Super Dollfie

, often abbreviated SD, is a brand of ball-jointed doll, or BJD, made by the Japanese company Volks. They are cast in polyurethane resin, a porcelain-like, hard, dense plastic. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040726-665031,00.html Time Magazine, AVERY HOLTON, "Anime Girls", Sunday, Jul. 18, 2004 "a tough polyurethane-resin mix that gives them the look of porcelain"] The most common standard models are about 60cm, or 2 feet, tall, taller and heavier than most comparable Western dolls. They are designed in a style which is both realistic and influenced by animehttp://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040726-665031,00.html Time Magazine, AVERY HOLTON, "Anime Girls", Sunday, Jul. 18, 2004 "exaggerated features inspired by Japanese animation"] , and most models are anatomically correct. The various body parts have ball joints for articulation, and are strung together with a thick elastic cord.

The term "dollfie" is a contraction of the words "doll" and "figure". [Super Dollfie Catalog 2 p. 81] The original Dollfie dolls are Barbie sized vinyl figures, and the term Super Dollfie was introduced to distinguish the larger resin dolls.

"Super Dollfie", or even just "Dollfie", is sometimes erroneously used as a generic term to refer to BJDs (ball-jointed dolls) made by other companies, but it remains a registered trademark of Volks.

Overview

Super Dollfie dolls are made to be easy to customize. The hair is a wig that can easily be changed. The head can be opened to change the eyes and adjust the stringing. The face paint can be removed and the head repainted. Optional hands and feet are available, and heads and other body parts are removable and interchangeable. The resin parts themselves can be carved or sanded to reshape them.

Super Dollfie are not widely distributed, and, with a few exceptions [http://www.volks.co.jp/en/volks/index_volks.aspx there is one overseas agent and two authorized retailers] , new dolls are only available directly through Volks own events or stores, either online [ [http://www.volks.co.jp/ ボークスウェブサイト ｜ 株式会社ボークス ( VOLKS INC. ) ] ] [ [http://www.volksusa.com VOLKS USA, INC. / Tenshi no Sumika ] ] , or through their brick and mortar stores called Tenshi no Sumika (angel's nest), located throughout Japan [ [http://www.volks.co.jp/en/volks/nest/index_nest.aspx About Tenshi-no-Sumika/VOLKS INC ] ] , in South Korea [ [http://volkskorea.com/about/about.htm info ] ] and Los Angeles, California. [ [http://www.volksusa.com/info.html VOLKS USA, INC. / Tenshi no Sumika | About Volks USA, INC ] ]

Super Dollfie are collectible, customizable dolls marketed to adults. They vary in price from about 30 000 yen (about US $300) for the smallest, unassembled standard models [http://www.volks.co.jp/en/goods/index_goods.aspx?sbct=50&parts=24 retrieved 2008-06-22, MSD model kits for 31,290 yen] , up to about 150 000 yen (about US $1400) for the most exclusive larger limited dolls that come with outfits and accessories. [http://www.superdollfie.net/archive/sd17/reisner2/reisner2.html retrieved 2008-06-22, SD17 limited edition Reisner, with clothes and accessories for 155,400 yen]

On the secondary market, limited and skillfully customized Super Dollfie often fetch a price far higher than the original. There is a thriving second hand market online, where dolls are bought and sold on auction sites [ [http://listings.ebay.com/Dollfie-BJDs_Dollfie_W0QQfrisZ2QQsacatZ84635QQsocmdZListingItemList eBay category "Dollfie"] , also a good example of the colloquial Western conflation of "Dollfie" with "Super Dollfie".] [http://list4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/2084052783-category.html Yahoo! Japan auctions category Super Dollfie.] , as well as fandom forums.

New models are regularly released at Dolls Party, or Dolpa, promotional convention-like events organized by Volks several times a year in locations around Japan. Here fans can buy and sell limited and customized dolls, accessories and clothes. Dolpas have grown in scale over the years and the Dolls Party held at Tokyo Big Sight regularly has 15 000 attendees. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkXODboqQms a subtitled Japanese TV news report on Dolpa 15] [http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/plastic-fantastic-japans-doll-industry-booming Plastic fantastic: Japan's doll industry booming › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion ] ]

Tenshi no Sato [ [http://www.volks.co.jp/en/volks/tenshinosato/index.aspx VOLKS INC. - Tenshi-no-Sato/ Kachu-an ] ] (angel's home) in Kyoto is Volks headquarters and Super Dollfie museum. Here exclusive doll models are sold, and events are held where special limited editions are released. Doll repair services are also available and classes are held teaching various customization methods. Tenshi no Sato is surrounded by a traditional Japanese garden where visitors can photograph their dolls. [ [http://www.abjds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105 Tenshi no Sato - Resinality ] ] To gain entrance visitors have to book reservations in advance. [ [http://www.volks.co.jp/en/volks/tenshinosato/reserv.aspx VOLKS INC. - Tenshi-no-Sato kachu-an - Visited Reservation ] ]

The introduction of Super Dollfie has led to the creation of an increasing number of other Asian ball-jointed doll companies, most of them based in South Korea. The number of companies has grown rapidly since 2003.Fact|date=August 2007

History

In the late 1990s Volks produced a line of 1:6 scale articulated vinyl figures for hobbyist customers to finish to their own taste. Volks named these figures "Dollfie", a portmanteau of "doll" and "figure".

The first "Super Dollfie" was designed in 1999 by the sculptor Akihiro Enku. Enku sculpted a one-off doll for his wife, 57 cm tall, in what would become the Super Dollfie size and style. An executive director at Volks noticed the doll and wondered if they would be made in larger numbers.

The first Super Dollfie release was four different models, Kira, Nana, Sara and Megu, which all shared the same head mold, the standard SD "Four Sisters" head. [ [http://www.superdollfie.net/en/10th_sd/history/y1998.html 1998 | SD 10 Year History of Super Dollfie | Super Dollfie 10th Anniversary Special Web Site | VOLKS INC ] ] [ [http://www.superdollfie.net/en/10th_sd/history/y1999.html 1999 | SD 10 Year History of Super Dollfie | Super Dollfie 10th Anniversary Special Web Site | VOLKS INC ] ]

At this time Volks was a producer of resin figure kits, and the early Super Dollfie were made and sold similarly to resin kits, in very small quantities (almost build to order), and in parts, for the customer to assemble. Volks has stated that they were trying to create a female market for resin kits, which were male dominated up to that point.

The first generation SD bodies were highly detailed, but had some difficulty remaining standing, and their ball joints were very prominent.

All Super Dollfie dolls were female, until 2001 when the first boy doll, Licht, was released. The first release was a limited run of only 50 dolls, but sales were so successful that the doll was rereleased two times, and many other male dolls followed. [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/licht.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - SD10 ] ]

In 2003, Volks released a new 'skin type' (resin mixture) of the dolls called "Pure Skin".Super Dollfie Catalog 1] Pure skin has a less plastic and more skin-like, translucent look and feel. The Super Dollfie body was improved with better poseability and less conspicuous ball joints. During the change, Volks gradually phased out production of "old skin" dolls in favor of pure skin.

Old skin body parts were available separately,Super Dollfie Catalog] so buyers could easily get pieces and assemble their own custom doll. After the change to pure skin, only certain hands and feet are available to buy as optional parts, and only a few pure skin head molds and body types are readily available as completed standard models.Super Dollfie Catalog 2] The majority of Super Dollfie models are now only available as limited editions, already assembled, painted, and fully clothed.

In November 2005 Volks USA opened their first American Tenshi no Sumika store in Los Angeles, California. [ [http://www.volks.co.jp/en/event/volksusa/opening_reception.html VOLKS INC. - Tenshi-no-Sumika in LA Opening Reception ] ]

Volks USA has been holding Dolpa events in New York City every summer since 2006. [ [http://site.volksusa.com/blog/category/events/dolpa-in-nyc/ Tenshi-no-Sumika in LA Blog » Dolpa in NYC ] ]

In 2008 Japan Today reported that Volks annual sales were $50 million and that they have about 30 shops worldwide.

