Doll Names : Orginality vs Characters

For character dolls; I have a Johnny Depp minimee. He is supposed to be Johnny Depp. I was amazed that I could order dolls that would be sculpted to look like my favorite character, movie star, or even myself! I love having a Johnny Depp doll.

For original characters and naming; apart from my Johnny Depp doll I have all original characters with names I felt fit the characters and personalities or that were just downright cool. I do feel that names are up for grabs, lots of people have lots of different ideas so my character with a certain name will be different from someone else's character with the same name even if it is the same doll mold/sculpt.

 

Why do you enjoy original dolls? Well I guess it just goes from the fact that I have a very active imagination and I am constantly making up people and their stories. I wouldn't want to be limited by something that already exists.

Do you find it distressing or upsetting when people emulate your original doll or copy his/her name without asking? Well this has never happened to me. ^^; Honestly I don't think it will either, my dolls are just everyday humans, little normal people. Very average and not apt to be copied. Also, their names are pretty average too, except for Ailis, which is an Irish name I love. But really I wouldn't be surprised or offended to find other dolls with their name. It's no big deal to me.

 

Why do you enjoy original dolls? Because I love having something that's 100% mine ^^ I can change them and do whatever I want- it's a really personal thing for me, and something rather awesome because it's the closest I'll get to having any of my RP/OC characters as tangible things x3

Do you find it distressing or upsetting when people emulate your original doll or copy his/her name without asking? If you mean take everything about them, then I guess it'd be close to art theft? If someone actually intentionally was copying your doll/character, while it'd be flattering, BJDs are a personal thing to many people. As I said, they're my characters, it's hard to get more personal than that. But names are really just up for grabs, I myself have seen five other Junes and several other Jeremys (Jeremies? @__@) since being here. If someone said (whether it was directly to me or not) "baw, I love that name, I think I'll name my doll that :'D" then I'd be rather flattered xD

 

I have only one doll right now, but Josslyn's going to be an original because I feel that I can do more with her. She looks a lot like my Dragon Age city elf Ophelia, and I'll make her a costume for that, but if I wanted to make her specifically Ophelia I'd never change a thing about her. As "plain old" Josslyn she can be anything and anyone at anytime.

I wouldn't mind if someone used the name Josslyn for a doll; for all I know there's someone here with a doll named that too. I don't have a copyright on it. What I *would* be mad about is if someone purposely named their doll the same just because I did. That's wrong...does the doll *look* like that name?

 

Re: original dolls: all of my current dolls are original characters, but for the most part they were characters created for the doll, not vice-versa. Over time, their characters have become as solid as any "pre-written" OC's, but unlike with a true non-OC character doll I don't feel constricted in tweaking their looks as much.

Re: character dolls: I do have a couple of "fan dolls" on my dollie to-do list too! Not everyone has RP/writing/MMO/RPG characters to doll-ify, y'know.

But they aren't truly dolls of other people's characters; rather, they are OC's that have some characteristics of other people's characters and/or live in a world created by someone else -- if that makes any sense. That is the kind of character doll I most enjoy! For example, an OC that goes to Hogwarts is indeed an OC, but is not completely original as much of the character's lifestyle and surroundings are based on the creation of someone else. And if you have a doll of "Harry Potter, but 25 years old, and female, named Harmony, that was never orphaned and isn't a wizard (witch?)" -- then it isn't really Harry Potter, is it? ^_~

 

Mine is named after a maiko in Miyagawa-cho called Toshiteru aka: Toshi-tinyXD So its not exactly original but I wanted to name her after someone who inspires me (even though Toshi is younger than me) and whose name is not common. I dont care if someone else were to use that name, its a cute name. Although I would have to wonder where one heard of the name if not from Toshiteru-chan

 

My dolls are somewhat original characters. If I like a sculpt enough, a name, personality and backstory will begin to develop to fit in with my other dolls, and that's when I start saving for them. Sometimes I'd take the name of a character I'd created for an original story that I used to write and evolve that character to suit the doll.

