I’m not sure which I find more frustrating, the glut of Gold and Silver KANOHI that were stuffed into the original KRANA packs (I think I managed to complete at least a dozen complete gold/silver sets), or the utter scarcity of the PROTODERMIC KANOHI NUVA that can (occassionally) be found in the new KRANA-KAL packs. In 36 packs I was lucky enough to find eleven total, but only four of the different shapes.

The actual PKN look great, especially when compared to the slightly green-tinged Silver KANOHI. They’re a bit darker than aluminum, but they almost look like they were really die-cast in metal. It’s a bit curious that they look so cool, and are so highly desired…and yet they’re actually the weakest MASKS in the entire line. Some people have questioned my decision to refer to them as PROTODERMIC instead of “depleted”, but my reasoning is that all of the TOAS’ new toys were formed from PROTODERMIS, including the KANOHI NUVA. As they lose control of their elemental powers, their MASKS appear to revert back to their natural state, which should be raw PROTODERMIS. Granted, they are a slightly lighter shade than the PROTODERMIC weapons and armor, but they’re also made from a different type of plastic, and color-matching between plastics is not always perfect.

Also leaning towards the metallic are the new KRANA-KAL. Using the same shapes as the original KRANA, they still manage to put a new spin (or two) on an old design. Using a range of metallic colors, they just seem more powerful looking than the brighly colored, uniformly shaded basic KRANA, but the color matching seems a bit mixed up. It’s understandable why the original KRANA colors didn’t match the primary colors of the associated BOHROK, since they were matched to the eye-color, which in turn had to contrast with the rest of the color schemes. However, the KRANA-KAL are securely hidden from sight when worn by a BOHROK-KAL, thanks to their PROTODERMIC faceplates, and the six colors chosen for the KRANA-KAL can be matched up nicely with the colors fo the BOHROK…except that they weren’t. At least, some of them weren’t.

KOHROK-KAL has the pale Pearl KRANA-KAL, which appears silvery-white. LEHVAK-KAL carries the Metallic Green KRANA-KAL (I prefer to think of it as Jade Green) and GAHLOK-KAL comes with the Steel Blue KRANA-KAL. However, instead of the brownish ones, PAHRAK-KAL gets the dark Iron Grey KRANA-KAL. NUHVOK-KAL, who would match perfectly with a blackish-grey instead comes with the Copper KRANA-KAL. And rather than the fiery orange ones, TAHNOK-KAL rounds out the group with the dull earthy Bronze KRANA-KAL. Not only do the sets ship that way, but all of the various images show the earthly three being arranged this way. Well, all of them except one. If you check the BOHROK-KAL mini-comic, you will find that they’re shifted to match the color schemes of the associated BOHROK-KAL.

Other than the color mix-up (which is really easy to fix, since all you have to do is swap them), my one big complaint is that it looks like it will be nearly impossible to outfit all six BOHROK-KAL with silver-colored KRANA-KAL, since the actual metal XA are limited to slightly over 5000 total, and even if less-costly silver-colored rubber KRANA are produced, it would seem a bit silly to add them into the upcoming KRAATA packs after the BOHROK-KAL have been vanquished. Most kids, I fear, will be left having to pretend that the Pearl XA are actually silver.