Volks Super Dollfie - SD, SD13, SD16, SD17, SDGr, SDGou & FCS - XXXI

Disgusting... I agree that it would be nice of Volks to do a proper preorder for them, but I am worried that they might not have the capacity to do so (given April preorders for Lucia, Charlotte and Lieselotte, and possible upcoming release of Frozen girsl).

Still, gonna try for both, just in case (I think it will be definitely a lottery - I except the scalpers themselves to fill the whole capacity, as cynical as it sounds) - I will be happy with either, so fingers crossed!

 

I really wish they can open preorders. I think they might have the capacity to do so if they extend the delivery time to next year. Actually I don't mind to wait much more longer if they open preorders.

 

Totally agree with you about waiting for delivery dates, specially these girls will be limited to Volks Japan and will not be offered to volks USA if I am not mistaken
Figure cross they saw scalpers and decide to do pre-order

 

I think that there may be licensing considerations with the Junichi Nakahara collaboration to ponder too. They may not be able to exceed a certain amount of dolls due to that.

That's just me speculating, of course, but I think there has to be a reason they didn't opt for just an open preorder. With the popularity of Alice and Lorina, it would have made more financial sense for them to do the open preorder for them rather than Lieselotte, Charlotte and Lucia. Unless they knew they would just be completely overwhelmed!

 

@I<3MySD Ah, suddenly everything clicks about why the latest 3 preorder girls were collaborations with Volks' made up fashion brand and not an actual brand. Has there ever been an collaboration open preorder? It's probably a lot tougher to make that deal rather than a set number.

That being said, they could always do a non-collab open preorder for Lorina someday! I can't imagine they will until they get Lucia/Charlotte/Lieselotte finished though. And maybe the rest of the Nakahara girls...

 

All of their yearly Dollfie Dream open preorders are for licensed characters, so they have done that before. I think Volks is not especially enamored of the idea of open preorders for Super Dollfie because it does remove that limited exclusivity they really play up, and the Nakahara Junichi dolls have been seen as very exclusive with them. I think we got the two SD ones we did honestly because of covid and them pivoting in response.

I had missed that they changed the SD16 girl knees, did they change the way the option legs work for them? I loved how easy it was to change legs with my old SD16, so I'm trying to determine if I should skip preordering a new one from FCS and instead looking for an older body. I don't like the SDGr girl leg mechanism so if they changed them to that, I would want to pass.

 

I have a feeling that either annually or once every two year or so we may start seeing more lorina release with the line of Nakahara Junichi, since there are so many of the line up of the design! It likely means that all of them will eventually be available in the future

 

I don't think Volks is a big enough company to be able to handle that many preorders, especially for such popular dolls and with the Lieselotte and Charlotte preorders having just happened TBH I'm really surprised they even offered those as preorder.

Did y'all see that like a whole week ago someone had listed Alice and Lorina on y!J for about $3750? I guess they got a low enough number in their guidebook to feel confident that they'd get them, but how disgusting. At least wait until after Dolpa.

 

Kim, they didn't change the way SD16 girl legs can be swapped out, just the outer appearance of the knee. However, you can't use the old-style legs on the new-style girls, so it's important to order both if you want both. And I agree with you, SD16 girls are SO much easier to swap legs -- and you don't have to loosen that *expletive* plastic cinch thingy, either!

 

I already made my purchases and received the Notice of Order emails. If it becomes lottery, will my orders automatically become entry to lottery?

 

Preorder /lottery is open on volks japan for Alice and Sweet Lorina .. both girls hope coming home soon

 

To be honest, even you participate Kyoto Dollpa this round, you will "Need" to be on admission ticket no. A001 - A499 or so (Aka the 250 earliest to enter the hall) to get Alice and Lorina. (Thrust me It's not a joke)

I was holding no. B275 and while B group are calling to the entry line there's already an announcement that Lorina are all sold out. After that, when B Group start walking to the gate there's a Alice sold out announcement

(And the ticket run from A to EFG... for 250 each alphabet... My friend got no. D3xx so she got no hope... These girls are really... //Sigh)

It will "Indeed" be a lottery everyone. And hope for you all who truly adore these sculpt the best of luck.

 

Please pardon me!!! Can one person purchase 2 girls at the same time? Because many scalpers seem to get both for sale on YAJ.

 

Thank you!! I saw the photos had the whole leg on the FCS page so I was really concerned they had changed that easy to swap knee mechanism!

