Your reasons for choosing your first doll?

I knew I wanted to get mine from Volks, and it took a while during which I looked at various sculpts, but it was SD Mark who stuck with me so I went to get one for myself. The most important factor for me was suitability to character. I felt there was enough of a Hanwing "vibe" for him to be Hanwing . He was the right height in the right scale, from the right company, and had the right expression for me.

 

Well the first thing I looked for was a beautiful face, then a nice body with good posability and plenty stores carrying clothes in the correct size(that's why I decided against BlueFairy) I also looked for less common model, I wouldn't like having the same doll everyine has (Like Iplehouse's Akando or Luts' Ani). I finally choose a Darae from Luts, so far I've only seen a couple of them around.

 

I was mostly just looking for a good deal at the time... I hadn't hit the 'Oh, it's only $600 dollars!' mentality yet. :P I wanted a boyish looking boy, who looked (or was trying to look) badass. Luckily, I came across, actually liked -and still love!- my AOD Chen.
I am still very happy that even for my first doll, I looked around enough to actually fall for the boy I thought I would talk myself into. ^_^

 

I spent my first days in the hobby drooling over SD size dolls. But when I finally decided to commit to buying my first doll, I couldn't bring myself to throw down for an SD. So I looked around a bit at MSD, and decided that a Winter Event-priced Kid Delf was just right for me. I'd always loved looking at Luts dolls, they were so sweet. And she was a brand new sculpt. Being one of the first to purchase her made her even more special to me. My Litchi is still with me, for almost 3 1/2 years now. (...holy crud really?? Wow I didn't realize it has been that long already!)

 

I spent over 2 years looking at dolls as I waited to get one. I ended up getting AR Ami... really just because she was the one. I just kept going back to her!

I got her without clothing, sanding, or makeup, as I wanted to do these things myself. I got an MSD sized doll mainly because it was my first doll and I wasn't really sure how big or heavy they where... and at the time my friends SD sized AR doll seemed massive! : D

 

For a while I was interested in getting a doll but always told myself "no" due to the fact, these little darlings cost some good cash, but it didn't stop me from window shopping xD. I was looking on ebay for something cheap but was built decently, and looked wonderful. The dolls that I really wanted were like, $500+ but as a college student, some things would always remain a dream~ So while on ebay, I came across dolls that were bran new, gorgeous, built nicely and their base cost was only $310. I came across this one male doll that popped out to me, and I fell in love, jackpot! xD
I told a friend about the doll and how I had planned to save for him but it would take a long long time to do so. So a few days later, she mailed me and asked me "out of curiosity what would you get for so said doll?" and I told her...it was a few days later I found out she had bought him with a full outfit, shoes, makeup, wig, accessories, and special skin tone, as a present for me O.o

So I was willing to get my first doll for about $300 some, but it was a great friend who got me the doll I had been digitally stalking (lol), and for that, I'm am so very grateful

 

(If you have no time for long stories, skip my post, lol!)

I had originally wanted a Volks doll; the reason for this was because, in 2007, my friend somehow found the Volks website and that was all I knew until I found DoA.

At first, I felt that Volks was the supreme being of BJD shops, and everywhere else was not as good (I strongly believe I never said this out loud here, but if I did, and it was around 2008... excuse me). Anyway, I finally found out that there were a lot more BJD sites, and Volks was just one of many.

Since 2008, I kind of fell off the BJD fandom wagon, and got on again in 2009 when I decided to save for a BBB or RS Mei. I had a good chunk saved up (since my mom flat-out said 'no') and kept on doing research. I was really ready to do this thing; bring it on!

...As you might notice, there isn't a BBB or RS Mei in my signature of dolls...

As I did more and more research, I found out one issue: she was a slim mini. I tried to ask questions on the DoA boards, and got a jumble of responses as to what clothes she wears. At the time, I was nowhere near interested to take out a sewing machine and try to sew anything, and a lot of the sites I went to had clothes that were too big. So, I gave up, and spent the money.

Cut to last May/June. I decide that I want to get back into the hobby again, and ask for the same doll again. Still, no. My dad asks if I could find something less expensive (and I find the Dollmore Kids) - still, no. I decide I have to save for myself. It's going to be the most money I have ever saved, but I have to try.