Culture

There is a sizeable fandom community dedicated to Super Dollfie and other ball-jointed dolls. The largest English BJD forum has over 17 000 members as of June 2008. [ [http://www.denofangels.com/forums/index.php Den of Angels ] ]

Members of the fandom customize their dolls and share photos and photo stories online. The dolls are usually named by their owner, and sometimes assigned individual characteristics and personality traits. In the West, fans organize offline doll meetups and conventions, which include other BJDs along with Super Dollfie. In Japan, Volks hold Dolpa conventions and Tenshi no Sumika store meetups. These are exclusively Super Dollfie events, and other BJD brands are not allowed.

Super Dollfie is associated with the Gothic Lolita and Lolita fashion subcultures in Japan, as well as the Cosplay subculture, with some dressing their Super Dollfie up as famous characters.

Volks hava a history of collaborating with Lolita fashion designers going back to 2002, when they released limited edition Super Dollfie with clothes designed by Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Black Peace Now and Atelier-Pierrot. [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/kira-btssb.php Kira x Baby, The Stars Shine Bright] [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/kira-atelier.php Kira x Atelier-Pierrot] [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/sara-bpn.php Sara x Black Peace Now] [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/nana-bpn.php Nana x Black Peace Now]

The character Momoko from the Lolita fashion themed movie Kamikaze Girls was released as a limited Super Dollfie, wearing a Baby, The Stars Shine Bright outfit, coinciding with the release of the movie in Japan in 2004. [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/momoko.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - SD10 ] ] .

Baby, The Stars Shine Bright have created several other Super Dollfie outfits as well. Some sold separately, some with limited edition dolls. They have also made matching human and doll sized outfits, like the outfits worn by the limited edition Toppi and Luna released in early 2007. [http://www.angelden.net/volks/msd/toppi2nd.php Toppi - Huis Ten Bosch Stroll Version, released February 22 2007] [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/luna.php Luna, released March 18 2007]

The Gothic Lolita fashion designer H. Naoto created an exclusive outfit for a limited Super Dollfie in 2006Super Dollfie Catalog 3] [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/kurumi.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - SD10 ] ] , and have since created several other Super Dollfie outfits.

Super Dollfie are heavily influenced by the anime style, but they also have some direct ties with anime and manga.

In 2003, the android character Chi from the manga and anime Chobits, as well as Yumi and Sachiko from Maria-sama ga Miteru were produced as limited edition Super Dollfie. [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/chii.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - SD10 ] ] [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd10/yumi.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - SD10 ] ] [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd13/sachiko.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - SD13 ] ]

The main characters in the manga and anime Rozen Maiden are all BJD-like "living dolls", and five of them were released as limited Super Dollfie dolls in 2005 and 2007. [ [http://ishop.tbs.co.jp/tbs/special/rozen-maiden/index.html TBS ishop ローゼンメイデン ] ] [ [http://ishop.tbs.co.jp/tbs/special/rozen-maiden2/index.html PEACH-PIT完全監修 「Rozen Maiden」オフィシャルドール第2弾 Super Dollfie 『翠星石』『蒼星石』 ] ] [ [http://ishop.tbs.co.jp/tbs/special/rozen-maiden4/index.html PEACH-PIT完全監修 「Rozen Maiden」オフィシャルドール第3弾Super Dollfie 『水銀燈』『雛苺＆くんくん』 ] ] [ [http://ishop.tbs.co.jp/tbs/special/rozen-maiden4/hinaichigo.html PEACH-PIT完全監修 「Rozen Maiden」オフィシャルドール第3弾Super Dollfie 『水銀燈』『雛苺＆くんくん』 ] ]

A fashion shoot with Super Dollfie was featured in the November 2007 issue of Vogue Nippon.

