#Introducing, Toa Vhisola
“The stars have called upon a new Toa team to thwart the schemes of evil. It seems the shadows are growing again.”
From student to soldier, Vhisola has been called upon to serve in a new Toa team. She may revel in her new-found fame, but a hollow idol will not save this world from chaos.
(See end for information on the Toa Project.)
Those of you that have been following the Toa Project were probably expecting Tamaru before Vhisola, however I’m running out of time to do these reviews and I haven’t received his mask (or the other three Toa’s) in the mail yet.
#Build
My goal with Vhisola’s build was to emulate a deep-sea diver with thin limbs and a thin body.
This thematic choice also helps imply femininity, which I didn’t want to go too overboard with (Roodaka-ahem). Her thin waist, wide chest, and broad and upward-pointing shoulders also give the impression of a straighter posture that is more prominent in females.
Attached to the back of Vhisola’s arms and legs are fin-like pieces which bring out the underwater theme pretty well.
Simple but effective.
Vhisola’s upper arms and legs are built similarly to Kaj’s.
I think I may be a little obsessed with those technic blocks.
Vhisola’s torso is built from a Hordika torso and the lower section of a Vahki torso.
Hordika chest armour was added along with a yellow pin connector, the connector being used to make the chest less flat.
#Weapons and Functions
Vhisola carries a spear, which uses a silver shark tooth blade.
This was originally meant to be a harpoon, then I realised harpoons are supposed to be fired out of a cannon (duh). The chain was originally supposed to mimic the rope attached to harpoon spears, however I thought it worked well so I kept it.
Vhisola’s gear function causes arm movement parallel to the length of the body. The Hordika torso is pretty useful for attaching the gearbox.
Since both arms must move in the same direction, the gearbox is controlled via a button lever which is pulled up and down. The two elastic bands keep the arms at the normal position while this play feature isn’t being used.
Having trouble working out why this is a good idea? Take a look below.
When positioned as shown, moving the lever will cause Vhisola’s arms to move radially, making her look like she’s swimming.
Alternatively, if you keep her stood up, you can pretend she’s waving frantically at a friend she just saw across the street.
#Colours
Vhisola’s colour scheme is composed of dark blue, yellow and silver.
The only part on this set that’s painted is the small yellow piece that attaches the pin connector part to the chest. This was simply because I didn’t have one to spare.
Regarding Vhisola’s mask: I chose a yellow Komau rather than her traditional dark blue one for three reasons:
- Since these sets were deliberately supposed to resemble early G1 sets, I didn’t want to use a mask that was melded with silver (as opposed to one with just a flat colour).
- The colour distribution is improved by using a yellow mask rather than a dark blue one.
- These Toa were designed to have unique colour schemes, which is why most of the Toa contain colours that aren’t usually seen in sets.
#The Toa Project
Following my completion of Kaj, I decided to create an entire Toa team using existing characters, taking great inspiration from the sets and stories of the 2001-2003 era of Bionicle.
All of my designs will have a unique gear-based function, a creative build and an innovative colour scheme.
Each time I release a new Toa, I’ll reveal the next.
Please leave comments and suggestions for improvement for Vhisola and the coming Toa MOCs. Once I’ve completed all six Toa, I’ll address any criticisms and share the improved Toa in a single post.
Follow the links to view the Toa Team:
1: Kaj, Toa of Earth
2: Hafu, Toa of Stone
3: Vhisola, Toa of Water
4: Tamaru, Toa of Air
5: Ehrye, Toa of Ice
6: Kalama, Toa of Fire
#Next Time: Tamaru, Toa of Air
(Tamaru will be complete once my lime Rau is delivered from BrickLink, however this may take some time. Please be patient.)
-Hazash-
