Why do many people call DDs BJDs?

Hello all!

 

Why do people on this forum refer to Dollfie Dreams and SmartDolls as BJDs (ball jointed dolls)?

I have been collecting dolls for most of my life and am having a hard time understanding why they are referred to in such way.

 

Call me old fashioned, but when I say BJD I am referring to a very selective grouping of dolls. Mainly:

~French or English vintage dolls normally made of porcelain and has a minimum of 5 ball joints (meaning these are the only joints they have) that are strung together with wire, string, or elastic.

~Modern resin dolls that are strung with elastic, string, or wire that have a minimum of 5 ball joints (normally 13). The minimum could mean that they only have 5 joints, or they are mostly ball joints. In this case, a double or oval joint can also be called a ball joint because they are normally round in nature and were originally created by joining two ball joints together in one joint. These are made in multiple regions around the world.

~A doll made of plastic, resin, or porcelain that have at least 90% of their joints using the 'ball-in-socket' method.

All of the above dolls 'support themselves' on the weight of their other parts. For example, my Doll Chateau Queena has a torso joint that is not quite 'ball' shape but the joint poses and moves by the elastic string holding the upper torso against her lower torso and is rounded.

 

Smart Dolls are almost BJDs. They have ball jointed wrists, ankles, shoulders, elbows(up for discussion), and ankles, however the neck, waist, hips (this is up for discussion), and knees are not. Dollfie Dreams even less so. The only ball joints on a Dollfie Dream are the ankles, wrists, elbows, hips, and shoulders. But even these are hard for me to refer to as 'ball joints'. They are 'ball' shaped, but do not use elastic, wire, or string to hold them together. They use an inner frame.

 

To me, calling a DD or SmDoll or Obitsu a BJD means I can also call my Play Arts Kai Master Chief Action Figure a BJD because he has a few ball joints. Or even my American Girl doll a BJD because her shoulder and hips are ball joints. Can someone explain to me the logic?

 

Volks themselves even refer to their DDs as a combination of their ball jointed dolls and japanese action figures, but also NOT one or the other; an entirely new type of doll. I also have yet to hear Danny Choo call SmDolls BJDs, he refers to them as (articulated) fashion dolls. So where is BJD coming from?

 

 

 

Personally, I refer to DDs and SmDolls as IFDs (inner frame dolls) or AFDs (articulated fashion dolls) because it makes more sense for what they are (compared to the other dolls I have) and they come right up on Google search using these terms.

Inner frame dolls are dolls that are constructed with an 'inner skeleton'.

Articulated fashion dolls can be described as any doll that has joints and is made to change outfits and 'looks'. Example, Tonner Dolls are AFDs, but so are Barbies.

 

 

 

I am just trying to understand the reasoning and logic. Maybe it is because I collect so many kinds of dolls and like to categorize them as specifically as possible, but I really do not get it. Someone want to discuss this with me?

 

 

Thanks guys!

It's true that DD, Smdoll, and Obitsu are not ball jointed, but they are a part of ABJD community/culture and share an aesthetic with on topic dolls, so they are grouped together. For example, if you compare a SQlab BJD with a DD, they look like the same kind of doll, the only difference is on the technical level of how the joints work and the material. For a ABJD collector, that's not so important as the look and feel of the doll.

 

Also, some people may not know DD, etc are not actually ball jointed, especially since they have spherical joints.

 

I don't call them BJDs myself, but I collect them together with resin BJDs and I'm glad I can post DD and Obitsu on Den of Angels. I think of them as the same type of doll.

The original version, DD I, had ball joints and elastic stringing but was made of vinyl. That's why they're considered 'on topic' for Den of Angels which otherwise doesn't allow non-strung dolls on the main forums. And Volks has sometimes made special resin DD as one-offs for events, further confusing things.

