Costs involved in copying this Horo Dollfie

What would the costs involved in copying this specific Dollfie be? (Google 生命面包 萌狼 since the forum wont let me link to it, should be a Flickr link) Horo by Daniel Ting

 

I should note that while I've seen Dollfies around on the Internet for quite some time, I can be considered pretty much entirely a n00b. In fact, I never truly thought of owning one until seeing Daniel's Horo.

 

I've seen some other manufacturers who produce silicone bodies, which I do like because they hide the joints, however rarely do I like their heads, and I'm not sure how well mixing and matching works. I would expect skin colours to differ between manufacturers and things to get weird fast.

 

Anyway, I'm specifically interested in Daniel's Horo Dollfie, it's the best I've seen and I'm curious if I can afford to even attempt something like that.

 

Thanks

 

Additionally as a side note, how easy are Dollfies to travel with? I frequently travel by motorcycle and like to take anime figures along for photos at the various locations I visit. I'd be interested in doing the same with the Dollfie Horo, but worry about how best to carry one.

Rough ballpark, a grand?

 

My best guess is that she's an original Saber Alter, since she doesn't seem to have much blush, but you can get a Saber Alter 2nd for a fairly reasonable amount. I think the fullset is in the $1,100-$1,200 range, maybe $800-900 nude (someone else might know the pricing better)? You can get red eyes from Volks or another seller for $15-$25, a wig from a variety of sellers for $30-$50, and I honestly have no clue on the clothing & fox parts, but I'm guessing the $100-$200 range?

 

Although I can't really say I'm thrilled by the idea of someone "copying" another person's girl. It's one thing to be inspired, and to try to capture the same "feel," but "copy" isn't such a good word. I'd imagine her owner put in a lot of time and effort interpreting the character, and maybe wouldn't appreciate an exact duplicate, but another interpretation of the same character should be OK.

Saber Alter Head= $350 or full set Alter for around $1000

Body= $200-400 depending on which one you want

Outfit= $55-300 depending on who makes it

Wig= $25-50 depending on where you get it and how nice of a quality you want

Eyes= $11-30 depending on where you get it

Ears and Tails= $40-60 made by a professional in Japan or you can make it yourself for cheaper

 

I would say it will cost you well over $1000 to make this custom + Paypal fees and shipping for each part. This is just an estimate though. You might be able to find a good deal on parts if you get lucky or know where to look.

 

Travel wise. If it's just one doll then it's fairly easy to put them into a doll carrier or large backpack. Dollfie Dreams are light compared to their resin cousins and you won't have to worry about them breaking a finger if they fall. .

I dunno if its the doll herself (Saber Alter) or the outfit, but if its the latter then you could probably create a custom for a bit cheaper if use a more readily available head option. Just my thought on it.

 

Outfit wise would have to either make it yourself or commission it and cost would depend on various factors on whichever option you chose to do. Same with her ears and tail. Then just matter of finding wig and eyes that are to your liking.

Thanks for the replies. Seems it's somewhere within what I expected, I'd speculated upwards of $2k (over estimating I guess) and some others had said $1,000. So it's in that range.

 

Surprises me a bit that just a head could cost $350, but since it's a specific head from a set I guess that makes sense. Perhaps I could look for an alternative head with a bit more of a smile, even if subtly so.

 

Interesting that the outfit can be estimated as costing as low as $55, I was thinking closer to $300+ the whole time. That said, I'd probably still look for the $300 range for quality sake. Where would one go to request an outfit be made? And how would it be measured? There are different busts for Dollfies, being set sizes I guess I can just specify the bust I have and the tailor would know?

 

@juu-yuki, I'm glad they're not too breakable, the motorcycle is probably going to be vibrating along for hours on these trips, are the clothes going to rub away at the finish on the body? Is that even a worry? Also, can they be packed away safely with their legs bent? At 60 cm tall, I think they're too wide for any of the carriers I have on the motorcycle.

 

@Ultimaknight, I suppose I'll have to look around at other heads, see if there's any that seem fitting. I guess I can look through MFC for the different character heads, and Dollfie's own website for the standards. Are there other options beyond those two?

