Friday, January 31, 2014

Beyond Bollywood: Additional South Asian Playscale Dolls?

When we, playscale doll enthusiasts, see Asian dolls, usually we find dolls representing people with East Asia heritage. Three companies have extended their doll representation beyond East Asia: Mattel, Integrity Toys, and Spin Master. Mattel offers Dolls of the World from various Asian countries while Integrity Toys offered Isha. Recently, Spin Master offered the Bollywood Legends dolls: Kajol, Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Rosan, and Shah Rukh Khan. Mattel and Integrity Toys aside, do others offer dolls with South Asian heritage?

Yes. Hasbro and Vivid Imaginations, respectively offer:


Zayn Malik, singer from 1Direction

Siva Kaneswaran, singer from The Wanted


So that is two additional dolls. Can you think of others that I have missed? Thanking you in advance - big smile, Dana

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your knowledge about dolls amazes me. When I looked at the picture with the dolls, it just reminds me how sophisticated the look of dolls have become compared to the dolls of my youth. I just remember most of the Mattel dolls of the 80s all having similar features. They are now definitely more diversified!

Muff said...

You know that I am not as well versed as you when it comes to doll knowledge and their background. Usually I see an Asian doll and just say, "Asian!" and grab it.

I even have that 1D Zayn doll and didn't know he was of mixed heritage - but I don't follow 1D either, so.

I steadily maintain that Raquelle WAS Asian, but isn't any longer.

I think I just see what I want to see actually.

Anonymous said...

Hi Dana! It's a coincidence, but the other day I was telling my boyfriend how few Asian dolls in general there are on the market and I wished there were more! The only one I can think about (but she's Japanese) is the Memoirs of A Geisha Tonner doll, and she's not 1/6th scale, nor a play doll, haha.

D7ana said...

Hi Refreshedfinesjunkie, Muff, and Nymphaea! Thanks for your comments.

@Refreshedfinesjunkie - I've been accumulating doll knowledge since I was 15-16 ;-) And Mattel has been creating dolls for over 50 years so they've got lots of experience under their belt. More of the personalized and ethnic dolls actually resemble the celebrities or the ethnic/racial group depicted. Very cool now ;-D

@Muff - years or experience and nosiness about the doll/figure background. I seldom care about the actual celebrities, but I do like to see ethnic and racial variety in my collection.

I thought that Raquelle was Asian, then someone somewhere wrote that the head mold used for her was used for some Asian dolls. Implication: Raquelle is not Asian. Aaaaaaccckkkk! Between you and me, the doll becomes whatever I want once he/she is in my collection. I LOVE different face molds, but in the end, the collector "makes" of the dolls what he or she wants. Period ;-)

@Nymphaea - there are a lot more Asian dolls and action figures than you'd think. We would like more, yes, but there are several in playscale and in other sizes as well. Now whether the doll or action figure looks Asian, well, that is another story.

Robotica said...

Bratzillaz Back To Magic Illiana Honesty is from India. She's beautiful. Her outfit is lovely. I think she's 1/6 scale.

D7ana said...

Hi Robotica! Thanks for that information. I was not familiar with the Bratzilla Back to Magic Illiana Honesty. Yes, the Bratzilla dolls are 1/6 scale. There heads are a little large for me, but they are otherwise "Barbie scale."

Georgia Girl said...

Wow, I am always so amazed at how well and how much you know about dolls. I have learned so much from reading your blog. Thanks so much for sharing with us!!

RoxanneRoxanne said...

Thanks for this information, D7ana. I don't have a lot of knowledge about Asian dolls.

D7ana said...

Hi Georgia Girl and Roxanne!

Always glad to see your comments ;-)

@Georgia Girl - thanks for the compliment. I am always glad to share information. If I know it, I have to blab it ;-D

@Roxanne - you are welcome. Peter Chen and Loren Javier had written about Asian dolls and action figures. Mr. Chen's information does not seem to be updated since June 20, 2008; Mr. Javier's information roughly that same year.

I share what information I have found so that there is some current information out.

jSarie said...

The new Prettie Girls line has a doll that I've seen alternately listed as Indian or Middle Eastern (I think that particular doll comes out next month?) That line seems to be in that in-between zone between playline and collector dolls though, so I don't know that that really counts!

D7ana said...

@jSarie - thanks for that great catch! Yes, Prettie Girl Dahlia does count. I'm thinking playscale, 1:6 scale - either playline or collectible can be considered. I forgot about Dahlia.

Forsythia said...

I've come across quite a few Indian/Bangladeshi/Pakistani [?] Barbie clones in dollar stores. They aren't much different from regular Barbie clones, except they have medium dark skin and Hindi-script on the packages.

If anyone lives in NJ, there's a 99 cent store on the Atlantic City boardwalk that carries Indian Barbie clones.






D7ana said...

Hi Forsythia! Thanks for that information. I didn't think that there were any bargain store Barbies that could be Indian/Bangladeshi/Pakistani. Nice to hear that diversity reaches even the budget dolls ;-)