Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Krulis]

I have no idea why people are expecting anything related to this from Comic-Con. Even with a media blitz, that is neither the time nor the place for LEGO to announce anything.

At CC Lego always gives a preview of Star Wars and Super heroes sets. And weren't Mixels anounnced there too?

[Gatanui]

At CC Lego always gives a preview of Star Wars and Super heroes sets. And weren't Mixels anounnced there too?

Yes, they were.

-Gata

[Aanchir]

At CC Lego always gives a preview of Star Wars and Super heroes sets. And weren't Mixels anounnced there too?

They were indeed!

I'm not thinking that a reveal at Comic-Con is a foregone conclusion or anything like that. But it's certainly a possibility, especially since a revived BIONICLE is likely to be at least somewhat media-driven.

If it's not revealed at Comic-Con, then chances are the first official teasers will show up either in November/December (if it's due for a January release) or at Toy Fair (if it's due for a mid-year release). Of course, we'll probably start seeing or hearing about additional leaks well before then.

[Dorek]

Oh, were the Mixels announced there? Interesting enough.

LEGO definitely has a presence (and given the popularity of The LEGO Movie, they will most certainly be there in force) but their focus is, as usual, geared more towards the Comic-Con audience; Superheroes and Star Wars, as said.

[Leewan]

I have no idea why people are expecting anything related to this from Comic-Con. Even with a media blitz, that is neither the time nor the place for LEGO to announce anything.

They don't need a proper announcement, they could just show a promotional / teaser / hint pic, like a Hau, or the BIONICLE logo. Anything that would confirm its comeback would be more than enough. And they indeed revealed Hobbit, Star Wars, Superheroes and Mixels sets last year. So if we really get BIONICLE sets next year, the SDCC would be a perfect opportunity to announce it.

[Infernum]

Revealing a set is different from revealing an entire line... The reveal of Mixels last year makes me think they could have something, but the actual Mixels sets were revealed there last time. How do we know these sets are far enough in the designing process to be shown there?

I doubt they'd reveal a single set there, like for the Hobbit sets. And it seems very unlikely they'd reveal the entire wave like they did with the Mixels. There might be a poster or preview, which s what I'm hoping for.

[Aanchir]

Revealing a set is different from revealing an entire line... The reveal of Mixels last year makes me think they could have something, but the actual Mixels sets were revealed there last time. How do we know these sets are far enough in the designing process to be shown there?

I doubt they'd reveal a single set there, like for the Hobbit sets. And it seems very unlikely they'd reveal the entire wave like they did with the Mixels. There might be a poster or preview, which s what I'm hoping for.

If they're due for a release towards the beginning of the year, then they're almost certainly far enough in the design process. If they weren't it would be unlikely they'd be ready in time for their release date.

And they didn't reveal the entire wave of Mixels at Comic-Con, just three sets (Flain, Volectro, and Seismo).

[Infernum]

If they're due for a release towards the beginning of the year, then they're almost certainly far enough in the design process. If they weren't it would be unlikely they'd be ready in time for their release date.

And they didn't reveal the entire wave of Mixels at Comic-Con, just three sets (Flain, Volectro, and Seismo).

Oops, for some reason I thought they revealed them all. My bad.

[Dorek]

The Mixels reveal was more because they had a whole TV show planned for it and it was pointedly a multimedia affair. While I suppose this could happen again (and I still think this is a hoax!)... does anybody really want a Cartoon Network based TV show from this?

[Aanchir]

The Mixels reveal was more because they had a whole TV show planned for it and it was pointedly a multimedia affair. While I suppose this could happen again (and I still think this is a hoax!)... does anybody really want a Cartoon Network based TV show from this?

I wouldn't mind. The LEGO Ninjago TV show has been excellent and I'd actually say it often has better humor and character development than the official BIONICLE story. Plus, a Cartoon Network TV show could potentially reach a much wider audience than the Hero Factory TV episodes or BIONICLE movies did. Even just a 13-episode season would allow for a much greater amount of story content than a single movie or even a four-episode miniseries. Looking at the runaway success of LEGO Ninjago, I see no reason why BIONICLE shouldn't mimic its business model in that respect.

