Help me pick my first vinyl doll?

Hello, NTMY :) I wouldn't call myself a doll collector, but I have long had an interest in checking dolls photography - shout out to shoujo-dolls.com - until Volks' Unoss made me decide that I wanted a BJD. But I live in a poor country and am poor myself so I could never get my hands on an Unoa, let alone an Unoss. I do however own a couple of vintage resin BJDs I am passionate about and consider myself a casual hobbyist in this mean. Aside from that I have also collected Bradley dolls in the past, unfortunately not since I moved :( they're harder to come by now. 

But despite my interest in dolls, as well as action figures, gunpla, nui etc. a good vinyl doll like a Dollfie always seemed out of my budget or otherwise unattainable (shout out to the Mandarake purchase I had to give up on in early 2020) thus for years been eyeing some recasts on Ali hoping something better comes along. 

Recently two local listings caught my attention as I was seeking a cheap new doll to spoil myself. One, a Blythe TBL which I know isn't the focus of these forums. Another was a Nahida custom Imomo Doll, which made me look up Imomo Dolls, whether they're official Genshin vinyl dolls or not etc. I love Genshin but not really Nahida but I fell in love with her design honestly. Then I started reading these forums in great timing since DoA is shutting down and realized there are other Chinese brands now such as Tinyfox and Merry Belle (loved this one) that are more affordable than Dollfies and decided to venture into this whole new world I know nothing about since Figma and SHFiguarts seem to hate my faves anyways (did you know there's not one non SD 1/12 action figure of Kaworu Nagisa even though Eva is 30 years old now? Now you do) and I want to make doll customs of my faves without articulated figures to accompany my BJDs :) 

Affordability is an issue for me but I prefer androgynous bodies since they allow for more custom but I don't understand vinyl dolls so is there a guide on brands and bodies for starters with the modern Chinese brands anywhere maybe? My favorite aesthetic aside from Dollfies is like Merry Belle, Imomo, Pure Neemo but I don't know what their bodies and joints look like or even prices. All I know in the doll world are vintage resin BJDs LOL, if anyone could help I am thankful fr 

 

Hi and welcome!

Now is a good time to get active in the hobby as there are a lot of affordable options nowadays. If cost is an issue for you, you should look into blindbox dolls. They tend to be quite small, but there are a lot of beautiful BJD (and MJD) blindboxes for very reasonable prices.

3 hours ago, Rahzel said:

whether they're official Genshin vinyl dolls or not etc. I love Genshin

Idk if you know this, but Piccodo released some official MiHoYo dolls. They’re super small 1/12 sized dolls that look more like Nendoroids than the kind of vinyl dolls we have here, but a lot of us collect small dolls too, so you would be able to post pictures and discuss them in the off-topic section if you ended up getting them.

3 hours ago, Rahzel said:

there are other Chinese brands now such as Tinyfox and Merry Belle (loved this one) that are more affordable than Dollfies

Not sure if you meant that Merry Belle is Chinese, but it’s not, and their dolls are not that much cheaper than Dollfies at this time. They only sell unpainted heads, so you would have to commission a faceup or draw one yourself. They did say that they were planning to sell painted fullset dolls in the future, but we don’t know exactly when that will be yet.

3 hours ago, Rahzel said:

My favorite aesthetic aside from Dollfies is like Merry Belle, Imomo, Pure Neemo but I don't know what their bodies and joints look like or even prices.

These dolls are all different scales. I don’t think there’s any one guide on here that explains all the different scales, so I suggest reading the forums a bit and figuring out which scale(s) you’re interested in, then asking about them if you still have questions. I made a comparison post a few years ago here, but it’s not comprehensive and it’s not super accurate because the 1/3 size doll I used is actually in between scales (she’s somewhere between 1/3 and 1/4, but this was a comparison of Azone/Obitsu dolls, where the sizing is a bit different).

3 hours ago, Rahzel said:

been eyeing some recasts on Ali hoping something better comes along.

Note that this place is not recast-friendly, so if you choose to go that route you won’t be able to post them here.

1 hour ago, ragnamuffin said:

Hi and welcome!

Now is a good time to get active in the hobby as there are a lot of affordable options nowadays. If cost is an issue for you, you should look into blindbox dolls. They tend to be quite small, but there are a lot of beautiful BJD (and MJD) blindboxes for very reasonable prices.

Idk if you know this, but Piccodo released some official MiHoYo dolls. They’re super small 1/12 sized dolls that look more like Nendoroids than the kind of vinyl dolls we have here, but a lot of us collect small dolls too, so you would be able to post pictures and discuss them in the off-topic section if you ended up getting them.

Not sure if you meant that Merry Belle is Chinese, but it’s not, and their dolls are not that much cheaper than Dollfies at this time. They only sell unpainted heads, so you would have to commission a faceup or draw one yourself. They did say that they were planning to sell painted fullset dolls in the future, but we don’t know exactly when that will be yet.

