Hello, nice to meet everyone!

Hello! I'm a longtime Vocaloid fan (10+ years!) and have slowly gained interest in these dolls to the point of saving up to get one. The past year I've been on the lookout for the Kagamine Rin DDS for a reasonable price, though I fear I may be too late due to how hard it is to now obtain her. (I tried for her during Volks USA's November 2019 event sale, but she was out of stock within the first 7 minutes! 💔 ) I have otherwise been considering making a custom IA doll and have been trying to research how to go about that.

Besides Vocaloid, I also like Idolmaster and find Yukiho's dollfie absolutely precious! I do some sewing as well and am very eager to attempt making doll clothes.

I came across this forum while looking up information on dollfies and thought I should give joining a try. It's nice to meet everyone!

Welcome!

Hello there!

Definitely consider the custom doll route. It took me some thinking to do, but finally got around to sewing. 

If you're not focused on making your doll look exactly like one of the vocaloids, but close enough, it'll be much easier to start. You'll get better the more you plan/make!

 

Edited May 13, 2020 by RobotDollOmega
Autocorrect...

welcome! 

I also love Vocaloid~! The first Dollfie I ever wanted was Hatsune Miku but instead I made my own girl. 

One day I'll have a Miku

 also im dying to get Len 

4 hours ago, RobotDollOmega said:

Hello there!

Definitely consider the custom doll route. It took me some thinking to do, but finally got around to sewing. 

If you're not focused on making your doll look exactly like one of the vocaloids, but close enough, it'll be much easier to start. You'll get better the more you plan/make!

I have been thinking about the custom for a long time and will probably take advantage of the Doll Character Concept sub-forum at a later date for thoughts and suggestions. Some standard Dollfies/Smart Dolls already look very similar to the girl I'd like to make, however I plan to change out the wig and am worried about the eyebrow color being noticeably different. I understand repainting is an option, but the idea of touching anything on the face is very intimidating! >_<

 

2 hours ago, Chiakisenpai said:

welcome! 

I also love Vocaloid~! The first Dollfie I ever wanted was Hatsune Miku but instead I made my own girl. 

One day I'll have a Miku

 also im dying to get Len 

Good luck!! I hope you can get them! I'm hoping there will be another period where all the Vocaloid dollfies are available again... or maybe some new ones could be introduced? The Kagamine dolls seem very popular and I wish there could be alternate versions like Sakura/Snow Miku made just so they'd be easier to get. Of course I'm not holding my breath since that treatment is usually reserved for Miku, but I wouldn't be too picky about which Rin to get just as long as I could get one of her!

2 hours ago, MagicalRinchan said:

Some standard Dollfies/Smart Dolls already look very similar to the girl I'd like to make, however I plan to change out the wig and am worried about the eyebrow color being noticeably different.

While that is an issue to keep in mind, these often do not match on dolls as supplied by Volks. Some color combinations would stand out and clash of course, but it's very common for Volks to use colors that are different than the wig color. Characters with blonde hair very seldom have the eyebrows painted that light as they'd be practically invisible. Volks also often uses grays for eyebrows for really any color of hair.

Welcome here!! 

I also love Vocaloid since 5 years, but i had a lot of on and offs with it. I'm more or less active again when they offically started to call them Cryptonloids. It really makes me happy to see how many Fans are gaining interest in the hobby and seriously start praticipating in it. Have fun saving up! Same though, Rin is so cutee, I have my Eyes on both Kagamine Twins though, i'm not picky 👀 I guess that makes us kinda riveals though?  A custom IA would be interesting though,.

11 hours ago, MagicalRinchan said:

am worried about the eyebrow color being noticeably different. I understand repainting is an option, but the idea of touching anything on the face is very intimidating!

I feel your pain, but dont forget that Face up Services exists! Sure, depending on your Budget and how much time you wanna spend into it, it can get a little tricky, but in my opinion finding a blank Head that fits and sending it to someone is the greatest start. 

Not gonna lie though, I'm still hoping for a Gumi DDS. or even our little Samurai Gakupo 👀 . I'm probably gonna customize a Gumi though, when im finished with more important Custom Dolls. 

11 hours ago, MagicalRinchan said:

The Kagamine dolls seem very popular and I wish there could be alternate versions like Sakura/Snow Miku made just so they'd be easier to get. Of course I'm not holding my breath since that treatment is usually reserved for Miku, but I wouldn't be too picky about which Rin to get just as long as I could get one of her!

