I’m trying to compile a list of all the colors the Kaukau Mata came in, including all the misprints, so I can try to collect them. I could use some assistance.
These are the ones I know exist:
Official
Trans dark red (Tahu)
Trans white (Kopaka)
Trans dark blue (Gali)
Trans orange (Pohatu)
Trans black (onua)
Trans dark green (Lewa)
Gold (golden kanohi)
silver (unpowered Kanohi)
misprints
Trans Yellow
trans light blue
trans gold (rarest color?)
unverified misprints (these ones may or may not be real)
trans purple (possibly fan made?)
trans silver (or a lighter shade of silver than the one normally used; listed seperately on Bricklink, but I’m not sure if it’s two different colors or not)
trans medium blue (somewhere between the light blue misprint and the dark blue Gali version? Again, listed seperately on Bricklink but I can’t be sure)
The Trans Gold and Trans Silver Kaukaus are just what happens when the mask fades, and are not misprints. They’re not necessarily any less common than the regular gold and silver Kaukaus. The Trans Purple one is a custom resin mask, and I’m fairly certain that the Trans Medium blue one doesn’t exist and is just bricklink sellers getting confused about what colour they have.
Trans gold is a variant from Krana packs. It is distinct from opaque gold, not faded. It is significantly more rare than the regular opaque gold version, but probably not as rare (and definitely not as valuable) as the original misprints (yellow and light blue). The chrome gold Kaukau pictured above is custom. The purple Kaukau are Flintsmith customs. Light blue and medium blue Kaukau listings on BrickLink are all the same. There are a total of 3 shades of blue Kaukau: The regular Gali version, the Hahli version, and the misprint light blue version (which people refer to as light blue or medium blue). As far as I know, there is no trans silver. Hahli’s Kaukau is slightly darker than Gali’s Kaukau, but BrickLink lists them as being the same color, and they are similar enough that I see Hahli’s Kaukau as a variant rather than a distinct color. There is no “trans brown”, Onua wears trans black and Pohatu wears trans orange. There are 12 total: Original 6, misprints (yellow and light blue), gold and silver, Hahli variant, and trans gold variant.
They are not the same. I started collecting Bionicle in 2001. I have 3 Gali sets (for Gali, Wairuha, and Mukau) and 2 Hahli sets (for Hahli and Matoran Nui). I promise you Hahli’s Kaukau is darker than Gali’s. I am fairly certain Lego considers them the same color and it may just be matter of Lego’s trans blue plastic formula changing from 2001 to 2003 but the difference is noticable. It’s one of those variations most people do not acknowledge (i.e. everyone knows about purple Krana and copper Huna variants, but most do not know about yellow Krana and copper Komau variants).
Admittedly there is a chance my Hahli Kaukau were just an off batch that was slightly too dark but since the difference seemed consistent from my 3 Gali to my 2 Hahli I presume it likely holds true for all Gali and Hahli Kaukau.
I imagine most people’s collections are such that it’s impossible to know for sure which set each mask came from. Plus the fact that tons of the things were in those accessory tubs - when were they made??
It’s entirely possible that there is some slight (but unintentional) difference in the masks produced two years apart. I’m not sure if the Nokama-Dalu Rau difference is intentional… (coulda just given us recolours Lego!)
