets meant for younger kids. There could also be structural issues with system constraction as oppose to technic one. System sets are more compact, consisted of more pieces and heavier than Bionicle sets, so their limbs require sturdier connections, often effecting visual look. Exo Force line used the Knights Kingdom limb pieces, which worked on the Galidor hinge piece, far more sturdy design for system builds. Plus those mechs were lighter and used less pieces so they could afford bending knees. Should also factoring design philosophy changing over time, what passed 10-20 years ago might not pass in current Lego. Even if they already achieved some necessary innovations, its not a rising line when it comes to set evolution, they would sometimes dial back and do something simpler.

This video actually ended up just teaching me a lot about the different lines of Bionicle toys- I never knew much about the difference becauses I didn't know much about the lore and all of my Bionicle come from one massive yard sale lot I got when I was a kid. The rahkshi has and will always be my favorite in the entire series- I know they aren't the stars and portrayed as villain's but they were always my favorite for their articulation and cool sleak silhouette. The Bohrok would probably be a close second with their unique play features and Ability to become a ball I find them very cute- Suffice to say I was never the biggest Bionicle fan but I have always been more captivated by the designs of the villains than the heros. Edit: I know this has nothing to do with the main argument in the video but just wanted to gush about my favorite Bionicles :3 Also I totally agree with your soapbox on Masks being Bionicle- and thats coming from someone who didn't experience the launch, Didn't know the lore, and later bought Hero factory! The old faces are so Iconic and it always felt like the faces were all the same because they are all the same species but the masks being unique is what gives them personality! I WAS NOT thinking about powers and yet it still is what set Bionicle's apart from their villain's or even from later technic lines like hero factory- especially with the Slugs and rubbery bugs that could take over I always loved that feature

That comment about the clones not having personalities stings.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Why limit myself to taking a swing at only Bionicle fans, when I can also take a swing at Star Wars fans at the same time? 😂😉

I think when it comes to the ‘newer’ building system that wasnt as compatible with mata era stuff is more of a futureproofing type deal especially when it comes to visual compatibility. The mata pieces are ridiculously specific and dont mesh well with other lego parts and you can see that on larger bionicle builds like makuta with all the jutting parts and exposed ball joints. The metru style of joint design could be better integrated into larger builds and maintain visual cohesion. What i think is ignored in this video about the metru year was the clearer focus on the titans and larger characters rather than large technic rahi. The system for the toa may be a little bit muddied down but these new parts made for other characters in bionicle going forward much more visually cohesive as well as allowed for better modification which is the whole appeal to lego over other toy brands. This and the masks being axles was more probably just focused on stability of play because thats something lego has focused on a lot more of as years went on. The masks were still removable as shown in lore and the movies. Its just a shame they did not make mask packs for metru era stuff. But theres probably a good monetary reason why they never went back to it from the mata era as recolours arent as cheap as youd necessarily think

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

"The system for the toa may be a little bit muddied down but these new parts made for other characters in bionicle going forward much more visually cohesive as well as allowed for better modification which is the whole appeal to lego over other toy brands." - this is exactly what I talk about at 11:45 of the video. If we want to make the case that the new system of design would lead to better things, then that's a different discussion - one that I'd probably agree with to an extent! Those Metru era Titan models were fantastic - honestly, some of the best toys from the Bionicle franchise, in my opinion. Their exclusion from this video was intentional, however, as they don't directly relate to the issues facing the Toa Metru themselves. I didn't want to steer the discussion too much away from the topic at hand in the video. 🙂

Boncle

@FitZhurdygurdy

4 ай бұрын

Exactly, Boncle. He's saying what we're all thinking.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Interesting! I spell it with a "k" - Bonkle 😉

@BareSpirit

4 ай бұрын

My man really speaking truth to power

@LightningSpirit527

4 ай бұрын

"They hated him because he spoke the truth"

@SuperSecretBricks

4 ай бұрын

There is no I in Boncle

For me, this has probably been the video I've been anticipating the most from this channel by far, I just as much enjoyed this video as I did the Power Miners video from months ago as well, even if I disagreed with one or two points from the video. Having now seen a comparison of the original Toa Metru sets next to modified versions with added secondary highlight colors, I can't unsee how dull the shared grey used across all the sets are, the orange highlights added to Vakama were something I never even realized I wanted especially lol

@SuperSecretBricks

4 ай бұрын

The Dark Grey plague that started in 2003 with the Rahkshi sure did take a toll on the appealness of Bionicle, at least to me

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! I'm glad I was able to deliver on this one! ❤

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

​@@SuperSecretBricks Phantoka Lewa is the worst in this regard. Who thought it would be a good idea to put gray as the primary color while the lime a secondary, we will never know.

