What happened to Ball Jointed Dolls?

[@bunnymoonvii]

"Doll" is a pretty broad word. Things like Barbie and Monster High are FASHION dolls. But action figures are also a type of doll, especially the really detailed ones.

[@KingOfGaymes]

For me I consider dolls and action figures different. I think the big difference between something being a doll vs a figure is hair and clothes. Fashion dolls and Bjd and others have real clothes and hair, since dress up and hair styling are big parts of doll play. Action figures, anime figures and the like all have plastic hair and molded on clothing.

[@davidriki959]

For me, if they have soft-goods and those soft-goods are 60% of the whole piece, that is a doll. I collected a bunch of designer toys that resembling dolls wearing streetwear/techwear fashion!

[@ZalemMoon]

@@KingOfGaymes A doll is something that mimics human features (even if anthropomorphized) and have some form of mobility. Action figures are exactly that. Action figures are action figures, but they are still a TYPE of doll and fall under the doll umbrella. The only reason people try to distinguish the two is because men and boys often don't want to be told they are playing with dolls even though they are playing with dolls, because dolls are "supposed" to be a "girl thing".

[@andrewtaylor940]

@@KingOfGaymes the main differentiator between Doll and Action Figure, at least as the toy companies view it, is rooted hair. Some Action Figure lines will use soft goods clothes and accessories. But the ability to change an action figures clothes as a play feature has largely faded. The big ones of the 60’s and 70’s were like Barbie with special outfits for different missions. GI Joe, Big Jim and Action Jackson were the main ones. These days Action Figures such as Mezco’s One Twelve line or the newly resurrected Mego will have cloth clothing, it’s mostly not meant to come off. A lot of Action figures will also use thin rubber overlays for clothing or special gear. Sometimes these can be removed or swapped.

[@xweetara7340]

Hell, while we're at it, crash test dummies are a sort of 1/1 scale doll.

[@nemnem9824]

As someone with a BJD, Angelic Layer absolutely made me feral for them as a preteen and that love for them stuck with me into adulthood. Even butchered a wig with a short haircut and all, true Hikaru style.

[@ChristinaGonzalez87]

Saaame! Literally got into BJD because of Angelic Layer

[@RomanDiaries]

Me too! Angelic Layer made me so desperate for a Hikaru of my own.

[@SpellboundSierra]

I don’t know how to like this comment multiple times

[@numgut]

Me too. As an adult I want to make my own Hikaru soon

[@Rowan.Evander]

As someone in my late 30s who has followed the bjd hobby from afar for decades, I'm loving this deep dive. One day (hopefully soon) I'll finally be able to afford a 1/3 or 1/4 scale doll but until then, I'm thoroughly enjoying the smaller blind box dolls. 💙

[@KingOfGaymes]

I never thought i’d get a big bjd doll and dreamed about it for a long time but I now have two from Smart Doll! They’re probably the most “affordable” brand of bjd (not crazy like dollfie and such) and the maker Danny Choo is so awesome and inclusive with his dolls. So if you ever want to get one someday, I’d highly recommend them 💜

[@toxicbambi6208]

I also highly recommend Mystic kids. Mystic kids are usually on sale at Alice collections, if they're not just wait a week lol, And are usually under $200 for their 45 cm dolls

[@rokurosecake]

Dollzone is also really great!

[@Rowan.Evander]

@@toxicbambi6208 I love Mystic Kids, Impl, and Gem of Doll! I'm not in a rush to get a complete doll so I don't feel the need to just snatch up any 1/4 sculpt I can find at a decent price; I'd rather wait for one that speaks to me. :'3

[@Rowan.Evander]

@@KingOfGaymes Unfortunately I just don't like the look of them. 😅

[@Prinplup15]

Rozen Maiden was my gateway into BJDs for sure. If I ever win the lottery, one of the Volks Rozen Maiden collab dolls would definitely be one of my first 'fun' purchases.

[@MaryLoveMew]

omg yesss, the Rozen Maiden dolls are BEAUTIFULLL

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

@@MaryLoveMewI’m a boy but I still love your videos

[@momohoroyoi]

This is so nostalgic, i was 15 in 2008 when i saved up hard to buy my first bjd, i ate nothing but biscuits for lunch and saved my allowance for months to buy one! I bought it secretly and told my mum it cost $50 when she asked how much I spent LOL Now that I'm older and working I can buy one with not much effort but I think back to those days of discipline as kind of like an achievement

[@asobimo5532]

I'm a working adult now and I saved up for almost a year for a special edition of books I love that will cost me more than my monthly wage, but the effort to get the money, the waiting for the books to be made, looking at all the updates and process, it all makes it soooo worth it!

[@LaceJellyfish]

Omg I told my mom that too! I said 60 xD

[@iluvgerard628]

I have wanted a BJD for almost 20 years but never had enough money at the right time. The second you said "Blind Boxes", I paused the video and immediately made a purchase. I am so excited!

[@marta_na_moto]

literary just ordered a legit bjd from ufdoll ( doll spehere shop) for 50 dollars in scale 1/4. Recommend!

[@jamsolon]

Ufdoll also have affordable bjds esp sd and msd

[@sillyukiho]

@@jamsolon I’ve been needing to get one of those!! I know imomo dolls are pretty good too

[@PunkHime89]

Omg i want to buy one as well! Im in my mid 30's and i remember my teen self salivating on yhe bjd websites, wishing I could buy one. But even having an allowance wasnt possible for me back then, and I understood that it was a hobby i might never be able to afford. I think I still cant afford true bjd, but a blind box doll? Yes!

[@iluvgerard628]

@@PunkHime89 omg same! I got a really cute little guy. I'm so happy with my purchase. I'm glad you finally get to fulfill your dream ^^

[@aimeekitty]

Hi Mary! I’m Aimee, the one who wrote the book that ruined your financial learning 😂❤. Hilariously even though I don’t watch doll content typically on KZbin, KZbin recommended your video to me! Volks was a very special time of my life and I’m still grateful to them for their welcome. I used to run Den of Angels with a group of moderators. Eventually I just couldn’t keep up anymore and had to leave. But I would say that many rules were just simply because we couldn’t be everything to everyone, it was hard enough to run the forum just focusing on that narrow focus of Volks-luts type abjd. Like you though I haven’t bought an “Volks like” doll in a long time, I still love my dolls but I had kids and I have a really demanding job and I’m just interested in various things now. but I do occasionally buy blind boxes! ❤ hope you have a good week.

