Favourite Size/Scale?

I generally gravitate towards dolls in the 30cm-40cm range, but I have dolls in many sizes. I'd say my least favorites are really tiny and really huge, mostly because tinies are too delicate and big dolls take up too much space (+ their clothes are generally much more expensive)

But overall I think it's an aesthetic thing for me... shorter dolls are more likely to be under 6 heads tall, especially in anime style. I've always preferred more cartoony/cute proportioned characters.

I tend to bond with my 1/4 girls the most. I think it's the perfect scale for me since they don't take up too much space while still being large enough to have that visual impact I like. Plus, I think they're about perfect carrying size. I've also recently gotten quite attached to my 1/3 girl as well! Hopefully when the space allows it, I'll be able to add more of them to my doll family. My girls need more big sisters!

For my ball jointed dolls, I love 1/4 or MSD scale! I specifically collect slim/mature msds. 

However, for my vinyl dolls, I am quite fond of my 1/6 scale obitsus and azones - it's super easy to find props and furniture, and storage is easier than it is for bigger dolls, too... I do hope to get a few 1/3 scale vinyls in my collection, but I don't expect to have a lot of 'extras' for them like I can for their smaller counterparts. 😅 

Edited December 11, 2022 by Epona

I prefer 1/3 scale dolls, easily. After trying dolls in the MDD size range, I can honestly say I'm not a fan, or at least less fond of them than my 50cm+ crew. I don't think I will ever buy another doll less than 50cm; well other than the rest of the Rozen Maiden Pullips because they have a very special place in my heart and will be more for display anyways.

I prefer the posibility of 1/3 dolls, how robust they feel, the amount of space they take up being 'just right' for my tastes, and the fact that they are more mature. I found I am not a fan of child-like dolls and trying to find a mature doll in the 1/4 scale, at least anime wise, is like finding a needle in a haystack. I honestly wish I liked MDD more, especially since I had the privilege of owning a coveted Tan MDD Mochi Ashi, but I just don't dig the size or style and ended up adopting her out to a home that would enjoy her more.

When I first got into the hobby, I first fell in love with 1/3 size resin BJDs, specifically the 70cm mature male ones. However I didn't have the space for one, and didn't have the money for ones that I liked either. I ended up with a slim-mini 1/4 size doll and found that they were just so easy to dress, pose, carry to meets, etc. Big enough to have a significant presence in the room, small enough that my cramped bedroom or workspace isn't too constricted. Something about the 1/4 scale makes it so addicting to collect for me. After a decade in the hobby, I've learned that the larger or smaller a doll is, the more I tend to play favorites within that scale 😅 Can't have more than 2-3 SD sizes at a time, or more than 1 tiny scale at a time, otherwise I neglect the others. Somehow, the 1/4 scale sculpts have managed to distribute my time and attention evenly amongst themselves. So without a doubt after over a decade of collecting, my favorite scale is 1/4.

While I like how handheld 1/6 scale is, my aesthetic preferences in that size have changed from the more childlike YoSD-types to the 24cm anime Azones. I think I'm still feeling around for that scale.

I first ventured into this realm with Pullip, a convenient size for everything given that she's close to Barbie proportions with a Blythe-esque head. Slap her on a better-made Obitsu and she fits Barbie clothes even moreso. But when I saved up for my first BJD, I got adventurous and bought a cheap 70cm right away. I didn't like childish dolls in the early years, and I wanted to make sure I was comfortable with the size if this ended up being a long-term hobby.

 

That was thirteen years ago.

 

Nowadays I've owned everything from 80cm to two inches. It's difficult for me to pick a favorite size. I tend towards the 1/3rd dolls most because they have the mature sculpting. Add the fantasy parts, the fun skintones, and they're more or less what I wanted out of action figures. But anything smaller is going to take up less space. 1/4th size is more convenient, arguably the best if you want to branch beyond 'standard' fashion dolls since there are so many props made for this size, thanks to American Girl and its plethora of rivals. It is the most popular size in the BJD community as well, and there are many, many clothes. The amount of mature sculpts in this scale has vastly increased too, but I still find that the majority of sculpts I prefer are 1/3rd.  YoSD-size and tinies are 'most' convenient for travel, but the YoSD tends to be a limited aesthetic- they're largely children, and even if you're styling them as chibis / small avatars of bigger characters, you're stuck with a 'child' wardrobe unless you make or commission what they wear, including wigs and shoes. There are a few mature sculpts for this size, but only in resin. I owned one for a bit and clothing her was a pain. Tinies / fashion scale dolls are easy to clothe, easy to find props for, but here again, if the doll is smaller than a standard fashion doll on an Obitsu 11/Nendoroid, your default options are Kelly clothes and the like. Oddly, there are more artists who offer 'mature' clothes in the smallest scales than YoSD, at least from American perspective.