The Toa Metru are the closest Bionicle ever got to “good looking” proportions. They certainly look orders of magnitude better than the wierd lanky Inika proportions that basically stuck around til the end.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I don't know if I can agree with you there, sorry! To each their own, I guess! 🫣

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger Well Bionicle, and to an extent Constraction, have pretty weird proportions no matter how close they get to human ones. A lot can be attributed to the massive balljoints theses sets had, while giving the much needed stability, would result in pretty exaggerated body areas. The sockets being used as hands gave them freakishly large hands as a result, which was needed in order to have the technic connections. And the heads...G1 had particularly large masks compare to G2, lots of empty space between the masks and the head while the later iteration had them nearly flush with the head. Also due to stability reasons, all of the generations had clown feet. Its sorta the charm of these weird robot dudes, and why the build systems dont translate well into the builds intended for human characters like in SW or DC/Marvel. Kinda suspend your disbelief with robots when building them with Lego, not so much humans.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

@@Bionickpunk Well put! 👍

I agree a lot despite being a metru fan, especially on the shoulder joints thing, but I wanna make something very clear. Though they axed the play feature and alt colour kanohi (mostly, there are a few exceptions), kanohi were still absolutely critical to the world and lore of bionicle. the vahi used in the movie was kinda an example of a mask that can be worn over other kanohi, and was the ultimate maguffin of vakama's arc. and of course the Ignika was the most important kanohi of all time and spanned 2 whole toa runs (the same toa sure but still) and a LOT of expanded lore going forward. It was really glatorian that did away with the mask powers for the most part, since they wear 'helmets' instead of kanohi. so in a way, you're factually incorrect. The spirit of your point rings true though. However, I think they did away with the mask gimmick becuase over time, that mouth connection would get weaker and the masks would just....fall off. consider the matoran of that line, same mask system, but becuase thost masks were a lot thinner, they would fall off during normal play A LOT. Vhisola was my first bionicle, and I was forever dropping and losing her mask. Personally, I actually dislike the gear functions, even the toa mata ones. though this comes from a place of playing with them more like actions figures as a kid, and posing them as a collector later (not to mention how annoying it is to do stop motion with earlier bionicles, needing stage wire and rigs and all that- though some pieces lost their friction regardless so, eh). I agree that the toa should look mechanically unique, but they should try to use as many of the same pieces as possible. recolours are super important for MOCs. I think what seperates early bionicle enjoyers with metru onwards enjoyers is ethos. for folks like myself, the emphasis isn't on technic or play or gear functions or masks (tho recolours are nice, and nowadays we can 3D print alt colour of movie/unreleased kanohi anyway), it was about the lore. the characters, the unfolding story, the background schemes and sideplots, and of course- the villains. Makuta is cool lets be real, hes as generic and mustache twirling as they come, at least in mask of light. meanwhile theres characters like vesok, who has to grapple with the fact that he's now incomplete becuase of the ignika, or zaktan, a cunning snake who gets turned into nanomachines. in fact the piraka in general were good villains (outside of bionicle heroes- good game it may be) becuase they all wanted to betray one another. It really parallels a villain group that existed around the same time- the phyrexian preators of magic the gathering. working together for tactical advantage but ultimately they despise and plot against one another. anyway I apologise for the essay. I am a HUGE fan of your work, videos and music alike.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

I appreciate your feedback here! I largely covered all of the things I wanted to in the video, however there were definitely some things I had to leave on the cutting room floor. One of the things I wish I could've discussed is the idea of the "lore" as a retroactive justification for toy design. I'm certainly aware that the *lore* still placed an emphasis on the masks being masks and not simply faces for the characters, but I don't think the same can be said for the *toys* of that era. For as interesting as the designs of the Mahri are, those "masks" are 100% just faces for the characters in question. By and large, they weren't recoloured, they weren't reused, and the Toa weren't intended to be seen without them on. In general, the lore will agree with and explain any decision that was taken with the toys, so from my perspective, it's a moot argument to turn to the lore for justification. Now, that's just one slug's opinion on the matter though - evidently, I don't hold the greater lore of Bionicle in high regard as is. 😅 I think I must have played with my Bionicles wrong or something as a kid, because I NEVER had any issues with masks falling off! Everyone tells me this was a huge problem, but it just... never happened to me! 😮 We're definitely fans of Bionicle for different reasons, no doubt there, but I'm glad we can have a quick conversation on the subject like this! Even if the result is "agree to disagree". 😉

