Angelheim 64cm Girl ZENA - 'Ice Queen' & 'Medusa'-Discussion Thread

I can't stop looking at Zena's sculpt. She's simply beautiful... those LIPS!! She's so expressive and serene. I think she's earned a place in my list of dolls to save for. Those transparent resin snakes are also wonderful. Though I'm not sure if I would use them, the fact that they're being offered for a lower price at the release is certainly interesting.

I'm impressed with this new beauty. Angelheim almost got me when they released Zion, but I think Zena is definitely going to come home soon. n__n

 

Just from the photos, the body puts me in mind of the IMPL star woman body, with the torso joint right under the bust, and the single knee joint with that mobility joint in the thigh. If the Angelheim body poses half as well as IMPL bodies, I'll be impressed. ;D

The one thing I don't really like about the body is her wrists. They're odd. I would have to see them in person, of course, but depending on how weird they are I might replace the hands.

 

I've been waiting for this one for a while - as in, checking EVERY DAY for the last month.
In the end, I'm disappointed she's not limited, and I think I'm disappointed with the head sculpt also. It really feels like something is lacking, though I wonder if that could all just be faceup and lack of good (or any?) body blushing. The finished product just seems underwhelming somehow?

I however love all the fantasy parts and extras, even though I'd have preferred MORE of what they were going for.
That is, with the Ice Queen, would have been nice to see some transparent hands, or even just icey blue body blushing to match everything up - actually I think she should have been in blue resin but nevermind. xD
I do ADORE those feet though, and don't know how to get through life without not having them xD
Medusa, the snakes are AMAZING but it's sad that's there's no special hands or legs.
I think a lot of this may come from the types of fantasy dolls I've gotten used to seeing released who've had just LOADS going on, so these two releases feel very simple in comparison.

Overall I think it seems like they have a great concept, but haven't pushed the idea to it's potential at all, which I believe was a criticsm a lot of people had with the other releases also. Perhaps Angelheim are still trying to find their feet I wonder?

All this aside, I suspect I'd be getting Ice Queen as a fullset, with the Medusa snakes and outfit if I had the cash right now, or if I wasn't afraid of the upcoming Soom girl being released at a similar time. Or if she was mature MSD size, I'd jump on her xD
I can see her growing on me as I look more at her, but right now I can't get over the fact that there's something off with the head sculpt.
I wonder the possibilities with head swapping? Hmm.

I guess this is what happens when you look forward to a release for a month or two.. you can only be underwhelmed! ::laughs::


Edit :: Predictably I wrote this before looking at her again today.. and as I suspected above, she's grown on me more today than yesterday!
Yesterday I was severely disappointed.. today, I'm warming up to her and am more forgiving of the flaws I think.
But this is BAD.. I'm not allowed to want another huge doll in boring WS!!!!! x___x

 

I see what you're saying - I think a lot of people expect something of SOOM proportions from their fantasy dolls. Feet, hands, ears, tails, hooves, horns, wings, the whole shindig... but I guess I love the simplicity. I prefer to see a body and head without blushing, since I sometimes feel that a little bit of crafty artistry can hid flaws in a design and result in disappointment upon seeing the blank doll. Since I'm not usually a fan of factory faceups I want to see the bare features I'll have to work with, rather than a company's artist's version of the doll's character.

I sometimes feel that fantasy dolls are overwhelming. IMPLdoll's Miguel was something new and exciting, but a little much for me. And I've never yet seen a SOOM MD that I would shell out $700 for... a lot of times I like one or two things about a SOOM, but the whole package is just too much.

That said, I do wish that one version of Zena had elf ears. I'm a sucker for a girl with pointed ears. I suppose I could try my hand at modding, but I don't want to risk ruining that pretty face.

EDIT: Some people prefer limited dolls because it increases their resale value after the ordering period is over, should you choose not to keep the doll. Others prefer to buy limited sculpts so that it will be less likely someone else will have a duplicate or similar doll, or simply because a "limited" doll feels more special - you had to go an extra mile to make sure you got one.

I am personally relieved that she's not limited because if she were, I would be much less likely to bring her home - and despite the unlimited availability of Angelheim dolls you don't see a lot of them around. They're pretty rare, whether limited or not.

2nd EDIT: Actually, upon comparison the resemblance is uncanny. http://www.impldoll.com/goods.php?id=67 Even those wrists I dislike have a similar shape. Since I'll be getting an IMPL body for a floating head of mine, I'll be able to compare the two bodies in terms of posing. The biggest problem I can foresee is that with that higher torso joint, she may have trouble slouching.

And if the measurements are similar to the IMPL body, that opens up a venue for outfits and shoes. I have a spreadsheet somewhere with comparative measurements between IMPL Star and Dollmore Model size. I may add the Angelheim girl measurements to that, in case anyone considering this doll is concerned about the availability of clothing.

 

Oh I just don't buy non limiteds is all! ^_^;;
My first 2 dolls were non limited.. one of them I sold, and the other one, I've moved the head onto a fullset Soom Yrie (while putting the Yrie head on a fullset Soom Ai).
It's also part of the bonding problem I have with my Soom Glot, as although she IS limited, SO MANY PEOPLE bought her, I really don't think we can call her limited anymore!

I just have problems bonding with non limited dolls, perhaps because everyone has them, or has the ability to have them.
I also don't like the fear that I might not be able to sell a doll on for what I paid if I don't end up liking her in person - this doesn't happen with the Soom dolls because I CAN see them in person, but it has happened with countless other companies where the doll doesn't end up being quite the same in person.. if that makes any sense!

