On the Den of Angels forums, they have occasional interesting memes and questions from other users. So here's a few of my responses to them:
Questioner: So, BJDs come in all different sizes:1/2, 1/6, MSD, SD. But what about the extremes? DreamHigh studio released the smallest bjd to date wich is only 5cm tall!! Donny Harijanto (the sculptor) calls the little ones micro bjds, and they really are microscopic, but still fully posable (and hella cute). Can bjds get ANY smaller? Or the other extreme: Angel of Dreams 90 cm boys; the tallest resin bjds available. When I first saw them I thought that their size was super cool, and I wasn't worried by posing because they seamed to pose really great. But then I thought: the clothing, restringing, the weight! And though the price is cheap for a doll of that size, I kind of lost my enthusiasm for this doll. It looks like a lot of trouble having such a big doll, so I thought: Can they make them any bigger? Would people buy like a 1meter tall bjd or more? Can resin even stand such a weight?
I do think they can make them bigger, but the question is, why would you want to? 1 meter or taller heads into the Uncanny Valley, making the doll child size, or human size, and a lot like a mannequin. It will seem less of a doll to me, and more of a "don't touch" work of art. They'd take up more space and therefore be more likely to get knocked over/down and broken. They'd be pretty fragile in comparison.
My take on why this is a fad and popular? The influence of Asian culture and manga, has a lot to do with it. In traditional (read, historical) eastern culture, they have one ideal of beauty encompassing both genders, whereas western culture has two distinct ideals of beauty reliant on gender: masculine and feminine. A lot of eastern culture's ideal appears to the traditional western eye as somewhat feminine, hence the androgyny confusion with fashion and particularly these dolls as Asian BJDs.
The worlds I create are mostly medieval low fantasy, though I do trend into high fantasy. My favorites are my Greek and Roman historical fiction worlds though. I have many and I share them with Rosslyn. As dolls, Rosslyn's world and Court are the places I put Khorae in.
Questioner: So, BJDs come in all different sizes:1/2, 1/6, MSD, SD. But what about the extremes? DreamHigh studio released the smallest bjd to date wich is only 5cm tall!! Donny Harijanto (the sculptor) calls the little ones micro bjds, and they really are microscopic, but still fully posable (and hella cute). Can bjds get ANY smaller? Or the other extreme: Angel of Dreams 90 cm boys; the tallest resin bjds available. When I first saw them I thought that their size was super cool, and I wasn't worried by posing because they seamed to pose really great. But then I thought: the clothing, restringing, the weight! And though the price is cheap for a doll of that size, I kind of lost my enthusiasm for this doll. It looks like a lot of trouble having such a big doll, so I thought: Can they make them any bigger? Would people buy like a 1meter tall bjd or more? Can resin even stand such a weight?
What do you think? Are these the biggest bjd extremes we have seen? Or can they go even further?
Response: That's an interesting question, actually. Personally, I do think the resin could handle the weight of a really large doll--it's of a question of finding elastic thick and strong enough to keep it together. Being around a lot of SDs and tinies at my house, I've seen much more hesitation in handling the tinies, since it's harder to get restringing tools for the little guys.
I do think they can make them bigger, but the question is, why would you want to? 1 meter or taller heads into the Uncanny Valley, making the doll child size, or human size, and a lot like a mannequin. It will seem less of a doll to me, and more of a "don't touch" work of art. They'd take up more space and therefore be more likely to get knocked over/down and broken. They'd be pretty fragile in comparison.
Questioner: These dolls are both androgynous and childlike (even the adult ones). I can understand the desire to have a fantasy child (like we did when we were little), but why are we so attracted to the concept of owning a fantasy adult who is impossibly androgynous and who combines extremely youthful features with a mature body? Please don't mistake me - I find them just as compelling as everyone else - there's no judgement here! I just wonder what they say to us about human sexuality. I'd love to hear some theories!
Response: I'm not a big fan of androgyny. I define metro-sexual as less feminine and more classy and wearing up-to-date fashion. I know a big, broad man who dresses in classy shirts and purple pants, and yet he exudes "straight" (which he is, married with five kids the last 25-26 years). I like my men manly in a western sense and my women womanly (this does not mean ruffles and lace, just feminine).
My take on why this is a fad and popular? The influence of Asian culture and manga, has a lot to do with it. In traditional (read, historical) eastern culture, they have one ideal of beauty encompassing both genders, whereas western culture has two distinct ideals of beauty reliant on gender: masculine and feminine. A lot of eastern culture's ideal appears to the traditional western eye as somewhat feminine, hence the androgyny confusion with fashion and particularly these dolls as Asian BJDs.
