Manami : A One Year Retrospective

This week, on Wednesday June 22nd, marks the one year anniversary of my adopting Manami.

 

It seems so long ago now but it's only been a year. We've done so many things together and I just wanted to share some pictures of her from day one up until now.

 

For people who may not know, this is her story.

 

 

 

I was digging around Danny Choo's site one day and found a link to a place called Figurefm. I clicked thru and saw all sorts of nice figures similar to what I was collecting. Then I saw pictures of Dollfies. I knew of them from Danny's site so I clicked thru more pics. I was loving all the cool clothing and different girls.

 

A few months passed and I kept visiting the site. One day, I have no clue why other than fate working on me, I hit the classifieds section. Lo and behold, someone had a DD for sale! I looked at the post and fell in love immediately. It was Manami.

 

I contacted her owner and we emailed and chatted back and forth for a while. Finally we agreed to a deal and I adopted Manami. Two days later, my life changed completely.

 

Here is the first picture I ever took of my girl:

 

 

I was so taken back by how pretty she was in person as well as how tall she was! And she was all over the place too! =3

 

Here is her first time outside her new home, checking out flowers:

 

 

Sigh. Looking back, I now know why Manami craves sweets like she does.... it's all MY fault. Here is the first treat she ever got:

 

 

Manami came clothed with that pink Volks Bunny set. But after a month or so, I felt she needed something else. So I made an order from Nightfall and she got her first new outfits! This was her fave of the group, nekomimi hoodie!

 

 

Here's Manami at her first trip to my parents place. She's wearing more Nightfall clothes.

 

 

While at my parents, Manami got to see dogs and horses for the first time. She also got to meet my sisters pet Love Bird.

 

 

I got a friend in Japan to help me win something on YJA..... Manami's first cosplay outfit! She loves Ryomou Shimei from Ikki Tousen so she really wanted to cosplay as her. Finding clothes for Ryomou is hard and expensive. But I managed to get her School Uniform for Manami to wear.

 

 

Ah yes.... this next picture is where it all started for me and my best Dollfie friend, Mitsuki. She had shown off a cool laptop for her girls that she got from American Girl over on Figurefm. I wanted one but the online store was out of stock. So Mitsuki graciously offered to pick one up from the store near her and send it to me! I took her up on the offer and Manami got her laptop.... along with other various gifts including cookies. THIS is why Manami always goes nuts over packages from Mitsuki.

 

 

Thanks to Chun up in Canada, I was able to finally get a hold of the default maid set for Ryomou! Manami went crazy over this outfit. She wore it for almost a week straight! It wasn't cheap but it was so worth it!

 

 

After long days of playing with the cats and watching TV, Manami takes a nap on the couch in her Nightfall pajamas. She is too adorable.

 

 

Manami loves Jessicas work from Nightfall so I wound up getting her more clothing from there. This is one of her favorite outfits:

 

 

This outfit was my first time ordering directly from Volks US. It's the Gangster set and I wanted it so badly for Manami! I waited and refreshed my computer for what seemed like hours until it was up on their site. Anyone who has gone after outfits on Volks site knows how it feels to actually get one and have that confirmation email. I was so happy! I also got this wig at the same time. It was the first wig I ever bought for her.

 

 

When I went to Japan last September, I picked up many things for Manami, including this custom outfit at a Volks store. I was told the person who made this was a local seller who worked a deal with Volks to sell outfits thru their Osaka store. And they were always one of a kinds. So I had to snap this up when I saw it.

 

 

This next picture shows Manami in one of my favorite poses..... and she knows this all too well. Anytime she looks up at me with outstretched arms, I melt. She wants to be picked up or hugged and I can never say no. Here, she's wearing an Azone sailorf.u.k.u. while doing some crayon drawings for me. Kawaii!

 

 

After doing the cute school girl look, now she does the sexy school girl look. I have to say she does it well.

 

 

Our first Halloween together! Manami wanted to cosplay Ryomou again in the new Gothic Lolita maid set I picked up while in Japan. Halloween is my favorite holiday and Manami's second fave. Xmas is of course her favorite.

 

 

Manami has always been a little ecchi and at home with her body. And she delights in messing with me. So every so often, she goes all sexytime on me just to see me blush and get nosebleeds. Here she is in a button up shirt that's not so buttoned up.