@chaoticjexak

4 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger True, but for the mahri, that was basically becuase their masks were altered by the ignika to help them survive underwater. and hahli's mask was used again for toa Lesovikk. but by and large yes, and its a gripe i have myself. recolours of the masks would have been fantastic, and in the inika era they had the oppertunity to do so for the toa metru, since they reused the same kanohi for the matoran of that wave. just...swap the colours? see, I have to agree to disagree that the lore is a moot point, as the lackluster lore was i feel a huge part of why the reboot flopped. A netflix only series, with a barebones (pun intented) plot and no nuance- but they did however make the masks relevent again, at least. I think that could have been fixed purely by not having the series on netflix but instead as an actual cartoon on cartoon network or something. But in the circles i was in at the time the talk i kept seeing was that no one liked the new series, and thus were even less interesting in collecting G2 (not that it stopped me). It's definately one of those moments. sometimes you just get lucky with the moulds being more secure?

Very great video. As someone who grew up primarily with the 01-03 era sets, I can understand how that period feels like the "golden era" of Bionicle. That being said, I think my personal definition of a "Bionicle" would come down to the ability to customize and build new models out of their pieces. Whether that be your own custom Toa, Tohunga, Rahi, or whatever, the essence of an "action figure that you can take apart" to such a level of detail is what Bionicle is to me. That's why I've always seen Bionicle as just as true of a part of LEGO as any other classic theme. Sure, some other toys would let you swap limbs or accessories, but the very nature of the Technic system allows for a fundamentally greater level of creative expression than anything else. That's why I had no issues with the sets from Hero Factory or G2. I can get out my bins of technic and CCBS pieces and make something entirely unique, regardless if the original set had collectible masks or working gear functions. In the end, Bionicle had such a big impact on so many fans at many different time periods and in many different ways; it's logical to expect different people to have different priorities of what they consider to be "true" Bionicle. Although the Metru may have been fairly disappointing for me as a kid, the fact that a generation of kids were able to play with those sets and make their own amazing creations with them is enough for me to consider the Metru a vital part of Bionicle's history. Bravo for making a video about Bionicle that doesn't repeat the same tired points of praise we constantly hear nor does it unjustifiably insult subjective opinions with "objective fact." It's nice hearing a well-articulated discussion that remains respectful while still being fresh and unique; that's a rarity in most online communities.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you very much, Luke! You're absolutely right - everyone is going to have a different definition of what truly makes a "Bionicle". I'm certainly not of the delusion that my opinion is the only opinion, of course haha. 😊

I was born in 1999, & my first Bionicles were Toa Hordikas (as a birthday gift), but my favourite era of Bionicle is the pre-Nuva era

I respect the bravery of this hot take so I want to offer my own in response: When you said "Then they might as well be generic technic action figures", I would 100% prefer if that was what they were. When I was old enough to get Bionicles, hey were already in the "Hordika" phase, so I didn't really have an entry point for all this lore. Mom didn't think to pick up 3 generations worth of direct-to-dvd movies alongside the figure, the games didn't really shed much light on who the guys in my collection were, so any relevant Bionicle lore was out of my grasp. I think it's all baggage, and as an adult, knowing about the Maori appropriation and lawsuit kept me from even wanting to dive in. So yes, I'd rather have contextless robots than cyborg-skeletons with muscles you have to know you're supposed to imagine between the pieces.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

That's totally a fair take! Sometimes the lore is just... not that good. 😅 Bad lore can also detract from the toys themselves! I look to LEGO DreamZzz as an example, for me personally. I'd be such a bigger fan of those sets if I hadn't seen the show. 💀

The best thing about the toa metru were the electric toothbrush with a special piece to adapt bionicle masks to any toothbruh

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

You forgot the Metru Vakama shoes and backpack.

