Your dolls[reason/values and etc;]

Heylo. Long time, no see. I have been lurking in the background but there is something I been noticing and I want others' opinions. :3

 

I plan on talking about several things and yes, when someone else reads this it may sound like a rant or ramble at times. I apologize for that now. I have been in this hobby for almost two years now. When I'm on DoA or just googling dollfie blogs or forums I really like to read the personal sections. Reason being, I just like to look at the bonds some people share with thier dolls. People has metioned to me that they run into elitism. Dollfie collecting is often protrayed as being creepy but wouldn't it be better for us to band as one or understand each other? I thought that elitism didn't exist in our hobby but I have had my far share of snobs. They'd look at my three dollfie girls with distaste and only comment on their clothes and somehow we'd end up in the Vinyl VS Resin debate but that's a whole another story. Even people that collect Volks Resin dolls sometimes look down on Dollfie Dreams, which came from Volks as well.

 

I also wonder why do people spend $XXX.XX amount on a certain item. Do people buy certain dolls just to get, um...sorry for the lack of words but to get popular? For instance, I see lots of Sabers go up for sale after spending sometime with the doll. Or when you metioned DD's, Saber somehow always pop up. My dolls mean so much to me. I just think that buying a doll just because everyone else has it or because it's very expensive is, I don't know. Kinda hurtful for the person who wish to own the doll because they abosoluetely love the mold and the doll.

 

At the moment, I only on three dolls. I would like to add a fourth girl but at the moment, I'm going through some troubling living situations so my doll hobby is on hold. I would love to own 10+ girls and knowing me, I would play with all of my dolls and give them each one the love they deserve but I noticed that there are some collectors that just buy them and don't do nothing for them and then then six months later, the doll is for sale.

 

I'm sorry if I'm comming off troll-ish or like I'm flaming or bashing someone but really, I'm not. It's just stuff on my mind and I wonder do people wonder about these things too.

 

Ok, now survey time:

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

Very interesting topic! I'll take a shot at some of the points you raise.

 

1) Elitism.

 

I do think there is some around and whether or not we all like it or not, it exists. And I don't mean just between resin and vinyl collectors, I mean within the DD community there is some. But it's not quite as bad as I've seen in other hobbies so it doesn't bug me as much as it used to.

 

2) Amount spent.

 

Well, this *is* a hobby and not all hobbies are cheap. Lots of other hobbies make DD's look cheap tho it's all in the perspective of who you ask. While I may think a certain amount is too much on a DD or a set of clothing, others in the hobby may see that as a decent price if they want it badly enuff. It all boils down to supply and demand too. A small supply of any collectible will always cause higher prices when there are more collectors that want said items than there are of said items. So that drives prices up.

 

3) Buying for popularity.

 

Personally I have NEVER done this and I don't know anyone who has. I'm sure it happens tho as you're correct about people buying girls and then selling them off a few months later. But that might be attributed to several other things besides popularity of a DD. Maybe the pics online weren't as good as the doll needed or mabe the character the owner had in mind didn't work out like they thought. I don't know how often it happens but I'm sure that people DO buy DD's and such soley for the bragging rights.

 

As for your post and questions, I don't see it as trolling or anything. You didn't point fingers or go off on a tangent. Thanks for doing that. And now for your questions:

 

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

That depends on who we're talking about. I won't go into all my girls but I will say that time and place have a lot to do with some of them. For instance, my Yukino... I was in the right place at the right time and got her off Ebay for $300 BIN plus shipping. DefectiveAngel knew I really liked Yukino and had been waffling on getting one thru Volks. So when she saw this one go up for such a good price, she let me know and I bought her. Not only did I get a wonderful girl, I got her for a good deal as she came with some extras like Chun clothing.

 

Other girls I own were just ones I had really liked due to their characters in anime they were molded after like Mai Shiranui and Ryomou Shimei. Ryomou is my favorite anime girl ever so being able to get her was a dream come true for me.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

For me, I'm a collector at heart so I RARELY sell ANYTHING I buy. So when I go after a DD, I never think of whether or not I'll resell them later since I normally don't. The only thing I really consider is where I can get the money from to pay for her.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

Personally no. I've NEVER bought a DD because she was popular or that I thought would make ME popular for owning one. I know Saber seems to come up often as the "Poster Girl" for DD's. But this is due to her huge fanbase across the world of Otaku as well as her excellent DD versions. She's just popular because she is well made, looks stunning in all her forms and is seen as a "Holy Grail" to many an asipiring DD collector. I know I'd love to own an original but I know I probably never will due to cost.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

HA! If I only shopped at Volks, I'd NEVER have any new clothes for my girls! LOL I learned a long time ago that to be happy with any hobby you have to have FUN. And having fun can be done in many ways.... for me, I like the thrill of the hunt for nice clothes that don't cost me 2 arms and a leg like Volks ones do. I also like to actually be able to GET the clothes I see and like instead of being teased like we do with Volks ones.

 

"Oh look what we made for the next event! Isn't it adorable? Too bad there are only 16 sets available WORLDWIDE! Bwaahahahah! Stupid DD collectors!"

 

Sorry, that's what I think the heads at Volks say when they announce new stuff.

 

So yeah, I find lots of other nice clothing from lots of other places besides Volks. Don't get me wrong, I do love Volks clothing and quality. But those prices and lack of availability SUCK. So I go elsewhere for clothes so my girls will be happy.

 

 

 

Billy

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

For pretty much all of them, they spoke to me in a way that none of the other molds could, with Mio speaking in such a way that I couldn't resist. If a mold's face doesn't speak to me, I don't even try for it.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

When a new girl is added to the family, there is no thought of ever selling her. Would I resell any of my girls? Not a chance this side or any other side of hell itself. It literally takes weeks, sometimes months for me to decide on whether a particular girl is right for me or not, and with 17 girls, that means a lot of thought.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

For me? No. For some others? Possibly, but I try not to think too heavily on such things.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

No. Like Billy said, if I did that, my girls would never get anything. I shop more at Coolcat and Alice Collections than I do at Volks for their clothing, since I know I'll be able to get them something nice. (Coolcat's lingerie and swimsuits = gifts from Heaven itself for DDs.)

 

-Jack

Oh this is an interesting topic

 

1) Elitism.

For myself personally I haven't encountered anyone who I thought was acting like an Elitist. Since plunging into the world of DDs I've been able to meet many local DD owners in person and they have all been really wonderful Even though I haven't experienced it first hand it is surely out there. Elitism exists in all different hobbies & things, it's just one of those things you have to brush off if you come face to face with it.

