New announcements? SAO and Emilia Dollfie Dreams

The issue with VolksUSA is that they don't get all the same lotteries for DD or SD.

 

The real issue with VolksUSA is they only serve the North American market.

I'd upvote this if I could lol. Everyone always forgets the US isn't the only country besides Japan. It's good that some of us can escape this new annoying decision by using VolksUSA but remember not everyone can

Edit: actually not even all of Japan can escape it, it's only people with access to a Volks store or who are going to Dolpa. Plenty of Japanese people who rely on online ordering will be affected as well. For example the Fu kuoka store is the only one on the entire island of Kyushu. Obviously they escape the exchange rate thing but not the upfront charge and any potential associated fees, while VolksUSA escapes both.

 

If they're using feedback for future lotteries than I suggest we tell them (politely) that this isn't a great move, even if we understand it. I am for measures against flakers but I think a deposit would work better or even some refundable lottery fee. Even if the exchange rate changes, at least a smaller fee wouldn't change too much.

I'm gonna win the lotto for Asuna as soon as I call my bank and make sure my card doesn't lock up.

The issue with VolksUSA is that they don't get all the same lotteries for DD or SD.

 

The real issue with VolksUSA is they only serve the North American market.

 

I don't really think of that as an issue since it locks scalpers from Asia out of the USA lotteries. VolksUSA undoubtedly isn't getting as many dolls, or clothing sets, so if scalpers could do their thing here not nearly as many actual collectors would win.

 

VolksUSA does other things like the outfit collections differently too, and they don't have Dolls Parties every few months. Stuff stays on the storefront longer as well so people here have time to buy stuff. Their business model is tailored to a regional market, and that's an upside not a downside.

 

I don't mean to be unsympathetic to other parts of the world, but the real solution to the regional issue is for Volks to open more stores around the globe, and not for them to have two international stores.

 

What I was really getting at with my comment is we're probably still going to have to use the international lottery from time to time because USA won't be able to offer all same lotteries international does.

 

I just hope this new CC policy discourages scalpers from entering a dozen times. If it ceases to be worth their time they'll go find something else to plunder.

Welp entry is made. I still don't think they will do anything until shortly before drawing for winners. We'll see though.

Welp entry is made. I still don't think they will do anything until shortly before drawing for winners. We'll see though.

 

I also suspect this is the case. Even though they have English speaking staff, things often get lost in translation. We'll find out soon enough! I put in my entry as well.

 

ETA: I just checked my email, and my Paypal receipt says that Volks will have to process my order themselves before the money actually leaves my account, which just furthers my opinion that it is at most a hold, not a full charge, at least for Paypal entries.

Hrm, well, they did put an authorization hold on the card. (deducted from credit line, not billed) I'm not quite sure how long my issuing bank will allow a hold to stay on there without settlement. Not sure how merchants handle holds that might be there for a long time. I've never bothered to look at it when staying in hotels and stuff.

 

Oh well, entered early on purpose, partially just to see what would happen. For science.

Tempted to enter for Kirito but considering that I hardly have time for any of my DDs, I think I might pass.

I'm going to go ahead and pass on this round. As cute as they are, I just don't feel like a have to have them. Good luck to everyone!

I entered the USA lottery for Kirito just now. (My inner finance nazi is yelling at me for even considering this, but eh.) If I do opt for entering International, then I'll wait for the month rollover mark, so I can handle the hold AND paying mortgage without conflict.

It's been days and I still couldn't get over Kirito's face so I just to post it here. Is it just me or he looks kinda squashed? Tell me it's the angle because his face looks so chubby and wide. I thought typical guys head should be longer and narrower than girls because right now Asuna looks thinner than Kirito.

 

Yukamina did a great job photoshopping his face to a better look, so I decided to further edit it by 'correcting' the face ups to make him look more like a man. And came up with this,

 

Honestly, I quite like it! The face up would be possible to achieve this result but we won't be able to change the sculpt of his mouth.

Remember, Volks photos greatly distort the look of the doll.　This isn't just me saying that, it's a pretty widely held opinion that their dolls look way better (and often quite different) in person. Kagamine Rin for example looks so different to me in her official photo shoot. Somehow she looks more mature and her eyes look smaller, but when you see her in real life her eyes are huge and she looks incredibly young. (I vastly prefer how she looks IRL to her official photoshoot though)

So it's possible that he doesn't look so squashed IRL.