[@MaryLoveMew]

omg HELLO! Thank you for creating SUCH a fun book that so many of us have enjoyed and running Den of Angels! I completely understand the challenge of maintaining a community space and the need for rules! I hope you are doing well and work and family are good :D

[@rynn0077]

@aimeekitty Hi! I'm Rynn007 and have been on DoA since 2005... I definitely remember you! Do you still own yours? I still own my first doll...a Delf El. He'll be 20 this year...

[@Emylisis]

Omg I read your book in middle school and it made me desperately want to visit Japan! I finally did visit last year as an adult and fulfilled my dream of visiting the Volks store and buying one of the beautiful dolls. My sister thought I was nuts for spending so much on her. 😂 I now have her on my bookshelf next to my ancient copy of your book, it's still such a comfort read for me!

[@convulsingnurse]

Aimee! You literally changed my life. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but your book introduced me to two of my special interests (BJDs and Lolita fashion.). I grew up a bit distanced from others due to my autism, but your book let me find things that I truly loved.

[@gwenivierecunningham2220]

I stumbled upon ball jointed dolls when I was much younger - I still remember the doll, and often look at other dolls from the same maker just to appreciate them, but I'm not the kind of person to spend that kind of money on myself and certainly not the kind of person to ask for that sort of thing as a gift. A friend happened to see me looking at blind box dolls during an outing, though, and decided to get me one for my birthday. Opening it, posing it, putting it on my shelf - it sparked the same joy I felt pining over that original doll. Penny's Box has quickly become my favorite, the dolls are stunning to the point where I'm happy to receive any out of the box, and it's such a wonderful treat to myself every once in a while to indulge that little girl staring at the several hundred dollar listing without the same price tag. I'm so happy that so many doll communities seem to be opening up to blind box dolls and I have people to share that joy with.

[@majesticunicornturle]

Same, here I had an inherited finess barby and I loved her soo mich but my sister friend broke it and it was unfixable (my 12 years old self thought at least) I just got a monster high doll at the age of 28 (wanted to buy myself but needed emotional/aunty embarrassment support soo I took my mom with myself and she bought it for me ^^" She is articulated and I just cant stop costumizing her and plannin dresses for her

[@numgut]

@@majesticunicornturlethat’s epic I’m a new monster high collector too and 32. Enjoy unashamedly 💓

[@darthkitsu]

As a fellow girlie who was obsessed with BJDs in the early 2000's, I had to go pour a drink just to spit it out a the mention of "Den of Angels". I had fully memory holed that. FWIW, as a real adult now with enough disposable income to purchase any BJD my heart could desire, I legit adore the blind box ones. I don't see them as "lesser" or "entry level". They're just another option for collectors. Nothing to be ashamed of for liking them. I like to think we left the gatekeeping in the 2000s.

[@marondesade]

Fully agreed! More collectors is a wonderful thing for a creative community.

[@nightengalenorth6881]

I'd call them more easily accessible to collectors long before calling them entry level or lesser.

[@Shr3dd3r2k8]

That's why I like Memoa. I honestly think DOA has had a net negative impact on the hobby.

[@ohnowhyamihere]

Den of angels was such a great info resource but I just remember the community being really toxic.

[@VultureSkins]

@@nightengalenorth6881 their comment literally says they *don’t* see them as those things

[@ToriR94]

Would you ever consider making a video on the doll customization community?? I’ve been an avid follower of Dollightful, Doll Motion, Poppen’s Atelier, Hextian, and many others since around 2018.

[@numgut]

What a great idea

[@snughly]

I love the emphasis of breaking down of gatekeeping on your channel! (also ahhhhh what amazing RNG for your new doll!)

[@letsichigo]

i just recently got to go to the volk's store in akihabara and do the dollfie dream choice to finally have my dream doll put together. i love her so much, and this ended up being a very timely video for me to watch haha

[@MaryLoveMew]

omg living the DREAM! I hope you had a lovely time!

[@selkiefluff]

As someone who was crazy about BJDs for a long time, finally got one, then ran out of funds to customize it/get more - it's important to note that the classic 2000s BJD community is EXTREMELY gatekeeping. Browsing the forums, I've seen shaming based on materials, brand of doll, way of obtaining it, what people do with them, how hey keep them etc. Many communities were exclusive or invite only, required screening before you could buy or sell second hand etc. While I'm not a fan of things like bootlegging I've got the impression that many collectors had sunken cost fallacy which made them act extra entitled for having certain types of dolls while others didn't. But, the world has changed. Young people don't have as much disposable income. Dolls and anime are no longer niche, and while this gatekeeping behavior helped in keeping luxury resin BJDs in obscurity, more accessible genres like OOAK customization, Japanese-inspired western dolls like Rainbow High with their inset eyes, cheaper kinds of dolls, blind boxes etc. allowed people to collect things with similar aesthetic appeal for a fraction of the price.

[@engelmech]

Aaaaa my heart 🥹now I gotta go play with my BJDs. I for one would love to see a part two, discussing how the rise of 3D printing has changed the hobby. There are so many more independent BJD artists now, the range of styles is truly inspiring. 💜

[@KingOfGaymes]

I’m currently printing my own bjd xD mostly because it’s a guy character and guy bjd’s are so rare or SUPER expensive.. I wish they were more common 😭 so many of my favorite anime men would make beautiful dolls ugh 😩

[@red-road-rot4970]

@@KingOfGaymesthere are LOTS of male bjd! They just aren’t super diverse in face and body types but then again neither are the women

[@Robin-hh1ox]

Japan Ai is exactly how I came to learn about BJD as well! I jumped out of my seat hearing it mentioned, Aimee really made Volks seem like heaven on earth

[@MaryLoveMew]

I'm so amazed so many other people read her book!!! Fostered so much doll love!

[@Textile_Courtesan]

I'm kinda shook by how many circles of influence I have in common with Aimee! I've been a part of many historical costume communities for the better part of a decade or more and I'll see her post about something. I expect to see her on the cosplay groups and by extension the kimono fashion groups. It catches me off guard lol.

