DoA Class of 2004 - where are you?^^

(Loving this thread, y'all. Keep it coming. I still consider myself a newbie and am really enjoying the stories here.)

 

I'll start with a warning: I'm difficult to shut up. Hence, this is kinda long. (^^;

How many of you *pioneers* are still out there, as active members?
*raises hand* I was actually here before DoA even existed. (2001!) I was even around before any BJD-focused forum or ML or anything existed. Back when there were no webpages in English at all about BJDs! I remember when SD Dreams, the first BJD ML, was created. Actually, it was before the days of Yahoo! Groups as ML, even -- back then Y!Gs were sort of message board thingies! I remember them switching to the ML format. And I remember DoA being created.

What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?
Err... absolutely everything? *laugh*

For starters, when I joined the hobby, the only option for dolls was Volks. If you wanted a BJD, you bought Volks. In fact, the term BJD didn't exist yet -- it was just 'SD' because that's all their was. Also, there were no boy dolls! Volks only made girl dolls. They didn't start making boys till after I joined the hobby. (But I was very glad that they did! ) Now, you can get almost any type of doll you want -- the variety and range is huge. I think this is a great thing, as there are so many people who like these dolls, and now there are so many options for them to choose from.

Also, back then there was far, far less information available in English. There were no websites about SD in English. If we wanted to know something, we had to translate from Japanese sites, or just figure it out for ourselves. We figured out a lot for ourselves. In some sense, I almost feel like that made us bolder -- we had to just try things because we had no other way of finding out how to do them, so we did. But we probably made a lot of mistakes too, so it's great that there's so much information available now.

And, it was almost impossible to buy a doll outside of Japan then. At the time Doll & Hobby in Florida was finally importing their first SDs, but that only worked for Americans; those of us outside the US didn't even have that option. There was one lady in Tokyo that ran a shopping service (Minako, for those who remember her) and she was overworked and underpaid. So it took her a long time to get your doll. But basically it was either use Minako, find a friend in Japan to help you, or go to Japan yourself. Now, it's SO easy to get a doll. I think people these days are spoiled! It's so easy that they don't appreciate it as much. (I'm sure grateful for it as it is now, though! *laugh*)

Also I think that the fanbase has changed hugely from how it used to be. When things started out I think that a majority of the fans were older, at least 25+ if not more like 35+. Because of not only the expense of the dolls but also the extreme difficulty in getting not only them but also anything FOR them (wigs, eyes, clothes, etc), I think that any younger fans who might have been interested in it were really put off by the effort and timespan involved. In the early days of DoA, we had only one 16 year old member, and she was our "baby", and we all felt overly protective of her because she was so young and we were all so much older. (Hi, Kalmia!) Nowadays, I guess because of the growing popularity, and the growing ease with which one can get them, and also with some of the smaller and thusly cheaper options available, I think a lot of younger people are getting into them. This has really changed the face of the fanbase dramatically.

I also have to say that I think some of the original focus of the dolls themselves has changed/been lost over time. Originally one of Volks' most important features of the dolls was 'customisation'. The whole point was meant to be that you customised your doll as much as possible yourself, and made it really 'yours'. Volks really encouraged you to do your own faceups, to buy your own choices of eyes and wigs, to make your own clothes, and so on and so forth. I remember in the early days that was what many of us focused on; painting and doing esthetics on our own dolls, swapping hints and tips for stringing, sueding, improving posing, etc. Nowadays the focus is more on buying your pretty doll 'off-the-shelf' -- on your doll being already complete by the time you get it, or on keeping your LE doll in pristine, original condition. Even Volks has inadvertently fostered this change in the hobby by focusing more on creating LEs and One-Offs and less on selling optional parts. I honestly find this sad, because I miss the originality of each and every doll being unique to their owner. Even if the faceups were not always as pretty, they were always unique, and I liked that. And putting together a doll from scratch was an accomplishment. This part of me tends to really not enjoy LE faceups as a result, because they all look the same to me. (I always get my LEs repainted to match my vision for them.) And I feel sad when I hear about people scared to do things to their dolls that I consider basic, like restringing, changing eyes, removing their head, or whatever. Because, in my mind, all of that is part of the point; it's the focal point behind how the hobby originally was. But this is a personal bias, of course.

