I have been on a dolly diet, my friends. In this case, it’s a temporary condition, brought about by saving up for a family vacation this spring. I tell you this to explain the shortage of BJD related blog posts as of late. I’ve been avoiding temptation by steering clear of manufacturer sites and “new release” threads on doll boards. Vacation or not, it’s something that most BJD fanciers have to consider. How do you reconcile this pricey hobby with financial responsibility?

BJDs don’t own the market on costliness. Vintage Barbies, Blythes, you name it, they all have a knack for reaching their little plastic fingers into our wallets. Specific to BJDs however is that they are almost unilaterally expensive. It’s just a question of degree. This can become a problem in itself. If you’ve been drooling over a doll that costs as much as your first car, and then you see one for $150, doesn’t that $150 seem like a wonderfully thrifty choice? Why, you could even buy two! In fact, you SHOULD buy two, right???  No, wait…

One of the most common questions new BJD fans ask is “What’s the cheapest doll?” The short answer is that there isn’t a “cheapest doll”. Besides variables like face-ups, or whether eyes and a wig are included, there’s the fact that none of them are truly “cheap”. Yes, a couple of hundred dollars is more accessible than paying over a thousand, but it’s still a lot of money! Buyer’s remorse isn’t uncommon in a world of unexpected vet bills and overdue rent payments. Here are some things to consider when trying to decide whether or not to splurge.

A common topic of conversation at doll meets relates to a blog entry I made a while back on limited dolls. After the wildfire success of Soom’s monthly dolls, BJD companies have learned that limiteds are a safe bet for sales. Great for manufacturers, but maddening for doll buyers. A new doll shows up online. She (or he) is absolutely gorgeous, crazy expensive, and you have approximately two weeks before the ordering window closes and your chance to own one for yourself is gone. Now is it any wonder so many BJD fans have maxed out credit cards and pantries full of ramen noodles? I’ve had my heart broken a couple of times, but over the years I’ve learned some truths about deciding when to go for it, and when to step back. I’ve surprised myself at how often stepping back leads to realizing that I didn’t want that doll nearly as bad as I thought I did. Short ordering windows depend on the frenzy of the moment. In doll collecting, as in other things, cooler heads prevail

When do you go for it? Well, first and foremost, if you can’t afford the doll, you simply can’t afford the doll. If you know your funds are tight, don’t torture yourself by perusing sale sites and new releases. Yes, you might miss something, but you’ll live. I have, and you will too. You’ll probably find even better dolls later, when you won’t have to stress over how to pay for them. Apart from that, your decision often comes down to buying now for the manufacturer’s price, or waiting for the secondary market. If you’re on the fence considering an expensive limited, one thing to determine is how popular does it seem to be? Read the online forums and message boards. Does the buzz sound like everyone and their cat wants this doll, or do you see a lot of negative or lukewarm comments? Contrary to what you might think, very popular dolls will be easier to get second hand. Tons of people will buy them immediately, giving a high likelihood that many will be resold with the following months or year. If however a doll does not sell well in its initial run – odds are that the only people who buy it are those who truly want that doll. You’ll rarely see these dolls for sale after the manufacturer closes orders. In other words, if you’re like me and tend to fall for the “ugly ducklings”, it’s better to pick them up when you have the chance.

The culture of doll collecting, and BJDs in particular, can lead to some less than wise expenditures. We’ve probably all had a sheepish moment or two (…or three) after sending that payment. A few deep breaths and a realistic budget can go a long way to keeping dolls fun, rather than stressful.

Back on May 1^st, I made a blog post here about the prevalence of limited editions in BJD releases. At least among my local dolly crowd, we all grouse and groan when a cool new doll comes out with a huge price tag and a short ordering window. Recently, Doll Soom stirred up controversy when they decided to rerelease a popular, previously sold-out limited.

Admittedly, I’m late to the party (as usual!) with this discussion. It’s been a busy summer. But the topic still holds interest, and the question at its core can be applied to other kinds of dolls just well as BJDs. Here’s the basic rundown: Popular BJD manufacturer Doll Soom found enormous success over the past few years by releasing at least one new fantasy doll every month. The Soom monthlies are only available through that month. Soom has made a point of saying that once the order period expires, that’s it for that particular doll. This usually causes a near frenzy among buyers when orders open each month, as well as creates a huge demand on the secondary market for past months’ dolls and their fantasy parts.

One of the early monthlies was Beryl, a hooved satyr. To say she was popular doesn’t begin to cover it. Beryl was released in spring of 2008. This past June, despite earlier comments to the contrary, Soom decided to rerelease Beryl. The new Beryl was a different skin tone, and she did not include the removable hoofed leg pieces available with her first incarnation.

A quick read through Soom’s user comments for the rerelease sums up the fan fissure pretty neatly. Posts are divided between those who are ecstatic to have a second shot at their dream doll, and those livid that Soom went back on their word. To be fair, as noted above, she is not exactly the same as the first version, however the head sculpt is identical.

Frustration on the part of first generation Beryl buyers is understandable. Many of them probably lived on macaroni and ramen for a few weeks to make sure they didn’t miss the ordering window in 2008. Others paid nearly double Soom’s asking price from previous owners, thinking that was their only shot at owning the doll. Soom’s supporters underline that the new Beryl isn’t a satyr, and is therefore not the same. One observant critic countered that while that may be true, it’s interesting that Soom released a new hooved monthly, Coquina, in the same skin tone, at the same time as the new Beryl. In other words, if a buyer was willing to shell out for BOTH dolls this past June, one could have a brand new Beryl Satyr with the only difference being skin tone.

A little grumbling I completely understand. Speaking personally, what puzzles me are the number of comments regarding the “value” of a first generation Beryls, and how a rerelease could negatively affect secondary market prices. Monetary value in the BJD world remains a sort of nebulous affair. BJDs in their current form haven’t been around as long as dolls like Barbie, Blythe, or even Jenny and Licca-chan. Given the often staggering manufacturer prices, relatively few people purchase BJDs with the sole intent to keep them as collectors items or turn them over for a profit. Obviously there are exceptions. Volks Dolpa limiteds are scalped in online sales immediately following their events, and I’m sure the Soom dolls may see a measure of this as well. But buying almost any BJD as an investment rather than because you love the doll is risky at least.

For now, Beryl has been the only Soom monthly to see a rerelease. I’m personally rooting for seconds of 2008′s Bix. Then again, I’d want him with the crab claw, so maybe I’m out of luck!

Not content with giving us the most personality-packed little BJD girl there is, Mui-Chan, the folks at Ixtee have created an adorably retro pair of irresistible BJD rabbits, Mika & Pika.

With the fun-loving, imaginative spirit we’ve come to expect from the Ixtee team, they’ve given Mika and Pika an intriguing back story guaranteed to appeal to bunny-loving doll collectors:

In the year of 1968 Easter time, the leading America toy company
called MADDEL Inc. launched a new animal doll series.
It was a revolutionary idea at the time!
Among all these new animal characters, two of them had become the
most – wanted toy in American instantly after they were launched.
They were MIKA (a female rabbit) & PIKA (a male rabbit).
Every children or even toy collector were desperated to get one!

Today, Mika & Pika become an antique toy and are very rare
in the market.
One day, a “Never Remove From Box (NRFB)” Mika
& an “Used” Pika are posted on the most popular online
trading platform, “oDay” ,
they are posted by 2 different sellers.

Coincidentally,
they are bade by a toy collector from Hong Kong on the same day!
What is their destiny?
May the two little old friends meet each other again after a half century of separation?
Are they still the previous Mika & Pika at the time they met each other?
Will they have their dream life ever after?
Mika & Pika story to be continued…..

There is even a mock-up 1968 Easter ad for Mika & Pika. It makes me grin:

There are some similarities with the retro look of some of Toyfield’s designs. Mika & Pika have the advantage on Kuma and friends though, as the BJD body allows a fantastic range of poses. I’m also a sucker for sparkly acrylic eyes and these little guys have ‘em, together with fabulously expressive little funny faces.

There’s no definite release date yet, and no news on exactly how many will be produced. Rumour has it that there will 200 of each. Personally, I will be haunting Siu Ding’s Flickr stream for news.