The non limited issue is that problem I have with Souldoll's Shiva, who I'd have brought home in a second had she been one of the limited Tarot card series, but as a basic, she's just WAY too expensive.
In fact Ice Queen too is very expensive when one considers she's not limited. Close to $1000 for everything I'd want, If a doll is going to be that expensive, it really should be limited I think!

Still, it's nice to see more basic fantasy dolls around as it gives people time to save up.
I just know for me I'd have a bonding issue. ^_^;;

 

ohh well done twinny, you did it rigth to start this treads,
i live both ice queen and medusa, but Medusa grow on me a bit more, don't know why, i like the dress, it reminds me in some weird way the one of Namina princess form Prince Of Persia movie...
But the elobow are a bit weird, we'll looking forwar to know how the posability will be, not bad, and it's simply stunning that aren't limited, nothing wrong with.

 

That pretty much explains it! It's not the resale value as such as just, the ability to sell for exactly what you paid.
The risk is MUCH stronger buying a doll when you know you can't get exactly what you paid back if they arrive and are not what you expect.
Moreso yes, it's the fact that it's less likely everyone and their mom will have the same doll - though as I mentioned in my above post, that's not always the case either!!

I ADORE the new IMPLdoll ideas, but they're all boys which does nothing for me.
Had Miguel been female, I'd have jumped all over her, as the whole thing reminded me of Giger and I was totally in love with the concept.
I felt the makeup/blushing/clothes were poorly done, and it would have been my first totally blank doll.. but alas it was a HE so ^_^;;

Awww wait Zena doesn't have elf ears? I just ASSUMED she did but didn't check.
That's the problem I have with my Souldoll Kayla.. she's the most beautiful doll I've ever seen, but her human ears bug me every time I see her! ::laughs::

For me, I always (generally) get factory faceups and blushing because I LOVE the way the company works. Souldoll and Soom faceups I just ADORE, and Soom's blushing is to die for.
Because of where I live, sending off dolls to get blushed and so on is expensive, and I generally don't like unblushed dollls, so I'd much rather the dolls came to me perfect from the factory.
Soom Shonki is the first blank doll I've ever bought, and I'm having nothing but problems trying to work out how to get her painted up! I can see her arriving and just SITTING HERE for months!
So to bring home Zena, I'd have to send her off to get blushed in glittery icey blues, and that would be EXPENSIVE for a doll that's already really expensive. x_x

 

I love the Medusa version, but not with that face-up. I'm going to try and get her, but mine will have a sexy smokey face-up! Also, the wig is rather bland---she should have dark wavy locks. The feet and ankles are a bit odd, but can be covered up.

Looks like she has a good set of hips on her!

Also, the elbow joint is a bit odd----but I think it could be covered up with some sort of drape.

I love her outfit!

 

@ midnitestar7: as far as i see from pormo pics on angelheim web site no elf ears on Zena.
IMO, as i dislike the default face-u in genral, i do not mind if the doll it's quite popular, or non limited, my very virst BJD was a DZ chen new double joint body,and he's quite affordable as doll...but i try to turn the doll into my caracters, and develop their potential. ^__^

@Arienne02 I'd agree with you, if i'll buy her i did not go for the default face-up, the coustume is amazing, really the color is stunning!

 

If ANYTHING keeps me from bringing this girl home, it will be her ears. Although I could get a nice, full wig and not worry about ever having to see them...

As it is right now, I'm considering getting her to house a character I was going to buy an Elfdoll Pandora for. Zena is more perfect in every sense except those human ears ugh. You can't tell on the doll page because of her hair, but if you look under parts at the body listed separately, she's got human ears. And dents in her head cap for the snakes lol.

Maybe I'll just have to get both Pandora and Zena. :< My poor wallet.

I guess, as far as blushing and faceups go, I had a poor first experience with factory faceup (funny you should mention Souldoll). When I got my Soulkid, her faceup was nothing like the example pictures, and after a few months of looking tired and ill, I just wiped the darn thing and sent her off for a new one. I wish I had saved myself the $50 or whatever it was for the faceup. Now, I just buy my dolls blank, unless there's no option for that. Pandora comes with a faceup, and so do all the Rosette dolls. But part of the bonding process between me and a doll is imagining what their faces should look like.

 

well my experience with DZ for a custom face-up was simply a nightmare, really nothing that can worth 70usd.....so the next time i've buyed a blank doll, without face-up.....better to save monye and send the head to some artist...
As for elf ears of zena, maybe we should ask to angelheim juts to be sure, even if the pics in parts sections of their web site shown clearly tha she dosen't have it...

 

I may post on their Q&A board about it.

As for that weird elbow joint... it's a double jointed elbow, but with no peanut piece (or whatever that little doodad is called). It does look a little off, but the posability should still be sound. I wonder... if the body is close enough to the IMPL body, it may be possible to Frankenstein-ify the arms - but that would involve buying spare parts lol. I haven't seen much resin-matching for Angelheim yet. It would be interesting to explore hybridization possibilities and of course, jointed hands. n__n

EDIT: Also, and this may seem weird... but she seems to be lacking detail in the groin area. I wonder if that's simply tasteful editing or whether she is missing an important feminine feature.

 

I'd agree with you about elbows and detail in going area, also the breast IMO should be bigger, don't you think?