I'm not sure what else to note.. honestly, I feel that so much has changed that the hobby does not even remotely resemble what it was when I joined it; it is unrecognisable as the same hobby. But that's not a bad thing.

Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change?
No, I've never felt the need to reconstruct or reinvent them. I still have the first doll I ever bought over 4 1/2 years ago, and he's still my dearest. My crew has slowly grown over time, but I love each one equally. My tastes never changed hugely, either -- the last two big dolls I got (a year or so ago) were one that has a similar headmold to my first doll, and one that is the same headmold as the first doll I ever fell in love with, over 5 years ago when I first discovered SD. It was almost a culmination of my initial love of the hobby, in some sense. I did finally give in and get some tinies and a mini in the last year and a half, though, which I originally said I'd never get. So I guess that was my tastes changing a little bit. Or maybe expanding?

Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?
I don't know.. I've always been experimenting with all sorts of things related to the hobby, such as sewing, wig-making, faceups, esthetics, photostories etc. So maybe not so much discovering new aspects as learning and refining on the ones that the hobby initially gave me? When I first got into BJDs I discovered many new things that I wanted to try my hand at in a very short period of time... and since then I've been keeping at them.

Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?^^
Sometimes I do, but never really related to myself, if that makes sense. I mean, after 5+ years I have to admit that there's only so many box-opening photostories that you can see before they all blur together in your head. (Though having done them myself I totally understand why people do them and don't begrudge them it!) And sometimes when I see people asking questions about things that seem like second nature to me, or that I've read a dozen times before, I tend to click the 'back' button and find another thread. (But again, I understand why these are new topics to many people who thusly want to discuss them.)
For my own dolls, though, I've never gotten those feelings. They always make me happy, they always interest me. Even my oldest doll, after 4 1/2 years I still love to play with him, take photos of him, dress him, etc. I guess no matter how long I've had him I always see new things about him. And it's the same for all of them.
And for other people's dolls, I'll never tire of seeing a beautiful doll photographed well -- there are so many gorgeous dolls out there, and so many people taking gorgeous photos of them, and a really good photo will always take my breath away. Even a doll I've seen photographed a hundred times before has something new to show with just a different angle, a different wig, different lighting... and maybe that's why the hobby never tires me, because there's always something new and beautiful to see if you just look for it. Even without the constant new releases of dolls, I would never tire of the hobby. (And my bank account would probably prefer it if there weren't constant new releases! )

Give the newcomers some outlook on what might lie before them!
Um.. this hobby is allll about patience being a virtue. Whatever it is you want, it's worth it to wait to get it, be it your dream dolly or the perfect pair of boots. Don't settle for second best. Wait, save, and get what you want the most. And remember that you have an entire life ahead of you to play with dollies -- there's no need to rush to get the biggest family you can in the next year. You have years and years to enjoy these dolls in. Contemplate each purchase, and enjoy each doll you get to the fullest. They are all worth it.

And that's my... well, a heck of a lot more than 2 cents. $2 maybe?

 

I saw my first bjd in a volks catalog in December of 2003, but I had no idea what it was and thought they were 1/6 size like the dollfie parts I was ordering at the time. I had no idea why they were so expensive! It was a while before I figured out just what ABJD were and how to get them, but I was mostly focused on the 1/6 dolls at the time because of financial reasons. I started poking around DoA in late 2004 but didn't actually join until March 2005 when we ordered our first doll.

As everyone has said it seems like there is more of everything, as well as people getting into the hobby way younger. Once you could browse all the available molds from various companies in about an hour, now I think it might take you several days.

It's gotten really crowded, almost too crowded for me on DoA! It's still the best place for info and news, but I know less and less of the usernames I see.
Also, I'm sad to say, I've seen the customer service in a few companies I love go really downhill due to the ever-increasing demand and the pressure to put out new molds all the time. On the other hand, there are new companies coming out all the time with all sorts of cool dolls and crazy resin colors.

