Dolls You Love But Will Never Own

1/4 scale and smaller. I love a lot of the sculpts (unoa and puyoo, especially) but the only ones I ever end up clicking with are 1/3 scale. I’ve bought an Unoa Lusis on three separate occasions since 2003 but always ended up selling them. I’ll content myself with looking at other’s collections and just stick with my “big kids.”

 

I definitely second people talking about the big loongsoul boys. The dragons with the wings and the staff and the various complicated outfits. But where would I put them? Oh the eternal collector dilemma

 

Any Do Dolls Dreams Teacup Marionette. I think they look so cute, but I don't really collect anything smaller than 1/4 outside of the odd fashion doll here and there.

I also like some of Luts' Honey31 Delfs but I won't get any for the same reason.

 

Soom Alex. I'm a sucker for elves, Soom is usually out of my price range, and Alex is waaaaay rare long discontinued event sculpt.

Maybe Dream of Doll Sha, but that's also because I've fallen out of love with the sculpt. DoD's clothing though...

 

Single jointed dolls! The first example that comes to mind is Dust of Dolls... aesthetically they're beautiful, Zouh was one of my first grails early in the hobby! But I know now that I just can't settle for single joints, they're so frustrating for me that I actually find them unattractive aesthetically now.

I even passed up on an opportunity to get an Irrealdoll Nur, one of my all-time grail head sculpts, because his body is single jointed.

 

Nabarro Sumner — I really like to have him and I ve been looking for him for ages, but never seen anyone selling him. Well, I guess I don’t have the luck to have him.
Fairyland Sylvia — I want the 65 Sylvia full set in tan so bad. I don’t have the money when they released it.

 

I had to think on this but a lot of Ringdoll’s stuff especially their fullsets. I love looking at them but with all those fiddly accessories I think I would find them too overwhelming to handle. Same goes for the Loongsoul dragons.

 

Anything above MSD size, honestly. So many companies make the most beautiful big dolls (oh man, Loongsoul) but I just can’t see myself owning a doll that big—and I don’t even mean something unusual like 90cm, 60cm is already huge to my eyes! But there’s a lot more variety among MSDs these days than there was when I first joined the hobby, so at least I don’t feel as left out with regards to mature sculpts anymore!

 

Migidoll Miho.

Miho is my favourite out of all the Migidolls, I'm always happy to see owner photos of him, and I enjoy seeing how others have customized him. I've often contemplated getting a Miho for myself... but frankly, it's unlikely to happen. My time to buy him has passed. His sculpt is in the older style that I loved as a BJD newbie in mid/late 00s. If I'd bought Miho before I went on my very long hiatus away from the hobby, he would've been a keeper. But now? I realize my taste has shifted and I'm more interested in having other kinds of dolls in my collection. While I still love seeing these older dolls around, I don't quite want to buy them anymore.

I guess I won't get to enjoy Miho as my own doll and character, but I can still admire the many different versions of him out there. And I'm OK with that.

 

I am so in love with older Dollzone, Faewoods and KaniBoom dolls, and they are super hard to come by as their owner usually don’t let them go.

 

A Dollmore Trinity doll. I think several of them are stunning and I love to look at them. But they're too expensive, and also their weight just would scare me IRL. So I admire them in pictures instead.

 

Over the years of my hobby, I have understood which authors I like and I would like to have them in my collection. There are authors that I also like, but I will never buy them, I will just admire the photo: meadowdolls, I will also not buy some Chinese authors, because I think their price is too high

 

I'm the exact same way. I love the style and everything about vinyl dolls, but I've learned that I do not like the feel of vinyl and plus, I always worry about staining.

Also super realistic big dolls. I love to look at them because they look so cool but I can't bring myself to own one.

 

I think a lot of dolls have ended up in this category for me lately. I used to feel the need to have EVERY doll I liked looking at -- of course that was never financially feasible, but I'd put them all on my wishlist and plan to buy them eventually. It also led to me buying quite a few dolls that I didn't end up bonding with and sold quickly, and not really having a direction to go with my collection. (Of course the not bonding thing is common and can happen to anyone really, I just think because of my past outlook, it made it more frequent for me.)

Anyway, lately with BJDs and other collections I have, I have come to the realization that I can in fact enjoy things from afar and don't have to OWN everything, which is really freeing actually, LOL. I still have a long wishlist, but I don't really imagine I'll ever own half the dolls on it.

Ok, for specific examples... many dolls I LOVED and desperately wanted in my early years in the hobby are no longer my style. I was totally planning to buy Mystic Kids Francis when I first started collecting, but he's not my thing anymore. I still think he's adorable, I just wouldn't buy him. Another one was Crobidoll Tei! Just loved him, but I doubt I will own him. Many many Super Dollfies, because I love Volks but I really can't just own all of them, LOL. Honey Delf Lolly! They're all coming back to me now...

