Do you agree with Gentaro Araki?

I'm new to BJDs, but I already think I have a wierd perspective on them.
At first, I thought the dolls were creepy because I had stumbled across some posts on deviantART where people were getting, frankly, kinda creepy in a sexual way with their dolls. Well, not with their dolls, but they had multiple dolls that looked rather too young... You get my drift.
Nothing wrong with saying some dolls are sexy (some certainly are!) but they took it to an extreme that made me, a former hentai artist, feel more than a bit unsettled.
Not the best first impression, I'm sure you'll agree.
But as a chainmaile artisan, having met people who take their dolls to anime cons to show people the hand-made clothing they've worked on, jewelry they've made, etc, I began to get interested in the art aspect of the dolls. I got my first chainmaile commission for a doll at Tekkoshocon a few months ago, and I'd wanted one ever since so I could make more chainmaile for dolls.
At this past Otakon, I did much better than I had expected and decided to buy one of the Abio Angels the Divinity Doll people were selling. Roland (my husband named him) is not a child or a best friend or a replacement for human companionship. To me, Roland is an employee! His job is to act as a dress form so I get the measurements right, and later, when I'm done, he'll have to model for me. Not only do I hope that Roland will help my fledgling business, I want to do chainmaile for dolls to challenge myself creatively. I want to know if I can work with super-tiny rings, or if I can design shirts for "people" with a limited range of movement. How would a headdress lay on one of those floofy wigs? Can I get clasps to scale? If not, can I make them myself? Chainmaile is fun, but after a while you want to make something different, or challenge yourself with tiny rings. Roland can even help me out with my real-life patterns; I can make smaller versions as mock-ups that'll work up faster, and it'll give me a good idea of any challenges that might come at me while working on larger things.
While it's sad that for some people the dolls replace real humans, I'm happy to see how they can foster new kinds of creativity via sculpting, making clothes, or writing photo-stories (do those have a name?) for/with dolls. I'm really looking forward to creating things for dolls, and I'm looking forward to getting more dolls in different sizes. Hiring more employees, as it were.
But first, I need smaller rings.

 

On coming home from work-

I realized that some days, my girl looks more beautiful to me than others. I always think she is beautiful, but some days I can just look at her forever and be happy.
Mostly it happens when I have been working all day. When I go to work at 8 and get home at 6, I feel starved for human interaction. I'm a student, so when I'm off in the summer and talking business full-time with adults, I get so lonely. It's these days where I lay on my bedroom floor with Alabee on my chest and be amazed at her size and her weight and her face, and feel so happy to be with her.

I don't think it makes me creepy, or a sociopath. Maybe it does, but I'm happy just being able to find peace and solitude in her presence.​

 

Dolls, especially beloved dolls, of course have spirits. They're not people, they're dolls, but they're important companions just as well. I don't have a need to analyze it any further than that. If you're a "doll person", you get it. If you're not, no amount of discussion is going to make you "get it."

 

"People like dolls because they are lonely."

Reading through this, a certain quote from Evangelion keeps coming to mind. Though, I think there are lots from Evangelion that would be relevant I'll only use one...

People with "The Hedgehog Complex" (as quoted from Evangelion) are defined as people who avoid becoming emotionally attached to others for fear of being hurt or rejected in some way. Like if a hedgehog gets too close to another hedgehog they are pricked by each other's spines, hence "Hedgehog Complex." While each person obviously has their reasons for being into the hobby, I can see why people with "The Hedgehog Complex" would would be drawn to dolls. That's putting it very bluntly, of course, as not all of it is as black and white as I've made it sound.

I don't mean to say this applies to everyone in the hobby, but for some having dolls might be a safer way to have a "relationship," of sorts. And when I saw this interview, this is how I interpreted what he was saying.

I should mention I really have no credible backing to this, just a few psychology classes. Stepping back I can see some of what's mentioned previously in myself at times. Generally, I see dolls as more of a creative outlet, but I think my tendencies to feel sorry for a doll if I pay more attention to another (or if I drop it, etc) must say something... Though, I haven't lost my grip on reality (or at least I'd hope not.) I know they're still just as inanimate as a blender or a shoe.

