The Facebook debacle & other issues

20 hours ago, BitterFox said:

I'll generalize since it's all public info depending on what groups your run in.

He posted on a local Singapore forum how his Japanese employees are arrogant idiots. It was deleted but you can still find huge diss thread on 2ch for that. Chinese was a Tweet, if I remember right, that was leaked where he said something like all Chinese are trash. That's the main reason SmD can't even enter Chinese market. Some friends used to block all SmD owners after, and won't buy anything using SmD as a model lol.

Okay, you can't talk about Asian traditions and then turn around and do that.

Seeing a post on Facebook from someone worrying why their order was refunded, when they were trying to buy some Smart Doll stuff to cheer themselves up after their spouse died.

I just don't know anymore.

Sorry to talk about another person's pain. I really hope they aren't banned. They seem nice. I'm being vague as to not pull focus on them, and more that it's fucking depressing that people can't even find refuge in their hobbies during their low points because of the fucking Danhammer. What the hell am I doing here?

Just... fuck.

(Apologies for the swearing)

17 minutes ago, Katsudon said:

Seeing a post on Facebook from someone worrying why their order was refunded, when they were trying to buy some Smart Doll stuff to cheer themselves up after their spouse died.

I just don't know anymore.

I saw that, too. Absolutely despicable if they were banned and it wasn't an actual error.

3 hours ago, Katsudon said:

Seeing a post on Facebook from someone worrying why their order was refunded, when they were trying to buy some Smart Doll stuff to cheer themselves up after their spouse died.

I just don't know anymore.

I've typed and deleted a lot of text, but all I can think of is this: I feel uncomfortably certain that the purpose of his banning method, quietly cancelling their order, refunding it, and then leaving the person in the dark as to why in perpetuity, is to make the customer feel confused and upset. 

12 hours ago, cookimooon said:

I've typed and deleted a lot of text, but all I can think of is this: I feel uncomfortably certain that the purpose of his banning method, quietly cancelling their order, refunding it, and then leaving the person in the dark as to why in perpetuity, is to make the customer feel confused and upset. 

why does he wanna confuse an upset them?   is this payback for sin's of his past?   sorry for the arm chair therapy dr stuffs 

I’ll make kind of a general observation that people seem to be discovering that a lot of successful Influencers aren’t the best people, and are often pretty phony. 

I kind of think we are seeing that play out here. 

The thing is, he can make posts like this that are just chill stuff about Japan without throwing in "haterz" and "entitled" every 5 seconds...he just...doesn't.

Also the "insult Japanese/Asian people - aim at Western market" thing confuses me because he...lives in Japan, set up business in Japan, likes to post about Japan...is he trying to run an American business in Japan? IDK.

4 hours ago, monkeypizzasonic said:

Also the "insult Japanese/Asian people - aim at Western market" thing confuses me because he...lives in Japan, set up business in Japan, likes to post about Japan...is he trying to run an American business in Japan? IDK.

What I’m adding here is a general observation and is not about Danny.

In the US we have white supremacists who like anime / otaku culture. Just because someone is an otaku doesn’t automatically mean they respect Japanese people. It’s illogical, but race hatred / prejudice is defined by illogic IMO. 

57 minutes ago, BeyondTime said:

What I’m adding here is a general observation and not about Danny.

In the US we have white supremacists who like anime / otaku culture. Just because someone is an otaku doesn’t automatically mean they respect Japanese people. It’s illogical, but race hatred / prejudice is defined by illogic IMO. 

Not to go too much in the details, but chronically online Nazis are often otaku because they see Japan as the prime "Model Conservitive Ethnostate" and not, you know, a real country with real people living there. However, I don't think the popularity of smart doll in the west has anything to do with the Alt Right. It's probably because smart dolls are much more similar to Barbies and Monster High dolls asthetically compared to Dollfie Dreams and Obitsu. 

Speaking of obitsu (i hope this isn't too off-topic) I wonder if anyone will ever do something similar to what Angel Philia does and get existing obitsu parts casted in different skin tones. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by IgelFullmetal

1 hour ago, IgelFullmetal said:

However, I don't think the popularity of smart doll in the west has anything to do with the Alt Right. It's probably because smart dolls are much more similar to Barbies and Monster High dolls asthetically compared to Dollfie Dreams and Obitsu. 

 

Oh I wasn’t suggesting that racism in America is making SmD successful. I was just pointing out that people can superficially admire a culture without respecting the people behind the culture. 

12 hours ago, IgelFullmetal said:

Speaking of obitsu (i hope this isn't too off-topic) I wonder if anyone will ever do something similar to what Angel Philia does and get existing obitsu parts casted in different skin tones. 

Quick note: Azone (who has their parts made by Obitsu) has experimented with it on their 50cm dolls.  They normally use the typical Obitsu Whitey, but there was a 2016 release of Mirei Shikishima (Valkyrie Drive) in Natural skin color.  In 2020, there was a release of Yui from the Happiness Clover line in Tan.  (That one sold out fast.)  And in July of this year, they released Suzune from the Iris Collect Petit line in Super Whitey.  So they seem to be slowly experimenting with alternate skin tones.  (For their 1/6 lineup, Azone does offer multiple skin tones, including Tan.)  