Japan. The land of the rising sun, and cool dolly stuff galore. BJDs, Licca-chan, Jenny, Pullips… Not to mention a plethora of playsets and meticulously detailed miniatures. What collector hasn’t fantasized about unlimited access to all that great stuff?

Thanks to internet shopping and import stores, getting the goods from Japan is easier today than ever before. Even so, most hobbyists still lust after a bevy of “must-haves” which repeatedly elude capture. What to do? One answer is the use of a shopping service. Read on to learn what this is, and whether using one could fill the holes in your collection.

(more…)

I decided not to do too many posts here about new BJD releases. There are so many dolls and companies that I can’t cover everything fairly. Instead, I’ll post when something particularly noteworthy presents itself. Case in point: the recent announcement of new “chibi” Unoas from Gentaro Araki’s Alchemic Lab.

Manga artist Araki first became a favorite with BJD collectors when he collaborated with Volks to create the Unoss doll. Later, rather than continuing to produce dolls in conjunction with Volks, Araki began his own BJD company, Alchemic Lab. Alchemic Lab makes the hugely popular Unoa dolls. Unoas bring the customization aspect of BJDs to a new level, with multiple interchangeable face-plates, allowing one doll to have several expressions without changing the whole head. Unoas also sport the ability to switch the angle of their eyes with the push of a button.

Details are limited about the new pint-size offerings from AL, but here is what we know thus far: The new dolls are called Roron and Ririn. They are 35cm tall. The first batch to be released will be special, fullset, prototypes, hand-painted by Araki himself. These test dolls will be available for purchase by lottery, only to those who have bought dolls from Alchemic Lab in the past. The price will be 63000 yen. This special pre-sale will most likely take place toward the end of summer, after the next Lusis and Sist pre-order period. Roron and Ririn will later be offered for general sale as kits (like regular Unoa dolls) for 39990 yen.

A teaser photo of Roron and Ririn can be seen on Alchemic Lab’s site. They’re the pair with their backs to the camera (d’oh! f’course!). I have seen more extensive photos of the girls, but unfortunately those images are not mine to repost. I will say that in addition to the new smaller girls, AL is releasing at least eighteen new face-plates. These smaller dolls and the original Unoa will have the same size head, so face-plates can be shared!

I talked to a friend at a local BJD meet a few weeks ago. We’d both placed orders with DollSoom for the February limited Monthly Doll, Teenie Gem Glot. In her lap, my friend cradled a Bambicrony blue elf she purchased last year.

As we bubbled with excitement over our incoming Teenies, and admired the luminous French resin of the blue elf, my friend said: “I don’t know. I’m just getting so tired of everything cool being limited! All the interesting dolls are limited editions. You have to scrape together money on short notice, if you don’t want to pay twice as much on the secondary market.”

Her observation got me thinking about current BJD offerings. I can’t say she’s far off. What’s more, I can’t imagine we’ll see any changes forthcoming in the near future. In this case, what can be maddening to collectors, makes excellent business sense for a doll maker.

Before going on, let me say that there are gorgeous standard dolls out there, from a selection of manufacturers. What my friend noticed however, is that with rare exception, dolls with innovative or unusual molds, fantasy sculpts, or unique face-ups, are almost always limited. What’s more, the ordering windows are not as long as they often used to be. At least, that’s been my observation. In the spring of 2007, I purchased a NotDoll Miriam First. She was a limited edition fullset. I bought her just about a month after she went up for sale. Though NotDoll did eventually stop producing Miriam, it was a good year at least before she was no longer available. I also think of DomaDoll’s Kkotomu and Jado centaurs. They weren’t “forever”, in the sense of a standard doll, but DomaDoll carried them for quite some time. Long enough anyway, that if you wanted to have one, you didn’t have to choose between next month’s car payment, and a new doll.

More often now, one sees dolls with ordering windows of about one month. Either that, or very small editions which sell out in short order. I’ve joked to my husband that buying BJDs often feels like being a contestant on a 1970s game show: You like what’s behind door number one. You can either spend your extra money on door number one, or wait to see what’s behind door number 2. It might be something even better, in which case you’ll be glad you saved your cash. Or, it could be something you’re not interested in at all. By then, door number one is no longer available. I’m going through this at the moment, myself. I love DollZone’s decidedly macabre new minis, Aaron and Lola. They will only be available for the month of May. If I spend money on a Lola, I won’t be able to splurge on whatever tiny Soom puts out for July. Do I put my eggs in DollZone’s basket, or let Lola go in favor of an unknown?