Questioner: Is your doll part of an elaborate "world" or set-up? Perhaps including other peoples dolls as well? If not, does this idea intrigue you?
Response: I have many worlds and my SD is definitely a part of them. She started off as a roleplaying character and grew into my main character, the one I am known for. It was natural to me to put her into doll form when the hobby came.
The worlds I create are mostly medieval low fantasy, though I do trend into high fantasy. My favorites are my Greek and Roman historical fiction worlds though. I have many and I share them with Rosslyn. As dolls, Rosslyn's world and Court are the places I put Khorae in.
People Who Played with Barbies:
How old were you when you stopped playing with barbies? Was it young due to needing to feel older or was it because you just felt it was time?
I think I was 12, like most people who've commented, when I finally stopped playing with them. I had a friend over for most of one summer and we played with them together, then fervently swore as school started in the fall to never reveal to anyone we had done that. After that, I had my own self to modify and work on.
Was there anything that you did with barbies, that carried over to how you treat your BJDs?
Now that I think about it, the only thing that has seemed to carry over is my incessant desire to accessorize them. I adore tiny props and clothes and furniture, so I like gathering things for my dolls. Barbie had it easier though--her props were cheap and plentiful and in scale with her already. BJDs have a harder, but more fun, time with that. I get to go hunting through antique stores now. I love it.
People who only got the collected Barbies:
How long did you keep your collectors dolls? Did you have any dolls you were able to play with, or did you want to?
I still have them! Though, having entered into this hobby and having gained more adult concerns, I'm mostly waiting until the market makes it possible to sell them for something closer to their current value, so I can furnish my schooling and BJD habit. I wanted desperately to play with the collector dolls with their gorgeous dresses...My mom would give me and my sister each one collectable Barbie every Christmas. I really did want to play with them badly. It's like handing a chocoholic a Hershey kiss and then putting a box of See's candy on a shelf and telling them it was for display only. Just mean. One year I managed to get the Barbie out of the box and was working on those annoying twist ties when my mom caught me. I never attempted to open one again after that argument. Lol. I still have that one, too. It's in Mint condition but the box is considerably less so.
Do you feel that you should treat BJD's the same way like a collector doll?
Absolutely not. I'm not much one for BJD dolls sitting in collector's cases. My collectable Barbies are shoved on top of my closet and forgotten about most of the time; I will never have space for pure display items larger than a couple inches high (not without a drastic change in my living status anyway). My BJDs are down where I can pose them and make clothes for them, and otherwise enjoy them, though I do close the closet door on them during the day to protect them from the sunlight when I'm not home.
How old were you when you stopped playing with barbies? Was it young due to needing to feel older or was it because you just felt it was time?
I think I was 12, like most people who've commented, when I finally stopped playing with them. I had a friend over for most of one summer and we played with them together, then fervently swore as school started in the fall to never reveal to anyone we had done that. After that, I had my own self to modify and work on.
Was there anything that you did with barbies, that carried over to how you treat your BJDs?
Now that I think about it, the only thing that has seemed to carry over is my incessant desire to accessorize them. I adore tiny props and clothes and furniture, so I like gathering things for my dolls. Barbie had it easier though--her props were cheap and plentiful and in scale with her already. BJDs have a harder, but more fun, time with that. I get to go hunting through antique stores now. I love it.
People who only got the collected Barbies:
How long did you keep your collectors dolls? Did you have any dolls you were able to play with, or did you want to?
I still have them! Though, having entered into this hobby and having gained more adult concerns, I'm mostly waiting until the market makes it possible to sell them for something closer to their current value, so I can furnish my schooling and BJD habit. I wanted desperately to play with the collector dolls with their gorgeous dresses...My mom would give me and my sister each one collectable Barbie every Christmas. I really did want to play with them badly. It's like handing a chocoholic a Hershey kiss and then putting a box of See's candy on a shelf and telling them it was for display only. Just mean. One year I managed to get the Barbie out of the box and was working on those annoying twist ties when my mom caught me. I never attempted to open one again after that argument. Lol. I still have that one, too. It's in Mint condition but the box is considerably less so.
Do you feel that you should treat BJD's the same way like a collector doll?
Absolutely not. I'm not much one for BJD dolls sitting in collector's cases. My collectable Barbies are shoved on top of my closet and forgotten about most of the time; I will never have space for pure display items larger than a couple inches high (not without a drastic change in my living status anyway). My BJDs are down where I can pose them and make clothes for them, and otherwise enjoy them, though I do close the closet door on them during the day to protect them from the sunlight when I'm not home.
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