 

@Cauldroness, I have to admit, it's that sort of mentality that scares me away from Dollfies and the community at large. The whole 'daughter' thing, it's creepy. I personally just want a poseable Horo, I like taking photos of the Horo figures I own on my trips and thought it'd be nice to have something poseable for once. When I saw Daniels Horo, one that finally looked good enough, of course I wanted to copy it, it's darn near perfect, and complimented him on it. I don't see it as 'cloning someone's daughter' or anything, just reproducing a character. Don't a bunch of people buy character Dollfies? Saber, Saber Lily, Saber EXTRA, Saber Alter, Yoko Littner, Nia Teppelin, Noumi Kudryavka, Tohsaka Rin, Hakurei Reimu, Suigintou, Kirisame Marisa, Akiyama Mio etc... What makes those different? Sure, perhaps they change them over time and customize them into their own, but it doesn't change the fact they started in the same place as someone else.

Perhaps I could look for an alternative head with a bit more of a smile, even if subtly so.

 

Saber Alter does have a very faint smile, but it's visible only from certain angles

I know I’m going to be the bad guy here, but what the hell, here goes. I can understand falling in love with someone else’s doll, it has happened to me many times, it has probably happened to most of us but I would never consider completely copying someone else’s doll. This topic really rubs me the wrong way, not just in this individual instance, I have seen similar posts and photos of copied dolls before now and I will probably see them again in the future, but it makes me so sad.

 

If you were asking ‘how can I make my own Horo’ then it wouldn’t be so bad, but you are stating outright ‘I want to copy this doll’. I know Horo is a pre-existing character from the books/anime, but there is no official dollfie dream of her character. Because of that, in my eyes, that Horo is still a custom dollfie dream. That person has put in a lot of time, consideration and money to make their ideal representation of that character. To try to copy that to the exact detail is not right in my opinion.

 

As an example, I brought the recent Melty Dollfie Dream from Volks. I plan to keep her in character as Melty as I love her character from the game/anime; she will stay in her default eyes and clothes. If someone else keeps their Melty in her defaults as well and posts pictures of her, then I see no offence to that and I will enjoy the pictures of her. However, if that Horo was mine, just as an example, I would be pretty annoyed if I saw this topic, or saw pictures of ‘your Horo’ using the same head mould, eyes, same type of ears, etc.

 

If you really want to make a Horo dollfie dream of your own, go for it. I am not saying you shouldn’t do it at all, I am just saying that you should not directly copy everything about someone else’s doll. Even if it is based on a pre-existing book/manga/anime/game character, if it is not an officially licenced full set from Volks, it is a custom doll that someone has gone to a lot of trouble to making their own and I do not think that should be directly copied.

 

If you look at doll show reports from the big doll events that have large Dollfie Dream participation, you will see lots of custom dolls of anime and game characters, but you don’t see two exactly the same. Just like at the doll shows, if you chose to make your own, Horo, it should not be exactly the same as the existing one.

 

*hops off soapbox*

Apparently one of the costs of creating Holo is to suffer through a tirade by the subset of the population who thinks it's OK to admire a character enough to make a doll out of them, but not OK to admire a doll enough to try and duplicate it yourself.

 

We forgot to add that to our price list.

Apparently one of the costs of creating Holo is to suffer through a tirade by the subset of the population who thinks it's OK to admire a character enough to make a doll out of them, but not OK to admire a doll enough to try and duplicate it yourself.

 

We forgot to add that to our price list.

Quoted for truth.

@Cauldroness, I have to admit, it's that sort of mentality that scares me away from Dollfies and the community at large. The whole 'daughter' thing, it's creepy. I personally just want a poseable Horo, I like taking photos of the Horo figures I own on my trips and thought it'd be nice to have something poseable for once. When I saw Daniels Horo, one that finally looked good enough, of course I wanted to copy it, it's darn near perfect, and complimented him on it. I don't see it as 'cloning someone's daughter' or anything, just reproducing a character. Don't a bunch of people buy character Dollfies? Saber, Saber Lily, Saber EXTRA, Saber Alter, Yoko Littner, Nia Teppelin, Noumi Kudryavka, Tohsaka Rin, Hakurei Reimu, Suigintou, Kirisame Marisa, Akiyama Mio etc... What makes those different? Sure, perhaps they change them over time and customize them into their own, but it doesn't change the fact they started in the same place as someone else.

 

Honestly, I wasn't at all coming from the "daughter" angle at all. I never use that term for dolls, ever. I see them as inanimate art, nothing more. I think of it more this way:

+ Character DDs are mass-produced items, like... the lamps you get at Target or Wal-Mart. Everyone gets the same lamp, no big deal. Identical lamps for everyone, whee!

