Continuing on with my 25th anniversary project for BIONICLE, I’m happy to present my first updated take on one half of one of my favorite Rahi sets, the mighty Kane-Ra.
This powerful bull stalked the regions of Po-Wahi and Ta-Wahi, and many were outfitted with infected Kanohi by the Makuta to terrorize the Turaga and Matoran, and later hamper the Toa during their quest for the Kanohi masks.
My version here has many callbacks to the original, namely the thrusting head function and treads on the hind legs. Like the original, the rear legs are substantially less pronounced than the front, but not quite as disproportionate. I used lots of big pieces to fill out the torso and rear, such as the hockey torso, Mata gearbox, and Bohrok abdomen to bulk up the Kane-Ra. The infected Huna are obviously custom, done in a style similar to both the authentic infected Hau and the infected masks shown on the Rahi expansion to the 2001 TCG. I tried to make the bovine appearance more apparent in this version, which was both fun and a bit challenging, but despite some of the awkward angles shown here, and I think it turned out pretty well. Hope you like it!
One big advantage the set had was that even as a set comprised mostly of wobbly technic, it still looked enough like an actual cow to sell the illusion, despite having no hind legs and the exact same body structure as the Muaka.
The proportions on this model, however, don’t really look like a cow to me. The gigantic shoulder width feels like a very stocky dog, the face is too small in proportion with the rest of the head, and the biggest issue by far is the elbows.
Cows don’t have elbows on their forelegs. They have knees.
While the set version of the Kane-Ra does have extremely prominent elbows, you’ve said the intent was to make a much more bovine interpretation of the set, so that’s what I’m comparing it to. A lot of the shaping is also really nice, and I like the design behind the rear legs’ dual treads rather than the single tread in the original version, but the proportions being off in several places leave the model in a quandary where it can’t decide exactly what it is, looking like a cow from the side view and an extremely death metal-addicted bulldog in others.
Overall though, not a bad interpretation of the set. Looking forward to the rest of your 2001 Rahi designs for this anniversary project.
@Ghid Thank you for the detail review and constructive critique. I had tried to make the front legs the ‘right’ way, but was having issues with stability. True bovine proportions on the Kane-Ra have been done much better on other versions, like Redverse’s, and I knew I wasn’t going to top his, so I felt less inclined to make it perfect. With that being said, I see your point and admit it’s not the most obvious bull. Glad you like it, and again thanks for taking the time to provide feedback!
I disagree on your statement about it not resembling a cow, on the basis that it more resembles bovine creatures in general than just a cow. Like perhaps an extremely muscular bull (cows are female). I think you were a little harsh on it not meeting a seemingly arbitrary cow-accuracy standard personally.
The build itself is incredible, and maintaining a functional and not hideous play feature is something of note for sure.
The goal was to make it more cow-like, as stated in the topic post. It would be disingenuous of me if I did not critique it based on the standard explicitly set for it.
There’s clearly no beef here, either - nobody’s having a cow over constructive criticism. It can be as awkward as a cow on crutches, sure, but the only thing really at steak is how much you’re willing to improve.
Am I milking these puns for all they’re worth? yes
@Ghid No offense was taken. You can mooove forward.
@Au-Plau-Se Yes indeed! My Muaka will look fairly different than my Kane-Ra, though, and will have a different Technic function, but there will be some similarities.
