What is a BJD?

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The term BJD generically stands for "ball-jointed doll" and refers to any doll that has ball and socket joints.

In the Asian ball-jointed doll hobby, this definition is generally narrowed to only include resin dolls that are strung with elastic and meet a certain visual aesthetic.

Certain forums, such as Den of Angels, define BJD more narrowly for the purposes of keeping a particular focus.

Definition by Den of Angels

All dolls posted on DoA (and included in the wiki) are evaluated with regard to the following criteria and must meet all of the following requirements.*

Construction

Made of resin
All dolls on Den of Angels must be cast in resin.
Strung with elastic
All dolls on Den of Angels must be comprised of multiple hollow pieces, all strung together for tension using elastic or a similar material.
Articulated using ball-and-socket joints (or a combination of ball-and-socket joints and hinge or sliding joints).
Dolls that are primarily articulated using pins or hinges, such as those found in a Barbie or action figure, may be considered off-topic.
Highly poseable due to having many points of articulation
At a minimum, dolls posted on DoA must be jointed in the following places: neck/head, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle.
Have a 2+ part head with changeable eyes
In order to be included, a doll's head must be able to be opened in order to insert eyes.
Exception: Sleeping/closed eyed sculpts
Can wear a wig with brushable hair
Dolls should be, by default, bald and ready to wear wigs.
Exception: Anthros (see Anthro-specific criteria)
Exception: Certain sculpts may have optional headcaps that have sculpted hair. (I.e. Elfdoll Mir)
Can wear shoes and cloth clothing
Dolls should not have sculpted/molded clothing and should be able to wear cloth clothing and shoes.
Exception: Certain sculpts may have optional pieces that may prohibit wearing clothing or shoes (i.e. Unoa high heel foot pieces).

Aesthetic and Intent

Intended by manufacturer for customization
Dolls must be customizable. Even if a doll comes with a faceup, it must be possible to remove it without damaging the doll itself. Wigs cannot be glued on as they come from the manufacturer, dolls cannot be sewn into clothing as they come from the manufacturer.
Consistent with the aesthetic of other dolls presently allowed.
This may include:
  • Attention to anatomical detail (distinct fingers and toes, sculpted finger and toenails, muscular definition)
  • Emphasis on body sculpt (body should be fully rendered, rather than left basic to primarily act as a vehicle to display clothing)
  • Facial style and proportion consistent with other dolls presently allowed on the forum
  • Body proportioning consistent with other dolls presently allowed on the forum
  • High emphasis on quality and technical artistry

Notes=

  • Certain specific dolls that were allowed on the forum prior to the introduction of these criteria have been grandfathered in to allow inclusion on the forum. A list of those dolls can be found below.
  • Dolls/figures that have been customized to fit the criteria are still NOT admissible (i.e. A Volks Customize Kit that has been resculpted to have ball-joints and stringing, or Sybarites that have had their eyes cut open to accept glass eyes)
  • Being made by a company that makes BJD doesn't automatically qualify a new doll or product as a BJD. Dolls with joints that are round in appearance are also not necessarily ball-jointed dolls (i.e. Volks 27cm dolls' round ankle and wrist joints, or some articulated action figures.)
  • Bootlegged or otherwise copied sculpts are not permitted on Den of Angels, even if they would otherwise be considered "on-topic."
  • "Anthro" dolls follow a different, more specific set of criteria that can be found here.

Inclusion on DoA and in DoA Wiki

The moderators use the criteria above to determine whether dolls are on- or off-topic. The decision to include a doll on the forum or in the wiki is not a product endorsement from the moderation staff; conversely, declaring a doll off-topic is not a negative judgment against the quality or reputation of a sculpt or company. It is simply a matter of whether or not the moderation staff feels that the doll fits the focus of the forum. Inclusion on the forum is at the sole discretion of the moderators.

Off-topic dolls (with the exception of bootlegs) are admissible in discussion or photography in conjunction with on-topic dolls. However, they may not be the focus of any gallery or discussion thread, wiki entry, or be sold or requested to be bought in the DoA Marketplace.


*GRANDFATHERED SCULPTS

The following sculpts were allowed on the forum prior to the current criteria set and have been grandfathered as a courtesy to allow their owners to continue to share them here. Please note, these specific sculpts and lines are allowed; it is not a blanket acceptance of all sculpts or lines similar to them.

  • Dollfie Dream lines
  • Obitsu 60cm lines
  • Obitsu 50cm lines
  • Volks Reitenshi
  • Unoa Light
  • Unoa 2nd
  • DIM Minimee
  • Baby Supia

References

DoA's BJD FAQ
Wikipedia - ABJD
Wikipedia - Super Dollfie
BJD_WTF