 

2) Amount Spent.

Hobbies are always going to be expensive in the long run. I collect anime/TV boxsets, anime goods, video games, manga, PVC figures, doujinshi, etc and now Dollfie Dreams. All of those things I've collected have certainly added up. With Dollfie Dreams the amount just adds up quicker that's all I've definitely never gone into something because I wanted to spend a lot of money, but because I loved what I was going after.

 

3) Buying for popularity.

I'm sure there are people who buy solely to garner popularity, though I haven't seen it myself. Popularity was never factored into my decision of getting into the DD hobby. And I can understand your point of view about feeling sad that a doll might've been bought by someone who only wanted her just to have her, not to really enjoy the doll. But in the end everyone is entitled to buy what they want even if they don't have a big passion for the DD they are purchasing. No one can tell another what they can or cannot do.

 

As for DDs who have only been with their owners for a short time and are put up for sale, well that can be due to a lot of different factors. Sometimes people don't bond with the DD they have purchased. Other times it can be because they have some type of emergency and need the money they spent on the DD back quickly. And sometimes they are sacrificing that DD for something else they must really have as well. In the end the buyer and seller both get what they want so it's win win in my opinion

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

With Saber Nero I already loved the character of Saber from Fate/Stay Night. And once I started playing Fate/Extra I really enjoyed Saber Nero's personality which made me even happier to have purchased her. Once I saw pictures of her online that was it, I had to have her With my tax return money I pre-ordered her as my first and only Dollfie dream...

 

Except that wasn't true After ordering Saber Nero and while I was waiting for time to pass by I had made a visit to the Volks store for the first time to purchase a head cap. I also purchased a copy of the Volks News Magazine and if you bought that magazine you were able to enter a lottery for the Limited Make-up 06 head. At first I had no plans of entering for the head since I had already pre-ordered Nero... but after looking at the magazine many many times and staring at the painted 06 head~ My husband could tell I wanted to try for her and told me she could be my birthday present if I won her. So I put my entry in and I ended up winning her! So of course since I had won a head I had to get a body right ? And thus my beautiful and truly 1st Dollfie Dream, Momoko, had been born

 

Saber Nero will not be happy that she arrived 2nd

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

When buying anything I never think about how much I would be able to get back if I were to resell. Those thoughts never cross my mind since I'm purchasing things I really want As for new additions, I just have to love them that's all! If I look at a DD and fall for her (and have the money ^^ I will add her to my home!

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

I buy my dolls because I love them to bits As for others I'm sure there are some like I said in my answer above :3

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

Oh no~ I've gotten outfits from several other seamstresses such as Kuraikawaii, Chun, & Mailittlealien who are all amazing~! The first Volks outfits I purchased were off Ebay from a fellow forum member who had them priced at retail price (outfits that were long sold out). Recently I've bought 2 clothing items from the Volks store itself and a pair of shoes. So I definitely don't only shop at Volks. I do love some of the items they sell, but like Baldylox said it is sometimes a tease because there isn't enough stock to back up the demand *coughballoondresssetcough!* ^^;;

1) Elitism.

Its there, its here, its everywhere, it doesn't really matter what it is. I'm sure if you looked hard enough you could find someone who is an Elitist about orange peels. I mean, most people have some pride in their interests, the only thing is some more than others which comes off as elitist to others. Because of where I live, there aren't really other DD owners to connect with, but the resin owners kind of feel a bit elitist about theirs.

 

2) Amount Spent.

Fact of life. Everything not related to basic needs (real ones) is expensive, as anything not required to live is a luxury. I don't like having to drop as much as I do on DDs sometimes, but it goes away shortly after they arrive at my house, it keeps the riffraff at bay on the other side of the coin, so it does still serve a purpose to keep a lot of ppl who aren't that serious about it away. I think my approximate estimate in terms of spending on this hobby is in the range of 10000$ or so...but thats cause I just bought Saber original and Rin. On the other hand, I basically dropped collecting anything else other than doujinshi (and that I only do when I'm in Japan personally to buy), so it kind of evens out, not buying manga, figures, or other such stuff anymore.

 

3) Buying for popularity.

Dunno why people would do it, I'm absolutely sure there ARE people who do it though. I've never been a popular person myself, nor would I necessarily want to be either. I don't crave attention, and in fact usually I find myself wishing I had a bit less attention in other areas of my life some days. The same applies to my hobbies, I don't give a damn if people want to go gaga or not over the ones I have, but then I'm used to being a loner :p

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

Feena - Guuchan (of LosslessOne) got me into that series before I found out there was a DD of her, so I already really loved Feena before I started getting any DDs. At the time I got Feena, she was the single most expensive impulse buy I had ever done by that point :p

Kud - You can't resist the Wafu!

Haruka - She just looked so darn adorable (and she is!)

Cirno - I love how her face looks, almost like Kud, but with attitude

Saber&Rin - They were the first 2 DDs I saw (along with Nanoha and Fate) in 2009 at the old Volks location at the Radio Kaikan building before the earthquake. If any two limited DDs were responsible for instilling an awe for DDs for me, it was those two, but I never bought them until just recently because of the price tag (and it still hurts regardless)

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

I never sell anything really because I know I'm a bit of a hoarder for one, and I'm a cheapskate for another. I'd never buy anything that does not have "value" to me in the first place.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

I've never done so, but I'm sure there are people who do. If anything it could be argued that DDs make me more ANTI-social because I have fun with them more than I do with a lot of people.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

Heck no, I have a running joke on the IRC channel about Volks not restocking until after the dinosaurs arise again (or substitute dinosaur resurrection with any long-time-based analogy). Sure Volks stuff is nice, but theres LOTS of other nice places that make clothes just as nice. If anything a lot of the Volks stuff is too frilly for my tastes, DD clothing is better than the SD clothing in that regard, but still. I prefer having my girls in casual looking clothes, which is easier once you start looking at other shops (not to mention cheaper) :3

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

My Minako (Sasara) was so special because whenever I had first seriously considered purchasing a doll, I had shown her to my grandma and my grandma thought she was really beautiful. I don't really feel like writing an epic novel about it, but basically Sasara is special to me because of my grandma.

 

My Ai (Moe) was one of the first DD I ever saw, I saw it before even knowing what BJDs, DDs, and Volks even were. A friend had a picture and I thought she was really cute. I was considering buying one second-hand from Y!JA. The day I was about to use a proxy to buy her, notice came that she was being re-released. My boyfriend entered, and he won.