 

I wouldn't consider them a fashion doll because they're intended to be customized, have a detailed body sculpt and are engineered for a variety of poses. The aesthetics are so similar to BJD that only hardcore doll nerds would really notice a difference, and the original sculpt comes from a BJD, so I refer to them as BJD. It's just easier that way

I personally do not refer to DDs as BJDs, but I believe it is generally just a case of not knowing better for a lot of people. A lot of people who collect ABJDs also collect DDs and thus when you search for them they all pop up under the same stuff. This just leads to people not understanding, especially when you first enter into the hobby.

 

And as Yukamina said: they are also a part of the culture and thus just kinda exist together.

 

A part of me wondered if some people do just because it is convenience or born out of the fact that sometimes trying to explain the differences to people in the hobby is a serious hassle, but then never just keep doing that. XD

The aesthetics are so similar to BJD that only hardcore doll nerds would really notice a difference, and the original sculpt comes from a BJD, so I refer to them as BJD. It's just easier that way

 

Pretty much this; we've got more straightforward community (and merchandise!) overlap with the ABJD circle than with fashion dolls, so it's more about that than the actual technicalities of how the dolls are made.

I mean, a SmartDoll or a Luts Delf or even a Volks SD isn't technically a "Dollfie" (the 1/6 scale articulated vinyl figure dolls), but I mean, I'll still use dollfie as an umbrella term if I'm talking to anyone not intimately familiar with the workings of the hobby. It's just a communication thing, you know? I don't really care if DDs are technically BJDs or not, but if someone is interested in the ABJD scene at all, Dollfie Dreams might fall within the venn diagram of that interest, so I'm not gonna "well actually" on them about the terminology.

I mean, a SmartDoll or a Luts Delf or even a Volks SD isn't technically a "Dollfie" (the 1/6 scale articulated vinyl figure dolls), but I mean, I'll still use dollfie as an umbrella term if I'm talking to anyone not intimately familiar with the workings of the hobby. It's just a communication thing, you know? I don't really care if DDs are technically BJDs or not, but if someone is interested in the ABJD scene at all, Dollfie Dreams might fall within the venn diagram of that interest, so I'm not gonna "well actually" on them about the terminology.

Well, the SD means "Super Dollfie", so there's that...

 

But yeah, just how we use the Volks terms for sizing (SD, MSD, etc, those are actually Volks specific meaning Super Dollfie line, Mini Super Dollfie line, etc) as umbrella terms for sizing of BJDs in general regardless of brand, I guess BJD is pretty much the same now, a lot of people just use it to refer to the "aesthetic", rather than the jointing system. I don't call DDs and SmD as such either, but I can understand why someone would.

A Ball Jointed Doll has one requirement: ball and socket joints. By description, having ball and socket joints is all that matters. Construction material is irrelevant. Country of origin is irrelevant. Removable wigs and eyes are irrelevant. Dollfie Dreams, Obitsus, and Smart Dolls all employ ball and socket joints similar in style to their resin counterparts, while some of the ball and socket joints in these vinyls are better examples of ball and socket joints than those found in most resins.

 

If anyone wishes to place any additional arbitrary parameters on what is and is not a BJD they should be a more specific in their description, such as saying Asian Designed and Manufactured Ball Jointed Dolls constructed of Urethane Resin and Elastic with Removable Eyes and Wigs, the ADMBJDUREREW. It's obvious why that isn't very popular.

 

Claiming one very specifically featured type of ball jointed doll is the only type of ball and socket jointed doll that can lay claim to the title BJD is like Ferrari saying they are the only vehicles that can be called sports cars because of their specific country of origin, the types of materials they are made of, and certain other selective features they possess.

Granted, I don't read every post in every thread on this forum, but I'd argue that most people do not call DDs "BJDs." In fact, I rarely see "BJD" used to describe DD or SmD. Sure, lots of people here will talk about being "BJD collectors" or shopping for "BJD clothes," but that's because many of us also have BJDs (I have 5 BJDs in addition to my many DDs).

 

You mostly see that usage among people who are very new to the hobby and still learning all of the different terms. I'm not much into gatekeeping, personally, so it doesn't bother me in the least. I want the enjoyment of the hobby to come first; using the "proper" terms can come later.