That being said, I knew a man who would take his blow-up doll out to restaurants and movies with him.... But he was a perfectly sane, rational person otherwise... ^^;;;

All in all, I think if one doesn't have much a social life (or social phobias, for that matter,) I believe having dolls is a healthier substitute and more productive than just pure isolation. Just my two cents, not meant about anyone specific. Sorry for rambling!

 

I'd definately say I have the Hedgehog complex to a degree. During my formulative years I was treated very poorly by my peers and it turned me off from people. The dolls have been helpful in getting me out of my shell. I was developing pictures at a photo machine and had a lady ask about them, now I'm giving a demonstration on customs and introducing people to them

When I was younger I could lose myself in them. Many are OCs from my writing and now having them is helping me to tell my stories. They also take a bit of the place of the kids I won't be having.

 

I second all that! I have the Hedgehog complex myself and am still disgusted by how cruel people can be towards each other, but thanks to BJDs and other things, I'm a bit more comfortable meeting people, and also have a small circle of friends that I really care about.

 

I wonder what he would make of a chi like doll (from chobits) one that does respond back to thier owner.

 

I know what you mean, I feel that way some days.... Sometimes I'll not be in a good mood, and I'll go into my room to find my dolls staring up at me with their big, innocent eyes... and then instead of moping, I take them down from their room and I play with them, or make them something pretty for them.

 

I look at this from how I feel about the dolls and "who" they are. Although I don't take it all that serious, cause that's just his opinion and I got mine.

My dolls are rp/orginal characters, some were VERY closely based on me and some just have a little quirk or any other little things that would make it easy if you knew me that the character is mine. And no one is capable in the writing and role playing world of seperating themselves from their characters 100% it's not possible. It might not be obvious, but there is something. Not everyone will admit to that when they create characters, but I will for myself personally.

I'm a writer and how I talk about my characters (and I hate calling them characters cause they aren't), I talk about them as if they were real and yes I have been called weird and I should go talk to a shrink when I tell people my characters write their stories not me, I just write down what they tell me. I have been a somewhat lonely person since I basically got into high school and that is when the writing started. I vent to stuffed animals, characters I've made (main character in my book series started off as "someone" to vent to cause I had no one to go to and I felt no one could understand me) when I've had a bad day. But sometimes it's hard to find someone who will just be an ear, and inanimate things make a great ear when you just need to vent so you can get something off of your chest.

Now I'm not going to give up my friends or going out or a social life to spend it with my dolls or video games or any other hobby. Like it has been said it's not healthy. If there is no way for someone to survive without a particular hobby than it has taken over too much and a break is needed.

 

I'm weird, I'll say that now. A couple of my dolls are there because I am lonely. I use to be a people person, now I want nothing to do with people. People are cruel, as I find the vast majority. Some are nice, but generally, most aren't. It's "What can you do for me and screw you."

So when I was little, had no friends, I created these two. I became one, yes, a boy, who was popular, handsome, outgoing and people wanted to be around him, instead of a little girl who people picked on, was told she was ugly every day of her life, and who still tries to commit suicide at times. He fit in, whereas I can't. The other, his best friend, also mine, who'll talk to me no matter who I am, either him or me. I sense his presence, and he actually has been known to move his form, or the one for me. I won't have touched either and glance over, to see that they have moved.

My two are the closest friends I have. They're there when no one else is. You all can judge me for that, but at least they don't.

 

It's not true for me. I rarely talk to the dolls, and they don't make me feel like there are people around when I'm alone. They're more like artwork, or creative projects. Sort of 3D renderings of characters or ideas to go with the 2D versions I've already painted.

 

I think the reason I like to collect dolls so much is that it links me to my childhood. Not that I am having a second childhood or trying to recreate one; but dolls link me to my childhood memories of imagination, of play and fantasy. I love to create. With dollfies, I can create. I can create clothes, faces, jewelry, etc. There is an infinite possibility of imagination or play that fills my life. I am not lonely nor do my dolls define me or my life experience. Dollfies provide an avenue of creative play that is necessary and needs to be expressed in my and everyone else's life.

