Another month another limited release! Once again there are a ton of new fun and limited items for the Dollfie Dream collector out there. I am not going to list them all here since there are so many, click the link above to go directly to the information page, and happy buying!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
February 2012 Collection
Another month another limited release! Once again there are a ton of new fun and limited items for the Dollfie Dream collector out there. I am not going to list them all here since there are so many, click the link above to go directly to the information page, and happy buying!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Dollfie Dream from Scratch - Part 5 - Assembly
Reprinted by permission of the original creator Alexander Shen of http://www.alexandershen.com/ creator of Gashapon Shop
Attaching the Back of the Head
I'm not sure if it's the seam combined with the semi-elastic band around the wig, but it cause the wig from slipping off to the back. I then pulled the bottom portion of the wig back to near the neck.
After you get the wig securely on the Dollfie Dream head, you've now completed what I consider to be the key portion of a Dollfie Dream: the head! Sit back and admire the work you've just done, as well as the money you've saved. This head is now completely 100% original and there is no one else in the world that has one like this. I'd like to think mine turned out pretty good! I can't say it matches the professionals at Volks, but I'm very happy with, as Danny Choo puts it, my first daughter.
Now you're free to purchase the Basic Body II and dress her to your liking with the $92 you saved! Thanks for checking this out and feel free to pass this along! Good luck, fellow hobbyists!
Well folks that's it! I want to thank Alexander Shen for allowing me to reprint these articles, and I hope you have all had a chance to learn more about buying and painting your first Dollfie Dream, and that it isn't as scary as it seems!
Attaching the Back of the Head
I wish I could have provided a video or some kind of image sequence that accurately depicts how "difficult" it is to get the back of the head to connect properly. It's not that it's loose, but the complete opposite. It's made significantly larger than the hole, so you have to force it in. Just be careful of your paint job and don't be bending any pieces. Just be patient and keep working it. It'll go in.
Slipperiest Wig in the Universe
When I first tried attaching the wig, it just would not stay. It kept falling off and I figured that I needed to use some double-sided tape or get one of those Volks non-slip wig covers. Then I looked at the diagram that came with the wig. I placed the top of the wig where the back of the head connected to the front of the head where the seam is.
I'm not sure if it's the seam combined with the semi-elastic band around the wig, but it cause the wig from slipping off to the back. I then pulled the bottom portion of the wig back to near the neck.
After you get the wig securely on the Dollfie Dream head, you've now completed what I consider to be the key portion of a Dollfie Dream: the head! Sit back and admire the work you've just done, as well as the money you've saved. This head is now completely 100% original and there is no one else in the world that has one like this. I'd like to think mine turned out pretty good! I can't say it matches the professionals at Volks, but I'm very happy with, as Danny Choo puts it, my first daughter.
Now you're free to purchase the Basic Body II and dress her to your liking with the $92 you saved! Thanks for checking this out and feel free to pass this along! Good luck, fellow hobbyists!
Well folks that's it! I want to thank Alexander Shen for allowing me to reprint these articles, and I hope you have all had a chance to learn more about buying and painting your first Dollfie Dream, and that it isn't as scary as it seems!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Dollfie Dream from Scratch - Part 4 - Eyes
Reprinted by permission of the original creator Alexander Shen of www.alexandershen.com and creator of Gashapon Shop
What's Inside the Head
This is what the inside of a Dollfie Dream head looks like. It's empty. All you have are the two holes of which the eyes will be looking out of. They're beveled inwards, meaning they slope toward the inside of the head. I wish there were some kind of skeletal system inside the head itself that let you stick eyes in. Alas, there is not.
What's the Eye Look Like
Here's a photo of the eye. They have a prong in the back that allows you to easily hold it with your fingers. Outside of the eyeball part and the prong, there's nothing more to the eye. I will mention that the eye is not perfectly spherical. It's actually a little pointed where the iris is, which allows it to fit into the eye hole a little better. So you will have to get this ball and peg to stay put in the hollow Dollfie Dream head.
Applying the Tic 'n Tack
I rolled four little portions of Tic 'n Tack and adhered them to the inside of the head as shown in the photo below. I have one above the eye hole and one below the eye hole. As previously mentioned, the shape of the eye (a bit pointer at the iris) allows the rest of the spherical eye to make contact with the Tic 'n Tack.
Before you put in the eyes, make sure that no Tic 'n Tack is visible from the front of the face. As you can see on her right eye (your left), you can see Tic 'n Tack sitting there. Adjust accordingly and make sure it's completely clear. Once you're good to go, it's time to go and put in the eyes.
