The Facebook debacle & other issues

Tbh I don’t think it’s more complicated than that Smartdoll is more popular in the USA, so if a seller wants to target people in the USA, they’re going to pick smartdoll.  

Conversely, DD is more popular in Japan, and thus almost all Japan focused sellers design to fit DD.  

Edited June 19, 2022 by abs2891

I appreciate your responses and they all make sense.  I guess there are a lot of first time doll buyers in the US if SmD is truly more popular or it could just be how they are marketed.

@ladyandlion Thank you so much for your kind words. My girls have more than enough clothes as it is now, but what lady does not want pretty new fashions sometimes? 😉🥰

@3lysa thanks for your perspective as a seamstress. I will have to find some of my SD13 fashions from Volks and see how they fit on the SmDs. 
 

@abs2891 I appreciate the information about Japan. I had a feeling it was that way. I need to earn how to use more of the Japanese shopping sites like ..is it Yahoo Japan? I am sure I could find stuff there.

Thanks again everyone. ❤️💕💗🤗😘

52 minutes ago, Misheru said:

I appreciate your responses and they all make sense.  I guess there are a lot of first time doll buyers in the US if SmD is truly more popular or it could just be how they are marketed.

@ladyandlion Thank you so much for your kind words. My girls have more than enough clothes as it is now, but what lady does not want pretty new fashions sometimes? 😉🥰

@3lysa thanks for your perspective as a seamstress. I will have to find some of my SD13 fashions from Volks and see how they fit on the SmDs. 
 

@abs2891 I appreciate the information about Japan. I had a feeling it was that way. I need to earn how to use more of the Japanese shopping sites like ..is it Yahoo Japan? I am sure I could find stuff there.

Thanks again everyone. ❤️💕💗🤗😘

https://booth.pm/en has some Japanese creators on it - just always check when delivery is since a lot is made to order/preorder.  Yahoo Japan Auctions is most known for being the place to buy heads but yes, clothing can show up there though usually for second hand clothes and props I’d recommend mandarake and dollyteria - they both have large amounts of Volks and small shop stuff that is usually in good condition.

 

☆ﾟ* тհɑղƘ վօմ *☆ﾟSO much! I have bought clothing from Mandarake before whenI was also buying a doll. I just forget about them for just clothing.  I will check out the link you gave me and I really appreciate it.

This thread has been active and going on since April 2019, and that is interesting! I think I got shadow banned from the Smart Doll store since I found about what happened and I unfollowed DC's SMD Instagram account by blocking and then unblocking. His likes on my Instagram posts got removed by himself.

Welcome to team wasabi. Here are your 'Hater' and 'Entitled' badges. There's free coffee and doughnuts at the back. 🤣

I have 8mm cabochons, and I must not be tempted to make wasabi badges for Smart Dolls. 🤫

11 hours ago, Katsudon said:

I have 8mm cabochons, and I must not be tempted to make wasabi badges for Smart Dolls. 🤫

See if Iwako erasers have a bowl of wasabi instead? And a large spoon, we know how thick it get's applied most of the time! 

10 hours ago, battrastard said:

we know how thick it get's applied most of the time! 

Mmmmm, wasabi!

New girl teased. I get that she's meant to be for people with skin conditions, but...all I can think of is that pink bacteria scare from a couple years ago. 😅 Maybe some blush on the forehead would help?

Also really not fond of the fact that the introductory doll for this feature is clearly not happy about it. I used to have VICIOUS acne and seeing this would have just made me feel worse about it...Hope that changes before release.

2 hours ago, Oculae said:

New girl teased. I get that she's meant to be for people with skin conditions, but...all I can think of is that pink bacteria scare from a couple years ago. 😅 Maybe some blush on the forehead would help?

Also really not fond of the fact that the introductory doll for this feature is clearly not happy about it. I used to have VICIOUS acne and seeing this would have just made me feel worse about it...Hope that changes before release.

Used to have acne as a teen. I can only speak for myself but I don't want to be reminded of that time. I realize that some people still struggle with it but again, I don't see how this is particularly encouraging. I agree she DOES look miserable. Like...how do you not see that this isn't a good look for her to have such a pained self conscious expression!?

3 hours ago, Oculae said:

all I can think of is that pink bacteria scare from a couple years ago

Same here ^^'

5 hours ago, Oculae said:

New girl teased. I get that she's meant to be for people with skin conditions, but...all I can think of is that pink bacteria scare from a couple years ago. 😅 Maybe some blush on the forehead would help?

Also really not fond of the fact that the introductory doll for this feature is clearly not happy about it. I used to have VICIOUS acne and seeing this would have just made me feel worse about it...Hope that changes before release.

I'm cringing at the thought that at some point he'll run out of biological conditions, and then we're going to see dolls themed on things like domestic violence awareness...

2 hours ago, BeyondTime said:

I'm cringing at the thought that at some point he'll run out of biological conditions, and then we're going to see dolls themed on things like domestic violence awareness...

Don't be giving him any ideas lol. We know he watches this thread 😄

 

This is absolute cringe worthy. My stomach felt heavy just looking at the picture of the new girl without reading that it was acne. I was brutally made fun of for mine I had growing up. I even got told in art class that my self portrait wasn't accurate enough, because I hadn't drawn all the zits over my face. Hell to the no on this.

8 hours ago, Oculae said:

New girl teased. I get that she's meant to be for people with skin conditions, but...all I can think of is that pink bacteria scare from a couple years ago. 😅 Maybe some blush on the forehead would help?

Also really not fond of the fact that the introductory doll for this feature is clearly not happy about it. I used to have VICIOUS acne and seeing this would have just made me feel worse about it...Hope that changes before release.

Really looks like someone took a paintbrush and went splat, splat, splat over it. Y'know, that technique where you knock a brush against something to cause splatters? Or you can do it with a toothbrush and just run your finger over it.

Yeah, I dunno. 😕

Once again it's a doll where the skin condition is just paint. There's no texture, which would be an issue for people with more serious conditions. This, again, goes for birthmarks and scarring too.

Anyway, very diversity! (Unless you're a guy or fat, then you're shit outta luck for representation.) I watched a YouTube essay about positive acne representation in media the other week. If people are interested I'll find it again. Maybe Danny should watch it too, because it's pretty interesting!

Edit: @Eighteafive Urgh, sorry people were shitty in your art class. It's not like portraits need to be completely accurate, especially considering art history! So many of those old portraits of rich dead dudes were painted to make them look better than they were in reality. And besides, it's a self-portrait so you only need to draw what you see!

Edited June 30, 2022 by Katsudon

@Misheru I noticed this too! (@ladyandlion From what Misheru wrote, “the ones who once made items for Dollfie Dreams…”, I assume we are *not* talking about those collectors who knew nothing about vinyl prior to SmD and were introduced to anime dolls through Danny’s marketing, never hearing about other dolls — instead these are the folks who were actively into DD before, including back when Danny himself was.) Totally baffled that many of the ones with bigger followings seem to have totally abandoned collecting, photographing, and sewing for DDs and are all smart doll all the time now.
 

The cynic slash conspiracy theorist in me thinks that it might be them trying to stay on Danny’s good side once he got all hates-acknowledging-DDs-exist, especially the ones who had a financial relationship with Smart Doll due to designing or producing some of the early clothing sets. I can see him pressuring them to do so or responding passive aggressively to their continued engagement with Volks dolls. But maybe there’s just something about SmDs that they decided they liked way better than DDs to the extant of totally abandoning their preexisting collections. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by ebil

4 hours ago, Katsudon said:

I watched a YouTube essay about positive acne representation in media the other week. If people are interested I'll find it again.

I'd be interested in that! 

The doll has such a sad and solemn expression. I think it looks really beautiful actually - I don't think there's many Smartdolls with expressions like these around, are there? That being said, giving her acne and kind of linking this profound sadness with a skin condition is a little.. unfortunate? 🙈

Seriously?  A doll with eczema or bad acne? 

Maybe because I'm a healthy  "young" woman  with all my original parts, but I see all of this, (Smartdoll with skin condition/scars and medical accessories ) like a big marketing.

And why I can't buy an hearing aid or an insulin pump alone just for example   ?  The shipping is expensive?  Is not Danny problem but mine.

 

51 minutes ago, 3lysa said:

I see all of this, (Smartdoll with skin condition/scars and medical accessories ) like a big marketing.

It's cool that he wants to get more dolls out there, that represent different conditions and all. But yeah, he comes of as only wanting a big medal for it... It does not feel genuine, but as a marketing ploy, indeed.

I hate to use the word, but "normalizing" these things is fine. It's good to have some level of representation.

What I don't like is DC has a really weird...let's say "focus" on bodily conditions not to mention a very prominent persecution complex, because often the story that accompanies these dolls is that they're bullied for being or looking different. For me it feels less authentic and more capitalizing...virtue signaling and possibly projection. 

Furthermore, all of these dolls are conventionally sexy (thin, flat stomachs, perky boobs, specific features, etc). Here, he depicts a conventionally attractive doll who has acne yet she's wearing eye makeup? I'm not particularly interested in male Smart Dolls but it is funny how he jumps through hoops to think of all kinds of bodily conditions to represent, yet is too "timid" around creating male dolls which I believe are in high demand. (He seems to like to tease male dolls every other year or so and never sells them.) I mean...if you're going through all the trouble, then...I don't know...create a doll that has body hair, sagging breasts, a shaved head, stretch marks. Oh...because that's not considered part of his aesthetic. Got it. 

