The Zodiac Girlz: The Lost It-Girls of Astrology

The Zodiac Girlz: The mysterious flash mascots that got a whole generation primed to be addicted to astrology in young adulthood. What information can we find about them? A lot more than I expected to find, that's for sure! Join me as I explore the full Zodiac girlz franchise; the website, the dolls, the forum, the… tv show?!
The Zodiac Girlz has an impressively complete Wayback Machine archive; it just needs a slightly odd URL to be able to access the homepage! web.archive.or...
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This video covers a property that was originally intended for children, but this is a video for an adult audience and contains mild adult language.
Keywords: Zodiac Girlz, astrology, horoscope, zodiac, Y2K nostalgia, flash, defunct, 2000's kidcore, video essay, retrospective, deep dive, documentary

[@lispeaks]

re: “i got in a car accident”: i’m okay now! i was just in the hospital to get some images taken on my ribs and they were just bruised, not broken. but it did put my last week in disarray and delay this video. but shoutout to myself for managing to remember to record that bit despite being concussed

[@zenithobsidian6554]

So glad you’re okay queen!! Rest up and hope you recover quickly 🖤

[@realgreyfish]

glad to hear you’re okay!!

[@Periwinkie22]

Glad your okay!

[@robinfernando5970]

I'm sorry you had to go through that! Hope you have a speedy recovery, take it easy :)

[@PutRandomNameHere]

Glad you're okay!

[@kelceyfirth]

I think instead of having the Gemini twins they could have made one Gemini who's superpower is cloning herself, thus leaving so much more room for personality

[@floofthedoof]

whenever i think of zodiac related powers, this is what i always think of when it's gemini: not literal twins but someone who can duplicate themselves, heck they can even have split personalities too.

[@PuddingMilk]

Oh!! I've never thought about cloning as a Gemini power :0

[@OldObscureUnpopularGames]

I hate always seeing twins for Gemini things since it’s my sign and I love different ideas like this so much! I have thought of it as a yin yang inside a single person sort of thing for a long time. The cloning is such a cool idea

[@ripabigfatoneforme]

it’s so funny bc my best friends growing up were twins who were gemini’s

[@VultureSkins]

@@floofthedoofI don’t think mental disorders should be misused as character traits or a… super power? Duplication is one this, that is another entirely

[@jazzycat8917]

The twins of Gemini have always had individual names, predominantly Castor and Pollux, so there's really no excuse for this version of them to be nameless.

[@marumaru2105]

Cassie and Polly would be okay

[@a.c.1515]

what if they made one character whose full name included all the letters of both twins' names? like pastor collux or something

[@victoryjamz]

it is in the nature of humanity

[@kathrynk2184]

​@a.c.1515 yeah that sounds like a nice name. Someone should go and remaster all the other girls to have a similar naming convention, as well as [hear me out] making them aliens, or something, to tie in with the whole "star" part of star signs?

[@leonineKelter]

You're never gonna believe what a certain comic called Homestuck did

[@WeebaLu]

The Zodiac Girlz feels like what would've probably happened with Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls if Lauren Faust tried to make the whole series by herself instead of just keeping it as more of a portfolio and project to pitch. You have the character designs, the push for dolls and an odd niche that can work but there's such a lack in putting these characters into an actual story that the whole thing ends up completely falling apart.

[@KrillvinPingvin]

That was my exact impression too lol

[@TK-ld3tl]

Speaking of Milky Way and the galaxy girls she needs to do a video about that Edit: HOLY NUGGETS HOW DOES THIS HAVE 44 LIKES!?

[@nikkistudio...]

@@TK-ld3tl yeah i would love to see her talk about it

[@karneez]

@@TK-ld3tl izzzyzzz has one

[@twindrill2852]

Agreed. As much as I’m sad Galaxy Girls never became a full-fledged thing, it at least has passion.

[@CapnCrimson]

I think an automatic downfall of these girls is just having main girls. It makes sense in most ensemble casts to have a few characters that are more important than others, but if I'm a little girl, I'm going to feel alienated and left out if my star sign isn't one of the main characters. Why would I want to identify with something where I'm pushe do the sideline?

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

i remember this being an issue with star darlings, which was a disney line also focused on zodiacs as a central focus of their characters. im a cancer and literally stopped caring about it bc the cancer girl didnt get any screentime lmao

[@meiday154]

​@@iwakeupandboomimarat very good point! I'm a Capricorn and I didn't even know Star Darlings had a character for her only to find out she's in one episode with I think one book. I didn't care anymore lol

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

@@meiday154 exactly! i think the poor marketing of the series also didnt help but when ur trying to represent all zodiacs but then push some as the primary characters, ull get people not even knowing that their zodiac was included lmao

[@Lemon_Lime_Lily]

@iwakeupandboomimarat Yeah! Like I’m a Taurus and even though I loved it I wish the Taurus girl(Tessa) had a pinch more screen time. If you weren’t a Sagittarius, Libra, Scorpio, Virgo, or Leo you were kinda screwed.

[@HazardousFox]

To be fair, having 12 equally represented characters would be hard. They'd probably end up all being distinguished by their hobbies and blurring together on every other front.