+ But if someone buys that exact same lamp and spends time, effort, & creativity in customizing it somehow -- maybe they add a tile mosaic to the base, or hand-paint flowers on the shade, or whatever -- now it's unique piece. And I'd find copying that unique lamp exactly just as "off" as doing an exact copy of someone's customized DD. Now, using it as inspiration, putting in your own creative energy, and making your own unique lamp (maybe you put crystals on the base and paint vines on the shade)? Super-cool. Rock on. Full steam ahead!

 

So I think it's awesome to try to make your own Horo DD, for sure. If you want one, go for it! But it's one thing to try to make your own interpretation of the character, and trying to do a direct copy of someone else's interpretation. Are all Horo DDs going to look similar? Yup. Is that a problem? Nope. But I just think each person should put in their own creative effort.

 

Also, don't be scared off. There's no "one true DD fandom." If you don't like the "daughter" thing, it doesn't have to be part of your DD hobby. It's certainly not part of mine. You get to decide how your hobby is going to be, for you. Will people have opinions about it? Definitely. Do you necessarily have to agree with them, or even care about their opinion? Nope. It's up to you. You can even totally ignore my opinion on copies, that's your right.

 

TLDR: I agree with aquilla429.

about 800-1100 seems right depending on what head you want to use and where you get the outfit commissioned. I recently finished 2 custom girls myself and thats give or take a bit how much they cost.

 

That said, ignore the people who tell you that you that you can't copy someone else's, its an expensive hobby and you might as well get a result you're happy with especially if you're going to take photos. At least you're trying to make something that looks nice already. I doubt any custom character is not somehow based or inspired from another one anyways, and even then, its impossible to copy 100%. The only thing in my mind that is bad is when people talk about like they want to seriously make a character DD in a long thread and do nothing with it in the end. Anyone who is telling you otherwise is just being a bit of a prat and not being very supportive.

Adding another 2 cents into the mix:

 

If I were to make a custom character based on an anime or game character and had seen one perfectly done before I sure as hell would go the same route. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all.

 

This whole "don't copy what others have done" attitude is quite sad to see.

you can always message the owner for help... most owners would be very happy to know others are liking their creation so much that want one of their own.

 

Or another way to approach rather then copying it straight, is to make a little or older sister character.. that way it's not a straight copy and you can add a bit of a touch of your own... no owner will ever get offended that way, and would even be more willingly to assist in your project.

I'd advocate using the other Horo as an inspiration, but doing your own research into your options. Copying issues aside, there are different things available now than when the other doll was assembled: new eye makers have cropped up, companies have introduced or phased out certain wigs, Volks has released several new standard heads, etc. It's one thing if after you do the research you still consider that Horo the best, but it'd be a shame to miss out on *your* ideal Horo due to being infatuated with someone else's.

It’s ok to like something enough that you want to make your own; I have done that myself recently so it’s a subject I can relate to. I don’t mean my comments to seem as a tirade of abuse, but I understand it’s easy to misinterpret someone’s feelings on the internet.

 

I have a topic on the forums here about a custom doll I which I made, originally I wanted a doll that looked similar to an anime character I liked but the majority of my inspiration actually came from a custom dd01 head which I saw on yahoo japan. It was that custom head on yahoo japan that made me decide “I want that doll, it’s perfect for my project but I can’t afford to win it. I’m going to make one myself!”

 

And so I did make a doll myself. What I did not do is that I did not create an exact duplicate of that custom head; I could have copied it almost exactly if I wanted to, I had enough reference pictures of it saved to do so, but I didn’t. I made my own doll which did share similarities and it was heavily inspired, I’d say at least 90% of my inspiration was from that existing doll. Although the characteristics between my head and the original head are similar to a certain degree, it is also very different in a lot of ways and when comparing the two side by side, there is no way you could mistake them as copies of each other because they are actually very different. I would not personally have felt comfortable making a direct copy of that doll I originally wanted.

 

I don’t think it’s ever right to make a complete copy of something that someone else worked so hard on, which is why I didn’t copy it directly. I’m not just talking about dolls here, but anything. Creative works of all kinds get copied all the time and it really is such a shame. People should be able to create without the fear of being copied. If you ask me, copying a dollfie dream creation, right down to the head mould, which IS the most distinctive part, is not fair on the original person who worked so hard to put that vision together. You don’t have to agree with me, but that is my personal opinion and I am free to feel that way.

 

I’m not saying no one can ever make a Horo doll now because someone else already did it. I’m just saying that instead of directly copying someone else’s vision, make your own instead. Who knows, if you make your own Horo instead of just copying someone else’s, maybe she will be even better, then we will all fall in love with yours instead and as an owner, that would make it all the more satisfying for you. Wouldn’t it be great to take on the best and win?

