ABJD's vs. Other dolls

To be honest, I personally just hate other dolls. I find them either 'dead' looking - as in bland and boring (a side-effect of mass production?) or just super creepy like porcelain or reborn dolls. *shudder* The reason I collect BJD is because of the huge amount of customisation that is possible with them, and because they don't creep me out. :P

 

​How do you feel about paying the money you do on dolls when you could do those same exact things with barbie dolls and other less expensive dolls on the market?

Well at first (on my young and foolish day), I was astonished and shocked at the thought but then, you get what you pay for but most of the time, quality is still better than quantity. Having 5 similar looking Barbie is the same as having one Barbie but having two ABJDs means two different looking items, not base only on their outfit but on their sculpt, faceup, structure and size. And BJDs' proportions are more convenient for me also thanks to their mobility (because I need flexible drawing models not hard straight armed ones)

Does this deter you from the hobby in any way?

You pay for what you get, but yes, my budget in this case is really limited in this case .

Do you have any good defenses about why you would spend the money on BJD's Than regular factory produced dolls?

In my residences ("s" because of my familial circumstances), I possess a large amount of stuffed animals and teddy bear, and I'm picky when it comes to buying stuffed animals (but I can be lenient in rejected plushies adoption). Each have their own variety, material, mobility, size... Same case apply to dolls. Comparing buying a barbie vs. an ABJD is like comparing buying a handmade high quality cotton plushie dog to a polyester teddy bear. One might be cheaper but it won't be as comfy or huggy ( okay I think I'm kinda swift into a stuff animal maniac ) and they can fall of after 2-3 years compare to other long live ones.
Barbie and ABJD are the same, you pay for what you get. Barbie tend to be hard to change and the fact that it is being mass produce kind of take the value off it (thanks to that, at the end of my tween I became a Barbie abuser/chewer... unknowingly... mom even said the company might even sue me if they see what I did to their product...)

 

​How do you feel about paying the money you do on dolls when you could do those same exact things with barbie dolls and other less expensive dolls on the market?

One thing that's always been a deal-maker/breaker for me is posability. Even when I was young, I always loved things that could pose- shoot, I even had an articulated model horse that I played with until it literally started falling apart. For me, the high quality of the material coupled with the amazing articulation and detail is what makes BJD's worth the money. In addition to that, I love the scale of larger BJDs- it feels like I'm getting more for the money, so to speak.

Does this deter you from the hobby in any way?

Not really, but it is difficult with me currently being out of work. That just means it'll take longer to save up. The main thing that deterred me at first was the idea that the dolls cost so much but came with no hair or clothing, and the accessories seemed sooooo expensive.

Do you have any good defenses about why you would spend the money on BJD's Than regular factory produced dolls?

I'm pretty sure I do- BJDs are MUCH more easily customizable than Barbies will ever be, and they're made on an individually-ordered basis. There's something special about having one made just for you that you don't get with other dolls. And as for customization, with Barbies it's pretty much "what you see is what you get" unless you take hours to remove and re-do the face painting and re-root the hair, and even then their skin won't take to dye nearly as well as resin does. I'm an artistic person (have been ever since I was a kid) and so I really appreciate the relative ease with which you can change a BJDs face-up, eyes and hair.

 

I have blythes and pullips and gonna order some korean dolls soon. I love them. If I go on vacation, I take some of them with me - light and small, easy to carry around. All my bjds are SD size males and they stay in mostly. Dolls can be so different, and it's a great thing.

 

Yes, you CAN do everything you can do with an ABJD to a Barbie, or a Bratz doll, or a Monster High...
With a bottle of acetone and a good hand, you can give them a personality that their printed on faced never had. Rip their hair out and reroot, or wig, whatever...

But they'll never have the same quality, poseability, or variety in sculpts. I see them as totally different things, but I wouldn't say my BJD's are all that superior... It's not a waste of money to me, though.

I actually make most the money I spend on BJD's by selling the custom Monster High that I make. :3
I'm all for customizing any doll... BJD's are MEANT to be customized, yes, but that doesn't mean you can't do the same to mass produced plastic dolls. I looove working on MH... I'm better at that than I am BJD face-ups, sadly. XD

But it's all apples and oranges... BJD's are their own unique thing. :3
Totally different. :3

 

I never really liked Barbies, but I do like other, more moveable dolls. I recently bought a Monster High doll to customize: Apart from re-stringing, you can do pretty much everything with them you can do with a BJD. Their heads are made of soft vinyl, so you can't really modify those, but you can give them other hair (rerooting) or wigs to wear, make them outfits, mod their bodies (those are hard plastic, not sure which kind but it smells like epoxy), and give them a face-up in the same way that you would do with a BJD. I suppose you could even carve out the eyes and give them glass eyes instead (I chose to repaint them, though).

However, since these dolls are mass products, I would not offer the same price for them as I would for a BJD. There is simply too much of a quality difference. But I would offer much more than the retail price for one that's customized. If it was one that I really wanted, of course. Which is not likely, since I know how to do it myself, and I always rather do things myself than paying other people to do it for me, if it's possible... But you never know.
And I certainly am a supporter for letting more dolls on to the forum, like Obitsu's, Pullips and Hujoos, or the gorgious handmade artist dolls that are often made of porcelain like those of Enchanted Doll of Angel Eggs, or dolls made by small western companies like the Mushroom Peddler or Dust of Dolls. As long as they are just as poseable and high-quality like Ball Jointed Dolls, I'm fine with pretty much anything (well, maybe not Superman action figures or something :P But those aren't really "high quality" either). Though I do understand that's hard to draw the line when it comes to easthetics/quality... And we surely would need more categories, but I'd love to see some more diversity.

 

Sunimoon- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just meant that Barbies and similar dolls aren't as easy to customize as BJDs, as BJDs are designed to be customized. I have seen some lovely custom Monster High dolls and they look lovely! I've even considered giving mine makeovers.

The ease of customization and high quality of the materials in addition to the realistic expressions and facial features are among the many reasons I love BJDs and choose them over Barbies.

 

firstly, aesthetics. then, all female ABJD are different from each other, in body shape and face. Also the changeable eyes and possability. cannot compare...

 

For me, I think it's the life-like aesthetics and the posability. I do like other dolls than BJDs, too, but BJDs are *completely* different thing than Barbies, Monster High-dolls or even Pullips and other Asian mass-produced collector dolls.

Because BJDs are made on order and order alone, and it's very seldom to get an in-stock BJD doll, I'm fascinated by the idea that this *exact* doll has come into existence just because *I* myself wanted it and placed an order on it. It makes the doll unique and special to me - truly mine. Although you can mod Barbies and other dolls and make them "yours" in that way, it doesn't change the fact that the doll was originally a mass-product.

BJDs are handicraft and I think that gives them special value also. Even if you get a default face-up, no two default face-ups are exactly the same.

Also, I like the fact how heavy bigger resin dolls are and the feeling of tension the stringing causes in their bodies. It almost feels like the doll is "carrying" itself, like it has "real presence" and a life of its own. Whereas Barbies are "just toys, although pretty toys" BJDs have a real character. I've always liked androids too, and at the moment, BJDs are the closest thing to owning an android of your own. (sounds weird, I know ;-D )

 

A Dollfie Plus is a mass produced plastic Barbie-like body with a bald eyeless head and removable head cap.

It can pose as well as or even better than the standard ABJD, you can change it's eyes and hair, repaint it, carve into it's face for customization, redress it and photograph it just like the other ABJD. Certainly cost wise, it is significantly cheaper, and due to it's size accessories and clothing are easily available. You are also able to buy optional hands and heads for them.

I have come across at least two companies producing ABJDs in regular plastic to reduce the cost too - like Hujoo, and AIDolls that provide the look although not the feel of resin dolls. There are also vinyl versions with a non-strung internal structure that are quite large like Dollfie Dream and Obitsu. So you get the size and the posing ability but only a fraction of the cost.