 

There's another aspect to this though, and that's posing. Here is where your vinyl and resin differ. Vinyl, I would say, is generally the same no matter what scale. If the doll's joints and screws are all tight, they have good balance and can pose almost anywhere. But resin dolls are affected by gravity. The increased weight that makes them sturdier is also their downfall after a point. The smaller the doll = the better the balance and stringing longevity. Big dolls may be engineered well, but you get much larger than a light 60cm BJD and you're going to have problems sooner. If the stringing is even the slightest bit too loose or if the elastic is too small for the channels, they get tipsy. Sueding the joints and filling them with electrical wire can help offset this in less-heavy dolls, but it's only delaying the inevitable. Smaller dolls are (usually) easier both to restring and on their elastic, due their size and weight. 

 

This isn't to say that big BJDs can't be strung up and sueded and enjoyed for a long time between maintenance. But as far as care and feeding goes, they tend to be the most labor-intensive. I am not a fan of that. Also the bigger the doll, the more the clothes get brutally expensive. I had to fight with a vendor via my bank this year over an outfit that never arrived. It clocked in at over $450 before shipping. Granted it was for a very large doll, made by an independent artist, but neither the elves nor myself have ever owned something so expensive, and budgeting for it was a labor of love.

 

On the flipside, vinyl has its own pros and cons. For one thing, the staining is like the equivalent to restringing and thinly-cast parts combined. You will always risk snapping off fingers, elf ears, and such with resin; likewise you will always risk staining with vinyl. And then there's quality of make. Now I have not owned an MDD yet, but when it comes to the internal skeleton, newer DDs and SMDs are noticeably sturdier than Obitsu. Both of my AP girls were intact, no breakage, but one of them creaked while posing and had a hip I sueded after it continually popped out. I never had that problem with my small Obitsus. So what you gain with convenience of size you may lose with structural integrity, at least with Obitsu. MDD F3, I assume, is just as sturdy as their larger counterparts. But then again, don't go with Obitsu and you lose those double-jointed knees that can hold almost any angle. Plus they have high-heel feet.

Then there are the clothes. While AP has more options now than she used to, clothing your more mature Obitus will limit you unless you're prepared to make it yourself. Whereas the MDD and DD options are vast. I was just looking at option hands on Booth. Who makes third party option hands for Obitsu? (Although they do have some nice basic option hands)

 

Finally there's the issue of parts availability. Some BJD companies are sticklers about this- Fairyland for example requires a lot of verification of legitimacy and purchase due to the overwhelming amount of recasts if it's not a basic part they already sell- but most are reasonable about listing hands, feet, and even torso parts in their stores. You can message many of them and order replacement parts if they're not listed. Likewise, Volks has almost everything you'll need to repair your DD right in their store, including individual frame parts. But not everything- ankles, for example, can't be purchased separately. (Unless you can order them directly from Volks?) And with mainline access to the MDD being discontinued, this will mean an entire line of dolls simply cut off from replacement parts eventually, until they roll out out the next evolution. (At least, we hope they will sell parts for the new MDD) Obitsu parts are out there, but they're so scattered between vendors, Y!Japan, and Mandarake that you have go digging to find what you need, depending on the doll. The Parabox store itself is your best bet for internal frame parts... unless you're looking for AP tan. And then we've got Smart Doll who just... doesn't, save for a few times a year, in special sales for customers who have purchased before. I do think this isn't completely unreasonable as no first-time customer would need those... unless they bought their doll somewhere else, which Mr. Choo wants to avoid. But the convenience of being able to shop at a Volks or a Parabox, grab what you need and go is undeniable. Yet even a limited parts grab is still better than your one-off BJD artists who ignore emails asking about replacement parts (Personal experience), or simply can't replace them due to using a casting service.

 

So... which size is the favorite? If you ask casually, I'll probably tell you 1/3rd, but the real answer is 'They have pros and cons across the board'.

Can I throw in that I both like the 1/4 and 1/3 scale? 1/3 is what I prefer but 1/4 is better for my wallet. 

I prefer the 1/12 scale, both for my wallet and because for some reason working in thay scale is soothing to me. I have have more fun make an 11cm outfit then an 1/3 outfit.

I'm hoping to get one of the imomo 1/6 dolls. I love the aesthetic of MDD's, but even they were to big for me(I think Billy has my first and last MDD still lol). Hopefully their 1/6 doll will hit the sweet spot for me!