[@20000dino]

As a Gemini, the roast wasn’t even that the twins are each other’s best friends, it’s that they’re the least interesting characters out of the whole cast. The creators were clearly very biased, they did us dirty 💀

[@Kas_Styles]

True

[@max_punch]

I think they're my favorites lol

[@jaidewinant]

It was highly steroetypical and cliche and I hated it - but as an identical twin, born on the first day of gemini, who basically didn't have names because we learned to respond to each other's (and when we corrected poeple were told that it didn't matter, they were close enough) and who were more often referred to as "the twins" or "the girls" by everyone including family, and we were both selectively mute for 10 years and barely talked to anyone other than each other, and had color coded items (blue and purple)... it pegged me LOL (the only thing I can't relate to is the Asian part).

[@eattheasslikeitsgrass5113]

@@jaidewinant If I may ask, why were you both selectively mute?

[@Pinkywinkykinky]

I'm just happy my Taurus is looking like a thicc poison ivy, should've worn the glasses outside of just the doll though

[@ceruleanpolyphony]

downright horrifying that john k was a designer for the proposed show and with the show's plot didn't make it better 😭 the zodiac girlz deserve so much better

[@DoctorStarky]

Even ignoring what he did and how he has depicted women in his work, he's a very odd fit for sleek, marketable property for tween girls. It's like if you got Lisa Frank to reboot the Garbage Pail Kids.

[@eatatjoes6751]

*spits out coffee* WHAT?!

[@tarotsushima3332]

@@DoctorStarky Yeah like it's such a weird shift from Ren and Stimpy to a tween doll line

[@ashleychanforever]

Excuse me, WHO?!

[@lassoroot]

When I heard "They aren't ACTUAL teens just aliens DISGUISED as teens" My heart started goooing....thank God it wasn't made 😬

[@Gkvfflowergirl]

As a Sagittarius, as the girls were being described I was like, "wow, Sagittarius has no friends, does she? That hurts." And a person can be bookish while also liking video games, there's so much math and nerding out when you get into the grit of them.

[@707Honeypot]

Plus it completely misses the usual Sagittarius traits. Sag is a fire sign and is known for loving travel and adventure, being spontaneous and extraverted and energetic. Like how does “overly serious bookworm” fit that at all? That better fits taurus or virgo.

[@jayisabluebird]

​@@707Honeypot tbh i feel some of the characters completely miss their respective signs' usual traits, which is weird cuz i feel i like like some of them actually /do/ match up. It's weird!

[@mer_acle8101]

right? I was so on board with the bookish vibe bc the classic adventurous Sagittarius isn't at all what I am and then they made her a boomer movies are great, they're just a different form of storytelling to books, and it's its own language that we all learn to understand, I'm so over the movie snobism

[@darknanigans]

right im like obsessed with video games as a sag like WHAT

[@ang.elicaril]

they did us so dirty 😭😭

[@ranchustars3050]

i think a nice way they could've given gemini 2 separate names would be making them gemmie and naia, atleast that's what came to mind, also i am happy that you mentioned the diversity problems, as a latino the second i heard that aries was loud and liked fighting with people i cringed a bit, not to mention i am also an aries.

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

Maybe “Jemma”

[@Booksandbesitos]

Gemma and Minnie

[@calicobunny]

hey nice icon

[@ranchustars3050]

@@calicobunny thanks!

[@Siulas_10]

"Gem" and "Mimi" , that's what I first thought of

[@Roz-90]

Pisces: -Has super sensitive hearing, more of a detriment than a super power. -Her closest friends are a such because they prefer parallel interaction as opposed to more direct interaction Me, an autistic pisces: 👀

[@liviwaslost]

Same

[@magena120]

I’m an Aquarius with autism but the Pisces was more relatable and my birth is more close to the Capricorn/Aquarius ending/beginning then Pisces.I’m just not to found of being portrayed as a hippie especially when I don’t understand what counts as a “hippie”.

[@henzqq]

thought about this instantly and also left a comment about thiss!!!! also her having more of a "flashy" appearance compared to others!! also the twins being non-verbal. :')

[@henzqq]

@@magena120 i'm also an aquarius with autism, and samee. and also WHY would she have this hippie aesthetic, if her thing is science? is it a "reference" to stephen hawking, cause she's in a wheelchair and a genius, who's into science/technology? i just don't get it like yeah, there isn't a certain way "smart" people look, but how and why on the earth did they end up with a hippie costume? just wondering. ofc she can be into nature/art or other "hippie" things AND science at the same time but they talked only about her being a "genious"

[@evie_the_toon]

I'm an Autistic virgo, yet Pisces' personality here is more like mine.

[@phaineinTV]

ngl zodiac girlz feels absolutely primed and ready for a modern reboot with a more magical girl bent in the vein of something like winx club or lolirock - really lean into the superpowered teens fighting crime thing by giving them cool transformations and flashy magical powers that correspond with their signs. if they were really determined to squeeze a doll line out of it as well, then the magical girl angle could give them an excuse to make lots of different kinds of dolls for all their different transformations.

[@unwelldanny7108]

Basically my Toon Makers Sailor Moon / Touhou inspired series Magic Warriors. They've got gemstones (Steven Universe who?) and astral signs.

[@herokibs]

that already exists with Zodiac Starforce, its a really good comic series

[@daystud]

The closest you can get is a line of figures called Sumy Twelve by Kikagoods. (Theyre not in stock anymore on the website but you can purchase them online elsewhere) Theyre majokkos of each sign + a secret 13th "goddess of the zodiac" (id have preferred of she represented the actual 13th constellation but whatever). Theyre all equally very cute and aesthetic.