These dolls are all different scales. I don’t think there’s any one guide on here that explains all the different scales, so I suggest reading the forums a bit and figuring out which scale(s) you’re interested in, then asking about them if you still have questions. I made a comparison post a few years ago here, but it’s not comprehensive and it’s not super accurate because the 1/3 size doll I used is actually in between scales (she’s somewhere between 1/3 and 1/4, but this was a comparison of Azone/Obitsu dolls, where the sizing is a bit different).

Note that this place is not recast-friendly, so if you choose to go that route you won’t be able to post them here.

Ayy pity there isn't a uide. Last time that I did readings on non resin BJD dolls was maybe 10 years ago so I knew the basics but a lot has changed. I'm not into small dolls because my primary collections are still Figma and SHFiguarts action figures, which is why I avoid YOSD or SD (chibi) looking posable dolls around 15cm and it's also harder to sew clothes that are too small and customizing is generally harder so I prefer bigger dolls but not so big (ie 60cm+) that I can't afford them or their pieces 😕 so my BJDs are 1/4 AKA 45cmish but I'm still looking into the Blythe and the Imomo I saw (the Blythe is in the middle and deformed so it fits nicely. The Imomo is like a Pure Neemo size AFAIK so sameish 😉Alice is a 48cm 1/3 .. is such a weird read as someone coming from resin BJD haha 

My message was eaten halfway sighs. Let me try again now: 

And I realized some people say Aliexpress Imomo are legit? The one that I saw UFA - the Nahida - had a CoA but I'm not sure how all of that works with vinyl dolls so yeah. Some Chinese brands do sell legit on Aliexpress when it comes to chinese IPs (like Genshin itself) so I'm lost here. The Ali bootlegs I have been eyeing for years (knowing that communities are usually antirecast so that's what held me back basically, as am I so yeah )  are called Fairy Dream and I am not sure what it's copying. But I found these looking for BJD accessories and stuff and went oh so that's what vinyl dolls look like now, yadda yadda but didn't do my research and didn't think much of it other than yeah cute until I saw this Nahida that is still tempting me ^_^ ; ; she has a similar aesthetic except she is (smaller, which fits Nahida anyways and) an Imomo with a CoA by all accounts so yeah. So I went damn I must do my research! Too bad that's not going to be as easy as I had hoped lol 

 

Edited April 27 by Rahzel

Can't edit huh TT 

Btw oh sorry, must have mistaken Marry Belle for something else - there's really a lot of new brands I never heard of Piccodo is cute but very small and unfortunately they don't have my favorite Genshin character. Ironically they have my favorite character ever but I got their Figma so I am okay lol. 

If you know any vinyl dolls in the 25-45cm range that looks like a Pico Neemo / Imomo sort of aesthetic wise (which is for whatever reason my vinyl doll ideal LOL I want my BJD resin MSD with realistic proportions and YOSD gotta be vinyl . . ) please LMK, particularly if they are a cheaper brand. Sincerely I don't see the point of as a poor person saving for years for a more expensive doll that I don't get the feel of, don't know if I will like etc so I am likely getting this Nahida but still felt curious enough that I want to do some research on this   

Edited April 28 by Rahzel

1 hour ago, Rahzel said:

Ayy pity there isn't a uide. Last time that I did readings on non resin BJD dolls was maybe 10 years ago so I knew the basics but a lot has changed. I'm not into small dolls because my primary collections are still Figma and SHFiguarts action figures, which is why I avoid YOSD or SD (chibi) looking posable dolls around 15cm and it's also harder to sew clothes that are too small and customizing is generally harder so I prefer bigger dolls but not so big (ie 60cm+) that I can't afford them or their pieces 😕 so my BJDs are 1/4 AKA 45cmish but I'm still looking into the Blythe and the Imomo I saw (the Blythe is in the middle and deformed so it fits nicely. The Imomo is like a Pure Neemo size AFAIK so sameish 😉Alice is a 48cm 1/3 .. is such a weird read as someone coming from resin BJD haha

I see. I’m a little confused—YOSD is 1/6 size (~30cm). Blythe is also around this size, although it’s true she has a big head comparable to 1/3 size dolls. Pureneemo is also in the 20-30cm range. Since both of these have bodies more akin to fashion dolls (like Barbie) than BJDs, they’re known as “small 1/6”.

Imomo comes in two sizes: 1/6 and 1/4. The 1/4 body comes in “fat” (similar to Kumako) and “normal” (closer to MDD Mochi Ashi) size, but the 1/6 body only comes in chubby size. Imomo 1/6 are similar to TinyFox’s “Special 1/6” size on the Angel body. They’re the same height as YOSD, but their proportions are wildly different. Note that Imomo usually come blank, so you’ll have the added costs of finding a wig, eyes, clothes and faceup.

And yeah, Obitsu considers their 48cm and 50cm bodies as 1/3 size. Since she was my first big doll, you can imagine how surprised I was when I got my first Dollfie that was actually 1/3 size at 60cm!

1 hour ago, Rahzel said:

And I realized some people say Aliexpress Imomo are legit?

They used to have a shop there, but I’m not sure if they still do. Last I checked it was gone, but it might have come back.