[@aimeekitty]

@@Textile_Courtesanmy ears are burning 😂 (I found this video entirely by accident!) but yes I have way too many hobbies! Hello! 👋 ❤

[@thryducs]

I honestly don't remember how I came to know of BJD but I remember being unable to buy them because of the price and because I'm afraid whatever I buy will get lost in the mail. When I first found the blind box BJDs I was so happy. I could buy them and I could finally have one for myself! Tho, now I have 8, is quite the dangerous hobby 😂

[@Emi_Lore]

Samee 😭 I didnt even like dolls as a girl, but now Im a grown up and discovered all this beautifully crafted dolls. I cant stop collecting them

[@Kip_Loot]

My sister got a BJD over 10 years ago, so I learned al lot from her. I don't remember exactly what brand the doll was, but she was MSD. I really loved them as well, and even though could afford one, I would rather spend my money on other things (I have too many hobbies). I would spent a lot of time on the Dollsoom site and watching BJD customising video's on KZbin. My sister even let me give her doll a face-up at some point. I felt particularly drawn to the designs that were inspired by fantasy creatures like fae, satyr, centaur, mermaid etc. A few years ago I learned about BJD blind boxes and and I found out how affordable and creative they were. When I saw the unicorn designs from Penny's Box I simply had to get one. Now I've got a growing collection. I'm happy you decided to get back into the hobby. Your new doll is so cute.

[@tablescissors]

You’re a fantastic host, first time viewer. I got into anime heavy and liked learning about everyone else’s hobbies, that included BJD. As a kid, dolls didn’t really excite me much, but I agree that these Japanese designs are like art. Tyvm for sharing your life story, it was heartwarming and enjoyable, informative and amusing. You looked so young to me that I was surprised to see the older videos. I think it is great how attached you were to your favorite toy…I was the same, but they were different types of toys.

[@altoidsours]

When I was younger I wanted a bjd so badly, but the price for even smaller dolls was limiting and I never got one. Then many years later, these BJD blind boxes started coming out. I was really excited. I liked the Bonnie series 2 bunny girls a lot and I ended up buying one. She was so precious and adorable. Long story short I went a little nuts and now I have 12 of these blind box BJD in my room. And there will definitely be more in my future lol.

[@bbshrimp]

Listen... I was scrolling thru the comments and saw yours about these bunny dolls and looked them up and omg they are so freaking cute!! I'm not even specifically a doll or bjd fan or anything, I only watched this video because it popped up randomly and I was curious. But I'm actually going to get one one of these bonnie bunny dolls hahah so thank you for mentioning them!

[@altoidsours]

@@bbshrimp You're welcome! Glad to spread the love for these cute lil buns!

[@DollyDiscourse]

Thank you for sharing your childhood collecting memories, they are so sweet and precious! I wasn't into BJDs but I was the same way with Monster High in middle school, saving money and being so excited to get the dolls. Being a pre-teen collector was always a weird space because it felt like we were too old for toys while simultaneously being too young to be proper "adult" collectors. I'm so glad I didn't let the pressure get to me because here I am now, an adult who still loves dolls lol

[@elie2507]

Dollightful was definitely my intro to dolls in general (funnily enough didn’t play with them much as a kid) And her unboxing and even customizing + making her own bjd was my first intro. I have a few bjds from Kikagoods and as much as I love them my heart longs for a much more detailed and “traditional” BJD. One doll from Kika goods even came with an extra face plate, so I’ve even considered customizing my own one day! XP

[@ShiningRosarium]

Funnily enough, i actually found your channel because I ended up getting really into the little blind box BJDs. I love my slowly growing little doll army.

[@ballpointdoll]

to me its really silly claiming a doll with ball joints is not a ball-jointed doll. DoA can define what they want to discuss on their site all they want, but its just incorrect and bizarre to say that a bjd is not a bjd bc some random person felt like it. if they dont have ball joints then theyre not a bjd, if they have they are

[@shadows-sweet-embrace]

It's the elitism. It's very rampant within the BJD community, whether people within it want to admit it or not.

[@red-road-rot4970]

@@shadows-sweet-embraceDoa is like the worst place for elitism too, theyre very holier than thou

[@barebug]

Hard agree

[@sophiedanon7491]

Absolutly ! DoA have no right to decide what is BJD and what is not. It's the reason I have no account on that board. I think they are really arrogant people

[@CheyenneWise]

I was also obsessed with bjds as a preteen and spent SO MUCH TIME on Den of angels! I’m pretty sure we’re in the same age range and it’s wild to see someone with such a similar experience

[@rocketbilly]

I've been half-in the BJD hobby for the last 15+ years or so (I mostly made/sold clothing & wigs), and I love these blind boxes because they're a solid entry point, especially if you aren't very well off or can't really afford to save up. BJDs end up becoming *more* expensive than most peoples every day hobbies. Even my partner balks at the cost, and he plays Warhammer 40k, which can be super pricey. Hell, its taken me this long just to feel like I can *spend* the amount I'll have to save to start assembling my first. Buying the head sculpt I want in February! I still remember back in the day when people would get VERY snooty on DoA and LJ over anyone having non-typical BJDs and they would treat those people worse than they would treat the folks that bought recasts. So I've been really glad seeing these, and seeing these actually get accepted as BJDs by people vs those days when there were a lot more "mean girl" types.

[@anak4444]

I just bought my first jointed doll!!! She's a custom sculpt of scary godmother that the author/artist Jill Thompson put out and has all the process photos on her website. Her face is painted on and her hair isn't removeable but she's my first doll purchase and I adore her. 🥰

[@gazpod2223]

I feel like the blind boxes are cool but when you don’t end up with what you want then it can become a waste problem. One of the nice things I like about the idea of saving up for something like u had that had to be made to order you know there isn’t a mass production line or buyers have a smaller window of wasting the product due to the price point. However it being an introduction to something so expensive is something I appreciate also.

[@momob4276]

This was a throwback for me. I actually hosted a dollfie teaparty at an anime convention once for one of the events. My friend and I baked russian tea cakes and we brought a electric kettle and made tea for everyone while we took pictures of our dolls. I think about 8 people shows up as it was a small con. That was fun :) My dollfies are sadly in a box somewhere :( I should probably take them out. Although my partner says they can't stay in the bedroom because they are creepy LOL.

