Tag Archives: Bionicle

Bionicle was a line of sets that grew out of the LEGO Technic line that LEGO produced between 2001 and 2010, succeeded by Hero Factory. Bionicle had an incredibly complex storyline that accompanied the sets, and most of the elements didn’t integrate well with traditional SYSTEM bricks. As a result, long-time adult fans like the contributors here on The Brothers Brick never quite appreciated what Bionicle had to offer, so most of the LEGO models we feature here on The Brothers Brick are built from traditional SYSTEM bricks. Nevertheless, we do appreciate a great Bionicle creation from time to time.

Hammer of the Gods

We’re seeing a lot of planetary themed builds lately and I couldn’t be more pleased. This time builder Jayfa takes on Pluto, deemed a planet in 1930, then shunned into the cold abyss of non-planetary status in the early aughts and then (depending on which publications you read) has been recategorized as a planet. Maybe. Wait, is Pluto a planet again this week? No matter what its official status, you can’t help but give some love to the distant little dwarf. Here Pluto has been embodied as a hammer-wielding dwarven cyclopian blacksmith with icy claw bits for a mustache and even his fists are an icy blue. Massive Viking wheels and trans-light blue webbed radar dishes make up the hammer. The photography, with its light and dark elements, is nothing short of magic. The end result is a blacksmith who makes weapons and armor fitting of the gods.

Pluto: The Celestial Dwarf

If you enjoyed this tribute to distant Pluto, be sure to check out Jayfa’s haunting huntsman mech and ferocious flower.

Which one of youse ordered the shark fin soup?

Beware shark fin soup enthusiasts. It’s not so much my thing but in China shark fin soup is considered a delicacy served at traditional weddings and banquets.The practice has been condemned by the Humane Society International as millions of sharks are killed each year for their fins and it sort of upsets the order and sustainability of other things in the ocean. Enter James Zhan and his toothy Nightmare Amalgam-Z. This creature can walk up on land, politely tap you on the shoulder with this Bionicle part while you’re dining, then maybe proceed to chomp on your face. You don’t want that, do you? We all gotta eat, I know, but driving a certain species to near extinction isn’t cool. So let’s be cool, otherwise you get this guy and we’ve already established what he does. So are we cool? Good!

Nightmare Amalgam-Z

The wendigo is scary indeed...

The 2019 Bionicle-building challenge Biocup is on and LEGO Bionicle enthusiast chubbybots has jumped into the ring swinging. The first round’s theme is scary monsters, which I definitely think this wendigo fits into. Intimidation and furious brutality are the words that spring to mind. The Hero Factory Hand Armor as the top of its head was an excellent choice that brings those stark white teeth to the foreground on that monstrous underbite. Those rubber tyres on the arms and ankles remind me of the tufts of hair on a minotaur. I wonder it played some role as a muse while chubbybots started to piece this guy together? My favourite piece use on this terrifying vision would have to be a tie between the four eyes made from small red lever bases and the shadow trap, creating what looks like the end of a gnarly set of gauntlets.

wendigo1

Be sure to stop by and check out some of the other contenders in this year’s Biocup!

The heart is the soul, and sometimes the path to death

Biocup 2019 has kicked off this year with a preliminary theme of all things scary. Biocup is a fan friendly organised event where builders challenge themselves to use Lego Technic, Bionicle, CCBS (Creature and Character Building Systems) and Constraction with having little or no traditional LEGO System bricks involved. This particular round is themed on creations built on things that scare or put fear into your heart or send chills down your spine. Builder [VB]’s creation of a heart nailed right through is something to be afraid of. As much as the heart is one of the strongest muscle in the body, it’s also the one that can be the weakest or darkest in soul.

Unseen Adversary

This voodoo panther is no bonehead. Or is it?

The LEGO Bionicle line may have ended in 2016, but that hasn’t stopped fans from expanding on the theme. Case in point: Alex Mertens brings us a sleek version of the Rahi beast Muaka, inspired by a deep cut of Bionicle lore. I’m a fan of the smooth curves that give this model a sense of feline grace. The splash of color from the orange hose and lime green claws adds visual interest against the blue of the Hero Factory armor and Bionicle shoulder armor plating.

Voodoo Panther

Speaking of that armor, we recently featured another re-imagining of Muaka that kept the yellow highlights from the Muaka & Kane-Ra set from 2001. Alex has gone one step further, taking the blue color from a Bone-Heads of Voodoo Island prototype that likely lead to Muaka! This early prototype can be seen in Christian Faber’s demo footage.

