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REVIEW: 71308 Tahu Uniter of Fire

Set Opinion  

59 members have voted

  1. 1. How would you rate this set?

    • Outstanding
      12
    • Above Average
      18
    • Average
      20
    • Below Average
      5
    • Poor
      4


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Set name: Tahu Uniter of Fire

Set number: 71308

Pieces:132

Price: $20.00 | £xx.xx | €xx.xx

Release date: 2016

Tahu is the character many Bionicle fans think of when they hear the word Bionicle. As a major poster character, Tahu has a lot riding on him- but how does he compare to last year? Let's find out.

Box

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The front of the box showcases Tahu, set information, and of course the golden mask spinning on a pedestal. Ikir and two of the fire-themed Shadow traps can also be seen in the background.

Yes, this box does have a backside (who knew?) but for some reason I don't have a photo of it. This will be added Friday, however it isn't really anything new to take note of and I think what you all want to see right now is the photos below- so let's go!

New and Interesting parts

Turntable Torso

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Like the other non-creature sets, Tahu gets the new turntable torso. This torso does lend itself to creating longer bodies in the Toa, yet Tahu takes the sport as the tallest Toa in the wave, so it'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

New bits

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For new bits, we get the new blade in silver mixed with bright orange. I'm not a huge fan of dual-colored weapons, though this coloring did remind me of a more crude version of Furno's dual colored blades from his 1.0 form. We also get the new armor unification piece in gold, and the new crystal add-on in gold mixed with orange. I do think this might be my favorite of the colors this piece is currently available in.

Colors

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In terms of pieces in interesting and new colors, we have the first appearance of red 6m shells! Also, the Skull villain add-on from 2015 is brought back in a second color, gold. Also to note are beautiful dark azure Bohrok eyes, and a 3m axle with stopper in brown. I will also mention that Tahu's lower leg bones are in a new color in trans neon orange- though absent from this photo.

Mask

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Last year, some people thought Tahu's Hau was a bit too wide or square. This year, we go the whole other extreme. In order to be universal with the Creature heads in unification mode, all of the Toa's masks have reduced in size, save for Onua's Pakari.

Chest Plate

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Once again we have a look at the chestplate which is really a love/hate relationship. If there's anything great about the one included with tahu in particular, it's the beautiful dark azure mixed in to the printing here.

The Build

Torso

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Since Tahu a $20 figure, he uses a slightly more involved torso build than the likes of Gali, Kopaka, Lewa and Pohatu, with a larger shoulder build and a bit of extra back armoring.

Frame

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Tahu gets a pretty tall frame, and the rear armoring sort of fleshes out the area beneath his armpits. Do note that there are some gray pins in the lower legs, likely to differentiate to younger builders the shorter trans neon bones from the longer ones. As I said earlier this is the first time we are seeing this bone length appear in this color.

First layer of armor

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Most of the armor here is gold or trans neon orange- an problem to be discussed in a moment.

Weapons

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Tahu has given up his sword/lavaboard combo for a set of technic-heavy blades. Note the use of that brown pin axle here. The function here is that you turn the gear to extend the sword, which we will look at.

Completed Figure

Front

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There are two very major criticisms I have seen about Tahu, so let's discuss them both now. First, his color scheme. He is mostly gold, with trans neon orange being the second-most dominating color, and lastly red is tied with dark azure. Yes, there's only three pieces of red on him- and two of them are completely covered from the front by the gold and trans neon orange mixed crystals. We will see how his color distribution compares to last year soon, but there is definitely a lack of red here. Personally, I would have preferred if the trans neon orange was red, and if there was more red to the torso shell. The dark azure is a great contrasting color and I really wish there was more of that here as well.

The second complaint is the figure's textures. You have smooth CCBS, the crystal textures, the jagged Skull shoulder armor, the new super mechanical thighs and torso, and the 2015 armor add-on. Now I'll let everyone else argue whether they like the mixture or not, though I will say I despise the use of the unification piece on his thighs, it just looks way too small for it's application. I also don't like that the only red in his legs is hidden from the front, though I do like that those crystal pieces hug shells to tightly.

Profile

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Back

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We are getting a bit spoiled by the back armoring of the Star Wars constraction figures, here we just have the bohrok eyes and the unification piece to offer some back protection. The gray pins look a bit out of place, but again they aren't anything needed for the build but rather for younger builders. Er, I guess anyway.

