"Those Anime Dolls"- Does the connection bother you?

Hm, this is difficult. On one hand I love anime and can see how people would think many of the dolls have a similar look (AKA: "Oh, that's a cool doll. Is it from one of those anime"). On the other, if someone actually called my doll an anime doll, like Nirvaria, I would get upset and clear up the situation ASAP. So I guess it depends on the doll they're talking about, and how they talk about it (mean, interested, etc.)

 

There you go. It wasn't for me, but Rozen Maiden certainly made a BIG difference. After that show, I went from just wanting dolls as statues to actually interacting with them.

Anime = Japan = BJD. It just happens.

 

I came indirectly to BJDs through other otaku/fangirls/fujoshi/whathaveyou, and Volks's strong connection with the anime industry and aesthetic certainly comes through in much of what's still going on in the BJD world today.

I'd still be mildly annoyed by "those anime dolls" because not all of them are directly related to anime, just as I get annoyed when people mix up the terms anime and manga (which, btw, tonnes of Japanese people do ). Not because it's offensive, but because it's not 100% accurate. If they said "anime-style dolls" or something like that, I'd just roll with it.

 

I came to larger dolls BECAUSE of anime, so I actually love it if my dolls are associated with it. It is my goal. Then again, I mostly collect Dollfie Dreams and Obitsus.

What bugs me more is when people think that DDs/anime and otaku are only associated with freaky geeky guys. That burns by behind.

I am female, married and love my super sexy Dollfie Dream dollies who do look like anime characters. I also love my shy young CH Choa who looks like Toph from Airbender (another anime, not Japanese).

No, doesn't bother me at all.

 

This has been said several times before in this thread, but I think it's important to keep in mind. The ABJD hobby has a history (as does any hobby). There was a context that inspired the first Asian ball-jointed doll, and that context was anime. Volks, known for its anime-style figures and garage kits, designed the first ball-jointed doll (as we know them, for the tradition of ball-jointed dolls has been around over 150 years) in 1998. The dolls caught on like wildfire in Japan, and from there, the interest spread to other countries, especially Korea. From several companies, we now have many companies and individual artists ... from purely anime-styled sculpts, the art/hobby has evolved to incorporate more realistic as well as fantastical sculpts. Ball-jointed engineering has developed alongside these changes.

You may not like the anime connection, and you may not have come to the hobby via a love of anime, but you can't deny the relationship. That relationship is the source of the doll or dolls you paid lots of money to bring home. To tell someone, "It's not an anime doll" is incorrect. It's far nicer (and more correct) to say, "You know, that's pretty observant of you. This type of doll was originally inspired by anime, though a lot's changed since then."

Nothing exists outside of a context. Everything has a history. To ignore the connections is really a disservice if one of our goals is to foster good will and rapport ... and perhaps even cultivate further interest in a rewarding experience.

 

It doesn't bother me, probably because I'm considered an anime kid anyway. Usually anything remotely Japanese is associated with anime nowadays anyway.

 

I found BJDs because of anime :\ Some of them don't really look a lot like they could be in anime(lies! They're all animeish even if they don't want to be!)
I suppose it really depends on the owner and how they view their dolls.
Some of SOOM's I'd never put in the 'anime' catagory, but like fairemma said... Most of Volks do... *shrugs*
I love BJDs and anime and my girly boys. I have to say 'my anime doll' sometimes for people to understand that Amadis isn't a old fanshion doll.

 

I first found out about BJD from Devianatrt.

But it does kinda bug me how ppl makes the connection between anime and dolls. It's like saying anime is the same as manga whereas , one is a 'video' adn the other is a book, yet they are similar to each other.