 

My Kareha (Mariko) was a doll that I saw but originally didn't like at all. The first bad quality "cell phone" pics of her were terrible, and I thought I was safe and I wouldn't want her. Well, I was very wrong. The second better photos came out and I saw her face I knew I had to have her.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

When I add on to my family, it is very simple... Do I like the doll enough to buy it? There are tons of dolls that I like, but I will never buy them because I don't feel they will "fit in" to my family. Most, if not all, DD are aesthetically pleasing to me and are beautiful. However there are almost none that I would want to have as my own. The only way that I am an "elitist" is when it comes to my doll family because I am very strict whenever it comes to dolls that I actually want to purchase. For me, the reassurance is the fact that I bought her in the first place. The only doll of my family that I would ever potentially sell is probably Ai, and that would be because if something happened between my boyfriend and I. He is too directly "linked" to her, and I wouldn't want to be reminded of it. I'd end up neglecting her, and I would want her to be with someone who would care for her. So it is very possible I could want to trade her, but I know I would miss her dearly. It would truly depend on the situation that occured.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

I think that a lot of people say they want a certain doll just because certain people have it. As I have read on many occasions, some people believe that Yuki got so popular once Danny Choo had acquired her. It makes sense, because I had noticed that one day her price randomly got much higher than it had been before. I also think that many people might enter to win a highly desired doll just to say that they got one. I'm sure someone out there does those types of things.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

I try to find clothes and items for my dolls from other places, but my fashion sense is very particular. Most of my items are from Volks, and I rarely ever buy from them. Their prices are very high, and the quantity is ridiculously low. It's very difficult for me to find clothes for my dolls that I like because I am so picky.

Interesting topic. I'll throw in my two cents.

 

1 - Elitism

 

In my case, I wouldn't categorize it as elitism as much as difference in what I like. I just happen to have caved into this whole DD thing because the whole cute/"moe" factor. I have almost zero interest outside of anime-like/related dolls. Now, it doesn't mean I hate anything else that isn't and I wouldn't look down on anything that isn't a DD. I know people are spending their time and money on it and to them, it must be worth it.

 

With that said, I've seen DD owners questioning "different" interpretations of the hobby. Meh. Me? What other people do with what they bought is no consequence to me. Just because I'm not a fan of a certain style/sculpt/faceup doesn't mean other people aren't attached to it. More power to them.

 

2 - Amount Spent

 

I learned a long time ago to bother with looking at receipts. Worse to calculate everything spent up to a certain point. As long as I can afford it when I want to purchase something, do it and get it over with.

 

I've had/have some expensive hobbies and I'd probably go into shock if I actually calculated some of the stuff I spend money on over the years - cars, photography, swords, figures, technology doodads and now DDs. As long as I can pay for the roof over my head, keep myself fed and healthy, I won't worry about money spent. Haha.

 

3 - Popularity?

 

If someone wants to do it to win kudos to this particular community, more power to them. I personally don't. I buy if the sculpt interests me and that's it.

 

 

 

Survey

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

Each DD I ended up going for and luckily winning was a case of ... "ooooh want". I can't really describe it. Like how I completely pass on certain lotteries or purchase chances - they just didn't do it for me. Or I was broke at the time.

 

Some characters were definitely chosen because I recognized them through various anime series or games I've seen/played (Mari Makinami and Saber Lily) and some I barely know but I like the mold (Airy, Sakuya and Haruka Niimi). There are two that I missed that I may have to just cave and buy secondhand when I have the money but it'll require quite a bit of money since they're ridiculously "popular" and "rare".

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

Same reason why I originally buy them ... the "ooooh want" factor. Luckily, I haven't been mistaken in my choices yet but there might come a time where I misjudge a mold/sculpt because of the pictures. I'll worry about it when I come to it.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

Who knows. Got to ask someone who bought 'em for that reason. Haha. My answer for me would be no but what motivates other people? *shrug*

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

Nope. And thanks to this site, I probably have more places to spend money at ... thanks guys/gals.

My turn, I guess.

 

1.Eletism. I know it's out there, I've heard lots of stories, and it exists in every hobby/subculture, but since I mostly to this forum for my doll interatctions I have never directly come across anything I'd consider to be elitism. I personally don't look down on people who collect resins/AG/Barbie/whatever. Nor do I think there is only one right way to enjoy DDs. I have certainly seen people play with their girls in ways which I would never do myself, but if it makes them happy, there is nothing forcing me to watch.

 

2. Amount spent. My dad collects and restores old British cars. Compared to that, this hobby is cheap. No ghobby is really without costs, even if it's time. I certainly can't always buy every thing that I want, and certainly not as soon as I want it, but as long as our physical needs are being met, there isn't much else that we have to spend money on, so the little bit that's sometimes left over, I have no problem spending on our "kids".

 

3. Buying for popularity. I'm sure this happens, but whether it's just "Oh, this is popular, I should buy it", or simply the popularity just happening to bring the doll to a potential owner's attention, who would otherwise not have seen her is harder to answer.

 

Survey

 

1.What made the mold/sculpt special.

It took me a long time to decide that I wanted a DD in the first place, then it took even longer to really decide on just the right one. Yuriko's 01 head stood out to me because it most closely resembled several of my favorite anime character's head shapes. her head and body also seemed the most adaptable, so that her personality would easily be able to "grow in" to her form. It's actually very difficult for me to spend money on myself, so I really spent a lot of time and study in finding just the right parts for her to know that she would be perfect.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

If I could remember well enough, I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have sold something I owned. This comes from a combination of being a bit of a hoarder, and the fact that the last major thing I sold was a in middle school, a leather jacket that I had outgrown I sold to a cousin, who ended up committing suicide about a month later. I know the two events had absolutely nothing to do with each other, but whenever I think about selling something of mine that's the first memory that comes up. Also, I put so much thought into any expensive item I buy, that even before it arrives, I'm already significantly emotionally invested in it. Top that all off with the fact that the vast majority of the time I relate better to dolls and stuffed animals than I do to real people, and there's pretty much no way I could ever sell one of my dolls.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

I'm sure those people exist. To my knowledge I've never met one, though.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

With their constant shortages and outages? Yuriko would be constantly naked and bald! Also, one of the reasons I convinced myself to buy a doll in the first place was that I wanted to learn to sew. Finally, there is just way too much cool stuff available from too many other places to limit myself like that.

