Bio-Cup is off to a great start this year with a total of 143 entires in the preliminary round. If you missed out on participating this year, you can still watch the show unfold in the Flickr Group. The first theme for this year is “Nature”, which for a Bionicle contest, doesn't sound very conducive to Bionicle parts. As always though, Bio-Cup brings out the best in builders, and this theme has proven no match for the genius of the participants.

I can imagine your first thought when hearing the nature theme is some kind of monster carnivorous plant or a maybe a lumbering humanoid plant creature. Multiple people did end up building something along these lines, each adding their own unique twist. Others interpreted the theme in a completely different way, by stretching it to its absolute limits. Ideas such as Human Nature, god's or goddesses of nature, and even life and death. What really stuck out to me this year, though, is the amount of stunning animal builds. Ranging from birds to dinosaurs to small bugs, there are all kinds of unique techniques, immaculate shaping, and amazing expressions going on.

“Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis” by Mattia Careddu

Normally bugs aren't very enjoyable to deal with, but this one seems like quite the fun-guy. Although I don't think it's having a very good time right now, seeing as it's infected with Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis, otherwise known as Zombie-Ant Fungus. Despite the unsettling subject matter, the build itself is great at capturing the fragility of the ant, and has great contrasting textures of the fungus against the ant body.

“Bullfinch” by Oscar Cederwall

Although this may look like a real photo of a bird perched atop a tree, if you take a second look you can see it is something entirely more impressive. A simple yet elegant build, o0ger's Bullfinch is the spitting image of the real thing. The branches being just enough to support the bird maintain the focus on the central character, while still adding so much to the image as a whole. The bird itself is a masterful collection of hockey, Bionicle, and even Galidor elements for the wings.

“Avian Bonsai” by Woomy World

Ah yes, a bird feeding on some berries...but wait that tree isn't a tree, it's the bird? Unlike the Bullfinch, Woomy was not inspired by a real life bird with a tree for a tail, but a surrealist sculpture instead. Despite that, the build is astonishingly realistic, with the excited expression of the bird ready to eat a delicious snack. On top of the expression, the textures of the feathers, leaves, and tree trunk really sell the surrealist inspiration.

“Permian Period” by Ivan Martynov

Jumping from inspiration of live animals to sculptures, and now to what used to be living. Ivan has created two pre-historicly inspired creatures from the Permian Period. The smaller of the two has been a favorite of some because of its fun face and body shaping. The large one, though, can’t be missed. The wonderful attention to detail as well as on-point color blocking really bring this ancient creature back to life.

“Hunter of Hell Creek” by VelociJACKtor

A bird? A dinosaur? Both? Are they the same thing? I am honestly not sure, but Jack sure is. Whatever it is classified as, I sure would not want to encounter one, seeing how it eats its meals. Jack does a great job capturing its aggressive birdlike look, with feathers on the arms and along the tail. It also retains the terrifying dinosaur characteristics with the sharp teeth and claws.

“Ayanami” by DanielBrickSon

Yet another bird that made me have to double check whether it was LEGO or not. Makes me want to go bird watching now to see a bird like this in action. What would be the point, though, with so many bird MOCs in Bio-Cup, I don't even have to step outside. A large reason for the realism of Daniel's Bananaquit is the perfect color blocking which matches the real thing exactly. On top of that, the bend in the branch it is holding onto imparts a sense of motion, making it seem like a perfectly timed picture.

“Chromatic Pheasant” by Matt Goldberg

As we finish our bird watching trip, this preliminary round we can catch a glimpse of the wonderful Chromatic Pheasant. Although not an accurate color scheme to real life, the build itself really captures the key elements of an actual pheasant. From the large spots around the eyes, the small beak, the puffed out chest, and the feathery tail, Matt nails the Pheasant look while adding his own beautiful colors.

“Regal Ancestor Spirit” by calcifer_project

Something yet again a little bit different than everything else so far, not inspired by a real creature, a sculpture, or a fossil, but a video game. This deer-like animal spirit is inspired by a creature from the popular game, Elden Ring. Calcifer definitely captured the intimidating feel of the original creature through a lifeless skull as the head. The long legs also add to the creepiness of it because they are so unnaturally long for a normal animal.

“Blue-eyed Cicada” by jakes_brick_hoard

As if they weren't terrifying enough being small, now we have large insects preying on more big bugs. Although these don't look that scary up close, they are both quite colorful. Such a shame we don't get to see the rest of the Blue-eyed Cicada. I think Jake really wanted to show off the unique colors of several Bionicle pieces, particularly the metallic green and sparkly gold colors of the many masks on the Cicada’s old exoskeleton. They really mimic the insect iridescent aesthetic, seeing as many bugs have similar bright sparkly colors.

“Predation” by Magmafrost13

“Quetzalcoatlus northropi” by Just Torp.

To finish off all these amazing animals, we have two pterosaurs that have a very fun story behind them. Both were being built at a similar time by separate builders without the other knowing. That is until they shared pictures online seeking constructive criticism. That is when both builders realized how similar their builds were, so it immediately became a competition to out do the other. This really improved the design of each build, and allowed them to produce the best build they could. So much so that now I can't choose which I like more! They are both amazing builds, each with their own unique aspects and stylistic choices.

If Bio-Cup is new to you, check out this article that helps explain it all. Also make sure to check out the Flickr group to see all the builds I wasn't able to feature, and to follow along as the competition progresses. Round 1 has already started, so stay tuned for what these builders and many others have to create!

Have you been following the Bio-Cup? Have you ever been attacked by a fungus? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Do you want to help BrickNerd continue publishing articles like this one? Become a top patron like Charlie Stephens, Marc & Liz Puleo, Paige Mueller, Rob Klingberg from Brickstuff, John & Joshua Hanlon from Beyond the Brick, Megan Lum, and Andy Price to show your support, get early access, exclusive swag and more.