My partner Joy and I have seven dolls and we have never sold or even considered selling one. We have a careful tactic for buying dolls-- they must fit in with our current collection and they must have a strong character to be. We avoid dolls based on our own writing or fan-characters as they would be too limiting as a doll and once we got one, there would be no end! rather we get dolls that could with a wig and eye change portray several different characters we like, for occasional cosplay or fun. This keeps us from wanting dolls because the doll looks like so-and-so from fandom-of-the-hour, and has made our doll-characters (being doll-specific) much more enduring and flexible.

Also, we never have bought a doll with money we don't have. When we have charged a doll on a credit card, it has been paid back to the card on the next payment. That keeps us from charging piles of dolls and forcing us to sell dolls we might have just bought. It's hard to let a doll get away and in some cases it means that it takes a little longer for a doll to be complete; Nicodemus is still a head over a year since his purchase, but he was a limited head and means we will have him complete eventually. I think if you really want a certain doll, you will have it eventually, or you'll learn there's something you like better. I got a specific Jade 1 through a miracle string of events, though it was really hard to watch him be sold the first time when I couldn't afford him.

I think patience and careful consideration of doll purchases is the best advice I can give. ^_^ it keeps you happy in the hobby longer, makes it worth the ones you do get, and you don't lose money since the resale value has gone down lately. Also, save up in case something wonderful comes along that you've wanted a long time!

Joy and I still have our hopes high for a Shall and a Wu someday, respectively, we have purchased small things towards those characters. They've been in planning for a year now, and what an event it will be when they finally arrive!

 

I've been with DoA since sometime in 2002. I don't remember exactly when but I know it was a yahoo group.

What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?

My tastes have changed. I started off with beauty white dolls, I was majorly into the gothic look, and really pale dolls... and while I think thats still very pretty, it's not "my thing" anymore.

I have an entirely different group of dolls than when I first got started. Both for the reason stated above, and because of the improvements made in the newer types of dolls.

I used to have a bit more, seven in all, and I've since downsized to just three until I have a bigger pocket book and place to live. I don't like spending money on luxury, or uneeded items, when I should be paying for school and a car.

I have more stuff for my dolls too - clothes, shoes, wigs, and so on.

Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change?

As said before, yes - I went from being into the more pale, gothic looking dolls to more modern, normal skinned dolls. I love the look of street clothing in general and I want my dolls to be as versitile as possible.

Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?

There is always something new to learn or try. Thats one of the things I love so much about BJDS.


Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?

Sometimes yeah, especially with more popular molds - and then someone will do something really unique and knock my socks off. This community is so creative, and with all the options there are, there's always going to be something "fresh". I've seen some really incredible dolls here, and I know I'll see more.

Give the newcomers some outlook on what might lie before them!

Welcome, for one. And be warned, this hobby is addicting. The phrase "I only need one" is a total lie, so don't fall for it. The doll itself is just the beginning, and you can easily invest much more than the cost of one in shoes, eyes, clothes, wigs and so on.

Try to go to a meetup in your area before you buy one, that way you can see what they look like in person, and get a feel for the sizes and company traits. You may love the way a doll looks on screen but when you get it you may not like it so much in person.

And Lastly, save for the doll you want the most. Don't settle for another just because it's cheaper. If it's a low-cost doll that you fall in love with, that's fine, go for it! But if you have one thats your "dream doll" that is a bit higher on the price scale, wait it out and save. In the end the doll will be worth it, and you'll be much happier.

 

Sometime in 2001 I joined a Yahoo! Group about intruiging dolls from Japan, that had about a hundred members. (I believe it was even a 'Club', not a Group yet? I remember liking the Clubs better, but they were discontinued and all converted to Groups.) I lurked mostly, as I was more active in the Blythe doll community (came from there to Volks SDs through Japanese homepages). Got my dolls through Frill Frill, a shopping service in Tokyo. Unoss took nine months to arrive, that was considered normal. I left the fandom when the boys started coming out, as they failed to grab me.

I was surprised to find so many people now seem to put their fictional characters' importance over the dolls as such. Even give up dolls, change dolls, if it doesn't 'fit'. But I don't write stories myself, just collect dolls I like and they are like art objects to me.