But there's also the point that some of these original character dolls are actually amalgamations of some of my favourite anime characters. I have too many favourites to personify them all in doll form, so I figure blending them together is the next best thing. So one doll would have some characteristics of character A from anime X mixed in with character B from anime Z, but I make up the name, situation, station in life, relationships, history, and I also get to plan out the hair and eye colours. So that doll would be a representation of a favourite character (or several at once), but it's still wholly mine. And it works for me (and not as expensive if I get my favourites individually ).

 

I find that this is how I am too. I don't go into it with a certain character in mind. The doll "tells" me what he will be like.

 

Why do you enjoy original dolls?
Using someone else's character stifles my creativity. I want unlimited options!
Do you find it distressing or upsetting when people emulate your original doll or copy his/her name without asking?
If it's just the name that's being copied, no. Joren's name isn't terribly original, anyway. If they started copying who she was, and ripping off her story, well...then I'd be upset. But it hasn't happened to me.

 

I can't imagine ever making a doll based on a character from fiction or whatever, where's the fun in that? All my dolls are original characters and have titles names, middle names, surnames and nicknames as well in some cases... as do my pets! People have "borrowed" my pet's names before now and I guess someone might reuse one of my doll names, not that any of them are terribly original, but so what? Sh*t happens as they say

 

If I already had a character that happen to have the same name as on of the dolls here on DOA, I could care less; no matter how original the first person thought the name was. My characters are already named before I would ever put them in doll form, so I would feel guilty for changing there names just because someone else was already using it.

I plan on making some character dolls, but the main two are my favorite musicians. I would do this out of my appreciation and respect for them... plus it would make me happy to have there likeness sitting around looking at me
The other one I want to make just looks cool, and they don't have back stories as individuals, not that it would realy matter to me though. There the little red demon chicks the giant nuns birth in the game Brutal Legend. I'm thinking about making one of the nuns to, but I would need to mod the legs to be MUCH longer. I guess I like them because they don't realy have any set individuality... there kind of like animals.

 

To owners of these dolls: Why do you enjoy character based dolls? Have you also had a character based doll that ended up turning into an original?

I have a Tayeang named Alucard, based off the anime character Alucard. I even had his red suit custom made, hat and all. I enjoy him because I'm just a huge fan of the Hellsing series. When I got into colelcting Pullips I knew I wanted a Hellsing doll from day 1, and making a Taeyang into Alucard was a lot of fun. I will say this, character wise he's not much like his namesake. Looks like him sure, but his personality is way different. It's just funnier that way.


To owners of these dolls: Why do you enjoy original dolls? Do you find it distressing or upsetting when people emulate your original doll or copy his/her name without asking? Or do you feel names are just names and are up for grabs.

A few of my dolls are not based on anything at all, while others like my Pullip Samantha, are heavily based on RP character of mine of the same name. She even looks like the RP character.I like her because she's mine, her personality, appearance, everything, is something I designed. And while it hasn't happened yet, it would bother me a little if someone copied her. It's so easy to make your own characters, there's no reason to copy someone else.

 

My dolls are all original characters, the only doll who's original company name i kept, was Mei, because i couldn't see her having another name...i get this little feeling in my heart (this sounds odd i know) about their names and personality, and what they should be ^^
I don't mind my dolls cosplaying as characters from tv shows or games though, since the doll is only cosplaying, it makes it more fun and varies your dolls pictures at the same time ^^
To be honest i think whatever you feel is right for your doll should be what you go for, there is no right or wrong thing to go for ^^

 

I know what you mean about the doll 'telling' you what they want ^^ It sounds really weird to other people, especially so if they don't own a doll, but i always feel like BJD's have a soul, and they will communicate what they like to you in some way ^^

 

I can't really comment on having a character doll that is specifically based on a pre-existing concept.

I do enjoy looking at the different dolls that people have made of these characters. I have great respect for their work and I think that the majority of them do a breathtaking job on them.

