Dolls are not something I am generally "into," yesterday's post notwithstanding. But I can understand the attraction for Blythe dolls after reading about their history in the new issue of Craftzine. The dolls were originally produced in America by Kenner in 1972. They flopped. Recently, Blythe hit it big in Japan--of course--where her bizarre proportions and giant eyes echo the anime aesthetic.
Lots of new dolls have been produced since then, but the real appeal is in custom work. Collectors do everything from sewing clothes, to building new eyeballs, to re-rooting hair. I think this Blythe looks like my friend. She wants to be a doll, so it's the perfect match!
4 comments:
wanted to become a mermaid (ningyo)!
Blythe is still as popular as ever here, which allures me. With smaller ones coming out, I thought maybe I could start to afford them. They are a bit cheaper, but I'm just as frugal now with all this cash as I was when I was below the poverty line. I can't afford another addiction!
Ps- OH NOES. A quick stop to Ame-mura revealed the sweet toy store up the escalator is NO MORE! BOO HISSS!
"I though she" apparently was erased formt he beginning of that post...
Thanks Andy! I wish I could be as good looking as Blythe...I do like her dress, if I had a matching one myself I would for sure go out on Omotesando and pose on a Sunday. If I had a pet deer it would be even better. Too bad she's a day's wages over here...
(Oh, and it's true, ningyo is a pun on how I'm called 人形っぽい (ningyoppoi = doll-like) by students, but I want to become a mermaid!)
Looking like Blythe definitely seems to be a good thing. Gina Garan (author of ThisIsBlythe.com) was first introduced to the Blythe doll because some friends of hers said that there was a doll out there that looked just like her!
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