Do some quick measurements from the front to make sure the eye looks okay and then just stuff them in there. The Tic 'n Tack will adhere to the eyes pretty well. If you have to, you can try to secure the eyes with some more Tic 'n Tack over it. The plus is that this stuff is always ready to use and isn't supposed to dry. This makes eye transplants, positioning, etc. relatively easy.
Hey, not too shabby!
Time to attach the back of the head and finish it all up!
I'll have the final part up in the next couple of days, keep watching and reading!
This is what the inside of a Dollfie Dream head looks like. It's empty. All you have are the two holes of which the eyes will be looking out of. They're beveled inwards, meaning they slope toward the inside of the head. I wish there were some kind of skeletal system inside the head itself that let you stick eyes in. Alas, there is not.
Here's a photo of the eye. They have a prong in the back that allows you to easily hold it with your fingers. Outside of the eyeball part and the prong, there's nothing more to the eye. I will mention that the eye is not perfectly spherical. It's actually a little pointed where the iris is, which allows it to fit into the eye hole a little better. So you will have to get this ball and peg to stay put in the hollow Dollfie Dream head.
Applying the Tic 'n Tack
I rolled four little portions of Tic 'n Tack and adhered them to the inside of the head as shown in the photo below. I have one above the eye hole and one below the eye hole. As previously mentioned, the shape of the eye (a bit pointer at the iris) allows the rest of the spherical eye to make contact with the Tic 'n Tack.
Before you put in the eyes, make sure that no Tic 'n Tack is visible from the front of the face. As you can see on her right eye (your left), you can see Tic 'n Tack sitting there. Adjust accordingly and make sure it's completely clear. Once you're good to go, it's time to go and put in the eyes.
Hey, not too shabby!
Time to attach the back of the head and finish it all up!
I'll have the final part up in the next couple of days, keep watching and reading!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Dollfie Dream from Scratch - Part 3 - Paint
Reprinted by permission of the original creator Alexander Shen of http://www.alexandershen.com/ and creator of Gashapon Shop
The material that this head is made out of makes it pretty easy to make pencil markings. Vigorous rubbing or a clean eraser can remove the pencil marks as well. However, I can imagine a dirty/crappy eraser will just cause smudges that will never be coming off. In any case, use a pencil and start making the eyes. I used the original Yukino picture as a reference.
Once you're satisfied with pencil outlines, it's time to get that paint started. Take a deep breath and go for it.
Paint!
There's not really much to say here except that you just have to paint within the lines that you've created. I think the hardest thing here is coming to the realization that your pencil markings were or were not symmetrical. Mine were close, but not perfect. I also have a slightly shaky hand.
Grab That Pencil and Start Marking
The material that this head is made out of makes it pretty easy to make pencil markings. Vigorous rubbing or a clean eraser can remove the pencil marks as well. However, I can imagine a dirty/crappy eraser will just cause smudges that will never be coming off. In any case, use a pencil and start making the eyes. I used the original Yukino picture as a reference.
Paint!
There's not really much to say here except that you just have to paint within the lines that you've created. I think the hardest thing here is coming to the realization that your pencil markings were or were not symmetrical. Mine were close, but not perfect. I also have a slightly shaky hand.
After looking at it some more, I realized that I didn't quite like the way it turned out. The eye lines seemed a bit thin from the front, as if I hadn't painted anything at all. I made them a bit thicker and added a double prong eyelash on both sides of the eyes. It also helped close the gap between the eye and the upper eyelid (which is physically gooved into the head itself). The eyebrows had a pencil outline as well, but I made sure to paint right above it (not directly on top of the pencil, but above it so the pencil straddled the bottom part of the eyebrow).
I figured this was the best I could do with my average painting skills and lack of an "undo" button for my work. I proceeded with the lips portion. I didn't use any pencil markings as that would have shown up through the light pink. I'm pretty sure once you get to this point, you'll be breathing a sigh of relief! The hard part is over!
Part 4 will be coming soon, so keep wathching the site for more!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Dollfie Dream from Scratch - Part 2 - Needs
Reprinted by permission of the original creator Alexander Shen of http://www.alexandershen.com/ and creator of Gashapon Shop
What do I need?
I'll use the list of items I used for my Dollfie Dream. Feel free to substitute any of these parts with the ones of your own choosing. Maybe you like the Aoi head better or the long, shaggy purple hair? I went with something that looked somewhat like Rally Vincent's hair, though the skin shade is a too light to match.
Volks Store
1x DDH-03 Option Head - Eye Hole Open
1x Animetic Eyes / H Type / Apricot - 22mm
1x W-131D-M33/12 Short Bob (Long in Front) - Rich Brown
Target / Convenient Store
1x Tac 'n Stick / BluTac
What is this for? I didn't realize this until after I had received the pieces that there is no actual way to put in the eyeballs into the head without some kind of adhesive! I had no idea that Volks had something called eye putty that was made specifically for this reason. I stuck with the Tac 'n Stick because it cost me $2 instead of $11. I have also heard that you can use hot glue, but that keeps the eyes in a permanent position.
Hobby / Art Store
1x Chaos Black Paint (Games Workshop)
1x Flat Brown Paint (Tamiya Color)
1x Pink Paint (Tamiya Color)
1x Detailing Paintbrush
I'm very partial to Games Workshop paint because of how uniform it is when it dries. I also like how there's a paint well built into the cap that collects paint after you shake it. Tamiya Color paints are also good, but they have a less opaque nature than the Games Workshop paint and require multiple layers to get a solid look. However, because this was meant for eyebrows and lips, the somewhat translucent "one layer" was exactly what I wanted.
Part 3 will be up in the next few days, so stay tuned
I'll use the list of items I used for my Dollfie Dream. Feel free to substitute any of these parts with the ones of your own choosing. Maybe you like the Aoi head better or the long, shaggy purple hair? I went with something that looked somewhat like Rally Vincent's hair, though the skin shade is a too light to match.
Volks Store
1x DDH-03 Option Head - Eye Hole Open
1x Animetic Eyes / H Type / Apricot - 22mm
1x W-131D-M33/12 Short Bob (Long in Front) - Rich Brown
Target / Convenient Store
1x Tac 'n Stick / BluTac
What is this for? I didn't realize this until after I had received the pieces that there is no actual way to put in the eyeballs into the head without some kind of adhesive! I had no idea that Volks had something called eye putty that was made specifically for this reason. I stuck with the Tac 'n Stick because it cost me $2 instead of $11. I have also heard that you can use hot glue, but that keeps the eyes in a permanent position.
Hobby / Art Store
1x Chaos Black Paint (Games Workshop)
1x Flat Brown Paint (Tamiya Color)
1x Pink Paint (Tamiya Color)
1x Detailing Paintbrush
I'm very partial to Games Workshop paint because of how uniform it is when it dries. I also like how there's a paint well built into the cap that collects paint after you shake it. Tamiya Color paints are also good, but they have a less opaque nature than the Games Workshop paint and require multiple layers to get a solid look. However, because this was meant for eyebrows and lips, the somewhat translucent "one layer" was exactly what I wanted.
Part 3 will be up in the next few days, so stay tuned
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Dollfie Dream from Scratch - Part 1 - Intro
I have recieved a couple of E-Mails from folks asking if there was a good source of information for putting together their own Dollfie Dream, thanks to a chance discussion with Mr. Alexander Shen, I found out he had done a five part series of articles on building your own custom Dollfie Dream. He graciously agreed to allow me to reprint this series here on the site, so over the next week I will have the entire series up for readers to puruse and enjoy.
Reprinted by permission of the original creator Alexander Shen of www.alexandershen.com and creator of Gashapon Shop
Background
So, you're interested in building a Dollfie Dream from pieces? Then you've come to the right place! I'll introduce myself to start things off! My name is Alexander Shen (I also go by Mr. Shen) and I was once a non-believer in the world of Dollfies. I believe my first interaction was when I was tabling at the Alternative Press Expo in 2005. I saw a girl walking around with a two foot doll sitting on her forearm and immediately fell into judgement mode: "Whoa, that's weird." I soon found
out what they were, thanks to the internet, and brushed that off as a really strange part of "otaku culture" that I was never going to be a part of. Then I started reading Danny Choo's Blog in 2009.
What I had witnessed then was a Super Dollfie. That style just wasn't something I was into. However, I hadn't realized that there were so many different versions of the Dollfie. What really caused my jaw to drop and my shift was this post on Danny Choo's Blog. I already own a number of PVC and resin anime statues and this really was nothing more than just a larger, more beautiful, version of them. That's when I realized that I wanted to join the hobby.
Unfortunately, I couldn't justify going the Limited Edition route because of lack of pocket money. The non-Limited Edition ones were more reasonable in price... but there had to be an even more affordable solution. Oh, hey, you can buy the parts individually! My DIY personality took over and I decided to do some research.
Cost Breakdown
Let's do a quick side-by-side comparison of purchasing a non-Limited Edition version of a Dollfie Dream and building one yourself.
Yukino
Custom
Painted by: Yourself
Eyes: Acrylic Eye 22mm Animetic H-Type Anzu (Apricot) - $11
Wig: W-121D-27 Shaggy Curl (Natural Gold), DD size - $42
Body: DD Base Body II, Normal Skin, M Bust - $231
Head: DDH-03 Head - $42
Included Items: No clothes.
Price: $326
The difference between the two is roughly $92. The custom version, however, does not include the Slip, Shorts or Volks Make-Up job on the head. So as a reference, those three previously listed items is what makes up the $92 difference.
Personally, I liked the short bob (long in front) wig more than the default shaggy curl, so that was a savings of $6. Also, I have average painting skills (I've done a few kits back in the day), so I was confident that I could, at the very least, paint the eye areas relatively symmetrically. I could also, with the $92 I was saving, spend it on clothes that I actually wanted her to be wearing.
Be warned that if you don't have the confidence or skill to do the make-up yourself, I would recommend you find someone who can or just simply pony up the difference. There's nothing worse than using paint and messing up on the head, causing a bad case of Shannen Dougherty Syndrome.
Part 2 will be coming later this week, stay tuned!
Reprinted by permission of the original creator Alexander Shen of www.alexandershen.com and creator of Gashapon Shop
Background
So, you're interested in building a Dollfie Dream from pieces? Then you've come to the right place! I'll introduce myself to start things off! My name is Alexander Shen (I also go by Mr. Shen) and I was once a non-believer in the world of Dollfies. I believe my first interaction was when I was tabling at the Alternative Press Expo in 2005. I saw a girl walking around with a two foot doll sitting on her forearm and immediately fell into judgement mode: "Whoa, that's weird." I soon found
out what they were, thanks to the internet, and brushed that off as a really strange part of "otaku culture" that I was never going to be a part of. Then I started reading Danny Choo's Blog in 2009.
What I had witnessed then was a Super Dollfie. That style just wasn't something I was into. However, I hadn't realized that there were so many different versions of the Dollfie. What really caused my jaw to drop and my shift was this post on Danny Choo's Blog. I already own a number of PVC and resin anime statues and this really was nothing more than just a larger, more beautiful, version of them. That's when I realized that I wanted to join the hobby.
Unfortunately, I couldn't justify going the Limited Edition route because of lack of pocket money. The non-Limited Edition ones were more reasonable in price... but there had to be an even more affordable solution. Oh, hey, you can buy the parts individually! My DIY personality took over and I decided to do some research.
Cost Breakdown
Let's do a quick side-by-side comparison of purchasing a non-Limited Edition version of a Dollfie Dream and building one yourself.
Yukino
Sculpted by: Zoukei-mura Inc.
Eyes: Acrylic Eye 22mm Animetic H-Type Anzu (Apricot)
Wig: W-121D-27 Shaggy Curl (Natural Gold), DD size
Body: DD Base Body II, Normal Skin, M Bust
Head: DDH-03 Head
Included Items: Slip, Shorts
Price: $418
Custom
Painted by: Yourself
Eyes: Acrylic Eye 22mm Animetic H-Type Anzu (Apricot) - $11
Wig: W-121D-27 Shaggy Curl (Natural Gold), DD size - $42
Body: DD Base Body II, Normal Skin, M Bust - $231
Head: DDH-03 Head - $42
Included Items: No clothes.
Price: $326
The difference between the two is roughly $92. The custom version, however, does not include the Slip, Shorts or Volks Make-Up job on the head. So as a reference, those three previously listed items is what makes up the $92 difference.
Personally, I liked the short bob (long in front) wig more than the default shaggy curl, so that was a savings of $6. Also, I have average painting skills (I've done a few kits back in the day), so I was confident that I could, at the very least, paint the eye areas relatively symmetrically. I could also, with the $92 I was saving, spend it on clothes that I actually wanted her to be wearing.
Be warned that if you don't have the confidence or skill to do the make-up yourself, I would recommend you find someone who can or just simply pony up the difference. There's nothing worse than using paint and messing up on the head, causing a bad case of Shannen Dougherty Syndrome.
Part 2 will be coming later this week, stay tuned!
Monday, March 12, 2012
REVIEW: Queen's Blade: Exiled Virgin
“Holy Cheesecake Batman!”
[Note: This review was done off the Netflix streaming release of the series, so there were no extras to evaluate]There are guilty pleasures of all types, for some its a fattening meal, others a special book, for me and my wife, it was a bit of silly cheesecake, read on for our review of Queen's Blade: Exiled Virgin
Story 2/10
Ok so basically the story can be summed up simply, it’s the story of an all female fighting tournament where the best fighter AND most beautiful woman will become Queen, and it happens once every four years. Into this tournament comes our reluctant heroine Leina, who is trying to escape her destiny in nobility, and
That is really all the story there is to this show, there are some light subplots dealing with issues of family and loss, but for the most part the series is an excuse for a lot of fanservice and cheesecake.
