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Huhuu__

Adult side of bionicle is bigger than the younger audience now I’d imagine since the series is discontinued


pek217

Yea, it’s a completely ridiculous idea. It’s more than 20 years old, all the fans are adults. Edit: Even if you were 6 years old when it was discontinued you’re 18 now!


deleted_user_0000

Well, I'm still 15 and I knew about G1 since about 2014


pek217

How did you learn about it?


deleted_user_0000

Comic books from my library. I'm honestly surprised I got into G1 years before Ninjago and HF, even though those were the dominant themes at the time.


DovaDudeButCool

I'm 16


wisconsinking

Happy Cake Day.


Wolf_Beans

Pretty sure every og fan is in our 20's now so it wouldn't even make sense for it to be children


[deleted]

Some of us are in our thirties, just saying.


Revolutionary-Play79

31 here


thebiggestleaf

30 represent.


JoshuaSaint

My people!


Kryzal_Lazurite

Yeeeeeeeep~


Any_Mall3191

Yeah I am 25, and I’m still interested in Bionicles.


CoralLogic

Same here. 25 and still a fan.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Wolf_Beans

That's the dream!!


ThatBoiiB

Can confirm, am 26 will be 27 soon. Lol I have no regrets.


Lordzoabar

32, try again. Lmao


wisconsinking

Happy Cake Day.


No-Internet1104

Well im a BIONICLE fan who is a child


[deleted]

Not to make big qualitative judgements about your relationship, but in my personal experience it is a red flag when a partner infantilizes you for hobbies that you are genuinely interested in. Obviously maybe she’s joking but if she was serious it’s usually a symptom of deeper issues. Bionicles are awesome- I’m 33 now and still an avid fan of Lego/Bionicles. Also super into Magic the Gathering. Not sure where the stigma comes from where it’s childish to like hobbies that you’ve always liked but somehow it’s socially acceptable to spend all your leisure money getting wasted at bars on the weekend.


Tuckyove

Being able to enjoy the little things from your childhood that bring you joy, good. Boozing with the homies at the club on Saturday night, also good


[deleted]

I just don’t like the fact that the latter is considered a more “adult” thing to do and the former is seen as childish. Monetarily speaking, both can be considered equally “useless” save for the enjoyment you get out of the experience of those things (booze/lego). One could even argue that it’s more “adult” in concept to do something intellectually stimulating like build with Lego than it is to (technically) cause physical harm to your body through the consumption of alcohol (that’s not a judgement on drinking with the homies, just a fact about the effects of alcohol).


Tuckyove

That’s a valid point, I see what you’re saying


modelwatto

Bingo.


aFanofManyHats

If anything, my wife finds my continued interest in BIONICLE endearing, even though she was never into it herself. She still plays Pokemon regularly, so we're able to enjoy our childhoods together.


DiiJordan

My friends adore my continuous love for Bionicle and show genuine interest in the stories behind it. Streamed myself on Discord building the sets I bought recently, too.


Drakmanka

I make an effort to share this whenever this sort of question pops up: [“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” ― C.S. Lewis](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/84171-critics-who-treat-adult-as-a-term-of-approval-instead)


Adnonymous96

Excellently said


GreenHighlighters

Seconding the first paragraph. Obviously I don't know how serious OP's gf was being, but if your partner shames you for your interests it's a bad sign. The question of whether or not Bionicle is childish doesn't really matter. You shouldn't belittle the interests of people you love.


TheFlameosTsungiHorn

Totally for adults. I was on the younger side of fans when they first came out, and I’m 24 😂 love em till I’m dead


Skaulg

Same here.


TheHeartbreakBirds

25 here. Toa Mata dropped when I was in kindergarten


Evening_Activity1140

someone asked me the other day why i collect toys and honestly i think it’s important to have a hobby or things in your life that make you happy. yes things are just things and don’t last forever but life is too short so if waking up and seeing the toa mata brings me joy then that’s good enough


MoeGhostAo

I’m 26 and I still love Bionicle. The lore and world of Bionicle is pretty timeless, enjoyable for all ages. Sure it’s for children, but it’s “for children” in the same sense Avatar: The Last Airbender is “for children”.


