Rare Kanohi research topic

[ToaKebaka]

@Wolk

Because its use in sets was only identified a couple years ago, Brickset added their colors before then, and generally only ones that there were pictures. The only ones added since have been ones necessary due to new sets from the Customer Service database containing them. So, basically, because Brickset doesn’t have a complete list. I’d recommend Ryan Howerter’s list, who’s research Brickset’s colors largely build off of.

Thank you for the recommendation!

@Wolk

Yes, it was used in sets between 1999 and 2003, and was retired in 2005. Though its use is rather limited, mainly it’s been used for the heads of Spud and Primo Mickey / Minnie:

I see.

@Wolk

Do masks usually get damage like that, is what I’m wondering, I guess.

I can imagine it happening, on these boards alone I have seen some bizzare stuff when it comes to mask damage.

[TheJerminator]

I may have just found an image of the theorized Red Huna:

Brickshelf Gallery - Strange or interesting findings.

I have absolutely no idea where this person got this picture from, and it could easily be fake; I only came across it by chance while looking for a different rare mask, which I will discuss below. Note that the folder linked above also has an image of a Dark Blue Matatu.

[EDIT: I just checked BS01, and they also have an image of it:

link:
File:ProtoRed Huna.jpg - BIONICLEsector01 (biosector01.com)]

---

The reason I was looking for rare masks on Brickshelf is because, while looking at an old Rahi Contest entry, another folder on the creator’s page caught my eye for a couple of reasons; the second reason was one of the masks visible in the thumbnail:

Brickshelf Gallery - 911 Dedication

It reminded me of the video that Faber posted relatively recently, showing a Matoran with a Dark Red Huna:

@Scmd1999

It can be noticed that one of the matoran presented in the video posses a dark red Miru.

The Miru in the Brickshelf pictures looks painted to me, but I can’t say for sure; I’ve looked for other angles of it (which is where I came across the Red Huna), but I can’t find anything else, so I figured I’d share it here for other people to check out. The most suspicious thing to me is the white spot under the left eye in both photos; is it just glare, or the real colour of the mask underneath? The mask also seems weirdly shiny.

[DuneToa]

@TheJerminator

is it just glare, or the real colour of the mask underneath?

I think it is painted, as the white spot is visible from two different angles in the exact same location. Were it a reflection, it would have moved between the two photos, as they were taken from slightly different angles.

[ToaKebaka]

Huh, so I guess that BS01 picture might have been legit after all… I have been doubting it for years because of the lighting and convenient carpet choice, but the brickshelf picture seems legit. You can even tell it is the retail shape, not the prototype shape of the mask, which is what we would expect for this specimen. The picture is from 2004, which I would say lends it extra credibility.

The dark red Miru is almost certainly a bootleg - the color is way off from the rest of Vakama’s body and it even seems slightly transparent?? The shininess is the killing factor - the two forehead depressions on Miru are always matte finish in contrast to the rest of the mask, which is glossy. However on this picture they are just as glossy as the entire mask.

[DuneToa]

@ToaKebaka

might have been legit after all

It certainly looks more legit than the examples below.

[ToaKebaka]

Another one for the count - red Rau! The predictions from the table are continuously being proven to be accurate
https://www.reddit.com/r/bioniclelego/comments/1emkfi4/prototype_red_rau_turaga_mask/

[TheJerminator]

@ToaKebaka

red Rau! The predictions from the table are continuously being proven to be accurate

I was under the impression that the table predicted a red final-version Rau, but isn’t this one a prototype?

[DuneToa]

For a prototype, it looks remarkably close to a final version. They may have made some prototypes and just not decided to put them in the mask packs, though.

[ToaKebaka]

Definitely not a prototype as that looks completely different, but likely a version on the cusp of being final.

I agree with one of the comments made in the linked thread, that the stud (the only part somewhat resembling the prototype mold) used to be like that, but the “negative” was machined to be thinner, thus making the inside of the stud thicker in the retail versions. A chunk of the LEGO logo came off with it as well. This seems to be the very last adjustment made to the final mold before mass production.

You can indeed see the difference between the original and new thickness of the stud on the retail masks - this is true for all the masks, so we can expect to find several more masks that do not have this final touch yet, but are otherwise finalized. Looks like these versions are included in the table.

The only other difference I see between red Rau and retail Rau is not a difference in molding, but in post processing. The three support beams inside the mask are clipped off after plastic injection, but in the retail masks, the bottom two are also smoothed down by melting (you can see horizontal lines from machine movement), so that they don’t jut out. The red Rau does not have the smoothing and perhaps it isn’t surpsising that they didn’t bother doing it to the red Rau just for mold testing.