DD "Phantasy Star Online 2" Matoi

So what does winter or spring mean for Volks normally? Or is there no normal? I'm expecting her any week now. Not for me... mine's coming in spring, but I'm excited for pictures.

I’ve been wondering the same. I expected it meant late March or early April, but they said ‘spring 2019’ for Luka, and she’s coming out next week.

The Twinkle Snow Miku outfit was only listed as ‘summer’, and it ended up being August (when I expected June or July) so there doesn’t seem to be a pattern as to how early/late in the season for it is. But I hope to hear something after the Lukas ship on the 16th - I really want to see owner pics of her too.

I’ve been wondering the same. I expected it meant late March or early April, but they said ‘spring 2019’ for Luka, and she’s coming out next week.

The Twinkle Snow Miku outfit was only listed as ‘summer’, and it ended up being August (when I expected June or July) so there doesn’t seem to be a pattern as to how early/late in the season for it is. But I hope to hear something after the Lukas ship on the 16th - I really want to see owner pics of her too.

 

Makes me worry a bit about how much time I have to save for the Nier dolls too, TBH. Well, gues I'll just have to stalk Twitter and the Volks website for Matoi then.

News for "Matui" x3

 

https://ec.volks.co.jp/topics_detail.html?info_id=20

 

I still have to wait a little bit because I ordered through Volks USA, but I am so excited I can't even wait. My birthday is April 1st and I'm crossing every finger hoping she comes around then. I really need to order her a new pair of eyes now

I can't wait to see owner's photos!

Matoi was supposed to start shipping on March 16th according to the Volks Dreamy DD Blog https://ameblo.jp/blog-dd/entry-12446846771.html

Anyone get a shipping notice yet?

1 hour ago, cfx said:

Matoi was supposed to start shipping on March 16th according to the Volks Dreamy DD Blog https://ameblo.jp/blog-dd/entry-12446846771.html

Anyone get a shipping notice yet?

I'd also like to know. Since I ordered mine through USA I have to wait still and it's driving me crazyyyyy. I'm so impatient for her. If anyone sees pictures, or posts on other sites PLEASE post them here

13 minutes ago, littlebirdzoom said:

I'd also like to know. Since I ordered mine through USA I have to wait still and it's driving me crazyyyyy. I'm so impatient for her. If anyone sees pictures, or posts on other sites PLEASE post them here

I was thinking about you but I didn't remember whether you ordered from USA or international.

Volks twitter has shown a few pics including pretty good face closeups:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D1ry3XtUwAAwcuX.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D1ry2LlUkAAITE9.jpg:large

From: https://twitter.com/volks_dd/status/1106463740126330880

I think with different eyes she could look very elegant, like Takane.

 

11 minutes ago, cfx said:

I was thinking about you but I didn't remember whether you ordered from USA or international.

Volks twitter has shown a few pics including pretty good face closeups:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D1ry3XtUwAAwcuX.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D1ry2LlUkAAITE9.jpg:large

From: https://twitter.com/volks_dd/status/1106463740126330880

I think with different eyes she could look very elegant, like Takane.

 

 USA for me! Because I like to torture myself, apparently haha. 

 

Oh my gooosh look at her cheeks *sigh*. I love her so much, that lighting is much better than most of the videos I've seen to get a feel for her IRL. I'm definitely getting her new eyes, the default ones are too big and harsh. They kid of are in the game too, but eh. I like Tony Taka's take on her eyes and a lot of the fanart has this nice berry color. Thank you for the pictures, I cant believe I hadn't seen these yet! 

 

Small chance she might get a new faceup too, just to make her look a little softer. Takane is so... so lovely when she's customized. 100% better

11 minutes ago, littlebirdzoom said:

 USA for me! Because I like to torture myself, apparently haha.

Haha, I remember your wait for the winning email and how it came late where it looked like no one was winning.

Even now she's still available to order on Volks Japan: https://ec.volks.co.jp/category/0105/4518992420493.html

Maybe she will start selling as better pictures become available. Volks official pics for her don't do her justice as is so often the case for them.

I really love her but man this price its so much for me 😕 , i am a fan of PSO i play at the Dreamcast version so many years ago.

Please do share your Matoi when you get her, @littlebirdzoom ! I'm looking forward to seeing photos of her~ ^^ ♥️

I'm really liking Matoi from the photos that I've seen so far. :3 She's got a proper nose and I love it. ♥️ Especially the most recent DD releases all have such tiny, pinched noses that it completely turned me off from the sculpts (such as Kaede) but there's none of that problem with Matoi. The only problem is that I don't know her character and wouldn't have any use for the default set (although it looks cool and kinda reminds me of Xenoblade Chronicles 2's blades, ahah) so we'll see if I can ever acquire her into my collection. ;u; I'd love to try her for a custom project that I've had in mind since the doll I originally planned for that (Takane) is difficult to find for a price that suits my budget, but it's hard to tell yet what Matoi's general aftermarket price will end up being...

Anyway, here are some photos that I've found of her on twitter:

Spoiler

 

Oh cool, the new forum allows embedded posts from twitter. xD I put some of the photos under a spoiler so that my post won't end up a mile long.

52 minutes ago, mizya said:

I'm really liking Matoi from the photos that I've seen so far. :3 She's got a proper nose and I love it. ♥️ Especially the most recent DD releases all have such tiny, pinched noses that it completely turned me off from the sculpts (such as Kaede) but there's none of that problem with Matoi.

Those noses are bothering me too because they contribute to the face just having such large areas that are flat and featureless, and it seems like it's a trend in a lot of recent Volks sculpts.

I think I already said this somewhere early in this thread, but in this picture she reminds me of DD Alisa. Maybe a cross between Alisa and Miku.

 

Edited March 19, 2019 by cfx
Because I'm a moron and can't use wysiwyg editor...

On 3/19/2019 at 6:25 AM, cfx said:

Those noses are bothering me too because they contribute to the face just having such large areas that are flat and featureless, and it seems like it's a trend in a lot of recent Volks sculpts.

I think I already said this somewhere early in this thread, but in this picture she reminds me of DD Alisa. Maybe a cross between Alisa and Miku.

 

 

It's very very funny that you say that. Alisa and Miku are both my two favorite DDs ever and the only two I own at the moment (for now). AOut of all the resin and DDs I own Alisa is probably my favorite doll - I've considered buying multiple of her. So it's no wonder I'm so in love with Matoi. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I can see what you mean. That explains it

 

All of these pictures are making me so impatient! I need to find custom eye makers as it seems my go-to http://ariettaproject.com/ disappeared.

The Arietta Project website still shows up for me, though one of the top banners is about a sale from a year ago which is kind of a red flag to me.

Eyes are a nightmare for me. I can never find what I want and there's all the resin makers in Asia that only sell at doll shows that I can't buy from. I don't like the Arietta Project eyes because of the practically non-existent domes so they don't have the lensing look that is what makes a doll look like a doll to me. And I don't like the overly visible lens edge that's on nearly all acrylic eyes and the acrylic-with-resin-lens eyes some are making now. The only ones I know of that aren't like that are Volks and the Smart Doll eyes since they have the clear cover that covers the entire eye, and the Smart Doll eye designs are ugly to me; I bought several pair and hated those.

Volks USA and international has been out of the majority of 22mm for a long time now, but I noticed last night international has restocked some that I am needing so I'm happy about that at least.

Well, I'm OT but trying to get eyes to make my dolls look like I want them to has been a real nightmare for me.

I am waiting for my Matoi also 😓

2 hours ago, cfx said:

The Arietta Project website still shows up for me, though one of the top banners is about a sale from a year ago which is kind of a red flag to me.

Eyes are a nightmare for me. I can never find what I want and there's all the resin makers in Asia that only sell at doll shows that I can't buy from. I don't like the Arietta Project eyes because of the practically non-existent domes so they don't have the lensing look that is what makes a doll look like a doll to me. And I don't like the overly visible lens edge that's on nearly all acrylic eyes and the acrylic-with-resin-lens eyes some are making now. The only ones I know of that aren't like that are Volks and the Smart Doll eyes since they have the clear cover that covers the entire eye, and the Smart Doll eye designs are ugly to me; I bought several pair and hated those.

Volks USA and international has been out of the majority of 22mm for a long time now, but I noticed last night international has restocked some that I am needing so I'm happy about that at least.

Well, I'm OT but trying to get eyes to make my dolls look like I want them to has been a real nightmare for me.

 

Yeah. While I was writing this, I messaged them on Facebook and they got back to me. So apparently they're still around!

For everything you said - I agree. From the lack of domes, to the lines, to it being a nightmare to find eyes and doll shows. I have a pair of Arietta project eyes in my Miku because I wanted to make her closer to Spring 2014 Miku, my favorite Miku design ever. But her eyes look kind of... flat? Maybe that's the right word. Not much depth. I'm curious to know what some of your favorite eye makers are!

 

2 hours ago, atrika said:

I am waiting for my Matoi also 😓

Yay! Who did you order through?

3 hours ago, littlebirdzoom said:

 

Yeah. While I was writing this, I messaged them on Facebook and they got back to me. So apparently they're still around!

For everything you said - I agree. From the lack of domes, to the lines, to it being a nightmare to find eyes and doll shows. I have a pair of Arietta project eyes in my Miku because I wanted to make her closer to Spring 2014 Miku, my favorite Miku design ever. But her eyes look kind of... flat? Maybe that's the right word. Not much depth. I'm curious to know what some of your favorite eye makers are!

 

Yay! Who did you order through?

Volks USA, along with Kaede. I was surprised that Sailor Mars and Mercury arrived first.

16 hours ago, littlebirdzoom said:

For everything you said - I agree. From the lack of domes, to the lines, to it being a nightmare to find eyes and doll shows. I have a pair of Arietta project eyes in my Miku because I wanted to make her closer to Spring 2014 Miku, my favorite Miku design ever. But her eyes look kind of... flat? Maybe that's the right word. Not much depth. I'm curious to know what some of your favorite eye makers are!

Disclaimer: I can only go by pictures as the only eyes I've seen in person is the ones I've managed to buy, which are just Volks, Smart Doll, and White Dolly Story. Volks I like some styles of but their selection isn't very large, and worse now that they've discontinued so many styles, plus their color selection is so limited. The Smart Doll ones I got I thought I'd like from pictures, but they look dull and lifeless in person somehow combined with the colors being too intense. I think maybe it's the metallic effect is so subdued on them. The WDS I liked the designs on, but I sold all of them except one pair because they are acrylic with the ugly lens edges I was talking about. I only have the one left because no one wanted to buy that one hah though I'm using them now for lack of something better.

I assume they look better than this in person, but in pictures the Arietta Project eyes look so flat they look like eye designs were just printed on shiny paper and the paper placed in the doll head. Besides pictures on this forum, this blog is my reference on Arietta: http://puppy52dolls.com/dollfie-dream/arietta-project-eyes/

The ones I've seen in pictures that look the best to me are:

1. Hisyo-Hisyo: http://chachakulan.blog.fc2.com/ and https://twitter.com/hisyo_eye?lang=en
2. Tortei: http://tortest2.blog.fc2.com/ and https://twitter.com/tortei_kari
3. CP Works: https://www.cp-works.net/ and https://twitter.com/cpw_nTiger

Apparently there are also resin versions of the White Dolly Story eyes also sold only at doll shows. I got the acrylics from Taobao though last I looked that shop was closed too.

I know @Monty has Tortei in some of his dolls. I've heard that even at doll shows those and Hisyo-Hisyo have long lines and sell out very quickly.

The only other Japanese resin makers I know of that will ship overseas are Blue Rose Garden http://apiss.x0.com/bluerose/ and Sharkdolls https://sharkdolls.easy-myshop.jp/ and I'm not too impressed with either of those. Sharkdolls are really expensive and shipping is expensive, and from their closeup pictures they look as flat as Arietta Project, plus I see the edges of paper on some of the irises that aren't trimmed neatly which bugs me nearly as much as the acrylic lenses.

I'm so frustrated with my inability to get appropriate eyes I've decided to sell one head I have, given up on making any further custom DDs, and will only buy a licensed DD if I like the eyes she comes with as I know my chances of finding an appropriate replacement are about 0.00001%.

Edited March 22, 2019 by cfx

Here's some pictures of a repainted Matoi:

 

That repainted Matoi is so lovely!

I also like her default just changing wig and eyes 

Its a very beautiful sculpt 😍

I love her nose. The weird red default eyes aren't very flattering for her. Linked from that twitter I found another Matoi; this one blonde wiht green eyes:

 

Edited April 16, 2019 by cfx

Forgot to post the stunningly gorgeous custom faceup Matoi but of course she would be posted already! She's amazing to say the least. When I saw that faceup it sparked my impatience again and I checked my email and lo and behold.... Volks sent an email out saying we'd have her by the end of the month.

 

And now I'm especially impatient. I got a brand new glass desk with a space to display some figures and dolls and she's got a nice little place waiting for her ^_^

Edited April 17, 2019 by littlebirdzoom

Some more pictures of that repaint:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiZEZGHzzS/

On 4/22/2019 at 4:00 AM, cfx said:

Some more pictures of that repaint:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiZEZGHzzS/

That repaint is amazing<3 I have to second what multipe have already said about her nose, I really love it! I am very excited to see owner pictures of this beauty.

On 4/21/2019 at 10:00 PM, cfx said:

Some more pictures of that repaint:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiZEZGHzzS/

That repaint is gorgeous! I'm looking forward to seeing more customs of this lovely girl.