Then there are those who wouldn't be feasible for me to own, like Dollmore Lusion Dahlia. I'm hoping to get the smaller version (I think she's called Ilua Dahlia or something like that?) because I love her face. But I don't think I could deal with the size or price of the big one! And then really rare and pricey dolls like Volks Suiseiseki and Chii, just lovely, but I'm not invested enough to keep scouring the internet for listings or shell out multi thousands for them sadly. But I'll admire them from afar ~~

 

For me, it’s definitely a Switch Ryuzo:Persona. Sometimes I just go on the site to look at him cause I love him so much, but when I joined the hobby I decided to only collect MSD/Slim MSD sized dolls so that I didn’t have to worry about various sizes for clothing/accessories, and also because I have very limited space. So I just daydream about him lol.

 

I completely get it! I have 3 huge dolls (idelians) at home and the display for them will occupy practically half of my room. But it was love at first sight, I started with the big ones right away

 

A Dollmore Trinity. I love the look of them, and have some fun ideas for giant deity-sized doll towering over an SD-sized doll, but I don't have the room or the budget...

 

I love Dream of Doll sculpts so much, they must have been the first ones I fell in love with... but the company no longer exists and they pop up second-hand very rarely (I understand, I would also not want to part with a DOD!). I also don't have the space for 1/3s, which of theirs are my favourite, so I don't think I'll ever squeeze one to fit in with the minis. It always makes me happy to see any of them pop up in the photo galleries or otherwise, though!

 

I keep a running list to remind myself in the original Dolls you'll never have... thread.

But I think it boils down to Elfdoll Vivien or Emma who pop up only rarely on the second hand market, go quickly, and are very very expensive.

 

Volks Lady Oscar, preferably the blue coat version.

Linda S.
galatia9

 

The Feeple Rozen fullset. He’s so freaking beautiful and I love every single thing about him…except that he’s SD.

So many sculpts I love and adore are SD! I just can’t see myself enjoying dolls that big because of space, and I also think I’d be opening up a poor financial door if I started. If I get one then I’d have to get two, and so on… x’D

 

Exactly what I was going to say! It was a dream of mine for a while to own SDs, but once I got my 63cm Loong Soul girl I found out they are simply too large for my little kid hands (I'm in my twenties, but my hands are too stinking small lol). It's also a struggle because they're not only more expensive, but things like accessories, clothes, jointed hands, etc are all more expensive for them as well. And forget being able to create dioramas for them. So I'm compromising with plans for a 50cm doll instead. Better for my hands, my small apartment, and my bank account

PS. My Volks boy is the exception, not only because he's smaller and his single joints are a breeze to handle, but also because he is basically an antique and very precious to me

 

Sugarbones. Beautiful dolls, but way out of my price range. I've seen people create beautiful fashions for them and do some amazing photography with them, though! I'll just have to admire them through Instagram...

 

The Volks Mana doll! Only 30 was ever made and entirely out of my price range. For someone who has been listening to this person since 2000, it's one of those "holiest of all holy grails".

 

My biggest grail doll is a doll I will never own. Ringdoll Wagashi Style C with company faceup with the black teardrop and fullset. She is the most gorgeous doll I have ever seen, but she is also way bigger than I have found myself to enjoy in a doll... Plus she has also been discontinued for about 9 years, so even finding one would be near impossible anyway.

 

I think dodollsdream. I do own a few, but I keep selling them off and repurchasing them. I'm actually tempted to buy again when i have a new one I think I'm going to sell this one off too.

I keep going to look at bimong, but I don't think I will actually own one. Mainly because i don't understand how the buying system works for bimong. I find it way too complicated to bother buying one, but I enjoy looking at other people's dolls.

I keep buying switch, but I keep wanting to sell it off. I haven't yet.

 

Set by Story of the Seventh Day. He's absolutely one of my favorites, and I followed his creation since the early prototype days, but he's way too expensive for me and I just don't have room for him, sadly. If I ever did have the space in the future I don't think I'd be able to get him either, with how limited he was.

 

The idealian boys. Lovveeeee them, so gorgeous. Just too big.

 

I love so many dolls that I will never own just because its unrealistic to buy them all. I want almost everything Fairyland makes, multiple LUTS dolls, Iplehouse Fashion dolls and so many more. I work hard to make sure I'm happy with what I have and just enjoy my other loves from afar.

 

Pukipuki Pongpong is one that I've had to reluctantly put into this category since the line was retired by Fairyland. T_T Maybe someday I'll get lucky on the secondhand market.

I'd also love the Volks DD Hatsune Miku, but those are a good $1000 and i simply can't justify paying that much on one doll.

 

I love spiritdoll dolce pinelia and bluesnow and pure annabella as lusion dahlia I love them because of their cuteness and size I have 8 las reinas dolls (60+cm toddler like) and 3 1m tall disney princess from jscks pacific and I love this size cause it fits toddler clothes and dress up is far more fun this way but alas this size in bjd is not only far above my wallet but also too heavy , super heavy for me which means that even if someone gifted them to me it wouldn't be as enjoyable because of resin's weight ,but I still see those and drool over the pictures!!!

 

Enchanted doll of-course. Way too expensive. But it's a dream of mine.

 

The really large dolls like Dollmore Trinity or Luts Royal Senior Delf. They seem so cool and always look beautiful but they are simply out of my budget.

 

I've been falling out of love with resin dolls lately (planning to move to vinyl at the end of the year), so all of my previous wants and grails will probably never happen since I just don't think resins are for me anymore. But, the only one I'm sad about after realizing this change in me is a former grail, a Volks Four Sisters. Thankfully, lots of folks have one, so I can live vicariously through other peoples little darlings

 

SIO2 Funan. Lovely doll, but he's going to take up a lot of space due to him being a deertaur. Also out of production and a limited doll. He also came with a lot of extra parts too, so I'm not sure how easy it will be to find one with all of his parts with him as well.

 

I love dolls from small artists but don't buy them. They're more expensive and usually have uncommon body types, that while beautiful and unique, make it harder to buy clothes for. One doll I can particularly think of is Rap1993's Danni v2. She gorgeous, but with a small torso and big hips requires very specific clothes of different sizes.

 

I'd never say never, but at the moment I can't see myself buying 1/3 dolls. My house is really tiny and finding space even for 1/4 dolls would be difficult, and as I won't be able to move out in the near feature, I will only look for 1/6 and 1/4 dolls for the time being.

 

I don't want to say never, but I think it's highly unlikely I'll ever own Dream of Doll's DOT E-an fullset. She was one of the first BJDs I ever saw, years ago, and by the time I had gotten into this side of the doll collecting hobby, Dream of Doll wasn't really a thing anymore.

Still find her beautiful, though.

 

Dolls over 1/4 ! Even 1/4 seems so big to me. I often see very well sculpted faces that i find beautiful and interesting, but i know they're for Big Boys and i am able to let them go in my heart.
However, one artist really does manage to make me want to try tall guys At Least Just Once To Have This Sculpt : Hyuka by c.yaoo (cyaoo_doll on insta) in particular but honestly all their other faces. I once thought "oh but maybe... if i just bought the head..." but i have seen the numerous stories of Floating Heads from bjd fans and i know it's not a great idea.
Lai from joydolljoy and MissOrc from Bonelace are also two sculpts i love everytime i see and i live vicariously through pictures of owners XD

 

Soom's Captain Hook the Ticking Crocodile. The crocodile versions head, feet and hands are amazing. Not only was he limited (though they did do a re-release limited event) he's SD size. The biggest dolls I'm comfortable owning are MSDs.

 

Like half of the dolls Souldoll has made. They're very pretty but do not pose well/in a way that I like and I find them very frustrating to work with overall. Which is a shame, since I stalked them for about ten years before getting my first BJD!

 

Volks Kasumi I own only Yo-SD version of her. And I just can't afford SD doll

 

I love the DOD dolls so much (specially DOC dolls) but the company was totally gone long time aga and it is too hard to see them I got scamed few weeks ago for trying to buy dod dolls.. after that tbh I almost gave up.. sad

 

Any SD sized dolls, honestly, even though I absolutely adore some sculpts. It's mostly because I don't want to add yet another size to my collection and have to buy a whole bunch of new clothes for just one new doll.

 

sd+ dolls... girls over 60cm and boy over 75cm. So many sculpts there are so amazing though *-*

 

Volks Reisner the Scarface is pretty much my grail doll, and will probably always be because even though he does pop up for sale from time to time, I refuse to pay $3k+ for any doll. XD

 

gosh so many SD guys and gals, i keep telling myself NO to them simply because i'd have no room for big dolls but if a CP Delf Dambi ever came up for sale... ooo i'd be tempted! have always love that boy's beautiful sculpt. other than those, the oni girls from studio bitamin/kannyan - pricey pricey secondhand which is why i'll never own them

 

Some of the fantasy Soom and Fairyland sets take my breath away but I have never been personally tempted to buy any mostly due to space! Also any dolls over 70cm. Very inpressive but a bit too big for me personally!

 

My friends' dolls!! For some reason they're never for sale

 

Fatemoons' newest BJD, Mu Dong. She's a mermaid. I like her and everything but what would I do with her? I'd probably get upset with her 90cm size and sell her to be honest. It's bad enough I'm getting a trinity and a moonlit wonder merman and I have to put them somewhere!

