Haruka & Kanata Smart Dolls - 2017

I think I, at least, thought Kanata was shorter because I confused her height with Chitose's. Ideally she would be something like a DDS compared to Mirai, but there's just no way making three body sizes would be fiscally reasonable given the cost of new molds.

 

I also realized my initial estimate of cost is way off because I forgot that left and right limbs can't be made with the same mold, so the cost will then be something like 14*[cost of one new mold] instead of 8*[cost]. To think I was almost a biology PhD student, and yet I forget such a simple thing as how bilateral symmetry works...

 

If Haruka comes out in November, though, then maybe Danny will pull a surprise and make her on a new shorter body. I would definitely be interested in that.

 

I'm also curious about whether the face molds will be flatter or more like Twilight et al.

Random post here....but does anyone else wonder when Danny is going to release Haruka and Kanata?

 

I have been waiting to hear about Kanata for a while but have not heard anything, yet.

 

I was wondering about it just a few days ago. Maybe it's been shelved on account of the injection mold and Smart Doll Plus stuff.

Kanata was actually the first Smartdoll that I wanted as a doll. But yeah, so far she's still in the basement hiding out...

I forgot about this thread, even though I posted in it ._.;

 

I wonder how they're coming along.

It'll be interesting to see new dolls. I hope they'll have unique expressions. I don't really mind one body size, because I really like 1/3's and, honestly, swappable busts are enough customization to make me happy. I'll be interested in seeing how he'll do a wig with pigtails, eve though that's kinda of a lame thing to be curious about.

I tweeted him to ask if they're still going to be released. I'll let everyone know if he answers.

..... I think modding smart doll legs might be trickier than the obitsu 60cm->48cm mod, since it appears the SmD shin inner frame would need to be trimmed in the middle instead of the bottom(otoh, the outer vinyl can just be trimmed at the bottom so there won't be visible cut lines near the ankles). Obviously it would be best if more official options were available.

 

I've been so tempted to try this, because I did the 60 > 48 Obitsu mod before they came out with the shorter bodies. But you can buy Obitsu parts- so if I screwed it up I could always just replace the parts. As it is, I have recently gotten a new 60 cm body to replace my hacked-up one, but substitute 55 cm (male) calves. It makes her shorter and the calves are shapelier.

 

If Danny offered replacement parts and I could buy an extra set of calves and the internal calf skeleton, I would try it. But I don't want to screw up a $500 doll, so....

 

I wish he would come out with option shorter calves. Her legs are so long, you could take a few cms off without drastically affecting the proportion/aesthetics, and also would only mean developing extra molds for the calves, and shorten those calf skeleton pieces. So it wouldn't be a huge cost in terms of development, as opposed to a whole new, smaller body.

Edited May 27, 2018 by Guest

Nice to see that I am not the only one waiting for Kanata.

Last I heard, Danny was searching for a supplier for her glasses.

Not only especially fot her, but also for all the other Smartdolls as a new accessory.

Turned out this is the hardest part so far.

 

I really wish though he would at least post some progress pictures.

With all those beautiful new girls coming out and me waiting for Kanata since 2016 (at least to see how she would look like, when he tweeted she would come 2016), it's hard to keep waiting.

I wanted her to be my first Smartdoll, but now I am really afraid he may never release her or if,

that he will completly mess up and I won't like her.

She wasn't as popular too, as Mirai or Chitose for example, when her artwork was revealed.

He just released a pic of Haruka on his twitter!

Sadly.....she's on the same body it looks like

Is she a Mirai head, or a different head?

 

I have such trouble telling...

Is she a Mirai head, or a different head?

 

I have such trouble telling...

 

She definitely looks like a Mirai...

I know I sound like a downer and all but this is honestly so anticlimactic for me. People were really looking forward to Haruka in particular for two reasons: a shorter body and pink hair. What does she have? Neither. I know he keeps retconning his characters to look like the dolls instead of making the dolls resemble the characters (I mean, just look at Eiji-Kai vs the original character art...) but this is ridiculous and makes me wonder what the point of making Haruka even was. I had assumed she was getting delayed all this time because of the wait for a smaller body.

And I knew he was going to just use the excuse of them being sisters for having the same head as Mirai but that feels kinda silly when you consider most of the other dolls already have Mirai's head. Does that mean they're all Mirai's sisters too...?

He keeps making all these random girls with no connection to the Mirai Millenium thing so I'm really not sure why those characters are necessary if he isn't going to make them follow the designs....? Why not just make them new characters like the rest, with different names, instead of this retconning?

 

Her faceup is, at least, probably the best one on the Mirai head imo but that's about the only positive thing. That ultra leggy body just...doesn't work for anyone who is meant to look childish though. Its not a kids body at all.