[@austinrm]

I would say the twins also uses the "Siamese twins" thing along with the school uniform and "smart" labels

[@xXHatsuneMikuFanXx]

yeah as a gemini, i can say that being my own best friend is not a roast but simply the truth.

[@AlexisTwoLastNames]

same as an aquarius but idk a thing about astrology.

[@Kas_Styles]

This same for Gemini

[@em84c]

I'm a virgo and my cat is my best friend

[@gruesome.joey666]

Im a Gemini and I also agree

[@somerandomcube]

@@em84c i'm a virgo and my cats don't like me :(

[@Mo_Nilla_Co]

I'm surprised they didn't lean into the sign's type. I think it's way easier to have like the main dolls as Fire, Water, Air and Earth signs as one big sister doll and the zodiac themselves be like their different outfits or powers or little sister dolls that can have different outfit and hairstyles. EDIT: Plus, the zodiac girlies could theoretically buy multiple signs for like their moon, rising, Venus, ect. if the zodiacs had multiples of smaller dolls, especially if you lean into other factors like planets and birthstone. So I'm a Taurus, my moon sign is a Leo and my rising sign as a Virgo. If my idea were to work out, I would be able to buy an Earth Sign doll, a Taurus doll, a Leo doll and Virgo doll. Giving it like a collectables concept, once the design for the dolls are down, would probably make it much more adaptable for the market, I feel.

[@inevera13]

This is such a great idea, i would love something like that

[@guardianofcreativity4860]

This is brilliant and would make so much money. A fun idea for kids AND adult collectors to be able to get a unique and interesting variety of dolls!

[@Mo_Nilla_Co]

@@guardianofcreativity4860 I'm glad, I was thinking about how versatile it would be for everyone of all ages getting in on something like this. Just needs passionate people to really execute it. ^^

[@kawakawaii]

@@Mo_Nilla_Co im a taurus too

[@Mo_Nilla_Co]

@@kawakawaii April or May?

[@julien4305]

almost 10 minutes into the video, these girls are oddly diverse for a preteen girl's website from 2007. I'm not sure of all the games I use to play were just very white-dominant or these are genuinely a shocking amount of diversity for something of it's time edit: oop- i spoke 15 seconds too soon... Yeah I shouldve assumed they relied on stereotypes instead of proper characterizing

[@superhetoric]

I mean you aren't wrong at least on paper looking at the designs without knowing any context

[@karneez]

also a disabled girl

[@damienthonk1506]

I mean, they're flash mascots with a paragraph of info about each of them. There's quite literally zero room for nuance.

[@TheBluestflamingos]

​@@damienthonk1506 yeah, but by the same measure, they only needed to write one little paragraph of information and they still relied on tired cliches!

[@aliceiscalling]

​@@TheBluestflamingos It's kinda hurtful while watching the video to finally see a Native American in media again, seeing she has the same interests and style as me (animal lover plus modern/traditional clothing mix), just to be told "too stereotypical, has to be changed"

[@laurenduncan3084]

I think the dolls could have more closely resembled their original designs if they had been done in a rag doll style instead, à la Groovy Girls. This would have ESPECIALLY helped in making Sagittarius’s hair a reality. Also, I hope you feel better soon!

[@LocalTorchwoodIntern]

RAG DOLLS WOULDVE BEEN SO CUTE!!!! honestly with some tweaks in characterization they wouldve been such a cute cartoon or doll line.

[@lassoroot]

Aww I remember Groovy Girls!! It's so rare that I hear people talk about them but they were so cute 💖

[@morganorwhatever]

Imagine you’re a parent in 2007 and your kid comes running up to you asking if they can print a shirt that says “cancer” and has disembodied lips on it

[@melancholiee]

Anyone remember “The Real Tooth Fairies”? I think it was a website with tooth fairy flash mascots of some kind? You’d take a quiz to find out who’s your tooth fairy and there was a bunch of activities you could do with them ! I think you could pay for personalized letters as well

[@angeljinxdallas3162]

Yessss! I remember by the time I found it, all my baby teeth were gone so I felt like I wasn’t the right demographic. But I remember it!

[@succiyazimanita7176]

I remember it because it was a frequent AD on GirlsGoGames 🤯🤯 Was so upset when I caved in and found out the paywalls made it basically unusable

[@towalysia]

I loved that so much

[@cookiemonsta633]

oh my god yes that unlocked a memory

[@UltraTsuki]

Yes

[@suneater_zeef050]

cancer hoodie i'm cancer too! p.s. i'm happy you mentioned "legs-don't-work syndrome", it's pretty irritating to constantly see. most ppl, in my experience, use a wheelchair cos walking is too painful or too difficult, not cos of paralysis and while paralysis is of course very real and needs representation, it'd be great to see representation for other conditions too. i once was in a wheelchair in the hospital because the nurses there considered my shambly walk was too dangerous and i could hurt myself for instance. i'm either way happy to see disabled characters and i think for that time period it was pretty solid. plus i love how she has her sign on the wheels

[@ladypangaea4801]

29:11 I'm intrigued by the idea of a villainous 13th zodiac seeking revenge for being neglected and ignored for thousands of years. Especially since there is a constellation, Ophiuchus, that would have been part of the zodiac cycle if Sagittarius hadn't covered that portion of the year already. Despite having no existing concept art, I can easily imagine Percevil having a scaly/snake theme since Ophiuchus is also known as 'The Serpent Bearer'. Definitely a more interesting villain concept than Dr. Calamity, who just sounds like a generic mad scientist. P.S. As someone who has a Sagittarius for a sister, I agree that Sagittarius' design is really random. My first impression was that she was a fighter pilot with the pants, boots and scarf. She was just missing the goggles and aviator jacket. Overall, not doing my sister's sign justice. 🙄

[@agentkmr]

I have an idea for a Zodiac Girlz villain: Ursamager/Ursula Mage: A bloodthirsty sorceress powerful enough to destroy entire dimensions *(as proven by the destruction of the only cursed one I know of)* and is secretly the 14th sign (bear).

[@twindrill2852]

Agreed! I just wish they got Lauren Faust or Craig McCracken to direct the show instead of…that guy.

[@ladypangaea4801]

@@twindrill2852 Indeed.

[@talkytabby2878]

There's literally a season of Pretty Cure that does this 😂

[@rabbitparfait]

​@@talkytabby2878what's the name of the season?

[@ellaizcool]

omg these creators must have hated sagittarius!?!?! never in my life have i met a sagittarius who is a boring downer that hates fun, it literally goes against the entire basis of what makes a sagittarius aka optimistic, playful, funny, energetic, etc. she also has the most negative relationships, the least friends, the worst design, and is the only one who doesn’t smile ):

[@chaoticcherryvt]

As a Sagittarius, thank you

[@pastelhotmess9299]

Agreeing as sagitarrius here

[@Strawbz101]

​@@pastelhotmess9299 continuing the chain here :)

[@ellaizcool]

i’m a sagittarius too and i felt hurt cuz every other sag i’ve met, even the ones i don’t like!!! are extremely funny, vibrant, and positive to be around, it’s undeniable. it’s clear based on the fact that the creators are scorpio, virgo, etc they feel intimidated by sagittarius (as a lot of unhappy people are) and tried to project their own sadness and dullness onto us :P being too negative and an overachiever are literally undeveloped scorpio and virgo traits lol, not sag. being a sagittarius is literally a gift from the universe! we are ruled by planet jupiter which is the planet of luck, abundance, philosophy, higher education, optimism, culture, and more!! sagittarius solidarity

[@frootsnacc6790]

I felt weirdly attacked when I realized how little love they gave Sagittarius

[@frogger2178]

The Gemini twins should have been called Gemma and Minni (pronounced like minnie). They have the same amount of letters each to match them being identical twins, and together they sound like Gemini

[@LeeAllanSpades]

I remember this because my mother was REALLY into witchy stuff. So if there was ever a child-centered astrology product, we would know! I had no clue the doll line existed.

[@abbyl4621]

I hope you're doing okay and recover quickly! You don't have to apologize for getting into a car accident

[@lispeaks]

to clarify i was apologizing for the lack of patreon content…. i do NOT apologize for that car accident it was not my fault one bit

[@jaidewinant]

I'm an identical twin, born on the first day of the Gemini, and both me and my twin had selective mutism for 10 years and barely talked with anyone but each other and our things were usually color coded (me blue and her purple) who also barely had names because we were referred to as "the twins" or "the girls" by most people including family (and if we corrected people, were told that it didn't 't matter, they were close enough)... Their depiction of Gemini pegged me. It was very cliche and stereotypical, and I hate it - but it pegged me LOL

[@ghostlymoth5653]

The Zodiac Girl site was one of my TOP sites I visited as a preteen and young teen alongside my phase of Trollz and W.I.T.C.H fan blog sites. EDIT: OMG I hope the accident wasn't anything serious! Please rest up and I hope you'll be okay :(

[@QueenoftheHorizon]

Omg, Trollz! I remember trying so hard to get the website to work after I got all the dolls and had codes to use. I never did manage to make it function right, not sure if it was my internet/computer or if the website was terrible, but I have some fond memories of playing with my dolls and watching the episodes in the morning before school. The theme song lives rent free in my head.

[@ghostlymoth5653]

@@QueenoftheHorizon I remember for me I just wasn't sure how to fully use it, but I think at the point I finally got the hang of it the site did start to die down sadly :( I only remember being able to go so far as dressing up my character, accessing the games and theater but not much else.

[@bjay14228]

I miss the Trollz so much. I used to get so excited every time I buy a Trollz doll because they each come with a special code to redeem trollars on the Trollz website 😁

[@Terminallyposessed]

@@bjay14228 same. I miss trollz sm 😭

[@AmethystLeslie]

Hell yeah, W.I.T.C.H. That was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. I wanna get into it again, I wanna see everything I missed.

[@KarrotJoos]

Sagittarius being put on the back burner with designs is so on brand for Sagittarius merch. Coming from a sad Sag who never gets excited with what gets dumped out for us.

[@vinnyoz4709]

Literally! I'm lucky I'm a Scorpio Sag cusp. So I still get cute Scorpio stuff but what about Sagittarius 🥺

[@mer_acle8101]

i mean like seriously, more centaur representation for us, Sagittarius is such a cool sign

[@garfieldloverforever]

my knowledge of astrology only goes as far as homestuck, so this website is news to me. great video as always, li!!