 

Think about it this way (just as an example), What would happen if I decided I loved Juu Yuki’s custom Asuna and Kirito so much that I wanted my own. What if I the used the same heads, the same wig styling techniques, the same eyes and the same male body as she used for her pair. They are both pre-existing characters, but these dolls are not yet made, so they, as dolls, are her own original creations. She has posted enough information, progress shots and tutorials for us to all know exactly how she did what she has.

 

If I made exact copies of her Asuna and Kirito, would people praise me for making them? I don’t think they would.

If I made exact copies of her Asuna and Kirito, would people praise me for making them? I don’t think they would.

I don't see why not. I'm pretty sure most people would be flattered, including Juu-Yuki.

So Waha and Mahoro pointed me towards this topic..

 

I actually know AkaTG from figure collecting and he's a HUGE fan of Horo.

 

I took a look at the photos of Daniel's Horo which he linked... I don't see why a few people are getting bent out of shape over this. The Horo being mimicked is in DEFAULT faceup with Volks Animetic eyes - which are readily available.

 

So..... Basically anyone with a Saber Alter could buy the eyes and put some things together to make this DD. At first while I read the responses I thought this DD might have been fairly custom, but really guys! It has default faceup! >_<

 

We're all entitled to our own feelings, but we all really should remember if we don't have anything nice to say, we shouldn't say anything at all. Keeps the drama to a minimum.

Wow.... this thread is blowing up beyond belief.

Before I answer your questions. Don't worry about copying other people's dolls because most likely, you can't copy it exactly. You will be using the same head and body but really, in the end, it's still a Saber Alter and THOUSANDS of people have Alters >^> They all look a little different.

 

So, just go with that basic doll because you like the face sculpt and build Holo from there. Eyes, wig, outfits and accessories are forgiving and you can pretty much change them to whatever colour, brand or look you want.

 

Thanks for the replies. Seems it's somewhere within what I expected, I'd speculated upwards of $2k (over estimating I guess) and some others had said $1,000. So it's in that range.

 

Your estimate is most likely correct because that $1000 does not include exchange rates, shipping and other fees. So yes, it's well over $1000. $2000 would be in the higher quality of things.

 

Surprises me a bit that just a head could cost $350, but since it's a specific head from a set I guess that makes sense. Perhaps I could look for an alternative head with a bit more of a smile, even if subtly so.

I won't say she is rare but she is a from a licensed release. Most of those heads cost at least $300 if not more. $350 is considered a reasonable price for her since she was released twice and it wasn't even through a lottery

 

Interesting that the outfit can be estimated as costing as low as $55, I was thinking closer to $300+ the whole time. That said, I'd probably still look for the $300 range for quality sake. Where would one go to request an outfit be made? And how would it be measured? There are different busts for Dollfies, being set sizes I guess I can just specify the bust I have and the tailor would know?

$55 is for those.... hmmm... "inexperienced" tailors who are still starting out. Yes, there are tailors who will charge $300-$500 for an outfit. But for an outfit that is reasonably well made, you can find that at $200. I would say they should have at least 8-10 years of experience.

 

@juu-yuki, I'm glad they're not too breakable, the motorcycle is probably going to be vibrating along for hours on these trips, are the clothes going to rub away at the finish on the body? Is that even a worry? Also, can they be packed away safely with their legs bent? At 60 cm tall, I think they're too wide for any of the carriers I have on the motorcycle.

If the clothes are a very dark colour that can stain, than you will need a body stocking. Either that or take the outfit off and dress her when you arrive at your location (you probably don't want to be seen in public dressing a naked doll though) . And no, it should not ruin the finish on the body because there is no finish. It's just a smooth vinyl, they didn't spray anything on it. You can bend their legs or you can take them apart. Dollfie dreams are easy to disassemble and assemble again which makes them great travel partners.

 

@Ultimaknight, I suppose I'll have to look around at other heads, see if there's any that seem fitting. I guess I can look through MFC for the different character heads, and Dollfie's own website for the standards. Are there other options beyond those two?

Sorry UK, jumping in here

All of the dolls released to date:

http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/dollfiedream/list_dd.html/

These are non-licenced girls, meaning they are not from any animes. They are Volk's original characters. First section are starter dolls made with non limited heads. Second section are limited dolls.