I agree with Torino. I actually can live with Eiji Kai looking different because with an eye placement change and glasses he's... passable as Eiji, just by a bare hair. But for a character doll made by the owner, that is questionable.

 

However, Haruka has been delayed for YEARS. You would think it's because he had something new up his sleeve.

 

Danny Choo has been picking up speed when it comes to face ups, he gave the boys a new upper torso, and has claimed female dolls are his strong suit. So why is it so hard to make something new for one of his 'main' characters'?

 

Even a new head would have been do-able.

I think her eyes might be slightly smaller? Might be...

 

What is most bothersome to me, besides the body that he could literally just make the legs slightly shorter and call it a new size, is the wig. She looks nothing like her characters because her pigtails are too thick + the color is nothing alike XD So what's the point of calling her his character if she looks nothing like his character ???

Is she a Mirai head, or a different head?

 

I have such trouble telling...

I'm not entirely convinced it's the Mirai head - the eyes look smaller and the nose higher up - personally I'd guess it's the Starlight/Sana sculpt. But it might all be because of the angle of the photo. It will probably be easier to tell in future photos of her.

Is she a Mirai head, or a different head?

 

I have such trouble telling...

I'm not entirely convinced it's the Mirai head - the eyes look smaller and the nose higher up - personally I'd guess it's the Starlight/Sana sculpt. But it might all be because of the angle of the photo. It will probably be easier to tell in future photos of her.

 

Starlight/sana have a much wider head. That sculpt is much more square, while the Mirai sculpt is long. Their mouth is also much longer than on the mirai head

I think as Smart Dolls go, she is adorable, I love her. Her face is sweet, and her orange hair is awesome, I would own her in a heartbeat. As far as representing the character she is intended to be, she's a total flop.

Starlight/sana have a much wider head. That sculpt is much more square, while the Mirai sculpt is long. Their mouth is also much longer than on the mirai head

Ah yes, you might be right about that; I don't think I looked at the mouth closely enough to notice the length. I think the perspective has definitely outfoxed me here.

I agree with what everyone else has said: she looks nothing like the original artwork. I know it's his style but it doesn't amuse me how Danny is giving slightly sarcastic comments to anyone asking why her wig isn't pink.

I agree with what everyone else has said: she looks nothing like the original artwork. I know it's his style but it doesn't amuse me how Danny is giving slightly sarcastic comments to anyone asking why her wig isn't pink.

It always grates on me when Danny responds to questions and comments like that. I mean, I get sarcasm and heaven knows I can be a sarcastic little so-and-so sometimes, but it just doesn't seem proper to act like that with customers; often it simply comes off as rude or dismissive. I know Danny probably gets a lot of people just looking to whine or cause problems (it is social media after all), but it seems like even innocent and genuine questions are at risk of the same kind of response.

It really puts me off asking any that I have, just in case he interprets them the wrong way.

Yeah, I saw someone who was very nice in asking why her wig isn't pink, and Danny's comment was something like "Smartdoll is full of surprises, isn't it?" ... like?

Yeah, Haruka not looking like her official artwork plus the rude way Danny is responding to perfectly fine questions/comments is really rubbing me the wrong way. I get that she’s his character and he can do whatever he wants in the end, but surely there are people out there who were looking forward to Haruka and (rightfully) expected her to look the way she had always been portrayed in the past. Granted, I do think she looks very cute, but I’m still disappointed that he would retcon his own characters so easily.. At least he’s finally making glasses. Hopefully Eiji gets a pair. :\

 

I just hope that his comments that she’s on the same body as Chitose could still mean that she could be released on a body with shorter legs if he plans to revamp Chitose. ...will she get a revamp?? I may be grasping at every small hope for a shorter Smart Doll body at this point...

Haven't howard any rumours about Chitose getting a revamp, and Danny has said multipel times, he won't make another body for his characters, it is only if a licens-holder demands it, but who knows he's gone back on what he said multipel times so.

I would think after a little longer, Chitose will get a revamp. That is, if she continues to be popular. I heard speculation that he'd revamp Kizuna but at this point the future for those two is either bleak, or at a stand still. Ah well, when it comes to Danny Choo, always be prepared to be surprised

 

At the end of the day, the few main reasons I was hyped for Haruka to begin with was because she was an original character under the brand, and because of her concept design. She may be his character, but alot of these people are customers that fund his brand, the least he could do if he wants to sell said character, is give a polite explanation to his changes, or just not reply to the comments at all. It should never hurt to ask questions. Some of his responses are pretty degrading to his personality.

 

I just find it disappointing that he isn't willing to go the extra mile for the main work he once promoted. He could make a different head for his new girls, but not for Haruka, who had a name and design from the get go. He had a world that was built and it feels like since the release of Chitose, all that went out the window. It's funny because I don't think I've even seen his new glasses on Eiji. Even Crimson is wearing it in his store. LOL