Comparison

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Compared with his 2015 form, Tahu does gain some significant height. The other difference of course is the color distribution. Personally, I have never liked abundant applications of gold unless it was supposed to be a gold character like Takanuva or Rocka, so I really don't like that tahu has been reduced to gold and trans neon orange for the most part here. I do wish that this new torso shell was in two pieces like that of the old, I think the two different colors like 2015 could have done a lot of good for the part and set in general.

Fire beats all

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With that said, there isn't much clutter in the way of articulation.

Come, give in to the flame.

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The weapons can be put together by the use of the 4m axle. This is mostly to compliment the waist function, which seems to work best with staff-like weapons. To be honest I prefer the swords separated, this staff is quite long (this is with the blades not extended) and sort of unwieldy in his hands.

What do you have in mind, and does it include explosions?

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Weapon function

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The weapon's function isn't terribly exciting, the lower half can extend a few modules. The function is tight enough, but I'm not really one for function weapons, i enjoy the sword/lavaboard combo of 2015 to something like this.

Gold mask

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Due to the lack of red, Tahu actually looks better with this mask than his regular one in my opinion. Thought the crystal design at the back of the mask combined with the trans neon orange reminds me of Chima's laval.

United

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Of the Creatures, Ikir has the best united mode. He creatures a set of wings for Tahu, and due to the balljoints in his wings, you can position them in a variety of poses. The wings help to complete tahu's look- not surprising, as the theme with these new Toa seems to be that they look better with the creatures for the most part.

Side

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Ikir doesn't create much back kibble, so there isn't a huge change in the profile view here.

Back

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You will, however, need to find a place to tuck those legs in. Seen above is where i usually place them.

Hot Air, as they say.

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Overall

Like most of this wave, Tahu is a mixed bag. He looks cool when combined, he can do about any pose you'd want him to do, and the new torso function works as well as every other figure. The weapon function works too, if you like that type of weapon of course. However, his colors are a mess, his textures are a mess, and he just lacks that sense of individuality when compared to his 2015 form. I do think he looks better than some of his fellow toa, certainly he more more armored than a character like Gali. When compared to the other $20 figures of the wave, I do think Tahu is the weakest. Onua manages to feel like you are getting your money's worth, and has a cleaner sense to his textures and color scheme than Tahu here. Umarak has a clearer direction to his design and color scheme. Of course, everyone will develop their own opinions on the set- my main goal here is to show him in a light where you can decide for yourself what you think of him.

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I really don't know what to think of this guy....

he sure looks over the top, a flaming mess of gold, and while I like this it's also important to note how drastic is the change from his 2015 form. A change for the worst.

The only thing I dislike about the reboot is the overabundance of gold (we had literally 7 characters with golden parts in G1, something G2 beated in just ONE year), and Tahu16 just makes things even more glaring. I think that the thing G1 got the best was the simplicity of its earlier sets, thus making them more "iconic". 2015 had excellent sets with great personalities, but you need something easy to see in order to have something memorable. While Takunuva08 beats miles his former incarnation, nobody can deny that Taka03 remains one of the most iconic characters LEGO ever made. Simple armour, spot-on mask, nothing else needed.

As a whole I think these Nuva 2.0 won't be liked half as much and remembered a third of their former selfs, and not just because we live in different years and all that chatter that pops out every time, but because there are just too many things going one without a clear target in sight.

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I actually love Tahu's color scheme... I guess I'll be the odd man out then. XD

Clashing textures are a problem though. The four main pistons on the abdomen of the torso piece are fine, as are the two around the collar area. The others though? They don't add anything and they just make it look messy. While I do hope they continue on with a more detailed presence in their figures, they really need to work on cohesion and color coordination.

Edited by Tarvaxx

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I'm not tremendously bothered by Tahu's color scheme, although it could have used more red. I like the Dark Azur accents. I do think he has too many clashing textures, though. For a "Uniter" of fire his own design could stand to be a lot more unified.

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I didn't mind the clashing textures in the end, mostly because his visual aspect is already a complete mess (even with the accents, which are otherwise brilliant). Also the gold Skull armor piece is <3

I'd give him anywhere in between "average" and "above average". Certainly fun to play with, but it's hard to see where they were going with the overall design.

Also, glad you combined his blades like that, so people can see what it looks like. I tried, and was just like... "why". It's such a weird thing.

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I don't think I have much to add to the criticisms department. Tahu's not really a bad set, but he's not a great one either. His colors are an eyesore, his textures are messy, and his build is less than stellar. The biggest problem I have with him is that I don't know which direction the designers were going for. Master Tahu is not that much better, but it was clear to see his design direction. He gave off a nice Samurai vibe with his panel-styled armor, squat mask, and many swords. When I look at his Uniter version I just don't get any vibe other than "good guy".