You can purchased one of each doll with your ticket, but scalpers often buy many, many guidebooks to get multiple tickets. I saw the scalped Alice on FB and ugh, shameless and tacky.

 

Thanks for the update! I was curious how many people were able to get the girls. I was hoping that the new ticket system (group A, B, C, etc ...) to Dolpa would be better than the old Xpass but sounds like the same darn thing. You'd think they would lottery at Dolpa, the new front of the line. Volks could easily draw a letter to be the new front of the line and it would be easier because it would just be drawing a single letter and letting that line enter first. Ah well. No wonder those passes were going crazy high on YJ again.

Good luck everyone! Here is hoping we see a few ladies here.

 

Good luck to everyone trying for Alice & Lorina! I'm glad not to be in the running for them!

 

Yeah, it’s not exactly random when you can sell your good pass to the highest bidder.

If they really wanted to, they could team up with a Japanese concert ticketing agency to end it. For those, I didn’t know my ticket seat location until 3 hours before admission. It’d make selling tickets much less easy, but it’d also be rather complicated to coordinate I’d guess. So much of the inside stuff depends on marking off the guidebook and they’d have to make sure the system accepts foreign payment methods for when everyone can get into Japan again…

 

I agree that the exclusivity plays a huge role - remember how the first release of Lorina II was only 100 dolls during an exhibition in one museum in Japan?

I certainly hope so! They have produced many outfits in this collaboration from what I saw, so I feel like it would make a lot of sense (to me. To Volks, well, that might be another story).

Wow, this is harsh. Nothing unexpected, but harsh.

On another note, I've just checked the prices at yahoo!japan auctions... 3750$ seems like a reasonable amount to have on hand if you want a shot at them (although there is one for around 2100$! Isn't that splendid?)

 

I hope everyone here who is trying for Alice or Lorina is lucky enough to get one! I wish there was a good way to combat scalpers for these things. Surely Volks will put some more of the other outfits out in the future if/when these girls turn into a lottery.

You're right and I don't know how I blanked on that one. It is a lot easier to mass produce DDs than resin but that doesn't have anything to do with licensing.

 

I wish Volks could one day have a special "choose any, one doll per member" sort of event - since they do offer a lot of the limited dolls for the one-offs I don't think it'd be too much of a problem to produce a few even for the less popular molds. I get that it wouldn't make sense for them to just make all the dolls available or always offer up pre-orders, but it honestly sucks to see people lose out on their grail dolls because they lose to the scalpers who won't keep the doll anyway.

Probably would be really difficult to actually enforce and manage well... But, I mean it'd be really cool if everyone could get an opportunity to get the one, special doll they've always admired and wanted without having to pay the terrible re-sale price (and with the risk that you may end up with a recast to boot). :/

 

Yes, if any dolls are still available you can choose to purchase 1 per type (I saw more than 1person with all 4 Boxes of Alice+ Lorina+ Scathach+ Emilia )

Scathach and Emilia, on the other side, sold out when B group enter the hall (Still no hope for C group... Sigh)

 

@SoapBubbles that would be wonderful, to give everyone the opportunity to have their grail doll, though I don’t think Volks would ever do it. Still, we can dream^^

I entered for both girls too, the Junichi Nakahara pattern versions have become dream dolls for me over the past year, wishing myself and everyone who also wants the dolls for themselves and not to resell good luck!

 

You explain it way better “one per type”. I was so confused as Volks mentioned “1 doll per person” LOL.

 

They call that Dream FCS and you have to be a VIP, go to one of their rare extra special events, and win the one chance to fork over 5K for the privilege.
Given the auction prices these days, it does start to seem reasonable....

 

@ashlia Indeed. And I'll probably just dream of such an event forever.

I-I find it rather frightening myself that the 5k privilege seems almost reasonable to my eyes... I think I'll have to stop looking at 2nd hand markets for a while to not become accustomed to the ludicrous prices.

 

I think in the amount of time it's been since they've done a Dream FCS they've ended up releasing most of the dolls I would have wished for as auction one-offs, like the white SD17 Genji or the sunlight Suigintou, which were even more unaffordable than Dream FCS.

 

So just to make sure that I'm reading this correctly it's a preorder on volks inc website until they switch the order to lottery, correct? I entered for Lorina so I wanted to double checks since I'm chewing my nails in nerves..she's been my grail for forever!

