Thank you for taking the time to do this. You covered it all so well. Very clearly. ;-) I learned, as always, watching your channel. Thank you for that. ;-)
I so agree with this! I’ve had both. I enjoy the hair, skin tones, and options with the fakes. I also like to lightly customize them without worrying about ruining a collector doll. I guess I don’t feel guilty about buy buying fake Blythes because Blythe has been produced by multiple companies through out the years. Currently no one is producing them in the US. Takara doesn’t currently have the rights to produce in the US, we’re just able to get them through the online. Hasbro has the rights and they don’t seem concerned with the fakies. I don’t think it’s hurting sales, stock dolls often sell out. If anything it might be promoting the stock dolls because most of the time you get the fake and then want the real deal.
Exactly, that's why I've even wondered if Takara is someone part of the whole fake thing. You make a good point about licensing rights. I'd forgotten about that.
Thanks for sharing! I really liked your list! When I first saw real Takara Blythe dolls, I hated them. I didn’t like their shiny faces, greasy hair, or their bodies. Then I saw a customized doll with a matte face, and the articulated body, and it changed everything! I looked up customized dolls, but at that time they were just too expensive for me. Then I found aliexpress. They were just then making new dolls with matte faces and really frowny lips. I bought one, and I was hooked! Then they started making new faces, and dark skin matte dolls. I have bought fake matte Blythe dolls with free gifts of shiny faces to practice on. Hopefully I will learn how to make my own customized dolls one day. Last year I bought 3 customized dolls from Russia that were not that expensive, and are really super pretty. Anyway, I love Blythe dolls now!
Thanks for this video! It's good to hear the different points of view. I think my favorite reason would be the lack of diversity. I like to have dolls with all different skin tones and Takara doesn't offer that.
Thanks, Allison, right now they have about a dozen, but considering they've been releasing new dolls just about monthly for years, that's just not enough.
I totally agree with you Tammy! I would never touch a real Takara for your reasons plus I really love their look and that was my main attraction to them. You made great points and always learn something with your vids! Thank you Tammy! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️☀️💙
With the fake dolls, you can buy blanks and customize them yourself, if you’re an artist and you want to start making dolls you wouldn’t start on a real stock doll they’re too expensive. I agree with the fakes you can make the doll completely yourself. I’m new to your channel. Great video. LOL I’ve seen some terrible customized dolls, from every type. I’m subscribing.
Totally agree with all of this! Thanks for the great overview. My first doll was a fake and was absolutely a gateway doll. Now I have 5 Takaras and a Kenner 😂 Trying to get the Takara releases I like with my budget is so hard because I tend to like the underrated girls that end up getting customised like mad 😢 One I was close to being able to afford just shot up in price and I've seen a lot of customs of her recently 🙁 The diversity issue is such a big one too. Even just 1 dark skin doll a year would be such an improvement but Takara seem to love the super pale look for whatever reason 🤷♀️
Well, that's another thing. We could say to just customize the less popular releases, but that's so subjective. 1 dark doll a year would be a great compromise for those of us in the Western market. We'd love that!
Thank you for this video! I am new to Blythe, I just purchased a fake 1, because I can afford it and 2, I plan on learning how to customize and didn’t want to start on a stock one. This video made me feel better about buying a fake.
Yes, yes, and yes! I agree with everything you’ve said 💯! Great video. Your #1 reason is such a good point. Now stock doll collectors might run into the problem of having trouble finding stock dolls due to the shortage, since they’re being customized, but this can also be reversed. Less artists would be able to make custom dolls due to this shortage as well. If everyone’s preference was to only buy the real Blythe then artists would then have a difficult time finding stock dolls too.
I’m really enjoying listening to your opinion on fake v’s real. I’m fairly new to it all. So far I only have two fakes. I’m on the fence on wether to save for a real at this moment in time.
I'm glad you found it helpful. Yes, it is a big step to move from the fakes to stock dolls because of the price difference. You are smart to think it over carefully first.