 

http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/dollfiedream/list_ddl.html/

All limited and licenced dolls. Price for a full set range from $700-$4000 depending on which one you want.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Guest

 

Think about it this way (just as an example), What would happen if I decided I loved Juu Yuki’s custom Asuna and Kirito so much that I wanted my own. What if I the used the same heads, the same wig styling techniques, the same eyes and the same male body as she used for her pair. They are both pre-existing characters, but these dolls are not yet made, so they, as dolls, are her own original creations. She has posted enough information, progress shots and tutorials for us to all know exactly how she did what she has.

 

If I made exact copies of her Asuna and Kirito, would people praise me for making them? I don’t think they would.

 

I am honored to read this. Glad you like my Kirito and Asuna.

As for copying them exactly, you are correct. I won't be happy to see exact replicas of my dolls skipping around everywhere. But truthfully, the likely hood of someone copying them exactly is slim. All of my dolls are custom made with limited head molds and faceups so it will take a lot of dedication, time and money to recreate them. (Unless you buy them off me, that is another topic on it's own ).

 

AkaTG probably want a Holo doll made from an Alter which is perfectly fine . Alters are everywhere, they are all different. He will probably use a different wig, eyes and outfit which will make her different. Unless the owner of the original Holo tells him where he got everything it will be hard for him to make an exact copy. Too many variables and too many choices in this hobby which is what makes it fun.

AkaTG probably want a Holo doll made from an Alter which is perfectly fine . Alters are

everywhere, they are all different. He will probably use a different wig, eyes and outfit which will make her different. Unless the owner of the original Holo tells him where he got everything it will be hard for him to make an exact copy. Too many variables and too many choices in this hobby which is what makes it fun.

 

That's what I said in my first post, don't go for everything exactly the same. She will look lovey in different eyes, different wig with different ears and tail and different outfit.

 

What I've been trying to say all along is that he/she doesn't need to spend a fortune finding everything exactly the same and making a direct copy. Buy your own components and make her yours.

 

I think I've been grossly misinterpreted on this thread. Internet discussions are hard.

you can always message the owner for help... most owners would be very happy to know others are liking their creation so much that want one of their own.

Unfortunately the original owner speaks Chinese. I did message him and compliment his work, and we had a little exchange. But it's somewhat limited. He seemed happy enough however to share.

 

----------------------

 

Talking on IRC with Mahoro, waha, PlasticFantastic, and juu-yuki I think I've gotten some good insight into what direction I might head if I am to go down this route.

 

Got talking about alternate bodies, and heads, and eyes, etc... A lot of choices to be had. Though I do want to stick fairly closely to the Dollfie 'linked' in the opening. However I'm considering a DDS body, as from what I gather the S bust is too small, the M is too big, but the M on a DDS is a little bit smaller than a DDIII and a bit more the direction I'd like. I think the original creator probably has a normal M bust, which is what would have come with Saber Alter? And I think Horo's a bit too busty in his version.

 

Also starting to wonder if I want to be as pale as his, or go with a 'normal' skin colour. But pictures seem to be all over the place in terms of saturation, so I'm not really sure yet. I'd like some skin tone, but not too pink either. In some photos 'normal' skin looks pleasantly pale, in others however they look too pink. The white skin looks far too lifeless in some photos, and seems to have some colour in others. So yeah, not sure.

 

To those of you angry/disappointed/upset/sad that I want to copy someone elses 'girl', you should be ecstatic that I'm already looking to differ mine from his. I worry though that by changing it up, she'll look off, or wrong.

 

Anyway, that's where I'm at right now. I'm not yet convinced to spend the money, I think I'll have to at some point see some in person and have a better idea then. At least estimates seem fairly consistent all around, so I can try and budget that out. Bonus, sold a figure yesterday, that'll cover 10-20%!

I'm rather mixed over this whole issue so I find it best not to say anything other than: It's better not to copy, but if that's what gets your interest going in DD, who am I to say your doing it wrong? I just hope you end up with a girl you can connect with and enjoy.

 

Also starting to wonder if I want to be as pale as his, or go with a 'normal' skin colour.

 

From my personal experience (2 White Skin girls, and a few Normal Skin girls & boy) since you are starting out I'd suggest normal skin. I'm forever having trouble photographing Naiomi with her WS and dark hair, he skin almost always looks washed out even when I think I have everything right. Tamayuki is a normal skin and I've rarely had any issue with photographing him anywhere. I have tons of photos of him because he is so very photogenic.

 

As for traveling with your girl, its a good idea to get a face protector too so he faceup won't get damaged.

 

Welcome to our forums AkaTG! I'm sorry that your intro to our community was so rough, it even surprised me a bit at the strong emotions your questions triggered. There are a large majority of artists here and I think the word copy was like lighting a fuse to a firecracker. I hope you stick around because we really are a nice and helpful bunch of people.

