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In lugnet.technic.bionicle, Bradley Dale writes:
> ***
> "Launching in late summer, the Bionicle line consists of six heroes, known as
> the Toa, and five villains, know as the Makuta. In addition to the figures,
> LEGO will launch two Bionicle video games.
> With vicious-looking villains and grim heroes, Bionicle clearly marks a
> departure from LEGO's traditional nonviolent image, but Eio is not worried.
> ``Our policy is, don't do violence for the sake of violence. We don't want to
> encourage violence, that's why we don't make any tanks or fighter planes. But
> we have accepted it in fantasy settings and we also have medieval castles with
> invaders and things like that,'' he said.
> Leibowitz agrees. ``I think Bionicle may actually improve the brand, because
> it's less violent than other figures, and kids build the characters
> themselves,'' he said.
> While the details of the Bionicle story line has not been revealed -- that will
> happen slowly on the Bionicle Web site (http://www.bionicle.com) -- the premise
> is that the paradise island of Mata Nui has come under the dark shadow of the
> Makuta. The task of the six heroes is to collect the lost masks of power,
> thereby freeing Mata Nui of the evil Makuta.
> The outcome of the struggle is uncertain, but LEGO spokeswoman Shannon Harnett
> gave a hint. ``Good always triumphs over evil,'' she said.
> Equally uncertain is of course whether Bionicle will be a hit, but early
> reactions seems positive.
> ``The Bionicle line has caused quite a stir in the business, the first time
> LEGO has gone into the action hero. Retailer response has been quite
> positive,'' said Leibowitz. The drive to embrace new technology also includes
> LEGO's most basic products, the building blocks. Send a digital picture of a
> loved one -- pet, parent or lover -- to LEGO's online store and for $29.99 the
> company will send a LEGO Mosaic kit with building blocks to build into a
> portrait."
> ***
>
> Something seems wrong here to me. LEGO does not have to accept that a product
> like Bionicle is violent. It doesn't have to be.
>
> There are some humanoids and some larger remote-controlled creatures that are
> assembled from Technic pieces. The builder can learn about the inner workings
> of action figures, and have fun combining the sets and using their imagination
> to create new characters. From my point of view, Bionicle could be good old
> LEGO fun.
>
> But TLG doesn't want that. No, the robo critters have to be 'evil', which of
> course makes the humanoids 'good'. Which can lead to some disturbing problems.
>
> Despite the official statements, Toa vs. Makuta is a perfect example of
> violence for the sake of violence. It isn't exactly clear what they are
> fighting for (although I get the idea that they both want Mata Nui, and
> territorial wars are not a moral issue), or if it is even worth fighting for at
> all. Kids are going to side with the Toa not because they are good, but
> because TLG says they are good. The Makuta's point of view will certainly be
> ignored. Bionicle is violence for the sake of violence because violence,
> according ot TLG, sells more toys.
>
> Fantasy settings do not make violence safe, they just make it more accepted.
> I would ike to point out that lots of people did get bady hurt during the
> Medieval age! They may have been trying to say "Violence is okay if it is
> good triumphing over evil. We don't allow two sides to have conflicts if we
> can't make that distinction." But until the dark scary shadow actually does
> some harm to an innocent islander, I don't think we can call it evil. If you
> were afraid of bats simply because they are dark and scary, does that make them
> evil? Maybe the Makuta are just misunderstood because they are weird-looking
> monsters?
>
> To me, the 'weapons' of the Toa seem like tools for getting around in their
> environment. We could have Onua digging tunnels, Gali climbing rocks, and Lewa
> cutting his way through dense vegetation. Tahu's giant flame could help him
> see in dark caves.
>
> There is a potential problem of how to play with the constructed Bionicle
> characters. Throwbots engage in healthy competition at their Throwlympic
> games, seeing who has the best distance or accuracy. Roboriders can do the
> same, or work to help everyone by destrying a computer virus (which isn't a
> living being, and doesn't mind being destroyed). Can Bionicle do anything
> other than move their arms? I suppose they may be well suited to
> point-a-to-point-b obstace course type challenges (think of the Survivor
> challenges) as a non-violent activity, but there will be a powerful official
> influence on kids.
>
> Sure, I'm looking forward to Bionicle. But I'm not going to reenact the
> violent battles of Mata Nui. To me, Bionicle is just another building toy.
Makuta followed his brother, Mata Nui from there home. The islanders of Mata
Nui worshiped Mata Nui because he had made the world into a paradise. Makuta
was jealous and tried to get the islanders to worship him by using fear and
pain, but still they refused, so Makuta brings turmoil and monsters to the
island. Also, anyone who ventures to close to Makuta's territory has been
killed. Still think he's not evil?
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Is Bionicle violence?
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| (...) Sorry, I hadn't read the Bionicle.com story yet. I didn't expect to find anything beyond the 2001 TECHNIC brochure found in the LEGO boxes. So now we have a character that is definately evil- is it okay now? I still think that evil LEGO was (...) (24 years ago, 15-Feb-01, to lugnet.technic.bionicle, lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: Is Bionicle violence?
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| I agree with both of you. I do think it's disturbing. I'd just like to raise some points to clarify some things. 1. If a computer virus is programmed not to like being killed, it won't like being killed. Now, this may not be true, today, but it is (...) (24 years ago, 16-Feb-01, to lugnet.technic.bionicle, lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Is Bionicle violence?
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| *** "Launching in late summer, the Bionicle line consists of six heroes, known as the Toa, and five villains, know as the Makuta. In addition to the figures, LEGO will launch two Bionicle video games. With vicious-looking villains and grim heroes, (...) (24 years ago, 15-Feb-01, to lugnet.technic.bionicle, lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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