Why Bionicle is doing so well...

[vahkimetru]

Bionicle i doing so well because the sets are easy to build, affordable, and kids just don't wan construction sets anymore. It's sad, and I do like large system sets, but most kids would rather spend five minutes building an action figure, than spending hours on a playset that only comes with small figurines. (Minifigures, which I do love, but other kids might not)

That's why the Knights did so well too! Kids are just getting so lazy that they don't want to build anything with a real structural stature anymore.

Just my opinion.

[Deinonychus]

Well that may be true for the canister sets, but some of the bigger Titans and such can take a little while to get together...especially if you build one of the combo models.

Personally I like Bionicle because it's an action figure you build, as opposed to one you take out of the blister-card, pose a couple times, and that's it.

It should be interesting to apply your theory to Exo-Force if that does well. Those seem like small and simple sets...but they're a little more involved then they look and once you add in the time it takes to put all those bloody stickers on...it's quite a project

[Zane]

It's not just the sets. Once you get wrapped up in the storyline, you want the sets. The above may be true, but I still like System just as much as Bionicle.

TT

[ApophisV]

I think one can't reduce the reasons down to one.

First of all, the "story" behind it is appealing to kids, it became a hype like Pokemon, Yo-Gi-Oh or what the heck all those things are called. All those Japanese styled monsters and such are just "in".

Then, it is easy to make kids "obsessed" by a collective toy, especially by adding "collect all sets and get the toa-pio-loa-luauo-punki-kraki for free!". Kids don't know the value of an Euro or a Dollar yet (and btw don't strugle with debts and bills and whatsever) and therefore the don't see the problem in spending it for ten sets which are afterall basically identically.

Finally I think the infrastructure around Bionicle is also more established than for any other Lego product. Kids easily have access to magazins, online portals, movies, games and advertisements. Sure that is also all available for other products, but it's not as easy to find and to use for kids (finally the whole Lego community besides one or two exceptions (BZP) is mostly teenager/adult based (Lugnet,...)

And why don't kids buy anymore System sets? When I was younger (ten years ago or so) I always had the chance to get sets for my money. If I had 20 Euro (back then ~ 40 DM) to spend - fine, lots of sets available. If I had only one or two Euro - also fine since there were several tiny sets for this price, even if it was only a Minifig with a sword and a gold chest.

Nowadays there is almost no set with real playvalue left that is below 5 or 10 Euro (Think of the last HP sets, none below 25 Euro!!!!). An amount of money many kids get per month at that age!

My 2 Euro-ct.

[snefroe]

basically, it's because the essentials of bionicle is just a bunch of robots with lots and lots of playability, far more than with a regular "1 piece" robot. these robots can loose an arm or a leg in a fight, something you can't "do" with classic action figures. they're more flexible, because you can add or remove parts and weapons, you can create your own favourite robot and add him to the story,... and sure, it was hugely hyped by lego with a dvd, special stations in the shop,... and they looked cool in the beginning, now i don't know what to think of it, but it seems it has a fanbase of its own now... there's also a coherence in the bionicle line thru out the years, contrary to the regular lego line. they're just adding more stuff, you never have start all over... so in the end, you can build a very good collection of real bionicle sets...

[JoeMI6]

The reason i got into Bionicle was the way they brought it out, the whole campaign behind the product was so overwhelming for a kid. It was like, oh my god, that guy is surfing on lava. It was an action figure that wasn't released cause it was meant to bare a massive resemblence to the main guy in the movie. It was released to put adventure and fantasy back into kid's lives (or that's what i got out of it). It also showed that technic wasn't as dead as it seemed and lego didn't just need licences or stuff from real life to show they are cool. It's one of the things that brought TLC into the new millenium (or whenever it happened). ;-)

[john cleese]

the reason sets are so junioriized is because legos now under the management of a complete moron. Thats just my humble opinion though....I wish another more capable man would assasinate the current owner with lego ninjas, take charge and bring back all the classics and then with his crack team of veteran lego designers build more time twister, time cruiser models and show the stinkn lazy youth of today what legos really about. but seriously the media hasnt changed that much since the 90s. I dont think kids are really that much more lazy, its just most kids are so lego thinks this crap will sell better. Well its just not cutting it for me.

[The Hordesman]

My take on the subject:

-Action figure building

-Storyline(s)

-Even if you are not an experienced builder, the result can still look good

-Posing! Articulation... lots of it

-Good character design most of the times

Im still not a fan. :-P

[Darkness Falls]

No, that's not why. Its because kids love action figures. Heck, I love action figures and I'm fourteen. Kids love building action figures even more. They're in control that way, and the best thing is: they can take it apart and create their own, new action figure. System is cool, but they want something bigger and more customizable.

[gylman]

A 6-8 year old sees the older kids playing with it and tends to build little,but most pose the doll and pretend play. Still, it makes him feel grown up.

An 8-10 year old will keep interest in bionicle by starting to get engaged in the comics, book, website, and building variations on their favour characterize. Their parents will see Bionicle as a tool to get the little delinquent to read, and will buy some of the bionicle books.

A 10-14 year old keeps interest by doing really original stuff, both with the toy, and with the story line and art, and gets involved in the social aspect (online community).

After 14, most teens would be reluctant to say that Bionicle is their favourite toy, but I imagine some have formed a sentimental attachment to the characters, some of the favourite toys they had and continue to build with it now and then, check on the sites, and sneak buy a set now and then.

.......... the dark ages descend..

[The Hordesman]

No, that's not why. Its because kids love action figures.

I just wrote that, just more into detail. :-P

[Darkness Falls]

Sorry about that, I was arguing the first post. I totally agree with you on that topic. I went into some detail as well.

[The Hordesman]

Sorry about that, I was arguing the first post. I totally agree with you on that topic. I went into some detail as well.

Ah, sorry. It was because you didnt quote I got a little confused. ;-)

Some people may not appriciate it, but the system bionicle is actually a pretty cool idea- if it works as it should, that is. Together with the viking theme, its a pretty cool idea that these themes mix bionicle with system. It inspired me to make some of my MOCs, even though Im lacking in the bionicle area.

From the beginning I was rather negative, but bionicle does serve as a good skeleton for mechas and other large humanoid creations. X-D

Who knows? Due to these mix themes system may once again take over the world... *vader*

[john cleese]

well i must admit, even i liked bionicle before, when they had those huge monsters (cant remeber the names) but after that i lost interest. I really am not fond of lego without minifigs (however i did buy all the animal designer sets because they were just amazing likenesess). Anyway those monsters were actually fun, and back then i really liked bionicle. Now its just corny, i mean how many darn robots can go around fighting other robots before someone says, stop, weve done this to death. We really oughta start investing in making less junioriized system sets. Thats what i want to know

[gylman]

well i must admit, even i liked bionicle before, when they had those huge monsters (cant remeber the names) but after that i lost interest. I really am not fond of lego without minifigs (however i did buy all the animal designer sets because they were just amazing likenesess). Anyway those monsters were actually fun, and back then i really liked bionicle. Now its just corny, i mean how many darn robots can go around fighting other robots before someone says, stop, weve done this to death. We really oughta start investing in making less junioriized system sets. Thats what i want to know

I assume you are talking about Cadhok and Gadhok. Maybe the best Bionicle set ever made. More technic than Bionicle as we know it now, though.

Biggest piece count before those useless playsets, and at the time an excellent source of relatively hard to get useful parts like white teeth, claws, and most importantly, click rotation hinges - the best joint ever made for supporting heavy mecha limbs - no less than 12 of them!

http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/8558-1?showpic=403

Tell me, who would rather not have this than 6 clones of the same Toa. Apparently - they did not sell well enough though to justify similar big sets in followup years after 2001.

[Echo]

well i must admit, even i liked bionicle before, when they had those huge monsters (cant remeber the names) but after that i lost interest. I really am not fond of lego without minifigs (however i did buy all the animal designer sets because they were just amazing likenesess). Anyway those monsters were actually fun, and back then i really liked bionicle. Now its just corny, i mean how many darn robots can go around fighting other robots before someone says, stop, weve done this to death. We really oughta start investing in making less junioriized system sets. Thats what i want to know

I assume you are talking about Cadhok and Gadhok. Maybe the best Bionicle set ever made. More technic than Bionicle as we know it now, though.

Biggest piece count before those useless playsets, and at the time an excellent source of relatively hard to get useful parts like white teeth, claws, and most importantly, click rotation hinges - the best joint ever made for supporting heavy mecha limbs - no less than 12 of them!

http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/8558-1?showpic=403

Tell me, who would rather not have this than 6 clones of the same Toa. Apparently - they did not sell well enough though to justify similar big sets in followup years after 2001.

Apparantly, a lot of people thought the Bahrag looked like Bionicle chickens. :-|

[hewkii9]

They are giant chickens, basically. Giant chickens with all Bohrok powers and illusions, and symbioism. Some people on BZP thought they looked like a tyrannosaur or raptor.

[vahkimetru]

These opinions are most interesting, I now see truley why its doing very well.