I love seeing the other people's dollfies. I relish and revel in the pure beauty of this wonderful creative experience of play, where there is an endless realm of fantasy, beauty, and love. It is simply pure sweet indulgence!

 

"Dolls are like a lost part of yourself."
i agree with this statement. everyone has a dream that everyone has given up on, a time in their life that someone has locked away because of the impact of the dream/incidents. i think that dolls can definately become the embodiment of the desire or pain someone has experienced in life that maybe needs to be adressed.

"Dolls help the owner recreate thier existence."
i also agree with this statement. every person has a person they would most like to be like or look like. some people are fearful of dressing a certain way because of what people may say to them but they are able to make their dolls look how they want or wanted to look in the past. for example: i've always wanted to dress lolita or even emo but i'm shy, and i'm afraid that i wouldn't be able to handle any critism i might get. but with a doll i could dress them how i want to dress and i guess live vicariously through them. not saying that's the right thing to do but...


"People like dolls because they are lonely."
i think this is a generalization and yet sometimes it's true. looking at araki-san he seems like a very sad person, and very lonely-perhaps he is referring to his own lonliness rather than everyone who owns dolls. and he does have a point, it's easier to talk to a doll than a person, they don't call you stupid or grow tired of you but instead retain the same expression day after day which is comforting.

(Referring to himself) "I dont think anyone should give credit to someone who shuts himself up...making half or totally naked erotic dolls."
again, i think araki-san is actually pretty lonely and not at all happy with how far he's gotten away from real people. yet he doesn't stop making the dolls as if he thinks it's too late for him to get back into 'the real world'.

just my thoughts ^^;

 

I came upon this interview in Helen's livejournal a while back and I loved watching it. Unfortunately, it was only a clip and I'd love to see more of the documentary.

My feelings are pretty much mixed by Araki's statements, but as an artist, I can understand his aesthetics about the dolls.

I felt that most of the clip focused on Araki's concerns for being a doll maker and also as a doll owner. I think that most of the quotes mentioned reflected Araki's own interpretation about himself as a doll creator, and not necessarily as a doll owner.

Well, I guess I should talk about how my feelings agrees or disagrees.

""Dolls are like a lost part of yourself."" - I think for him, making dolls is like a lost part of himself because when he creates dolls, he's probably finding himself in the process so he's always finding bits of himself he never thought of. I guess my position on this stands in the middle because dolls are not a lost part of myself; however, my attraction to certain dolls might be a subconscious working. If so, then maybe dolls are a lost part of myself...my childhood perhaps? The fact that I grew up too fast? I dont know. I just know that because I've played with dolls often as a child, I easily welcomed BJD.

""Dolls help the owner recreate thier existence."- I interpret this as dolls helping owners redefine their lifestyle and this hasn't happen to me yet. haha But I do feel that the dolls are very good calming factors whenever I get stressed. However, since they're so pretty, sometimes, I become too mesmorized by their beauty! and by the time I realized it, hours have passed.

""People like dolls because they are lonely." - My reason to get a doll is because I wanted model to help me in drawing poses and perspective. (cuz those little wooden dolls were not very helpful XD Plus, you could take beautiful pictures of them and I love photography, so BJD was the way to let my creative outlet flow. On the subject of lonely, well I never considered myself lonely despite having few friends. I think I'll turn into one of those people who gets asked about cats. haha For me, I've never been good with socializing, despite my hard efforts, but that doesnt bother me. I figured that my personality is different from most people and I can't help it. I enjoy my solitude and I guess buying these dolls will help with the lonliness, but I dont really talk to them or anything. I know that they're still dolls.

"(Referring to himself) "I dont think anyone should give credit to someone who shuts himself up...making half or totally naked erotic dolls."" - It seems that a lot of people were unclear about this statement. For me, it seems that he was embarrassed to recieve honorable recognition for investing in a weird hobby not accepted by Japanese society. But I feel that his humor masked a sense of patheticalness on his part for not having a "real" job as perceived by Japanese society. Despite this, he continues with his passion.