[@littlewhiteoctopus]

It’s so funny this came up on my feed right as I was sitting down to sew BJD clothes. I’m a long time owner of the resin bjds but I’m also a blind box addict so I love those ones, too. The price point is way more accessible for trying out the hobby and it’s a lot less pressure since it comes fully painted and with clothes.

[@zhengtae7721]

Yes! Angelic Layer really made me fall in love with BJD's, though I discovered them through Deviantart initially. Fifteen years later and I have a whole community of them right in my bedroom. I like all kinds of dolls too. Those Kikagoods dolls are pretty cool but I think they'd be considered Off-topic dolls on DoA? To me, they're in the same pool as Smart Dolls and Dollfie Dreams: not BJD's but cut from the same cloth. At least that's better than when people kept trying to push Monster High Dolls as BJD's. I like those as well but no, lol.

[@XaiEia]

kikagoods does not make dolls they are a reseller

[@SpellboundSierra]

This video hit literally every highlight of BJD history!!! So well researched! The mention of Hans Belmer, and Doll Master! Even the saving the allowance was so nostalgic!! I’m saving this to show my daughter someday when she’s older lmao

[@SylverArc]

I was crazy for Dream of Doll when i was a teen. Have two of them, planned ot get so many more but they disappeared and by now all but one of my BJDs are discontinued. Wild how things change in 15 years. Thank you for this video. I so want to get back into the hobby, but i just can't find the same joy about it anymore.

[@ArchOfWinter]

I remember seeing a motorized ball jointed doll that can automatically articulate between poses about a decade ago. Don't know if it went into production, but it was what I got me introduced to the existence of the community.

[@_kiseki_]

That sounds like Smart Dolls, their original vision was to make remote-controlled motorized BJDs. The motorization part never came to fruition but Smart Dolls still went on the market as regular BJDs.

[@kitsidale]

That sounds fascinating, I've never seen one.

[@Sashimi_luv]

Ugh I love your channel so much. Can’t believe it took me so long to find you. Every video I’ve seen has been a banger.

[@Idontwanttobehereanymore]

I have a big collection of mh dolls (bc I was obsessed with them as a kid) and since I now have adult money and am fascinated by bjds I'm looking into finally buying one , this video was MORE than helpful

[@1111anim]

This whole video made me so nostalgic, I bought a secondhand Delf Shiwoo my first year of college and he was already old when I got him, he's gotta be literally 20 years old at this point 🤧I think I'll make him into a 2000s emo kid, full vintage

[@rynn0077]

Shiwoo! Still have mine! He just turned 19! I feel so old...lol

[@Tam.I.am.]

Ahaha! Grats on getting your favourite choice! The snobbery and cliciness that surrounded those early BJD, the difficulty in making them pose or even sit up, and being ripped off a couple times turned me off them forever. I do still have one, but I got her because of what she depicts, not what she is. She's a little artist doll by Quirky Qritters, and she's a little hen and chickens (plant) fairy. I was in the popular doll hobby online starting with pixel dollz, through Kiss sets, and then watched as the first jointed dolls started to be shown. I still have some vinyl Obitsus, which I got because they didn't go floppy like the Volks vinyls, and because they were easier to get (and wouldn't be embarrassing if my grandma undressed them). I'm doll crazy, and I've always liked to trace doll trends, so I watched the doll styles that were big before I got a computer and learnt about dollz.

[@KforKpop]

I've been watching your videos for awhile and am CONVINCED that we were cast from the same mold lol! Japan Ai, Angelic Layer, and Rozen Maiden were my gateways to BJD's and Japanese Lolita fashion. Now as an adult I'm so grateful that I can finally afford these hobbies and interests that I loved and fawned so much over as a young teen. 😊 Watching your videos give me such warm nostalgia and happiness in knowing that I wasn't alone!

[@CesiaLaCrecya]

Gosh this video is giving me so much nostalgia. My very first doll was a 60 cm Luts Delf that I pined over for a year because I fell so in love with the sculpt. And I probably got way in over my head with that one, because he was so LARGE. But I took that thing everywhere, and here I sit 20 years later, wondering how I even had energy to carry that heavy thing around. Nowadays my two big ones are packed up and I still have a few MSDs sitting on my shelf being pretty. They don't get as much attention but I love them dearly. That, and they're really nice for sewing mockup projects of clothes I make for myself too!

[@jlbriere]

I don't know how the algorithm gave me this video since I haven't been around the doll scene in so long, but I'm glad it did. I used to work in the doll and BJD industry around 2006-2011 and this was memory lane for me. The comment you made about the doll smiles as an interesting one for me. When I worked at a doll store in Bellevue WA I helped design a doll that was in collaboration with the now defunct korean BJD company Elfdoll. The owner of the store wanted a doll with a smile since they were rare at the time. A few years later I worked at another company who manufactured dolls and wigs and she told me that people didn't want smiling dolls since the ones that sold were the sad ones because they make people want to adopt and care for them. I thought it was an interesting observation, but you very much aren't alone in wanting happier dolls. I think those of us that are more attracted to anime stuff like things lighter. Anyway, thanks for this fun video! (also, I hate restringing, too. My old Luts Lishe is super floppy, but... do I really have to??? Ha ha)

[@splendidcyan]

I never had a BJD, but I collected American Girl dolls as a kid/preteen and a creator I watched on AGYT had a Pullip doll she occasionally showed off, and so Pullip dolls led me to BJDs! I remember spending hours on sites like Denver Doll Emporium daydreaming and making lists (in my gmail drafts LMAO) of all the eyes and wigs and clothes I wanted. Maybe someday I'll be able to make an OC or something with one, and sew up clothes for her. Another comment mentioned Rozen Maiden and that's also the anime touchstone for BJDs for me, besides all the Pullip collabs (I'm 90% sure I found Rozen Maiden from the Pullip Shinku doll haha). I love the history in your videos, and seeing baby Mary is so cute and nostalgic - like I remember being a tween and teen and would have loved watching your videos back then, if I'd have found them!

[@SugaredEdits]

Hellll yeah new Mary video!! As a girly who fell in love with rozen maiden as a tween this will be a fun history

[@KagomesSelf]

It feels so good to see an old time BJD collector like me make these videos. Good to see you after so long! Take care!

