BIONICLEsector01:Franchise
BIONICLE is a multimedia product theme sold by LEGO, one of the world's largest toy manufacturers. BIONICLEsector01 (BS01) primarily documents the fictional universe created to support the theme, as well as the products themselves. In order to comprehensively detail the transmedia Franchise surrounding BIONICLE, BS01 also has pages for other other aspects of the line, such real-life contributors, and fan communities that discuss the lore.
LEGO
LEGO is the toy manufacturer that produced the BIONICLE theme, which was one of their most successful products. While BIONICLE was an original concept, LEGO also produces a number of building-block-based toys for other intellectual property as well, such as Disney and DC Comics.
One of LEGO's product lines is TECHNIC, which uses mechanically styled liftarms and axles in place of their traditional building blocks. BIONICLE (and its predecessors Slizer/Throwbots and Roboriders) originally debuted under the TECHNIC brand, before becoming a standalone theme.
For a list of real people (such as set designers and authors) who have contributed to the franchise, see: Professional Contributors to BIONICLE.
BS01 also has a page for Hero Factory, the theme marketed as a spiritual successor to BIONICLE. In addition, the wiki has a sub-site, HEROsector01 (HS01), a wiki dedicated to recording the story and products of Hero Factory in the same way BS01 does for BIONICLE.
Official Reports
- 2001 Annual Report [1]
- Mask of Light Press Release[2]
- LoMN Theatrical Movie press release[3]
- Scott McNeil confirmed[4]
- Full Cast announced[5]
- Lego and Nike Press release:[6][7]
- New Nike report[8]
- Theatrical Movie[9]
- Book Update[10][11]
- MNOG II Play test[12]
- Gali Casting Change[13]
- Press Kit[14]
- Earlier Press Kit[15]
- Third film greenlit[16][17][18]
- Movie Premier[19]
Tours
Power Lies Beneath Tour
- Week 1[21][22]
- Week 2[23][24]
- Week 3[25][26]
- Week 4[27][28]
- Week 5[29][30]
- Week 6[31][32]
- Week 7[33][34]
- Week 8[35][36]
- Week 9[37][38]
- Week 10[39][40]
- Week 11[41][42]
- Week 12[43][44]
Unleashed
Proto-Squad
The Proto-Squad was an exclusive BIONICLE product-testing program run by the LEGO Group in the United States from 2002 to 2005.
Postcards
Kal Postcard[53]
Store Events
LEGO often hosted hosted special events at participating retail stores, as well as in their own LEGO brand stores. Below is a list of known events:
Kiosks
Note: Frequently featured Bionicle merch.[54]
Conventions
BIONICLE has had a presence at several large conventions, both in the U.S. and other countries. Below is a list of official conventions BIONICLE has appeared at, and a description of their booths and marketing:
Earlier Toy Fair[57]
Toy Fair Magazine: [61]
Comic Con: [62]
LEGOLAND
LEGO-based theme park LEGOLAND has had several BIONICLE attractions since the line's debut.
Bionicle Jam
Bionicle Blaster
BIONICLE references in LEGO Products
BIONICLE has been referenced in various LEGO media and sets since its conception.
Takua makes a cameo appearance in the 2002 LEGO Studios 3D adventure game Backlot, under the placeholder name "George". He can be found in the cafeteria drinking coffee and reading a script for "BIONICLE: The Swarm".
One of Pohatu Nuva's Climbing Claws appear in the LEGO Racers online game Supersonic RC, where it functions like a hoop for the player's car to jump through.
The Kanohi Hau appears in a LEGO Racers 4D theater movie.
During 2010, the Kanohi Olmak appeared in an online game promoting the LEGO Atlantis theme as one of the pieces of undersea treasure the player could discover.
In 2011, a Guurahk appeared in a LEGO Club stop-motion music video titled Black Eye Piece.[68]
In The Lego Movie, released in 2014, BIONICLE briefly appeared as one of the many realms.
During 2015 and 2016, Generation 2 BIONICLE products appeared in stop motion skit videos uploaded to the LEGO YouTube channel. These were Hit the Slopes - LEGO Technic vs. Bionicle - Stop Motion and Pirates vs. Tahu - LEGO - The Misadventures of Brickbeard #4.
In The Lego Batman Movie, released in 2017, a movie theatre marquee depicts a film titled "The BIONICLE Man" (a reference to the movie The Six Million Dollar Man). The LEGO NINJAGO Movie set 70620 NINJAGO City contained several stickers referencing BIONICLE: One resembling the Bara Magna symbol, one resembling half of the Three Virtues symbol, one containing Okotan letters, one containing a symbol resembling Gali's Nuva Symbol, and a pair of stickers featuring symbols from the Great Telescope as depicted in the Mata Nui Online Game. Also that year, the book LEGO: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know contained a section on BIONICLE titled "Behind the Masks".