 

That's why I wanted to see if I could get photos of him, but unfortunately Fu kuoka only has a standee of him in store as of Saturday. I'll be there again this coming Saturday although I have no idea if they'll get them in - they got Rin and Len in but not SantaAlter/Freyja. Like I said I'll see him at Dolpa and take pics but that's cutting it kinda fine as its the day before the lottery closes. I'll be in Akihabara a few days beforehand and he -might- be at DollPoint there.

EDIT: Looks like the display models are up at DollPoint, not sure how many other stores yet but I remember they never announced the Fu kuoka one online for Rin/Len. http://ameblo.jp/blog-dd/entry-12268581328.html You can see some photos there. I'd keep your eye on twitter/etc cos I imagine a lot of people will be uploading pics of them both there in the coming days.

 

Just droppin' a picture off from the Osaka Showroom blog.

To be honest, he doesn't look like Kirito to me.

Yeah, he doesn't look/feel like Kirito at all. . . however, I do think with a new faceup and eyes he's going to look and feel a hell of a lot like this pork cutlet bowl fatale that enthralls men:

 

 

. . . if Volks later does Yuri!!! On Ice dolls, and Yuuri Katsuki comes out feeling more like Kirito than Yuuri, I'm gonna laugh so hard.

Yeah, this seems like another boy doll that is going to make a smoking hot girl with a new face up and wig.

I don't think the sculpt suits Kirito that much, but I'd love to see him repainted.

I don't care about how much he looks like Kirito because I don't care about Kirito, but in the Osaka photo I honestly don't like that sculpt much at all. His mouth looks too close to his chin and the slight duck face is odd. I'm wondering if it's just the photo/lighting but I guess I'll know when I see him in person.

I really don't care much about Kirito as well, but if this what they're putting out for their first male DD I'm kinda disappointed. Oh well, guess I'll let it slide, it's their "first male" DD after all. Though there might not gonna be another male DD if this doesn't sell well as they expected and now I'm worried.

 

Juu-Yuki's custom Kirito is hella twice more manly. In fact I wouldn't trade her Kirito for anything! Saber Lily is a better man than Kirito himself.

 

Sorry Juu-yuki, just gonna borrow and post your picture here. He's sooo dreamy.

Welp entry is made. I still don't think they will do anything until shortly before drawing for winners. We'll see though.

 

I also suspect this is the case. Even though they have English speaking staff, things often get lost in translation. We'll find out soon enough! I put in my entry as well.

 

ETA: I just checked my email, and my Paypal receipt says that Volks will have to process my order themselves before the money actually leaves my account, which just furthers my opinion that it is at most a hold, not a full charge, at least for Paypal entries.

 

Update on the hold situation, for anyone that hasn't entered that can only enter through International: my payment did post, so the assumption that you are paying in full up front does seem to be the correct one.

 

For shame, Volks. >:c

I'll definitely want less lip color for him. That might make the mouth position more normal looking too. The color makes it look lower... Yeah he's just going to need a whole new faceup. The sculpt looks pretty good for my needs though. Matt isn't the most ultra manly man ever. Although I think it's pretty clear that volks isn't up for making manly men yet.

 

On a side note does anyone else kinda want to see this Kirito as Felix now?

I actually like that Osaka photo better than the promo pics. He looks younger in the photo, which excuses the feminine face a bit. Still, if they were going to be so hesitant at making a male sculpt, they could've at least went with GGO Kirito. I think that could've been more interesting.

On a side note does anyone else kinda want to see this Kirito as Felix now?

 

 

Sorry, couldn't resist. I just might buy a DD Boy if it was Felix. He had some of the cutest outfits in the anime.

Volks withdrew about $700 from my account for the Lotto, I hope they just keep it and give me the girl because this new system is bollocks.

 

Volks...

Hmm. So it seems we still have conflicting reports on the latest payment setup. Using the credit card option, and an actual CC (not debit), Volks executed a temporary authorization on my account. I verified this with my bank.

 

Now, it remains to be seen whether this temp hold will be converted into a charge prior to lottery announcements. Is that what others are saying they've seen? Volks could do that, and then issue a refund later on in case of loss. Will check back with the bank in a few days to find out.

It likely depends on the financial institution's policies.

 

In my case, they are actual posted transactions on my credit card now. I paid with PayPal using my credit card and PayPal emailed me and said they submitted an "order" in the amount of $XYZ to Volks International. I don't believe my financial institution allows holds without posting it to the credit card.

 

Each company and situation will be different.

 

 

Edit ------ and I don't think volks is responsible for this. But I do fault their lottery system business model. Why can't everyone that pays within the order period get a doll? Lottery system is nonsense