 

I guess the bigger question is: Why does it bother you so much that you felt the need to write a 500+ word essay about it?

A Ball Jointed Doll has one requirement: ball and socket joints.

 

 

I'll have to 2nd K-2 here, but that's coming from me being a mechanical engineer. DD's have a ball joint. If you want to get more narrow, you could say they are a framed BJD (FBJD) instead of a strung BJD (SBJD).

Let me start off by saying thank you all for responding! I was worried my question would just slip down below other topics until it was lost to the back pages of this forum.

 

I was excited to read through all of your responses, it helps my understanding of how other people in the hobby, especially those on this forum, view these kind of dolls in relation to others. I am going to respond to everyone’s post the best way I know how:

 

Also, some people may not know DD, etc are not actually ball jointed, especially since they have spherical joints.

I don't call them BJDs myself, but I collect them together with resin BJDs and I'm glad I can post DD and Obitsu on Den of Angels. I think of them as the same type of doll.

Yukamina, maybe because you were the first response I read, but your answer was exactly what I was looking for. This is the first forum I have participated in related to dolls; it is also the first time I am truly interacting with other doll collectors besides my mother, Danny Choo, and youtube videos. . . Understanding how other doll collectors view topics and types of dolls will help me interact with you all in the future.

 

The original version, DD I, had ball joints and elastic stringing but was made of vinyl.

Jadepixel, I was aware that the original DD was elastic strung, I guess I just did not make the connection because I was not looking at Volks when those were available and they have kind of faded into the background when discussing DDs now.

 

A part of me wondered if some people do just because it is convenience or born out of the fact that sometimes trying to explain the differences to people in the hobby is a serious hassle, but then never just keep doing that. XD

Gunter, your response is exactly why I asked the question in the first place. Since I have started to become more ‘active’ in the doll community and am interacting with all kinds of people, I have struggled with this. Every time I have heard someone refer to a SmDoll as a BJD I have had a burning desire to talk to them about it. Maybe I just have not gotten tired of explaining the difference yet?

 

Pretty much this; we've got more straightforward community (and merchandise!) overlap with the ABJD circle than with fashion dolls, so it's more about that than the actual technicalities of how the dolls are made.

Poofiemus, thanks for contributing to the conversation. It seems like some of the general consensus is "grouping them with BJDs out of convenience.

 

I mean, a SmartDoll or a Luts Delf or even a Volks SD isn't technically a "Dollfie" (the 1/6 scale articulated vinyl figure dolls), but I mean, I'll still use dollfie as an umbrella term if I'm talking to anyone not intimately familiar with the workings of the hobby. It's just a communication thing, you know?

Ryotakishu, Volks refers to all their dolls as Dollfies, just with extra words included like “Dollfie Dream” and “Super Dollfie” which is why I have always called everything Volks makes a “Dollfie”. It sounds like you are using the same reasoning as Gunther and Yukamina, thanks.

 

But yeah, just how we use the Volks terms for sizing (SD, MSD, etc, those are actually Volks specific meaning Super Dollfie line, Mini Super Dollfie line, etc) as umbrella terms for sizing of BJDs in general regardless of brand, I guess BJD is pretty much the same now, a lot of people just use it to refer to the "aesthetic", rather than the jointing system.

Shailara, I had originally found that curious too, the wide use of SD, MSD, and YoSD for all general BJD sizes since they are all Volks terms. What I found is that Volks was one of the first ‘modern’ BJD companies to set standard sizes and since Dollfies are widely known about in the community and people liked ‘SD’ over ‘1/3 doll’, it stuck. I personally use both.

 

A Ball Jointed Doll has one requirement: ball and socket joints. By description, having ball and socket joints is all that matters.

Claiming one very specifically featured type of ball jointed doll is the only type of ball and socket jointed doll that can lay claim to the title BJD is like Ferrari saying they are the only vehicles that can be called sports cars because of their specific country of origin, the types of materials they are made of, and certain other selective features they possess.

