Hi everyone!
Next up in my project to revamp the entire 2001 BIONICLE line is the fearsome Muaka, the tiger-like Rahi, and likely the most prominently featured Rahi in 2001 promotional material, aside from possibly the Nui-Rama.
Like my revamp of the Kane-Ra, my goal here was to retain that heavy-machinery look of the early years of BIONICLE while also striving to make the Rahi look a little bit more like the animal that (allegedly) inspired it. In this case, I wanted my Muaka to really convey that it is a big cat, and so I looked to the tiger and panther for inspiration, giving it a big barrel chest, a bit more feline-inspired face, a tail, and nice haunches to give it that imposing predatory silhouette. While the chomping feature of the original is excellent, I opted here to switch to a gear operated swiping feature on each arm.
I really enjoyed using the big pieces to fill out its structure, using a Roborider torso for his backside and the large wheels to fill out his ribcage. This Muaka has a bit more articulation than the original, with slight hip, jaw, neck, arms/legs and tail offering a lot of poseability.
While taller than my Kane-Ra, it is a bit less bulky and weighs about the same, and I think they still pair well together. Hope you like it!
Kane-Ra: Kane-Ra Revamped