Your opinion on dolls who are made into celebrities or fandom characters

The thing that really amuses me right now, actually, in looking back over this whole discussion... I know a lot of people who don't do fan dolls have their dolls cosplay as characters from things they are fans of (or that their dolls' original characters are fans of)-- but I realized recently that once the fan doll I'm saving for is complete... he'd be able to easily 'cosplay' as one of my original characters! (there are some differences, but they're the kind of differences that don't come through much in dolls... Anyway, it just struck me as funny how I'd be able to do it 'backwards'.)

 

I have a 12cm doll I'm working on making into Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, but aside from that all my dolls are their own characters. Evren, my doll nearest completion, asserted his personality himself after I got him, but David, currently just a floating head, is an existing character of my girlfriend and mine that I'm shelling into a doll. So I guess I have a range of origin stories for where their personalities came from.

 

I'm rather guilty of it myself but mimicry is the best form of flattery after all. I like creating my own characters but there are a few I'd like who I would like to have around. I have a Severus Snape doll with Alan Rickman MNM head and have a Bill Kaulitz head on the way to create my favourite singer to have with me.


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I have a growing collection of 1/4 Angel of Dream dolls that are characters based off the anime Outlaw Star.
It's a dream I had for many years; and it started with re-rooting/painting/sewing Barbies/Kens... I no longer have my "prototypes".
I purposely changed some things, but mainly they are "themselves".
Photo-shoot of them in "Cosplay" as "themselves":
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?582723-1-4-AOD-Outlaw-Star-Photo-Shoot

For more info about them/how they are coming along:
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?578538-AOD-1-4-Outlaw-Star-Crew-in-the-works

They aren't "perfect" or "100% Anime Accurate", but I'm enjoying them.
I someday wish to have them cosplay as other characters & each-other.
The "Wish" list: Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, Yu Yu hakusho, Princess Mononoke & Ninja Scroll... cosplay's eventually.
During 14 years of research, I constantly changed my ideas for sizes, sculpts, companies... trying to make each one "perfect".
I realized it would be impossible to have them all the "correct" heights/skin tones/etc. without it being too stressful/difficult/overwhelming.
I decided to pick a company I liked, and try to get as many characters from one company as possible.
That way they can share wigs, clothes, eyes, shoes, accessories... almost everything.
9/4/2012 Melfina came home and that was the beginning!
So far I plan on all of them being AoD's except one: Jim, I want him to be shorter.

I plan to have a fan made(?) Outlaw Star character Melb from a "manga" (inappropriate) that I'm spinning in a new direction.
I'm using the idea (and name?) of that character, and making it my own.
Also, I'm thinking of creating an additional character Kent Crescentwave, based off original Outlaw Star drafts/art, that I gave a name and back story to.
His name is my own "spin off" of Gene Starwind's added to my Superman "Clark Kent" fandom.

Not to worry, cosplay isn't the only thing they do!
They each have their own "personalities", interest, likes/dislikes, and I like them to "interact".
Example: http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?596174-1-4-AOD-Outlaw-West-Test
2013 Halloween: http://www.denofangels.com/forums/s...e-Trick-or-Treating!-(Group-Homosexual-Funny)
2013 Christmas: http://www.denofangels.com/forums/s...ristmas-Group-of-1-4-AoD-s!-(36-large-photos)

Long story short:
Sculpts that look EXACTLY like celebrity's creep me out.
Fandom BJD's... as you can tell, I thoroughly enjoy!
Bottom line: To each their own, collect what you like, have fun with it, and enjoy your doll(s)!

 

I'm not so much a fan of the ones that look like human celebrities, though I find them interesting. I do, however, love to look at the cosplay/character based dolls. Oh, what I would do for Crobidoll's Amnesia Shin...~ (though if they make Kent, I'd much rather have him. Ohoho~)

 

I don't believe any art is unique. Everything comes from something. If people want to have celebrity/character dolls, then that's cool. I wouldn't have a copy of anything though. I'd rather have a doll that embodies a certain type of character, or several characters, in one, kind of different character. For example, I'd love to have a sculpt of a baby faced, kind of gawky teen boy in SD or MSD, who was all dressed up and made up in gothic colours and clothes. He'd be like a writer I really like (the cute, geeky type), mixed with Edward Scissorhands, Eric Draven and lots of other androgynous, cool goth boy characters.

