What doll got you into the hobby?

The first time I saw the Dollmore Youth Eve Lillis Liv and, ironically, I have never owned her.

 

I don't know what the first BJD I saw was - I think I first found out about them looking up doll sewing tutorials on DeviantArt! It must have been like, late 00s, early 10s. Every once and a while in my doll sewing searches, these cute, strangely realistic dolls (compared to fashion and fabric dolls) would pop up. I didn't know any sculpts or anything, but I poked around at the idea of getting a cheaper one or something similar in a different material for years and years.

Then like, last year or so? I heard of Impldoll, looked them up, and Avery was just so cute! I decided he'd be my reward to myself for paying off my student loans.

Now I just need him to ship...

 

I first saw Mui Chan by ixdoll. I bought her and regretfully sold her. I don’t see the resin ones anymore. She did have weak magnets and a meh face up which all could have been fixed now, but that was so long ago.

 

For me it was the Volks Dollfie Dream Sirius. Many years ago I found the Volks Japan website while looking at firgures. I stumbled into the doll section on the site, and the rest is history

 

Dollfie Dream Sasara! Back in the late 00s, I used to spend hours playing Pacthesis dating simulators on deviantArt and decided on a whim to check out some of her other stuff, which included a few images of her DD Sasara. I fell in love immediately and have been hooked on the hobby ever since. Unfortunately, I think owning her is going to be forever out of my reach, but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for being the gateway to this huge part of my life.

 

Don't remember exactly where I first saw it, but the doll that got me into the hobby was the Soom Heliot -God Master- fantasy doll. Never owned him yet but if the chance comes, I'm definitely scooping him up!

 

I wish I could remember which specific sculpt I saw first, but the one that inspired me to me to actively join the hobby was the Luts Delf Art Anarchy in Heaven Dark Soo. She was sold out long before I saw her and with a LE of 5, I knew I would never own her, but I do own a LTF DES and have a MNF DES on the way, which is close enough for me.

 

Haute doll magazine for me too, musedoll Re-Che on the cover was the first bjd I ever saw. I finally got a Re-che a couple years ago but now I can't figure out what kind of character to make it

 

It was Migidoll Ryu for me. I saw one on DeviantArt back in 2008 and knew I had to have one. I didn't end up getting one as my first doll - I went for a Miho instead for some reason - but I have owned two Ryus in my time (both of them sold now). I'd still really like to have one, even though they are a little too much on the realistic side for me nowadays. It's just a really nostalgic sculpt for me, and gives me all the feels

 

The doll that got me into this hobby I cannot say because the artist is not DoA friendly.
But since then the artist actually just announced she won't be making any more of the doll.

 

For me it was Volks old F-28, owned by a friend from school which I saw at her booth at a cosplay/Japanese pop culture convention back in 2002 or 2003. It was my first encounter with bjds and I was blown away by their beauty and how their appearance could be changed with different wigs and eyes. I never got an old F-28 or F-16 as I subsequently realised I preferred the similar yet slightly sharper features of Lucas/Chris, and my Chris has been with me since 2008. But the old F-28/F-16 sculpt will always be special to me.

 

For me, I think it was Iplehouse in general that really drew me into the hobby. I think I had just finished watching the Angelic Layer anime, and google showed me this company somehow. I was amazed by the realism of the sculpts. Years later, I do not own any Iplehouse dolls yet, but I did recently get my first bjd.

 

Dream of Teen Homme Ducan!! I saw Ducan when I was 12 and absolutely fell in love!! I didn’t ever think that I could afford him but I kept hoping and hoping that I could. Finally, 10 years later, a lovely woman was selling him and I was able to buy him from her on layaway!! I was so joyed and I’m still joyed that I have him to this day!!

 

For me it was LUTS KDF Pine! His cute eyes and small smile are what really drew me in! I've yet to get him since I was unsure which OC to shell; I've gotten other LUTS sculpts, but he is definitely my next LUTS purchase!!

 

Volks Tae 2, although I didn't manage to find a full-set one until 11 years later. My first dolls came from Bluefairy (Emily and Tommy).

 

The first pics I saw that I liked were of the Volks SD13 girls, both the original 4 Sisters and Yori. I also really liked Dream of Doll DOT Shall and E-an and would get the fullsets of both if I had infinite money. The sculpt I ended up buying first was CP Delf Miyu. I still have her!

 

I've adored Yuki dolls, but they are too big for me (I like adult looking dolls up to 30 cm). Therefore I don't own one of them, but luckily the author of Yuki dolls has collaborated with Studio Milim, and now I own that 27 cm cutie

 

My friend in high school introduced me to Volks dolls- I thought they were pretty cool, but couldn't imagine spending that much money on one. Another friend had some BJDs that were cute but I didn't feel anything for them. Then I saw a Delf Moon. Until that point all BJDs I'd seen were very... adorable, but Moon was more serious and intense. He was so amazing! That's when I was first able to rationalize the money

 

I remember looking at Bjd on DeviantArt during middle school and liking them, but the doll that made me really go “oh man, I want to own that” was Granado’s first release of Uriel in 2017. I didn’t start collecting until I could evaluate my finances and decide that this was something I could afford, but I was able to finally bring a Uriel home (and a gaggle of other dolls).

 

Soom Sabik was the guy who drew me in the first time years and years ago. Didn't have the money and forgot about them for awhile. Then discovered Ringdoll Red King....somehow a few years ago and I've been doomed since.