There will be probably. When im not mistaken, Luka was available some Months ago on VolksUsa. And Miku got a lot of Rereleases, i dont think they'll just stop. xD 

Actually, i haven't seen the Kagamine Twins often, can't really comment on that "popular" part. Miku is still the most Popular. I've seen a lot of People being interested in Len because of the male Body type tho. I can see where you thoughts about alternative versions come from, but thats nothing Volks really has to decide, since non of the other Cryptonloids have offical Sakura or Snow Versions, exept Miku. They do have Senbonzakura and Daughter/Servant of Evil Outfits though. 

(https://www.volks.co.jp/rinlen/en/dress01/, https://www.volks.co.jp/rinlen/en/dress02/ If you're interested to see them.)

 

19 hours ago, cfx said:

While that is an issue to keep in mind, these often do not match on dolls as supplied by Volks. Some color combinations would stand out and clash of course, but it's very common for Volks to use colors that are different than the wig color. Characters with blonde hair very seldom have the eyebrows painted that light as they'd be practically invisible. Volks also often uses grays for eyebrows for really any color of hair.

Oh really? I must have been looking at dolls with more colored eyebrows then. I was specifically looking at the standard "Karin" DDS, but her eyebrows are bright orange while the character I'd like to make, IA, has almost peach-silver hair. I was considering Smart Doll "Chitose" for a while since she's a close face match and the gray eyebrows seem like they'd work, but with all that's going on with Danny Choo I can't say I'm comfortable buying directly from his business. 😕 It might be better to stick with Volks after all.

I am starting to get more interested with the idea of commissioning a blank face. Maybe that's the best option!

Karin's eyebrows are brown, with a lighter brown, or maybe yellow outline (hard to see in pictures so hard to judge). If you are looking at Volks offficial pictures, they look yellow/orange because of her wig influencing your perception of them, and also because all of Volks official doll pictures almost never really look exactly like the dolls actually look in reality.

I don't think they would really clash with IA's hair color. Also with a wig with bangs, the eyebrows are usually quite obscured anyway.

Look at Karin with a purple wig in these two threads to see the eyebrows in the proper color and how they don't clash with a purple wig:

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by cfx

11 hours ago, Yuichan said:

Same though, Rin is so cutee, I have my Eyes on both Kagamine Twins though, i'm not picky 👀 I guess that makes us kinda riveals though?  A custom IA would be interesting though,.

I feel your pain, but dont forget that Face up Services exists! Sure, depending on your Budget and how much time you wanna spend into it, it can get a little tricky, but in my opinion finding a blank Head that fits and sending it to someone is the greatest start. 

Not gonna lie though, I'm still hoping for a Gumi DDS. or even our little Samurai Gakupo 👀 . I'm probably gonna customize a Gumi though, when im finished with more important Custom Dolls. 

I'd rather we not have to compete for her! If only there were more Rins available so we could both get her! :')

Comparing the prices of blank heads versus finished dolls, I may have to seriously consider going the blank head route! Thanks!

I don't know the chances of non-Crypton Vocaloids getting dolls, but I'd LOVE to see some. I'm honestly surprised there aren't more custom Vocaloids??

11 hours ago, Yuichan said:

There will be probably. When im not mistaken, Luka was available some Months ago on VolksUsa. And Miku got a lot of Rereleases, i dont think they'll just stop. xD 

Actually, i haven't seen the Kagamine Twins often, can't really comment on that "popular" part. Miku is still the most Popular. I've seen a lot of People being interested in Len because of the male Body type tho. I can see where you thoughts about alternative versions come from, but thats nothing Volks really has to decide, since non of the other Cryptonloids have offical Sakura or Snow Versions, exept Miku. They do have Senbonzakura and Daughter/Servant of Evil Outfits though.

Yes! Luka was available during March on Volks USA store! But I assume she was a leftover from the previous Vocaloid event sale in November since she never sold out back then. 🤔

And are the Kagamine's really not as popular as I thought!? From what I've experienced myself and heard from others, Rin always sells out so fast! I want to hope more will be made, but I'm very afraid that won't happen since she's not Miku-level popular. She also seems hard to find, I've only come across scalpers when I look for her.

1 minute ago, MagicalRinchan said:

And are the Kagamine's really not as popular as I thought!?

Most likely, if you think they were anywhere near as popular as Miku, or as popular as Luka.

All there is to go by is how they sold initially, in terms of what was left over. There were some various reasons for this (people who won but didn't pay; I wasn't around at the time so I don't know details) but both Rin and Len were available from Volks Japan for a very long time after their original lottery event, something Volks would consider to be a failure. Part of it may also be that Volks overestimated demand thinking they would sell like Miku did too. I started paying attention to this hobby around the end of 2017 and I know both of them were still available from Volks at that time. Rin eventually disappeared but Len was there much longer and hasn't been gone all that long. It's also impossible to know how many Lens were sold to people just wanting the DDSB body since that was the only way to get it.

