Ok, so I posted a topic on BZPower about prototypes - the source of the Inika prototype images, actually - and got a picture of all the Inika prototypes.
http://home.arcor.de/frsiglmu/extern/inika_prototypen.jpgs
(Since new users can’t post images, just copy the link and take off the final ‘s’. That’s the picture)
My jaw dropped when I saw this.
“Die Toa Inika” 
Also, I like how Kongu’s mask is just Whenua’s mask with a fin on top and minifig Visorak mandibles.
Thank you for posting that.
matoro’s mask looks pretty cool
For some reason I want to say that Matoro’s mask looks familiar…
Holy Lobster in the sky, some of those pieces are just mind boggling…
Matoro’s mask looks pretty awesome, and Hewkii doesn’t look too bad as the Son of Axxon…
Which sounds like a parody of Lon Chaney’s Son of Dracula…I just got an idea.
Stay tuned gents 
Oh my, Kongu could been all a dark green set now I see why they change him into dark green/silver.
Honestly, these looked better then the finished producted.
this makes me wonder,
what was axonn’s original mask?
Not sure about the mask, but there is prototype Axonn box art.
(Like before, copy the link and get rid of the final ‘s’.)
I love how he’s holding a fiery boulder. Why was the box art changed to this boring design?
Same. The boxart for the 2006 prototypes were pretty awesome.
Is it just me or this prototypes are way better than the finalized design
Sure, they’ve got awesome re-colours, but they aren’t really that much unique from their Inika counterparts…I would’ve preferred the Mahri over these multicoloured clones any day.
Thank you so much for inquiring further into the matter. You have no idea how long I have wanted to see Kongu and Matoro.
Those prototypes are fascinating to me. The little design eccentricities have always intrigued me, and now that they’re all together… man do they look weird.
Kongu looks dynamite, Hewkii looks… generic, Jaller looks laughable, Nuparu looks really cool and those claws are 2legit2quit, Hahli looks neat but with a questionable mask, and Matoro… looks odd.
See, his mask reminds me of like… a Halo 4 helmet. The better kind of Halo 4 helmet, though. The kind that makes you go “…really?” instead of the kind that makes you want to vomit. Had that mask actually existed IRL I probably would have used it for my self MoC.
-Mesonak
EDIT: Oh yeah, and I adore Hewkii, Jaller, and Matoro’s weapons. ;_____;
I think I prefer the final design of the Toa Inika over the prototypes to be honest.
Yes, put them out of their misery, please…
Not much longer than me, i’m the prototype hunter. 
But…SKULLS!