Honestly I believe the big difference between resin, ABS plastic and vinyl is texture and weight. It's really hard to describe but I can tell you with utmost certainty through my own experience - working with my 45cm - 72cm resin dolls is somehow much more satisfying than tinkering with the Barbie sized Dollfie Plus!

It really does come down to preference. You'd have to hold one of these things to see what we're talking about. XD

 

I agree with almost all of you on the most widely-recognized point: I can have one ball-jointed doll or I can have 50 Barbies. (Just like I can buy one good coat or a dozen ones from Giant Tiger! You get what you pay for, and that's decided by what you want. If you want a dozen dolls to experiment with, throw around, give to your kids, or collect, Barbie is a lot cheaper than ABJDs. It depends on the consumer.)

I also agree on posability; one of the things that draws me to ABJDs is the fact that so many look so human. Barbie's always going to have "Barbie arms", though as mentioned, Dollfie Plus isn't much more expensive and looks a lot more "natural" than Barbies. I'm not sure how durable they'd be in comparison to Barbie, so I still don't know if I'd want to give them to my kid...)

My main point was faintly touched on by sukeban earlier in the thread, but not fully explored by anyone, as far as I can see. It's just that I'm not a girl. I've got ABJD-collecting friends who aren't girls. And plenty of women who are into the hobby don't want something magenta. Monster High is a good option for just "not pink", but the dolls are still pretty strongly gendered. (And sexualized? Puckered lips, arched back...)

What I'm drawn to is the possibility for those of us who don't want a "perfect girl" doll like Barbie (and her identical friends in swapped palettes) or a "tanned strong man doll" like Ken (does Ken have matching friends?) to still get our ideal expressed.

How many times in this hobby have you seen girls who aren't big-chested smiling blondes, or slim men in skirts, or gender-neutral dolls? Easily as often as you see a classical beauty or a muscled straight man. This hobby is a possible paradise for people who want something outside of a single mainstream expression of beauty: the ability to literally craft our own, to put together our own ideal piece-by-piece.

What draws me to this hobby is that it's been the only place I have seen my conceptions of beauty expressed in tiny, lovely creatures. And that's something I can't get anywhere else.

 

I don't like in what way barbie is look like. It is enough for me.
Also BJD sometimes looks more man-like, as opposed to barbie. They have some sex characteristics in additional. It is not sexless figurine for kids.

 

With the complete exception of my Vogue Doll "Love Me Linda" I never wanted dolls as a child. Mom gave them to me in the vain hope of detering me from the masculine toys I preferred. Probably a precusor to other life and career choices for me. I have my 1963 titian bubble cut Barbie stashed in the curio but even when she was new I wanted my brother's GI Joe instead. Partially because of the era in which I grew up I despised most fashion dolls because to me they represented the oppression and subjugation of women.

The bjds on the other hand are so customizable and free that they remind me of the hope of the 1960's and 1970's feminist movement...that women could be and do anything. So many young women do not realize what those of us in our 50's had to go through to get access to the mostly equal rights we have today in the US. Maybe that is why I chose a very traditionally male career and also one of the many reasons I love my bjd dolls. Barbies, Bratz, baby dolls, and so on to me are actually a sign of oppression and limited choices so I don't like them.

Heavy load for little resin shoulders but one I placed on my dolls.

 

In addition to everything that has been said, I think people bond with ABJDs much more than other dolls because they are completely customizable from day one. Barbies and Monster High dos come with makeup, clothes and personalities that are pre set. If they offered BLANK Monster High dolls, I would probably buy one, but seeing as it's targeted toward kids I don't see that ever happening.

 

A bit off-topic maybe, but it seems you completely missed out all on the Monster High "repaints" and "reroots" that are popping up all over the internet: You can remove their head (bit of a struggle, but perfectly do-able), cut off the hair, remove the glue on the inside with hot water and give them new hair (rooted or a wig) yourself. You can also remove their face paint with nailcoat remover, and re-paint them using pastels, acrylics and a sealer (MSC works just fine) like you would with a BJD head. Their head is soft vinyl, but their bodies are made of a hard kind of resin that you can mod just like BJD resin (it even smells the same). Lots of people sand away the casting lines and/or add details with epoxy sculpt. So they actually ARE customizable. I customized a Monster High doll myself into a Weeping Angel. Just check out all the wonderful creations that can be found on Tumblr and Deviantart, maybe you'll get inspired.

 

To me, debates like this are supremely silly because at the end of the day it all comes down to matters of personal taste. It's almost like comparing steak and shrimp. Both have the potential to be delicious. You can do very similar things with both -- grill them, broil them, put them in a salad, put them in a stir-fry, serve them with pasta, eat them hot, eat them cold, put them in soup (god I need to go cook dinner) -- and there are different kinds of each available. Depending on where you live, one might be substantially cheaper than the other. There are probably cookbooks devoted to each food. Technically speaking, both are luxury items, since they're nice to eat but you can survive just fine without either one. But at the end of the day, they aren't the same. There really is no comparing them. Someone might like both, neither, or only one of the two. The might like both but have a strong preference for one over the other.

I think it's the same way with dolls. Sure, you can do similar things with Barbies or other cheaper dolls as you can with BJDs, but they're not the same thing. Personally, I'm not much of a customizer. I swap out eyes and wigs and someday I'll get around to giving my dolls original, non-company faceups (either myself or sending them off to someone else). I just prefer the aesthetics of BJDs over other kinds of dolls, like Barbies, and would rather spend a lot to get something I love and thing is really beautiful than spend a little for something I don't like nearly as much.

 

Oh, I have seen them floating around, but more what I meant is that ABJDs seem to be presented as a clean slate, which I am drawn to more than dolls that are already finished, if that makes sense. I actually own a few MH dolls and love them, so it's not like I have a biased opinion. XD

 

Ah I see. So it's more like being able to view the potential of a doll, without any paint masking their naked characteristics. That makes sense. You comment just gave me the idea that you hadn't really looked in to them, sorry

 

How do you feel about paying the money you do on dolls when you could do those same exact things with barbie dolls and other less expensive dolls on the market?

Barbie dolls are not ball jointed and they can only pull off one lifeless stiff pose.
They can't really pull off realism because of their lack of possibility, and odd proportions.
When I look at a Barbie I see a doll, a toy. When I see a bjd sometimes I have to look twice because they looks so alive.
Barbie dolls just don't have the magic for me at all.

Does this deter you from the hobby in any way?
No! =/ Even if there is less expensive dolls out there that I can get anywhere I wouldn't care.
Because it's not even the case, they are nothing a like.

Do you have any good defenses about why you would spend the money on BJD's Than regular factory produced dolls?

Outside of Monster high dolls and blyth and pullips, heck even bratz dolls....(I like them all)
I find most other mass produced dolls to be uninteresting looking. There is just something about ABJDs. They are the vessel for my imagination. I think the Barbie doll collector would have to be in the same room with a resin kid to really understand why they are so special and why people give that much money to the companies to have one. They're pieces of art and show pieces, but they are also companions. Not everyone does this, but my doll is like a child to me. She' so life like and almost real in a strange way.
Ive never had that love for Barbie dolls...infact when I was a kid I tore all my barbie's heads off!

But over all, even if there are cheaper dolls out there that are customizable I don't have to justify why I would spend the money.
It's like asking why your friend bought a luxury car when they could have a regular one that's just as good.
It's what people want, it's their taste and it's not really something anyone should fight about.

 

There isn't much I can add to this discussion. I grew up with Barbies, learned to sew because of them, and crafted elaborate tales for them with my friends. I put them down when they proved too small and static. Even then I would flip through the collector mags to see what folks were doing. Then I saw a bjd and my creativity flared. They are so superior. I look at Barbie collectibles as pretty ridiculous for the cost. I don't really even like Gene, Tonner or other vinyl dolls. They are expressionless fashion dolls, that's all. As the cost of bjds, I don't discuss such with most folks. It seems like bragging and that never goes well.