The tiny sizes renewed my interest, two years ago. I've always prefered the more abstract faces, without liking anime or manga. So I still have my early Volks dolls, but do not like their newer, more realistic faces. I want my dolls to look like dolls, as I see enough humans every day. So I buy from Korean companies now, love the variety there.

Well, there's almost something new every day and the tiny dolls especially keep it fresh for me. I'm obsessed with News, to be honest. So, back to lurking to keep up with the pace, I guess!

 

Oh, me, me! ^^ I've only been around since late 2003, so I'm not one of the pioneers, but still. I've been here more or less consistently since then.

As for your questions:

What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?

I guess the major change for me is how many dolls and companies are on the scene now! When I first joined, you were restricted to Volks and CH, with a handful of others just starting to emerge. It was possible to know literally every doll available on the market.

It's also become so much easier to order them! Back then, it was a question of going through some private individual who was doing this on the side to help people out (even to get a Volks standard, if you weren't in the US), or try to find one on the second hand market. I remember a time when finding a Volks doll for sale on eBay was a very rare occurence indeed!

Finding appropriate stuff has also become significantly easier, thanks to the enormous growth of the community.

Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change? Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?

I haven't really reinvented anything, but my crew have certainly evolved a lot. I don't think my tastes have really changed, as such, but certainly I have become a lot more aware of what works for me, and what I can only love at a distance. I still like the "classic" anime styled faces best, though I've enjoyed the onset of more realistic faces a lot too.

Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?^^

I guess I do feel a bit blase (I have no accents on this keyboard, sorry!) about certain things, particularly new companies. It takes a lot more to wow me these days. I think that's mostly because, like I said, I know what I like now, and I prefer to focus on that. Also, these days there's such a tide of things coming out all the time, there's no way I have time to care/get excited about all of it, so I need to filter. I really enjoy seeing things that have never been done before, though, even if they aren't really to my taste.

Give the newcomers some outlook on what might lie before them!

I can't really say anything about what may lie before them, but I will say try to keep in mind why you entered this hobby in the first place, and don't get caught up in the drama that occassionally pervades.

 

Really? This makes me so sad that Volks has chnaged! One of things that tends to bug me about Volks is their total focus on limited dolls -- all I ever want is the head sculpt! So to know that once they were all about standard dolls and customizations makes me to sad to see how much they've changed about it. Not to mention it would be awesome to be able to easily get nice optional hands. *A*

 

been here since 2004 - but knew about these dolls years beforehand

they have become more accessable to buy.

meetups have gotten bigger.

there seems to be a bigger group of different people who own/collect them- from taking it seriouly 'like part of my family' to 'their just pretty dolls'

there's been a lot of changes.

hints to newbies?

check the faq *even though it is in dire need of updates; most of these links don't work anymore*

and do your homework first.

 

*****n/a*****

 

I joined found and joined DoA in October 2004, and went to my first meet-up that November...but it really doesn't feel like I've been here that long.

What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?

Mainly, the ease of ordering and the number of companies making these dolls. As others have posted, when I first saw BJDs in 2000 or 2001, Volks seemed to be the "only game in town"...and that town was in Japan. I found out about Custom House through an article in FDQ Magazine. I love the variety of dolls that exist today! There seems to be something out there for all of us...from anime, Goth, realistic, chibi, and now fashion.


Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change? Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?

No. The dolls I'm attracted to now are the same ones I fell for at first site. The only time I questioned my adoration of a doll was when I became enamored with Black Melody Narsha and all her Goth greatness! Doll friends know I'm not usually drawn to this look, but she was an exception that I've never regretted.

Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?^^

As far as the dolls themselves, its always fresh, because I never get tired of looking at doll pictures...whether company promo shots, or owner photos. I must admit that I got turned off by some of the negative drama here on DoA from time to time, but I now avoid reading EVERY SINGLE thread, just scanning the ones that interest me.

Give the newcomers some outlook on what might lie before them!

The unceasing drain on your piggy bank as you find more dolls, outfits, wigs, eyes, shoes, props, and accessories that you and your BJD(s) just can't live without!