[@ShinigamiMoon]

This popped up on my feed and omg, it’s bringing back my high school and college years!! I’ve had a handful of dolls that I ended up having to sell for financial reasons, but every now and then I go back to Den of Angel and debate buying a ‘new’ one. What a lovely reminder of something I used to love so much

[@kiwillamas]

I'm howling. the part where you're talking about JAPAN AI the BOOK I LOVED TOO and you were like 'it reminded me of angelic layer' mary middlename lovemew were we the same person in the mid 00s

[@MaryLoveMew]

🫡 separated at birth brought back via dolls

[@KiwiKollector]

Hi, love this video. A few of the blind box BJDS do have eye change options (such as Hana). They are a fabulous entry point for those curious or not in a financial position to buy a full 1/3 ABJD. I think BJD collectors need to be more open to the evolution of the hobby. The only separation that needs to always be identified is recasts - I have nothing against people that buy them (I have brought a couple myself out of curiousity, but the majority of my collection is from artists/official shops in Japan), but recast buyers need to understand their dolls are inferior in quality to the original artists doll and hurt the overall hobby.

[@strayiggytv]

Basically this. I find though that you can't have a conversation about inclusion without the pro recast people throwing a fit. Every group I'm in is down to clown with blind box bjd and it's only recasts and their buyers we have beef with

[@charmy_]

Truly a great video on the topic of BJD! As an older collector who started collecting in 2006, your video would be one I would recommend to get started in the hobby. You explained the origin and the defining "rules" quite clearly. The "rules. created by Den of Angels were meant to restrict the type of dolls that could be discussed on the forum but I agree that kind of created a sense of elitism for materials other than resin or when a doll was breaking some other rules. I still own some BJD to this day(My Kid Delf Ani is 16 years old already) and I would consider blind box dolls to be BJD as they fit all the ball-jointed doll requirements. I am glad they opened the door for new owners with their affordability and full set. It's pretty daunting for a new owner to find, order and assemble all the parts for their doll. Eyes could look nice online but too big or small in the doll. Blind box give a full experience and the quality is pretty good for the price too. For me, it is not a replacement for owning a piece of art created for me but I would have been thrilled to be able to play around with a doll that could let me experience what it feels like to own a BJD without paying the steep entry price.

[@Misssleepless12]

Hey, late twenties bjd collector here! I've been collecting bjds for about four years, having been a spectator for many years before that when my gf in highschool introduced them to me, eventually getting my proper start collecting as a fashion doll collector during the pandemic. And as someone who just woke up one morning when they were 23 and decided to drop $500 on a Minifee as their first bjd, god I love how fun and accessible the bjd blind boxes are! I have purchased a few and they're no replacement for my bigger bjds (I've got 10 now) but they're a great starter doll as well as just a new way to enjoy the hobby in general, which is usually so wrapped up in the prestige of it all (and ofc so expensive. 💀) Your video was very educational, and I know if I'd seen this as a newbie collector, it would have been a great resource. Love that you got the one you wanted from the blind box too! 🫶

[@spoingal]

i was just as obsessed with bjds as a teen, but i opted to use my savings for a computer instead. in an alternate universe theres a me who had one of those expensive dollfies...it actually makes me so happy that dolls of this type are more accessible now. coincidentally. ive ordered a couple blind boxes for myself this week so ill get the excitement that you just had in the video!

[@cellodolls]

i need you to know that i love your channel so much... it feels so safe with u

[@sequoiaaa23]

wowww I’m at home recovering from being ill and I’m about to binge watch your channel and knit a sweater! I love your content and your voice is so soothing and lovely to listen to!

[@isabelperry4097]

I'm super stoked to hear about these blind boxes! Not only are they adorable enough to collect on their own, but like you said, they'll be a low stakes way to get into the skills part of bjd's. As a teen, I got a Bobobie Ling to do that with, but upon receiving her I was too in awe to risk ruining anything and squirreled her away safely. I still really want to get into the hobby and make stuff, though, so I'm delighted to have another pathway (and such a cute one!) opening up.

[@StorybooksInn]

i love that im not a doll collector, but all of your videos are an instant watch for me

[@YouTubeChris23]

Same!

[@bluegirlwish]

SCREAMING, my very first fandom was the BJD fandom. I saw the Angelic Layer books first and ached so bad to make a little friend. I read the first chapter that takes place in the shop over and over. When I found BJDs on Deviantart, I went absolutely FERAL. I was on DoA all day every day. I learned how to sew and sold commissioned clothes to pay for the doll habit, made doll friends all over the world, including one in Australia I actually went and lived by for a year! Over the years I collected a little family. I was super cringe, I carried them around and to places I definitely shouldn't have, but they're dear characters to me at this point. I love them too much to say goodbye. (I really...really need to rework some of their looks. Some are blasting 2007-2009 chic.) I took mine to college, but I went to a school with regular dollmeets, and some of my best friends were-- and still are-- people I met in BJD fandom. I came from a very sheltered background and the creativity and art of BJDs broke me out of my bubble to experience so many different kinds of people and their lives-- and also was my first glimpse into the LGBTQ community. I'm 35 now, and I have a whole host of Kikagoods girlies around my desk at a nonprofit where we support conservation and education in the field of fiber arts... including dolls! Being a doll person quite literally made me who I am today, and I'm so grateful. I had a period where I didn't want to be associated with dolls (an ex who hated them didn't help) but I keep returning to them. I loved this video so much, I shouted at the Aimee shoutout (She was the runner of DoA, but you probably knew that. She's a storyboard artist now!) and HOLLERED when you brought up Dollheart! I was obsessed too. Nowadays I have a few Nendoroids I got bodies for to dress up and take around on my travels, mostly because I know I can get the parts easily to fix them if something goes horribly wrong, and try not to look too much on Kikagoods and lose my whole damn grocery budget. I miss seeing BJDs more at cons (I'm a vendor now) but after hearing so many nightmare stories where they got yanked, I think people just keep them at home. I LOVE the creativity going on with 3D printed dolls too, and the innovations on different joints Back when I was on DoA 24/7 I think I was a well-meaning snob(lmao), but now I just love any kind of doll and I'm happy to see them all. (still boo on recasts, though.) I am so sorry, this is SO long but I was just so tickled, I love your videos! Your Holly Hobbie doll dive actually cracked an art block I'd been having for weeks on a particular merch product, and I loved your deep dive on the Spectra/Aurora lines and was REALLY fascinated with the great research on the Angelic Layer video. Thank you so much for your content, and if you read this, thanks for reading!

