Azone Black Raven Luluna Questions

Clickin’ round the interwebs I came across an older release Azone Black Raven Luluna and been smitten. I don’t know anything about these dolls. Is she worth getting? I know Dollfie Dreams, how does she compare? Thanks. 
 

I don't have that exact model, but I do have an older Black Raven release that I bought new. I treat her like I do my Pure Neemos - a display only doll that I set up then never touch again, except to maybe change her pose here and there. Some things to note:

-These dolls have rooted hair and painted-on eyes, so you can't really customize them like you can a Dollfie Dream.

-She's super squeaky. Annoyingly so. I don't have a newer release to compare to know whether Azone has changed the vinyl they use to mitigate this issue. In contrast, my DDs barely squeak.

-Stay away from the ones with pigtails! The elastic that holds the pigtails up disintegrated REALLY fast on my girl, and I barely touch her.

-Good clothing selection, both through Azone and other retailers.

Quickly: So they're cute, but basically a giant, highly pose-able Barbie. Personally, I'd recommend the Iris Collect series instead - the IC line offers wigged dolls with inset eyes that you can swap out, like a DD. Trust me, I wish I had gone that route instead for my very first doll.

Edited January 15, 2021 by Selenae

Azone's bigger girls use Obitsu bodies. I believe the Azone Black Raven Luluna uses the 48cm Obitsu body, so they are significantly shorter than Dollfie Dream and not likely to share clothing. They're closer to MDD or DDP in size. The good news is that Obitsu bodies are fairly easy and affordable to replace or repair if you need.

None of my 8 Obitsu girls squeaks, but I generally have newer models, so I can't tell you if she's going to be squeaky or not. Obitsu do pose incredibly well, so that's a bonus! Downside is a lot of people dislike their elbow and knee joints, which are much knobbier than the joints on DD.

As @Selenae commented, they do have painted eyes and rooted hair, so options for customization are quite limited.

I have 4 of the Iris Collect girls (and one of the Iris Collect Petit) and I whole-heartedly recommend them.

Thanks for the replies.  I know the eyes are painted on, I was thinking the hair was rooted when I saw some closer up photos of her from the seller.   Those two things do not bug me as it's her head that I've fallen for (With the outfit too.).  Good to know about the bands on the tails.  What's a good thing to put over them so that when they do break I don't lose her tails?  How compatible are their heads with DD bodies, could I put her head on a DDP?  With a rooted head I'm guessing the heads don't open like DDs do.  As for getting her more clothes, Azone 1/3 50cm is what I want to look for?  I've seen charts like this:

Do the symbols mean the same as they do for PureNeemo?  And for 48cm there is a S and a L, is that bust size?  And how do I know which the girl above is?  Also, are there different hands like DD's have?

Sorry for all the questions.  Anything outside of DD's are new to me.

If the pigtails are intact, I'd recommend grabbing some sewing thread, doing a few TIGHT loops around the base (where the elastic is currently), and then tying it off. Sewing thread won't degrade over time and should hold the ponytails tight if you never plan on changing the hairstyle.

Getting her head on a Volks body will be a challenge. Her neck hole is a LOT larger than the hole on Volks heads, so her head will fall right off unless you figure out a way to keep it on. The normal option is a bottle cap with a hole drilled in it, but that usually requires an open head to handle the installation. I don't know how to do it with a closed/rooted head. However, you can easily swap her onto any new Obitsu, Parabox or Angel Philia body.

Clothing, you should have some good options out there, especially with the rise in popularity in Angel Philia girls (who are also 48cm). Direct from Azone, yes, you want the 1/3 size, specifically those marked as fitting the 48cm L. (The letter is indeed the bust size, and Luluna is always an L-bust.)

Symbols are the same -- circle is fit, double-circle is perfect fit, triangle is tight fit, X is no fit.

You can find your girl's original specs here:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10202785?term=pc
"Element body: 48cm Obitsu body (using software Whitey bust L)"

You have plenty of hand options from Obitsu.
Here's one option set:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10172135
Here's another option set:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10124687

She can also wear hands from Angel Philia, too!

For all my doll's hair that I've needed to keep up in a ponytail or in twintails, I use small zip ties to tie them up. I find the thread method never gets a tight enough hold for me. Zip ties can pull much tighter without much issue.

And with straight hair, the zip ties will slide off if you're careful about pulling them out, if you ever feel the need to change them. Ribbons cover them really easily as well. This is my go to method for dolls or any toys with hair

On 1/15/2021 at 8:53 PM, Cauldroness said:

If the pigtails are intact, I'd recommend grabbing some sewing thread, doing a few TIGHT loops around the base (where the elastic is currently), and then tying it off. Sewing thread won't degrade over time and should hold the ponytails tight if you never plan on changing the hairstyle.

Getting her head on a Volks body will be a challenge. Her neck hole is a LOT larger than the hole on Volks heads, so her head will fall right off unless you figure out a way to keep it on. The normal option is a bottle cap with a hole drilled in it, but that usually requires an open head to handle the installation. I don't know how to do it with a closed/rooted head. However, you can easily swap her onto any new Obitsu, Parabox or Angel Philia body.

Clothing, you should have some good options out there, especially with the rise in popularity in Angel Philia girls (who are also 48cm). Direct from Azone, yes, you want the 1/3 size, specifically those marked as fitting the 48cm L. (The letter is indeed the bust size, and Luluna is always an L-bust.)

Symbols are the same -- circle is fit, double-circle is perfect fit, triangle is tight fit, X is no fit.

You can find your girl's original specs here:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10202785?term=pc
"Element body: 48cm Obitsu body (using software Whitey bust L)"

You have plenty of hand options from Obitsu.
Here's one option set:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10172135
Here's another option set:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10124687

She can also wear hands from Angel Philia, too!

On those hand parts I don't see anything about skin color.  Are they all the same color even though it says whitey?

And I know nothing about Obitsu, Parabox, or Angel Philia bodies (Or dolls really either.).

And just what is her name and background/story?  I see Luluna, Lilia, and Ruruna all listed.

But my girl has shipped, and should be here early next week.  I'll make sure she's okay, then away she'll have to go for a month until my birthday.

Okay, time for an update.  She got her safe, and complete.  After a month in her box she came out for my birthday.  So kawaii!

I know she's smaller then DDS's, but I was kinda surprised at just how much smaller.  Here she is hanging out with Reina.

The new girls have to stick together, right?

Sorry, photos didn't show up, new iPhone so not a compatible format.  Here they are, format changed.

 

Congrats! How do you like her? Before I settled on Alice, I was seriously considering getting both Lilia and Luluna (the Kousoku Saint Girl versions designed by Kanihoru). I’m still a bit tempted to get them tbh, but I have to resist.

I think she's adorable, hence why I got her.  Just real life has gotten in the way so I haven't had much of a chance to play with her.  But sadly one of her shoulder joints is broken, so I need to figure out how to get a replacement frame piece.