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Is a backstory a turn-off or turn-on when buying a doll?

Jan 24, 2007

    1. I wouldn't keep the character or story, but I love that many of the companies care enough to give the dolls stories. I do read them, and enjoy them.
       
    2. My doll's company story says:
      "Small flowers, Big teddy bear for Christmas, Lovely shoes and a Dress from my father -
      I feel I am the happiest girl in this world. "

      When I saw her I thought she would be a little sweetie, a bit of a Pollyanna, lucky but not spoiled, with a heart as big as her imagination. She's a kid delf, so it was easy to think of her as childish and curious. When I read the story I smiled. I wouldn't keep true to a backstory as if it were law however; I like the idea of allowing her to "tell" me what she likes and how she wants to behave, within my little idea of who she already is.

      My boyfriend said she's going to be a little mini-me! :) I'm impressionable, but it'd be hard for me not to set at least a guideline. If the story was not in line with that guideline I would be disappointed in the story :lol:

      but I think it's nice that the creators give backstories and personalise the dolls a teensie bit themselves. It shows that they're not just making-monkies and really do think of the dolls and cherish them. Plus, if a non-hobbiest were to see a page and never have thought about giving them a story, or maybe if they're finding it hard to picture the doll with a personality, as anything other than a shell staring at you with creepy eyes (I have friends like this ^^; ), or maybe if they were just curious about what the heck their friend is on about on their blog, the story being right there on the doll's page would encourage them to warm up to the doll and bond with them, even if they have no intention of purchasing one. I feel disappointed when non-dolly friends can't understand what I see in a doll, so if a backstory thought up by the creator can help them appreciate it then I encourage it :lol:
       
    3. I like the back stories. I think it shows another creative side to the company and that they care about their product.
       
    4. I don't really care one way or the other.
      I'm going to make my own backstory for the doll, so whether or not the company made one for me to overwrite is no extra work.
       
    5. I don't really pay very much attention to them, to be honest - although I do sometimes enjoy reading them and seeing the point of view from the company - I guess to me it's like, that's one interpretation of the doll. One out of billions of possibilities, but it's not really any different from seeing another person who owns the same doll as you, but has a completely different look/character for it. :) Its interesting.
       
    6. Depends on whether I like their story! ^^ Also depends on whether or not I already have a story of my own planned. Sometimes I keep pieces of the company's backstory, if I particularly like it-- or if I see no reason to change it. If not, I just ignore it.

      I especially like the Volks 'universes' that they make with their little snippets of story arc for their LE lines. The Tokyo Boys stories are especially bittersweetly charming.

      Iplehouse and Dollmore come up with some way-out stories for their LEs...! I love that too; the more outlandish the better. You can just enjoy those profile/sales-pages as though they were a comic.
       
    7. I like backstories, even though I almost always make something up about my dolls when they arrive or even before they arrive, my dollfamily consists of different componies and sizes, but they fit neatly together now in the history I dumped upon them. :)
       
    8. I don't pay too much attention to the back story, actually, so this is not a turn-off for me ^^

      But I do like when companies try to give bits and pieces of background, instead of just shoving us new mold upon new mold :]
       
    9. No. I never pay attention to the companies back story. If the doll is beautiful to me then I will buy her/him.
       
    10. I like reading backstories, even though I always overwrite them with my own when I buy a doll. It kind of gives a feel for what the company is aiming for when they create a "family" of dolls or dolls that somehow relates to eachother. I find it very charming somehow :lol:

      And actually thanks to the "Maiden's promise"-backstory by Volks I ended up buying Liz shortly after I got Cristal, because somehow I thought those two girls should be together even though my pair aren't related.
       
    11. I've never thought much about the backstories they come with. They transform when they come home.
       
    12. I like it because sometimes it can give you ideas on or for your own story.

      And I would guess that for people who don't have a story ready for their dolls it would help.

      Personally, I don't care about the story the company give a doll because I make my own stories anyway.
       
    13. It can be good, and it can be bad.
      If the doll doesn't come with a story, you can make one up.
      If the doll does have a background story then you can play along with that.
       
    14. I never really pay attention to the back stories of dolls because I prefer to create my own for them. If i did infact read them and didn't enjoy them I would just ignore it was even there, ha ha. I would have no effect on my buying the doll or not. It's all about the aesthetics.
       
    15. Neither. I don't care about a company backstory at all, and rarely read them. I'm only interested in getting the doll to embody my own character, so any previous backstory gets abandoned without a second thought.
       
    16. I like reading backstories personally and I think that somewhat influences your own stories a bit.
       
    17. It's neutral to me. I enjoy reading them when they're there, but they don't affect my buying choices or plans/characterizations for a doll in any way.
       
    18. I rarely read them at all, nor do they influence anything. I have set characters for the dolls I want and I look for dolls that have that feel about them. If I buy one and I don't have a character, it's purely because I like the sculpt.
       
    19. those stories which written by the doll company never affect me...i dont care about. or just read it as a independent story.
      just like volks's Lost Angels Story, it just a story and i think peoplewill have another setting about their dolls.
       
    20. I like reading them just because they're in engrish :XD: