Thursday, December 31, 2009

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Girl's Mission Mai at 3



Manufacturer: Aoshima/Skynet
Series: Girl's Mission
Character Name: No. 4 Mai
Box Year, if Noted: Alas, I did not note the year

Why is Mai on the Top Ten list?

Oh me, oh Mai! This teen wonder nearly made number one on the Top 10 List. Cute, solemn, intelligent face. Slightly heavier build. Can she pose? Can I write my name? (Yes to both.) I had considered buying the Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission dolls for years before finding Mai on sale at HobbyLink Japan. I wrestled my credit card away from the Barbie-Momoko-Fashion Royalty factions to make the purchase. Am I glad that I did? Yes, I am.

Sometimes, you have an instant connection with a doll or action figure. He or she or it talks to you. I looked at Mai, and her story unfolded. She's the younger sister of Ladies' Mission Street Nun Kyoko Tenryu. Since her parents are dead and her sister is a sister (I love puns), Mai lives at the East Philadelphia Orphanage. She has a pet rat, Willow. More to unfurl in future posts.

Why is Mai third on the Top Ten list?



Mai is one of the best poseable dolls I have: 18 points of articulation. Yes, she could have had smaller hands. Yes, she could have had tighter ankles. Yes, she could have had less frizzy hair. Of those three "problems," the big hands bother me the most. Otherwise, Mai would have topped the List.


Mai is still available at Nouveau Toys for $89.95 BEFORE postage.

Other doll and action figure collectors participating in the Top 10 of 2009 are

Corsetkitten
Mick
Smidge Girl

and the Top 10 blogger who issued this online challenge, Shaun.

This is my last post of 2009. Happy New Year to All.

5 comments:

smidge girl said...

Oh wow, she has a great face! Gotta love articulation! I've enjoyed your list so much so far, as well as all your other posts this year. Hope you have a Happy New Year!

D7ana said...

Happy New Year, Smidge Girl! Glad you've enjoyed my posts and hope you will continue to do so ;-D. I enjoy reading your blog, too.

Articulation forever! Please.

AilanthusAltissima said...

Is this really the end of your posting about the list or will you do more of the list this year? I never heard of this line before, but it was easy to see how articulated this doll is from your pic. I laughed out loud at your comments about the hands - they really **are** big!!! Are they detachable? The hair doesn't seem that bad in the pic - did you work with it? I think she is too expensive to have hair made with cheap saran.

I hope Momoko and Susie can forgive you for getting her....

AilanthusAltissima said...

I forgot to add that I love the brows on this doll. I am tempted to take the pic to a beautician and see if she can do my brows like hers! On second thought.....

D7ana said...

Oh, I still have two more posts for the Top Ten DAFs of 2009, AilanthusAltissima ;-D I have to discuss Luchia and TJ.

While Mai and the other Girl's Mission (Lady's Mission, too) have detachable hands, I don't know of a smaller set of hands for her. And a little bit, I am reluctant to replace her original hands. Heads, I'll freely pop off and onto better proportioned bodies. Hands and feet ... have to be really bad for me to alter.

I confess to being lazy regarding doll hair, but the Girl's Mission and the Lady's Mission dolls have frizzy hair. I smoothed Mai's hair a little here.

My Susies are pretty forgiving; they don't mind if other dolls stay. Some of the Momokos like to make catty comments about "fat girls, twice our weight," but they are resigned to my waywardness LOL.

Mai thanks you for the eyebrow compliment ;-)