At least this time around his torso is longer, but the legs should have been shrunk a bit. Really to make Tahu look good is to combine him with Ikir. If I had the money I would buy him just to fix his flaws, but as of right now he's a pass for me.

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I, for one, welcome our new, golden Tahu. It doesn't really bother me. I've accepted Lego's formula of "main characters are gold!" so it doesn't surprise me that Tahu has followed suit.

Textures never really bothered me, so I can't say much. I do feel the torso, Skull armor, and unification piece combined help disperse the more heavily detailed areas. Like, his inner areas are more detailed, and it transitions to a smoother look as you move outward.

Proportions are also nice. Maybe not 100% accurate, but they work. And being a fan of thin thighs and bulky calves, I can't really complain about his legs, either. Honestly I think my least favorite bit about him are the weapons. They just look.. Cobbled together. At least they're not overly huge like his 2015 weapons. Didn't like those.

So yeah. Overall, I think he looks great. So far my favorite of the 2016 Toa.

Edited by Kalhiki

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How does he look with the upper leg pieces inverted? I think it might cover the knee joint better. Also, I agree, way to much gold. I also hate the inclusion of the 2015 piston add on on the lower arms. The lower arms with the add on looks to thick compared to the upper arm, and also removes some of the trans reddish orange as well. Don't know why they are included.

(also still want to see how a red torso would look on him.)

Edited by NetherCreeper

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I don't mind the clashing of textures, but the gold seems more overpowering in in-hand photos than in the stock images. I thought the gold was okay before. Still, I agree that he's the weakest of the $20 sets. His united mode is the best of the bunch though; I think I'll hold off until there's a sale to get him. Thanks for the review!

EDIT: I have to say, though, that I love the new Hau! Much more than the 2015 version. The new one evokes a very Nuva-sequel vibe. One of my favourite G2 masks.

Edited by Lockon Stratos

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I think the new Tahu is a significant improvement over the 2015 form.

The new torso build makes the exaggerated shoulder width look less odd because of the increased torso height, and it also makes the legs no longer look disproportionately long.

He uses a lot of gold, but it doesn't bother me as there are no distinct colour clashes. Although he only has 3 solid red pieces, you could simply remove solid red from the colour scheme or add more red. I really appreciate the gold feet, but the transparent hands are weird.

The clashing textures can be mostly fixed by switching or removing add ons, with the torso shell detailing being the biggest 'unfixable' issue. However, the detailing doesn't look too terrible in the review pictures.

His weapons aren't the best, but they look less awkward than the gigantic swords of his 2015 form.

The mask has improved shaping and no longer suffers from having a fake vent. I generally don't like blended parts, but both masks look good.

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Thanks for the review. My opinion on Tahu are now better, but I still don't like the color scheme on Tahu and the clashing textures on Tahu's armour looks messy. I might get him, but not for a first day purchase or first week purchase.

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What a mess. Much has been said about the textures and the color scheme, but the mask is a serious disappointment as well.

Edited by wghost

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Great review! Overall, I'm not as displeased with Tahu as I thought I would. No matter how many complaints I might have about him, he still blows Tahu Nuva and Tahu Mistika out of the water.

Even the torso shell looks pretty good- there's more red than I thought, and the azure lines really look beautiful IMO. Of course a large, large part of the trans orange needs to be replaced with red.

Yes, the colours are still a mess, and so is the high number of textures. But I like his overall figure, no matter how bad some might see his proportions as. I like them.

The weapons are still pretty terrible. The Technic looks ugly there and the clashing flame designs and colours (transparent vs opaque) are something I'll never like (Dragon Bolt did a similar mistake).

The new mask looks great, evoking the 2002 Hau Nuva while not looking like a veiny abomination, rather being a respectful upgrade over the 2015 Mask of Fire.

For a "Uniter" of fire his own design could stand to be a lot more unified.
I'm tempted to put this on my signature. Edited by Shakar

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Really unimpressed. While the torso build, weapons and masks are excellent, the textures, colours and proportions are a humongous let-down. This really doesn't feel like Tahu any-more, and most certainly doesn't feel as cohesive as other G2 sets have proven to be. It seems the designers decided to appeal to novelty and also cash in on nostalgia bucks with this one, and it bites - especially as somebody whose first Toa was Tahu, back in 2001.

