Finding BJDs in the strangest places

One day I brought my little Jdoll to school (Not a bjd, but there's no way I'd take any of my bjds to school), and near the end of the day, this girl I don't know the name of but have seen around started asking me about it, and I got to talking about my actually bjds, and she's like "Yeah, my mom has a doll like that. I think it's name is Red or something."

I was so surprised! I asked her "What company is it from?! Red, like from Elfdoll?! What mold is it?! What does it look like?! What's your mom's name, maybe I know her!"

She mumbled like she didn't really know but sort of nodded at some parts so I'm pretty sure it was an Elfdoll Red. I wanna meet her mom.

 

Flashback to four years ago. I was a high school freshman, and part of my school's debate team. I was attending a tournament held in a university, and I decided to explore by myself during one of the breaks between rounds. When I came across a walkway of benches, I saw a girl with a BJD on her lap. Back then, the local BJD community was significantly smaller, and my inner voice was screaming at me to ask her name, to talk to her, anything! Pretty sure if I mentioned Manika Manila, the name of the community her in the Philippines, her face would've lit up and I would've made a friend. But, I was a high school freshman in a university that wasn't my own and I got extremely shy. So I sat a few benches away and surreptitiously watched her take pictures, and inside, I was shaking with excitement and awe. If I remember correctly, that was the first time I saw a BJD in person, and it was around that time that I was really getting into BJDs. I think she was a DOD DOT Shall, but with a pink wig.

Fast forward to today, four years later. I am studying at that same university, and I have my Volks SD Sara. Funny how things come full circle. XD

 

I was in a little secondhand clothing shop when I came across some stickers and metal pins with pictures of Volks Sds on them. If i remember correctly I thin there was even a purse with them on it.

 

i was at my local market and one of the sellers was selling these gift bags with bjd pictures on them. there was a girl and a boy. I'm 90% certain that the girl was a volks sculpt but i'm not sure which one and i don't know about the boy, because i didn't buy one.

 

I just came back from a 7/11 shop a really small walk from my place. Guess what I found? Two mirrors with DOC's Too&Bee-A on them. The pink one had their Tender versions, while the blue had their normal versions. I bought the blue one. I have a picture of it right here:

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I actually recently joined up as a Play Date on a site called Game Crush, and in the course of my working there, I have come across not one, but TWO mentions of JBD's. I was browsing a forum thread that asked people what they thought was the hottest video game character, and lo and behold, one of my co-workers posts a picture of a BJD she'd styled after Link (can't remember which mold he was though).

Also, in our chat room, I'd mentioned that I collect BJDs and I was startled to find out that one of my co-workers was a fellow Den of Angels member! Small world, huh?

...Okay, okay, so it IS a site full of gamer girls and the hobbies do seem to overlap somehow, but STILL.

 

OOH! That was my booth and doll. I think I had my Konane, an Elfdoll Soah. I take at least one of the Resin crew to any faire we attend.

 

I find it interesting how many people have noted that they've found items with dolls depicted on them in little shops or dollar stores or the like. Not to digress into issues of legality, but something tells me the vast majority of those items weren't made with company consent. :B

 

Unfortunately, the only place I've ever seen BJD's other than here is at Anime Expo. I see people running around with them all the time. Especially, in the Exhibit Hall. I live in California and I don't see anybody. I currently live in Costa Mesa but I'll be moving soon. :: sighs :: I WISH I could find dolly friends close to me. I'll be moving to Irvine. I hope I can find people there. I have only taken Hide with my to Anime Expo and the ONLY doll related story I have is this one. I was taking Caldeth to a doll shop up in Monrovia, CA. I sadly, do not remember the name of the place. But, I was looking at their monique wigs and the 12mm eyes they had in stock. The lady there seemed rather enamored with Caldeth and was excited to see him however. Glad, I could share my doll with her. She also mentioned that they were getting Goodreu's in stock there. I know OT but still that's cool.

 

I feel like there was something about a girl using dolls in her artwork too? I guess it's becoming more common as bjds are more popular but not mainstream enough for normal people to care about copyright...>.>

Anyway, I live near DC and I'm always surprised when I see people walking around with their dolls. Sometimes they're
local or at a meet-up, but it's really surprising when they're tourists.

 

I saw a girl with two dolls at a DestiNation Imagination competition two years ago. I took a picture with my cell phone but then a few weeks later my phone got wet and I lost everything.

If there are any BJD lovers in Circleville, Ohio, please let me know XD.

 

Somewhat of a different spin on things: A couple of years back my ex was farting around on MSN, and an old friend of his started a convo... and she had a pic of my doll, Vin, as her display pic lol. I thought that was freaking hilarious and awesome XD

 

I don't think too many people (if any) in my area know about bjds so nothng exciting has happened to me.

 

I was in an Oahu boutique and I looked down at the register and there were a ton of compacts with different BJD's! I almost fell over haha, especially since I recognized a few of the molds!!

 

Nope, I've never seen anyone owning one anywhere other than online. D: However, I think it would be pretty cool to see someone that I share an interest/hobby with ^^!

 

I've seen them used in an art exhibition once. It was the strangest thing ever but at the same time kinda cool as well.

 

Well, for my art class, I did some fan art of a doll that I've been drooling after for years, and my art teacher told me that someone saw it, and was so excited that I liked BJD's too. Best day ever.

 

Plenty to find in Hong Kong! Where I saw my very first in the flesh doll . As for the UK, I dont think I have ever ran into anything similar. The closest thing I have seen is the coke adverts which look a bit like pullips.

 

I know a girl has BJDs in my major at college, but that's about it, I was super excited when I met her though! That was before I had my own doll, I don't think she knows I have my own now either actually...

Anyways, I really want to meet some people in my area, so hopefully I'll see some more people at Kent State now that I know there are a few more there!

 

Hmm... This may not be very spectacular, as many other BJD'ists have heard of this; but I was browsing a bookstore's magazine section for some good art magazines, and my eye caught the word "Doll" so I grabbed that one, and wonder of wonders; it was HauteDoll! I then picked through the magazine rack and found like 5 other BJD magazines and nearly exploded. I had heard vaguely of BJD related magazines before, but I never knew there were so many, less so that I would find them in Memphis! They were all pretty expensive and I couldn't get any at the time, so I had my mom write down all the websites and references I wanted XD Since then I've gotten a couple doll magazines~

And before that event, while visiting some relatives in Texas I found a book about Asian toys that had one picture of a Pullip, but nothing else... However, while in Texas I was making clothes for my BJDs and my Uncle Michael asked what they were for... I described the dolls and he said "Oh, I know someone that has dolls like that" and I bugged him like crazy about who she was, but all he had to say was "Oh, she was really just the girlfriend of my old best friend's friend..." D:!

There's hardly any BJD people in TN... Especially not in the crappy little area I live in. However, I'm moving to Columbus OH soon and it seems like there are quite a few more enthusiasts there