That's just me
D:

 

I think even if dolls have a very fascinating story behind by their own, the entire concept of "ABJD" make the "A" for "Asian" in a obvious way, this includes this type of dolls inevitably into a larger group of cultural symbols, you can't go to Japan and do not think in Anime, Goldfish, and Katanas, it's all part of a history, a culture, a group. Does this means the swords doesn't have a history of their own?, or the selective breeding of the goldfish?, NO, absolutely not, they do have also it's history and they are no less for being included into the "Anime" culture group, they are part of something much more bigger and that's in my opinion a good thing, I really don't see why anyone should hate or care if they do relate BJDs to Anime... I honestly have a Vocaloid Miku and it's one of my most interesting BJDs...

 

People at work asked me what are those "Anime/cosplay dolls" and yes, it irritated me a little. Although I am a cosplayer, I do not think the dolls in any way related to the whole issue.

 

It doesn't really bother me at all, honestly. Well, the generalisation is a little annoying, but it's not surprising.

 

in some ways i actually find it MUCH easier to explain my dolls to someone who has never seen them as "Somewhat anime type dolls..." of course i know they (in most cases) arent but to others...it may be the only way the ghrasp what im saying

 

I kinda find these "OMG people not in the hobby don't understand the hobby and do thinks like calling my dolls BARBIES or COSPLAY DOLLS is SOOOOO OFFENSSSIIIIVE!" threads funny.

Take it from the perspective of someone outside of the fandom. The majority of the dolls look like anime characters to someone who only knows "Anime = big eyes tiny mouth and nose."

Also, think about how much detail you know about *their* hobbies as well. Example: You don't like football. A co-worker has a football poster up on the wall with a player standing in the middle of the field, just smiling. Would you be able to tell what position their favorite player played just from looking at the poster? You might say "Hey, cool, is he the quarterback?" and they'd look at you in shock and say "Of course not, can't you tell from his size he's a linebacker?"

Or if your friend was a foodie and they brought you a pile of mushrooms, would you be able to tell which ones were gourmet and which ones came from the cheap bin at the low-end grocery store? They'd just all be mushrooms to you.

 

Not a bother to me at all seems quite trivial.

 

I like anime and bjd's but not as one. :/ idk why, my mom says "it's just her anime doll things" I'm like :c but he has nothing to do with anime~

 

Both of these analogies are so wonderful. Before I 'got into' football, I wouldn't have known a QB from a DT or a Falcon from a Raven. Same with some foods (though I do like football and dolls more than food...lol). But it is true. A doll is a doll to most people who don't collect. I take it is 'nice' that they show an interest at all. Most people couldn't care less.

 

I am into cosplay, and anime, and manga. Honestly, those were the first things that I got into ( and I still am). I mean, dolls modelled after anime are nice, but somehow, they dont seem very right to me (No offence). Yes, my doll has NOTHING to do with my manga ramblings, and they are two separate things altogether. (I know some people put them together, but this is the way i feel).

 

In general, I wish anime would leave the picture for a lot of asian things.
I guess with my past experiences with the anime fandom entering other completely unrelated fandoms... I do rather dislike the assumption anyone with a BJD is an "otaku". (For the record, I do like anime, and I'm even bordering a fangirl for certain ones... but I'm definately not over the top, and irl I try to keep my interest in anime on the down-low. Even if that is unhealthy. )
Sorry for going off on a tangent, but the reason I dislike the anime fandom was what it did to jrock. Yes, there was a time when jrock was just an alternative to american/european metal/rock/whatever... and not some statement for japanophiles to toss around.
I went to my last jrock concert 3 years ago, the fanbase has changed way too much for me to even consider going back to one.
And having that "over the top, easily excitable japanophile" tact on to BJD's... it's rather annoying.

 

i am into anime/manga.. but i am ok with them saying " oh japanese dolls! " , but i kinda dislike them saying that my dolls are barbie dolls, i will correct them and tell them they are BJDs. xD

 

I found BJDs at an anime convention, yes, but for some reason when I brought mine home and started doing more research the connection dissipated. I do not watch a lot of anime anymore, at all, but I still love BJDs....I just don't like being pinned an 'Otaku' just because I like my dolls