Bionicle is a line of building toys created by the Lego Group that is marketed towards those in the 7-16 year old range. The line was launched in December 30, 2000 in Europe and June/July 2001 in the United States.

The Bionicle idea originated from Lego Group's earlier themes Slizers/Throwbots and Lego RoboRiders. Both of these lines had similar throwing disks and characters based on classical elements.

"Bionicle" is a portmanteau constructed from the English words "biological" and "chronicle" (not "biomechanical" or "Bionic-" as in the common belief). Official Greg Discussion p. 198 on BZPower forums, post #5922

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In the fictional universe of LEGO BIONICLE, multiple species, races, and other groups exist. Some are good, some are pure evil, and some just work for whoever pays the most. This list of groups''' covers every race, species, and group within the universe; it also covers individuals that do not neatly fit into any group. They are sorted by alignment.

Bionicle Chronicles is the first book series set in the Lego Bionicle universe. Although it was published in 2003, it summarizes events that occurred in the first story arc that began in 2001. When the second story arc began in 2004, the Chronicles series was replaced with the Bionicle Adventures series. However, as Adventures is almost exclusively told in flashbacks; the events following those in Chronicles are told in the third book series, Bionicle Legends.

Bionicle Chronicles tells of the adventures of the Toa Mata (who later become the Toa Nuva) on the island of Mata Nui. Their mission is to awaken the universe's sleeping guardian, the Great Spirit Mata Nui, but first they must free the island from the grip of the evil Makuta.

Bionicle Adventures is the second book series based in the Bionicle universe. It covers the events that occurred in the storyline's 2004-2005 story arc. It is preceded by the Bionicle Chronicles series and followed by the Bionicle Legends series; though as Adventures is almost exclusively told in flashbacks, it takes place a thousand years before either one.

After Makuta's defeat at the end of Bionicle Chronicles, the Turaga elders are telling the tale of how the Great Spirit Mata Nui entered his endless sleep.

Bionicle Legends is the third book series based in the Bionicle universe. It is currently ongoing, and covers the events that are occurring in the storyline's 2006-2008 story arc. It follows the Bionicle Adventures series; but as Adventures is almost exclusively told in flashbacks, the events preceding those in Legends are told in the first book series, Bionicle Chronicles.

In Bionicle Legends, the Great Spirit Mata Nui is dying, and the universe will die with him if nothing is done. A new group of Toa must find the Mask of Life that can save him before it is too late, but other more sinister groups also want such a powerful mask.

The 2006 arc of Legends was adapted into the Bionicle Heroes video game, but the game is non-canon and has many inconsistencies with the actual storyline.