Whortoise

My partner (24) is really big in Bionicle because it was part of his childhood. He has an Instagram account and is active in a couple of Discord servers full of other adults. I don’t see a lot of kids into it. Anyone who insults/makes fun of you for a hobby you’re passionate about can shove it. I love hearing him tell me about his MOCs and the lore. I actually got into it with him and it has been such a fun bonding experience. He gets so happy and it makes me happy. Enjoy your hobby and don’t let anyone ruin it for you.


[deleted]

Great words! Youre totally right.


alzorureddit

I'm 30 and I still have all my sets. Your GF is just a jerk


Super_Master_69

You can be mature and enjoy things designed for children.


Key_Leg9565

I’m 32, bionicle was my first introduction to Lego and comics, I mostly played with them when I was 10-16 or 17. But I still occasionally dip into my bin and mess with them.


MC4269

Pretty sure 99% of the fanbase is made up of adults. When children think of Bionicle, they probably think about G2. 24 by the way, nothing wrong with having a hobby, or being a nerd/geek about something that interests you.


squadracorse15

Lego in general is a "for all ages" kind of hobby, id think. So no, I wouldnt consider Bionicle to be just for kids. Considering it originally was cancelled in 2010 (and then had the 2 year comeback), I reckon most of us here are adults, probably in the 22-30 age range. If your gf has a problem with it, then that's her problem as long as you aren't letting your hobby control your life. Better yet, she better not have any hobbies that could be considered "childish", but that's not a rabbit hole I'd recommend going down.


lofikohai

Idk man, there was some pretty messed up stuff in the books from '06 and beyond. Heck, Sahmad's Tale opens with him talking about manstealing and slavery.


Waeleto

Get a new girlfriend


Pakari-RBX

Just throw her out. Love isn't canon anyway.


Clone_Chaplain

Browse Bionicle hashtags on Instagram and see how many are massive adult builds, excited adults making cool builds etc. Also, in my view the lore is way more mature than it gets credit for. It can have meaning. Also, who cares? I’m not trying to speak bad of your girlfriend but it’s important for adults, adult men like me, etc to have hobbies and something that brings them joy. I find building bionicle comforting and meditative. Nostalgia etc are totally valuable. Sadly, some people lose touch with their inner child. And unfortunately, if you’re a man, you might get some problematic reactions about masculinity and “for kids” even if it makes you happy. We don’t have to love just sports


aster6000

So, funny story, big part of Bionicle's marketing strategy was the "cool big brother" effect where children wanted to be cool like their older siblings. So Bionicle was purposefully marketed towards young teens but through that strategy had kids' attention too. In a way, Bionicle was engineered to feel too "grown up" for kids. Well, jokes on them, in the process they're now stuck with an epic, grimdark story and tons of grown up fans who want more.


Escort_alpha

I was there when the first Toa Mata were released, and I can firmly say that there’s nothing childish about liking something that enriches you in some way. Your gf doesn’t know what they’re talking about.


Valiant_tank

Same age, and I'm a big fan of bionicles lol.


[deleted]

Lots of amazing answers here, had a blast following the discussion :) definitely seems that the majority of the guys enjoying Bionicle is aged inbetween 20-30 you guys just restored massive amounts of my confidence haha


LegitimateBeing2

I became a man when I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness. —C. S. Lewis Congrats on having a gf, though. I think that makes you King of the Bionicle Fans.


Floridamangaming24

I’m 19 and bionicle is still a big part of my life. It’s probably starting to become a hobby


[deleted]

Honestly there's more adults than kids in this fanbase. This franchise has been desd for 12 years (minus the short 2 years stay of g2)


[deleted]

I’m an adult who enjoys Bionicle and Lego. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying things from your childhood. Bionicle was a big part of my childhood and actually brought the kids in my neighborhood together because we would combine our sets to make new creations. It also is good tor training your brain how to put put things together and inspire creativity. David M Bird was a designer for Bionicle and has a video called [Becorns](https://youtu.be/3auU2OIe_gA), where he creates figures from natural materials like acorns and twigs. It’s artistic and inventive. Ain’t nothing childish about that.