Juli DC

 

I'm going to reiterate what Cassiel and a few other super-oldbies have said.

How many of you *pioneers* are still out there, as active members?
I too was around before DoA became a forum, before it even existed, back maybe 2000 before there were ANY ABJD groups (or SuperDollfie, as they were the only ones being manufactured then!) We first began talking about them on the Lunar Ark group for customizing dollfie, and there were a lot of users who thought they were scary and off-topic. ; ) Barbi* customizing was still a new idea, and most of us were new to doll painting and such anyway.

What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?
I'd have to say accessability overall; to both dolls and information. The other change is in the membership. In ye olde days, there were no dealers outside of Japan, in fact there were no dealers at all! A few of us convinced some Takara Jenny and Volks Dollfie collectors to set up shopping for those of us in every other country, by picking up dolls and a few accessories at the one Volks store, and shipping them off. How many of us waited six months or more for Minako to take the train and shuffle home with a SD or two so we could get one? There were no MSD, there were no boys. I remember when Ian was released and everyone was exstatic at the thought of a mini and a boy! and then were crushes to realize it was just a girl with a weird name. ; )

I remember when Doll&Hobby started picking up Volks products during trips to Japan, when Volks started opening a few more stores in Japan and we begged Minako to travel to them to find us different items.

Over the years BJD expanded beyond Volks to different companies, styles and even country of manufacture. People have actually created careers out of the hobby. Face-up artists? If you wanted one before, you'd have to shop through Celga to find one by a Japanese artist- if you even knew what Celga was, or how to search on Y!J.
That really explains one of the huge differences in the hobby as well. Originally it truly was a do-it-yourself hobby. Like the dollfie and resin kits Volks was known throughout the hobby communites for producing, the dolls were intended to be kits. Those first couple dolls came with only a basic faceup, fully intended to be replaced by the new owner; mostly because Volks truly did view them as children or small people,and I think felt bad at the empty things going home that way. SD was their way of putting more "life" into doll and kit customization. Now of course most companies provide dolls with at least options for a really nice face-up.
In the past, most dolls were unique, even though there were only a half-dozen dolls available, and one body type. Optional parts were extremely important because there was only one company producing dolls. Heads, hands, feet and limbs were pretty much expected to be swapped out immediately, if you didn't already purchase your doll simply in parts. I think the change has become because there are so many different doll bases available now, and because both the skills and availability for face-ups has become really invented. There wasn't a lot of variety of style being done even in Japan, and it took a long time for the outside world to figure out just how to handle these big resin things.
As Cassiel said, all the websites were in Japanese. We sure had some good times using BabelFish to translate doll and Y!J sites! ; ) SuperDollerFee; who remembers that! Most of the time we really had no idea what the site was even about, and just clicked around looking for pictures.
Volks and all the other companies have really made a tremendous effort in expanding what was originally a specialized Japanese hobby community into a worldwide community. From being off-topic in a single yahoo club to having multiple huge international forums is simply overwhelming. It often seems to be a race to who can find out information or new first.
As the hobby has grown, it has become less inclusive. Members spread a much larger age range, and their mode of involvement as well. Because of our excitement over this new thing and the rarity of it, everyone knew everyone else, and their dolls. Since the community was small and most people only had one or two dolls, this was easy, and we all got to know each other personally and those of our dolls. There have always been international members, but now we have the chance to find people in our country, even our city! that also have this wonderful fascination.
There are also people from different backgrounds falling into BJD. It's not just the dollfie-customizing Japanofiles anymore; cosplayers, anime addicts, Lolita fashionistas, other doll collectors and RPers are all getting sucked in. A lot of the focus has changed from the process of getting your doll and then inventing what you could get your hands on, into planning ahead to fit an ideal.

Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change?
I've sold three dolls over the years because I bought them from unknown companies and couldn't find anyone in our 20 or so memberbase who had them. Pretty much right after I bought them they weren't at all what I expected, so I ended up getting rid of them. Otherwise I have all my original dolls, and fully intend to keep them all. Because of the immense options now, I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up with a bajillion more dolls than I'd anticipated.

Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?
I think the most shocking aspect that evolved was the concept of earning money working with dolls. Now there are face-up artists, costumers, wig-makers, prop makers and all kinds of commercialized production. We used to have to make everything ourselves, and were generally looked down upon as "those weird dollfie people". Now there seems to be a lot more respect given to the artistic avenues, even by people who don't promote the hobby itself.

Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?^^
There are always new people from different backgrounds coming into the hobby. Meeting those people and seeing how they make their own little impact into the community will always be fascinating. I'm actually returning from about a two-year haitus due to frustration with how it was developing. I don't know what else truly unique could happen; it's more of further and more detailed expansion into every possible aspect.

Give the newcomers some outlook on what might lie before them!
Change!

Sorry for the novel!

 

Hmm, interesting, according to my profile, my join date was: 08-20-2004. I got here via a recommendation from the Domuya forum, if I remember correctly. Daaang, the time flies fast o_O

How many of you *pioneers* are still out there, as active members?
I remember a lot of names that seem to have vanished.
For some reason, here I am, blathering away -.- Still. I wouldn't call myself a pioneer, though, just been fortunate enough to have been into it for a while. Wow, three years already . . . *nostalgic sigh*

And, more importantly, you who are still in the hobby:
What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?
Tons of buying options, and I mean *tons*. There are still things I would like to see in the future, but I am amazed at how the ABJD companies have expanded. From dramatically stylized eyes to unique wigs to so many lovely new molds, bodies, etc, I don't think there is a better time to be in the hobby. There are affordable buying options, too, which is very nice for new and older collectors alike, I think. It's just great.

Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change? Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?
After some mistakes, I know more of what I do want and definitely do not want in BJD. I've enjoyed sampling many companies (like five already) and sizes, and have a real good grasp on what is worth purchasing and what is not. The best discovery for me was how wonderful 60cm+ boys are, thanks to my favorite Laurent :3 And Meztli recently made me a fan of Dollzone, he's the cutest little thing!

Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?^^
Just admiring all the new merchandise coming out, browsing all the companies springing up, it keeps everything full of potential. It'll never get old for me, I think. I just love these dolls more than any other dolls, can't help it.

Give the newcomers some outlook on what might lie before them!
Just a great hobby. Don't listen to too many opinions, do what makes you happy, and your resin family will grow nicely. Even if it seems impossible at times due to financial restrains, it's really not, and it is worth it in the end.

 

I'm here! I've been here pretty steadilly since the forum moved off of Yahoo, but I definately had my first girl while DoA was still on Yahoo, I just never joined up. ^^ I fell in love with the doll sites belonging to Cassiel, Aimee, Otherunicorn, FoxintheStars and James. I learned everything I needed from you guys, so never felt the need to join the community.

What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?

Oh my has EVERYTHING changed! When I started out there were only Volks, Customhouse and I believe CP was just starting out! Rassendou had long since ceased production, and I was after the Foreverdoll scandal. This was only back in 2003! I found myself hooked on Volks (Nono13 to be exact) and had a choice of SD, SD13 or MSD for sizes. Customization, stringing, sanding and painting were the big things to do yourself to your doll. Sewing didn't seem to be as important, and not a lot of patterns existed, nor did a lot of "BJD" made accessories like eyes and wigs outside of company offerings. I had to get my first doll through Frank of Doll-Hobby (Remember him, guys! ) and was so thrilled that they had the one I'd decided on in stock after a recent preorder! I didn't know how else I would ever get my hands on one! I doubted I'd ever get another just because of the difficulty. It wasn't a question of choice, it was a question of convenience.

Now you can get any style, size, or color of doll through international websites and have them at your house in a week! Volks is freaking holding events in the US! There are pages and pages and PAGES of things available on ebay. DoA crashes every night due to uploads and server issues from its size! (and as much as I complain, that just means there are THAT many people enjoying dolls with me!) It's so much bigger and more diverse than it ever was and I ever expected it to be!

Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change? Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?

My first doll will ALWAYS be with me. I could never ever sell her. She's old and yellowed and modded, and definately no longer worth her buying price, but she is so loved.