End result was that I got my BJD because she was a lot cheaper than a Volks doll, but I bought her because I also liked her. Strangely, Volks has taken a back seat since I've become much more educated in terms of BJD companies and such.

 

My first doll I started to save up for was the doll that made me fall for bjd's in the first place; a DOD DOT Shall. Then the first doll jumped from a Bluefairy May, to a Dearmine Dorothy, and in between several other companies including Infinitidoll, to Iplehouse. I finally decided for my first doll(s) I wanted TWINS, and decided to purchase both boy and girl sculpts of their Luts' KDF Ani doll. I figured MSD size would be perfect to practice sewing projects on, and I could go either way with size adjustments.

 

My '1st' doll was a DOC Kirill. He was a present from my gf. But I love anthro dolls more so I trade him off unwilling to a dearmine, oriental debon recently. I think I will get a kirill again if I got the cash.

 

I chose my first doll just the way you see brides on TLC or on tv shows choosing their gowns.I looked at vary many dolls before, but when I saw Hajime (my Boy& Girl sky type2) I automatically fell in love with him, and I knew none would top him off!-I didn`t really have anything particularly that I was looking for, but when I saw him I knew he would be the one.There was just something so special and so magnetic to him, mabye his wide dreamy eyes or his beautifully shaped lips.So I baught him , and I still own him and love him.That`s just how I was

 

Impulse, impulse, impulse

And as a result I ended up selling him, my DoC Si. He wasn't what I wanted at all - he had the cute face and everything but the DoD default face-up didn't do the sculpt justice, and the plastic-y body (it honestly didn't feel like resin at all, more like the plastic that kids' toyboxes are made out of) really irked me. Couple that with the fact that I wanted NS and got OMGPINK and... well... he was adopted into a loving home elsewhere ^-^ It wasn't until I got my second doll (Angell Studio Vera, still with me and still a favourite) that I realised all of this though, by which time it was too late. I learned the hard way that I need to take time to fall for a doll - a lesson I am still, unfortunately, learning

 

i got my first one to be a drawing model so posability was a big factor. then i picked a head that i liked the sculpt of. unfortunately i didn't do enough research first and didn't know the resin color wouldn't match. that poor girl is still headless years later 'cause i didn't like any of the sculpts from that company!
so for my second i checked other possibilities for posing and got the whole thing from one company...

 

It's funny, I was so HOOKED on a Delf El in the beginning. i even had his picture taped to my monitor at work forever! But when the time came to click the button, it was Yder's huge eyes that got me, and I've never regretted the decision. With me and dolls, it's all about the face. I didn't care what size or if I could find clothes (because I sew) or anything else.

Of course, that was also the first (and only) doll I put on a credit card, so I didn't care about the pricetag. Since then I've realized I can save for anything I want, with enough patience!

 

I wanted something I could "play" with out the box, so I got a fullset. Didn't need to worry about faceup or hair or clothes while waiting for him, it really helped to have it all come in one go so I could experiance a completed doll. Learning to do faceups came with all subsequent, blank dolls. Had him for a long while but he's since been sold after I figured out a more of what my tastes in owning dolls are compared to just looking at pictures of them ^^;.

 

My first BJD is a MSD sized DOC Petsha and I was attracted to her promotion picture when I first saw her I went on looking at pictures posted by Petsha owners on Flickr and I was convinced that I want to get her I'm still new in BJD collecting and thus, I have decided that my first BJD to have fullset for my current dolls are all 1/6 sized dolls and I have little idea of how I sould make clothes for her

 

I wasn't sure what BJD I should choose at first. But what did I know was that I will buy a doll from Dream of doll. There was another doll too and I picked my first doll cause he was cuter than another one : D
And of course the price was one reason. He wasn't too expansive and the company was reliable.

 

My first doll closely resembles the main character from my manga ^^ That is one of the reasons I chose her. She is just so adorable and small. : D

 

Well for one thing, DOC Wi was much more affordable than any of the SDs from Luts and Volks that I liked. He had the tall, pointed, European nose and cat-like eyes..he was just too sweet to resist! That and a friend of mine ordered U, so it was nice to order dolls from the same company. In retrospect it was most likely a bad idea to buy a doll from the same place just because my friend did, but I ended up falling hard for Wi anyway. Still with me, even five and a half years later.

