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It has come to the attention of forum staff that Dollshe Craft has ceased communications with dealers and customers, has failed to provide promised refunds for the excessive waits, and now has wait times surpassing 5 years in some cases. Forum staff are also concerned as there are claims being put forth that Dollshe plans to close down their doll making company. Due to the instability of the company, the lack of communication, the lack of promised refunds, and the wait times now surpassing 5 years, we strongly urge members to research the current state of this company very carefully and thoroughly before deciding to place an order. For more information please see the Dollshe waiting room. Do not assume this cannot happen to you or that your order will be different.Dismiss Notice
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Dollshe Craft and all dolls created by Dollshe, including any dolls created under his new or future companies, including Club Coco BJD are now banned from Den of Angels. Dollshe and the sculptor may not advertise his products on this forum. Sales may not be discussed, no news threads may be posted regarding new releases. This ban does not impact any dolls by Dollshe ordered by November 8, 2023. Any dolls ordered after November 8, 2023, regardless of the date the sculpt was released, are banned from this forum as are any dolls released under his new or future companies including but not limited to Club Coco BJD. This ban does not apply to other company dolls cast by Dollshe as part of a casting agreement between him and the actual sculpt or company and those dolls may still be discussed on the forum. Please come to Ask the Moderators if you have any questions.Dismiss Notice
Culture
The culture of the BJD hobby has evolved as the market and community have grown. Originally, relative obscurity coupled with the difficulty in buying BJD shaped an English-speaking community that was tight-knit and supportive of every new member. As more options became available and more collectors entered the hobby, the general culture of the dollery changed and evolved.
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Community
The BJD hobby has a strong community aspect; most English-speaking doll owners belong to at least one doll-related forum, such as Den of Angels. Posting photos, learning and sharing customizing techniques, and discussing current releases is an integral part of the hobby for many enthusiasts.
BJD draw a diverse body of hobbyists. There are many aspects of doll ownership, from customization to strict collecting, allowing people to enjoy their dolls for a variety of reasons. In addition, because the BJD hobby crosses over into other hobbies and fandoms, enthusiasts find BJD through many different sources. Anime and manga, cosplay, and "traditional" fashion dolls are some of the most common shared interests among collectors.
Many owners also seek out other enthusiasts in their local community through organizing or attending meetups; Some owners also attend events hosted by companies (i.e. Volks Dolpa), hobby enthusiasts (i.e. Dollectable or GoGaDoll), or BJD panels at other doll or anime conventions.
Doll Owners
Most BJD owners are female, with the most recent poll data indicating that the ratio of men to women is approximately 1:7. The ages of collectors vary widely from children to great-grandparents, but the bulk of collectors fall between 18-35 years old.
There is a wide range of sexualities, professions, religious beliefs, and family structures represented.
Collecting vs. Playing
Community members generally tend to think of doll owners as being on a spectrum that runs from "people who collect dolls" to "people who play with dolls."
Collectors are owners who may buy dolls as an "investment," keep dolls for display purposes only, or buy their dolls to complete a set or collection.
At the opposite end, some doll owners treat their dolls more like common toys and take them on daily errands with them, sleep with them in their bed, or imagine (or believe) that they are alive.
There are social stigmas attached to both extremes. Most owners fall to the center of the spectrum with aspects of both the toy owner and haute-couture collector.
Range of Customization
The nature of BJD allow a wide range of involvement. For someone who is not artistic, it is possible to buy a painted doll directly from the doll artist/company or hire a customizer to complete a doll concept.
Many owners are comfortable customizing or performing maintenance on their own dolls, such as giving the doll a faceup or performing seam sanding or restringing. Others prefer to allow others to do these tasks and enjoy their dolls through display or superficial enhancements such as changing the eyes, wigs, or clothing.
Company-Owner Relationships
Many differences in opinion come from whether or not the owner views their doll as a toy or a piece of art. This impression can vary depending on the owner's definitions of art and mass-production.
Most owners tend to place their dolls above mass-produced, commercially available toys such as Barbie or Licca because each BJD is produced and painted by hand. However, there is also a lot of debate about where the owners' and artists' rights overlap, and whether or not an owner should profit from photos of her doll.
In addition to interest in the dolls themselves, some members follow specific artists. In recent years, communication between the artists, companies, and collectors has become more common, allowing owners to appreciate their dolls in different ways.
Character Creation
Many doll owners give their dolls stories and personalities; it is common for owners to use dolls as physical embodiments of characters from an original comic or piece of writing. Other owners create dolls of characters from popular media, such as a beloved book or cartoon character.
Frequently, owners take elaborate photoshoots or stage photostories to express the character or story of their doll. Character may also be also conveyed through a custom faceup, specific wig or eyes, or character-specific clothing choices.
A small portion of doll owners have expressed belief that their dolls have a "soul" or animating force, usually citing animistic beliefs or strong imagination. The Volks company website, in particular, strongly supports the idea that a doll has a spiritual existence all its own and acts as its owner's "other self". Other companies encourage this relationship between owner and doll by calling the act of purchasing a doll "adoption" or referring to the doll itself as a "son" or "daughter."