@BoardGamesBricksHobbies

4 ай бұрын

Did they make Toa Metru Toothbrushes? I only remember Toa Nuva ones. I still have Tahu and Gali, both unused because I was scared of ruining them forever. 😅

@manuxx3543

4 ай бұрын

@@BoardGamesBricksHobbies In france i ended up have the red and green metru ones, dont know if they made more x)

Please make more bionicle videos. You have a hot take, and I want to hear more since it’s a very unique point of view. I have SO much nostalgia for bionicle I don’t think I will ever fully agree, but I love hearing your thoughts on this. Well thought out, very fair critique!

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! I’m glad that you’re able to see that my video also comes from a place of love for Bionicle too… just not *all* of it, haha. 😅 I’m not sure if you’ve seen my other two Bionicle focused videos already or not? (“My History With Bionicle” and “An Elderly Slug Attempts To Understand CCBS”) I might have more to say on the subject at some point in time, but this is all I have planned for the moment. 😊

I also prefer "Bionicle the technic subtheme" over "Bionicle the construction figures theme". And yet, I think they are both fun and that's what is important to me.

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

A great way to phrase it! Agreed!

I’ll give you props for the shoulder articulation and muted mono-color scheme. Everything else though is extremely subjective. Especially the masks. I’ve always thought the old masks were too flimsy when fitting on the head and the idea of collecting other masks and using them took away from the Toa’s unique identity. Additionally the Metru torso is better than the Mata torso. It has a lot more room to use for MOCs while still retaining gear functions. The Mata torso was great for gear functions but not much else. While I know this is subjective I really love the more streamlined design of the Toa Metru. It’s a form of visual storytelling to show “These Toa are a team from a different era”. While I do think some more unique pieces could’ve been used to further distinguish the Metru from one another, the overall look is great. I love the Nuva but I went out of my way to straighten Onua and Pohatu so they look more in line with the other Toa Nuva and not deformed. To be honest the video comes off as very purist by saying “All Bionicle after this era are not Bionicle”. The thing is, Bionicle is not just cool toys that are supposed to conform to a strict ruleset. It’s not the sole reason we bought them as kids. We bought them because they were cool toys coming from a cool universe. And this is going to be tangental, but I despise the “we know the narrator lives so the story is boring” critique. By that logic more than half of all stories are boring and pointless. Stories are not just interesting because of their outcomes. They’re interesting because of the characters and their struggles. How did the Turaga become Toa? What did they face? What kind of growth did they go through to become who they are? Don’t dismiss stories from the past. There’s my two cents. 0/10 my childhood is ruined and I’m shaking and crying rn.

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the reasonable response! I agree, there's obviously a lot of subjectivity in a video like this; that being said, there are a few more objective things I pointed out as well, such as the lack of build diversity in the Metru designs when compared to even the Turaga, let alone the Mata or Nuva. That part isn't my opinion - it's just numerically true! 😅 I've certainly come around on the torso, even since making this video. It really is the shoulders that are the culprit and I think I misattributed the cause to the torso, rather than the arms themselves. I can definitely understand the purist critique - maybe I am! In my defence though, I do heap praise onto the 2015/16 Bionicles as well... but I suppose that's because they emulate the 2001-03 Bionicles more? 🤔 I totally hear you on the prequel critique as well. Those types of stories have obvious appeal, but I often find myself not as engaged when I know the outcome. It's a similar reason to why folks avoid spoilers before going into a piece of fiction - if you know what happens, it can eliminate some of the suspense or punch to the story. I think there *can* be good prequel stories, but in my opinion, it's a knock against the work right out of the gate that the story must seek to recuperate from in order to achieve greatness. That's just one slug's opinion though!

7:08 removes everything distinct about the Toa Metru and complains about them being clones of each other

@Bionickpunk

4 ай бұрын

I like how he intentionally lower the waist and neck level for Nokama, thinking we wouldn't notice. Also it's fairly easy to destinguish Onewa even in the gray filter, as his brown color was actually lighter than Pohatu. Had he tried that with Matau and Nokama, it would be harder due to similar shade. Vakama is still destinguished even in the gray, and Whenua and Nuju are apparent. Now if we went closer and looked at the eyestalks, they would also be a dead giveaway, as Matau/Whenua/Onewa have darker stalks, while Nuju/Vakama/Nokama have lighter stalks. All of this is ofc if you disregard the waist position and neck positions.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

