Team Update : Make Way for the OGs

[SansoSings]

Happy September, all! This week, I’m showing off a few totally original characters that I definitely made up. Don’t worry, they’re the only ones I’m adding into my Voya Nui project.

I had their overall look worked out about 3 hrs ago when I revamped Lewa, and more recently, my Tahu build got a scrap of attention on the /rlegobionicle subreddit. I think they look like a healthy balance of cool and silly, which was definitely how early BIONICLEs comes across to me now. It’s possible the Nuva got a little too shafted during the Voya Nui volumes of the G1 story, but I definitely like now removing them from play forced the other characters to grow. What was unfortunate was that, for all that failing they never expected to do, but definitely did, it was hard to see any character growth occur within our legendary guardians. I mean, they are practically deities, so maybe physical experiences hardly effect them. But thanks to amnesia, they are sort of only a year or so old, and I like to think that they didn’t used to bicker and show off so much before their canisters malfunctioned.

You’re looking at the Original Hotman right here. I think Tahu gets some of the most jokes made about him in the fandom, because he acts so mean and angry, when he’s really just a nice guy with an adorably huge head. While my revamps leave do correct the bobble head look on these guys, I do plan to have my fun writing Tahu into my motion picture. Being the leader, he takes a lot of the responsibility for the Nuva’s failure on Voya Nui, whether he chooses to or not. No one is perfect, but Tahu needs to finally take a good hard look at what an inconsiderate jerk he can be, and take accountably for it.

Kopaka elegantly assumes his role as Tahu’s readiest challenger at every occasion, which is usually very necessary, but is often a good example of a bad sense of unity. In his struggle just to hang around, he fails to help the other teammates feel united as well, and they all pay the price.

Okay, so I flubbed up and forgot I was missing a piece right there on the thigh. It’s just another tan (OOO) piece that goes on those pegs, but little Hewkii is currently wearing it. I’m interpreting Pohatu as female in my script, because, c’mon. I think his pear frame and agreeable personality lend themselves to the swap pretty well. This was a super fun build, and she proved I can teeeechnically build a unique pair of hips from scratch. Most of the time I’m too lazy to, but my friend keeps pushing me to try it out. Anyway, Im pretty sure I’m not quite finished with her torso yet. Pohatu was always my favorite. Not just for looks, but because I found his friendly attitude super admirable. I didn’t care too much for his climbing claws in Nuva form, though I’m sure they’d prove useful, and that’s because I believed his weapon-free image provided a beautifully pacifist message to look up to. For me, it’s ingrained in his personality.

Everyone’s favorite loudmouth sure hasn’t kicked her penchant for trouble this time around. Lewa finds her separated from the team once again, and this time, it’s the other 5 that suffer for it. She’ll get to know herself while getting familiar with some new faces among the Voya Nui Resistance Team. Not sure if I want Lewa or Kopaka to be the 3rd girl on the team, but it’ll be one of them.

Hope this shot reads well enough. Dispite her team’s recent successes, “The Nuva’s Glue” finds out soon enough that the surfaces will just not stick strong enough to avoid coming apart. Water Woman sure has her work cut out for her this time!

Onua’s build was also a blast, but I’m not certain that we’re going to see a single Quake Breaker in this story. It’s partially for the same reason Pohatu has no claws, and Kopaka has no sword : I like implying as little violence in a cosmic hero’s image as possible. It’s also because I don’t think I have enough tiny silver parts to build a chainsaw-sword, but I’m not too bummed about that.

So that’s the Toa Nuva! As always, there are pieces missing, and a few placeholder parts here and there, but I haven’t switched up the look on these guys in a while, so I think this could be pretty close to their final look. One thing I know I’ll need is to fill in the occasional gaps in the torsos, and fit more black ball pieces into a couple open sockets, but if anything else changes, you’ll be surprised to find out next month when we come back to check in on these guys!

In other news, I just finished the rough draft for my first complete episode, and it’s givin me chills! This is really starting to happen, and I’m super exited!

Thanks for joining me again, and best wishes to all!

~Sanso

[Winger]

Can’t say I’m a huge fan of the torso design, but I like the style overall.

[SansoSings]

I appreciate your honesty. I’m not as elated with them as I am with my Inika or my standard toa build, but I think the chunkier, chopier look distinguishes them and makes them look a bit more prototype and out-of-place.

[ToaFautann]

@SansoSings

I’m interpreting Pohatu as female in my script, because, c’mon. I think his pear frame and agreeable personality lend themselves to the swap pretty well.