I also like how some people name their doll after a character and base them off that character, but take them on a different direction. Lorti is one of my biggest (and earliest) inspirations in this hobby with Chii. She did amazing things with her. But she wasn't a carbon copy of the persocom. She had her own story and likes and dislikes and what not and the sculpt wasn't super similar either.

Hmm. Come to think of it, even my original characters are based off types of characters or celebrity looks, spliced up with all my favourite bits, put together. I think that's pretty normal for people though.

 

I've never had a doll based on a real person, nor do I think I would ever do so, but I'm not going to look down my nose at anybody who brings in a mini-Cumberbatch or whoever. On the other hand, I have several dolls based on characters. I've got my dear Eleventy, and Johnny Storm the Human Torch, and Condor Joe from Gatchaman. The rest of my dolls are OCs, although Chaeri loves cosplay. She's gone to cons dressed up as Hell Girl, Mina from Doll Master, and even the tanned chick from the old "creamsicle" meme.

Bottom line: This is a hobby, not a competition. Inspiration is inspiration, and whether it comes from your TV screen, your DVD collection, anime/manga, real life or your own imagination--it's all good.

 

When i bought my doll i want him to look like exo's luhan or D.O and i never see one so i might continue my idea

 

I have a doll in mind for Luhan.... XD But I didn't set out to do that, I just happened across a doll that immediately I thought looked so much like him! And of course put him on my wishlist. XD

 

Personally I dislike the idea of dressing dolls up as celebrities, but I love the idea of fandom dolls! I collect action figures, and it would be like having a big, extra customizable action figure.

I waffle on the sculpts based off of actors... on one hand, there are movie dolls I would like to make. On the other, it is kind of creepy to base a doll off of a real person's face, especially when it is doubtful the artist every got permission to do so.

 

The two MNM heads I have are both Tom Hiddleston as I'm making Loki from the avengers. The pink head is going to be his Asgard head and the white is going to become his blue frost giant Jotun head. I also collect action figures of characters I like so (like the person above pointed out) this is sort of like having a big action figure that I can customize myself.
Here's a pic of the two blank heads. I can't wait till I get them face-upped.



I'm also going to turn an Iplehouse Claude into my version of Thor eventually.

Here's a link to the Tom Hiddleston MNM thread: http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?562937-DIM-Tom-Hiddleston-Discussion-Thread

It's interesting seeing how different the same sculpt can look once customized.

 

@Kavarr

I so want to see all three of these dolls when they are done so much! Loki is totally one of the dolls I want to make. In fact, if I had the money. I would go for a movie Loki, JiM kid Loki and AoA Loki. I love the character.

 

I think dolls dressed up as celebrities etc can be really cool if done right. She's not a celebrity, but I do dream of a Hatsune Miku doll some day...

 

Character dolls have always been a part of the hobby, and why not? I love it when someone makes a really fabulous BJD out of an existing character, because I can appreciate all the effort they went to getting things accurately represented. (IIRC, someone out there even sculpted her own Sephiroth head just to make sure he looked perfect.)

 

For me everybody suppose to be doing what they like with the dolls they are buying and spending the money for, right? If somebody feels happy having the doll like that it's good enough reason for making the doll into celebrity/fandom character. Probably it can be little harder to make doll like this as you have quite strict references to stick to. It's just not my thing.

 

They're cool, but I wouldn't want one.

 

While I don't own one yet or plan to have one atm, I've seen some around that are awesome. Their owners have done a great job at customizing them to look like the character, actor, singer, etc. However, I always wonder what type of reaction (if the doll is modeled after an actual person ie actor, singer, model) would they have to seeing their mini me.

 

I like them but to me they will always look like the doll is wearing an elaborate Halloween costume or cosplay. Still fun to see though

 

I did that with one of my dolls but only because when i saw the doll he reminded me of one of my favorite anime characters and I couldn't resist. I don't see an issue with it. Whatever makes the doll owner happy. ^.^

 

My first doll is going to be an OC named Aria however... I plan on creating BJD Hanson's. I have loved the band Hanson since 1997 and as they've never released dolls and probably never will... I decided I'd find sculpts that could be them (with the right faceup, clothes and accessories) I think it will be fun to really get the details right so that the dolls will be as true to their RL counterparts as possible. I write a lot of Hanson fanfic and I think it'll be extra fun to be able re-enact some of my favorite scenes with my BJD Hanson's. This is something I've wanted for a long time and as I've liked Hanson for almost 17 years I don't see this as a passing fancy. I think as long as the doll owner is happy and enjoying their collection, that is all that should matter.

I am also considering getting one of the Bill Kaulitz molds one day too...