I'm not sure how much my opinion is going to factor in, since I still don't own any big dolls from Volks, but I try to avoid talking about resin vs vinyl and cost vs quality. I kind of just recently took the plunge and started saving for larger dolls. Before I bought Delilah, I only worked with play line dolls and 1/6 Dollfies.

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

Well, I still haven't bought any from Volks, but I usually like to buy blank faces (my Dark and Defiant Delilah Noir was the only exception so far) because I like customizing too much. I'm not very good at it, but doing it makes me feel like I'm bonding with the doll. I usually try to get emotionally attached when I buy a doll, even if it takes me a bit to warm up to them once I see them in real life (which was the case with Dana). Even if I like a face sculpt on a limited doll, I won't buy it (I was tempted by some limited Dollfie Dreams, but I had never heard of the properties or worse didn't care for them or the characters, so I decided not to enter the lotteries, even if I had the money saved). I don't want to rob someone else (who likes the character) the chance to have the doll.

 

I'm here now because I keep getting drawn back to the Dollfie Dream head sculpts. At least once a month, before I even started buying larger dolls, I'd go to Volks USA's site and just look at the different DD heads, imagining what I could do with them. I'd always talk myself out of buying the head (and saving up for the body later), but I'd find myself looking over the head sculpts again. Now, I'm determined to make a Dollfie Dream doll of a character I have an emotional attachment with.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

My reassurance that I won't sell the doll once I add him/her to the family are: 1) I'm horrible at face ups, so I know no one is going to want my pre-owned dolls. 2) I go for common sculpts anyway because of that "I like to customize" thing, so the return wouldn't be much. 3) I'm kind of a pack-rat, so I don't part with things anyway, unless I'm desperate. 4) Finally, I tend to get emotionally attached to my dolls. I even bonded with my Dark and Defiant Delilah.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

I kind of get that vibe some times. Sometimes, I wonder if Ellowyne is so popular because she's made by Robert Tonner. Plus, the whole resin vs vinyl debate kind of indicates that to me.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

I like Volks's products from what I have seen. Their acrylic eyes are so pretty (I wish they had them in larger sizes and more colors), the metallic eyes are really cool (I just wish I had a use for the pair I bought), and the wigs are so soft and sleek. The pattern books seem like they're really cool, but I still haven't made anything from them (not sure if the MSD clothes will fit any of my female dolls, so I'm a little nervous). I don't like getting in click wars over outfits, so I just side line myself.

 

Honestly, beyond the head, eyes, and eye lashes (and paints/pastels), I'm not sure how much stuff for the Protagonist is going to come from Volks. It's more of Volks simply doesn't carry parts I can use, rather than me actively trying to avoid it.

Sometimes its not that the doll collecting itself thats creepy, its the person doing it. Sorry fandoms, but quite a lot of people at anime conventions for example are creepy! (sorry, cons are my most use for reference) They aren't creepy because they are anime fans or cosplayers per se, they just have awful manners, no people skills and think just because we enjoy watching the same series, we all will find their horrible social graces "charming" or their creepy jokes 'funny'

Some of those exist in doll hobbies and give everyone else a bad name

 

The people with resin dolls I've met in general (sorry, anime cons again)... 90% have been pretty nice in general! Some people would even let me play with the doll... Hell this one time, this girl let me borrow her doll and camera, and run all over the place posing the doll in various locations taking photos!

 

Elitism exists in every hobby, there's just something about some humans that makes them tick that way.... From cosplay to manga collecting, to hipsters who only listen to "that band you've probably never heard of" ... or girls into lolita fashion that must own every colorway of a new print even if they don't exactly love the design (you think Volks has limited runs? try Angelic Pretty dresses!)

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

I'm sorry, I'm a cliche... but it was Saber. Seeing many pictures of the original King of Knights DD around the internets is what made me even consider this crazy hobby in the first place

I love the character and very much enjoy the Fate series in general so really wanted some 3D form of her. Have been trying to get away from figures: a doll was the next possible option. Azone 1/6 dolls just weren't very cute (seriously, their Saber just looks pissed, but Rin is sometimes ok)

Yeah... Looking at blank heads just wasn't doing it. Wouldn't be able to face-up on my own in a million years, and am really pathetic at visualizing things that aren't there (u know, fabric into a dress, furniture in empty room, how that SQ-Lab face might be painted.. that sorta thing) but there was Saber DD! With those dark green eyes, a serious yet calm expression ...

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

Don't think of resale value. Do you wonder how much that dog or couch will resell for when you buy it? Probly not. Same applies to most of hobbies usually - if its something can afford at the moment (or credit card can take the hit and has chances of being paid out w/out ... issues) chances are will be getting it

The other thing is all about who the chara is, and what the face looks like. And yes, price. Do I really like XX chara enough to spend this much? Is her face looking enough like this chara to justify many zeros in the price-tag

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

Like everyone getting a Saber Alter II or Extra because it was an unlimited lottery?

If eBay reselling is a "social reason" then yes, plenty of people will buy just to say they had it, took photos and resold it immediately.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

*eyes the mostly LittleWonder collection of clothes* ... yeah, I'll buy from anywhere else thats a good fit or look! Volks doesn't make enough variety or stock often enough to be ..errr.. a reliable option

1) Elitism.

 

I hate to admit that I have this issue a little, but in a quirky way. I really do think the pre-made characters are great because trying to create one from scratch is a lot of work. However when the girls never change one iota from exactly who they are out of the box, it drives me batty and makes me feel bad for them. Take all the new Sabers for example. Not only is so going to be everywhere once they are all delivered (attack of the clones!) it seems like only a minor portion of those will actually change in some way, either in dress or personality. All I can think of is the poor girl looking so grumpy because she will forever be stuck standing at attention in her armor, like the Tin Man when he got rusted and couldn't move. Who would want to spend their entire life (real or otherwise) in one outfit? Can't the girl even have some pajamas and maybe a chair to sit in? If I would have been around when the Sabers were up for grabs and had the money, I might have gotten one for the sole purpose to change the girl entirely to discover what potential she could have and probably shock the Saber purists. Maybe later on I'll be lucky to get a hold of of one who needs a lot of TLC and be able to give her a happy life she may not have had. Knowing my luck though she would have some odd personality quirk like being a Disney Princess cosplay freak. Man, I never expected to find a way to convince myself to get mushy over Saber... I'm such a sap and a sucker for being needed.