Rin's aftermarket price was only 80,000 yen (I think) on Mandarake until a year or so ago, and she used to be readily available.

My impression is all of the Vocaloid rereleases were just leftover stock, perhaps planned that way but not actual additional production runs. Miku might be an exception, and of course Miku Reboot was an actual new production.

The four additional outfits Volks made for Rin and Len are all still available on the Japan site as well, which means they didn't sell as well as Volks anticipated.

Ranka Lee already has a DDS release so it's pretty unlikely that Gumi is going to get one. Although, if she did, I'd rather have her on a DD body than a DDS.

Ranka's rerelease is still available on Volks Japan, nearly two years later, too, which doesn't give them any reason to believe another DD based on her would be popular enough to be worth it.

While anything is possible, there's never been any hint to my knowledge that Volks would do anything Vocaloid that isn't Crypton Future Media.

3 hours ago, cfx said:

Look at Karin with a purple wig in these two threads to see the eyebrows in the proper color and how they don't clash with a purple wig:

I'm absolutely blown away- that's really the same doll!? She's lovely!! The eyebrows really aren't as noticeable as I first thought- wow-

3 hours ago, cfx said:

Rin's aftermarket price was only 80,000 yen (I think) on Mandarake until a year or so ago, and she used to be readily available.

My impression is all of the Vocaloid rereleases were just leftover stock, perhaps planned that way but not actual additional production runs. Miku might be an exception, and of course Miku Reboot was an actual new production.

I had no idea, it definitely feels like she's been more in more demand from what I've seen of the Vocaloid community. I don't know how many people I've seen getting dollfies around 2018-2019.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Volks regularly has a booth at the Miku concerts/events in Japan. It seems like Miku is the only one you can count on being in stock at this point, but concerts are still being held every year that I'm wondering what Volks' future plans are if they're going to continue selling at Vocaloid concerts. Anymore new dolls? Or are they going to focus on only Mikus and the yearly Snow Miku outfits? I'm probably just being a worrywart, but I really hope they don't entirely withdraw from Vocaloid projects after Miku Reboot is done being sold, they're all very nice dolls. >_<

30 minutes ago, MagicalRinchan said:

I'm absolutely blown away- that's really the same doll!? She's lovely!! The eyebrows really aren't as noticeable as I first thought- wow-

Karin has magic eyebrows. They are two tone, the bottom layer is a light brownish, and the top layer is darker brownish. When she wears her default orange wig, the bottom color is brought out, and looks more orange to match. My Karin wears a Crobi wig in their Powder Brown color, which is a very warm, nearly reddish brown. With that wig the darker upper layer is brought out, and again they look like they match. It really depends on how she's styled.

My Melty has gray eyebrows, and she can also do that trick. Her default wig was a light lavender color, and I have mine wearing a dark teal wig. Although the gray eyebrows don't absolutely match the real wig, they don't look at all out of place either.

I typically don't paint a custom doll with eyebrows in the color of their planned wig, unless I am absolutely sure I will never change my mind. Otherwise, if I don't have a style cemented for them, they get light brown or gray eyebrows so that they're more versatile.

On the subject of the Kagamine twins, I also felt that they weren't as popular as Miku. Not only did the twins sit in stock for a while and Miku never does, but any normal, non-Miku-specific clothing that Miku models is also harder to get just because she was wearing it. For myself, I am not a follower of any Vocaloids, and if I had had the money at the time to adopt a Len, it would have been because of his currently unique boy body, and also I do like his sculpt. Even during re-released, though, the thing that stopped me was his cost. His retail cost is higher because of his keytar, which I don't want, so I'd pay more for an item that I have no use for and no guarantee that I could resell. If Len were ever re-released as a full doll with a different outfit that was more in line with a normal release price, I'd be all over it if my finances allowed. I can't speak to what happened with Rin, because although I think she's cute, I don't feel the need to own her myself so I didn't follow her releases as much.

Welcome! It's good to see other long time Vocaloid fans out there! 

My Rin DDS is my first and favorite girl. She's so cute don't give up the hunt for her she's worth it! I'm trying to find a Miku so she won't be lonely

On 5/15/2020 at 1:37 PM, Ari_clefairy said:

My Rin DDS is my first and favorite girl. She's so cute don't give up the hunt for her she's worth it!

Thank you!! I'll try to hold onto the hope that something works out and I can eventually get her one day! 🙏

Hello! I am new too, welcome to the hobby.