If BJD's were to become the 'next big thing'...

I wouldn't mind it if BJDs became more popular, as it'd be easier and cheaper to find accessories and clothing. BJDs are already becoming quite popular, if the proliferation of other companies since Volks set the precedence is any indication.

What I would fear is the backlash. You know, how something becomes cool and popular, then there's an equal or greater movement to put it down and insult it as being uncool and lame. Eventually, it becomes how cool one can be putting down someone else's likes and hobbies.

If BJDs became popular, I don't see any greater acceptance of the BJD hobby. In fact, the cynic in me expects there to be less acceptance, as hurting and insulting people who do like BJDs becomes the "in" thing to do.

 

thad be cool cuz they;re be more stores near me and id be one of the 'origonals' xD

 

I think it'd be fantastic if bjds became uber-popular, if they were, there probably be more local shop selling them and things for them, not mentions their be more local people to chat with about dolls, who have dolls to, as opposed to having to drive a few miles just for a meet.

 

That's a very good question. I think it really depends on your stance in the hobby. I've seen that there are many people who consider it a little more than just that. They see it as a form of not just self-expression, but a way to filter out your soul into inanimate objects, or so people call them. Some look at them as if they're alive. And, for those people, I doubt that anything outside of their little world really matters. Those people have my respect.

But of course, you have those other people who see this as something completely out of the park and different. There are some individuals out there who are hellbent in proving they are cut from a different slice of cheese. They're in every hobby, every interest, everything. But, in their defense, when something goes mainstream, it often looses the luster it had. The prices go down. The clothes become generic, the dolls are now cheaply made in Chinese factories with cookie cutters.

For me? I'm not entirely sure, since I obviously don't own my doll yet. But it would be convenient if faceup shops, clothing stores, and perhaps even body brushing facilities opened up at a location near me. But, I'm doing my best to make this something a little more than a hobby. So hopefully, after I get started, nothing will drive me away.

 

Hmmm...I dunno... Having the hobby non-mainstream adds 'excitement'! I mean, every owner hates (and loves) the however-many-month-wait for their newest doll to arrive. You have the months of pent up excitement, and then you finally open the box and get your first photos. I feel the same way about new clothes and eyes and wigs and stuff...

If BJD's became more mainstream, those little elements that make it REALLY special - like the waiting, and having only a few people to talk about the hobby with, they'd be gone, or at least not as prominent... and I can't really picture heading down to 'BJD's R Us' to go and buy a new wig for my boy, or purchase a new body for one of my floating heads.... and goodness... trying to buy a limited would be even more of a night mare!!!

Not that I'm saying a few extra people in on the hobby is a bad thing, I'm still yet to see someone on the Central Coast with a BJD...

But that's just my two cents

 

It's just a matter of time. NPR did a story on them a couple of weeks ago.

Also, here are the letters that NPR received in response..some of them aren't too nice.

Possible repost, but the point is, the cat's out of the bag.

 

I would cry. T-T

Don't want posers doing to us, what they did to rock. D: DO NOT WANT!

 

I'm not into this hobby, because it's rare and special.

Actually, I can't stand people, who say "don't tell about this so openly, so we don't have to take all those irritating people into our forum. If they are interested, they should find the information themselves". (That is what somebody in Finnish BJD-forum once said.) In my opinion, it's the worst kind of elitism, to say, "this is my hobby, I'm one of the few who know this, and others, who might like this, are no real things".

More people into this, more dolls with better prize (competition at markets) for me to buy. It's as simpe as that.

A common hobby doesn't equal to a plain or boring hobby to me, so the number of "BJD-people" wouldn't change my interest.

 

I buy my dolls because I like them. Not because I want to be some special little princess with a 'rare and special' hobby.

People who would stop buying something they like because it goes 'mainstream' are just elitists if you ask me and are mostly in the hobby because they think it makes them better and cooler then other people.

 

I think that if a person was turned off beacuse of that, then they really were not into BJDs for the right reasons. Do you dress a certain way beacuse you like it or because no one else is wearing it. Not to put down individuality, I'm not, but to do something ONLY because no one else is is as bad as following the herd. Just my opinion. Look there would be drawbacks, that happens in any hoody/interest but it would be nice to see people walking around town with a doll maybe even talking to each other because of it.
That said, it would be kinda cool to go to a nice department store or boutique and find well crafted clothes or shoes for my gang. Or know that a few times a month I can find a meet-up anywhere. Hey, around here there are always "antique" shows, model groups, and dolls shows; so cool if there were BJD shows.
Or better yet... McD's specials - scaled toys or t'shirts just for my guys -cell phone, etc.
Hmmm... maybe get rid of that PINK isle in toy stores with a BJD accessories isle.

 

Truer words have not been said.