While I have my own hang ups about having had acne I realize that no everyone may feel negatively about this doll for that. And that's fine. The acne isn't particularly the turn off. My issue is DC treating it the way he does. It doesn't feel genuine. Also why aren't other doll brands doing this kind of thing, why is he the only one? Something to think about.

I mean, I'm pretty sure there are Barbies with vitiligo/artificial limbs/in wheelchairs/etc.

22 minutes ago, monkeypizzasonic said:

I mean, I'm pretty sure there are Barbies with vitiligo/artificial limbs/in wheelchairs/etc.

True. But Barbie also introduced more body shapes and heights. DC is sticking with the same anime aesthetic. Is he going to create a "curvier/plus size" Smart Doll? Doubt it. And not saying he has to. Just seems like he's picking and choosing.

Can't grab correct quote on mobile... bear with me
Yes other doll companies have varying skin condition & disability options. American Girl, Barbies (yeah yeah, its all MATTEL) etc.....  but the difference is these dolls are available at all times, not hidden behind 20hoops you gotta jump thru and then correctly answer the wizard, cross your fingers and hope your email doesn't look like someone on his nope list

The marketing copy itself also doesn't read like a whiny passive-aggressive nerd. They (the big companies) actually do sound like they would like your little girl (and the toys are age-appropriate here! not fake photoshoots to convince you this expensive thing w/ not enuff replacement parts is for a 10-year-old) to have a doll friend that shares her uniqueness. Be it a wheelchair or a plastic pink hearing aid! Which you are welcome to buy separately whenever you like!!

if the man virtue-signals any harder, he might very well build a literal glowing lighthouse projecting the woke signal

8 minutes ago, Chise said:

Can't grab correct quote on mobile... bear with me
Yes other doll companies have varying skin condition & disability options. American Girl, Barbies (yeah yeah, its all MATTEL) etc.....  but the difference is these dolls are available at all times, not hidden behind 20hoops you gotta jump thru and then correctly answer the wizard, cross your fingers and hope your email doesn't look like someone on his nope list

The marketing copy itself also doesn't read like a whiny passive-aggressive nerd. They (the big companies) actually do sound like they would like your little girl (and the toys are age-appropriate here! not fake photoshoots to convince you this expensive thing w/ not enuff replacement parts is for a 10-year-old) to have a doll friend that shares her uniqueness. Be it a wheelchair or a plastic pink hearing aid! Which you are welcome to buy separately whenever you like!!

if the man virtue-signals any harder, he might very well build a literal glowing lighthouse projecting the woke signal

Considering how he clearly thinks that if you're not able-bodied or strong enough to assemble or disassemble his dolls, he doesn't want you to buy them...can't help but think it's pretty disingenuous.  

4 hours ago, Chise said:

Be it a wheelchair or a plastic pink hearing aid! Which you are welcome to buy separately whenever you like!!

Yeah exactly.

 

6 hours ago, Chise said:

Can't grab correct quote on mobile... bear with me
Yes other doll companies have varying skin condition & disability options. American Girl, Barbies (yeah yeah, its all MATTEL) etc.....  but the difference is these dolls are available at all times, not hidden behind 20hoops you gotta jump thru and then correctly answer the wizard, cross your fingers and hope your email doesn't look like someone on his nope list

 

 

7 hours ago, ladyandlion said:

True. But Barbie also introduced more body shapes and heights. DC is sticking with the same anime aesthetic. Is he going to create a "curvier/plus size" Smart Doll? Doubt it. And not saying he has to. Just seems like he's picking and choosing.

To be fair, different body shapes is more complicated to do in vinyl bjd then in resin or fashionline dolls. Otherwise yeah, I completely agree. I would much rather buy my kids a Barbie or American Girl doll or something like that if they had that kind of condition. Heck, there are probably people out there who will customize those kinds of dolls for you like that, and the whole thing would still cost a fraction of what a normal SmD would.

IDk, maybe he needs to have a fashion-doll size line purely for disabilities/skin conditions/that sort of thing so he can express himself properly, and then he can give those away for free instead...knowing him, they'd probably still be over-engineered and expensive though.

(Also, if he released Survivor as just "hey look at this cool marbled skintone" and not "look at this definitely accurate depiction of a burn victim" it would be a lot less obnoxious. Just make stuff that look cool and you like, you don't have to try and justify everything by making it A Big Important Thing.)