1 hour ago, Rahzel said:

The Ali bootlegs I have been eyeing for years (knowing that communities are usually antirecast so that's what held me back basically, as am I so yeah )  are called Fairy Dream and I am not sure what it's copying.

The topic of Dream Fairy (and accusations of plagiarism) has come up here before, but when I looked into it I couldn’t find any proof of them being bootlegs or recasts either. However, the company that makes them (Icy DBS) has definitely recasted other dolls like Yeluoli/Night Lolita.

1 hour ago, Rahzel said:

If you know any vinyl dolls in the 25-45cm range that looks like a Pico Neemo / Imomo sort of aesthetic wise

Just FYI Picconeemos are ~12-15cm so they’re 1/12 size. Maybe you meant Pureneemo? I know it’s confusing, but you don’t want to end up ordering the wrong thing.

In terms of cost, I think Imomo is probably your best bet. There was a 1/6 blindbox called Xiang Xiang that is a similar size to Imomo 1/6 but idk if they’re still available. They come pre painted with molded hair and clothing, so that saves you a bit of trouble.

If you don’t mind going a bit smaller (~20cm), you can check out the Bonnie Dream Box dolls. They also come with everything for an affordable price.

1 hour ago, ragnamuffin said:

I see. I’m a little confused—YOSD is 1/6 size (~30cm). Blythe is also around this size, although it’s true she has a big head comparable to 1/3 size dolls. Pureneemo is also in the 20-30cm range. Since both of these have bodies more akin to fashion dolls (like Barbie) than BJDs, they’re known as “small 1/6”.

Imomo comes in two sizes: 1/6 and 1/4. The 1/4 body comes in “fat” (similar to Kumako) and “normal” (closer to MDD Mochi Ashi) size, but the 1/6 body only comes in chubby size. Imomo 1/6 are similar to TinyFox’s “Special 1/6” size on the Angel body. They’re the same height as YOSD, but their proportions are wildly different. Note that Imomo usually come blank, so you’ll have the added costs of finding a wig, eyes, clothes and faceup.

And yeah, Obitsu considers their 48cm and 50cm bodies as 1/3 size. Since she was my first big doll, you can imagine how surprised I was when I got my first Dollfie that was actually 1/3 size at 60cm!

They used to have a shop there, but I’m not sure if they still do. Last I checked it was gone, but it might have come back.

The topic of Dream Fairy (and accusations of plagiarism) has come up here before, but when I looked into it I couldn’t find any proof of them being bootlegs or recasts either. However, the company that makes them (Icy DBS) has definitely recasted other dolls like Yeluoli/Night Lolita.

Just FYI Picconeemos are ~12-15cm so they’re 1/12 size. Maybe you meant Pureneemo? I know it’s confusing, but you don’t want to end up ordering the wrong thing.

In terms of cost, I think Imomo is probably your best bet. There was a 1/6 blindbox called Xiang Xiang that is a similar size to Imomo 1/6 but idk if they’re still available. They come pre painted with molded hair and clothing, so that saves you a bit of trouble.

If you don’t mind going a bit smaller (~20cm), you can check out the Bonnie Dream Box dolls. They also come with everything for an affordable price.

Sorry, lemme clarify. Yes, YOSDs are around 30cm or a bit smaller usually, they are Pure Neemos or Imomodoll (like the one I saw) sized. However SHFiguarts and Figmas are action figures around 15cm tops, and they have realistic (ie non babyish, non chibi) proportions for the anime they're part of. YOSDs and the likes have more like childish or chibish proportions. Hence they just sit weird in my shelf next to figmas lol. Blythes sit a bit less weird I feel since they're deformed (fully unrealistic) anyways. I didn't know about this small 1/6 word but that's what I mean by chibi sized maybe. 

Ohh cute. The Imomo I found was customized by the previous owner so I guess that's a catch  Saw a comparision and oh yeah the Tinyfox seems to be a bit bigger. The 1/4 Imomo I have yet to see but is likely very similar to the 40cm Ali recasts I had been eyeing. 

It's funny because we went through a very different pipeline, people who start with anime vinyl dolls will go from Obitsu to Dollfie and then have this shock I guess, while I was raised seeing Volks but they were unaffordable like the Unoss itself and then I fianlly got a resin MSD and went ohh .. that's tiny hahaha (but a comfy tiny personally) 

My mistake meant Piure Neemo not Pico Neemo 😛 

 That's nice to know, thank you. Just wanted to make sure. This Nahida was really cute and a catch but as a total newbie to vinyl dolls just figured I should ask before going ahead and buying. Hoping to share pictures later. Wouldn't mind getting another vinyl doll a bit bigger than this 26cm Imomo if there was one to customize as a character that I liked better than Nahida but don't trust myself to sew clothes for 26cm or smaller dolls! So for the time being it's going to be her I guess ~ thanks so much ~ 

 

I see, I see. It sounds like you have your heart set on this Nahida doll, so I hope she’s everything you’re hoping for. Really looking forward to seeing pics when you get her!