 

Also I think the other side of the coin on this one for me is based around how many Barbies I had over the years, buying them because of the clothes and not the doll. After they had been around for a while they would get boring if they never changed. With the scale of Barbies, it is not easy at all to make clothes to fit their rather odd and small bodies so for anything new it felt like I was dependent on Mattel and what they had for sale. After a while Barbie just looks like Barbie... In my experience the very little bit of elitism I have seen in DD is nothing compared to the Barbie collectors that can be outright vicious snobs.

 

2) Amount spent & buying for popularity

 

A lot of times I feel like I'm an unpopular oddball because I don't have a huge need for the popular dolls. I know it's just in my head but I think it's funny. As for the money issue, how much to people work to earn a certain amount and devote large portions of their time supporting their genetic kids? Hardly anyone calculates the cost of something like this before having kids. In my opinion having DD is MUCH less stressful and expensive, and they don't get upset at me when I need time alone. Tamayuki looks at me so innocently that occasionally it can feel like a guilt trip, but normally he just wants hugs. I really hate trying to explain my doll hobby to most anyone because the first thing they seem to ask is about the cost, like that is the defining factor. I have been in the DD world just barely over 6 months and I still find myself stunned over how little it cost me to gain an unbelievable amount of happiness and joy from our 'kids.' I just wish I knew how to explain that to anyone else.

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

Perhaps a bit unlike my husband Raven, the first time I saw the DD on Danny Choo's show, I was completely jumping out of my seat with excitement. I spent tons of time looking at the Volks site and pics of people's dolls because there was so much that could be done with each and every one of them that I almost couldn't decide. After getting my ideas narrowed down to the ones that most excited me, I had a mostly vague idea for Naiomi in my mind, and Rainie was almost completely formed but I still couldn't choose. Looking some more over the Volks site I decided to look at the wigs, even the ones I didn't find too interesting when I ran across the page for Tamayuki's wig. Even though it was a Yukino v. 1 in the pic (I later found out) all I knew at the time was there was a sad little boy in a red sweater that looked like it was borrowed just sitting there, as if it was a photo of a kid waiting to be adopted. He utterly stole my heart because he was so cute with the puppy-dog eyes and really looked like he needed someone to love him.

 

Baseline for me, a blank head is still a blank head but if something about it doesn't start to form a solid, interesting and unique character in my mind then it doesn't mean anything to me. The same holds true for the prepainted heads as well, so it really confuses me why someone would even consider buying a DD just because she happens to be popular.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

I spend more time than I probably should thinking about how the new girl would fit in personality wise with who we already have, but also how their story fits into the current version of our family's story. I don't want to get a girl just to have bragging rights on how many we have (a DD, an MDD, and two floating heads is nothing to brag about ) because then she would be unhappy and spend her life ignored on a shelf. I have such a strong emotional connection to my dolls and stuffed animals that there are some I still miss that I gave away when I was younger because I was expected to grow up. Another thing I think is different is I don't think about that I 'bought' Tamayuki, Rainie, and Naiomi, I adopted them. A thing can be bought, but an individual is adopted. I would love to maybe eventually do some full custom girls and not intend to keep them, but to me even they would be like foster kids waiting for the right person to adopt them after getting a chance to show off who they are.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

You mean so they will have someone to talk to? Sorry, couldn't help the very Tamayuki comment... Actually now that I think about it, what kind of social reasons do you mean? I'm an introverted otaku who avoids direct social contact...

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

Since I sew, I find some of what Volks has to be interesting style wise but often the color and pattern combos are rather unintresting. I have a hard time justifying their clothing prices because I could make myself an outfit just as fancy if I spent the same on fabric that they charge for tiny outfits. Granted if I had more spending money that part of the issue would be reduced, but for my personal taste in clothing for the DD either I have to do it myself or there are some other places I like a lot of what they offer. Tamayuki's shirt may still be one of my favorite things from Volks because it reminds me of Steve's shirt from Blues Clues.

 

~Sister Kyoya

When I first got into dolls it was bjds and I was well-known for attending gatherings and meet-ups but otherwise lurking on boards because at the time there was a real 'go volks, or go home' elitism of quite a broad portion of the board-members. I found people meeting me and my bjd in person wouldn't have the attitude they did online and more likely to be open-minded.

 

It was 2006/2007 and Volks seemed to be held up like a mythical, mysterious goal for some, especially that full-choice program.

 

I took a huge break from those forums, and only just got back into it. This forum is a nicer one than many I've come across, I'm less likely to lurk here because members really chat to you like an equal and there are opinions crossed but there aren't as many fights as other forums have.

 

I lurk on other communities and some are very limited-only buyers, going in every lottery and are a bit braggy. I love my doll family of many varied doll-types, I don't consider any to be 'better' than others, because I love them as precious memories of certain times.

 

At the end of the day, who else is going to be impressed that DOLL A is a limited but DOLL B is not, or admire you for winning a lottery entry... besides people who are in the fandom and even then, it's much more commonplace than as spectacular as some may make it out to be.

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special? I well research and umm and ahh about each of my purchases, I'll look at promo pics, owner pics, pm people and even bounce ideas off my partner-in-crime and brainstorm character ideas. It's the effort I put in that makes it special, I feel like there is a 'place' here for them even before I decide or save to buy.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sell the doll once you buy it?

I have never sold any of my dolls, only considered it once for one girl but... I'm more likely to brainstorm ideas that would help bond us together. Like do I need to flesh out her character more, take her on a photoshoot, change her eyes-wig-face-body... I really think about who I add to my family and whether it's a wise option so I'm so sure that I'll never sell.

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons? Never. I have never bought because it was the 'it' doll to have. I've had grail/unicorns but they tend to be my personal dreams that I don't really promote.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls? I tend to buy small-time supplies at Volks, and more bigger bulk suplly orders from Coolcat and try to save for decent-sized outfit-shoe-accessories orders as big-time goals. I'd love to spoil my girls more but I'm currently in a phase of fleshing out my family after saving for my first DD, I saved up more so I could get my girls close together so then I could focus on photoshoots, clothes, personalities and everything else about them later. I'm a bit bummed I didn't think it through and buy stands for them ready for when they arrive though....

1) Elitism.

While it does exist within every hobby, I have never really personally had any issues with it. I guess I simply don't care enough to bother giving importance to the matter. :P

 

2) Amount Spent.

