Yukamina Posted June 23, 2018 Is that the same sculpt as the Lana Torabishi one? I was looking at them side by side and I'm like 80% sure it's the same. Who's that now? My Etsy Shop ~~~ My DeviantArt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Astraea Posted June 23, 2018 Who's that now? She was apparently a one-off to promote "Lavender Quartz". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yukamina Posted June 24, 2018 Who's that now? She was apparently a one-off to promote "Lavender Quartz". Oh! I never saw her before. She does look like the same sculpt as Mika. My Etsy Shop ~~~ My DeviantArt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gunter Posted June 24, 2018 (edited) In case no one saw this. Some more pictures of Mika. That side view....yeah I'll skip that. Edited June 24, 2018 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cfx Posted June 24, 2018 I case no one saw this. Some more pictures of Mika. That side view....yeah I'll skip that. The 3/4 one too imo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Serisu Posted June 24, 2018 Oh wow... so flat.. Home;; Akira , DDH01 boy - Finn, Lelouch SMD, Cherry SMD Layaway;; Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cfx Posted June 24, 2018 Danny's been retweeting pictures of Mika; here's a couple more with different angles: A number on this account: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sniiksnak Posted June 24, 2018 (edited) -Redacted- Edited June 25, 2018 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
belpita Posted June 24, 2018 May I ask what the flatness people keep mentioning in regards to Smart Dolls is? I don't see it myself, but maybe I'm misunderstanding the use of the word. (I understand it as meaning the head shape is flat.) As a side note, it makes me a little sad to see snarky comments on almost all of Smart Doll's new releases. I respect that everyone doesn't like the design of these dolls, but this part of the forum is here for (presumably) those who do like them. So, maybe not comment if you have nothing nice to say? Or phrase it in a less derogatory way? It often feels like anyone who owns or likes Smart Dolls is considered a lesser collector. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eiko82 Posted June 24, 2018 It's cool to see photos of Mika from different angles. It confirms to me that I'm not wrong in saying she reminds me of the Twilight/Kurenai sculpt. Mika's nose is less pointy/pronounced than Kurenai's. This is the quick pic I took a while ago of my Kurenai in profile with a Lavender photo. Assuming Mika is the same sculpt as Lavender, her nose is shorter than Kurenai's. I still think that she is a very cute sculpt. I'd almost be tempted to order her, wipe her faceup and give her a similar look to Lavender. Why can't I have infinite amount of money and space? Living at my place: Rise (DD Rise Kujikawa), Chie (Smart Doll Mirai) and Aisha (Smart Doll Kurenai) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bellatrix Posted June 24, 2018 It's cool to see photos of Mika from different angles. It confirms to me that I'm not wrong in saying she reminds me of the Twilight/Kurenai sculpt. Mika's nose is less pointy/pronounced than Kurenai's. This is the quick pic I took a while ago of my Kurenai in profile with a Lavender photo. Assuming Mika is the same sculpt as Lavender, her nose is shorter than Kurenai's. I still think that she is a very cute sculpt. I'd almost be tempted to order her, wipe her faceup and give her a similar look to Lavender. Why can't I have infinite amount of money and space? Kurenai is the onlt SmD that has a real 3D feeling to me, I can clearly see the lips and the cheeks, and this is what I like best in a doll ^^ Very pretty, btw. Lucky you! May I ask what the flatness people keep mentioning in regards to Smart Dolls is? I don't see it myself, but maybe I'm misunderstanding the use of the word. (I understand it as meaning the head shape is flat.) As a side note, it makes me a little sad to see snarky comments on almost all of Smart Doll's new releases. I respect that everyone doesn't like the design of these dolls, but this part of the forum is here for (presumably) those who do like them. So, maybe not comment if you have nothing nice to say? Or phrase it in a less derogatory way? It often feels like anyone who owns or likes Smart Dolls is considered a lesser collector. The best explanation that I could give you, is what I told Talolili a while back, while we were having a chat about SmD. I like the fact that DD profiles have way more curves and 3Dness, their cheeks are rounded and almost fluffy. The noses and lips are protruding, while SmD (in most models) look quite flat, almost more 2D than 3D - please check attached pic. That is the only thing I could say, based on my own experience (Kurenai is very 3D, please note what I mean on Mirai's sculpt) ✩ 𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓶 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔁 ✩ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
belpita Posted June 24, 2018 The best explanation that I could give you, is what I told Talolili a while back, while we were having a chat about SmD. I like the fact that DD profiles have way more curves and 3Dness, their cheeks are rounded and almost fluffy. The noses and lips are protruding, while SmD (in most models) look quite flat, almost more 2D than 3D - please check attached pic. That is the only thing I could say, based on my own experience (Kurenai is very 3D, please note what I mean on Mirai's sculpt) I see. Yes, I suppose at least the Mirai sculpt can be considered more flat. But I didn't really think this new Mika one is, since it's quite similar to the Twilight sculpts. Going back to my other comment (which isn't related to your reply!): whether a collector prefers this or that facial feature is so individual, I don't quite understand all this "Smart Dolls are so flat, let me ridicule them" jibe going on in this forum. And obviously, even within the Smart Doll family there are differences. It will