Copy Cats! - does it bother you if someone tries to copy your doll's style/looks?

Hmm. I have seen a bit of this issue arise quite early on in the ABJD community. There was a particular FCS sculpt that was popular and there were a number of dolls that looked eerily similar in terms of faceup, clothing, style, etc. I could see it being a problem for obvious reasons, but I don't think anyone could actually truly replicate the persona of the dolls--imitate, but likely not come close enough for people to mistake the two. As for unusual names, that can be a bit strange and offputting if someone has the same doll and with the same style. O_O;;;;;;

My dolls usually have tattoos and weird hair and a punky deconstructed style, so I don't often see anyone's who look quite like mine.

 

It would probably bother me if someone replicated my dolls' styles to the smallest detail, but in some cases things like faceups from certain people and such can't really be helped. For example, my Vincent is a limited from Latidoll. He's completely default. Who am I to tell someone with the same default limited doll that they can't do what I've done with him? Obviously if theirs was the same in personality and back story I'd be more concerned, but I haven't really done anything with most of Vince's backstory yet, so if someone "copied" that now, it wouldn't be because of anything they knew about Vincent's past. My MD Ryu just happens to have a faceup from the same person who did Hiritai's MD Ryu, but as far as I know, the two are nothing alike. I needed a faceup for my doll and Ladious was coincidentally open at the time and reasonably priced. When I make a doll, I tunnel in on that doll and make it to match my character, using very little outside reference. Sure I'll look up the newest types of fashion out for the age range of the dolls I have for the purpose of staying updated, but just because my doll has the same style because it's popular or in style doesn't mean I copied. I do my own thing with it and if it just so happens to look like someone else's doll, I'll tweak it as much as the character will allow (changing my original plans for blonde hair on my MD Ryu to black and such) but just because my doll happens to look somewhat similar to someone else's doesn't mean it was intentional. There's always the chance that your OC looks similar to another person's, so I guess whether or not I'd be super bothered would really depend on the percentage of the copy. I also think it'd be a nice courtesy to ask the owner of the similar doll if it would be okay if you did a certain thing to your doll like use the same eyes and wig, or in the case of names. For example, a while back I was looking for a DZ Floy, and I wanted to name him Lazarus. Well, then I found out that there's already a DZ Floy here named Lazarus, so I pm'ed the owner of Lazarus and made sure that if I did get the Floy, it would be okay with her if I gave him the same name. She was glad I asked, and didn't mind if I used the name because the two characters were similar in name and sculpt only.

 

This is interesting. What would you have done, for example, if she had told you it would bother her greatly if there were two Floy Lazaruses? Would that have prevented you from giving your doll that name and/or using that particular sculpt?

 

I really..dislike this.

If someone is roughly taking over your dolls character and the whole feel around the doll..and stuffing it in the same mold...

it makes me feel like the doll is no longer mine.

Lately the originality in the bjd community feels like..it has been low.
If i look at the smaller local forums... you can even see groups of dolls inspired on this..or that doll, which i found a bit shocking [i actually left the local forum for a bit to develop my own things some more...so.. i was like o____________________O''']

I just hope there will always be people out there that buy unexpected things and turn it into beautiful dolls and inspire others to do the same..
rater then buy the same doll starting a hype on that doll..and so on =3=

 

I think the idea of accusing people of copying is a bit silly. I mean if they overtly TELL you they copied your idea, etc, then yeah, be annoyed...but i think it's pretty silly and pretentious to be going around accuing anyone of duplicating your doll. I saw a girl who named her doll an EXTREMELY unique name that i have for my doll...I got the doll's name by merging three names togehter, and changing how some of the syllables were spelled. I didn't accuse her of copying...
I dunno. It just seems silly.

 

I do and do not have a problem with this. My personal thought if that people shouldn't complain about doll look-a-likes if they're buying their clothing from places like DollMore and such, anybody could purchase those so there shouldn't be a fuss over matching dolls. But if you make your own clothing, or commission someone to and do custom face ups that a bit annoying, but to me I wouldn't mind, in fact I'd be rather honored that someone liked my doll so much.

On the flip side, once they start copying personality and the like as well as image I'd find myself fairly annoyed.

 

Yea that's true. I agree with you.
Not all of my dolls, but some do have custom face ups and custom handmade outfits that I designed and had commissioned by wonderful seamstresses in DOA, and even styled the wigs+cut the wigs in particular way.

But if an outfit is pre-made and face up is default, you're bound to have a copy perhaps somewhere, there are so many customers that buy default face ups, you're bound to have the same default face up and clothes/wig etc, especially if you shop in the same company. Someone might end up having the same doll but maybe not personality? So it might end up being a un-intentional copy.

So we have to understand that sometimes, someone out there might have an exact duplicate. Due to purchasing default things??

 

In my case, because the doll in question was not an OC, but rather something I thought of on a whim, I'd have been fine choosing another name for the sculpt. If it was an OC and it just HAD to be named Lazarus, I'd either find a suitable different sculpt because there were several things I didn't like about the sculpt anyway, or I'd do it anyway and would make sure that the character's personalities didn't coincide. It's not that I wanted to copy her doll, actually far from it, it's that I just so happened to find out that she had a Floy named Lazarus already after looking for potential people to faceup my MD Ryu. It's just nice to ask anyway, in my opinion.