K-2, I get what you are saying. It is something that I have struggled with. Again, going back to my original post, that would mean I could call Barbies, Monster Highs, American Girls, J.I. Goes, general action figures, and basically every doll besides cloth dolls and vintage wood dolls a BJD. That is very hard for me to be okay with. I think less about your Ferrari example and more about cars in general. If someone called my Mustang an SUV, I would correct them and say it is a Coupe. If someone called my mother’s Jeep a Sedan, I would correct them and call it an SUV. While Ford or Jeep do not ‘own’ those vehicle types, there are certain characteristics that help people categorize them into more specific vehicle groupings. All have four wheels, and doors, and an engine, and windows, and between 1 and 8 seats, but we describe them as “Sedans, Trucks, Hatchbacks” to find very specific features. I would not Google search ‘BJD’ and expect Bratz dolls to show up. Just as I would not expect to see a Pokemon stuffed doll when I search for ‘Artist Folk Soft Doll’ just because they are both stuffed and made of fabric.

 

Granted, I don't read every post in every thread on this forum, but I'd argue that most people do not call DDs "BJDs." In fact, I rarely see "BJD" used to describe DD or SmD.

 

I guess the bigger question is: Why does it bother you so much that you felt the need to write a 500+ word essay about it?

Cauldroness, I apologize, I was not specifically singling out this forum. I was referring to DD, SmDoll, and Obitsu collectors in general that I have interacted with on here, Twitter, FB, Youtube, and other general places on the web. Your response is exactly what I was looking to get when I posted this topic. I simply did not know and was curious because I try to be as categorically correct as possible. As for your question, I did not mean it to come across that way. I wanted to post my thought process in case someone who wanted to respond did not understand my question. I can be very wordy. . . . . as I am sure you can see. It is why my writing career never took off (lol).

 

I'll have to 2nd K-2 here, but that's coming from me being a mechanical engineer.

Sinclair, I understand the logic behind this, but this kind of goes with everything we categorize in our lives. Cat 5 and Cat 6 cables are both wires that use copper to transmit data, what is different is their transmission speed of data. We call them wires but if someone specifically needs a higher speed cable they sat Cat 6. Same for Towers versus Laptops; they are both computers and in some cases can use the same HDD/SSD, RAM, CPU, graphics card, etc but one is more portable than the other, so we put them into more specific categories. That is my take on this hobby and everything else in life too. Your suggestion is interesting to think about though. Of course, it would lead to a lot of BJD acronyms (that would be fun to see). It would also mean restructuring some other categorizations of other dolls, like action figures and fashion dolls, at least in my head.

 

 

This is fun guys! I am really enjoying hearing what you have to say and comparing it to how I have understood and used these terms. Please respond if you have anything else you want to add.

 

Also, sorry for another extremely long post. If it is better to respond to each individual person in individual posts let me know and I will do that from now on.

The only time I call my DDs BJDs is when I am grouping them together with my resin BJDs for some reason. Usually I call them Dollfie Dreams, and I call my resin ones BJDs. I don't collect other types of dolls now, so I don't have BJDs that are vintage or materials other than resin and vinyl.

 

I don't use the term "Dollfie" on its own. Many of my BJDs are not Volks. I don't refer to my 60cm range BJDs as "SD", or my 43cm range BJDs as "MSD", unless they were made by Volks. I might say "SD-size" or "MSD-size" if I am trying to explain sizes to someone.

 

Thanks for asking the interesting question!

 

Linda S.

galatia9

Why do people on this forum refer to Dollfie Dreams and SmartDolls as BJDs (ball jointed dolls)? I have been collecting dolls for most of my life and am having a hard time understanding why they are referred to in such way.

The answer is simple. Because they are BJDs.

Why do people on this forum refer to Dollfie Dreams and SmartDolls as BJDs (ball jointed dolls)? I have been collecting dolls for most of my life and am having a hard time understanding why they are referred to in such way.

The answer is simple. Because they are BJDs.

 

Apparently it is not simple if not everyone who has responded here agrees with you. Why did you just say the same thing you said in your first post instead of countering what I responded with? Do you not want to discuss the differences between your and my view points? Do you refer to Monster High Dolls as BJDs?

The only time I call my DDs BJDs is when I am grouping them together with my resin BJDs for some reason. Usually I call them Dollfie Dreams, and I call my resin ones BJDs. I don't collect other types of dolls now, so I don't have BJDs that are vintage or materials other than resin and vinyl.

 

I don't use the term "Dollfie" on its own. Many of my BJDs are not Volks. I don't refer to my 60cm range BJDs as "SD", or my 43cm range BJDs as "MSD", unless they were made by Volks. I might say "SD-size" or "MSD-size" if I am trying to explain sizes to someone.

 

Thanks for asking the interesting question!

 

Linda S.

galatia9

 

Thank you for sharing your view point! I will admit, even though I know it is incorrect, I do use the terms SD, MSD, and YoSD to refer to my BJDs sizes more than I say 1/3, 1/4, 1/6 or 60 cm, 40 cm, 26 cm. I correct myself with that from time to time, but it is hard when even Doll magazines use those abbreviations to talk about BJDs other than Volks.

I agree with ryotakishu in it being used more as a blanket term.

I generally do not call them BJDs, but it is easier to do so to narrow things down or to give "the other person" a general idea of what I am on about, so to say.

 

It goes for a lot of other things too, as mentioned. Take The Legend of Zelda games as an example. - Hardly anyone calls it a role-playing game. It is pretty much always labeled as an action-adventure game. But technically it is an RPG. Though it tends to not fall into the general type of RPG that most people - who seeks RPGs - are after, so it is easier to put it in the action-adventure pile.

I guess it is a fuzzy example...

 

What I am getting at is that most people do not prefer to get all technical and "being overly-correct with everything all the time".

Not many go on calling bananas berries, now do they?

 

"If you like BJDs you will most likely like Dollfie Dreams", basically, "so just group them together in the same pile". They hold the same functions and share the same clothes, and wigs. They just differ in the details.

 

It does irk me to call Dollfie Dreams, SmartDolls or Obitsus BJDs, though. Whether it is correct or not, it still irks me!

But I will continue to do so myself when necessary to get my point across.

So.....

A Ball Jointed Doll has one requirement: ball and socket joints. By description, having ball and socket joints is all that matters.

Claiming one very specifically featured type of ball jointed doll is the only type of ball and socket jointed doll that can lay claim to the title BJD is like Ferrari saying they are the only vehicles that can be called sports cars because of their specific country of origin, the types of materials they are made of, and certain other selective features they possess.

K-2, I get what you are saying. It is something that I have struggled with. Again, going back to my original post, that would mean I could call Barbies, Monster Highs, American Girls, J.I. Goes, general action figures, and basically every doll besides cloth dolls and vintage wood dolls a BJD. That is very hard for me to be okay with. I think less about your Ferrari example and more about cars in general. If someone called my Mustang an SUV, I would correct them and say it is a Coupe. If someone called my mother’s Jeep a Sedan, I would correct them and call it an SUV. While Ford or Jeep do not ‘own’ those vehicle types, there are certain characteristics that help people categorize them into more specific vehicle groupings. All have four wheels, and doors, and an engine, and windows, and between 1 and 8 seats, but we describe them as “Sedans, Trucks, Hatchbacks” to find very specific features. I would not Google search ‘BJD’ and expect Bratz dolls to show up. Just as I would not expect to see a Pokemon stuffed doll when I search for ‘Artist Folk Soft Doll’ just because they are both stuffed and made of fabric.

 

I'll have to 2nd K-2 here, but that's coming from me being a mechanical engineer.

Sinclair, I understand the logic behind this, but this kind of goes with everything we categorize in our lives. Cat 5 and Cat 6 cables are both wires that use copper to transmit data, what is different is their transmission speed of data. We call them wires but if someone specifically needs a higher speed cable they sat Cat 6. Same for Towers versus Laptops; they are both computers and in some cases can use the same HDD/SSD, RAM, CPU, graphics card, etc but one is more portable than the other, so we put them into more specific categories. That is my take on this hobby and everything else in life too. Your suggestion is interesting to think about though. Of course, it would lead to a lot of BJD acronyms (that would be fun to see). It would also mean restructuring some other categorizations of other dolls, like action figures and fashion dolls, at least in my head.