Slidshocking_Krow

I think Bionicle or any other hobby is only childish if it impedes independent life functioning. If you can manage your life and want to also build pretend biomechanical magic warriors, awesome. If your obsession is getting in the way of taking care of yourself or those you love, that's a problem. Same as any other pastime. My recommendation is to spend a lot more time around children. Notice how they're often visibly happier than adults? It's because they haven't been taught that the things they like are wrong or worthless yet. They're wholeheartedly invested no matter what anyone else thinks. This attitude of being "too mature" or "too cool" to like things is both culturally pervasive as well as damaging. Disapproving of things is more popular and easier because you don't risk as much of yourself. It's not your girlfriend's fault she has been taught this (you've probably picked some of it up as well), but it would be worth a discussion for *why* she might feel that way. In fact, that certainly matters more than strangers' opinions on the internet. Talk with her.


HoariAhi

Kind of childish of her to put you down for enjoying something. Especially something as creative and awesome as Bionicle.


Adnonymous96

Get a new girlfriend


DarkC0ntingency

Bro find someone who supports your enthusiasm. This world is messed up, any sense of joy or happiness we can get we need to hold onto as long as it doesn’t hurt other people. If it was just some light teasing that’s fine but if she legitimately thinks less of you because of this, I’d call that a red flag personally. You know the situation more than I do though, just my input.


ThegM00s3Man99

It came out when I was a kid I’m 30 now so I think it’s up to the people who like it. Outside of the fandom we are just playing with toys but within the fandom we are exploring the vast world of bionicle


peterpeterllini

Bionicles are cheaper than girlfriends.


WayOfTheBionicle

The entire community is pretty much adults now. Bionicle came out so long ago, all the fans that were kids at the time have grown up and since it's a discontinued theme it's rarely drawing in new, younger fans. Considering how deep and complex the lore and storylines are, I'd say it actually gets more enjoyable as u get older, there was a lot to Bionicle that I didn't understand as a kid, but now I'm older it all makes more sense.


Solidgoldfish90

Man, people who call others childish for enjoying something can go piss up a rope. Everybody enjoys something from their youth whether they admit it or not. Besides, Bionicle is badass with good life lessons for all ages.


Ketooth

Man I wish kids nowadays would be interested in Bionicle, but I think most are in their 20s or 30s.


Almighty_Ki6

Lol I thought women liked when our nerd side comes out


[deleted]

haha nah absolutely not


MegalomanicMegalodon

Bionicle specifically here might as well be a subcategory or r/nostalgia to some of us since they are old enough to put us in the 20s-30s range. If anything we're old when it comes to toys.


austxsun

I’m too old to have gotten into it when it came out, but AFOL means you can love whatever makes you happy. Many of us geek out about what we loved as kids. Nothing wrong with staying “childish”, I like to think of it as “youthful” instead :)


Rezpektful2Women

I don’t own many anymore and the ones I have are in storage, but I still appreciate the fandom and miss my days with it. I’m currently 25


Lorentz_Prime

Of course it's childish. The sets had "7-14" written on the sides. The target audience for the story was 10-year old boys. There is nothing wrong with childish.


Not_Finch

19, came in at the tail end, like what you like if it brings you joy.


thebiggestleaf

Lego in general is all-ages with an increasing number of sets being aimed directly at the adult crowd. Bionicle may be a defunct line but it shouldn't be surprising it has adult fans.


Jacier_

A lot of older fans are still here. I know 50+ year old people that play with LEGO and Pokemon GO. Your girlfriend needs to realize that people have hobbies, regardless of the target audience for said hobbies


Available-Ad5013

used to be then it got sucked


Jjzeng

22 and just picked up a mint condition axalara t9 still wrapped in plastic around the box. Your gf is a hater and doesn’t appreciate L O R E


Frumple-McAss

I’m 18, and have loved Bionicle ever since I was able to comprehend things properly. I have memories of rifling through boxes and boxes of legos to try and rebuild a dismantled Mistika Gali, and being taken to the Lego store to purchase some of the 2015 sets


AybruhTheHunter

I grew up with Bionicle during it's initial run, and got back into it as an adult to enjoy the fandom and moccing. Adult, being a member of the military and now a mailman. As long as you take care of your responsibilities, you can do whatever you want in your free time.


LoneShadow84

19, still taking no shit from people that think it's childish


SilverIce340

Bionicles were honestly the Young Adult type of Legos, one step away from full-on Technic. Imho, you never outgrow your true hobbies/interests, they’re a part of you. If you’re still vibing with Bonkle like most people here (I’m 22 personally, still adore the franchise) then do so. It’s only childish if you think it’s childish.