I do like the fact that Smart Doll has a darker tan option.  And it may have been a factor in helping encourage Volks to release the tan D'coords & Dream Choice back in the day.  But Danny is too much to deal with, so I'm just waiting for Azone to jump into the tan game.  (I like companies that are nice to their customers.  Azone is my favorite.)

Edited September 2, 2021 by nanika

On 9/1/2021 at 11:04 AM, wishbearstar said:

why does he wanna confuse an upset them?   is this payback for sin's of his past?   sorry for the arm chair therapy dr stuffs 

This is just me theorizing, but I think it's because he wants to "punish" them for being entitled/not understanding wabi-sabi/etc. He's made it clear how much he hates people he perceives to be like that through his snarky social media posts and ego-stroking fanfiction. 
 

6 hours ago, nanika said:

(I like companies that are nice to their customers.  Azone is my favorite.)

Seconding this: I love Azone! Some of their releases sell out incredibly quick, and sometimes when that happens they will do a second made-to-order pre-order run for whose who missed out. I'm glad they're aware of the reseller problem and are actually doing something about it, unlike some western companies... I really do wish they'd chill out on making their Sugar Cups line so limited though. Even when they did the second made-to-order run for Biscuitina, it was still limited! /offtopic

I've been thinking of getting a SmD because of their varied skin color options but after seeing this thread is still active with his dumb antics...

I'd rather not.

yikes.

7 minutes ago, mukyuu said:

I've been thinking of getting a SmD because of their varied skin color options but after seeing this thread is still active with his dumb antics...

I'd rather not.

yikes.

That's understandable, but there are lots of opportunities to purchase second-hand.

I swore I'd never buy direct from CJ again (I read up on this after I fell in love with 2 SmDs and was ready to purchase) so I'm on the hunt for a particular doll all over various market boards this time around.

I try to not associate my girls to all the talk going around because I still love them, but that's not possible for everyone which, again, is fair.

Well, I must admit that my dormant BJD itch has been woken by some random photos of SmD dolls I got on a totally unrelated forum's page.

I scoured Danny's website and it gave me a pleasant feeling for the company, despite an eerie sense of "trying too hard to be funny" in his writing. A simple research on the subject brought up several reports of unhappy people on various social platforms, and that, frankly, scared me off to buy one of his girls. Not because of casual rants on which those platforms are built nowadays, sadly, but mainly thanks to this forum and how well-mannered opinions are presented and laid out, even if negative.

If I would have badly wanted an SmD, I'd have bought one via a dealer or second-hand, I can separate the person from his work without problems, but now I'm happy to have expanded my horizons to other companies and materials.

I do end up saying every few pages that if you want a Smart Doll, get one! I don't regret my doll even a tiny bit. She's a peaceful soul amongst all this turmoil. 😄

There are a lot of choices for beautiful vinyl dolls out there though, so if you go another way, that's cool too.

5 minutes ago, Katsudon said:

I do end up saying every few pages that if you want a Smart Doll, get one! I don't regret my doll even a tiny bit. She's a peaceful soul amongst all this turmoil. 😄

There are a lot of choices for beautiful vinyl dolls out there though, so if you go another way, that's cool too.

yea, my boi's are my life & they keep me sane.  🤗

In the last few months, we have adopted 5 SmDs from the secondhand market and I adore every one of them. But I will never give a penny to Danny Choo. I can separate where my girls originated from “who” they are now. Their humble beginnings are no fault of their own. I think of it as rescuing them from Smart Doll Land. XD

Unfortunately money speaks... With how he is pushing "the grid" section to decide who to properly release. And as long as people pay, he must be doing something good, you know?
So the best way to protest his policies, and whatnot, is to not buy from him directly.

But no one would (or should-) be bullied, here at least, for whatever you decide to do, if you want a doll!

I've been wondering... I don't follow his IG or socials very closely at all, but I keep seeing the "grid" pop-up.

What is that? I noticed it a lot recently. Apologies if I'm being ignorant for not knowing. 

On 9/1/2021 at 4:39 AM, Akito said:

Well this could easily lead into conclusions that if the staff gets overworked from very basic customer service, how overworked they really are in the first place... 

I imagine that his staff barely work (for fear of stressing them out) and just dick around and play games all day.

We'll reach critical mass when someone will order a Smartdoll and "YOU WANT TO OVERWORK MY STAFF!1!"

 

@Veravey The same as "painted heads", but in the grid you can choose which head you want. And if one sculpt ends up being popular, he'll make a proper release.

11 hours ago, Veravey said:

I've been wondering... I don't follow his IG or socials very closely at all, but I keep seeing the "grid" pop-up.

What is that? I noticed it a lot recently. Apologies if I'm being ignorant for not knowing. 

a buncha capless heads.   Atom seems to be the most popular atm 😊

6 hours ago, Testament said:

We'll reach critical mass when someone will order a Smartdoll and "YOU WANT TO OVERWORK MY STAFF!1!"

 

critical mass go booooooooommmm!