definitely be interesting to see how the newer Trinity sculpt looks in profile. I actually forgot to take a closer look when I saw her at Dokomi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shailara Posted June 24, 2018 Well, I think anyone can express their opinion, as long as it's at least put in a nice way (f.e. Sniiksnak's comment seems really rude to me too). I'll admit I also find her face a bit too flat and 2D seeing her from different photos... I still like her quite a bit, although I doubt I'll be willing to cash out the money that she's going to cost. I might try to save up for her, so if there's anyone who would like to split everything -but- the doll and eyes, let me know (\_/) ( ' .' ) ( uu) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yukamina Posted June 24, 2018 I see. Yes, I suppose at least the Mirai sculpt can be considered more flat. But I didn't really think this new Mika one is, since it's quite similar to the Twilight sculpts. Going back to my other comment (which isn't related to your reply!): whether a collector prefers this or that facial feature is so individual, I don't quite understand all this "Smart Dolls are so flat, let me ridicule them" jibe going on in this forum. And obviously, even within the Smart Doll family there are differences. It will definitely be interesting to see how the newer Trinity sculpt looks in profile. I actually forgot to take a closer look when I saw her at Dokomi. I think we're mostly disappointed because we want the sculpts to be good, but then they look weird (to us) from any angle that's not straight on. I like how Mika looks from the front but that's it I wouldn't called Mika flat, but to me she looks weird. If you enjoy them, that's fine, more for you. My Etsy Shop ~~~ My DeviantArt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youpla Posted June 24, 2018 Yes same.. I was interested by the front picture, but the 3/4 looks really weird to me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cfx Posted June 24, 2018 I agree with what Yukamina and Youpla said. I didn't intend anything I said to be a put-down (and mentioned somewhere earlier maybe I'm just bitching) but will be more mindful of how I say things. The flatter design is very possibly intentional of course. Like everyone else Danny has his own preferences, and some PVC figures are designed the same way; figma certainly are. As Bellatrix' pictures show, even Kurenai has much less "3D-ness" from the tip of the nose to the chin which is almost a straight line on both Smart Dolls, compared to the picture of DD Sheryl. Mika is this same way and it's what stuck out to me in these pictures. Turning 2D anime art into 3D objects certainly leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and this particular thing is often an issue in anime itself with heads looking like they change shape in views where the camera pans around a face. Personally I've found it an important thing to me; I bought PVC figures long before entering this hobby and I tend to dislike ones of those with this look as well. Mika looks a little cross-eyed to me given how the eyes are placed completely towards the center (this is also Danny's thing and that's fine). In this case though, I think that is also contributing to why I find the 3/4 views to look odd and I might find that improved with different eye placement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monty Posted June 24, 2018 I think the other angles are pretty bad but tbh I didn’t like the angle from the front either. I did at first, but the more I looked at her the more off she looked to me. Her faceup is kinda weird too in a way I can’t quite put my finger on. And her hair isn’t pink, because I’m just going to at this point assume Danny’s allergic to pink or something. I kinda hope Volks does her as well because even though I know nothing about the character she has a lot of potential to be a unique sculpt, and tbh I feel a bit bad for Im@s fans who want to collect the set because even if she did look really good, imo smartdolls just look too weird next to DDs so she wouldn’t look like part of the set in the same way that Azone’s Fate dolls wouldn’t look right next to the Fate DDs (although that’s a bit more extreme since they’re 10cm shorter) @belpita people complain when they don’t like how DDs look too though, even ones where the majority likes the look you still get a few people complaining. I get where you’re coming from but the people who are most disappointed are the people who most wanted her to look good. I still think she’s one of the ‘better’ smartdoll sculpts but tbh that isn’t saying much given that the only one of particularly call ‘good’ at this rate is Nami. If fans of the character like how she looks then that’s all that matters, but from the POV of me who doesn’t know idolm@ster from a hole in the ground for the most part she doesn’t really look like the character to me, and I was really surprised to see anyone say she was better looking than kaede (...as well as wondering why it was a contest when they aren’t the same character) *twitter*instagram*art* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BeyondTime Posted June 24, 2018 The flatter design is very possibly intentional of course. Like everyone else Danny has his own preferences, and some PVC figures are designed the same way; figma certainly are. In the end you have an sculpture artist taking a 2D design from anime / manga /games (ok sorta 3d) and giving it real depth. That's going to be interpretive by it's very nature. I think the other angles are pretty bad but tbh I didn’t like the angle from the front either. I did at first, but the more I looked at her the more off she looked to me. I do prefer the Volks scupts for certain. I looked at Smartdoll awhile ago, and gave them a pass because I just didn't like some of his design choices. I think his clothing is pretty hip and stylish though. Kaede looks good, but there is something off about her eyes. I want to see some actual photos of her from the stores though before I really judge