Super Dollfie are featured in the 2004 South Korean horror film Doll Master.

The virtual band Mistula is composed of customized ball-jointed dolls, several of which are Super Dollfie.

The 2006 "Kawaii" episode of the British TV series Japanorama featured a segment on Super Dollfie. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ15YTuR7yI the Super Dollfie segment from Japanorama]

uper Dollfie Models

Super Dollfie, or SD, was the first model, introduced in 1999. The current pure skin models are about 55 cm tall, while the original version was slightly taller at 57 cm. Sometimes referred to as "Super Dollfie 10" or "SD10" to specifically refer to the size versus the whole line of dolls.

Super Dollfie 13, or SD13, are more mature and slightly taller than the plain Super Dollfie, SD13 boys are 60cm, and girls 57 cm. When they were released in December 2001 they were an improvement on the original SD body, with less prominent ball joints.

Mini Super Dollfie, or MSD, are more child-like and shorter, about 42cm tall. They were introduced in September 2001

The standard names SD, SD13 and MSD, or just "mini", are sometimes used to describe the size of BJDs from other companies as well.

Yo-SD, from the Japanese Nihongo|"infant"|幼|yō, are only available as limited editions, but they have been released several times. Younger looking than MSD, they are 26.5 cm tall, and were first released in 2004. [Super Dollfie Catalog 3 pp. 129-134]

In addition to these models, there are also the limited edition SD16 and SD17, which are more mature than SD13 and about 65 cm tall, and SDCute, which are about as tall as MSD, but more mature. The regular SD versions are anatomically correct, but there are also limited genderless Tenshi, or "angel", editions. [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/tenshi/index.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - Tenshi ] ] Sei-Tenshi and Rei-Tenshi are smaller than Yo-SD and not for sale, but only given out at promotional events. [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/tenshi/seitenshi.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - Tenshi ] ] [ [http://www.angelden.net/volks/tenshi/reitenshi.php Where Angels Lie - A Super Dollfie Database - Tenshi ] ]

Super Dollfie buyers can also create a customized doll with the Full Choice System, or FCS. Through FCS, the buyer selects from various options including body type, head mold, eye color, wig style, and cosmetics style, and the doll is then assembled by Volks. [ [http://www.angelden.net/fcs/ Creating Dreams - Volks FCS ] ]

Different FCS head molds are distinguished by numbers, not names like the pre-assembled models, with for example F-16 being a popular mold. [ [http://www.angelden.net/fcs/heads/sd-f16.html Creating Dreams - Volks FCS - SD10 and SD13 FCS - Head Molds ] ]

FCS is not available online, but only through Volks physical Tenshi no Sumika stores or through Tenshi no Sato, [ [http://www.volks.co.jp/en/superdollfie/full_choice/index_full_choice.aspx Super Dollfie Full Choice/Volks Website ] ] where the FCS service has additional options.

ee also

* Ball-jointed doll
* Dollfie

Notes and References

Bibliography

* cite book
year = 2003
title = nihongo|"Super Dollfie Catalog"|スーパードルフィー パーフェクトカタログ
publisher = Asahi Sonorama
location = Japan
isbn = 4257036869
ref=Cat1
* cite book
year = 2005
title = nihongo|"Super Dollfie Catalog 2"|スーパードルフィー パーフェクトカタログ (2)
publisher = Asahi Sonorama
location = Japan
isbn = 4257037091
ref=Cat2
* cite book
year = 2007
title = nihongo|"Super Dollfie Catalog 3"|スーパードルフィーパーフェクトカタログ 3
publisher = Asahi Sonorama
location = Japan
isbn = 4257037393
ref=Cat3

External links

* [http://www.volks.co.jp/ Volks Japan] official site
* [http://www.volksusa.com/ Volks USA] official site
* [http://www.superdollfie.net/ SuperDollfie.net] official information site
* [http://www.angelden.net/volks/index.php Where Angels Lie] A Volks Super Dollfie Database.