Help choosing next doll. LOTS of questions (long post)

[Xenokitten]

Is there somewhere that one can find a full listing of non-limited, non-retired, currently available BJD in either vinyl or ABS? I am aware of the following manufacturers, specifically I am looking for preferrably MSD or SD sized:

Obitsu
Dollfie Dream
Hujoo
Doll-in-mind (only has 1 and it's a "tiny")
Dollmore "fashion" dolls (also "tiny" i believe)
I think Ipplehouse used to have a set of "twins" that were abs or vinyl, but i could no longer find them on their site.
Pure Nemo (not really a "bjd" per say, but close enough for me really)
Azone (what is the difference between azone and pure nemo or are they the same thing? lol)

Are there any other companies that make these types of dolls?

And in your opinion if I am looking for poseability as well as uhh stability i guess for lack of a better word (ex: i hear DD topple over and can't stand well), what doll would be best for me?

I own a super old obitsu gretel that I have had in my possession now for 6 or 7 years and was in someone else's possession for 2 to 3 years prior to that, but she is really really really yellow/green and stained O_O; from all the years of use and "play" (dress up and photoshoots). I loved the magnetic stand that it came on. That really aided the photoshoot thing which is my main hobby when it comes to dolls, that and faceups, I can't sew . So photoshoots are really important to me.

I just bought a hujoo dana last year, around black friday actually when junkyspot had hujoos on sale. I really like her too, she's super sturdy and stable. But most of the hujoo sculpts (faces) don't appeal to me.

I've never owned any other vinyls/abs's, but I've always wanted a dollfie dream. I put animetic eyes into my hujoo dana, but she still isn't as anime looking as a DD would be. Is it true that they do not standup very well? I have always heard that obitsu have much better bodies. -- If I wanted to do an Obitsu / DD hybrid... what skin tones would I need? I read one time (years ago) that Obitsu normal was much darker than DD normal and to get the white Obitsu body and normal DD head. Is that still the case? Would I need a connector? Would I be able to buy said connector somewhere or have to fashion one out of something myself? It's possible DD bodies have improved over the years, like I said i've had my obitsu for nearly 8 years, so when I was researching all this stuff, it was like forever ago .

I also don't know much about Pure Nemos and Azones... like.... I've heard that you buy different leg parts for pure nemo to change her pose, so does she not "move" (or bend or whatever), and it's kinda like legos or something that you snap together? lol. I dunno how that all works.

Also I saw some dolls are made out of silicone these days? (they were called POPMate or something I think) How's that all work? what are they like stability and pose-ability wise? Is their hair rooted? Eyes set or painted? Is silicone safe to touch and play with? - I guess it is if they make human breast implants out of it lol. -- Is it also safe/nontoxic around pets? Not that I intentionally let my pets near my dolls, just wondering.

Also, are dollfie dreams and similar dolls hard to assemble? My hujoo dana came fully assembled, and my obitsu gretel came mostly assembled (body was put together, but the head never fit quite right, i felt like it was missing a connector or something, its head is super loose and would roll off in transportation lots of times). It seems like other than the "white albulm" girls on volksusa site that the other DD are kits of some kind. Do the pieces just kinda snap together like a lego (i know its obviously not exactly like a lego just couldn't think of another example) or what??? I know they're not strung, so I'm just wondering how they are put together and if it's difficult. lol.

Sorry for rambling, just been thinking about buying myself a dollie for the holidays if i get any extra money, and trying to decide which one I want

In your opinion -- out of all the vinyl and abs dollies out there, which one is the best for photoshoots (able to stand, able to touch it's own face, able to pose, able to sit, able to bend/move, etc.) I don't mind seeing the actual "joints" I know thats one of the big complaints about obitsu as opposed to resin dollies, but it never has bothered me.

thanks for taking the time to read (and hopefully respond) <3

[zirconmermaid]

Go with an Obitsu, they now come in many more sizes than your Gretel. If you get the 50cm or smaller, they are much more posable and less prone to joint breakage. There isn't much help with staining other than white bodysuits under things, plus buying Formula 911 and Remove-zit from Twin Pines of Maine. Even your older Gretel can become new and shiny again. The twins you referred to are probably the Customhouse set, not Iplehouse. They are vinyl and strung. I don't think they are currently available. There are now more anime options available for heads also.

When you speak of DD dolls being more animetic, I assume you mean the heads. You can put a Volks head on an Obitsu body if you prefer the posing of the Obitsu and the magnetic stand. You can even put a resin head on a vinyl body and vice versa. I suggest you find the head you like, then get a body to go with it. If you decide you want a DD, you can order through Volks USA, they aren't hard to get at all.

There isn't one place to see everything, sorry. I buy my Obitsu from Junkyspot. You can look at Parabox for what is available, then if Emory doesn't have it he can usually order it. I think Hujoo is the only ABS out there, I can't think of any others. Volks and Obitsu are the primary vinyl dolls. I don't recommend the silicone dolls, since they are very maintenance heavy. Pretty, but hard to handle. I have only seen one Pure Neemo, they are tiny. The one I saw was about 8 inches tall.

Check out the MADh Vinyl stories to see the 50cm Obitsu. Most of the characters are dolls that used the Obitsu skeleton and custom vinyl outer parts. They are not marketed in the US, and had to be ordered from Japan through proxies. The standard Obitsu 50cm and smaller are just as posable. There are informative posts in that section of the forum. K2! can explain it better. The dolls in MADh Vinyl pose like a dream!

[Nunubit]

Azone Pure Neemo is their 1/6th line. They have to types, the solid type you were talking about, and their flextion line is their articulated version, coming in 4 sizes. They do not have anywhere near the flexibility of obitsus, but they have a wide variety of clothing available to buy, even if it is pricey.

Azone's larger dolls use obitsu bodies. They also have a 1/12 size, the Picco Neemo, that is less baby-ish than the bitty bitsu. There are two versions, the S and the D, the S is like just a mini version of the pure neemo, while the D is more deformed, with big hands and feet. I have both the 12 cm Obitsu and a Picco Neemo D, and while once again, obitsu wins out in flexibility, I prefer my picco neemo because I don't deal with the peg system well, plus I prefer the less baby shape.

Obitsus, though have an easier type getting clothing, especially their 1/6 ones, as the 27 cm fits well in barbie clothes, and the hard bust 21 cm can fit in some Monster High clothes.

The 1/6 non-yosd hujoos fit in Blythe Clothes, as long as they can accommodate the hujoo hands that are bigger than blythe hands.

[SetsunaKou]

And in your opinion if I am looking for poseability as well as uhh stability i guess for lack of a better word (ex: i hear DD topple over and can't stand well), what doll would be best for me?

If I wanted to do an Obitsu / DD hybrid... what skin tones would I need? I read one time (years ago) that Obitsu normal was much darker than DD normal and to get the white Obitsu body and normal DD head. Is that still the case? Would I need a connector? Would I be able to buy said connector somewhere or have to fashion one out of something myself? It's possible DD bodies have improved over the years, like I said i've had my obitsu for nearly 8 years, so when I was researching all this stuff, it was like forever ago .

thanks for taking the time to read (and hopefully respond) <3

For stability, the Obitsu is MUCH better than Volks but the Volks heads are much nicer than Obitsu (particularly the 'anime' ones, which I assume you're looking for. ^^)
I hybrid them all the time---and you're right, buy the Volks NORMAL skin DD head or MDD head, and then the Obitsu WHITE skintone body. ^^ The 50cm is very pretty if you're looking for something smaller than the 60cm but still 'mature' looking. (Not childish.)

The Volks head won't fit on the Obitsu body without a bit of modding but it's very possible. My sis and I have 10 60cm Volks/Obitsu hybrids.
The Volks DD body is very beautiful (a tad more realistic looking than Obitsu 60cm) but it is still weak, particularly in the knees. They're always buckling over and they don't have the magnet option. ^^ The Obitsu 50cm is almost or equally as beautiful as the Volks DD, so you might really like that model.

Good luck!!

[Iwa_Hoshi]

If you are looking at anime based heads. There's SQ Lab and their range of anime heads made of resin. Not entirely sure how these heads connect to their DD/Obitsu body but its always worth emailing them to check.They started to do their own bodies as well. And then there's Luts with their Amy and Betty as well



As for Neemos, the older one are kitswith removable parts, 2nd generation is a little more articulated and current 3rd generation has an improved body even though they're still no Obitsu when it comes to posing. Then again they were made with the idea of being photographic models with as little articulation joints/seems being obviously seen as possble

[victoriavictrix]

Another vote for the 50cm Obitsu body hybridized with a Volks (or resin) head. You will be very happy with the poseability AND the head sculpt.

[oniakki]

I'm a big fan of the Obitsu50 myself. And I really like many of the SQ Lab sculpts, but can't yet afford to get any ;.;

I can also confirm the Volks DD Normal matches Obitsu White.

[K2!]

Get the Obitsu 50cm.
I started with Obitsus and Dollfie Dreams. I now have 4 DDs and an embarrassing amount of Obitsu 50cms. If posing is number one on your list, the Obitsu 50cm, where ever it comes from: Azone, Yamato, Angel Philia, or Obitsu, will not disappoint.
Most Obitsu 50cms are white skin. As previously noted by oniakki, Volks normal goes with Obitsu white skin.

Tutorial for mounting DD heads on Obitsu bodies:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/mimiwoo/archives/51569280.html