 

About the car thing, SUV is a relatively modern term, that really isn't accepted in the realm of official papers. Have you looked at the title of your mom's Jeep? I willing to bet is says something like 4DSW, which is short hand for 4 door stationwagon. All the cars I've owned- 1976 Suburban, 1991 Caravan, 1994 Taurus wagon, 2010 Elantra Touring, and 2014 Traverse- were listed on the state title as 4 door station wagons, but only one of them was one in a "traditional" sense. In fact in my state the last time I checked, there are really only four classes of cars, 2 and 4 door sedans, trucks, and 4 door station wagons.

For me it goes back to like I was saying as a ME. We group things as "coarsely" possible, to make life simple, into the 6 simple machines. So you were saying you'd break things up into more groups, like I did with FBJD and SBJD, but K-2 and I would keep things simple and just keep them as BJDs. At this point I don't think it's a matter of what is correct, but what people prefer.

I find it interesting that it seems the people who do not own resin BJDs are the ones who argue that DDs really are BJDs, while those who own a mix of resin and vinyl tend to consider only the resin "BJDs" and the vinyl "not BJDs."

 

I will say this, having started as a resin BJD collector: most resin BJD collectors do not consider DDs to be BJDs. If you had this same discussion on a forum that a general BJD forum, I think you'd have a very different conversation.

 

Part of the sensitivity around "What is a BJD?" connects back to Den of Angels' "on topic" rules, which are exceptionally strict. For some people, only dolls that meet those criteria are "real BJDs."

 

Edited to finish a sentence that I apparently had stopped typing half-way thru, lol.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Guest

A Ball Jointed Doll has one requirement: ball and socket joints.

 

 

I'll have to 2nd K-2 here, but that's coming from me being a mechanical engineer. DD's have a ball joint. If you want to get more narrow, you could say they are a framed BJD (FBJD) instead of a strung BJD (SBJD).

I'm not an engineer, but DD joints move because of the hinge, and not because of the ball and socket. If you remove the vinyl shells, the plastic armature can still pose, even though the sockets are gone. I'm not sure how they can be considered ball joints outside of appearing like ball joints.

 

Part of the sensitivity around "What is a BJD?" connects back to Den of Angels' "on topic" rules, which are exceptionally strict. For some people, only dolls that meet those criteria are "real BJDs."

Yes, this is a big part of it. Genuine ball-jointed dolls may be "off topic" on Den of Angels, because Den of Angels is focused on a particular type of BJD. For people who got into the hobby through DOA or similar communities, DOA's type of BJD is often the only one they are thinking of when they use the term. I know I have no interest in European antique dolls, ball-jointed or otherwise ^^;

I'm not an engineer, but DD joints move because of the hinge, and not because of the ball and socket. If you remove the vinyl shells, the plastic armature can still pose, even though the sockets are gone. I'm not sure how they can be considered ball joints outside of appearing like ball joints.

 

Part of the sensitivity around "What is a BJD?" connects back to Den of Angels' "on topic" rules, which are exceptionally strict. For some people, only dolls that meet those criteria are "real BJDs."

Yes, this is a big part of it. Genuine ball-jointed dolls may be "off topic" on Den of Angels, because Den of Angels is focused on a particular type of BJD. For people who got into the hobby through DOA or similar communities, DOA's type of BJD is often the only one they are thinking of when they use the term. I know I have no interest in European antique dolls, ball-jointed or otherwise ^^;

 

Thanks for posting your opinion. Your response is my reasoning for how I categorize these dolls. Do not know why I was not able to put that into words before. . .

That is why I refer to DDs and SmDs as "Inner Frame Dolls", because that is what makes them move and supports them. Their joints are all on a frame, not strung together.