[@gunnysmack3163]

I’m really digging this design for Virgo. She’s usually so boring and just like “I’m a GIRL!” With as shallow of an understanding of femininity as that typically entails in media. The fact that she’s a skateboarder is so fun. I was definitely assuming she would be Taurus’ design from the group pictures before introduction.

[@carbonn5998]

yeah usually virgo is like superrr bland serious and a bookworm or an academic so this was nice to see

[@sapphic.flower]

It’s a bit sad how little this franchise did with such a cute and fun concept. Maybe they can make a comeback with these type of doll series being popular now with better representation and design.

[@hiraidiamond5933]

I'm one of the people that doesn't like astrology, however I am surely interested in the zodiac based group of twelve spunky crime fighting teen girls with a passion for fashion 😌

[@vxlley_flower5672]

The art style reminds me of that one show Lauren Faust was going to make with space girls; the moon being the main character. I don't remember the name of it though😅 Edit: another commenter had the same idea! Milky Way and the galaxy girls is the show

[@20000dino]

It’s really just the concept that’s reminiscent of the Milky Way girls. The art style actually looks much more like The Life and Times of Juniper Lee

[@cass.cassandra1685]

I think Izzyzz made a video about Milky Way and the galaxy girls if you’re interested in a refresher of the brand

[@unwelldanny7108]

My friend had one of those dolls

[@superhetoric]

as a full time chair user since childhood, hey sister kween! ♿👋❤️ as a girl who wasn't into this side of the internet at the time (I was on habbo hotel and livejournal), it's refreshing to see aquarius, my sign, as a wheelchair user.

[@eerielakeerie]

i was OBSESSED with the zodiac girlz as a kid. i have no idea how i stumbled upon the site, but “x character as cute girls” was and is a fascination for me so i was very into it.

[@Leviachan-]

I don’t know if you take requests but id love to see a video on that one tooth fairy online world! I don’t remember the name but I do remember my tooth fairy she was like blue and kinda looked like Cinderella (totally not why I picked her *wink*) I also remember it being very visually appealing to me as a kid as well Edit: I looked it up and it’s called the real tooth fairies and ALSO IT GOT A SUPER UGLY 3D REDESIGN I REGRET EVERYTHING WHAT HAVE THEY DONE 😭

[@poppycat04]

OMG YES!!! i dont know why but this video reminded me of that game!!

[@garfieldloverforever]

oh yeah!! the real tooth fairies!! i remember stumbling onto that site as a kid and i thought it was cute, but i remember there were paywalls all over the joint

[@beccapine6158]

I REMEMBER THIS OMG I lovedddd that game

[@blackenblush]

I remember being so upset I couldn't print a letter from my tooth fairy.. still bugs me to this day.

[@importedevi6122]

YES I REMEMBER THAT!!! there were like 6 (?) fairies and minigames n stuff. i remember you could only play that cookie minigame with that uglyass fairy if u didnt have the premium membership or whatever. i remember one time for my birthday i think i got a membership or something and i went HAM on those minigames omg

[@4everbratz]

I remember going onto the website when I was younger around the time it was on the verge of death. Even then, it was still fun. Those flash games are so nostalgic to me, especially that dress up game. I never knew dolls existed until a few years ago and I honestly want all of them tbh. Even though the quality from what I’ve heard is great, the hair is made out of polypropylene, which means after a few years, it starts to dry rot and shed and/or fall out completely. I’m also glad that TV series never went through thanks to you know who, it would’ve been a dumpster fire, and the character designs are terrible 💀 I also hope you recover from that car accident and wish you all the best ❤

[@lispeaks]

omg so THATS what doll collectors are referring to when they talk about zodiac girlz having shitty hair!!!! that’s just terrible

[@abbey2cold]

​@@lispeaks Yeah, Polypropylene is just like- Double down low grade Nylon fiber, but it can be flat ironed. Doesn't mean it wouldn't degrade anyway.

[@OrianaBats]

I was so surprised that Virgo actually looked like that! The stuff that I've seen that is Virgo-related (when people sort "things" into zodiacs) is always so pink and maiden-like, because, well, virgo = virgin. This take is very refreshing!

[@rosemary3029]

Fairy tails

[@GayAndDog]

Ugh, when you describe the Zodiac Girls with the Pokémon X/Y boutique theme is so iconic. Also, I'm glad you are OK. Wish you the best in your recovery. I love your content :')

[@okayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy]

I think I found this website as a kid! I had a lot of issues with internalized misogyny back then so I struggled between being like "eww so girly" but also being extremely drawn to the character designs lol. I feel like this totally *could* be revived, especially with the popularity of zodiacs and y2k style recently, but yeah they'd need a lot of reworking. Going the Hello Kitty route would be perfect, and their art style would be perfect for chunky little plastic figures (maybe even blind boxes, as much as I hate those). Also, even if they couldn't afford full animations, why didn't they do little mini comics? those were plenty popular back in the day and child me would've eaten it up. I get your point about not giving the characters TOO much distinct personality, but if they were going in that direction anyway with their bios, relationships, and desire to make animations, comics (even little 1-2 panel ones) would've been a great alternative. Kinda wanna draw fan art of them lmao.

[@Ayoitsjeremy]

Until someone on tiktok calls it "offensive and problematic"..

[@okayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy]

@@Ayoitsjeremy I mean, they do legitimately have problematic aspects, as Li spoke about? If they really make an effort to consult people of the cultures they want to represent and design a theoretical reboot accordingly, I think the majority of people would take that well. There will always be critics and bad actors in the community, but I don't think the fear of those people should prevent companies from trying at all. The Lily Chang doll from Rainbow High was praised for how much attention to detail and care about the culture she was representing. I know that's not the case for every doll/mascot character/ etc, but I believe people do take notice when they see that designers take the care needed to properly represent them.

[@morganorwhatever]

I had the same problem as a kid where I simultaneously found dolls really fun and pretty, and was way too cool and un-girly to engage with them. These days I’m more into “girly” toys and cartoons than ever, yet I predominantly wear mens clothing. It’s almost like the two are not mutually exclusive

[@tanaka122]

I don't know that much about zodiac signs but this all matches up eerily well with Homestuck.

[@lispeaks]

somebody already made a scorpio vriska edit

[@vivisheepy5485]

I was looking more into the Spumco cartoon and there's actually some posts referencing it on John K's blog, and interestingly it seems that Katie Rice (one of his victims) was actually the one who designed those versions of the characters. There are also a few others that weren't shown in this video. Just thought it was worth mentioning.

[@bradimey]

as someone who grew up as a lil girl in the early-mid 2000s but didnt get to experience most Girl Websites(tm) for reasons, your videos are some of the most entertaining and enlightening that ive seen. im really happy whenever you pop out a new one and get to hear about your thoughts and experiences on stuff like this however as a sagittarius im really sad that sagittarius here is kind of a no-nonsense serious girl who doesnt like libra. we should be characterized as flighty but fun-loving whoevers and sagittarius/libra friendship is like The sagittarius relationship. all two of my libra friends would be devastated EDIT: i posted this before i got to the john k part. he should be put into an 8 ft hole for the rest of his life

[@call1800itskat]

I never heard of this as a kid either, but as always, I love your videos teaching me about girly internet history and making me care 💕 as a Sagittarius myself, I'm sad that she got such a lackluster design and has basically no friends. 😐 Also omg I hope you're okay!! 😫 feel better

[@ppboy69]

These really reminds me of Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls, anyone else?

[@weedlakas9419]

Me

[@kawakawaii]

me

[@Strawbz101]

Yes

[@MyRevengeJ]

the twins could've been name gem and mini or something and together be gemini

[@lispeaks]

LITERALLY!

[@rainy-matcha]

Or make her one character, I think it could work.

[@robinfernando5970]

Hey, queen. Girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for all of us and doing it flawlessly ✨ seriously tho your content and the topics you cover are so niche and in such good quality! Literally thought only me and maybe 12 other people knew about this website 😭

[@emmablickenderfer3659]

cult of the lamb soundtrack fading in and out of the background absolutely threw me for a loop with how much the vibes contrast with the zodiac girls. I always love the game soundtracks playing sneakily in your videos, and it seems like we have a similar taste in games! Thank you so much for your videos, as a fellow zillenial who grew up on flash based websites I am loving your content (your voice and personality are lovely too).

[@sungazercyan]

Man, Virgo being friends with the edgelord is so accurate it hurts. Also "Legs-don't-work Syndrome" is so good I'm going to think about that constantly

[@delicatelike1374]

This reminds me a lot of this book that was a brief little tidbit of different goddesses and gods from mythology that focused on a group of girls that were modern personifications of various goddesses called Godess girls.

[@liesebeam8910]

I remember Goddess girls! Weren't they all at some boarding school?

[@delicatelike1374]

@@liesebeam8910 I think so!

[@Terminallyposessed]

Yooo I remember Goddess Girls! Those books were good af!

[@unwelldanny7108]

I READ THOSE OML

[@phantomboba]

as a little kid I liked how those books actually tried to give the mean girl a personality

[@guilhermelopes3300]

Being Brazilian + living in a small town growing up and all I didn't have access to a lot of the things you talk about but your content is just soooooo good I can't help but keep watching, love the way you develop the storyline and bring facts, analysis, and the way you speak is just so hypnotizing I love it

[@kiyavi]

I feel like these dolls could have been cool if they were done in a way similar to the Diva Starz dolls, but with sculpted hair. Those were so stylized, it would be cool. Ps - As a Sagittarius, I appreciate all the attention to detail applied to our girl ❤️ Ps - Wishing you all the best with your healing from your accident! 😢

[@sc1970]

I loved these characters so much thanks for reminding me of their existence !!

[@maxwellversed]

I’m also a part-time wheelchair user, and “legs don’t work syndrome” is such a funny phenomenon. But it is really amazing to see a main character that uses mobility aids and isn’t set apart from the rest

[@beccapine6158]

If you take requests, I think that the American girl doll university virtual world would be so interesting. I barely remember anything about it but I know that it was both very fun and very confusing to play

[@victinitron2000]

i have a few things to say 1. i was way too young for this series, by the time it was dying out i was only like five lmao 2. this strongly reminds me of disney's star darlings series that they had in the mid-late 2010s. star darlings had a much more fleshed out story, and saw more success in the form of books, dolls, and a tv show, but it similarly had a lot of cancelled content 3. it's hilarious to me that sagittarius is really similar in personality to one of my characters who ALSO happens to be a sagittarius 😂 4. i'm glad that you weren't seriously injured in the car accident!! that's really scary have a happy new year Li :)

[@sn0tbrain]

Whoa!! They made Homestuck for teen girls!