her. I'm sure I'm getting her though. With Mika I just wonder if Volks will make her at all now. I was really hoping they would create her along with her little sister Rika. I seriously question some of Volks own design decisions too at times. The difference between Dollfie Dreams and Heroin? Heroin is illegal, Dollfie Dreams probably should be. “Empty wallets, full hearts.” That’s probably an apt description for the effects of DD addiction Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sniiksnak Posted June 25, 2018 (edited) I’m sorry. UwU Edited June 25, 2018 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cfx Posted June 25, 2018 Danny's retweeting various pictures people have taken of Mika at his store. Here's a few that show some more angles: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bellatrix Posted June 25, 2018 I think her hair colour is pretty good... from a quick Google search, they look a peachy pink, not a piggy pink. Danny probably wanted to avoid the cheap-looking plastic pink, as well. ✩ 𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓶 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔁 ✩ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
belpita Posted June 26, 2018 I had never heard of Idolmaster before this either, even though I'm a big Hatsune fan (so I should know about other similar music games!. If we want to compare dolls, I would say neither Hatsune nor Megurine bare a lot of similarity to their respective original. So I try to just look at the dolls as they are and see if that appeals to me. Maybe it's because I collected resin bjds before vinyls, but I always try to see beyond the presented design to find what I can do with it myself just by changing eyes and hair. I definitely respect that every collector has their own personal preference. Obviously, I do too. It's just the general tone in this part of the forum that surprises me sometimes. I don't really hang out in any other parts, so I can't say if that's how people express themselves here all the time. I know (from having collected dolls for more than 10 years) that some forums have unwritten rules of what is considered "superior design", and obviously this one is mainly for DDs, so I suppose comparisons are to be expected. But my personal opinion is that DDs and Smart Dolls aren't really the same genre. DDs seem to go for either fantasy or anime character likeness, while Smart Dolls are meant to be fashion dolls. But again, as collectors we dress and style our dolls to our own liking once they're home, so the original designer's intent might then be lost. In any case, while I do prefer Smart Dolls on the whole, I can't say that Mika appeals to me all that much. My main objection would be the mouth, but that's mostly because I don't like open-mouthed or smiling designs. I prefer as neutral an expression as possible. Her outfit looks great, but I never dress my dolls in school uniforms. Her hair is fun, but I would probably mess up that ponytail or find it limiting (she can't wear a hat, for example). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cfx Posted June 26, 2018 If we want to compare dolls, I would say neither Hatsune nor Megurine bare a lot of similarity to their respective original. Haha, if you read Luka's thread here and various discussions of Miku, you'd see I've made the same complaints about those two dolls, to the point I'm in the process of making customs. But my personal opinion is that DDs and Smart Dolls aren't really the same genre. DDs seem to go for either fantasy or anime character likeness, while Smart Dolls are meant to be fashion dolls. But again, as collectors we dress and style our dolls to our own liking once they're home, so the original designer's intent might then be lost. That's true, Danny has generally positioned Smart Dolls as fashion dolls. But when he does a licensed doll like Mika, he's going to for the same anime/game/otaku audience as Volks whether he admits that or not. Really, Mika is kind of a special case. Volks has made, so far, fourteen Idolmaster girls (if I count right, and that doesn't include the just-revealed Kaede or upcoming soon Nanao), and eight of those existing ones are in the same Cinderella Girls subset as Mika. So some fans are understandably upset that Mika isn't going to really fit in with the rest of the set, if they've collected more or all of them. Danny and Volks have different styles, and that's a good thing (more choice is good) but in this case it's a negative for some fans. All said, Danny certainly didn't do a bad job on her. Recently I stumbled onto this custom DD Mika someone made: or with a grinning mouth: My opinion is that looks more like her and I like it better, but it's also not really hugely different than what Danny did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sniiksnak Posted June 26, 2018 I definitely respect that every collector has their own personal preference. Obviously, I do too. It's just the general tone in this part of the forum that surprises me sometimes. I don't really hang out in any other parts, so I can't say if that's how people express themselves here all the time. I know (from having collected dolls for more than 10 years) that some forums have unwritten rules of what is considered "superior design", and obviously this one is mainly for DDs, so I suppose comparisons are to be expected. Nah, I’m just problematic. Sometimes I get sassy and need to be stopped. Just come like slap me on the hand. Personally I think smartdolls are just as good as DDs. They’re design is just different. Each has their pros and cons. It’s all up to preference. Neither is superior over the other. I was just executing a poor attempt at humor. :> Smartdolls are lovely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
McKennachu Posted July 4, 2018 I'm actually super excited for Mika. I'm hoping preorders don't start for a while longer since I'd also like to try to save up for a DD Emilia and the Canadian dollar is AWFUL right now LOL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites