Just For Fun Just For Fun: 15 Years of BJDs!

I definitely think I will still be loving bjds in another fifteen years. Honestly I didn't realize how much time has passed! I think we will see changes in companies over time, and really hope to see recasting fade away. I think we'll see more 3D printed dolls as well!

I've been in the hobby for about over ten years now. My oldest boy, my DOI Luke V2 turns 10 this month on the 13th! Honestly I had a time during that ten years where I was away at college and forgot about my doll (I only had one at the time, haha) and was into customizing fashion dolls. It circled back around to resin dolls though, and I'm happy to say I have more dolls than ever!

There's definitely more of a variety of dolls now than there were then, even though we've lost companies along the way.

I can't wait to see what's next!

 

I've been here for nearly 15 years and I certainly expect to still enjoy my dolls in 15 more years if I'm alive and kicking, though I couldn't begin to predict how my tastes will keep evolving. (Lillycat, Magic Mirror, and Merry Doll Round, I'm looking at YOU.)

I'm going to hope along with @FrozenSunset that recasting fades away -- and takes its demand side with it.

One thing that keeps me coming back to DoA is that this is a place where all the elements of the hobby come together: DoA isn't just for oldies or just for newbies or just for fantasy-BJD fans or just for dedicated crafters and customizers (etc.), but offers ways for all of us to connect. Yeah, sometimes I miss the smaller community of DoA's early years, but the ebb and flow of members now is energizing in a different way.

What's changed? Well, I'll answer that on a personal level. I started out in August of 2004 with a disposable camera and, um, this much photography skill:



Now I can do better, sometimes.

(Poor Pen! He's endured a lot in the 15-years-minus-two-weeks since his box opening.)

 

been in hobby almost 13 years and I have both enjoyed the changes and not. Love the independent artists coming out to share their talents, and hate the recasters for stealing from the artists. As for enjoying hobby for another 15 years, maybe but I am enjoying watching granddaughter getting into hobby and she can carry on for me.

 

I don't believe I'll ever get tired of my beautiful dolls.
I invest so much of myself in their customization ...
=^.^=

 

I’ve been in the hobby for about 11 and a half years, and it’s still going strong for me, so I think I can safely say I will make it to 15 years in the hobby. Will I make another 15? I think probably yes, assuming there is no extremely drastic negative change in my life. Even if I enjoy the hobby differently, I think I’ll still have least a couple of BJDs. I do tend to end hobbies at times but usually keep at least one thing from the ones I loved for a long time, like I still have one Barbie Doll, one Power Ranger from childhood, one 1/6 Obitsu from collecting them before getting my first BJD.

I do think (or at least hope) in the next 15 years, we’ll see tons of new ideas, types of doll and creativity. I’m hoping that a much wider range of body types will become the norm and that most companies will offer a larger range of resin colors. More wig styles, more eye types, more clothing styles and sizes, more shoes! Probably more independent artists too.

 

I have only just begun, but I have a feeling I'll still be enjoying BJD in 15 years? In the past, I didn't set my foot into the community cause I wasn't sure??

Now with having a doll in layaway, I know for sure I am gonna be excited about the current..and I am glad I finally stopped standing on a line of not being in the actual community or nah.

 

Ive only had a doll for little over a year, but I think Ill still be just as obsessed in 15 years. She opened up so many doors for me and brought me back from the brink of depression. I have way to many things I want to do with her and other planned dolls to stop anytime soon.

 

I’ve been into bjds for almost 10 years, seven on DOA. I think I’ll make it to 15 and beyond! As to the next 15 years, it will be interesting to see.

 

15 years of BJDs..and I've been here for a whopping 13 of them! I'm amazed. The friends I've made and the imagination I've embraced are incalculably precious. Each time I think I'm "outgrowing" this hobby or that the light I see it in has shifted, I'm brought right back once I look into my dolls' faces. I fully expect to continue being inspired by them.

All that's changed is I'm no longer a silly teen--just a silly adult instead. Thank you DOA for always reminding me where my online home is!

 

I first discovered BJDs in 2004 and got my first in 2005. Though my tastes in BJD aesthetics have changed, I can't imagine falling out of love with them completely. How could you leave behind something so beautiful?

 

Yes, absolutely! I’ve only bought mine the past couple months or so but I’ve wanted one since like...2006? And because I’ve now actually gotten started I can only imagine I’ll only continue to love them more.

 

Joined DOA 12 years ago and it really doesn’t feel like it’s been that long! Did I think I’d still be into BJDs all these years later? yes. It’s even amazing to see how the company’s have changed over the years! Can’t wait for another 15

 

I tend to really like the stuff I like, so I'm not too surprised to still be into bjds after 15 years. However, there are interests that I have stopped paying so much attention to... I'm a bit surprised this hasn't happened with dolls (it does ebb and flow a bit). However--the community is great, and the dolls themselves are just so involving to begin with, maybe it's not such a surprise?

I am terrible at predicting things! I thought maybe that there would be more resin parts we would be able to swap out on dolls, but that only happened a little bit. It seems that whole different dolls with whole different parts is more what has happened...

I'm looking forward to whatever happens in the future. I think it keeps things lively and interesting. My interest in new dolls certainly hasn't stopped, anyway!

 

In the grand scheme of things, I'm still super new! Yesterday marked two years. Wow how time goes fast. I definitely expected to still be infatuated by them at this point, and I'm sure I will be for many more years yet. Even if I come to not be as involved with them in future, I'm certain they will still be very dear to me. I don't see that changing

 

Well, I've got 13 years on DoA according to the award thingy, and at this point, bjd's are so much a part of my life that I can't imagine that ever changing, so yes, another 15 years is more than likely!

Hobby wise, I can see a great deal more very limited release art dolls being made, and at the same time, a great deal more CAD designed over hand sculpted dolls too. Also more continent specific buying and selling as import and export becomes more difficult. I, too, hope recasts will fade as others have said, because I'm apparently an eternal optimist!

I don't know what I expected at the start of this, really, but the initial investment of money was enough for me to consider it thoroughly first, so I suspect I did see this as being a long term thing. As for what's changed, well, personally, I'm much pickier about what I buy because at this point, the market is flooded with new designs every ten minutes, whereas fifteen years ago, you really only had a handful of companies to choose from and all of them were difficult to buy from. Weirdly, although the ease of purchase has grown, my wish to do so shrank, so now I buy maybe a doll a year, and usually that's a new shell for an existing character I already had a doll for, so it's basically a one in, one out policy. In the past, I bought and sold endlessly, to the extent I actually funded the hobby by buying dolls that needed work, doing said work and selling them on for profit. That, combined with the fact that I used to be very involved in the community, posted photo's almost daily, went to meets regularly and things like that, but now I keep everything offline and don't really post much anywhere, are the biggest changes, I think.

 

I've been collecting dolls of one kind or another my whole life. Been in the BJD hobby for 9yrs so only 6 yrs to go...that will fly by like a flash I'm sure. I believe I'll still have BJDs at that time...I can probably see downsizing a bit before then..but I hope to still enjoy doing things with them like I do today...making clothing, wigs, accessories, etc for them, taking photos, doing photo stories (because my dolls have lots of stories to tell), maybe even finishing that doll house I've been talking about for years..lol.

I really don't know what to realistically expect though, a lot can happen in 6 yrs...I'm certain there will be even more amazing sculpts produced by my favorite companies...and new companies popping up here and there. I do hope that the hobby keeps going strong and that the community does as well. I've met a lot of people over 9 yrs and had some wonderful communications with others here on the forum. Heck that means in 6 yrs DoA will be on it's 21st Anniversary...how fabulous!

 

I honestly have no idea how long I will enjoy then. But I enjoy them now, and I still have lots I want to do, so I'll focus on that.

 

I took a long break from the hobby, but never stopping enjoying BJD. I'm hoping my two will stay with me for 15 years. I'm excited to have come back and to find DoA is still active!

 

Been in the hobby for 11 years, this is my 12th, and I don't see myself getting tired of these dolls any time soon. There is just so much you can do with them! It's fun sewing clothing for them, experimenting with various props, making jewellery, wig making, and so much more!

I never really thought about whether or not I would stay in this hobby for years and years, it just happened. Sure things have changed, I'm not as public with my resin horde as I once were, it's more of a private thing for me now vs when I first joined. Not that it is a bad thing, I just don't feel an urgent need to share and be as social about the whole thing no more. So yeah, I think I will still be having this as a hobby down the road, don't see what would stop me as it has such a wonderful creative drive behind it that draws you in.

 

I'm only a year in the hobby, but my love for dolls is strong.
I've already seen a lot of changes happening, between the rise of recasts (yuck) and a lot of independent sculpted 3D printing dolls and props (yay!)
I'll always support the artists and remain in the community even if I stop collecting myself.
I've bought sold a lot of dolls in my first year too, but I've found some that make me genuinely happy and excited to see them daily, so I think I'll be around for the next 15 years!

 

I joined DoA 12 years ago when I was first introduced to bjds by a friend in college. I bought a Volks Dollfie fashion sized doll around that time because I couldn't afford my dream resin boy at the time. I didn't actually own a resin doll until just over a year ago when I got my Kids Sky girl. Then it kind of exploded from there, kind of like I was making up for those 12 years of lost time! I was even so lucky to have found my grail doll's heads in that time and gotten him mostly complete! I'm constantly finding new dolls to love and developing a "style" with my dolls that I hope will continue. As far as the next 15 years, I'd love to make some friends in the doll community and maybe even see younger generations in my family get into dolls (so far it's just me ^_^).

 

I’ve been in the hobby just over thirteen years, and although I can’t predict the future I hope in another fifteen I’ll still be enjoying it.

I think my tastes have definitely shifted over the years. I used to collect mostly stylized and fantasy sculpts but now my collection has expanded to include a lot more realistic dolls, as well. My photography has also changed, I’m a lot better than I used to be with picture taking, although I think I still have a lot to learn.