 

cuz i had experiences in other things i would be extremely mad. if made intentionally and then they saying was theyr idea this mean that person having a big lack of fantasy in his/her mind and no personality.

 

I'm fairly neutral on this. Like others have stated, if it gets down to copying every detail ... yeah, I'd be a bit annoyed, but I also want to look at it as a form of flattery. Apparently if whatever I've done meant that much to someone else to prize it enough to want to copy it, then so be it, I'm flattered.

 

Thanks for answering I agree, if you discover that a planned doll of yours shares a name *and* sculpt with another doll it is nice to ask the other owner what they think...but ultimately it is still your doll and just because someone else got there first with a name doesn't automatically mean it's off limits.

 

it is nothing wrong to be in mainstream however some people "must" be original or they will die...
but I, myself, once wanted to have identical doll as my flickr friend... but it was impossible to copy that style! :]
only thing I can do was to admire!

 

Hmm. I think accidentally having two similar dolls is all part of the doll community, we're all bouncing ideas off each other and coming away with something new, but actively trying to have an identical doll to someone else isn't fair, I think. Borrowing an element or two that appeal to you is fair, but lifting an entire doll's style is not fair. Someone worked hard to put their doll together, I don't think it is at all fair for someone else to then come along and make a replica doll; same mould, same face-up, same wig, same eyes, same clothes. Not fair on the creator, and most definitely unimaginative.

 

Well, everyone has their own style and there's always going to be something different.
Since most doll's aren't fully custom made by an individual the style of changes are limited.
As long it isn't identical or particaly same I wouldn't mind.

 

I wouldn't really be bothered if someone had a doll that looked like mine. I mean, I'm not buying OOAK items (unless you count my incompetently sewn fur wigs... =_=) for my dolls so it's not like it's difficult for coincidences to happen... And the names I got out of baby naming websites so they're not original either. I mean, I don't murder my friends for buying the same shirt. Though my brother gets angry at me every time I wear the same blazer as he does (>_> I wanted the jacket. He wanted the jacket... now we have identical jackets...).

Though I do think it is a bit of a sticky situation for a person to copy the looks of like a OOAK or a super limited doll.

Copying characterization might bug me a little.

 

Well how do you think the creators of popular anime series feel when there are dolls and cosplay of their characters all over the place? Are they angry because someone copied it?

Oh HECK no!

Once something is in the world and not just in your head there is a chance it will be copied. So learn to live with that and teach yourself how to react graciously.

 

i have an issue with this whole cosplay/fandoll thing being lumped together with copying. i have two anime dolls...im not copying. if i was copying, id be claiming L and Sasuke Uchiha as my characters, my original ideas. im not. they belong to their creators, with my dolls im paying them tribute.

its completely different to take a doll, dress it up like someone elses OC and claim that its yours. if you are inspired by a doll or character but its still different...fine. if you make a copy of someones doll/character and claim it as your idea...i dont see that as ok.

my dolls were characters first. two of them were not mine, and i dont say they are...but the non-anime dolls are characters i made up, in some cases years ago...if dolls start showing up with green and purple wigs like the one i about killed myself trying to customize, id be a tad pissed. IMO its a little like dressing your doll up like Naruto and saying you made it up.

i understand why people would get upset, some of these characters are very personal to each person, and if they arent using wigs/eyes/clothes that are everywhere and readily available, and they still get copied...it sucks. but on the other hand theres no use in being overly sensitive about it...if you have a doll with black hair and red eyes, chances are someone else does too. i do. i didnt copy off anyone, i just liked the free red eyes i had in my El better than any other pair.

i realize ive gone on a rambling tirade and wandered far away from all my points, but i hope some of it made sense...

 

Not when a fan cosplays their character no, but I can imagine the outburst of drama when another studio produces a series that looks exactly like theirs in plot, characters and style but claim it is an original idea. I somehow doubt that they will react graciously and let it slide.

 

I think this is more an example of coincidence than copying. You put the mold Floy and the name Lazarus together and then found out about the other Lazarus Floy. I would be surprised if someone PMed me to ask if it is okay to name his or her MA Sabik George. Of course would it be okay. Partially because George is a common name and Sabik is a standard mold available at the Soom website every 2 months or so. I do not own the combination mold Sabik + name George.
It would be a different story if some sees mold X + name Y and says “I want mold X + name Y, just like that person has and I want everything to be the same.” We all inspire or influence each other one way or another, but at a certain point using something you've seen should fade into your own creations.

Something else: Let’s say your OCs are very popular and you got your work turned into an animated series, a popular web comic or a TV show. Then you get fans and where fans are there are fan fiction and fan art. Would you be bothered if that happens? Those people are going to use the looks and backgrounds you created and then create their own stories.

If my work would be famous and popular, I think fan fics and derivative work come with the territory, but my work is not famous and I would kind of think it creepy if someone got a Sabik, named him George, give him the exact same back story and looks, buy him a blue Batchix Machina as personal assistant and then start showing fan fic stories.
In that case I would actually be happier if someone denied any connection with my doll.

 

Omg you're the one! *points at your sig*
Lmao I was just mentioning your sig/doll picture in a post on the previous page~

I wouldn't ever make a doll with Green and purple hair, but I have a role play character from many years ago that does have purple and green hair XD
[Only its shorter hair.]

[I wouldn't make a DOLL out of Dash's character, simply because Dash is generally just me, if I was a boy living in a different universe. He was like, my very first ever- RP chara... I was a lame little kid XD ]