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

Mar 20, 2008

    1. I think it could be pretty convincingly argued that the BJD 'fandom' already has examples of all of those. :|

      Personally, I doubt mainstreaming or celeb-driven-fad status would bother me very much. I don't see the BJD hobby as an especially "exclusive" thing to begin with. It's not an elite social orginization, an invitation-only activity or some kind of Kawaii-Super-Secret-Special-Snowflake-Club. It's just a fun passtime, like any other.

      That our toys of choice are pricier and less easily identified by Joe Public than a Barbie or the Bratz just isn't why I'm here, and potential popularity isn't going to be anathema to me finding pleasure in my own dolls. If it were, I'd never have owned an El and I'd have gotten rid of my Shiwoos the minute everybody and their sisters decided to buy one.

      Also, I think mainstreaming could have a few nice benefits... As someone else mentioned up-thread, those of us with dolls might get a few less odd looks from people who think we're somehow insane, or "regressing into childhood" because we own them. We might get less snickers and comments about "Japanese sex-dolls". Finding clothes for them and props in the proper scale for our collections would probably be easier, too.

      The only real down sides I can see to increased popularity and public awareness are the issues of cheap knock-offs, decreased product quality (And again, it could be argued that we're already seeing this as companies get in over their heads and take more orders than they can fulfill properly-), and a potentially increased risk of theft.
       
    2. I don't really care if they become 'mainstream' or not. My likes & dislikes aren't based on Other Peoples' Opinions, or what tripe marketers are trying to foist off on me now with relentless advertising. If someone puts out a good product, a gorgeous sculpt that poses well, I'll buy it. As for lots of other people owning a bjd - who cares? Lots of people own Barbies, but I still enjoy mine. IMO those who depend on exclusivity to enhance enjoyment of something are snobs, pure & simple: nanny-nanny-nanny; I've got XYZ & you don't! How juvenile.

      It would be nice not only to see others around who have bjds, but to hope that it would mean lower bjd prices, but I'm pretty certain that won't happen, simply because the vendors charge what the market will bear - even when they really aren't justified in charging as much as they do in the case of the larger companies that do make their sculpts in the hundreds if not thousands, as opposed to the very small, individual makers who do it almost by hand by themselves with very limited resources & therefore very limited output - like Limhwa, for example. I consider the amounts charged by these latter very small makers to be justifiable, while I do not extend the same consideration to the bigger concerns who are simply soaking the consumer for what they can. Whatever, there will always be a few of the small, individual artisans out there, so there will always be certain sculpts or lines that will be more exclusive than, say, a 1/3 bjd Bratz (now THERE is a truly horrible image for you!)

      In any event, I won't hold my breath waiting for lower prices, unfortunately, since everything I fall in love with invariably turns out to be the most expensive thing out there, alas!
       
    3. Happens all the time, in all hobbies. If they did become "the next big thing" with cheap knockoffs flooding the market, and everybody and their brother buying one, I can tell you exactly what will happen. People who would jump on the fandom bandwagon like that would soon be disappointed and disinterested and the poorly made, poor quality doll would end up in the back of the closet or in a garage sale for a couple bucks and the faddishness will soon be over.

      However, a small handful of those people will be enthralled enough that they will continue on in the hobby, graduating to better dolls when they too come to love the uniqueness that makes them worth the money. And the people who love them now for what they are, will still be around with their nice, well-made, beautiful dolls, enjoying all the aspects of the hobby that we currently enjoy. Not to worry. ;)
       
    4. I have to admit, there is a certain appeal there (though some problems too). In my perfect world, you could walk down the street wearing Elizabethan dresses and carrying armfulls of dolls and not get stares, but alas, that will never happen : P
       
    5. I am the kind of person who withdraws from something when it becomes wildly popular. I cannot explain why, but I have an instant gut reaction of dislike for things that everyone and their little brother enjoys. It's happened quite a few times with specific anime that I enjoyed prior to them being released in America (DeathNote and FMA are great examples off the top of my head), and there are anime and manga I won't touch simply because there are so many people who like it. This stems from nothing more than personal preference; I find that, when something becomes popular, there is a more rampant string of stupidity. Because there are more people interested in said thing, you are naturally going to run across more idiots as well. I'd just rather not deal with that kind of fandom, or participate in that kind of hobby.

      If it were to happen with BJD, I would probably just take a step back from the 'public' aspect of the hobby and enjoy my dolls on my own time, by myself. To an extent it's already happening with BJD. Three years ago, when I first got into the hobby, I would go to conventions and only see a handful of BJD. At the last convention I went to I saw someone with a BJD in their arms at every turn. In the past three years the hobby has erupted and more and more people are getting into it. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, but there's no doubt BJD are slowly becoming the next 'big thing' among these specialized groups of doll collectors and anime/manga/Japan loving people. Heck, I can even see it within my local area. When I got my first BJD, I was only one of two people in the state that owned them (to my knowledge). At our latest meet there were almost 20 people, and there were still others others who couldn't make it.