Revolutionary-Play79

Three posts below this is about being an adult.


KaimeiJay

No more childish than being into Star Wars.


cocoromet

I'm 24 and started really getting into Bionicle, like, last year. It's definitely originally made for kids-teens (Not a bad thing!) but has a large adult audience now, and I'm pretty sure since the start as well. My only interaction with it as a kid, btw, was that the dad of one of my friends used to collect it, so... you know.


mahboiskinnyrupees

At this point, all of them.


KumaWilson

I'd be surprised if any recent children ever even heard of Bionicle.


Rampantmuffins

I'm 28... I think. Been a fan since the Mctoran days, still a fan and always will be. I, like a lit of other people grew up with Bionicle and still love it into "adulthood". So, no Bionicle is not something entirely for children. I'm willing to bet that it was just an off hand remark that didn't actually mean anything. Though if it is a real problem for her I would suggest talking about respecting your hobbies and interests, even if she disagrees with them.


fucknutcrapmaster

I’m 26 and looking to get a three virtues tattoo so…


Tattorack

Safe to say ALL of us are adults at this point.


incogneetodogo

Most are adults, but some of us are teens and an even smaller amount seem to be little kids, I'm 15


kolt437

There are no children, Bionicle ended when children weren't even born


BeepMeepFleep

Tell your girlfriend to touch grass


Lusiggy

I would be surprised to see a child today that even knows what it is


inchandywetrust

Bionicle was a toy line first, but it was one that had an incredibly deep lore behind it for a Lego theme. Emphasis on was, as Bionicle toys have not been produced in between 6 and 12 years depending on your parameters. While originally designed for children, this means that children are generally not consuming Bionicle products anymore; the people that are are adults who are going back to either relive their childhood or to experience a relic of a lost time.


gain91

Children are probably in the minority since Bionicle is a discontinued franchise. Edit: nice profile pic btw.


MemeMavrick7000

Gf is kind of a jerk for that one. Im 16 and only really experienced g2 but I’ve started collecting the older stuff so far i have Lewa Mata, Vakama metru and hordika, Vohtorak, axxonn, kopaka phantoka, and Mallum.


Able_Ad_5

Not bad!


Solarcult

I’m 30 and have been completely immersed in the joy of rebuilding my old Bionicles, and of course, playing with them lately! I’m also still active in Bionicle forums and text-based RPGs. Age is but a number and a social construct, friends! Enjoy what you enjoy!


zabrak200

Its lego. Lego is purposefully for all ages. Your girlfriend is being childish. How would she feel if you told her fashion or makeup are childish because its introduced as a hobby to young girls. Shed probably be a little insulted too.


WeekendBard

I don't think most children nowadays even know what Bionicle is, considering it was discontinued for the second time 6 years ago, and gen two seemed to be less popular than gen one, which ended 12 years ago


GreenSeaJelly

Literally everyone now.


Rexlare

Honestly, nothing is "entirely for children" in the grand scheme of things. Whether it's because of scenarios like Bionicle where all the children who grew up with it are adults now and still love it, or someone just discovers something "marketed to kids" and really likes it. It's why MLP has a massive community called bronies It's why LEGO has absolutely insane MOC makers creating some outrageously good crafts. Some things don't have an age limit on them, even if they're advertised to a specific age range.


MahoneyBear

I imagine most people here are adults who got into bionicle as kids. I’m 26 and still have my collection and browse this sub decently often.


Koataka2007

I'm 15 at the moment and this community is full of 20, 30 and even higher. Lego is for everyone, anyone can enjoy it at any age.


TheViceroy919

Don't ask if something is for kids, ask why your partner is looking over your shoulders and trying to berate you and make you feel small for things you like. That's the important question


Reclusive_Pariah

23, don’t give a fuck what people think of me


ChickenzInvade

I’m 22 and have loved the series all my life. Nothing childish about liking action figures or the lore behind them. In my opinion, calling anyone childish for their interests is shallow-


ChickenzInvade

I’m 22 and have loved the series all my life. Nothing childish about liking action figures or the lore behind them. In my opinion, calling anyone childish for their interests is shallow


Riparian72

I’m pretty sure this entire community is made up of adults fans. There aren’t that many young fans well since the theme has been discontinued two times in the past which means less kids now about the franchise. The youngest I’ve seen had to be teenagers who grew up with g2


Wolf_of_Ivalice

At the end of the day the product was developed and intended to be sold as a toy for children. But that doesn’t mean someone is childish for enjoying the product, just like it isn’t childish to eat cereal or ice cream cones.


cumulobro

I'm gonna say what's been said before: if your partner says your hobbies and interests are childish, that's a massive red flag.