 

I really wanted a female Asian sculpt, but all the gorgeous girls were huuuge SD sizes which just plain scare me
I'm not sure how I found Iplehouse, but as soon as I saw "i" it was love! I had to have her

I think the most important thing to think about when getting your first BJD is to ensure it's the one you actually WANT, and that it's the one that makes you keep coming back to look at and compare to others XD

Settling for a doll you like, rather than adore, isn't a good idea and will end up costing you both in money and emotions.
I know this hobby is expensive, and not everyone can afford the doll they truely want... But it's worth the wait and so much more amazing if you save for him/her!

 

I had a whole list of dolls I wanted to get at the time, but I ahd narrowed it down to my two very favorites: Luts Delf El and DoD DoC U. Honestly the only reason I picked U is because he was cheaper so I could get him soner xD I was also a little intimidated by the SD size in general. It took quite a bit of exposure to my friend's SD dolls for me to get used to the size.

 

Six words: I fell in love with her. She's the sole reason I am in this hobby now! If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be on this forum at all.

 

After drooling over a friend's doll for months, I decided I wanted one of my own but SD size was far too big for me. So I looked around and finally found one on Dollmore that just *called* to me. So home she came and I've never looked back!

 

My reason? Very simple: he was (and still is) stunning.
I didn't have any story or characters I was trying or wanted to create at that point in time. So the selling point to me was simply how they looked and DoD's Homme Ducan appealed to me.

 

I got mine because it was kind of Love at First Sight kinda thing. I saw him and I love him. I started comparing him to other doll but just can't stop thinking about him, so I ordered him. ^^

 

I had been browsing dolls for a while, a lot of dolls caught my attention, but when I saw a picture of DOD Code no. 2 I fell in love with everything about him. I mostly loved his eyes, his eyes are what really drew me in. I tried comparing him to other dolls I was looking at, but deep down I knew I had already chosen him ^_^

 

Generic reason for getting SD-sized dollie: I need a larger BJD to make accurate historical costumes for.
Reason for getting the Feeple Chloe: she gorgeous, Fairyland dolls pose really well, and I WANT HER! hahaha

 

Because I fell in love (:

 

I really felt in love with the Dream of Doll Company, since they're the very 1st BJD Company i've seen. I have been like trying to see which sculpt would fit in my taste, first there was Lahoo, Ducan, then Kyrill... Then finally after 3-4 years of stalking the site... I settled for DOI A&D Ver.2, and i'm in the process of saving for my very 1st doll... I wish that i could have him soon. ^^y

 

Love at first sight. I couldn't help it: he was just perfect. Once I'd seen him, I couldn't get him out of my head. I bought him within a week of discovering him, and despite the fact that I knew nothing whatsoever about bjds. When I got access to DoA, for a moment I panicked and thought I might discover another little boy doll who'd suit my character better - but I didn't. I looked around, but still thought my first choice was perfect.

In the meantime, he's here, and he has confirmed all my hopes . He's the cutest little thing and poses like a dream. *is now officially a Dollzone fan*

 

For my first doll I didn't want a childlike doll, so at that time MSD size was not an option. I chose my first doll because of his size (60 cm), the size of his nose (I like big noses) and the fact that he came with extra hands and a wig (I have never used those ). He was also less than $600, which was the maximum amount I was allowed to spend on a doll (shipping not included). Because my first doll was a graduation gift from my parents I didn't have much to say about the budget and certainly nothing to complain about.

I wasn't smitten by this doll nor did I adore it when I chose it. I just picked one that I liked best out of a selection of nice looking dolls. As my first doll I wanted a doll to get familiar with the hobby and this doll grew on me later on.

 

My first doll was mainly based on how pretty she looks (somehow I find this a bit weird...can't find the right word to describe it...) and I chose my first doll from Supia. I love her to bit...The sculpt was just amazing and she looks like an ethereal faerie queen from the past or something !