The bigger question is whether Cartoon Network wants or has room for an additional LEGO program on top of Ninjago (which we know is returning with new episodes next year) or Legends of Chima (which might be as well). I can't imagine they want people to think of them as "The LEGO Channel".

[TheGreatSpirit]

I pray Lego doesn't shoot themselves in the foot like that...

Unless they plan on butchering the line just for laughs (which, to say the least, is very unlikely)

[Aanchir]

I pray Lego doesn't shoot themselves in the foot like that...

Unless they plan on butchering the line just for laughs (which, to say the least, is very unlikely)

If "butchering the line" is what happened to LEGO Ninjago, then that's probably what's best for BIONICLE. Ninjago was the LEGO Group's single most successful new product line launch of all time, and has an extremely dedicated fan community. LEGO Ninjago books have made the New York Times bestseller list multiple times, and the TV series frequently ranks among the most-viewed programs by boys ages 6–12. It was only intended to be a three-year theme, but is now looking at new TV episodes in 2015 and a theatrical film in 2016. There has even been a temporary Ninjago Miniland in LEGOLAND Germany. So yes, please let's "butcher the line" if that's what you mean.

[Dorek]

Ninjago TV series is debatably better, but the tone is miles different, or at least from what BIONICLE was. BIONICLE would have to come back as a markedly changed; I'm sure some people, especially longtime fans, would see that as some kind of "betrayal", if I may borrow some hyperbole.

Not that there's anything wrong with it either way, but this is why the talk of story continuation is way out of hand.

[Shakar]

Isn't there supposed to be more than just 7 sets?

Not necessarily, we've been getting 7-8 sets per wave since the Summer Breakout wave (10 and 8 in 2012, 8 and 7 in 2013 and the same in 2014).

Of course, it was in a year when Lego begun to severly cut the budget for HF, only to get worse in 2013 and 2014. Also, HF's debut wave had a whopping 14 sets. So BIONICLE might get a big wave as well, only to drop to 7-10 depending on how much Lego decides to invest on it compared to HF.

[Chro]

I've been told that there will almost definitely be more sets than the ones shown on the display image

I personally don't think there will be anything at Comic-Con, though that guess comes from me alone, not from my source

[TheGreatSpirit]

Aanchir, Bionicle has always been a mature line. What may work for Ninjago will NOT work for something as serious as Bionicle; unless, of cource, you believe in turning Bionicle into a comedy that does not take itself seriously (for the record, I like Ninjago for its non-serious, comedic approach; the fact that it can have some decent fighting/storyline/drama is a nice bonus). Now a Bionicle Tv show with a serious approach could possibly work, but that doesn't mean it CAN'T have any comedic moments whatsoever; it just can't MOSTLY be a comedy.

[CabooseBM]

Ninjago TV series is debatably better, but the tone is miles different, or at least from what BIONICLE was. BIONICLE would have to come back as a markedly changed; I'm sure some people, especially longtime fans, would see that as some kind of "betrayal", if I may borrow some hyperbole.

Not that there's anything wrong with it either way, but this is why the talk of story continuation is way out of hand.

To be fair, old time Transformers fans thought the same of Beast Wars when it came out, and that show single-handedly saved the brand. (And is also fantastic, but besides the point.)

Edited July 10, 2014 by CabooseBM

[King of Nynrah]

Aanchir, Bionicle has always been a mature line. What may work for Ninjago will NOT work for something as serious as Bionicle; unless, of cource, you believe in turning Bionicle into a comedy that does not take itself seriously (for the record, I like Ninjago for its non-serious, comedic approach; the fact that it can have some decent fighting/storyline/drama is a nice bonus). Now a Bionicle Tv show with a serious approach could possibly work, but that doesn't mean it CAN'T have any comedic moments whatsoever; it just can't MOSTLY be a comedy.

Why can't we have a Bionicle series with the same sort of tone as Avatar: The Last Airbender? One that takes itself seriously for the most part and has an underlying mythology that is constantly being explored...

[Shakar]

I've been told that there will almost definitely be more sets than the ones shown on the display image

Great news. Here's hoping there's a good balance between small and mid size set (small sets can really shine, see the Breakout villains) and one more Titan.

[Dorek]

To be fair, old time Transformers fans thought the same of Beast Wars when it came out, and that show single-handedly saved the brand. (And is also fantastic, but besides the point.)

As a guy who loved Beast Wars, heck yeah! I'm all for a completely new direction, regardless. Retreading the old a surefire recipe for disaster. But then there's still people who hate it regardless, and they will continue to be a vocal minority; part of this is not tempering any expectations and just letting imagination and hope run amok.

Why can't we have a Bionicle series with the same sort of tone as Avatar: The Last Airbender? One that takes itself seriously for the most part and has an underlying mythology that is constantly being explored...

I actually like Korra better, but it's not like BIONICLE can get darker... could it? =P

[Aanchir]

Ninjago TV series is debatably better, but the tone is miles different, or at least from what BIONICLE was. BIONICLE would have to come back as a markedly changed; I'm sure some people, especially longtime fans, would see that as some kind of "betrayal", if I may borrow some hyperbole.

Not that there's anything wrong with it either way, but this is why the talk of story continuation is way out of hand.

Aanchir, Bionicle has always been a mature line. What may work for Ninjago will NOT work for something as serious as Bionicle; unless, of cource, you believe in turning Bionicle into a comedy that does not take itself seriously (for the record, I like Ninjago for its non-serious, comedic approach; the fact that it can have some decent fighting/storyline/drama is a nice bonus). Now a Bionicle Tv show with a serious approach could possibly work, but that doesn't mean it CAN'T have any comedic moments whatsoever; it just can't MOSTLY be a comedy.

There was absolutely nothing in the early years making BIONICLE markedly more mature than Ninjago. Have you forgotten Taipu's stupidity, or Hafu's absurd ego, or Tamaru's fear of heights, or Pewku's job as a "Taxi Crab", or the time Pohatu got a bunch of goats magnetized to him, or the various other gags that filled the Mata Nui Online Game and Bohrok/Bohrok-Kal Online Animations? How about the little "who's on first?" routine that the guards of every village did in the "Tales of the Tohunga/Quest for the Toa" game for Game Boy Advance? Clearly, not only does lighthearted humor work for BIONICLE, but I dare say in some cases it actually improves it.

Ninjago is not purely a comedy, far from it. It has plenty of dark and serious moments (the Overlord is every bit as fearsome a villain as Makuta was in 2001), but it doesn't get too caught up in its own pretensions to engage in a bit of childish humor from time to time.

And screw whatever old-school fans think a kid-friendly series with kid-friendly humor is beneath them. Once you're that caught up in pretensions of being grown-up you have no business enjoying a LEGO series like BIONICLE anyway, and there's no reason the LEGO Group should pander to you at the expense of kids and kids-at-heart. Fans like that can go enjoy Game of Thrones or whatever. That sort of series is probably grim and edgy enough for them.

Why can't we have a Bionicle series with the same sort of tone as Avatar: The Last Airbender? One that takes itself seriously for the most part and has an underlying mythology that is constantly being explored...

Something like that would be fantastic. Avatar: The Last Airbender is yet another show that tells an epic, mythology-laden story but isn't afraid to poke fun at itself and its characters. It definitely deals with some much more serious subject matter than Ninjago — no LEGO series I know of, even BIONICLE, has taken a serious look at themes quite as heavy as genocide — but in terms of tone it's still mainly a lighthearted, kid-friendly adventure story. The rule "never say die" is violated only on rare occasions — a rule that BIONICLE recklessly abandoned in its later years with hammy, "2edgy4u" lines like Roodaka's "I always kill the messenger" or Mantax's "I have no friends. Only enemies I haven't killed yet." A BIONICLE series with A:TLA's level of narrative balance would be a dream come true.