Other than her, 8 have come, and 4 of those have gone. One was a CP, the rest have always been Volks. I simply adore their big eyed anime style, and only one of my current dolls is remotely "realistic." The rest have HUGE eyes, itty tiny noses and look like aliens when without their wigs. XD But that's what I started out loving, and that's what I will continue to love from what I can tell. ( Just bought an MSD Shinshiya, for heavens sake! XD My love of big eyed dolls isn't going anywhere.)

I've from the beginning been into doing it all myself. A few summers ago I went so far as to sculp my own doll. XD I flung myself headfirst into this hobby and have attempted nearly every aspect available to it. At the beginning I was intending to have a cute little sewing model, and then I discovered sandpaper and craft knives. ^_^ Now I enjoy modding and making tiny corrections to the sculpt to make it pose better.

Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?^^

There are always TONS of innovations in size and mechanics, so no, I don't feel I've seen it all! There are eye mechanisms, double joints, "functional" boys, larger bust girls, smaller bust girls, Papilla feel good (XD;;; ), huge 80cm ones, tiny 8cm ones, Locking, not locking, KIPS the list goes on. Every new doll that comes out has something new to see that other companies take and change to make something else completely new! It's been so much fun to see and follow over the years.

All it takes is a new wig or a new faceup and the dolls are always new!

 

Woo!! Me! Me!
I'm kinda surprised to find out that I joined DoA such a long time ago.
I never was an active user who posted lots of threads. haha


How many of you *pioneers* are still out there, as active members?

I wasn't active before, just posting pictures now and then..
but now I'm active! kinda...? haha


And, more importantly, you who are still in the hobby:
What are the major changes and developments in this scene that you have experienced over the years you have spent with your dolls?

Wow, I'm totally blown away with what astrosnik said.
It reminds me so much of old times. I absolutely agree with astrosnik with dolls being more unique and special.

I was into BJD before the forum existed. Lucky for me, I joined Korean BJD forum and it was easy for me excess the information I needed.
The problem was that me being in US made it really hard for me to get a doll.
When I was ready with my money, Dolls&Hobby didn't have the dolls in stock.
So I had to go through of sending the money to Korea and my friend had purchase a doll for me and send it back to me.
However, all the troubles I went through made my girl more special and it felt like it was worth it.
Lucky for me, and to everyone, it is much easier to shop for BJDs now.
Nowadays, you can just go to a website, and click!

Moreover, the attitude towards BJDs changed a lot.
Before, there was extreme elitism through out BJD community. People didn't want new people to enjoy the 'hobby that is meant for selected few.'
If you said one thing wrong, everyone in the community would criticize you harshly. For example, you had to say 'adopt' not 'buy'. You had to say 'children' not 'dolls.' It sounds ridiculous but I've seen such cases.
However, as BJD community grow, new ideas came along. People are more acceptable now. (I mean this thread proves it!!) Unlike past, where you were forced to personify the dolls, people now can enjoy dolls as just dolls. No one criticizes you for saying 'buying a doll' instead of 'adopting a child.' This is a positive change. But I still prefer calling my dolls children and treating them like babies

Now, on personal level, sometimes I feel like I'm not as passionate as before (no more of fresh excitement! T_T) But I still have my girl and I love her. We are just comfortable around each other.. like an old couple^^;


Did you reconstruct/reinvent your resin crew multiple times, did your tastes concerning BJDs change? Did you discover new aspects of the hobby?

Before, I was loyal volks dolls. (well, there weren't that many BJD companies back then unlike nowadays anyways..^^; ) However, now there are more companies to chose from and I like it!!

When I first got into the hobby, I just liked the dolls that looked pretty and cute.
But now, I'm more leaning towards dolls that are more painterly.
It's really hard to explain...
Mmm.. like... dolls that are not just looking pretty but the ones that are more subtle... and feels like soft spring breeze... like... a paint rather than a picture. (you might think I'm crazy, but, I assure you, you will know what I mean one day. ... Or.. it's just that I'm crazy :p)

Well, when I first got into hobby, despite my $$ status, I planned on HUGE family. But now that I'm looking back, I'm glad I didn't. Now, I prefer small family so I can give more love to each baby. Money can make dolls look pretty, but it can't be compared to the ones who are loved. Loved dolls are the most beautiful ones.