 

I dreamed of her......
3 years ago I was invited for my first BJD day. I was curious what the differcence was between them and Barbie Collectors, my hobby at that moment. I liked the clothes, but the dolls..... And then I saw a lot of dolls and the following night I dreamed about two of them. So the next day I phoned my friend (seller of these dolls) and after a long time staring and playing with them I made my desicion...

 

My friends got their dolls from Fairyland, so I decided my first doll would be from there because I didn't know much about other sites and that was the one they showed me. After that it was just fate that I fell in love with the mold I did.

 

The first doll I ever wanted chose me. I just knew the second I saw her that she was mine.

 

My first BJD was a Serendipity Sharmin. I thought she was very cute, her size seemed nice (I only had Pullips, Blythe and Living Dead Dolls at the time, and anything larger than a MSD seemed ridiculous though I liked them), her price was decent, and I was able to buy her on ebay from a seller with good feeback. It was another year or so before you could buy Volks from the US shop and I wanted that first Kun but I wasn't in a position where I felt comfortable buying from a company overseas, so I went for the more attainable doll. After the Volks store opened in the US, I ordered the doll I wanted to be my actual first. Eventually the Sharmin moved on, but the Kun remains.

 

When I 1st decided I wanted to buy ... my bank account was sadly lacking. I had an "Ori" character I want to do as a BJD and after many months of shopping decided on a Bobobie. I had heard of all the problems others were experiencing, but I thought I would try them anyway. I was not disappointed... the resin had a nice feel to it, no chemical smell, seam lines sanded no additional charge, face-up no additional charge, and received lots of extras from the Company. I did have my doubts, but was surprised when the girl stood like a rock right out of the box. So I decided to try them again... still on a limited budget and bought another 2nd hand. And he has never been a problem from the 1st day he stepped into the house. Yes I would love to have the funds to purchase some of the "Cadillac's or Mercedes" or the "Rolls Royces" I've seen here, but does money equate happiness? Not really, at least for me.

- ShadowHawke -

As for my other half.... having purchased a Doll More Ipsae Monahan... not my taste in dolls. Either the sculpt nor the structure of the body. The hands and feet are a disaster.

 

my reasoning was very simple...it was limited XD

 

Honestly, I chose my first one because he was cheap. He was a Bobobie and when I got him home, and I REALLY didn't like him. I sold his head and got a new one, then ended up selling the entire doll down the road.

 

I fell in love with a Pong at my first doll-meet. I was feeling a bit out of place (not being an owner and not knowing much about the different brands), and this itty bitty doll was thrust at me. I believe I made the same face the doll was making!

Well, I shopped, and shopped, and kept coming back to the one that made me smile, so my daughter got me my first bjd for my 50th birthday, this year. I love and adore that little angel (and my daughter). So I have to agree with Vanille, buy something you LOVE, not just like.

 

Mine was simple. I wanted a doll after seeing my friend's doll, she introduced me to luts, i browsed through their dolls, saw his smirk, loved it and got him XD

 

My first doll was a Resinsoul Lan. She had a more realistically sculpted face and a more realistically sized head when compared to many other mature minis. Also, she was fabulously priced. I'm thinking of getting a few more of her. XD

 

I chose my first dolly ( soom glot ) because i really adore satyrs and pans so the hooves are what got me.

 

Price was everything to me. I am very broke. So I wanted a doll that was affordable and came with a face up.

 

He had such a smile and I kept coming back to look at him again and again. Then I started looking for more pictures. Being inexpensive and the company having an event, that was just icing. I think I would have picked him anyway

 

My first was an Iplehouse Silvia full set. I chose her because I thought she was so beautiful and because she came with a wig/shoes/eyes/outfit and I didn't have to buy everything separately. I was just starting out in the hobby and was still pretty confused about sizes so having everything all in one purchase was very appealing to me.

 

After a few weeks of looking at dozens of dolls, I had a dream about one of the many lovely choices I was debating. After sharing a lovely day with DoD's Petsha in a dream, I placed my order while drinking my coffee the next morning.

 

Though I'm still waiting on my actual first doll, I chose him because he was perfect for the character I want him to be (expression, eye shape, everything) and...I think he's the most beautiful doll I've ever seen. He is Souldoll's human version Chiron in normal skin and I practically swoon everytime I see him.