 

Good luck to you! Volks wrote in the description that if it exceeds the pre-order limit, it will switch to a lottery. Since the entry period is open for a few weeks, I would expect it to become a lottery.

 

Thank you!
Omg, how did I miss that..lol hopefully it doesn't switch into a lottery but I know better Lorina since she is really popular and sought after.

 

fingers crossed for everybody hoping for Alice and dreamy Lorina! I hope that the small number of dolls available in person will mean many more dolls were held back for the lottery. I also hope that Volks returns to the method they did in some earlier releases, like 2019 Luna and Lieselotte, where you could put in for the doll at the event, but all of the dolls were delivered by mail. I think that really helped reduce the resellers issue.

(ETA: a playlist of Dolpa tunes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCjcVakaUx0Wh1lkc3B4bjOtTiinXaa2c)

dolly tax:

 

@snowgray That playlist is gonna give me Ave Maria PTSD!! Trapped at my vendor table! Unable to escape!!

I just ordered an SD16 girl! My Boyhood Williams will actually get a body this year instead of next! I decided to check out F-73 since I've only seen it as a DearSD Tiffany and admittedly hadn't looked too close at the time.

 

It's Quando Quando Quando that really kills me, personally

Also some F-73 spam. She's adorable! Could be a good friend for your tall Ms. Williams!

 

@snowgray She has more of a four sisters vibe than I recall. Dangerous!

 

I can’t wait to see this year’s SD16s.

It’s the first time that I’ve gone through with the online FCS order, but I’ve been hoping for the possibility of an amber SD16 F-72. It’s going to be a long 4 months.

 

@DemonMiko Oooh! Fantastic choice! I would have gone for an F-72 myself, except I already have one.

 

@St. James - Thank you! F-73 is also a great choice! I'm not sure you can go wrong with any of the sculpts offered.

Though, I was surprised that we got all FCS heads this time instead of a mix of them and Gemstone/Jewel girls like usual. Pearl and the rest are nice, of course, but it's more exciting to see actual FCS molds. I hope we get more circulated in.

 

I just have to give her an update. My sweet little Miruku is finally on her way to Seony for a custom face up. I feel like I have been waiting for this forever. I’m so excited to see what she looks like when she is done.

 

Where does everyone go look for SD16 girl outfits now? I've only now realized that I don't see many offerings for SD16 girls anymore and am not sure where to start. I'm not looking for modern or super casual styles. Atelier Soda doesn't exist anymore or else I'd start there.

 

I also ordered a Ebony/Shadow F-72 SD16 girl on Monday I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try and pay homage to the gorgeous Auction model Suigintou from a few years ago. Close as I am gonna get!

@DemonMiko I know there are some fashions on Toabao, and SOME outfits for SDGr can fit SD16, but it does seem to be a gamble. I have something on order for this girl and I hope it fits her or else I too will be on the hunt!

 

@I<3MySD It'll be great to see all these new amber SD16s in several months! I can't wait In the meantime, I guess I'll be searching Taobao and IG and hope I find something appropriate.

 

Wow, speaking of SD16 dream girls, the 2016 Charity Auction Athena Suigintou is on Y!J right now. Still cheaper than Dream FCS at the moment.
オークションモデル 白肌水銀燈 ボークス - ヤフオク!

 

I love the "Engrish" translation of the auction text; it really does describe things well. "Please think that it is worse than the photo"... "The futon is dirty, so it's a bonus."

Athena is now a 5-year old doll, after all. I'd be curious to know if she was ever played-with much after the auction winner took her home. It should be interesting to see how much she sells for on Y!J. I can't remember how much she sold for at the 2016 Tokyo Dolpa.

 

Angel's Base says it was 3120000yen, about $28,000+

 

Someone on Discord mentioned that this seller on YAJ had apparently previously sold a Shinku head that was very suspicious on legitimacy which is super weird to

 

Ah, thank you! Looks like her Y!J auction has a ways to go, if the seller wants to recoup, lol!

 

The auction is ended ? Why I wonder and I wouldn't think she will sell for that amount if it stayed up!
I saw once a one off Suigintou sold for around 800k yen

I did some search on their feedback
The shinku head that she sold had no headplate and it was mentionted on the listing information and from the feedback the buyers seems happy with the purchase of the head of Shinku

 

She said she'd relist it. Apparently there was a question over whether Volks would be willing to repair the face-up, and Volks didn't have an immediate answer because no one had ever asked them that about a charity auction doll before.