I really liked this video, such a good point about takara creating a stock Blythe kit 👏👍. I have seen the Pullip doll kits, but am not into those dolls. However I have just started customising Blythe dolls, because they are just so cute and practicing on a fake is a lower risk for me while I am learning. So thank you for sharing 😊
I'm glad you found it helpful. Yes, I really think Takara would have kits of some kind like Groove does if they cared to protect their rights to Blythe. Good luck with customizing. It is a fun part of the hobby, and you can also just buy faceplates for around $10 or so to get started.
I agree and feel this way about fakies. I didn’t realize the release of the factory ones were limited. I am more about the fakes now. I ordered 6 from AliExpress because most of them resemble my daughter. Plus I could get boy dolls. I want to customize the dolls and I want my daughter to be able to say ‘Mumma she looks like me!’...... I also ordered a customized one from a small shop on Etsy, she will be coming from Russia and I can’t wait for all of these dollies. I am super new to doll collecting, I started out in January 2021 with BJDs and I’ve always loved Barbie/Ken dolls. I will be 50 next year😆😊❤️❤️❤️❤️I love this video! Thank you!!!!
I'm so glad you liked it, and yes, that's the thing with the fake dolls. They are more inclusive. Welcome to the world of Blythe and doll collecting :)
This was an awesome video! Thank you so very much for sharing this video. I am ok with fakes, I actually appreciate my Wednesday addams fake blythe more then I enjoy my pullip doll.
I always enjoy your Blythe videos because I learn so much about these dolls! I think all 5 are very good reasons that fake Blythe dolls are okay. On the diversity front, I always look for dolls that have darker skin or something unique about them and I think because Takara caters to the Asian market, they tend to stay safe regarding the skin tones they use.
@@TammyPowley I've always wondered about this too - I think the West is such a huge market opportunity - but, I guess they've done their research and maybe they don't think it's worth it - who knows.
I agree with your reasons and was happy to see this video pop up. I have 3 fakes, two of which I bought from you and then my blue haired girl from ebay. The hair on the fakes is beautiful, long and soft. I am not overly in favor of customization but I know many enjoy doing it. I also agree that the stock dolls need to be preserved. Now, after all this talk I am in the mood to see who is available on ebay!
I've only recently started being interested in dolls and Blythe dolls have been the ones I've been obsessing over the most, I'd love to buy one but they're too expensive and I don't think think the company is in a position where they are in need of more money so I don't really care about buying a fake, even though I'd still prefer to buy a genuine, but my main concern is the mostly about the forced/child labor since a lot comes from China. Things seem to be better than before in terms of that sort of stuff but it's still not good enough where I feel like I can buy the dolls without being sure otherwise I'd be saving up for them
I love the beautiful way that you present your topics. I agree with your most important point... I was looking for diversity in my first Blythe doll. Thus, I chose a TBL doll which was created by a skilled customizer. She turned out magnificent. I appreciate your point of view. ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you Tammy I appreciate this video you hit the spot on about using the Takara for customization impacting the quantity of them available 🧡 I enjoy having both :)
I think the main reason that I'm OK with fake Blythes is that it was Kenner originally then Takara after the doll initially failed, and now GoodSmile, it just keeps changing hands so its not like benefiting an artist atelier the way real BJD dolls are. It's all someone marketing on a remake of an old doll. I won't pay $200 for that when I can get the Blyth from ICY which is a great doll if you shop well, and I'd rather spend the $200+ on a BJD from a small artist atelier. I won't buy a recast BJD but I'll buy a fake Blythe. Goodsmile makes nenoderoid money off me anyway. I might be willing to pay a lot for a real Kenner Blythe.