[@missbianka]

18:15 I remember those rules being so restrictive that even from one company, some dolls were acceptable and others were not. There was a brand (I think Korean) that made these animal dolls, and half of them were considered off-topic despite them all being made the same. I asked about it, and was told it was because their faces were too western. They were literally animal faces. One of the banned dolls was the open eyed version of another one that was on-topic. It was so weird.

[@twistedwonderland1043]

I just started getting into BJDs! I've been wanting to learn to make my own, but until I have enough money (and space), I have loved buying the little blind boxes! They make me so happy just looking at them! I didn't even know there was a community surrounding them, but it's always great to know you aren't alone in an interest!

[@kikagoods]

So excited to see KikaGoods products in the video!!! Many thanks!!!

[@moths.asleep]

Haiii you guys are pretty cool and epic Can’t wait to hopefully purchase from you guys sometime soon

[@numgut]

No way!!! Watching Angelic Layer in my early teens also sparked my joy for dolls with multiple joints.. and fell in love with the idea of a customisable doll. That is so funny it was the same for you, I bet there are heaps of us out there

[@giselletorres4156]

Oh man! I LOVED The Doll Master! If you haven't heard of her PLEASE look into the history of Shizuka Miura who was both a musician and a BJD doll-maker. She was under the apprenticeship of Katan Amano (who yes, was influenced by Hans Bellmer). This was all during the early 1990s, before the topic of BJD's got international recognition. Amano died in a motorcycle accident in 1990 . Shizuka gained a cult following promoting her dolls and music, unfortunately she took her own life in 2010.

[@Legginglas]

omg japan ai mention!! i still have that book lol. such a good video!! i love that you got the one you wanted!

[@tamieveslage9844]

What a wonderful video!!! You beautifully tell the history of the modern Asian ball jointed dolls and of your own history with BJDs! I was entering the BJD hobby around the same time as you, but instead of being a 14 year old girl, I was a 40 year old artist designing and making one of a kind stuffed animals as well as sculpting dolls in polymer and paperclay. I adore articulated figures and bought my first BJD because I wanted to have one in hand before I tried to sculpt one. I thought it would only be one--- but the number grew year after year and I still love them; I have Customhouse, Fairyland, Volks, Iplehouse, and Rosenlied. I have sculpted a few too but they were sold to collectors. It had been quite a few years since I had purchased any new BJDs when I saw the sweet Penny's Box Antu series, and after buying a single box, I had to get the full set of 6! I have added a few more of these blind box BJDs and given some to my niece for her birthday and Christmas. She always loved my Fairyland Pukifee and now there are BJDs that are within the budget we spend for gifts. They are definitely dolls, and BJDs! Like you, I am all for affordable dolls---but not recasts.

[@CrissyMoss]

I have always loved BJD's but could never afford one. So recently when I found a Shadow High doll in pure white with long white hair and fuzzy boots... I had to have it! It might be plastic, but it was in my price range, and it was still beautiful with brush able hair, and possible arms and legs. Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't enjoy.

[@CrystalFrancisco-hz4jg]

Random but thank you soooo much for mentioning walking on air. I’ve thought of that song here and there over the years but could never remember the name or melody. Ahhh I’m so excited to have that song back

[@MaggieKatrena]

I used to make jewelry for ball jointed dolls for a living. This was a wonderful time in my life and I met some of the coolest most genuine people through this hobby that I am still friends with to this day. Just got me all nostalgic 😁 I still have two of my dolls and all of their luggage but no safe place to display.

[@Art-in-Making]

Great video. I also like all dolls; I have resin BJD's, vinyl dolls, playline dolls, cloth dolls, antique bisque dolls and handmade dolls in my collection.

[@angeldeactivated]

If you ever consider making a KZbin video on your collection, I’d love to see it! I always love when collectors appreciate all kinds and time periods of dolls

[@levidavis5954]

I remember seeing something about BJDs years ago and thinking they were so cool, but being so daunted by the price point because I was a kid with no money. Recently, I've gotten into collecting Monster High, and finding this video and seeing more varieties of BJDs and what's available and having an affordable stepping stone into something like this is so awesome!!

[@yogabear7140]

Gosh, back in the day when anime or Japanese stuff in general was scarce, I remember seeing BJD’s on Deviantart and at anime conventions. People would walk around holding them and I always wanted one so much. Great video!

[@sorrowsilence]

When you mentioned about going into university and trying to be normal and fit in well this year, I just started university and I am doing the complete opposite. I am finally getting to be myself spending money on clothes and fashion items that I like cosplay in Japanese related things it feels freeing. Like freeing yourself from being normal and trying to fit in, XD

[@skelebee]

Happy for you that you got the doll you wanted from the box! Always a great feeling lol As someone who has admired BJDs from a distance for years and never got involved in the community, I'm confused by the "rules" of what makes a BJD. I thought they *just* needed to be hard-bodied, ball jointed and strung with elastic. The other "requirements" would rule out dolls that are ball jointed, strung, and cast with the preferred resin but don't have eyes or wigs as part of their design. I can only imagine all the petty in-fighting. 😨Not to mention all those drop-dead-gorgeous porcelain BJDs out there that wouldn't meet the "requirements" either. I guess there's ball-jointed dolls and then there's BJDs? I like your video, there was stuff I'd never heard of before. Thanks!

[@maggiekelner9715]

Since you touched on it: would love to see you explore the world of 3D printed dolls! I came into doll hobby from the customizing side, and in my experience, the 3D printing side is very welcoming and really has its own interesting niche within the doll sphere, particularly for artists.

[@strayiggytv]

How are you guys handling the influx of dude bros constantly asking for free models to print? All the old bjd spaces get inundated with those dudes anytime we try to have a section for 3d printing 😢

[@maggiekelner9715]

@ I can’t speak for others, but for me personally, I’m part of a discord for a particular creator (shout out to AelithArt btw) whom is VERY firm about creator’s rights, but also encourages remixes of a couple of their designs, which seems to balance things out? It is… still a challenge tho, as someone who loves 3D modeling and printing, the “STL plz?” Crowd drives me bananas.