 

 

Manami's favorite color is pink so whenever she sees a pink outfit, she begs me for it. For this one, I gave in quickly due to the fact that *I* wanted to see her in it as badly as she did. And in the pic, she's blowing me a kiss... awww!

 

 

More sexytime! This was another milestone because this outfit marked the first time we had gotten anything from Jun97. He made the top she is wearing here out of Spandex. She loves how it feels and enjoys lounging around in this and not much else. Thanks Jun97!!

 

 

And here she is playing Wolf in her new kigurumi. I adore when she does this because she's so much fun to watch! Plus, I love her braids she wears with this outfit!

 

 

This next picture is Manami's first outing to someplace other than outside my house or my parents. We went to the Magnolia Cemetary in Charleston SC and spent most of a day there getting pictures. We had a wonderful time even tho it was hot as heck and it rained on us twice.

 

 

And out under the huge oak trees there at the cemetary.

 

 

Now Manami was really excited about going to her first doll meetup. She had really hoped to meet other DD's there but alas, noone else had any. She was the lone vinyl in a sea of resins. She still had fun tho!

 

 

Now for her second doll meet, we drove up to Charlotte NC and met up with a friend who does collect DD's! We then drove to Greensboro for a big meeting at Doll Market, a huge store selling nothing but dolls and stuff for them. Manami was finally able to meet more Dollfies! Ed brought along his Sakura and Rin! They were so pretty in person! It was the first time I had ever seen another Dollfie besides Manami in person.

 

 

We had another doll meetup in the autumn and it was outside. We went to CharlesTowne Landing here locally and had some fun at the colony. Here's Manami playing hide and seek with me.

 

 

A little later, Manami got very upset with me. She found out I forgot to bring enuff snacks for her on the trip so she had me locked up in the stockade and scolded me in front of everyone! I was sad....

 

 

While I was in Japan, I adopted two sisters for Manami... Rei and Yoko. They got to go meet up with Ed's girls in Charlotte early in winter. Here are my three girls out at a park near his place.

 

 

Here at home, Manami was no longer an only child. She had begged me for a sister for a long time and I finally made her wish come true. So all of them dressed up nicely for me and let me take some shots of them together.

 

 

Even tho I now have seven daughters, these three are my pride and joy. They are all so special to me.

 

 

 

 

So that's my little ode to Manami. She was my first and she is my favorite. I know that's mean to pick just one girl like that but I have to. Manami came to me in such a way that I feel it was meant to be. ALL my girls have really. But Manami will always hold that one special place in my heart. I love her dearly and thank her for a wonderful year with me.

 

 

Billy

Awww. A year passed quickly, didn't it? I still remember some ooold post back on figure.fm, like her arrival, her first time in the Gangster outfit, and other. Man, it seems like I've been watching her from the very beginning, without you two guys knowing.

What an awesome tribute! It does go by so fast, but you did a lot in one year. As we were talking about it before, it's so funny that we both got our first doll (in my case resin) a day apart from each other. I actually remember looking at your posts on figure.fm around that time. I kinda watched her grow through your posts, which is such a great thing about this hobby.

 

Congratulations on your first year! Here's to many more!

This is really magical for me to see. It is like I lived a whole year just looking through the photos. That year felt like so much longer. So many life-changing events. I am so glad Manami is so special and brought us all together.

I have more warm and fuzzy feelings!

 

I FEEL THE LOVE!

You've made such a nice home for Manami. I can feel your enthusiasm and love for your girls in your posts, and it's really touching. I had no idea you'd only had her for a year, the way you talk it's like she's been there your whole life!

Awww... that's so cute XD I love this retrospective. The photo of you in the stocks is just too funny... excellent use of the pointy hand XD I cannot blame her for outrage at lack of snacks!

 

Really though, this is great, it's amazing how something so tiny can change a person's life so much!

The second picture kills me every time I look at it !!!

 

That is such a beautiful post , Manami must be really happy to have found a daddy that loves her

so much

Really ,really cute .

Happy anniversary ! (Are you having a dinner somewhere tomorrow ? )

Awww. A year passed quickly, didn't it? I still remember some ooold post back on figure.fm, like her arrival, her first time in the Gangster outfit, and other. Man, it seems like I've been watching her from the very beginning, without you two guys knowing.

 

 

It did go by fast! It feels like so much longer....