Yes I’m bringing this up again
Definitely the best choice out of the Nuva, I can see why people change Lewa (and in your case I’d say Pohatu/Lewa/Gali instead of Pohatu/Kopaka/Gali) though I personally wouldn’t. I don’t think it begs being said, but I do like me some gender-balancing, so I approve this with three thumbs up!

I similarly approve these revamps in general, the originals were already pretty thicc so rounding them out I think’s perfect for a size-up
Don’t take this the wrong way, but I like Pohatu’s feet

[Hawkflight]

Nuva boobs rarely work well. They do not work here.

That aside, the colors look pretty good on all of them. Not a fan of some of the other build choices like the Mata feet as thigh armor (a bit unnecessarily bulky, sometimes they work on the shins) and similarly outgrowthy armor on Kopaka’s and Onua’s forearms. Pohatu and Gali are probably the best of the bunch.

[SansoSings]

But have you considered : Where else would Nuva Boobs work?

Also, if you’re telling me bulk looks more “necessary” on a shin than a thigh, then we are just different kinds of artists.

So do you like Tahu’s forearm, or do you just think that piece shouldn’t be used there?

[Hawkflight]

@SansoSings

Also, if you’re telling me bulk looks more “necessary” on a shin than a thigh, then we are just different kinds of artists.

good point. I don’t really like the use of Mata feet as armor at all, but with some exaggerated proportions it works on the shins. It tends to protrude a lot one one side, where I expect the limbs to be centered around where the joints are.

@SansoSings

But have you considered : Where else would Nuva Boobs work?

The big issue with Nuvaboobs is that a lot of MOCists stick them on MOCs without regard for the pieces’ texture. In this case, those pieces plus the Rahkshi shell are smooth curved pieces, whereas the pieces on the limbs are highly textured. I think in this case my concern is also that the torso construction protrudes from the center quite a bit, where one expects it to feel centered, and the rahkshi shell creates a weird curve from the stomach to the chest.

@SansoSings

So do you like Tahu’s forearm, or do you just think that piece shouldn’t be used there?

Tahu’s forearm things are alright. The bohrok shields feel like they protrude a little bit, but it’s passable considering that section is obviously external armor.

[SansoSings]

Well, I’m kinda screwed there cause there’s a short list of smooth, round BIONICLE pieces.

And I’m realizing now that you might mean “upper arms”, as opposed to the “forearms.” Forearms are the section below the elbow. You could be thinking of “forelegs” which refers to the front two limbs of an animal.

[Hawkflight]

you are right, and I knew that and I’m not sure how I made that mistake.

I personally would redo the torso armor so that the stomach at least is flatter, or if you want to be body positive, at least curved separately from the chest. With the chest you could give the girls slightly larger busts if you want to make them easier to distinguish, but using pieces that fit the aesthetic of the limbs more.

[SansoSings]

I hear you. The breastplate is a little weird, but aesthetically, so was the piece it‘s based off of. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Nuva armor, but no piece ever looked quite like them before or sense. They had to invent those leg pieces that were kinda even weirder and harder to use, imo, to get the effect you’re talking about where it’s not too jarring to look at different spots on the character.

But I think the way mine look pretty well represents how the Nuva come across compared to other toa. I’m not really going for “cool bad bois” so much as “where tf did that come from?!”

And it sounds like I might’ve accomplished it. Don’t worry, they’ll be more charismatic in motion.

[Krelikan]

An interesting design. I’m not sure if I like it or not. That said, they do look pretty well built. Onuas looks the best in my opinion. The design works for him quite well, and I really like his hands.

[ToaFautann]

@SansoSings

I’m not really going for “cool bad bois” so much as “where tf did that come from?!”

I got that vibe from the Nuva’s masks, they just look so gross and organic you have to say “where tf did that come from?!”
I feel like that’s how the Nuva should look, round but bumpy, somewhat gross in a clean way, and IMO that’s whats already going on here, especially with the rahkshi torso into “nuvaboob” (in half the cases it’s nuvapeck though ). I obviously don’t know what anybody else is going for, but that’s my interpretation

[SansoSings]

Hahaha. Thanks!

@Krelikan Thanks!

I’ve been using that hand design since 2006, and they’re still just as fun! And yeah, I really like how this style sits on Onua in particular. Very proper. though padding out his hips helped define the torso better.

EDITED FOR DOUBLE POST - Spiderus Prime