The 2018 LEGO set 70657 NINJAGO City Docks contains two stickers referencing BIONICLE: a map of Mata Nui from BIONICLE's first generation, and a poster-like sticker featuring the Mask of Ultimate Power from the second generation.
A tile in the 2019 set Hidden Side 70423 Paranormal Intercept Bus 3000 references the cancelled BIONICLE PC game The Legend of Mata Nui (which has since been discovered and restored in a fan project) in the bus' front dashboard. Additionally, Takanuva was at one point considered for appearing in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, appearing in storyboards, concept art, and prototype sets. However, he was ultimately not part of the finalized movie or sets. The LEGO Movie 2 set 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg! contains hidden bricks built into the shape of the Three Virtues symbol on the interior of the Statue of Liberty's torch.[69]
In 2020 another Hidden Side set 70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000 references Toa Mata Tahu as a sticker on the tile from the side of the fire truck. The LEGO City set 60262 Passenger Airplane contained two stickers referencing BIONICLE, one showing an image of the island of Voya Nui inside the plane's dashboard and the other having the island's initials featured in the "departures" section of the side build.
In 2021 the instructions for LEGO Creator set 10281 Bonsai Tree included a section for inspirational decorations, one of which was utilizing Kanohi masks (specifically Kakama and Kakama Nuva) for foliage. Additionally, the stunt driver Raze included in the City Stuntz set 60296 Wheelie Stunt Bike featured the Three Virtues symbol on her back, while the Harry Potter set 76389 Hogwarts Chamber of Secrets has a Kanohi Hau referenced on a tile in the astronomers tower. Several Generation 1 BIONICLE sets appeared in the book Everything Is Awesome: A Search-and-Find Celebration of LEGO History, along with an illustrated minifigure of Christian Faber. LEGO NINJAGO set 71756 Hydro Bounty features stickers with the number "8927", in reference to 8927 Toa Terrain Crawler.
The 2022 Monkie Kid set 80036 The City of Lanterns featured a Bohrok symbol sticker on a sign, and the 2022 LEGO Icons set 10497 Galaxy Explorer featured a compturer screen print showing the astronauts finding a Toa Canister. LEGO Classic set 11021 90 Years of Play featured a brick-built model paying homage to Toa Mata Tahu. According to George Gilliatt, in the original brief for 2022 LEGO Classic set 30510 90 Years of Cars, the set was to include a brick-built model in homage to 8596 Takanuva, among two other sets from different themes, serving as an expansion to set 11021. The plans for the set were changed, however.[70]
In 2023, LEGO Friends set 41755 Nova's Room featured stickers representing computer screens with a game with BIONICLE characters. A sticker in the Indiana Jones set 77013 Escape from the Lost Tomb features a Kanohi Kaukau as a carving on the temple's wall. The NINJAGO set 71799 NINJAGO City Markets features a Racer Seven figure with a Kanohi Hau torso print, as well as a dark red microfigure and a cylinder piece representing a BIONICLE canister set. Several Tuma models appear in the Disney+ series LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red. BIONICLE is also mentioned as a fictional franchise in the NINJAGO and DREAMZzz crossover Dream Team.
The 2024 LEGO Monkie Kid set 80054 Megapolis City contains a sticker showing a black Pakari with teal eyes in a style matching set 40581 BIONICLE Tahu and Takua. However, the instructions show the sticker being applied in the opposite direction of the decoration used on Takua.[71] LEGO Friends set 42604 Heartlake City Shopping Mall includes a sticker showing a video game akin to BIONICLE Heroes, featuring Toa Mata Lewa. Among the various microbuilds in the LEGO House limited edition promotional set 40505 LEGO Building Systems is a dark red microfigure and a cylinder piece representing a canister set, similar to the NINJAGO City Markets from the prior year. LEGO City set 60421 Robot World contains several monitors depicting a video game with Tahu fighting Gahlok.
In February of 2024, LEGO held a survey on shopping perferences for LEGO-themed merchandise. Among the options presented in the survey was a T-shirt design depicting Tahu Mata.[72][note 1]
In March of 2024, LEGO released a "Customizable Logo Cap" as a reward for their Insiders program (their rebranded membership program, where customers earn points by purchasing LEGO products directly on their website), which could be obtained by redeeming 4000 points.[74] One of the default patches included in the set is the Three Virtues symbol, representing the BIONICLE theme.[75]
Third-Party BIONICLE Promotions
LEGO has partnered with other brands to use BIONICLE products as promotion. These products have included actual buildable LEGO sets, as well as other plastic toys and items.