 

My first doll was chosen on the beauty of the sculpt firstly and secondly if I could afford it. I rarely choose a character before I choose a doll

 

After much prodding by a friend and some useful links, I decide to cruise the links and see if there were any dolls that spoke to me. I found one at Iplehouse that had me drooling. He looked like a young version of my current jrocker obsession and I wanted him sooo bad but the price had me staggering. I'm still planning/hoping to get him at some point but for now...I just can't afford him. I kept looking and found the most adorable Delf kid at Lutz. It was love at first site. He'll be my first and hopefully an early xmas present for myself.

 

The one I'm investing in at the moment will be my first doll. I don't know, when I first learned of BJD's, I searched for them on Google the first company that popped up for me was Ringdoll. I automatically fell in love with their Spencer model(even though at first glance I thought he was a girl) and I've had my heart set on him since.

 

My favourite doll I had ever seen was a DOD Collection Black Ducan. Never to be of course, but since the Homme Ducan sculpt was so similar I easily fell in love with him and he was the natural choice

 

Price! /shot by every DoA member
But really, there are so many dolls out there and plenty I love and plan to get anyway XD I might as well get the cheapest first. I'm not *just* buying her because she's cheap (that would be a waste of money... >_>) but she isn't my favorite. My favorite is $630, and I'd rather have a doll before I turn 30 and buy the second best (third best, maybe) xD

 

Not long after I began seriously looking into resin BJD, Limhwa released the in-progress photos of Mano. I remember literally gasping and saying 'oh...wow...' and immediately favoriting the site lol I had never seen such a detailed mature SD boy before and I was pretty hopelessly smitten with him. At the time, there was also a BJD brick and mortar store about 30 minutes from my house. A couple months after discovering the photos of Mano, I made the trek up there, (to buy some brushes and a vinyl practice head I...think..?), only to discover one of the very first Mano's to be released was on display. I got the VERY rare opportunity to handle my dream doll before deciding to make the plunge.
Needless to say, I started saving right away and managed to bring home Emile several months later

 

I chose my first doll because I wanted something small for my first doll. So I started out looking at the company and the size of the doll was perfect. Next i had to figure out which sculpt I wanted. Well at first i fell in love with the face. After considering all the other sculpts the company had. I ended up going back to the one I loved first because I really couldnt not get it.

 

I had been spending weeks looking at different dolls but when I saw the AOD Zi Yuan it was love at first sight.

 

I'm still waiting on her, but for my Zuzu Delf Fenny it was many things! For one, I loved foxes when I was a little girl, and she had the most adorable tiny pink nose and mouth. Also, she is the School Girl version, and I've always adored the 'sailor suit' school uniforms. I went from thinking I'd never want a BJD to buying her in the span of a few minutes.

 

I had been admiring DD's for over a year and had been thinking about getting one for a long time. I didn't want to rush though since after looking at so many pictures and the price tag on these dolls I knew that I shouldn't get a random one just for the sake it's cheap or just for the sake for owning one. I really wanted to find one that would look appealing and the prize wouldn't be too much to handle.

Once DD Beatrice's pictures were up on the website, I immediately knew I would get her. Her facemold looked really amazing for me and I had read the series where she came from so I knew and liked the character. So I participated in the lottery and won her! I feel like I'm so much happier with her than buying some other doll whose face wasn't nearly as satisfactory as hers. ^^ Now I'm waiting for the next releases...

 

My first doll will be a Doll Love yoyo. I chose her because she is soooo cute, I love yoSD sizes, and I heard they were great posers and plus she wasnt that expensive! So thats why I bought her.

 

I didn't actually intend to buy a doll at first. I've been looking at this hobby for probably 4 or 5 years but it was expensive and I really never had time. But while I was on wiki I decided to browse some of the companies listed. Then I saw DOD Petsha and that was the end of me. After deciding I could not live without that sweet face I was sold. Not to say I didn't do my research and look at thousands of dolls afterwards to make sure I made the right choice. I think it took me a month to confirm that I was sure I wanted to jump in. Now that shes been here for a few months I couldn't be happier with my decision.