      I really think it's only a matter of time before we see BJD become even more 'mainstream'.
       
    6. That's a good point, about the younger generation. The same lolkidz and squeegirls that everyone rolls their eyes about for diluting the hobby-- after the chaff drops out, there will be a core of actual doll collectors left for the next generation. I didn't know that dollmakers were worried about it being a dying art, but that comes as no surprise, because so many people still think of doll-collecting as the bailiwick of dusty lonely old ladies (their stereotype, not mine ;; ). I don't think I'd really worry about not having enough new meat to carry on a hobby as universally-entrenched as dolls, but I can still see their point.

      Like knitting and sewing, those have made 'comebacks' too, where the older generation feared that these arts would die out.... There's some very hip sewing-classes and knitting-circles in downtown shops here in San Francisco, where you see the classic old Crafts Ladies happily threadbending next to the dreadlocks-and-tattoos chicks who live in warehouses.

      Excellent! :fangirl: That's a very heartening take on things. Yes, I think I prefer to take Linakauno's side of the coin on that one. "You're not dragging me into the light, you're just getting a little darker."

      (Of course, the end-result is probably that Hobby + Mainstream will meet each other somewhere in the middle. But I like this optimistic view instead. ^^)
       
    7. You mean they're not already the next big thing? Or weren't yesterday's big thing?
      Well I'm still here, though I see little these days that interests me (doll design-wise) I don't think I'll be going anywhere soon. I got into these dolls because I love them, and will stay until I don't anymore (I can't really imagine that happening though).

      Raven
       
    8. Yikes!

      Well, I haven't gotten a doll yet, but I have an idea of how I'd feel.
      I think my dolls would have the same fun and wonderfulness from when I would have bought them. But the social thing would be a major turn off. One being America here seems to be BIG on fads. I dont think many would get the real meaning behind the dolls. ^^ So i'm happy that its a small thing..

      <3
       
    9. I don't think that BJDs becoming very popular would turn me off from them. As with any fad, the popularity of BJDs will wax and wane. Even if they exploded into the global market and everybody and their brother had them eventually we would see that taper off and only the truly "hardcore" fans and collectors would stick around.

      I'll compare them to beanie babies (as has already been done)
      The popularity would cause a lot of dolls to sky rocket in price. Every toy, hobby, craft, and gift shop would have them and charge outrageous prices for them. Ebay would be flooded with BJD bidding wars. Then, as quickly as the whole thing started it would end. Many BJDs would be thrown out, given away, hocked in large Ebay lot auctions, sold at yard sales, or as is the case with my beanie babies, packed away in the attic. (btw, if anyone still collects beanie babies I have a lot up for grabs, LOL)

      All I'm trying to say is that even if BJD were huge someday, eventually everything would go back to normal.
       
    10. I'd like it on the note that there'd be a few more people to talk to, but the "secret community/pass time" would be all but gone. It'd be like Gaia. Commercial and fadish. The overall quality of the dolls being shown in communities would decline over time, and even cheapen.

      Besides. . . does anyone really want to try getting into a Dollpa if it's a "Star Studded" event?
       
    11. I would mind only if people began buying them just to own them. Because thats not how this hobby works. I already feel bad sometimes for dolls in the marketplace [>_<;; I just cant help it], but seeing a broken, neglected dolls would just break my heart. As long as people take good care of them, I dont mind at all how many get into the hobby. I'm an avid anime con-goer and being around so many people with the same general interest is a blast ^__^ I just love it. So if BJD's became the same way, I would be okay with it.
       
    12. that would be my fear too. it woud be similar to how i now feel about anime... i used to love it, it was rare and expensive and very, very small in the US. then suddenly toonami appeared and theres a million meowing, squee-ing, "kawaii"-chirping white girls glomping and spazzing all over the univeristy anime club (i only attended two meetings for this reason)
      i think a part of the semi-recent rise in US BJD collecting is due to the anime explosion, as some (not all, but more than one i have met) anime fans overextend their like of anime into everything asian (I have seen this with my own two eyes) and because super dollfie is made by volks, and volks is a japanese company, and anime is from japan, it must be awesome too lets join in!

      while i would hate to be associated with people who joined the hobby because it was 'the next big thing', i have to admit it would rock to turn on the TV and for there to be a BJD hour on QVC after the ugly porcelean dolls and before the boyds bears :D that WOULD rock.
       