I wouldn't start disliking Naruto if it became popular to watch the subbed versions. It's just funnier, nomally to watch it in japanese. The only other person that I can laugh about the english pronunciation of 'Shikamaru' with is my husband!

But it doesn't make it any less/more funny because we are two of the few who know what it's supposed to sound like.

I actually wish that more people I knew where into the stuff I like, that way it wouldn't take 3 hours to explain why 2 seconds of dialog is hilarious.

 

I agree with this completely! The other day I was listening to Penny Lane by the Beatles, and a girl told me that she didn't like the popular Beatles songs that everyone listens to. My response to that? Well, that's just dandy for you, isn't it? Then I went back to the song xD

 

I wouldn't really care. I tend to like things and then they become 'the next big thing' (like Harry Potter for example). I would never be dishonest with myself and 'dislike' something because everyone else likes it. It does get annoying when people think your into it just because its a fad but when the fad is over I will still enjoy it unless I have changed my mind or grown out of it.

Its nice to have people to share your likes and hobbies, as long as they are really into it and its not just a fad. I have friends who learned about things because they were popular and inturn started liking them, but not because they were 'in' but because it was something they genuinely enjoyed.

((Why does my cat keep licking my hand whenever i move the mouse?!))

 

It amuses me that they managed to find an alternate way to pronounce Shikamaru

On topic, I think it would be grand to have mroe new people who are really interested in the hobby. Though I would find it troublesome if it came mainstream to search for the good quality stuff that would undoubtable be drowned in an market inundated by get rich quick companies.

As it is I'd like there to be mroe people interested, and I don't like to think this is a just for me hobby. Like, I like to wear Lolita, but I'd feel a hell of a lot more comfortable if there were more people in my area that did too. Same with dolls. Theres some comfort in numbers, I've found.

 

It wouldn't bother me as long as they were still the same price. I'd be annoyed if suddenly they got a lot cheaper. >_>; (Not because my doll wasn't worth it but because I don't have much money and if I could have saved money I could have used it to buy him more clothes or something. Or um things I need for college. xD; I'd rather buy doll clothes though.)

It'd be nice to be able to find clothes/accessories in shops here though and maybe I could actually have a real life friend with the same hobby.

 

If BJD's were to become the next fad and be mass produced, the chances are, prices would fall (probably?) and everyone with have one.

Thats when it'll lose its value to me. Each one is original. Each one has love put into it, hard work! Being mass-produced makes everything lose value to me though. I loved BJDs because each one was truely yours.

Not to mention, that usually with fads, you have the people who have the things to be in the fad , but actually dislike it, dont care, and just want to be cool. In that case I'd be feeling bad for the dolls. They'd be handled without care or any kind of affection by those people.(e.g in my area an emo/scene fad, the skin tight jeans, black hair with sidebangs, make-up on guys, and such. In the end, everyone decides its not cool anymore and they throw out their skinny jeans, eyeliner or they leave them in the closet to collect dust)

I don't mind BJDs getting more attention, its the mass production that really bothers me...and the owners who could care less about their doll (in a sense they'd just throw it around) poor dollies

 

Agreed! Honestly, I don't care if more and more people get into the hobby - I just don't want the dolls mass produced, or available just anywhere. It'd be nice to be able to buy things in stores, but a lot of what makes them special would be lost in mass-marketing.

I think Japan has a good balance of how popular the dolls are vs production. They're part of a certain subculture for the most part, and while they're more easily available than in the western world, they still manage to be something special.

 

I don't know what i'd do to be honest :_: First of all, although it'd be nice to be able to go out and buy clothes (I can do that anyway but I mean easiER i guess =P ) and stuff, but I think a bunch of new people in the hobby just jumping on the bandwagon would really annoy me. :_:

If you were able to go out and just get your doll without any wait, it sort of takes away the whole anticipation fun of it. It might sound lame but the whole planning your character/buying clothes/THE WORSHIPPED SHIPPING NOTICE/receiving your packages is, in my opinion, a really exciting part of the hobby. I don't think i'd like that if that was taken away, if that makes sense. ;S
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I think i join the majority in saying - I don't honestly know. On one hand, I love my dolls and wouldn't give them up for the world. On the other hand, it would suck if because more people wanted them, the quality of the dolls dropped.

That said, Mattel does have a range of pseudo-bjds.... the teen trends I think....

[Rant] I think I would rather Paris Hilton have a doll then a dog - you can't kill dolls, and I feel sorry for the poor dogs getting dragged out for the publicity in a HANDBAG for pete's sake.

BUT that's off topic [/Rant]

 

It's a beautiful song, so why not listen? A lot of their popular stuff is as good as the unpopular.

But then I'm more into Type O Negative, lol.