One could argue that it’s only wise for BJD companies to produce limited numbers of “unusual” dolls. After all, the more unusual a doll is, the more of a chance a company takes that doll fans might not appreciate it. That’s a valid view. On the other hand, judging from the mad scramble whenever DollSoom unveils a new monthly, or Volks holds an online after-event for Dolpa limiteds, companies can be more or less assured that certain things sell. Hooved dolls are big. Horns, wings, and techni-color resin have also proven to be crowd pleasers. Still, if more companies offered these fantastical choices as non-limited standards, would sales be the same? As much as I’d like to think otherwise, I’d have to say no. To again refer to an explanation I gave my doll-tolerant husband: People will see a limited doll, and not be sure whether they like it or not. If they have a credit card, or extra money, they’ll order it anyway. That way, they can take their time and decide. If they don’t want the doll after a month, they’ll have no problem reselling it to a hobbyist who missed the ordering deadline. If the doll hadn’t been limited, there’d be no rush, and no frantic scramble to procure funds. Limited BJDs often don’t leave us with much time to think. By the time you realize that you probably don’t need another winged baby satyr, she’s already on her way to your house. Bad for our wallets, but good strategy for small companies trying to survive in this economy. The march of the limiteds will continue, and I’ll keep scouring my house for odds and ends sell on Ebay.

For this third post about BJD thigh modifications, I’m going to share a small mod I made to the existing suwarrico joints on my Volks Yo-SD Hinaichigo.

Broken record alert: One more time, please work in a ventilated area, and wear a mask or respirator to prevent inhalation of resin dust.

Whether suwarrico cuts are included from the manufacturer, or added by a doll’s owner, posing a doll the surwarrico sitting position sometimes takes a little fiddling. It usually takes a second or two to feel that “catch”, when the strings slide from the vertical slot into the horizontal one, allowing the leg to rotate. Depending on the size and smoothness of the cuts, this can be made trickier if the doll is wearing a bulky costume. Last spring, I purchased a Volks Yo-SD Hinaichigo on the secondary market. Modeled after the Rozen Maiden character, Hinaichigo is a BJD of the tooth-achingly cute variety. I’m not usually one to keep full set dolls in the their default costumes, but Hinaichigo just looks so darn right in her pink velvet, and white ruffled ensemble. The only problem I encountered was that the combination of her opaque white tights, and her gathered bloomers, made it difficult to maneuver her legs. Add to this, the fact that her thigh slots and suwarrico cuts were very narrow. The elastic cords in each leg had a habit of getting stuck, side by side, in the slot. This prevented the leg from bending properly, without some gentle wiggling. In simple costumes like short dresses or thin pants, this was no problem. In a more complex outfit, trying to wiggle and adjust each leg every time I wanted her to sit, soon became tedious.

Hinaichigo’s fix was simpler than adding a suwarrico cut from scratch, as I’d done with Maebe, my MSD Hisui. The cuts were already there. They simply needed to be widened. Below is a picture of Hinaichigo’s joints, prior to any work. In the below photo, also note the thickness of the resin surrounding the channel (more clearly seen on the right leg). One of my favorite things about Volks dolls in general is their heavy, thick resin. In this case, that thick resin on the corner of the suwarrico was snagging the cords.

The first thing I did was to use the burr attachment of my rotary tool to follow the walls of the existing slots. Applying gentle pressure to first one side, then the other, I widened the area through which the strings have to travel. After this, I turned my attention to the corner of the suwarrico cut. I first removed the point, creating more of a curved path. I then tilted the rotary tool about 45 degrees, to take off some of the inside thickness of the resin. This part requires some care. You need to take your time, and use caution that you don’t scrape too much of the surrounding plastic. The next photo shows the completed right leg, compared to the left which has not been worked on yet.