    13. It would be perfect if you could just let it get a little bit bigger and then stop before it was some megacraze. I am new (waiting on my first doll), but it doesn't seem like it is too hard to find clothes, accessories, etc - just hard to find exactly the ones that you want. If the scene was a bit bigger with a few more talented enthusiasts, it might make it easier to find just what you were looking for. More variety does of course add to the uniqueness/customizability of each bjd. :)

      Then there is the added bonus of not having so many "geez your nuts" attitude problems. I figure most people are right though - even if it does become a fad (which I am skeptical of for financial reasons) at least it will be a passing thing.
       
    14. I'd HATE if it went main stream to the point that I go out somewhere and 30%+ of the people have BJDs, and if stars had them and stuff. It's something that's special, and UNIQUE. I'd be able to tolerate it, untill people would look and say "Oh, you got one cause ___ had one! =D" or "A ___ doll!" I'd flip out, cause I hate it when people tell me "Oh, you did this because such and such" It makes it almost like they're saying "Oh, you just someone following a trend" which annoys the crap out of me xDD

      I think qualitly would go down. Take LUTS saga for example. Took up so many orders, that the qualilty dropped temeperarily. And imagine 6-8 weeks turning into 12-16+ weeks *dies*

      I'm not trying to sound like I'm saying "No one but me have a BJD in the next ____mile radious, and no one can know what they are" just if they went main like ..like... I dont' know what yet xD But if they went serously main I'd get annoyed. I won't say I'd mind a few doll stores though xDD


      I know I'd still get more, and love who I have. I'd just make them really, reallly, really, supper unique.
       
    15. I'm awaiting my dolls [est.delivery mid April :D!] and the thought of being able to splash out [i have 1 or 2 big splash outs a year normally and this is a 2yr splash out :sweat] £800 on dolls ( !! ) and be the only person in my town to have them gives me a warm feeling inside! :) [Even possibly, the only person in a 70mile radius even :o ]

      I would honestly be disgusted if literally everyone ended up having them in a years time. Especially if the prices plummet.It would be like, so a year ago, I spent £300 on my doll, now the exact same one is £100--:doh :evil and everyone else has it too! :x

      I like the feeling of having something not many otherss have-I like making them jealous. I would be so disgusted not being able to make anyone jealous because everyone else has them.

      edit--I actually can not see them hitting off in my town, its chav-r-us [scabby emo,foreigner&granny beating muggers who live off the dole and do nothing for the world who might as well die :D] and tbh, I'm the only person in the town who would probably actaully to be able to AFFORD one, or two or five :D
       
    16. It would be nice, buttt....:
      -more companies would open up to supply everyone dolls, probably ones that make alters and stuff to the dolls, making them not so special looking anymore
      -when the 'fad' is finally outrun by a newer one, all the prices will shoot back up and there will be a lot of poor dolls stored away in boxes =(
       
    17. Well ill be the first to unashamedly admit that when i got into anime i also became interested in japan for that reason (but hey everyone has to start somewhere) and after awhile i fell in love with just asian culture in general, especially their history and customs, for me trawling through history books is betetr than a day at the cinemas lol!

      But it never bothered me when anime started coming out on dvds and you no longer had to search for 3 hours in a dusty video shop for a second hand copy of some badly dubbed obscure anime, instead it brought me closer to alot of people who i wouldnt ordinarily get the chance to talk to.
      And squealing fan girls dont bother me, their probably very nice people if you look past the way they present themselves ;)

      And therefore i dont think it would bother me if this became the next big thing, it happens all the time and as others have been pointing out the hangers on will get bored and fade, leaving a new generation of people who truly love this hobby

      (end rant :) )
       
    18. I wouldn't enjoy the hobby as much. I know that they will probably not become a huge craze [mainly because of the price] and the fact that people find them creepy. However I would remain in the hobby but I think it's best that it stays the size it is now.
       
    19. I currently don't own a BJD :( but as a doll/toy collector living in America, I wouldn't mind being able to buy a doll and clothes and accessories for a doll in a local store (especially if I could see/hold the items before deciding to buy). However, when things get popular, knock-offs tend to be made and it would be a shame to see an influx of lesser-quality products. I don't think the dolls and their accessories would be as special if they were mass produced, or made of cheaper materials.
       
    20. I'll just toss this out there without thinking about it much :lol:
      If a hobby going mainstream drives someone away does that signify that the hobby was less important than being able to think of oneself as unique, elite, and maybe a little more special than others?
      I understand the feeling of shying away because everyone is doing something, or listening to a certain band, or watching a particular show. Knowing that something is wildly popular does somehow make me want to avoid it and i don't know why.
      However, I enjoy my bjd in solitude, just like anime and other pursuits. If I enjoy something I'm not really concerned with its popularity. It is nice to draw on other's experience at times.
      If any here are really worried about the mainstreaming of this hobby, then quit discussing it openly on the internet, quit posting pictures, shut down your doll sites, and quit showing people your doll ;)