[@strayiggytv]

@maggiekelner9715 I feel that so hard 😭. I'm part of a small local group and we tried to open up a channel for 3d printing help and advice and got so many "stl plz!" "Do these sell?" And "I saw people like these dolls but they're so expensive, how much work would it be to scan one and reprint it to sell?" We eventually gave up trying to police it and just hid the channel, it was always the people with like a room full of printers making those flexi dragons too :/

[@maggiekelner9715]

@ urghhhh, that suckkkks. I think the fact that most of my group is doll people n artists first and 3D printers second probably helps the culture a bit. I keep wanting to poke into 3D printing community more, but God. I used to offer 3D printing services on my Etsy, and the only interest I got was basically bootlegging stuff that already existed and making printed versions of N/f/ts. Sucks so bad.

[@bolladragon]

I have a MNF Chloe 😅 I still have 5 ABJDs. My favorite is probably my PukiPuki Pipi, which I snapped from Denver Dolls as soon as the PukiPuki line was discontinued, along with a bunch of spare parts like extra hands. Now I really want to redo her look. This whole video took me back.

[@lucciqs]

god i've loved these dolls for so many years, so glad you're talking about them!!!!! edit: typo!! lmao

[@phirah79]

When you showed clips from your old videos when you first got into BJDs I had a sudden realization that I had seen at least one or two of your videos back in the day when I was also just getting into them. I had no idea you were the same person when I subscribed to this channel last year. It's such a funny coincidence. I really love this video and how well you explained the hobby and the way things have changed. I never really got out of collecting BJDs per say but I haven't bought one in years or done much with the ones I have. I still have all the ones I've ever bought but currently they are put away in boxes. I'd like to get back into displaying them and giving them some attention. Lately I've gotten swept up into the Smart Doll and American Girl Doll collector worlds but I will always love BJDs.

[@xkikiki]

I love this post🥰 - I was a member of Den Of Angels back in the stone ages... 2003 or something? Oh the arguments and drama back in the day! i never joined in being too scared but the threads were so entertaining!!! And started collecting bought my first doll from Lutz too in 2004 or was it 2005 - i used my first ever paycheque and have her to this day. I'm very privledged that I've never had to sell my dolls but more so because i have a weird emotional attachment to my dolls. (plus i have very few compared to other bjd collectors imo) I've just gotten back into BJD dolls via blind boxes... Can't believe it has been 20 years!! thanks for taking me down memory lane darling! (PS. I was obsessed with Angelic Layer and clamp in general as a kid and young teen) 💖KIKI

[@strayiggytv]

Also can i just say THANKYOU for making this video? Ive often been so bummed that bjd people have practically no representation on youtube and especially no videos that just present how the hobby was and how it is now in retrospect. Ive heard the most outrageous things said about "bjd people" here and elsewhere and over the years its really kind of weighed on me. We are currently in an era of bjd being more accessible than ever with tons of fashion doll influencers getting sent blindbox dolls to review and yet i still see so many comments under those videos like "wow its a super cute doll but bjd people are terrible lol" and im always just over here like 😢. We're literaly just people, like every group you have good and bad and yhis video means s lot to me to show people that. Its just a hobby. We arent all rich and we arent all mean but we do like dolls lol

[@trixie7759]

The blind box girlie you bought is so insanely cute omgg!!! I’m more of an outsider, I do own a couple of the newer blind box bjd girlies, the way I almost bought the one you opened, but I ended up not bc I didn’t like one of the options, I did preorder the electric pet game world bc good lord those are adorable

[@MoonlightJewel]

This was such an interesting watch and I absolutely love the blind box cuties 🩷🩷 for me personally I enjoy making the dolls themselves the most, the journey of creating them is what made me fell in love with dolls ✨

[@triplehearts914]

loved the kera magazine in the clip of you showing off your doll! Brings back memories of collecting them when I was in middle school. I've been wearing Jfashion for a while now and Ive seen a few brands collab with Volks. It was fun to learn more about them!

[@triplehearts914]

ALSO i remember reading japan ai at the library when I was younger too! This was so much fun lol

[@micahfoley9572]

i have never owned a doll, and may never own a doll, but good lord do i love me some DollTube. keep it up mama okay, idea: very gradually change the positions of dolls in the background and wait for CredulousTube to notice and freak out about it

[@renaissancesquirrel]

Thank you for making this video! I also joined the BJD community at 14 and I collect BJDs (including blind box dolls!) along with all sorts of other dolls. I'm even studying toy design and doing some work in the toy industry in the US. I appreciate you taking the time to inform people on the topic, your information is all very accurate and helpful!

[@Alonetogether13]

I’ve been in the community for about 10 years or longer.. and I have some of these dolls and love them! I feel like as long as it’s not a recast, they’re all great!

[@Emi_Lore]

I recently started collecting BJD dolls. I had no idea of their existence until last year. I remember I used to not be that much into dolls as a kid, but after I discovered such beautiful designs I became obsessed 🥰

[@art-eroflore]

Such an interesting video on BJDs! I became interested in ball-jointed dolls pretty much solely as a way to articulate my homemade dolls. I had vaguely seen asian resin-cast BJDs around but they never particularly appealed to me. Because of the niche culture of the community it was actually kind of hard to find resources on how to sculpt dolls, with a lot of people not understanding or explaining the joints and stringing methods. Now it makes sense to me, because it sounds like people are not often restringing or disassembling ABJDs after they buy them. I had heard of the "Den of Angels" forum before and their strict rules about BJDs and what "counts," and "can be called BJD" and as an outsider to the community I guess it's always seemed silly to like... trademark a method of articulation? But, I dunno. Given their rules about animal body parts they wouldn't like my Neopets, bunny, or pony ball-jointed dolls :P PS just found this channel, very cute, will have to check out your other videos!

[@meikahidenori]

They still exist. There's a bunch on instagram who do face ups and costumes and they look fabulous 😊

[@HotaruMimiuchi]

I never liked human dolls growing up but the moment I saw BJD from DreamOfDoll I fell in love. I have 5 DOCs (or MSD) that I collected over years. I used to love doing photostories that I would post all the time on forums. I also made MVs for my dolls (that I have posted on my channel). I was so sad when DOD shut down their website because I had so many dolls that I wanted.