 

I just opened my DoA account after a few months long break and got my "Congratulations on 15 Years of BJDs!" message. I honestly cannot believe that it's been this long. Children younger than my dolls already play with dolls of their own! It's crazy. But I still have my dolls, and they are still precious to me. I don't do as much photography, since all my dolls were 3D illustrations of the characters from my stories, and I have published an actual book with those characters since then... in fact, I think this is what I'm going to do to celebrate my anniversary. I'm going to do an ebook giveaway! Allright, gonna go think about the logistics of a giveaway... stand by!

In the meantime, here is my first and still the most beloved doll, Soon Sabik Elf MechaAngel, Yaret Fairfax. A photo of him won me my first contest here on DoA, giving me confidence and allowing me to grow as an artist and a community member.

Thank you, dollie, for FIFTEEN YEARS of inspiration!

 

It's so hard to believe DoA is 15 already!

I got my first doll 15 years ago, and I've been a member on DoA for 14 years! Time really, really does fly by. I did take a 10 year break from BJD's and was blown away by beautiful sculpts and companies that had emerged in that time frame, but also saddened by the ones we've lost.

I do believe BJD's will still be going strong 15+ years from now. I am always hearing about people still joining, or buying dolls all through the years. I can't wait to see what the future will bring!!

 

I have been on DOA since 2004 but I'm not sure when I first got into BJDs. I'm certain I'll continue to enjoy them for another 15 more years and hopefully beyond.

I've taken breaks from the hobby here and there but I always return and with each revisit I'm astounded by all the new companies and sculpts on offer.

 

I was shocked to log in and see a trophy for 12 entire years! I believe I first discovered BJDs back in 2006 through deviantart, and the rest is history

While I've taken breaks from the hobby (online), I've always had my dolls around and continue to love looking at them or posing them. I can't imagine ever leaving the hobby entirely...or DOA, for that matter

 

I’m new in comparison! My oldest doll is only four, but by next year I should have 22, and most of those SD. In 15 years, I’ve no idea but I’m pretty sure I won’t have got rid of them. I’m very sentimental, and knowing they mattered to me once is enough to name them matter forever. Plus, I’ve always enjoyed to collecting and crafts and dolls are a big outlet for both.

Amazed that some of you guys have 15 year old dollies!

 

Let's see, I joined DoA in June 2006 and got my first BJD in November that year, so it's been 13 years for me so far!
I've slowed down with my collection in some ways, and increased it in others. I'm branching out into the pet/animal/creature part of the hobby and adding little ones to my collection now. I also recently completed another major mod project, and that doll is currently with a customizer to be dyed.
I'm pretty much done with the humanoid dolls I have, as in I'm not planning on getting any more of them in the foreseeable future (and honestly debating letting some go). I'll have more bills coming up this fall since my bf is going back to school, so house costs will be all on me while he's gone.
I love seeing how the hobby has changed over the years, but I won't lie that I miss the old doll aesthetic of the 2000-2010 era. I'll probably still have my dolls in 15 years (if all goes my way, hahaa).

 

My first doll arrived just before Christmas 2012 and I now have 39 full dolls and lots of heads, some which are unfortunately floating with no bodies. 2027 will be 15 years for me. I definitely see me still playing with the dioramas and dolls unless something strange happens. I know there will be changes but that is what makes this hobby so much fun.
If I'm still around, 15 years from now I hope I'm just as active with DoA and all my lovelies.

 

I’ve been here on DoA...every single day...for 13 years! Amazing! It’s part of my normal morning routine, waking up to beautiful dolls and a cup of coffee. It’s the creativity that’s kept me coming back day after day, year after year. So of course I’ll still be here in another 15 years. My collection has grown well beyond where I ever dreamed it would, and frankly I’m quite amazed and delighted by this. In truth, my collection is like having a big extended family. It’s like each one has a life all their own that changes and grows as they age, so I’m constantly having fun expressing myself artistically through them. Whether it’s face-ups, sewing wardrobes, building dioramas, or developing characters, I’m constantly challenged and facinated by them! And DoA has been right here alongside my journey from day one!

 

I've been in the hobby for ten and half years and I think I'll be still into BJD in 15 years from now. I've been a lifelong fan of dolls; grew up with Barbies and few other dolls. I think 15 years from now, we'll have more artists dolls rather than larger companies. Some might close away and some new ones will come in.
My taste in the dolls has evolved in the first 5 years of my hobby as I was discovering what I liked and do not like, and in the second half of the decade, my taste has remained same and I think I'll probably stick to the style and types of dolls I've been collecting. I might take a couple years hiatus soon now that I've amassed nearly 50 dolls and met all on my wishlist. But I'll still be sewing and developing new hobbies to incorporate into the BJD hobby for next 15 years.

 

I've been enjoying the hobby for 2 years now and I'm sure I could do 15 more! It's been fun and there is still so many dolls I'd love to get my hands on. I'm not sure what will change, possibly better joints as I can see from the start til now they have been improving greatly.