My biggest complaint with the story is that there is no real growth with most of the characters, leading to a plodding pace for the story
Art 9/10
Unlike the story which is stuck in mediocrity the art is anything but, fast flowing combat, beautifully drawn, its a shame that the story cannot match the same quality. Special note has to be given to a series that spent apparently a great deal of time dealing with the bounce physics of the girls "Assets" its that kind of show, like it or hate it.
Voice Acting 6/10
Mixed bag when it comes to the voice actors, some like our hereo Leina are actually pretty well done, but by the time you have listed to the Bunny Demon [no I am not kidding] and the annoying Angel, you just might want to poke out your ears, it serviceable stuff, but not too much more.
Parental Advisory: MATURE
This show is definitely not for kids, there are constant sexual overtones, and naked breasts abound in every episode, while the violence is surprisingly non graphic, and the language is certainly nothing above PG the constant sexual overtones will be too much even for some adults, let alone kids.
Overall [Not an average] 7/10
Ok so that rating might not make a lot of sense to people, but hear me out, despite all its shorcomings storywise, and somewhat questionable material, at the end of the day it was a simply fun show to watch, kinda like a train wreck, its not going to be for everyone, but its a bit of silly fun, and if you can think of it in that capacity, you are going to love it.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Hometown Dolpa Kyoto 9
For DD fans the biggest news is the release of the limited Haruki Kiimi from "Photokano" [$594]
What makes this release so important is that its the first release of the new Dollfie Dream Dynamite Base Body III, say that three times fast! This means that she has the same lovely proportions and sculpting as the regular DD Dynamite, but with the articulation of the DD Sister, as you can see in the picture below.
Currently the new body isn't available for individual order, so the only way to get the new body type is going to be through this limited purchase.
The other limited DD doll release is of Lucy Maria Misora from "To Heart 2" [$605]
Good luck to all who enter! If you get one of these limited releases, drop me a comment with a link to photos of her in your collection and I will gladly post them here!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
This Article Has Not Yet Been Rated
Have a good one folks!
Friday, February 10, 2012
New Limited Items From Volks 2/18/2012
For all of the Dollfie Dream fans out there, here are the latest limited edition items being made available by Volks later this month
http://www.volksusa.com/november-2011-collection.html
Of special interest to the Dollfie Dream fans would be the following dresses:
http://www.volksusa.com/november-2011-collection.html
Of special interest to the Dollfie Dream fans would be the following dresses:
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Dollfie Dream Care
Dollfie Dream care is a pretty big issue, when you are spening $500+ on a "Doll" you definately want to take care of it, I was recently asked by a friend if there were any good resources for DD care, so I took a look around the net and found this really good article.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
One For All
I don't think that I will personally ever forget waking up and finding out a good portion of Japan had been wiped out by a Tsunami, let alone the images of the devastation, seeing all those people covered in dirt and ash, in a place that I have personally visited, brought tears to my eyes.
As we near the one year anniversary of the disaster, Japan is still rebuilding, and the process will still continue for many years to come yet, this is why I am encouraging all of my readers [especially the Dollfie Fans!] to go to Volks and get one of their buttons, all the proceeds got to the Japanese Red Cross.
You can find all the details on the Sumika Times blog.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year: 2011 in Review
Now onto the year that was for the blog...
2011 was an interesting year here for me at the blog, I tried to be a bit better about keeping to a schedule and content creation, and that well, failed abysmally, it wasn't through lack of desire or trying, but after doing a lot of research and soul searching on my part I found that I got more stressed and frustrated trying to stick to a schedule and it made it much harder for me to develop content for the site, so consider that a lesson learned.
This past year also marked a milestone for the blog, monthly traffic is now averaging over 200 hits per month, I want to thank my readers out there who are making that possible, I know that this thing has tended to stay barren for long stretches of time and I want to be better about that, Dollfie posts still lead the way on traffic and I am still working out a way to provide more of that content for my readers so we will see what happens there.
2012 is going to be a blast, I am going to try to get to the point of smaller posts with fun content more often, little snippets here and there rather than great walls of text, hopefully that will keep my juices flowing and at the same time not burn me out trying to write a 3500 word article each week.
In short, thanks for sticking with me, I am looking forward to a lot of fun yet to come and getting to know you all better, thanks for the traffic and the time out of your lives!
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