I like Volks. I also had to buy secondhand for a very long time. This means I constantly (and still most likely will) deal with scalping again and again. It is how it is when buying from Volks, and it is even more so when you are needing of layaway. I just take it all in stride. The dolly hobby never came off "cheap" (well, most hobbies don't...) and upon stepping into it I expected to spend quite a lot. I should mention, my particular need to abuse my wallet more heavily has pretty much killed all my other hobbies. I rarely buy anything that isn't a doll and figure, and even now I'm killing off my figure spending as I want more for my dolls.

 

3) Buying for popularity.

...I have to admit I don't like this idea at all. It takes all the personal value out of a doll. For even those who like to collect purely cause they want something pretty to put on their shelves, or for those who want to create their own character, or work to shell one that isn't an OC, but still as great...this seems like it'd spoil the entire meaning of why you bought this doll, and why you love it. If you happen to love a popular doll (I love plenty of them *hugs her Saber's*) then love it for the doll, not its popularity. I also say, never hate a doll for its popularity. xD I have from time to time not understood why a mold is popular, but I see no reason to hate on it. I just know it is not to my taste and that is how it is. But either way, buying for popularity seems like a silly thing to do. I'd just want to label it "to be sold within 2 months."

 

As someone who has a record to keep dolls for less than 4 months...well everyone has their reasons. Some may just be like me and always searching for what they like and in their search continuously sacrifice though this has its downsides. I've met someone once within the BJD community that just wanted a chance to own as many dolls as possible, and thus was always changing her family. Only the ones she loved the most stayed around. Either way, it is all something that is different for almost every person. I don't have any issues with it obviously.

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

While the value I think does vary, I do have to say that a lot of it seems to come with how long I wanted and the things I had to go through in order to obtain. Saber Lily was by far the hardest doll for me to get. I say this because of not only my indecisiveness, but because afterwards trying to get her with my much needed layaway was nearly impossible. I funny enough kinda did a circle in order to acquire her. I got offered one, but I was fretting so much over the price that I turned down possibly the best deal I would have gotten. I constantly ran into people not selling with layaway, or their price was even higher than the ones I had! I had people asking me to trade off doll(s) that I didn't want to even trade, and at some point I got a ban-evading scammer who had actually gotten banned from DoA the day I was going to agree to purchase her ( I was later informed by mods about her when I requested information ). Only a week after that incident I got a notice that the person buying Saber Lily from the first person I got a offer from had dropped the layaway...and so I finally gave in. I find all these events together really make me cherish her more than I already knew I would.

The next one would be actually a resin doll, my Volks SD17 F-38. He was a "holy grail" since his release, and never let that title down and yet he never had anything particularly difficult about him to obtain, just took me a few years. xD

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

Honestly, I never think about it. I won't think about selling them unless I think I want to sell them. I am also quite used to selling off dolls as I'm always reusing those funds to acquire other dolls. In the end, it just doesn't mean much to me. I'm too fickle. I can say happily that everyone I have in my family currently I would rather never sell? XD

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

Um, no. I don't care what people think of my collection. So, no way can the influence of a molds popularity make me buy. I would never assume one would actually buy for social reasons, but if they admitted it I would not care either way. Not my business. xD Also, I have to agree with Billy about Saber. He pretty much summed that up perfectly.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

I buy everywhere. This was a habit created way before I was into DD and had no plans to change it. My only interest is in the quality, not the brand name. I don't like low quality items, and I'd rather spend more and get something gorgeous then spend less and get a pile of cheaply made clothing. Luckily, Volks isn't the only one who can make quality DD clothing. :3

1) Elitism: No comment. I don't bother about any community (Be it Flickr/here/Twitter) anymore. But if you did noticed, that is certain photographs tends to get more like/views/favourites from certain groups or people. Hmm...

 

2) Amount spent: Can't remember anymore.

 

3) Buying for popularity: seen people doing it, but nope. Not for me.

 

Survey:

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special? My Mashiro is a very long story. I don't know why I fell in love with her, but do you need a reason to love a doll?

 

When I saw her for sale in Volks, I was like she's such a beauty. Why nobody wants her? And I was out of money either. But somehow magically God gave me a chance to buy her so I just buy her off without thinking. Technically she's a lucky girl. A fox girl has a own charm I guess. Really lucky in many senses. But never the less, fell in love with her. Now here comes the hardest part.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

And this is the hardest part I am talking about. Pretty sure that nobody read this due to long post but I will just say it anyway. I remembered I was having a really hard time. So hard I just don't feel like looking at these stuffs anymore. It's just heartbreaking so I wanted to sell her off. But then this is when I see the community true nature. That is the rotten side of it. Up to now I still do not understand why people just disses people out of no reason at all. But yeap. I get dissed at until I somewhat become immune to it already. So currently I'm just taking a break. Take pictures, then post it online, call it a day. I am not bothered to comment on anything but if I see a nice topic like this in a forum I would definitely post some of my experience in here

 

How did I managed to survive so far? Well if anything heartbreaking happens, I would just take a break. Reminds me of a particular girl whom I used to talk to. Some people just need a break.

 

So far Mashiro is my only girl. Even though a lot of people don't like her personality, I would just ignore and post what ever I want. It's the personality I want in her. I love her, and that's all. The personal feelings that I poured in her is enough to reassure me to not sell her. Also her condition.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

Yeap.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

Other things too.

I'm going to touch on both Elitism and Buying for Popularity together. I see them as the same thing mostly. There are some people in this hobby who seem to feel the need to be the center of attention, and will stir up controversy or pull off lame stunts to get it. It's a shame that people feel the need to do this, all so they can feel like they are the "big man" on the internet, but I'm not surprised to see it hit the DD community at all.

 

Amount spent: I feel I've gotten my money's worth, which is what's important. And besides, DDs last a lot longer than beer.

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

 

I would like to say my stories and characterization make my DDs special. And on top of that, some of them, like say, Haruhi and Kanu, a giant dolls/figures of my favorite anime characters! How cool is that?

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

 

I barely ever sell any of my collectibles anyway... I'm trying to be more selective in which DDs I go after, since I have quite a few now anyway. I always figured I should try for one of each body type, but Volks keeps making new bodies...

 

I did consider selling/trading Louise once. There was a guy who offered to trade his Nanoha for a Louise. He never got back to me though, and ultimately, keeping Louise made me bond more with her. I finally started buying her outfits and doing more photo shoots with her.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

 

There are people who buy them to feel "cool" or part of the crowd. I can't deny that seeing Danny Choo's Aoi influenced buying my own. It will be interesting to see how many people 'grow out' of this hobby in a few years... (I don't mean this in a bad way, everything changes with time.)