 

~Sister Kyoya

I'm rather mixed over this whole issue so I find it best not to say anything other than: It's better not to copy, but if that's what gets your interest going in DD, who am I to say your doing it wrong? I just hope you end up with a girl you can connect with and enjoy.

I could see copying being annoying if you created something unique, but a character copy isn't all that unique, even if you do own the only one. It's still a copy of a character which others may want to duplicate.

 

All I can think however is that it was a poor choice of wording to use "copy", had I said replicate, perhaps all the negative connotations associated with "copy" wouldn't have reared their head. While both are synonyms, one gives off a more negative vibe than the other.

 

From my personal experience (2 White Skin girls, and a few Normal Skin girls & boy) since you are starting out I'd suggest normal skin. I'm forever having trouble photographing Naiomi with her WS and dark hair, he skin almost always looks washed out even when I think I have everything right. Tamayuki is a normal skin and I've rarely had any issue with photographing him anywhere. I have tons of photos of him because he is so very photogenic.

I'm a fairly decent photographer, I suspect I could figure out the lighting. But I'll really just have to see what they look like in person to make that judgement call.

 

As for traveling with your girl, its a good idea to get a face protector too so he faceup won't get damaged.

What do those look like? Is it a standard item you can buy easily?

 

Welcome to our forums AkaTG! I'm sorry that your intro to our community was so rough, it even surprised me a bit at the strong emotions your questions triggered. There are a large majority of artists here and I think the word copy was like lighting a fuse to a firecracker. I hope you stick around because we really are a nice and helpful bunch of people.

 

~Sister Kyoya

Thanks for the welcome. I guess I just have a different mindset to everything I do. All the content I post on the Internet is generally licensed via a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. Which means anyone can take my stuff and do whatever they want (except commercially), so long as they attribute the original to me and share what they produce with that content freely to others under a similarly non-restrictive license. So if I were to duplicate Danial Ting's Horo, and write about it on my site, I would of course grant him credit and link back to his photos, but I wouldn't see why duplicating it would ever be offensive in that case. But to each their own I guess.

What do those look like? Is it a standard item you can buy easily?

 

Yep! You can find it on Volks USA. You could also wrap her up carefully in white soft fabric, but from my husband's Yuriko (01 head) even that can rub on the nose a little bit. Taking your girl on a motorcycle could increase the rubbing from the vibration so I think the Volks face protector would be a much better option. If you get a custom faceup, I'd recommend the Volks option even more. There may be better and less expensive ones out there, but that's the one I knew where it was.

 

~Sister Kyoya

To those of you angry/disappointed/upset/sad that I want to copy someone elses 'girl', you should be ecstatic that I'm already looking to differ mine from his. I worry though that by changing it up, she'll look off, or wrong.

 

Honestly, I don't think anyone is going to be "angry" or "upset" with you, regardless of what you ultimately decide to do. This is one of the friendly and more laid-back forums I've seen, even if you wouldn't guess at much from this particular thread (honestly, I think this thread is about as argumentative as people tend to get on here, and it's still super-mild). People might not agree with what you do, but I don't think anyone wants you to feel personally attacked or unwelcome. Unless you're flinging literal poo at people, I think everyone will want you to participate and enjoy the hobby -- yes, even me, even if I don't agree with the copying thing.

 

And I think everyone would encourage you to make sure you're 100% happy with your doll. If Saber is the right head for you, then you should get a Saber. If those are the right eyes for you, then you should get those eyes. But there are a lot of little opportunities to make your Horo all the way yours, while making sure she still looks right to you -- and possibly even making her "more right" by being more accurate to the original character design. Are the beads on her sachet turquoise or red? Is the fabric of her sachet solid, or does it have a diamond pattern? Are her vest and skirt black, or are they charcoal grey, or deep purple, or darkest blue? Is her undershirt true blue, or is it more of a cobalt, or navy, or dark chicory? Is her belt the same bright red as her braid, or is it actually more muted -- mauve or deep rose? Should the bow be a narrow ribbon, or is it wider and floppier? Are her leg warmers the same color as her pants, or are they paler? Are they more grey, or more brown? Is the fur on them pure white, or soft cream? Is it fur, or is it soft fuzzy lamb-stuff? Should the leg warmers be smooth, or all scrunched up, like slouchy socks? Are her boots black or just very dark brown? All of these little decisions will make your Horo totally unique to you.