McDonald's
Quick
Nestle
BIONICLE in other Media
BIONICLE has been referenced or appeared in popular culture, such as television shows and movies. Below is a list of these references - these media have varying ratings, and some may include content intended for ages over 13.
| Media | Date | Media Type | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The King of Queens, season 4, episode 4 | October 15th, 2001 | Television show | Various BIONICLE sets are seen in a store. | [76] |
| The Spectre Vol. 4 #10 | December 2001 | Comic book | Carvings of the Toa Mata are seen in the background. | [77] |
| Malcolm in the Middle, season 3, episode 7: "Christmas" | December 16, 2001 | Television show | A canister of 8532 Onua can be seen among Christmas presents. | [78] |
| Even Stevens, season 2, episode 22: "Gutter Queen" | February 15, 2002 | Television show | Sets 8534 Tahu, 8535 Lewa, and 8536 Kopaka can be seen. | [79] |
| Friends, season 8, episode 12: "The One Where Joey Dates Rachel" | January 10, 2002 | Television show | Wairuha is seen in Joey's kitchen. | [80] |
| That's So Raven | Unknown | Television show | Several Toa Canisters appeared behind Corey. | [citation needed] |
| Spy Kids 2 | August 7, 2002 | Movie | One of the movies had some sets appear in the background. | [citation needed] |
| Maid in Manhattan | December 13, 2002 | Movie | Sets 8536 Kopaka and 8564 Lehvak appear in a scene where they are played with. The son's bedroom also has set 8539 Manas on display along with several 2001-2 promotional posters. | [citation needed] |
| Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide | Unknown | Television show | Cookie's glasses uses a BIONICLE piece to hold an extra lens. | [citation needed] |
| Malcolm in the Middle, season 4, episode 10: "If Boys Were Girls" | February 9, 2003 | Television show | Sets 8534 Tahu and 8533 Gali were used in a toy fight against each other. | [81] |
| Maximum Ride | Unknown | Book | A room filled with LEGO and BIONICLE is mentioned. | [citation needed] |
| The Simpsons season 15, episode 17: "My Big Fat Geek Wedding" | April 18, 2004 | Television show | A convention booth has a sign with the word "BIONICLE" on it. | [82] |
| Zathura | November 11, 2005 | Film | Set 8617 Vahki Zadakh appears on a table. | [83] |
| Johnny Test season 1, episode 7: "Johnny and the Mega Roboticles" | November 12, 2005 | Television show | A toyline called Roboticles is a parody of BIONICLE. | [84] |
| Gamera the Brave | April 29, 2006 | Film | Set 8606 Toa Nuju can be seen among toys. | [85] |
| Artificial Soldier | June 20, 2006 | Music album | The album art features BIONICLE pieces. | [86] |
| Through the Woods | Unknown | Video game | A journal found in-game contains a page that mentions BIONICLE as a belonging to a child. | |
| Ultimate Spider-Man issue #92 | March 29, 2006 | Comic book | Spider-man refers to knocked out enemies as "Bionicles". | [87] |
| Archie Sonic X Issue 21 issue #21 | July 2007 | Comic book | A toyline called Robonicles is a parody of BIONICLE. | [88] |
| Thor: Reign of Blood, issue #1 | June 25, 2008 | Comic book | The Blood Colossus resembles Maxilos and Spinax, with the body belonging to Maxilos and the head and spines belonging to Spinax. | [89] |
| Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles season 2, episode 20: "To the Lighthouse" | March 27, 2009 | Television show | Multiple 2008 sets appear. | [90] |
| Valentine's Day (2010 film) | February 12, 2010 | Film | Set 8563 Tahnok appears. | [91] |
| Suburgatory season 3, episode 2: "Victor Ha" | January 22, 2014 | Television show | Set 7135 Takanuva appears. | [92] |
| The LEGO Movie | February 1, 2014 | Film | An image of the Toa Mata appears while the characters are discussing other worlds. | [93] |
| Clangers, season 1, episode 20: "Small's New Star" | July 28, 2015 | Television show | Two Feet Addition pieces can be seen in a pile of parts. | [94] |
| Astro City (2013) issue 34: "The End of the Whole Mess" | April 20, 2016 | Comic book | Characters wear armor heavily inspired by BIONICLE parts. | [95] |
| The LEGO Batman Movie | February 10, 2017 | Film | A movie theatre marquee depicts a film titled "The BIONICLE Man" | [96] |
| Sonic the Hedgehog #8 | August 16, 2018 | Comic book | The character Whisper was partially inspired by Kopaka | [97]. |
| Marriage Story | December 9, 2019 | Film | Set 70793 Skull Basher appears in the movie. | [98] |
| Robot Chicken season 11, episode 8 | September 17, 2021 | Television show | Set 6934 Good Guy is hidden in the background of one of the sketches | [99] |
| M.O.D.O.K. | May 21, 2021 | Television show | A Toa Nuva leg can been seen in episode 9. | [100] |
Category:Meta
BS01 has a dedicated category for pages that exist outside of the direct products of BIONICLE. These can be found in Category:Meta. One notable page is Meta:Fan Community, compiling a list of notable fan pages and communities that have been influenced by (and in turn, been able to influence) the BIONICLE line. Meta pages also exist for important BIONICLE characters and concepts, such as Meta:Tahu, which contain behind-the-scenes details and other information that does not directly pertain to the story itself.
References
Notes
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