Sunday, January 16, 2011

Generous Smiles on Asian DAFs - A Niel-Inspired Post

Niel submitted a post about finding an Asian doll with "a generous smile". So naturally, I had to dig through my collection - wink, wink any excuse would do, lol - to see if I had any grinning or close-to-tooth-baring Asian dolls or action figures. I found a few and wanted to share them with Niel and my visitors.

Please see from left to right on the back row: Aja of the Holograms (Jem band member), Kmart's Just Girlz Jade Princess, Banee of the Starlight Girls (Jem fan), Dorinda - oops, what is SHE doing there!?

Ack! Dorinda is NOT Asian or Asian American.

Front row also from left to right: Jackie Chan, Claudia from the Babysitters' Club, Happy Family child, and Smartees' Amanda.




Just have to find out the wise guy or gal who inserted Dorinda ... But there we go. Broad Asian smiles.
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4 comments:

  1. NielJanuary 16, 2011 at 5:56 PM

    Thanks for this Dana. A lot of these dolls, I've never seen before. :) Aja sounds like she's Korean. Claudia is cute and Amanda looks like she's related to Susie (RnD). And the Jade Princess looks really beautiful. :)

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  2. AilanthusAltissimaJanuary 17, 2011 at 3:55 PM

    That Jackie Chan doll is a good resemblance!

    I remember some discussion on a fashion doll forum years ago that playline dolls were more likely to be open-mouthed and that adult collectors preferred closed mouth dolls. (Or to restate that manufacturers of adult collectible dolls had a harder time selling open mouthed dolls to adults). I don't know if this is actually true, but I do recall a discussion about it.

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  3. D7anaJanuary 22, 2011 at 2:15 PM

    You're welcome, Niel. I'm glad to have posted dolls you had not seen - more interesting viewing. Aja's background is described as "Asian American", but the specific Asian ethnicity is not mentioned. Hmm ... sad that, but then again, the absence allows for more specific Asian ethnicities to "claim" Aja as "theirs." Like Aja, the specific Asian-American background of the Jade Princess and Amanda are not mentioned.*

    However, Claudia Kishni is described as Japanese-American - probably because the character and the doll come from a specific book series.

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  4. D7anaJanuary 22, 2011 at 2:19 PM

    Hi Kim! Yes, the Jackie Chan resemblance is good.

    Do you recall if that smile vs. grin/open-mouth doll conversation was in a Yahoo group about Takara Jenny? I suppose not, because you mention adult collectors. That sounds like an interesting conversation. Wonder how we collectors overall feel about open vs. closed mouth dolls. I think you prefer the closed mouth dolls?

    I could go with either type of mouth.

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