DOA is interesting to me. I am not a member so did not come into this hobby through them, that partially means I do not limit my definition of BJDs to what they allow like some people do.

 

*edit for missing quote mark

I find it interesting that it seems the people who do not own resin BJDs are the ones who argue that DDs really are BJDs, while those who own a mix of resin and vinyl tend to consider only the resin "BJDs" and the vinyl "not BJDs."

 

I guess I'm the odd one out then 'cause I do tend to refer to my Dollfie Dreams and Smart Dolls as BJDs.

 

Well, to be perfectly honest, I tend to call them 'my vinyl girls' but I do see them as part of my BJD collection. I guess it comes 'cause these dolls are often seen in the same community as resin BJDs. So I look at them as BJDs.

I don't like calling them bjds...

I generally only use the term BJD for DDs when trying to explain the hobbies to laymen. Sometimes it's just easier to use a broadly accepted (even if not fully understood) term when describing what I have to someone that only has a passing knowledge to the genre. Usually when I say "ball jointed doll," the mental leap for most people goes to "porcelain doll." For the average person means "expensive doll that is not a toy for children." That gives me the desired outcome of "I probably shouldn't touch it, because it's expensive and I'm going to keep my excited child away from it so I'm not accused of breaking it."

 

The best parallel I can draw for this discussion is from another extremely expensive, and often exclusive hobby: wine collecting. To the average person, wine is just another type of alcohol to be consumed. To the wine snobs of the world, however, there are very specific terms used to describe certain types of wine. Colloquially, the term "champagne" has been adopted by most (American) consumers to mean "a wine that is bubbly or carbonated." if you use this definition in front of a wine snob or French person, be prepared to get slapped down hard.

 

The French body that governs wine has adopted strict conventions when it comes to labeling and bottling wine. The rules stipulate that a wine's style is directly tied to the region in which it was produced, as they believe that the environment, soil, climate, and history of the land all factor into the characteristics of the wine produced there (aka "teroir"). So a Champagne in the eyes of the French is a wine that can only be produced in the region of Champagne, France. It just so happens that most of the wine produced there is bubbly, but the fizziness quality does not actually factor into the name. Similarly, a Bordeaux wine can only be produced in Bordeaux, France. A California winery may put "Bordeaux" on the bottle, but it is not a true Bordeaux wine. More accurately, it is "Bordeaux-style" or wines with bubbles in it are more accurately classified as "sparkling wines."

 

As a collector of numerous types of dolls, including resin and vinyl, I know that the term BJD isn't technically correct when referring to my non-strung resins (most vinyl dolls use some sort of hinge for their main articulation points, even if they're ball-shaped). For the purpose of simplicity, they all get lumped into BJD for the purposes of simplicity and becase there really isn't another widely accepted term for them.

 

You probably also won't catch me referring to bubbly wines as "Champagnes," everything else is a sparkling wine unless it was made in that region.

 

As a side note, according to the OP's definition of a BJD, a BJD is a doll with a minimum of 5 (traditional) ball joints. By this definition, one could argue that a Smart Doll is technically a BJD, as the spine is made up of an assembly of interlocking ball and socket joints. The upper torso alone has 5 of these joints, fully qualifying a Smart Doll as a BJD!

@asianed, my brother is a "Wine Snob", so I get exactly what you mean (my palate is still developing. . .). That is a really good way to explain it, and makes it easier for me to understand. I guess I would be considered a 'doll snob' and know 'most' of the correct terms so do not always get why someone would refer to them differently.

 

And I did not even think about the spine of a SmDoll when running my 'ball-joint' estimates on each doll. It is definitely thought provoking! Thanks for your input!

As a side note, according to the OP's definition of a BJD, a BJD is a doll with a minimum of 5 (traditional) ball joints. By this definition, one could argue that a Smart Doll is technically a BJD, as the spine is made up of an assembly of interlocking ball and socket joints. The upper torso alone has 5 of these joints, fully qualifying a Smart Doll as a BJD!

 

I think the new F3 body would qualify under that definition then.