…yes, that’s the entire point of the example being used here. 😅 Once you remove the masks, weapons, and colours, the CONSTRUCTION of each Toa Metru is nearly identical to one another. In this video, I contrast that against the Turaga who, despite being smaller piece counts and price tags, actually have MORE differentiation under the same test conditions. Hopefully that helps clear things up!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

​@@Bionickpunk …I think this one might have flown over your head, judging by your comment here. Unless this was meant as parody? Genuinely, I don’t know, so please correct me if I’m misunderstanding you. 😅 The segment in question discusses the CONSTRUCTION of the Toa Metru, not their colours, masks, or weapons. I used the black and white filter as a way to show that once you remove those things, the Toa Metru are so similar that you would be hard pressed to tell them apart. The fact that you seem to think that I put Onewa and *Nokama* together in that photo, only proves my point. (Check the video description for the unaltered photos!) Again, I apologize if you meant this as a joke or something and I’m just not picking up on it. What you wrote is so off the mark, I’m just generally left confused about the intent…

@mechadeka

4 ай бұрын

​@RRSlugger No guys the Mata are so unique from each other because some of them have their leg pieces flipped upside down.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

@@mechadeka Sarcasm detected! Nice! 😉 Anyways, if you have anything meaningful to contribute, I'm happy to discuss, but bad faith decorum like this won't get us anywhere.

didnt expect you to reference olivia rodrigo and even singing a whole blurb about it!! unironically 1sf3sb is my favorite song of hers so this was an instant watch! great work!!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Haha, yeah! I love her music. 😊

Oh Mata Nui, at long last I bear witness to someone with a similar mindset! It is the very reason why I incorporate wild and outlandish gear functions in my builds. As I have a great appreciation towards the golden years of bionicle as well as G2.

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

I knew there had to be other people out there who didn’t worship at the altar of Metru Nui! You’re among friends here. ❤️

@Tributronbluewhiteman

3 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger I greatly appreciate the kind words! 😁 Happy building and play well

What an insufferable opinion

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

We all have insufferable opinions! What's yours? I'm happy to discuss or debate if you have some points to make, but if not, that's okay too. 🙂

Thank you

Loved the video, Slugger! This is around the time I fell off the Bionicle wagon too, although I can't remember if it was due to genuine criticisms or being a kid with a very short attention span. Glad to see I'm not the only one. I just kept getting distracted by the fact that these are 20 years old this year. I'm only 28, dang it! I'm not supposed to feel old yet!

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thank you! Yeah… 2004 was a long time ago now. 💀

What an articulated analysis

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😊

I agree with your point on the reuse of parts between each other when it comes to the bohrok, vahki, etc Those are monsters meant to buy a bunch of, they aren't meant to be named characters Cannon fodder, not main villains

Nicely articulated video slugger. 100% agree on all the points mentioned. Would love to hear your thoughts on the evolution of matoran builds (personally, i think they parallel their respective toa's pros and cons)

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you, Chuck! I'm quite proud of this one! 😊 It would be fun to look at the Matoran one day - I'd definitely need to do a lot more research for that one though as it targets a number of my blind spots within Bionicle.

Slugger wanted the smoke but ended up putting out the fire

We early to this video today 💯💪 its program time

Ngl it’s actually super cool kinda seeing this side of the intrigue for bionicle. Like, my entry was with the web of shadows movie when I was a kid lmaoo, and I never really had a strong connection to the gear functions; leaned more with that customizable action figure end. So the mystery of finding the masks or with the mata shoulders being actual shoulder joints (((and not like, weird bicep curlers lmaoo))) is honestly a joy that I never fully considered, and am now maybe slightly jealous of but shhhh. Def gonna start messing around more with the technic side of things. Genuinely appreciate learning new ways to enjoy bionicle, even after all these years lol, so thank you!!

Just the fact that this discussion about the Toa Metru is being had AT ALL is already saying volumes about the engineering that went into their toy designs. If you're in an Online Bionicle Space and you see this kind of design discussion and you can guess what it's about, what started it, etc with a more consistent accuracy than a coin flip then yeah, there's something going on there.