Finally, as I didn’t want to have to revisit this project, I took one more measure to insure smooth string movement. I sanded a tiny amount off of the top of the thigh joint. There was originally a sharp corner there, and rounding it slightly helped eliminate one more place where the doll’s strings could get hung up.

This work on her thigh joints has made my Hinaichigo much easier to sit and pose, especially in her default costume!

Thanks for reading, and I hope if you ever have joint issues with one of your resin gang, something here might give you an idea of how to fix the problem!

In my last post, I talked about making a simple modification to a doll’s thigh joint, to prevent them from falling backwards when sitting. This time around, it’s a little different. We’re not fixing a problem, but rather adding another level of poseability. The suwarrico, or “cute sit”. Suwarrico joints are included on many dolls these days, but if a member of your resin gang is feeling left out, adding suwarrico is a simple modification. This can be done on any doll, but tends to work a little better on those with a jointed torso. Note that there is doll nudity ahead!

Once again, I’ll remind you to use care when sanding or drilling your resin doll. Work in a well-ventilated area, and wear a respirator or mask. Your lungs will thank you!

If you’re not sure what suwarrico, or “cute sit”, or “cute sitting” is, it basically means kneeling, with your thighs turned in toward one another, and your lower legs slid out slightly out to either side. On a ball jointed doll, this pose can be achieved in a couple of ways. If you’re taking this on as a do-it-yourself project, making suwarrico cuts into the thigh string slots is by far the simplest option. A suwarrico cut is an extension of the normal string slot, angling it to the outside of the dolls upper thigh. This allows the string to follow course, turning the thighs inward.

On a doll manufactured with suwarrico cuts, they are often done as an arc, or “C” shape. For our suwarrico modification purposes, we’re going to do more of an “L”. It’s an easier cut to make neatly, and works just as well.

The following photos are taken from when I added a suwarrico to my Volks MSD Hisui, Maebe. I apologize that they aren’t the best, but hopefully they get the point across. Like the thigh modification I did to Ari in the previous post, I did not unstring Maebe for this procedure. If you feel fiddly with using an electric rotary tool, or just worried about damaging your doll’s elastic cords, you may wish to unstring them before you work. With this mod in particular, before you unstring the doll, lightly mark an “R” and an “L” in pencil on the doll’s thighs. The leg pieces can look alike once a doll is apart. You don’t want to make a suwarrico cut in the wrong direction, on the wrong leg.

Once you set up your workspace, begin by using a pencil to mark out your cuts. You will be going from the bottom of the thigh string slot, toward the outside of the leg. How far you need to go will depend on the size of the doll. For MSD Maebe, I made cuts which were approximately a centimeter and a half. It doesn’t have to be exact, but you want to go far enough to allow the thigh to rotate about a quarter turn. You also want to make sure that your cuts are wide enough to allow two cords in each leg to slip around, without pinching or sticking.

To begin, I used a drill bit about the width of my intended cut, and placed a hole at the far outside end of the pencil guide. This acts as a “stop cut”, and keeps the edge neat. I then switched to a burr attachment. Inserting the rotary tool into the bottom end of the string slot, I pulled it slowly toward the newly drilled hole, connecting the two. You should now have a neat “L” shape!

Repeat the procedure for the other leg. Once you’re finished, go back with the burr attachment, and smooth that inside corner of the “L”, rounding it off a bit. This allows the strings to slide easily, and prevents them from fraying on the sharp edge. Clean off your excess pencil marks, and try it out!

Now there is another element to suwarrico, which may or may not be worth the effort to you. A stickler will say that in a “true” suwarrico sit, the legs are able to fold closely together, not be merely splayed out to either side. In dolls that have a suwarrico body from the start, this is achieved by sculpting shallow hollows into the backs of the calves, or indenting the backs of the thighs, to allow the calves to nest into them. It’s hard to get this tight a pose through DIY, unless you’re willing to do major modification. However, if your rotary tool includes a small, cylindrical, sanding attachment, you can gently sand a bit of the calf, right below the knee. It won’t be a dramatic improvement, but it does allow a little more of an authenic suwarrico pose.

I hope that helps explain the suwarrico modification!