[@wtf-why-do-we-have-handles-now]

homestuck is already homestuck for teen girls

[@sn0tbrain]

@@wtf-why-do-we-have-handles-now this is true

[@sage3260]

i feel like this could have had a lot of potential tbh, kinda sad it flopped. the designs, aesthetic, and concepts were so cute. this is the first time ive ever heard of them and i immediately was intrigued. on a side note, can you pls do a video on TROLLZ. I lived on their flash website in in 2000s.

[@tiffany1705]

Gemini definitely also felt like it was leaning into the Siamese twins grossness which is often played as a set of generically Asian twins being incredibly, uncomfortably close with each other and purposely aloof and coy as they enjoy looking down on others (a la Siamese cats in Lady and the Tramp)

[@phantomboba]

Yeah… kind of, that’s the vibe I got too

[@RobottoMarink]

I think i just know what's my favorite thing about li's videos, she's awesome when she talks about something i probably never lived ( except devilish hairstylist) and the background music, i say it again, i love when i accidentally recognize the cult of the lamb or Splatoon OST

[@glassrosee]

The makeup look is absolutely slaying!! 💕

[@adelasteria]

Came to this video waiting for a Homestuck reference, was not disappointed

[@electra_heart]

I feel so blessed to have discovered this channel, every single video has been fascinating. The time and care that you put into research really shows!

[@dabblinginvariety]

Hey there Li! Thanks so much for the shout out! Glad to hear that you're doing better after your accident. Hope that you're having a smooth recovery going into the new year. I think a lot of the same points you pointed out about the brand were pretty spot on to how I felt. I think my biggest issue about the brand was the fact that information about each zodiac sign was incorrect and the mascots' personalities didn't line up with their corresponding zodiac signs. Such as Sagittarius; her outfit corresponded with her sign. Sagittarius is known for being the adventurous zodiac sign and doesn't like being in one spot too long, but her personality missed the mark. With that said, squandered potential is pretty accurate to describe this brand and that's kind of the vibe I got from Raven in her comment on my video. I love zodiac signs and I would love to see an updated reboot of this franchise: taking out the glaring stereotypes, fixing the information for each zodiac and their personas, of course as I mentioned in my video adding in more gender/sexuality diversity, as well as making sure that each zodiac sign got equal amounts of love as I did notice that when I was a kid that certain zodiac signs got more recognition over others. I also love the idea of doing the graphic mascot merchandise. They did kind of do this I found out. There's a stationary/sticker book kit out there on market places I've found and I was a little more attracted to that than the dolls, but having more of that I think would have been a better starting point and probably a cheaper way to get some marketing.

[@thunDaClap01]

it's interesting to see how many people try to make their own version of bratz, this actually made me remember diva starz, i have a specific memory of going to McDonald's as a kid and being VERY upset that I couldn't get one of the diva starz toys they had with happy meals at the time 😅

[@saffral]

Sagittarius might have been styled after Amelia Earhart, that is what I thought of when I saw her anyway. Looking at actual pictures of her doesn't show her in that outfit (though she has short hair), but more modern interpretations of her look do sometimes have her in those pants, similar boots, and with a red scarf.

[@jadedimmig1024]

seeing the title and thumbnail of this video made my brain feel electric with the wave of memories and nostalgia. i think you and i mightve been on the same corners of the internet as kids based on your video essays, and i just gotta say, thank you so much for bringing a lot of this stuff back to the front of my mind. literally incredible you remembered ZODIAC GIRLS

[@toomuchcyan]

OMG i loved this website as a kid. i am a scorpio sun and i adored the scorpio girl as a babygoth ❤️ never had the dolls but the website was fun :) i am also so sorry to hear about your accident 😭 bruised ribs can still be extremely painful so please take as long as you need!!

[@gracekelley2907]

Who remembers earth 2 jane? It seemed like another doll series that fizzled out. And they also had super detailed profiles of their characters, even evil mini doll versions of them.

[@Gh0stSn41l]

Honestly I would love a revival, the characters have so much potential and would definitely thrive in either a comic series or web series

[@societycrumbles]

I would love a deep-dive into Stardoll, I was obsessed with that site as a kid.

[@SpookyScaryBats]

When I say I was OBSESSED with this site when in middle school, I was OBSESSED.

[@SpookyScaryBats]

and Diva Stars!

[@Bianca-nx1wl]

As a libra I love the character design and relate to the libra stereotype:D

[@spootsart]

i live for your John K hate lol also this was very promising to me until they failed on the shows... i loved it so much! id like it if they would bring it back and do it justice :(

[@twindrill2852]

Okay, but…the planned show using the lost 13th zodiac as an antagonist IS a clever idea. That’s all I’ll give it

[@mizz_g0at]

I love hearing about obscure websites like this! Another great video, and I can't wait for the next one!

[@y.whynot4772]

Your videos make my inner child happy, the makeup in this video is amazing!

[@rebekahjohnson5940]

I’m using “I had some wine about it and it made me less mad” in my day-to-day life from now on

[@GardenGnostica]

When I see videos like these and learn about the things I could have known about and been obsessed with as a child, I always think about how different of a person I would be now if I had discovered these things!! It's so fascinating how just knowing about a website like this could have changed my personality and interests entirely. I cant wait for your next video, I love them so much!!