This punchy mech speaks with its fists

Builder Oscar Cederwall imagines a future where giant powerful mechs duke it out for your betting amusement. In this corner, weighing in at 30 tons, in blue armor we have the B-07 Melee Mech. Most mechs boast an impressive array of guns but I like how this one is instead equipped with out-sized fists. The stretcher holder part in yellow makes for good detailing and, when used in moderation, is an excellent color choice against the blue, black and white. Be sure to check out the rest of Oscar’s work as his other futuristic ideas also pack a powerful punch.

B-07 Melee Mech - RoboRumble 3000

How much bricks would Lewa chuck?

We know and love Anthony Wilson for his charismatic and vibrant brick-built characters. Some of them are utterly cute, while others are inspired by some very challenging video games. But this time Anthony draws inspiration from the very first generation of LEGO Bionicle sets, and in this particular case — from 8535 Lewa. His lumberjack Lewa scene is a stunning combination of smart building solutions and tiny references. The highlight of the scene is, of course, Lewa’s plaid shirt, which suits the hero surprisingly well! But can you spy the rest of symbols and smart use of pieces?

Lewa the Lumberjack

Bionicle dragon rises from the water

It’s amazing what a talented LEGO builder can achieve when they step outside their comfort zone. Andreas Lenander was inspired to build something “Bionicle-ish” and I think he nailed it. The contrast in building styles between the complex dragon and the studs-up base is the perfect way to make the dragon stand out.

Jörmungandr - serpent from the deep

The dragon’s neck is particularly well done, being constructed mainly out of robot arms to resemble scales. Robot arms are actually used throughout, also being used for teeth and the tips of the black horns. The Piraka leg pieces are the ideal choice for the ridge of the dragon’s face: they give it that undeniably rigid-skinned lacertilian look.

Tarakava, terror of the shores

The earliest LEGO Bionicle sets were drastically different from much later sets in the series, along with the constraction (constructible action) figures of today. The classic Rahi set Tarakava that inspired this revamp by [Jack Frost] uses barely any ball joints or specialized weapon elements from the Bionicle theme. Despite this, I feel it embodies the spirit of Bionicle more than the theme’s later releases. This build is part of a series of Rahi set re-imaginings, of which we recently featured Muaka and a Colony Drone.

Tarakava

I love how the builder kept all the iconic pieces of the original set (or rather half of the set, as there were two creatures in the original), such as the dark turquoise Kanohi mask and claw weapon used to form the creature’s huge fangs. Then there are the older-style Technic panels on the face, which keep the model as silly-looking as the set from 2001. The repetitive use of other teal elements also adds a lot of spiny character to this amphibious predator.

Poor unfortunate soul, if insects had souls

The tables have been turned, and our alien overlords are getting a taste of their own thorax salve.
This wonderfully detailed insect prisoner by Poor Disadvantaged is more than just a great LEGO creation. It is part of a collaborative project to re-imagine early Bionicle-themed sets with a fresh perspective. The chunky wheel part makes a perfectly unpleasant shackle. Another awesome detail is the multiple robot arms used to create a very detailed mouth complete with feeding mandibles.

Colony Drone

Inside-out car tires and those rocky parts used for the manacles are another fun detail. If the prisoner didn’t look so deadly I might even feel sorry for him.

This kitty is no matoran’s pet

A small group of Bionicle builders have been reworking sets and themes from the early years of the Bionicle theme. They have just recently released pictures of another collaboration in my favourite Bionicle subtheme – Rahi (basically “animals”) from 2001. This build is Muaka from the 8538-1 Muaka & Kane-Ra set, reimagined by Red.

Muaka

There is so much to love in the set’s reinterpretation. The builder stays faithful to the original with hoses on front legs and treads on the hind ones, but integrates them perfectly to achieve a smooth flow. And speaking of smooth flow, the tail is quite organic, made out of a 3mm flex tube element going through yellow 2×2 dish pieces and small tyres. My favourite part is the use of giant arms on the mouth, giving it the feline look that the original set lacked (which always looked more like two T-rexes…).

This Bioni-frog is one wild amphibian

LEGO constraction (construction action figure) themes like Bionicle have introduced a broad range of parts, which many builders have leveraged to create organic-looking creatures. Such is the case with this lovely Ghekula Frog built by Djokson, which they describe as “an amphibious swamp-dwelling Rahi.” I suspect the red-eyed tree frog inspired the build, as is evident in the lime green body, white underbelly, and red eyes. Of particular interest are the feet, which utilize blue robot arms and minifigure arms as toes. The end result is one lively amphibian.

Ghekula Frog