BJDs are great dolls for those who can’t leave well enough alone. You can change their hair. You can change their eyes. You can wipe face-ups, and redo them, to your heart’s content. Thanks to the forgiving qualities of resin, you can also perform tweaks and fixes to a doll’s poseability. Three of my dolls have had “surgery” on their upper thigh or hip joints. In this post, and the next two, I’ll share these little alterations, in case you’re moved to do the same to one of your crew.

Before getting to it, please remember to use safety when drilling or sanding resin.  Resin dust is a toxic substance.  You don’t want it in your lungs.  Work in a well ventilated area, and always wear a proper respirator or mask to prevent inhaling dust and shavings.

This first modification was done to my Volks Kyotenshi Byakuren, Ariel.  Ari came to me as a pre-owned doll, but he’d mostly been kept in his box, untouched, prior to my bringing him home.  I was thrilled the moment I saw my new guy, but less so when I tried to sit him up on my dresser.  No amount of cajoling would keep him from falling backwards.  I first blamed this on the doll’s one-piece torso.  Both of my previous dolls had jointed torsos, and no problems sitting.  The jointed torso does make some difference here, as it allows you to adjust the doll’s upper body for balance.  Upon examining Ari more closely with another BJD-keeping friend however, we determined that his legs were the problem.  Lucky for me, it was an easy fix.

The string slots at the the top of Ari’s thighs were very short.  The cords could not come far enough forward to allow him to balance in a sitting position.  Using a hand-held, electric, rotary tool, I lengthened each slot by a little less than a third of its total length.  In the photo below, the bracket indicates where I added length.*  I used a burr attachment on the rotary tool to accomplish this, basically sanding through the resin I wanted to remove.  With Ari, I was able to do this easily without unstringing the him.  Ari’s string channels are deep enough that the elastic cords were well below the tip of my rotary tool.  If you do this on a doll with thinner legs, or more shallow channels, you will need to use extra caution (or unstring the doll, just to be safe).  It’s also a good idea to lightly roll over the edges of your cuts with the rotary tool, once you’re done.  Doing so will sand away rough spots or sharp places which could wear on the elastic.

After making this small change to both legs, I tested to see if the modification had worked, and huzzah!  He sits like a champ!  A champ who likes to sit!

It’s worth mentioning that if you have a doll with a sitting problem like Ari’s, but you’re squeamish about taking a drill to your baby, loosening the string tension is a less invasive possible answer.  Less tension can achieve the same effect, as a more loosely strung doll won’t have such a tendency to snap backwards.  My personal preference is to keep my dolls rather tight, as it makes them easier to stand and pose overall.

*Just as an added note, to those who may wonder why Ari isn’t “correct”, as evident in the photo of his nether regions, it’s because he a Volks Tenshi, or “angel”.  Volks follows the mythological convention that angels are completely without gender (ala Kevin Smith’s “Dogma” lol), therefore, unlike most BJDs, none of the Volks angels have anatomically correct bodies.

Korean manufacturer DollSoom yet again strikes fear into the wallets of BJD enthusiasts with their newest monthly doll. Only teaser images have been released thus far. Full body photos, along with specs and price, should be along within the week.

The monthly doll for March is called Cuprit: Black Frost.  Based purely on teaser photo speculation, Cuprit appears to be a dark, female companion to last December’s MD, Heliot.  Cuprit is also expected to be part of Soom’s Super Gem line, which would put her size at approximately 65cm tall.

The monthly doll releases have proven to be wildly popular, despite the hefty price tag.  Super Gem monthlies start at around $790USD.  With costume, accessories, face-up, wig, etc, a fullset generally works out closer to $1200-$1300.  Each monthly doll is a limited edition.  Once the ordering period closes, they are no longer available through Soom.  Buyers who missed out must search the secondary market.  Soom monthly enthusiasts will tell you that these dolls are well worth the trouble, from the imaginative, fantasy sculpts, to the painstakingly constructed garments.  Soom also provides a layaway plan with monthly installments, for those who fall in love, but can’t manage one lump sum.

More details as they become available.  In the meantime, Soom fanciers keep vigil on www.dollsoom.com where comment boards, and photos of past monthlies, will help pass the time until Cuprit goes on sale.