I honestly am fond of any scale, from tiny 1/12 up to my big 1/3 boys. They all have their different charm points, that's why I have the same two characters in so many incarnations in the first place, haha.

They all have their charme points, I love how adorable all the details of the dolls and clothes are in 1/12 scale, and the big variety you have to play with them due to all the options nendoroid faceplates give you. I also just love holding them in my palm.

With 1/6 scale it is similar for me, they are just very cute and fun to hold in your hand. I think they are also my fav size to hold in my hand, because they have the cuteness of being small, but also a certain weight to them (esp tinyfox, so pleasant to hold). They are also very fun to take outside in carrier bags, and because my boys are a pair that is also still very easy to do in that size.

I haven't dabbled in 1/4 scale THAT much yet, only my chubby DF-H anime bodies who are hybrids for the MDD head version of my FuuHaru family and since recently their Imomodoll incarnations. Naturally I am also very fond of them, but I haven't gotten around to take them to places with me yet. I am sure I will in the future, especially with the vinyl ones being so relatively light weight.

And of course 1/3 scale. For all the smaller scales I only like cute chibi style, and preferably adorable pear shaped bodies, but with the big boys I need the mature look. Still twink, but mature. I actively play with them a bit less than with the smaller boys, because it just takes more time overall, but dressing them up and looking at them is just so satisfying. Esp because they are so tall (and if they are resin also heavy) it is just a nice feeling if they are there in their showcase or on their couch looking pretty.

I have all sorts of sizes in both vinyl and resin, and I've gotta say, my favourite to handle and take around with me by far is my little 1/6 Yo-SD doll. Her size is just perfect for travel but she's still big enough where you can get good detailing on clothes, faceups, etc. (though she does have a larger head). If I were to have a more adult proportioned doll, I'd probably go with a vinyl 1/4 scale. That being said, I do have a single resin 1/3 scale BJD and she definitely "feels" the most "ah, yes, this object costs hundreds of dollars," ha. But I find 1/3 scale dolls a bit cumbersome, especially resin ones, since they've got that added weight. They sure look grand though...!

I'm planning on selling my resins at the end of the year, and I'd love my first vinyl to be either a 1/4 TinyFox Macoco or a full sized DD (there's one secondhand I'm hoping stays put until I can get her, fingers crossed!) DD's (Sister sized and up) are definitely drawing my eye more than any others right now

I thought I was falling out of love with smaller dolls, but I think it's just resin I've realized isn't for me anymore, so I'm interested in the new DD Chimikko body they're using for Anya Forger (though I won't be getting her, I'll wait until that body is hopefully made into a base body you can get from the USA webshop)

2 hours ago, MonochromaticNocturne said:

(there's one secondhand I'm hoping stays put until I can get her, fingers crossed!)

If you don’t mind sharing, who have you got your eye on? Fingers crossed you get her 🤞 

@ragnamuffin She's a Natsuki 2nd, I love the aesthetic of the older girls! I had my eyes on a Neris, but she sold a week after she caught my eye. If Natsuki goes, that's okay, hopefully I'll have better luck in the new year when I could reasonably afford her

I prefer the 1/4 size the most for resin dolls since it's a good size+weight for carrying and they also have more of the character of a larger doll. I don't have any resin 1/3 due to their price and weight. I do own a lot of resin and vinyl 1/6 dolls and while I wouldn't say they are lacking in character, they tend to hold less of a presence than a 1/4 doll, with exceptions since the doll with the greatest presence in my crew is a 1/6 doll. There are also some companies that make good 1/6 dolls too, so it's not always 1/4>1/6.

1/12 dolls are fun and I have the most of this size, but taking pictures with them can be difficult since they need a higher zoom and they have some posing issues because my dolls are mostly top heavy obitsuroids and they fall over without support. I would like some more ob11 dolls but it's so difficult to find a head I want and character sets in this size by Azone, Obitsu, and Dollce are really expensive at times.

However, for vinyl, I think I prefer 1/3 dolls the most due to them being lightweight and easy to make clothes for, even if I'm having issues finding a cool looking carry bag. I haven't had my 1/3 for very long, but I feel most comfortable with a vinyl doll of this size. This size is also fun to pair with my tiny obitsus since they look like a doll for my 1/3 doll.

I like 1/3 dolls like the Dollfie Dream Sister. I think the regular DD is just a little too tall. I have two Mini Dolfie Dreams and they are a good height. I’ll be getting my first 1/6 doll this week, so it will interesting to see all of the different sizes together.