 

Oh I missed that question bar yes saw they will re-list and even may apply directly for fixing the face up thats nice of them to do so

 

I'm also super tempted to get an amber/tanF-72 as a knock-off Suigintou, but I honestly hate handling the SD16 body I already have. It looks so cool and yet feels so awkward

 

It's so true! I relented only because I was tired of the hybrid struggle. Also, I just don't do the same kind of doll photography as I used to so it kinda doesn't matter to me as much because my dolls just stand around. I'd rather have clothes and shoes that actually fit.

 

Word.

The SD16 bod is kind of a pain to do anything fancy with pose-wise... I'd have had to wire mine by now if I really wanted to take interesting pictures of them... but they still look great just standing around in fancy outfits, and that's really all I ask of the gang anymore.

 

Oh man I’m glad I’m not the only one re: sd16. It’s awkward. But, I think it’s really pretty too, and for the most part my dolls are quietly on display ^ ^;

I didn’t really debate it either way when I put my order in for a sunlight f64. I was so excited to see her cute face this round, and to be able to act on it!

 

I also greatly dislike the SD16 body and have been low-key looking for an alternative T_T. Does anyone have any recommendations? I don't care for the proportions at all, nor how clothes fit it because the proportions are so wonky.

 

What is it about the SD16 body that people don't like about? For example compare to a Gr body :O

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but my issues are all about the engineering of the body rather than the proportions or the dressed look. I find them difficult to pose in a way that looks natural, outside of a few fairly limited and very "static" positions. They're pretty stiff and don't lend themselves to the kind of posing that I can do with the SDGrs, much less something like my DC guys.

SD16s aren't alone in that, or even the worst about it... My Iple and Spirit Doll girls aren't exactly champs in that respect, either... But if I were still primarily interested in my dolls as photography models, it would be annoying.

 

It's the engineering for me too. She's like a giant Barbie, except modern Barbies are better posers now. The legs will only swing forward and the ankle joints on the flat feet are ovoid so the feet snap back into a rigid forward position rather than allowing a natural rotation. I could forgive the torso stiffness if the legs could do anything interesting.

I doubt Volks will ever upgrade the jointing since SDGr has eclipsed her in popularity and she's rarely even available in their primary market.

 

I agree on the SD16 body. It feels more like a fashion doll than a bjd, if that makes sense. I think Volks introduced her at a time where some of the bjd shifted interest to fashion dolls and other companies like Iplehouse began making more mature doll options. Perhaps, Volks introduced the SD16 to sway some of the fashion doll people to BJD or appeal to collectors looking for a more mature doll?

Her proportions, her lack of posing range ... very stiff, limited range of positioning (especially in the upper body) and exaggerated. At least, Volks fixed the elbows and created a small bust (even though it's only been offered with Oscar). I have a couple SD16 ladies and only broke down on getting them because of the heads they came with (looking at you, Oscar!) and now, their personalities developed around their form so I can't see myself changing the body. But it's not something I would actively look to buy in the future.

Echoing on the SDGr girl body love ... She seems to offer the best qualities of the Volks bodies. More mature the the SD10 (love the SD10), a little less chubby and improved posing than the SD13 (still a cutie) and not as mature as the SD16. You can dress her to be younger or older, works with all sorts of fashion styles and has a great range of posing because of the engineering of the body.

 

I'm the oddball here; I like the SD16 girl body. At least you don't have to restring it to change the legs, unlike the Graffiti girl body

I understand why most people prefer the Graffiti body; it does pose more naturally and looks more natural, but why, oh why, Volks, did you have to make it so effing difficult to restring? You're the company that gave us the One-Touch System for hands and feet; I haven't seen any other company do that! Then again, the Graffiti girl body has had engineering hiccups **cough-neck ball-cough**, so...

 

I love the aesthetics of the SD16 girl body a lot, but my favorite to pose and just the overall winner for me is the 100% the SD girl. It is very sturdy and has a great feel! The SD16 body poses a bit more similarly to the SD17 boy I think. It can be a little more stiff, more leggy. But I like how mature it is. The SDGr body is beautiful too, and I have two girls on it, but the hip joint is a bit harsh - and sometimes sporadically moves on its own. They feel kind of unstable sometimes at the hip / pelvic area . . . but my dolls are always sitting or lying down for safety.

I do actually like the bust of the SD16 girl though. It is definitely different from Volks usual style. She is totally girlfriend material and makes a great older sister. So I actually think I prefer SD16 over SDGr in many ways.