More like the artists have an actual training in fine arts that are decent after quite a few carvings better if they have sculpture/carving training...lets just say anatomical drawing at the least will help ALOT of artists. Im not seeing many around rn that are that good in all honesty for the prices. Only A handful. Especially Russian, Ukraine Polish trained artists. I can definitely tell they have a background in the arts. Definitely a difference in my Eye with some cosmetic artists attempting it. Very tacky most of those. .....takara needs to make dolls More customizer friendly. I havent tried to pop open my Cream cheese and jam, yet; but the EBLS, SBLs are a pain in the @ss it seems to pull eyes and the scalps. I did get alot of the older variations from ebay though. I did see on my doll collector app after hi-ho marine they made them a bit more customizer Friendly.. so we shall see
I totally agree with all of your points! I've wanted a Blythe doll for a very long time, since I was 13 years old. I got a Pullip doll and in highschool I tried to customize it, and failed miserably. She's been in her box ever since because I feel terrible for ruining her. Blythe dolls from what I've seen tend to be much more expensive than Pullips, and I can't bare to ruin a doll like that again LOL. I was scrolling on Etsy for factory Blythes, and one came up for 46¢. Yes, 46 CENTS. AND FREE SHIPPING. I ordered it right away thinking whats the worst that could happen if I only spent less than a dollar on it. Fingers crossed it actually gets here! 🤞
Wow, I can't imagine what that doll will look like, but hopefully, you won't be disappointed. Pullips have actually gone up a bit in price lately, but they have Make It Own (MIO) kits for Pullips that customizers use. They aren't cheap, but they are cheaper than a full stock doll goes for.
@@TammyPowley Yeah I'm going into it with the expectation that it's either thing to be awful and broken, or it'll never get here LOL. It looked pretty ok from the photo! Hopefully someday Takara will come out with custom kits like you said!🤞 Thanks for the video!
@@TheRealPrinceClub Oh, yes, I remember when those dolls were at TM. That's one reason I stopped buying them there for a while. It kind of bummed me out that they were discounted there, and there aren't any TMs near me to boot.
@@TammyPowley me either it was a birthday shopping trip a few years ago and we cannot shop that far from our home anymore, but I’m happy I found one there.
Great Video Tammy. VERY Well covered. ;-) Unless you have a Blythe Doll that says, "Kenner" on the back, it could be called a 'Fake'. I don't call them Fakes, I call them Non Originals, or Remakes. Many people think that Takara is selling Originals...... who knows if Takara, all these years later, bought the Patten on Blythe, or if time ran out on the Patten or if they just said....who will care if we Copy the Blythe Doll? Most people that have or handled what you are calling a Fake, would probably NOT like the old Kenner, Original Dolls. The Remakes are CERTAINLY made better (with a few exceptions), have more articulation. There are a LOT of Doll People that have bought "Custom" and think they have a Big Deal, when indeed, the doll that the Custom was made from.....the same remakes that sell on Aliexpress hand over fist. Ha Ha I LOVE the customs. I would love to have one from a few of the artist out there, shoooot I wish I had that Talent!, but most customs are just paint jobs on aliexpress dolls......as you covered here.
I have a few fakes custom dolls and i like them there cute but there not official and they are not high quality i take them for what they are fun dolls that add to my collection the takara dolls and kenners will always hold a price the fake ones are ten a penny good for customization or great for the collector that wants a lot of dolls on a budget some of the new fake dolls have great hair i have a black Blythe doll she had a Afro but iv straightened the hair with super results ..
Takara makes Transformers, too. My husband collects them. The same issues of why doesn't Takara make kits for for people, or even accessories. But no, he has to go to third party makers and sellers. 🤷🏻♀️
Thats what make the authentic have even more value..the rarity from them customizing, the higher the value. I dont personally touch mine, though for that reason. Il just Change a couple of ugly chip colors only so far nothing else.
Noted😂😊will not touch STOCK DOLLS. Thanks for the talk. Potential new hobby for me. And I'll have to save for some time before I can afford a Real Blythe.
Yes usually you want a original doll in the default form and the fear of custom a origonal and going wrong its very real. My only problem is the shiny faces and lack of more dark skins like why almost every doll is white almost milk white a albine doll could look awesome but still, some hate and say you can save the money to have one original but is if true that could take you seriously so much time is if your job is seasoned or no of best incomes and you don't know is if that doll you see end discontinued for x or z reasons. Also the problems no every artist could pay for a original too and the novices ones less so i don't see the problem with fakes/non-originals and the factorys full of takara theorys, everything is okay while you don't try to pass it for originals i think just love the dolls and lets love others doll also. Soon my first doll will come and i don't know is if factory, fake or copy just that i will love her so much
I'm sure you will adore your new doll, and yes, there are so many more options as far as skin tone, etc. with the fakes. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Oh yes, they are often referred to as "factory" but aren't actually made in the Takara factory. See one of the links in the description. I talk specifically about this in one of those videos.