My biggest gripe with the Toa Metru isn't even something that's their fault, but that Lego kept the dull dark colour palette for most sets until 2009. I think the dark colours fit the metru and hordika well, since they fit the tone and retro-futurist aesthetic, but losing out on the vibrant colours from 2001 most of the time is a real bummer. Now granted, this never bothered me as a child, but as an adult Bionicle MOCist now, the relative lack of vibrant Wave 1 colours really sucks to me.

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

This is a good point, honestly! Those brighter colours really did help the toys pop. 👍

As a Young AFOL who's only exposure to bionicle was The Legend Reborn and later Mask of Light, I can assure, 2001-2003 are so much better, and not for nostalgia. A fourth reason, personally for me, is how amazing of asetting the Island of mata nui is. Compared to the generic futuristic city Metru Nui, Mata Nui is this beautiful, lush, and MEGALITHIC island, full of imposing huge, intriging mysterious faces and stones, all full of atmosphere and how unique of a setting it is. Think about what's more unique: Mechanic-organic lifeforms living on a futuristic city, or Mechanic-organic lifeforms living on a natural island, in tribalism? The masks are also part of this, as Mata Nui is full of depictions of these masks, and the faces underneath. It's just this amazing sense of story and mystery that no other wave gives me. (Even If I like 2004-Onwards, just not as much as the 3 golden years)

All this talk of Galidor, Slizers/Throwbots, constraction figures, and Bionicle, makes me wonder if you're ever going to tackle other non-brick building systems, like Znap. Someday, I want to make a MOC combining all the non-brick systems Lego attempted into a giant plastic Frankenstein's Monster.

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Znap will definitely be a topic of discussion, one of these days! 😊

It's here! Will give my thoughts later :)

I think the metru head looks pretty decent on it's own, minus the slit for the eyestock, great video too!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Fair enough! I think it’s the “mouth full of marbles” look that really throws me off with them. 😅

bro your theme starts playing I'm not watching the video, I'm dancing

14:18 you just articulated the weird feeling that old bionicle promotional material would give me all those years ago that I couldn't quite explain

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

That’s awesome! Glad to have helped! ❤️

Now that's one persuasive slug! I was at the perfect age for these toys and was totally swept up in their "cool factor" so I was definitely not thinking about the nuances of the building system or play features as a kid. The Rule of Cool had me firmly in its grasp and I was just jealous that I didn't have Vakama or Nuju because they were the coolest ones, I had "the girl Bionicle" which my brothers ribbed me for. Admittedly not as much as my kid brain thought they did, but once was enough! These sets definitely hold a special place in my heart, but I couldn't agree more with all your points. Modern parts and revamps make the sets much better... ...but yeah, modern. No contemporary method made the shoulders work better or the masks more fun. The time that one of the Metru masks did get a recolor was with a rare titan set and technically with a matoran that had a lighter blue mask than the original. Not very collectable or interesting. I've had the chance to purchase some custom recolors and I gotta say, huge missed opportunity for LEGO. I'll never understand the disk collecting, it just wasn't that interesting. I remember looking at old instructions and inserts for collectables for the Toa Mata and Nuva and being jealous that later waves didn't get that treatment. In the Legends of Metru Nui movie they even make a point to tie mask powers into the character development, further pulling masks into identity and away from interchangable powers that could boost a Toa in unique circumstances. I don't think the lore of Bionicle was too obtuse for kids to understand in later waves, I think that it became less and less tide to play functions and design in the actual sets. Anyway, loved the video as always. Keep on sluggin'. Or something like that?

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! I'm really proud of this video honestly, as I think it's some of my best argumentative writing to date. I'm glad to hear some of it was persuasive! Your line about how "No contemporary method made the shoulders work better or the masks more fun." is so concise and cuts to the heart of the issue here. I think many folks think of the Toa Metru favorably years later but ultimately forget (or never even experienced!) what their release was like. It really was a closed system, end to end, and it would take years before the Metru would receive the parts they needed to shine, since Bionicle was starting from zero with them in a way. Thanks for the comment! There's a lot to chew on here. 👍

I think this video is the first to express what I've felt about G2 for a while. I always preferred it over later waves of G1, but I never really could put a finger on why. This vid made me realize that's it's not just about the return to classic characters, it's about the return to classic design sensibilities. They had way more play functions, brighter colors, and a full, cohesive team. Great video as always!