Again, I wish I'd heard more about the aesthetics of the dolls he makes...you know, I'd like that boy doll that he was fixing...Maybe he'll release a smaller size? hahaha

 

I'll admit, that I have dolls because I'm lonely and because I can't have children. These two factors really add up for me to make me want to pamper the only boys/girls I'm ever going to get. I agree with what he's said, it certainly rings true to me.

 

"Dolls are like a lost part of yourself."
-I've got to say, this is a pretty chilling explanation, at least to me. If only because, yeah, I've done the same withdrawl, in a way. Back about two years ago, I lost two of my oldest and closest friends in less than a week. I ended up completely immersing myself in roleplay. Because then I was given a second chance at everything. This was before I knew about ABJD, but it's nearly the same for some people...another person, who's a part of you, who you control entirely...

"Dolls help the owner recreate their existence."
-Yeah, it can. How many people say things like "I'd love to wear visual kei clothes, but I'm too embarassed," and have their dolls do it, instead (for example)? Haven't we all fantasized about the perfect romance? And, to an extent, these dolls allow you to do that. And a little bit of escapism is healthy and good. As long as you can acknowlege that this is only a fantasy, a story, that it isn't real life, there's nothing unhealthy or sick about it.

"People like dolls because they are lonely."
They never say no, never surprise you. A doll is essentially the perfect friend. Because, no matter what, you know what they're going to say or do. They can't lie. They do whatever you want them to do, except completely feel the need for human interaction. Just because, in the end, they aren't real. Like that line from Chobits, "I mean, I know she's cute and all, but it's not like she's a real person." Besides, isn't everyone a little lonely? I mean, even if you have friends and people you love and who love you back...you can still be lonely, right? Still not sure whether or not I agree with Araki on this one...

"I dont think anyone should give credit to someone who shuts himself up...making half or totally naked erotic dolls."
-If he is the way he says he is here, isn't he the extremest form of our doll hobby? So maybe outside the hobby of dolls and similar objects which evoke an emotional response, maybe we shouldn't. But in here...maybe we should.

This whole thing reminds me of a quote from a radio show, This American Life. It was talking about how long-term following of a show like Smallville can actually give you the same benefits of having real friends. It mentioned a man who lived alone and died in front of his TV, where he stayed for years, mummified by the hot air. The person giving the talk said, “The minimum of true friendship strikes me at the very least as being the capacity for one friend to look at another and say ‘hey, buddy; how ya’ doin’? You want me to call 911 or something? You look a little, I don’t know, dead.’”
For some reason, this debate topic made me think of that. A bit close, I suppose.

 

This was the first time I have heard of Gentaro Araki. I find the short interview interesting.

I can agree that yes dolls can be like a lost part of yourself. at least half of the girls I have each reflect a different part of myself. In a way I can see for some how dolls can help the owner not really recreate their existance, unless your creating it in a doll's world. But I can see how it can improve their own existance by talking to others who also share the same love and effection for these dolls.

"People like dolls because they are lonely."

I can see this statement being taken in different ways, a. The doll is lonely, and you feel it's lonelyness, so you bring it home. It then makes you feel happy. b. For others they are personally lonely, and the companionship of the doll helps fill that empty space. I agree though, that real social interaction is the best option. But not that easy for some. I used to have little to no social interaction, but I knew it was not any good, I could see it effecting me, and I wanted to change that. For a long time I used to buy my mom dolls After a while I thought about it, was I buying the doll because I knew she would like it, or was it because I liked it. So in 2005, when I discovered the BJD's and started buying dolls for my self. Finding out at the same time my social interaction has improved 10 fold, meeting so many new friends along the way. So While I guess some wrap them selves in the dolls world, I find the dolls have improved mine. While the only negitive part since there can always be a repercussion, most of my family think I'm weird, and that collecting dolls is not normal for someone grown up. But then what is normal.

"I dont think anyone should give credit to someone who shuts himself up...making half or totally naked erotic dolls."

What I find amusing with this statement is if no one gave those who lock them selves away and make dolls credit, how many BJD artists would there be. Not saying that most doll artists do this. But there are those really good artists who do nothing but create these dolls of beauty. While I would have to agree with others, if said person has no form of social life then there would be a problem. But if they do on a limited scale then it's not as bad. I think.