I'll definitely be skipping Tahu, but I might buy his masks on Bricklink later down the line.

Edited by Logan McOwen

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I love this set. Sure, he might use some more red, and I'm definitely swapping some gold pieces for red ones when I get him, but overall I don't find anything that wrong with his colorscheme. Same with clashing textures - I personally can't see what the heck is clashing here. Sure, he uses both smooth and detailed pieces, but to a good effect in my opinion - and really evokes that G1 look, which for some people might be the worst thing ever, but I've always prefered the ridiculous amount of pistons over the smooth and clean shells. And that combination with Ikir - marvelous. The weapons could've been a bit better, but they don't bug me that much. All in all, I think Tahu's a great set, definitely day one purchase, along with Umarak.

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Really unimpressed. While the torso build, weapons and masks are excellent, the textures, colours and proportions are a humongous let-down.

What makes the proportions such a let down? Were you expecting more exaggerated/heroic/Inika proportions?

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What makes the proportions such a let down? Were you expecting more exaggerated/heroic/Inika proportions?

His upper legs are longer than his lower legs by 2 studs, and his arms don't reach his hips (much like with Gali). His legs are also much too slender.

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His upper legs are longer than his lower legs by 2 studs, and his arms don't reach his hips (much like with Gali). His legs are also much too slender.

You've made a slight error there. Tahu's arms DO reach his hips, in fact, they go past them. He benefits from not having his shoulders as high up as the smaller sets. The legs are alright. Might not be your cup of tea, but they're just fine to me (I have slender lanky legs sooooo). Edited by Tarvaxx

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You might have slender lanky legs, but you're not a big heavily armoured biomechanoid. Tahu is, which makes his slender legs look out of place.

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Wasn't G1 Bionicle all about slender, lanky limbs?

I do agree his lower legs and upper legs should be longer and shorter by one module respectively. That said, aside from really needing a few of those gold shells swapped out with red, he looks just fine to me. The mask is great, a massive improvement over the ridiculously over-sized 2015 mask that crashed into his chest. I also think attaching his shoulder armour to extensions and having them hang down like his 2015 set would not only create visual continuity with his old set, but help with the overall look. It'd look more like real shoulder pads rather than part of the torso armour that overhangs.

His weapons don't look as bad as I originally thought, but I feel like they could be spiced up. Maybe ditch the gimmick and combine them with gold Chima swords instead of the electric fire parts to beef them up and, again, complete the idea that this is a revamp of before. Then maybe add the leftover electric things to his back so he has something going on in that void. (or remove Ikir's head and legs and make him a permanent resident?)

I'm amused by the comment "lack of red" considering that to anyone other than us festidious Lego fans, he has plenty of red in the trans orange. Which certainly makes him look firey. He really just needs more red because he needs a little less gold. (I don't even know if I have many red shells left :( )

EDIT: I bet red feet would really hlp, too.

Edited by One Very Agile Cat

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The mask is great, a massive improvement over the ridiculously over-sized 2015 mask that crashed into his chest.

My biggest problem with the new mask is that someone said his mouth looked like an open screaming beak, and I have been unable to unsee that ! :sceptic:

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Having another look at the set the textures are still bad but I can get past it. What's more of an issue are his colours and lanky legs. Legs can be bulked with shells, maybe shrink one module for red upper thigh bones.

Sounds insane but I might also give him some silver on his hands and shoulders to even it out a bit, gold by itself looks horribly gaudy IMO.

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After reading DV's review of Tahu on BZP, I think I've changed my mind on whether or not I'll get him. Originally, I was really salty about his godawful design and wanted to skip him completely, but after seeing his parts inventory a couple of times (especially that lovely mask), I think I'll redact that sentiment. He won't be a day one purchase, but a possible purchase all the same. I doubt I'll keep him built for long, though.

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Honestly, I don't think Tahu is bad, (actually I don't think any of the sets are bad) but he does some things better than Master Tahu, but fails in other respects compared to his last incarnation. The mask is an upgrade for me, I think it looks excellent from all angles...but the legs are a downgrade, and that is solely due to the placement of the unity pieces on his upper legs. I don't like them there...or anywhere on the body other than the back of the toa. I really don't. It's one of the things that kind of bothered me about Uniter Kopaka, especially since his unity pieces are some pearly dark grey, rather than white. This Tahu has much more trans orange which was really badly missing from Master Tahu last year, but I have to say that he still should have some red. It's not a huge deal for me that he's more gold now, but it does look cooler when there's a little more red. Also, his weapons. Don't like them.

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