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Thank you! I'm a big fan of G2 as well for the same reasons you stated. I'm glad this video helped put into words what you were feeling! 😊

YES I CLICKED FOR THE THUMBNAIL

I’m a later fan of Bionicle so I have a different perspective than most original fans. My first Bionicle set was in 2009, which ended up being my last for most of my life because Bionicle was discontinued shortly after. But because I got in so late Bionicle was always just buildable action figures to me. But I’ve recently been getting into Bionicle more and buying older sets, and I have to say I agree. 2001-3 were just the best years of Bionicle, the play features are so perfectly designed and the whole aesthetic was just better. I have a lot of nostalgia and love for 2007-10 because that’s what I remember growing up with, but even with that nostalgia I still prefer the first 3 years. The design and setting and mystery surrounding it all just makes for so much more of an interesting toy and I definitely think that was lost in 2004. 2004 is definitely the transitionary point of the franchise but in my opinion it was the worst of both worlds. The play features are limited by the new articulation and the new articulation was limited by the play features. I actually do like their shape and design for what they are, I feel like their torsos have a sort of skeletal look to them that I think is pretty cool. But I still think It would have been so much better if they kept the original color schemes and differences in appearances that the original Toa and Turaga had, and just made a new torso shape that still worked like the original ones. Or at least just a better shoulder attachment. But even I can see how making a whole new system basically alienated a lot of people because suddenly all of your original sets can’t be played with the new ones because they’re at different scales and use different ways of building. I also agree that the masks are the most important part of Bionicle’s identity. However I’d argue that the movies are actually what did away with that. They wanted each character to have a recognizable face in the movies so they stopped having the characters switch masks and I think the rest of the toys started to reflect that ideology of having the masks be their faces instead of being masks on top of their faces. Instead of having unique builds with interchangeable masks they became similar builds with unique “faces”. But the masks are my favorite idea from Bionicle, they remind me of Majora’s Mask where you collect different masks with different powers, but for the rest of Bionicle every Toa only got 1 mask per year which meant only one cool bonus power instead of 6. And like you said, at that point it might as well just be another power the Toa has not anything to do with their masks.

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

Well put! I really appreciate your insight here - it reminds me of my experience with LEGO in general, actually! I grew up with a myriad of themes from the 2000's, but as an adult, I've gone back and started collecting those 90s themes I missed out on, only to reach a similar revelation to you - it's just *better* than the stuff I grew up with. 😅 "The play features are limited by the new articulation and the new articulation was limited by the play features." - I wish I had said this in the actual video! You summed it up perfectly! It really was the worst of both worlds. 👍 And again, I think you're making a good point about the movies - Mask Of Light really did turn the masks into faces, didn't it? The slow erosion of mask to face might have even started with the Toa Nuva...

@lukestarkiller1470

3 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger I’m glad you understood all the points I was trying to make in that comment. I realized now just how long of a comment that was so I’m both surprised and flattered that you actually read it all. But yeah I feel like not having the nostalgia attached to things can really help you better appreciate them for what they are but also see the flaws that nostalgia normally blinds you to. And yeah again I think the movies really ruined the point of the masks. I understand their reason for wanting the characters to have distinct and recognizable faces but I think it came at the cost of losing a core part of Bionicle. And I’m also just not a fan of the mouths they stuck on them in the movie, especially Tahu’s mouth inside of a mouth. I always thought that was a really weird design and I would’ve much preferred them to just have static unmoving masks. It would’ve made it a little harder to have the characters show emotion but it’s definitely possible using just the eyes. Plus Gali’s mouth doesn’t move in the movie and she looks perfectly fine, so I don’t know why they had to give Tahu 2 mouths.

@RRSlugger

3 ай бұрын

@@lukestarkiller1470 Reading and responding to the comments is one of the biggest reasons I have this channel! The discussions I get to have are one of the best rewards for creating videos. 😊 I don't know what approach might have worked best for the movie designs, but I'm with you - what we got was more than a little uncanny, haha. 😅

@lukestarkiller1470

3 ай бұрын

@@RRSlugger well I’m glad you feel that way because talking with you definitely brightened my day, even though it’s like 1 in the morning. I’ll just have to count it as brightening both today and yesterday

im with you bro. i feel the same way, and got out of bionicle at the same time. thanks for an interesting video!

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Thanks! Glad it resonated with you! 😊

Slugger got all my respect with this video

That voice was beautiful XD

@RRSlugger

4 ай бұрын

Haha I'm so embarrassed by it. 😆