As for discovering new aspects of this hobby, I started to do my own thing.
First, I opened my face-up shop! Well, it's not that popular now, but I have patience^^
Second, I'm planning on sculpting my own doll. Still drafting though.. haha



Do you have that *seen it all before* feeling, or how do you keep things fresh?^^

Sometimes, yes, I do go though *seen it all before* feeling, but there are so many talented people out there!!
Awesome painters, photographers, sculptors, tailors, and others!!!!
BJDs bring out so many different talents out of people and it's always interesting to see their works.

Also, BJD mechanics are advancing so fast!!!!!!
Last one that impressed me was Unidoll's jointed fingers.
Wow, I was considering to get the doll just that the hands!!^^;


Give the newcomers some outlook on what might lie before them!

BJDs will bring out the most out of you. (haha, yea including money :p)
But, remember, your dolls grow on your love, not your money!!



P.S. Sorry for some incorrect grammars and for my laziness that stopped me from fixing them

 

I feel like such a newbie xD
But Im seriously loving all these stories. I feel a little as though the newer members are being judged as though they are jumping on a bandwagon or something but I did actually come across these dolfies in 2004 o.O, It was the Luts site, I remember the most beautiful doll ever. I can't remeber it enough to point it out an I kick myself for being put off by the price and not seeing into it more, Im sure if I had known about DOA back then I'd have joined.

It seems loads has changed to, like there were less dolls, makes me really wonder how I'd have gone about choosing a dol back then, ooooooh

 

Let's see, guess I'm in there too! I found out about these dolls in late 2003, joined the Yahoo group version of Den of Angels (although I was honestly afraid to post) and got my first doll in February 2004. When DoA changed to this format, I joined up.

At that time there weren't many dolls available. Customhouse, Volks, and CP/Luts existed, but you could only get CP dolls through a third party. To say how long ago that was, CP's Elf Shiwoo was still for sale!

There wasn't a lot of people with dolls in my area either. My first meetup was with a whole two other doll owners, Hitasura and Obscurity. Now I go to meetups where there's usually 15+ people and 40+ dolls!

It's a bit funny to think back to then. People that I knew then have different dolls now or flat out more dolls. They may have started with just one doll, but they sure don't now!

 

*raises hand* Still here!

I've grown a lot with them, and discovered what I like and don't quite like. My patience has grown quite a bit too!

I discovered lots of little things, like how to sew styles or paint a certain way. What works and what doesn't. My boys are still the same dolls, but have had so many makeovers!

There are always lots of new things to discover and new companies make this hobby more and more interesting.

I hope many people get into it for the pure artistic love of having dolls and growing with them

 

I am still in the hobby but I lurk more now and I do not buy as I did back then. I believe I started in the yahoo and have been collecting for awhile already. My 1st was Syo from Volks and I also had Ai bjds then. Now all of my large bjds are volks and have two tiny lati and two Mai dollshe.

Now there is so many companies that I am outdated on what is new now. I like the new bjds from lots of different company but I am afraid to buy because I will compare it to my volk boys and worried it would not match with the others boys I have and I will end up selling it. I used to have large size lati, dollshe, ai, luts and volks. Overall I like volks better because the bjd is heavier and they can stand well. The good thing about new companies is you have more choices and option. I do not regret selling my other boys and keeping my collection small as possible.

Somtimes when I look at new bjds it will remind me that look like the bjd I have seen from x company. They all seem to almost look alike to me now. I guess I am used to seeing bjds now that I do not get the urge to spend my money right away. I have miss on alot of new bjds from Volks and wanted them but I will always look at large dolls in sale section to see if they come out at the right price though.

Overall I am not tired of them yet and I do not think I ever will. I am happy with my small collection and will keep my eyes open on the right doll. The must have boy I want is T. Kanoe sp? I am waiting for Volks to re produce him and I think when they do I will be in China then I will cry for missing my chance to get him