[@ookamichan16]

Way back when I made friends with someone on Gaia from HK and she would show me BJDs all the time. They were so pretty but I was afraid of the price tag. I was so happy to see the penny box dolls when they started and now last week I just bought my first bigger doll through tinyfox. So exciting to see you unbox your new doll and I'm even more excited to receive mine when she ships!

[@colleenfrances]

I used to spend hours looking at bjd sites adding stuff to my cart but never buying anything. I wanted an feeple65 Elf Chloe soooo bad. I eventually started buying Monster High Dolls because they were affordable and got really interested in watching people make custom dolls. When I moved to college they all came with me. They're all in storage now, but I recently bought two G3 MH dolls who are currently on my shelf looking pretty. This video brought back a lot of memories 😄

[@pumpkinschannel777]

This video was so good!! My jaw dropped when you started talking about Japan Ai!! That's also the book that introduced me to BJDs! I still have the book. 🙂

[@kolonarulez5222]

Last year I started playing with bjds and I love how customizable they are. The larger size dolls are true works of art. My goal is to get as many different species of centaurs as I can. There's cats, wolves, horses, a goat, more. BJDs have been such a magical discovery for me.

[@Lovely2291]

I have always loved dolls and have coveted a BJD, but I got really into customizing Monster High and Barbie made to move dolls back in like 2016.

[@vesper_bb]

Stopppp I was obsessed with my DoA feedback thread as a LITERAL CHILD. I also sold my BJDs years ago but now I have my eye on one from a blind box 👀👀👀This video was such a throwback.

[@KiahRenamae]

This video is the first time I’ve ever heard someone talk about BJDs in this way. I may have seen them but never really knew anything about them. That unboxing at the end made me really interested in getting one of the cheaper ones. It’s so cute! I really like the one on the front of the box.

[@ArtBySherilyn]

Thank you so much for creating this video! I am completely with you on the journey of growth with this hobby... all the way back to garage kits. My BJD collection blew up in 2005 and as an artists I started to do faceups too! Fast forward today and I am growing my mini blind box BJD collection and even doing customs/faceups on LABUBUs! LOL Also, congratulations on getting your target for the blind box series!! I squealed out lout when you got the exact one you were wanting!

[@vultross459]

Blind box bjds became extremely accessable to people with lower income and definitely introduced a lot of people to the base concept of bjds. Blind boxes introduced me to bjds and also led me the bigger handcrafted dolls I now collect

[@writtenlullabye]

As a long time BJD and doll collector - I loved this video! ❤ I agree that while they’re different than resin dolls, these smaller dolls are still jointed and should be included. But I also in general just love dolls. 😂

[@hellsingmongrel]

Me and my wife both collect BJD and have a pretty sizeable collection. We've been collecting since the early 2000's, almost since the first years of the hobby, and OH MAN we have seen so many changes since it all started! And let me say, even as someone who was deep in the Den of Angels woods in the old days, I really love that the hobby has expanded to include these new dolls, and how accessible these new little cuties make the hobby for people with less income and as younger collectors. These are literally dolls that you can give to kiddos and not worry about them breaking them, but me and the wifey have come to referring to them as "Dolly Popcorn" because they're just tiny and cheap and cute and fun to collect even for people with dozens of big, super expensive resin dolls! It's also interesting to note that there have always been BJD that had resin hair and painted on eyes instead of heads with holes in them that you could change the eyes on, so they're really not THAT different from the dolls that were the standard in the old days. Also, seeing your joy when you got the girl you'd been hoping for made me so happy for you! ;> I'm glad you got your girl, she's so cute and it'll be fun to see if you make any outfits for her and show her off in later videos!

[@babiesinajar]

OMG when you mentioned Japan Ai....i felt an immediate kinship lol. i remember being obsessed with that book as a kid and checking it out from my local library. I wanted a ball jointed doll soooooo bad back then and have always loved the hobby ever since.

[@Nechokolate]

Loved your video so much! I've been in the hobby for over a decade and I could not resist the blind box bjds when I first learned about them 😂now my collection is heaps of *den of angels approved* bjds and heaps of blind box ones. I even dove into the ABS/PVC blank dolls you can get from chinese companies like UFdoll. Those share all aspects that resin BJDs have except they are cast in ABS/PVC and are VERY affordable, making them some of the best choices for people starting in the hobby (for example the xiang xiang blank body+head bjd on kikagoods is SO CUTE and only 30$, compared to my first bjd in 2013 which was over 300$). There is no better time to start collecting them than now 🥰

[@biancasenisi3900]

Excellent video!! I've collected BJDs since 2005 and still going strong ❤️ You covered a lot of the history and changes to the current culture perfectly. I found out about BJDs through Aimee's website where she used to host her Sailor Moon fanfiction and forums. Around 2004 I saw photos she shared of the BJD she acquired during her trip to Japan. I still remember it exactly: SD13 Nana. I was also in love with her Shirou Tachibana. I became ravenous for more information about these dolls and spent months looking at the same photos of my favorite companies dolls over and over(Volks, Dream of Doll, and Custom House). In 2005 I got my first doll, a Dream of Doll Pitts. Since I suffer from a terminal case of DIYitis, I ordered her blank to save money and did her faceup myself. This started an almost 2 decade long now love of doing faceups, and I still have my first and favorite doll, Cecilia ❤️ I agree, I'm happy that cheaper options exist. I know plenty of people who collect both blind box and typical BJDs, as well as vinyl dolls like Dollfie Dreams. Recasts are a huge issue and having an easier to obtain option will hopefully help people acquire a doll without resorting(accidentally or not) to illegal copies.

[@Mokuse]

Not long ago I discovered the world of these dolls, and I fell deeply in love with everything that surrounds them and the idea of ​​the extensive customization they offer. Unfortunately in Latin America it is difficult to get one without exporting it from abroad, which only adds more costs that sound almost impossible for me to complete due to not having a stable or permanent job. I also dream of being able to pay for the kind of gifts for myself that I have been wanting for years, so it is very nice to know about your contribution and savings early on. I really like your channel and content and I only recently met it.