[@DebbieGarciaa]

Very fun to learn about a site I didn't know about! As a child, my introduction to the concept of horoscopes were Saint Seiya/Knights of the Zodiac and W.I.T.C.H. (a.k.a. the 2 genders) lmao

[@adams4409]

You mentioning Gaia Online awakened a middle school memory so horrifying my eyes went wide, would love to see a vid on it from you some day! Also I went "holy shit" out loud at the car accident part, hope you're doing well like your pinned comment mentioned!

[@musicalblfan]

I think I encountered this website--or at least these images--once, because I have a memory of being underwhelmed by Gemini's design. I didn't know it got worse! If I'd looked more into it and realized that Gemini didn't even get to describe themselves in their own words on their profile and were described as having no friends but each other, I would've felt attacked 😂 they could've easily made one twin chatty and the other more quiet and reserved, to show the kind of adaptability Gemini is supposed to be associated with? It just feels like they have no agency, especially when there's no story content aside from the profiles.

[@catinatree1305]

im so so happy you mentioned cancer bein bad rep, especially w the vague 'native american' thing, i NEVER see nonnatives even mention it (i apologise if u arent nonnative)! n her design is so boring.. ive seen it a million times before, its either that or a denim jacket instead of the hide tank! thank you, i know this stuff is the bare minimum, but thank you, i really appreciate you talking about it.

[@henzqq]

aah i've never heard about them but this was interesting!! I'd like to think geminis & pisces are ASD (or ASD coded). The twins being non-verbal, but able to communicate to each other in their own way. And with pisces' hearing making her vulnerable to loud sounds and causing her anxiety (sensory issues). Also pisces saying she gets along with the twins "because they don't speak", which of course could be due to her hearing, BUT it could also be because they're all (possibly) autistic, so they have this understanding of each other! Pisces, knows that you can have a connection with someone even with little to no communication, and actually quite enjoys it because due to them all being on the spectrum, she can be herself and doesn't have to live up to social norms. Just something i thought about, and as someone with autism, it instantly caught my attention. Love your videos!

[@sS0O0L]

literally any (popular) concept that probably involves various kinds of itself: exists literally anyone with a creative mind and money for a project: *passion for fasion* ✨✨💅💅

[@UrsusCanis]

I remember the Zodiac Girlz site was linked on the AT&T Yahoo homepage for kids. It was back when my family first got DSL internet, so probably around 2005?

[@dsofia9146]

I think making dolls wasn't the path this franchise should have took. Backpacks, pencilcases (or maybe clothes and bags!) could have been better. I 100% would have bought a backpack with a zodiac girl on it. Maybe flash webpisodes or even comics would have been a better option, I agree with you!

[@cassandra_desainde]

omg im so glad i found your channel, wow this is so interesting, i never knew about these but they give me such nostalgia, they are SO 2006

[@scout8145]

24:53 There were recently some Barbie dolls with a “pixie cut” (more of a shaved sides/long on top situation) that used fuzzy flocking, and it looked great as short doll hair! Granted, that still isn’t quite Sagittarius’s hairstyle, but a tiny afro is still much closer to her hairstyle than “we give up, here’s some long straight hair”

[@stale_salt]

Can you make a video about "The Real Tooth fairies" game and website?? I can't find the game anymore and the website looks COMPLETELY different. The style went from 2D to 3D and the also switched up the designs of the tooth fairies. I remember they all had their own page and personality traits but all that has been removed

[@muffinlamp]

hey, speaking of old relics, y’all remember that weird tooth fairy website? it had like a bunch of different princess-y tooth fairy characters and this one called the “fairy wannabe” or something that was supposed to be like some kind of outcast or antagonist i think. my favorite was the animal fairy- p sure it’s called “the real tooth fairies”

[@rolboo6158]

God, I love the Mother 3 OST as the background music, it always touches my heart

[@ghoul_friend]

hi li! i just wanted to say i've watched all of your video essays so far and i can't believe you don't have more!! i'm really excited to see what you come up with next ☺you've very quickly become one of my favorite youtubers.

[@xxLowkeyTrashxx]

Two Buffy actresses in the celebrity birthdays for Aries is iconic.

[@asmrdazzle]

Li this makeup is soooo good on you omg!!! Also, you should totally watch Degrassi if you haven’t already. And Glee- something in my BRAIN is telling me you’d love them😭

[@Sydney-Casket-Base]

Get well soon!!! Rest easy! This video was very fun & interesting!

[@moth4moth]

found your channel recently and love the deep dives! i’m a forearm crutch user so when you mentioned being a part time wheelchair user i perked up SO fast lol. always great to find another disabled creator to support ♥️

[@vaI3ntine]

The formatting of this website reminds me of The Real Toothfairies! I would love to see you look into that website!!

[@nanopanda]

I remember coming across this site as a kid and I was unimpressed with cancer. My fav I think was scorpio

[@Jokezfordayz]

I saw this video in my recommendations and it unlocked a memory. I have NO clue how I found the website and barely remember it at all, but seeing that name again... and then seeing the girls.. Geez. I remember them so vividly upon seeing it all.

[@Stingchameleontheclever]

Never knew about this website or doll line? back in the day. But I love your use of Gaiaonline puzzle game theme. Brings back so many memories for me. Hours and days of my young life playing on Gaiaonline meeting and talking to other anime fans around the world. Made so many friends there over the years, back when i use to play (plus when the site use to be popular). Where does the time go?