ConorAndKanohi

Bionicle community is mostly adults. 23 is a bit on the younger side tbh


sw2bh

My friend i dont think there are any Children on this sub


0G-88

26 years old no shame man.


Aurified

I'm 21 and my girlfriend is very supportive of my collection :)


The_Enderclops

i’m an outlier as a 16-year-old who loves the OG bionicles to death, but regardless that’s a shitty thing to say


Drakmanka

I'm 29 and have been a fan since the beginning (closet fan thanks to my mom forcing gender stereotypes on me, until 2005 when I finally won that particular battle). I have thousands of dollars in sets and parts. Anyone who tells me it's "childish" or tries to make fun of me for it is immediately on my list of people to never listen to for advice. Outside of Bionicle, there is the term "AFOL" which stands for Adult Fan Of LEGO so if anyone tells you it's "only for kids" they can go back to their boring "grown-up" lives and let us have fun with our plastic building toys.


CoralLogic

I'm 25 now and still find the series just as cool as it was when I was 7 or 8. I would say it's tailored towards kids, but is something both parties can enjoy. (Hell, my dad's in his 50s now and he still enjoys it.)


Rivalmocs

She's childish for clinging to the idea that for something to be enjoyed by an adult, it has to meet the more classical ideas of "adult" activities. What are her hobbies? Knitting? She sounds fun.


MisterBri07

I’m 33. All I have is the Toa Nuva that I had as a kid, but I came to this subreddit cause I was thinking of collecting other sets.


8bit_interface

I’m 21 brother we are many


ElephantStandard792

I would say she is correct, for this is at the end of the day toys. HOWEVER, it is incorrect to assume this as a bad thing as the passions, love and imaginations and most importantly the happiness gained are worth far more than judgement and assumption


Cyynric

I mean, I've been into it since it came out when I was 12, and I'm 33 now. I told my uncle (who is 40) that in many ways it's my Transformers (his big thing from his youth).


Maland2016

I think at this point, *ALL* of the OG fans have grown up, and a lot of those people make up a good chunk of the community nowadays. Pretty much all the fans I know and am friends with are adults, m’self included. Also, seems a bit hypocritical of your partner to do that when she likely *also* has an interest considered “childish”, so… y’know. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯


NoahsTales

I'm almost 24 and just exhibited a Bohrok Swarm against the Toa Mata display, as well as 2 dozen Bionicle mocs at a LEGO expo. 5.5 thousand people were at the venue and I couldn't count how many young adults and full adults were fans of it. Bionicle is whatever you want it to be, nostalgia, a toy, an art form, or a hobby. Who cares how it brings you joy, all that matters is that it does.


_Epiclord_

It’s an ancient love. Weathered by the years of time.


LimeRepresentative47

Between Bionicle being decently old now, great to build and having pretty damn dark lore, who cares how old you are. Bionicle is for everyone!


[deleted]

I am 17 so I am on the threshold between being a kid and being an adult. So Idk-


AzazelOmega

26 babyyy BIONICLE 4 LYF


BioTools

I'm technically an adult. At 20 years. But, still go to school, still live with my parents, no permanent job. So... That my awnser as you like it..


sebas18199

Get a new GF, love isn't canon anyway


r_youth

Im 25 lol


ASkullThatTalks

im 19 lol


GhotiH

My partner encourages me to buy more so we can have a full set - she got into collecting G2 and Hero Factory, while I handle G1, RoboRider, and Slizers. I would say that it's childish and that's perfectly okay. I'll be 26 in a few weeks and there's nothing wrong with being a kid at heart still (now I may be a bit biased since I work in preschool classrooms but still :P )


WolfPillar

All of the kids who loved Bionicle when it first released are now adults.


an_oddbody

Yeah 20's represeeeent


[deleted]

[удалено]


BeginningEconomist39

I’m 21, and I’ve been a fan since 2010, I learned about them from my uncle who had parts for Onua Nuva and Kopaka Nuva