I don't think I, personally, could ever own one. I am too into having my own characters built up for the dolls to even think of that. I haven't even gotten my boys home and they already have had their names and bios planne for months. LOL.

I have a girl planned, Aylah Jean, who I haven't even begun to save up for. I don't even know what model I want her to be!

I am, personally, more for original characters. I don't like Mary Sues, though..Which, if anyone hasn't been in the roleplaying community or writing community won't know that that is a very cliche basic character. It's fine if someone else wants to have one, but I prefer to have more original basis with my characters.

I'm not into fantasy, gore, mechanics, etc. I am happy to have my boys as realistic as possible because that is what I feel comfortable having on my shelves.

That aside, I respect people having different ideals of what beauty is. I enjoy the differences in every doll you see..whether they be subtle or obvious. I think it's what makes this community so great.

So..my last statement is that I hope we see more of both be introduced here. I love ogling them all XD

 

Why do you enjoy original dolls?
Its up to my imagination, all of them will be characters from my main novel (I dont think ill stop on one)

Do you find it distressing or upsetting when people emulate your original doll or copy his/her name without asking?
All of them are normal people living in fantasy world, but they hasnt a abnormal skills (on the begining). Many of them, has names used on our world (As Elliane, Richard her father, Kristian) so i think it will be normal when i see dolls with those names, even if i see dolls with uniques from my novel (like Triniarin, Tsari-An, Aenae, Nartielle, Irielle) i will have a smile...

 

I have fan-based dolls, original characters, and dolls named for existing characters, but have their own completely different personality and appearance.

To owners of these dolls: Why do you enjoy original dolls? Do you find it distressing or upsetting when people emulate your original doll or copy his/her name without asking?

I enjoy coming up with the background story, their look and their name. The sky is the limit with creation of the doll. How else could I get a green-skinned raver (Lief), or an oversized elfin prince trying to fit into the human world (Mathias). As for the emulation question --I had never experienced it, doubt I ever will, but I don't think I would get terribly upset. I think of the imitation/flattery quote.

To owners of these dolls: Why do you enjoy character based dolls? Have you also had a character based doll that ended up turning into an original?

I enjoy the character based dolls because I like the thought of having a piece of something I love/enjoy in my life, even as a doll. It's fun trying to come up with costumes and gear for a fan-based doll. I did have a few originally fan-based dolls develop a completely different personality, but two did keep the original traits of the characters they were named for. For example Sora (KH) is a quiet emo-punk and Roxas (KH2) is a flirt, but Danny (Danny Phantom) is still looking for ghosts, and Sokka (Avatar: Last Airbender) is still always looking for something to eat.

I guess it would depend how I feel when I see the mold of the doll for the first time.

 

I completely agree!

 

Originality is the key to my dolls hearts. =] All my kiddos have original names, yeah, other dolls might have the same name but different spellings. Like most dolls would be named Jackson, my Cherokee boy is named Jaxxon, because of his wishes to me (I bound my familiar
to him)

 

It's fun because you have in 3D form characters you like from a story- you make their outfits (I cosplay and have written fanfic for a number of years, and making character dolls is like blending fanfiction with cosplay) and pose them together, give them families, etc....

I've done some original costuming/characterization with my dolls too. Every winter I do a project with two or more of my dolls (they usually come out of their character doll roles at that time)-- most the time doing a time in history that I feel drawn to at that time (I did a Christmas 1971 theme in 2006- like how at that time 1960's and the emerging 70's clothing styles were being worn at the same time, in 2008 I did a WWI theme with my adult 1/3 scale ABJ dolls because it was the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI, and last winter I did a 1984- the year, not Orwell's book, because it was the year I graduated from high school and was the 25th anniversary of that. As I'm making the costumes I think of a character story for the dolls. But those stories just don't have the depth of their character doll personas. It's just a temporary thing, where their character personas are "permanent".

To me character persona for dolls is just as creative as original personas- they both involve equal amounts of creativity, just expressed in slightly different ways.