TAHU NUVA, GALI NUVA, and ONUA NUVA are now available as Colgate ^® toothbrushes. I found these three still sealed in a well-labelled shipping box of six at my local Wal-Mart. Each cost $5.94. MoD reader Mike reports a similar price at his Wal-Mart.

You would think a box of six TOA NUVA would include one of each, but this box doubled-up on the above and therefore lacked LEWA NUVA, POHATU NUVA, and KOPAKA NUVA. Since the E3 Promo image only displayed the former trio, it remains to be seen whether the latter three will eventually be available.

Update: LEWA NUVA, POHATU NUVA, and KOPAKA NUVA toothbrushes will be released in Spring 2004.

The toothbrushes use standard masks on a modified Toa-head, molded in the color of each Toa’s eyes. The head can snap on the front of the toothbrush to protect the bristles or on the back for storage. I don’t recommend trying to brush your teeth with the head in either position. Here is a picture of the GALI NUVA toothbrush fully assembled.

There are two buttons. The BIONICLE™ double-B “Unity, Duty, Destiny” logo is the “On” button on top and the lower button turns the rotating bristles off. There are stationary bristles immediately below the rotating bristles.

The toothbrush itself is a bit hefty, due to the two AA Energizer ^® alkaline batteries. Since the batteries are already installed inside the package, collectors will be forced to either open the package and remove the batteries or run the risk of having the batteries eventually corrode the toothbrush.

A nice touch, the toothbrush can stand freely when not in use or be laid down horizontally on its back when applying toothpaste to the bristles. The bristles are “X-Soft” and the package is marked “AGES 4+” due to the heft, the size of the bristle head, and the complexity of operating the toothbrush. Unfortunately the bristle head is not replaceable, so feel free to take out those batteries after three months when the bristles have worn out.

My toothbrushes have “Search for the Seventh Toa” stickers on the package promoting the contest, one of which proclaims “This version of the Sweepstakes ends 11/21/03.” (“BIONICLE™” and “Colgate ^® ” are both stickers too. There is no actual printing on the clear package.) Judging by the prizes and the PO Box, the toothbrushes belong to the BIONICLE™-side of the contest rather than the Scholastic-side. There was an insert with a map, decoder, clue, and SST entry form included inside.

Instructions, if you need them, are included on the inside of the paper backing.