 

I find it funny that so many people have watched Manami "grow up" with me. All I wanted to do was take pics of my girl and share her adventures with people. I never knew she was such a popular girl.....

 

 

Billy

What an awesome tribute! It does go by so fast, but you did a lot in one year. As we were talking about it before, it's so funny that we both got our first doll (in my case resin) a day apart from each other. I actually remember looking at your posts on figure.fm around that time. I kinda watched her grow through your posts, which is such a great thing about this hobby.

 

Congratulations on your first year! Here's to many more!

 

 

Thank you sir! I'm glad we could entertain you for the past year. And I hope we can continue to for many more.

 

 

Billy

This is really magical for me to see. It is like I lived a whole year just looking through the photos. That year felt like so much longer. So many life-changing events. I am so glad Manami is so special and brought us all together.

 

 

Thanks so much Mitsuki. YOU have been a very big part of her life and I thank you for that. It's so nice to know that I'm not the only one who loves her.

 

 

Billy

I have more warm and fuzzy feelings!

 

I FEEL THE LOVE!

 

 

Ha ha! Thank you!

 

 

Billy

You've made such a nice home for Manami. I can feel your enthusiasm and love for your girls in your posts, and it's really touching. I had no idea you'd only had her for a year, the way you talk it's like she's been there your whole life!

 

 

Thank you! I'm glad my feelings are shown in my stories of her. It's not always easy to do but I try really hard. It's good to know it's working. =3

 

Yeah, only a year. It does seem like we've been together way longer than that. But that's the cool part.... if it felt like many years in just one year, it will feel like decades in another 3-4 years.

 

 

Billy

I love this true life story. It's so heartwarming and nice. Warm and fuzzy kinda describes it for me. Good for you, B. I'm very happy for you.

Awww... that's so cute XD I love this retrospective. The photo of you in the stocks is just too funny... excellent use of the pointy hand XD I cannot blame her for outrage at lack of snacks!

 

Really though, this is great, it's amazing how something so tiny can change a person's life so much!

 

 

Thank you! The stockade pic was a fun one. Everyone there couldn't believe I came up with it. I was like really? That's such an easy one to think of! That's Manami's ANGRY FINGAH! I don't get it often but when I do, its bad.

 

And yes, she HAS changed my life. She and her sisters are my creative outlet now and it's good to be able to tell stories and make others happy while having fun.

 

 

Billy

The second picture kills me every time I look at it !!!

 

That is such a beautiful post , Manami must be really happy to have found a daddy that loves her

so much

Really ,really cute .

Happy anniversary ! (Are you having a dinner somewhere tomorrow ? )

 

Aww! So nice of you to say Salica! I try and be the best Papa I can be for my girls. I try and keep them as happy as they keep me. I think that's a big part of why Manami and her sisters are so special to me.

 

I only have a nice quiet evening planned for the two of us. Her sisters are throwing her a party tonight and will let Manami and I spend tomorrow night together alone. I will have pics up later today of the party. You'll love it.

 

 

Billy

I love this true life story. It's so heartwarming and nice. Warm and fuzzy kinda describes it for me. Good for you, B. I'm very happy for you.

 

Thank you sir! I'm glad you liked it.

 

 

Billy

You and Manami have had a very exciting year together! Here's to many more!

Whew! I finally finished reading this post. I was savoring every moment of it.

 

It really is hard to believe that its been only a year. I remember some of those pictures from when I was just lurking around figure.fm. Manami is really special!

 

Looking forward to the party pics next.

OMG, a real bird... I love that pictures..

 

I remember seeing the pictures of her first arrival, and the gangster outfit too.. one year sure flys by quick.

Thanks Galvatim! I hope we have many more too!

 

 

Whew! I finally finished reading this post. I was savoring every moment of it.

 

It really is hard to believe that its been only a year. I remember some of those pictures from when I was just lurking around figure.fm. Manami is really special!

 

Looking forward to the party pics next.

 

 

Yes, I know it was a long and wordy post. But this was all about my beloved girl! I had to embellish and splurge a little!

 

Thank you very much for the nice comments sir, I'm glad Manami stood out enuff on Figurefm for you to remember her well.

 

And the party pics are now up!

 

 

Otakusan, thank you! I liked the bird picture too. You're so right, a year flew by way too fast!

 

 

Billy