If I have a character in mind then that's a different story but with her I don't and I'll just settle with oogling from a far with other people that get her.

Also any BJD that's below a 1/4. They're cute, but what would I do with them? I had SDYo sized dolls in the past and I sold them off because I just don't like the size anymore. So instead I'll look at them and go "that's cute" and look at other people's dolls at meetups or online but that's as far as I'll go.

 

YoSD dolls!! I love all those tiny, itty bitty babies so much, and so many of them are to die for, they’re just so cutely sculpted! But I just know that I wouldn’t enjoy their small size and would find them difficult to paint, too. So I just admire other people’s tiny dolls!

 

Ringdoll Gain. One of my Holy Grails.

When this doll was available, I did not have the savings capital to purchase him.

He was a limited collab release too, only quantity 10 were made.

Maybe at some point I can email Ringdoll directly and see if they are willing to take the request, but because the doll is a little bit older at this point, I’m pretty convinced it’s discontinued which sucks.

Maybe I can find him someday in a 2nd hand market, but I’m 90% confident because of his rarity and circumstances being a rare collab doll with another artist I will never get him, unfortunately.

It’s not even a matter of buying him because I have the money now, I just think his availability is too far gone. Heart breaking!! lol

 

Yo-SDs and smaller. I love the way people style them, I love how portable they are, I love the low barrier of entry for making/buying diorama pieces for them, etc. However, I owned one for a few years and I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy her the way I enjoy bigger dolls, so onward she went!

 

Soom 75 males! Most of them are so gorgeous.

 

Dollmore Lusion doll 80cm

I mean they a adorable. It would be great fun to dress them up in cute kid outfits and pose them doing cute little kid stuff. They'd be pretty easy to shop for. I already have a reborn toddlers that I made from official kits, I think they are even bigger then some of those. My reborn toddlers are on a bench in the dining area, and I have no idea where I would put one of the Dollmore Lusion dolls, I wouldn't want it getting broken. I bet they would be really heavy to lift and carry, but the posability would be awesome, so much better then my reborns.

For the time being at least, I am just going to admire them from afar.

 

so so so many dolls i find are so beautiful and cute that I consider wanting but i know they wont fit me or my collection.. But mostly the really large dolls 70+, and dolls that are very muscular .. they are beautiful and i appreciate the look and details on the muscle sculpts but i dont really think they fit into my asthetic or collection. but i love seeing them in owner photos and on instagram.

 

I doubt I'll ever find my cute little grail, Dollzone Keai
The doll I'm most bonded with is my DZ Miyou (unexpectedly, seeing as I started out collecting minifees and not silly little anime boys, but here I am ahaha).
I'd pay a genuinely stupid amount just to get ahold of a Keai head so Miyou could be united with his lil buddy and his sweet lil face. I have an extra body waiting around just in case I ever DO find him. Buuut I've been looking everywhere I can imagine for months and have seen every anime-style DZ YOSD various times except for him.

Other than that . . . EH! There are tons of dolls that are gorgeous but just not the size/style I love best, so I'll just continue enjoying them through photos!

 

Solar Wind Dolls recently released a "cosmic dog" -- a creature BJD. It's alien, it's weird, it's unlike any animal doll I've seen. I love it! I sat out the preorder and I'm still sad about it.

"Conventional" fantasy dolls (ie. humanoids with fantasy parts) never interested me, but weird fantastic creature/animal BJDs are a whole different story. But I own mostly 1/3 human BJDs and I'm very invested in them. I'd already tried out a tiny 1/12-ish human BJD and know that size is completely not to my taste. So I'm uncertain about buying another small doll, and since it's a creature I'd probably be starting a completely different collection from my 1/3 crew. I don't know if I want to jump down that rabbit hole yet.

And it cost as much as a pricey 1/3 doll. I think it's worth every dollar, but I can't see myself buying it, I'd rather spend that money getting another 1/3 for my crew. So no cosmic dog for me, and I hope owners will share photos of it eventually...

 

Soom B.ISHA Breath of Tree
I absolutely fell in love with her and she was the reason i started the bjd hobby in the first place.
But there was so many problems and reasons why i can’t get her
At the time I was way to young to even have a collection, i definitely didn’t know anything about bjd’s even though my grandmother had a collection of so many porcelain dolls. I was not ready to appreciate dolls when i was that young. Im not going to blame myself for something so impossible but i really wish i could have had a chance to get her even second hand but i can’t find her anywhere…

 

For me it’s a Soom Amber and Breccia, absolutely loved them when they first came out but at the time was young and had no money. Still love them all these years later but once again the prices on the second hand market is way out of my reach.