So in the end I can agree with parts of what Gentaro Araki is saying, and be a little sceptical on other parts. But everyone is different. So if a bunch of artists that lock them selves away when they work, all get together in one room with one of their favorite dolls, it would then still be considered weird by some, and perfectly normal by others. Which reminds me of a phrase I once read in a "For Better or Worse" comic. "What is normal, if you hang out with others that have the same interest, that is normal". it might not be exact word for word, but that is the notion behind it. I do think those who accept dolls as being more than just a hobby, and have adopted it as a lifestyle, and those who haven't. Can be perfectly normal. There are alot of other things people turn into a lifestyle. Just many frown upon it when dolls are the object, probably because of they don't talk back in a physical sense. I think as long as they do something that still puts a roof over their head, and food in their tummy, The it's ok, I can accept those who do that. Everyone is different.

I would say that dolls are a part of my life, but not in a big way. I don't usually take them places, and never in public. Unless I am with other owners. Which I guess may be because I generally have no need to, or I don't want to be stared at. I would generally be happier to have someone real to go out with and talk to instead of a doll. Now granted depending on where I go, the doll's presence may start a conversation. So there are all sorts of posibilities. I think my dolls for me are more of a fun level. I really enjoy doing their faceups, sewing has never been a strong point, so it's hard to just want to make them something. Though I have on some occasions when I'm in the right mood. But at the same time being that most of them reflect a certain part of me, that automatically brings them to a more personal level. Where I care alot about them, and will fuss over how they look, I can easily spend hours just brushing their hair, and dressing them till I am happy with how they look.

Persoanlly I find the life size dolls 'creepy'. If you desire a doll that big, go out somewhere and talk to someone. I think those people do need some help of some kind. But other hand, those people who make the life size wax figures, it's different. I guess it is the intended purpose of some of the life size dolls, is what make people frown, and shake their heads. So I would personally also agree that those people would need to seek help.

I can understand where you are coming from however Henrietta, when you can talk to Vespar and feel better after. In alot of cases we don't need the reply back to make us feel better. It's like those who vent in a personal diary. It's always one sided, but can make you feel better getting an issue off your mind in some way.

So yeah overal it was a very interesting interview, and lot of interesting points to think about. I think this has probably been one of the longest posts I've ever made on DOA too.

 

Not really. He's a nerd, a talented nerd, but a nerd nevertheless.
I would love to have him sculpt a doll for me but i would'nt particularly like to be stuck with him at a party. He has his views on BJD's and dolls in general and i respect him as a doll maker but do i agree with him? Sorry but i dont understand what he is talking about half the time.

 

I'd wrote a TON of stuff about the question, but all that is pointless, probably said a hundred time, but I'd rather say what's really in my heart, as a doll lover, as a person.

I've read what some people have written, in this tread or elsewhere. And it makes me really sad.

MY REAL POINT, what I'd really like to say to those people who recognize themself in those words: I don't agree with Mr Araki, or rather I don't WANT to agree, I believe in friendship, I believe in people. He sees dolls as and end, like he is there on his own, to far to get back, and nothing to be done about it.

Like a lot of people of my generation, I would tend to lock myself in my own world, my world of dolls, books, drawing and writing. I just don't LET me do it.
I'll be really honest, It can be a fight, but I won't stop. Dolls can be confort, they can really help, we can love them with all our heart,

I don't judge, I'm not pointing fingers. I'm LIKE THAT.
I don't know you, yet I love each and every one of you.
We are the product of our world, of our society, we are all scared and confused.

It's NOT AN EXCUSE.

Relashionship can be hard, just don't let go.
Don't say "I'm alone and proud of it"
Don't say "I've been betrayed/ hated/ judged, it's every ones fault"

There is a world out there and it's GOOD
There are real people out there, just like you, look how many we are here!
i'd hate to see anyone give up trying to leave in our world, it feels like a personal defeat to me.

(this is the end of my babbling, if someone read it till the end, thank you)

 

agreed.
the world is too beautiful to leave.

T