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

 

I buy DD clothes from quite a few sellers. Most of my DDs have been purchased from Volks, but thankfully they aren't the only game in town for outfits and accessories. They just haven't kept up with the demand for outfits at all. And I need those black and red outfits with skulls on them for Aoi, which Nightfall has filled the demand for quite well.

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

I've though that there isn't much people collection DD Sendo Erika so it would be something unique and imma show what DD Sendo Erika can actually looks like :3 Yuki's, Rina's and Saber's are always there xD well in fact they're pretty but I wanna give more attention with Soleil (DD Sendo Erika) and she got a cute mold :3 didn't knew she got a 24mm eyes but she's still the cutest xD and a lot character in her she can still be elegant though a bit gothic not that much :3

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it? I just have my only one DD Sendo Erika and I'm happy with her :3 but Already reserved a blank ddh-07 open holes as her new sister! :3 I strive to be unique as possible xD so the two of them would have a face-up so that I have the only kind of doll :3 and I don't plan having tons of DDs since I know I wont be playing with them all of that happens and they'll be just sad I don't

buy DDs that are too popular, yea they maybe that pretty but I wanna be on the different side showing what this doll can look like :3 If I want the doll I really want too :3 I'll try to have it :3 though some dolls like DD Tamaki is too much for me xD and Rin Tohsaka well I can't do anything to have them because they're too expensive xD that's why I make my dolls the most unique kind of look? xD give them a different wig = to different personality and the outfit as well :3

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons? oh yes @_@ especially if you know the cosplayer Alodia who lives in my country. I didn't even know she had DD Saber Lily at first, I was just with my Pullips back then and still with me :3 then I didn't how on earth I did end up searching for Dollfie Dreams then managed to actually see a DD in a doll meet where I held Rin Tohsaka Back to Alodia topic, if you know pullips are much much much more cheaper than DDs. I feel really sorry for other Pullips since they've been passing around from another owner to different owner, some people use it just to be called doll owners but they just use it for buy and sell purpose and sometimes they imitate what Alodia got

 

Good thing for me ever since I was a kid I really loves dolls and take good care of it :3 my precious Soleil is gonna have her sister well just her sisters head for now xD

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

Considering others for my dolls and even buy clothes that are made my fellow doll owners :3

1.Elitism - well, were on an expensive hobby what do you expect? same goes for cameras, hifis etc etc snob comes and goes but this community is rich of helping other members, same goes for DOA but I never have problem over, and so far never felt this elitism.

 

2 - Amount Spent - Ah.. well I dont want to think about it. lets just say its well wasted.

 

3.Popularity. Yes and No, because It really depends on the mould sometimes its popular because its really pretty and deserving sometime its just dumb. Sasara for 5k? screw this s... hell no. just no..

 

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

Nothing so far, mostly it starts via other members photography and from there it gives me a brief imagination of how good they would be. If I would dress them myself, and take pictures of them. that's also some members have the dillemma of their dolls not being "warm to them" or something. expecting it would interest them in some way. its a hit or miss.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

No assurance, like I said I dont have that feeling to a doll/ daughter thing. I started collecting ABJD's and went for DD which are awesome for display. but that doesn't mean I don't take care of my dolls.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

YES and No, but I have to admit, I do buy them sometimes as well not because of interest or anything like that but to keep them on the long run, (mariko/miki) that I got first day it came out. now the prices are crazy so Im happy with that

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

Either its from Yamato to eluts to Dollmore as long it works and does the job, its perfectly fine.

Elitism Ticks me off quite frankly. I never really cared for the "my doll is better than yours cause I spent uber amounts of money on it" mentality. Its mean. I don't like mean. I've been tempted to say to some people, "So someone doesn't have as much money as you and can only afford a doll that cost way less than the clothes your 'branded' doll is wearing, that doesn't mean that their love for it is any lesser than yours."

 

Amount Spent

I try not to think about it? Seriously though, I'm just thankful I have a job that lets me afford this hobby. The happiness our hobbies give me and my husband more than justifies the cost, I think.

 

Buying for popularity

Hmmm... its nice to have your 'collection' admired but seeing as that the number of people who would ever appreciate our hobby is rather limited, I can't say I ever got a DD for this reason. I drooled over Saber Lily not because she was limited but because I just loved how she looked - regal, calm, strong. I look at her and she immediately calms me down when I have a stressful day.

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

I think what makes a mold special is that I made the choice to make then a part of my 'dollieh family'. Each DD I have is someone I wanted. I either loved their sculpt or character enough to save up for them or enter the lottery for them. Needless to say, a couple of them do stand out more, like Lily whom both me and my husband love and Beato, who is my husband's anniversary present to me.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sale the doll once you buy it?

My husband and I often kid around that the resale value of our collection will grow and that our 'toys' are a good investment. Somedays, that's just us trying to justify a particularly pricey purchase but we've never sold any of them (he still has gundams that he bought and put together 10 years ago I still have Stitch and he's 7 years old ). I hope we never get to the point where we would be forced to do so in the future.

 

3.Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

Social reason? Maybe in the dollieh community but where I'm living at even my friends look at me askance for getting into this hobby.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

I get their clothes from lots of places, dollmore, mintoncard, eluts, dollfieworld, crobidoll, JS, other doll collectors, that or I make them. As for Dollieh furniture, I get lucky with thriftshops most of the time.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Guest

Elitism Ticks me off quite frankly. I never really cared for the "my doll is better than yours cause I spent uber amounts of money on it" mentality. Its mean. I don't like mean. I've been tempted to say to some people, "So someone doesn't have as much money as you and can only afford a doll that cost way less than the clothes your 'branded' doll is wearing, that doesn't mean that their love for it is any lesser than yours."

 

Very well put, Katnaper. I seen people look down on companies like Bobobie and what not.

 

 

@ Chise: I don't think you're cliche. I was just using Saber as an example because I thought she (IMO) is the most popular dollfie dream. I think Saber is pretty awesome because she is charming instead of cute. I like the charming dollfie dreams, So I'm not knocking or biting Saber, just using her as an example.....

 

 

@ Arrienette: But I have to agree about Yuki Morikawa. I didn't know much about her until I seen Danny Choo post a couple of pictures of her. She did look beautiful but then her prices did sky rocket.