Great news. Here's hoping there's a good balance between small and mid size set (small sets can really shine, see the Breakout villains) and one more Titan.

I'd actually love if BIONICLE returned to having some even smaller $5 sets, like Matoran or small Rahi. Clearly there's still a market for sets at that price point, judging from the Mixels, Friends animal packs, etc. Furthermore, judging from current constraction set prices, a $5 set would probably have to include between 20 and 30 pieces. With the flexibility of this building system there's no reason the LEGO Group couldn't do that. They might even be able to use a similar business model to the Friends animal packs or Ninjago booster packs and rotate them out more frequently, so we could have a new wave of three small sets every four months. The only question is whether the constraction category is strong enough to support that many sets in addition to regular $10–$35 sets... but with a theme like BIONICLE I would certainly hope so.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Aanchir

[TheGreatSpirit]

Why can't we have a Bionicle series with the same sort of tone as Avatar: The Last Airbender? One that takes itself seriously for the most part and has an underlying mythology that is constantly being explored...

You, sir, are awesome.

I think that would be perfect for something like Bionicle; heck they are both based around elemental powers!

EDIT: Why do some of you think that I want a full on gory, GoT esque Bionicle reboot? All because I don't want a mostly comedic Ninjago rehash? Good grief, just because it takes itself seriously doesn't mean it can't/doesn't have any comedy...

Edited July 10, 2014 by TheGreatSpirit

[Gatanui]

or Mantax's "I have no friends. Only enemies I haven't killed yet."

Hey, that line was pretty awesome, actually (in my opinion).

-Gata

[Dorek]

There's a difference between tone and humor. Most things with a more serious edge try and balance things out with comedy, and BIONICLE is no exception, especially in the earlier years when it was still finding its footing. However, many later fans (post-2006, for instance) are used to a much grimmer, bleaker tonality. And those later fans are closer to the target audience than people who have experienced the whole thing are.

LEGO is in no way going to pander to those people, and that's exactly my point; those expecting a continuation or pretending that BIONICLE hasn't been gone for the past half-decade (if it's coming back, which I still don't think it is!) would be in for a rude awakening.

[Aanchir]

There's a difference between tone and humor. Most things with a more serious edge try and balance things out with comedy, and BIONICLE is no exception, especially in the earlier years when it was still finding its footing. However, many later fans (post-2006, for instance) are used to a much grimmer, bleaker tonality. And those later fans are closer to the target audience than people who have experienced the whole thing are.

Perhaps they are closer in terms of age, but if the LEGO Group wants a BIONICLE reboot to be successful I think they're going to be focusing a good portion of their attention on people who are experiencing it for the first time.

LEGO is in no way going to pander to those people, and that's exactly my point; those expecting a continuation or pretending that BIONICLE hasn't been gone for the past half-decade (if it's coming back, which I still don't think it is!) would be in for a rude awakening.

A rude awakening, perhaps, but at least they'd finally be awake.

I don't at all expect a BIONICLE reboot to be everything everybody dreamed of. It can't be. It shouldn't be. I believe both of the friendship lessons from "Suited for Success" apply here: "if you try to please everypony, you often times end up pleasing nopony". And "you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth".

If BIONICLE comes back, some people will realize their expectations were far-fetched and adjust them accordingly. Other people will cling tight to them and will feel "betrayed". That will be the case no matter what LEGO does, even if the new series is 100% faithful to what BIONICLE was when it began, or 100% faithful to what BIONICLE was when it ended. The important thing to realize, though, is that a lot of the fans from the theme's original run would already have grown out of BIONICLE by now anyway if it had gone on uninterrupted.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Aanchir