 

@ Baldylox: Lol, Saber as Volks Dollfie Dream Poster Girl....Y'know, I never thought of it like that. And in a way she kinda is. I mean, even I have a crush on Saber Lily. I also had no idea how popular Fate/Stay Night was. Even my BF like that anime.

 

 

I guess elitism exist in all hobbies. I just thought since dollfie collecting was 'underground'? Maybe that's the wrong word to use but you get what I'm saying...we should stick together

 

 

 

I am thinking about rephrasing question three. What I reall mean to ask is that:

 

In our hobby, do you feel that some people buy a certain doll just so everyone can fangirl over the person?

 

Thanks for reading. :3

I guess elitism exist in all hobbies. I just thought since dollfie collecting was 'underground'? Maybe that's the wrong word to use but you get what I'm saying...we should stick together

Well, this definitely isn't a mainstream hobby. Nothing wrong with that, and I agree, we should all stick together. But with any community, especially the internet, where people feel they can be anonymous, you're gonna get elitists, troll, and all the rest.

 

I am thinking about rephrasing question three. What I reall mean to ask is that:

 

In our hobby, do you feel that some people buy a certain doll just so everyone can fangirl over the person?

 

Thanks for reading. :3

Are you asking if some people buy a DD just to gain popularity and attention? Oh, yeah. It was the "in" thing on Figure.FM for a while, I think. I had a friend who wanted one, mostly because buying a DD was the in thing. I don't think he ever ended up buying one though.

 

And of course, there are those who buy rare anything just to say "look at me! look how great/rich I am!" Actually, I recall seeing a blog post on MyFigureCollection about people who add items they don't own to their collection list to look "cool." I guess it's the same reason people make dumb youtube videos, or why some people are so obsessed with gamer scores on Xbox Live.

I am thinking about rephrasing question three. What I reall mean to ask is that:

 

In our hobby, do you feel that some people buy a certain doll just so everyone can fangirl over the person?

 

Thanks for reading. :3

Are you asking if some people buy a DD just to gain popularity and attention? Oh, yeah. It was the "in" thing on Figure.FM for a while, I think. I had a friend who wanted one, mostly because buying a DD was the in thing. I don't think he ever ended up buying one though.

 

And of course, there are those who buy rare anything just to say "look at me! look how great/rich I am!" Actually, I recall seeing a blog post on MyFigureCollection about people who add items they don't own to their collection list to look "cool." I guess it's the same reason people make dumb youtube videos, or why some people are so obsessed with gamer scores on Xbox Live.

 

I'm sure there are those who do this within this hobby, but I'm happy to not be of that type myself.

 

I used to run into this issue a lot on Xbox Live, originally being the one who got kicked out of games for not having an "elite" enough GS, then to kicking myself out of games when I saw someone kick a different person for it.

Elitism is probably a bit of a tricky subject to discuss, since some things can be misunderstood, or by plain inconsideration end up sounding like it.

 

The resin versus vinyl debate is age old, but im sort of glad to hear that now a days you can walk into a local anime or whatever convention with your dollfie dream, and not have to worry about it being burned as the devils work, as it used to be about seven years ago.

 

So atleast locally this has improoved.

 

Personally I have no angst against resins, in fact I used to consider Volks'es Nono as a base for something I had in mind (Shinku), so no real fear of the strings on my end.

 

On the otherhand the basic my doll is better than your doll concept depends on how far it is taken.

 

For instance I do believe if we threw together a beauty pageant, we'd all be rooting for our own ladies. - This much is only natural I think.

 

Throwing in cost as a measure of a dolls greatness is never a good idea I think.

 

If im totally honest I get more of a warm fuzzy feeling when someone actually pulls off something special with a budget, which I think could inspire others also, so that you dont have a rob a bank to get something unique and special for yourself.

 

 

Considering spending, I think I stopped counting when I hit the five digit mark.

But as galvatim already said, there are far worse things to throw your money at.

 

I've never looked at my dolls as an investment, since locally there is no real market for them, and selling them abroad is a bit problematic at best, but always figured id get some money back atleast if the time ever came to part ways with the hobby.

 

 

 

1. What made the mold(s) you buy so special?

At first I was buying dollfie dreams just with the big anime figure idea in mind.

Feena was the first, wich also played with my thing for craftsmanship considering the dress.

Saber came in second, and eventhough I cant be bothered with the game, I do adore the female take on the arthur lore.

 

Coming up to my sixteenth doll the idea is still the same, Im still looking at the ladies as big anime figures for the most part, but coming in here I've learned to consider other options and potential too.

 

2. When you add on to your family, what do you consider and what reassure you that you will not sell the doll once you buy it?

With the character models, it usually is about knowing the character, since I still do keep the big anime figure thing alive.

 

But I cant deny that the "Oooh! Pretty!" mode does not come into play occasionally. I was biting the back of my hand considering the latest Sakura taisen model just for the yamato nadeshiko look, without any knowledge of the origins, but unfortunately it was not meant to be financially.

 

However recently Rise hasnt been as big of a personal success to be honest, but would I sell her?

 

No, she's probably going to be the first premade character doll I turn into something else with new bits and bobs. (Or second, if you count 'gintou, but that was making one character doll into another known character).

Maybe my own take on the Sakura Shinguuji thing, who knows... thats the beauty of these dolls, the ability to bring out the potential of them.

 

I actually did try to sell one of my Shino's (Hence the slightly snappish nature against myself in my stories.. ), but there were no takers for her, but lateron, and especially now after some story shoots her value has increased in other ways, and after so many years, even having two of them, would feel bad separating the twins.

 

My customs however are somehow rather interesting bit betty's based on cheap end head impusle buys off YJA, that seem to just gradually get made, and fine tuned over time and with different parts.

 

3. Do you feel like certain dolls only get bought for a social reasons?

Id like to believe that people buy the things they truly want, since if you do go into any expensive hobby like this, expecting fame and fanfare automatically just by getting a certain doll, it will be a trainwreck if the end results are other than expected.

 

Personally I can be honest and say I got my ladies just for myself, since as I said earlier DD's really were not the cool choise in this neck of the woods.

 

4. Do you only shop at Volks or consider other things for your dolls?

I cant actually remember when I last ordered from volks, other than for a complete doll set.

I wish they would wise up and make plenty of stock, and or, put up quotas for items for each region, instead of the huge first come first serve mad dash they seem to prefer.

 

Most of the time I seem to browse YJA for outfits, if I feel I have the money for such, but if the quality and price is right, any maker would be ok.