Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Kajol at 5

Manufacturer: Spin Master Ltd.
Series: Bollywood Legends
Character Name: Kajol
Box Year, if Noted: 2006

Why is Kajol on the Top Ten List?

One, she is gorgeous. Two, she's an ethnic doll who looks ethnic. Three, in her leaf green and gold outfit with her long gold scarf, she stands out on any shelf. Yes, the Priyanka Chopra doll is lovely, too. But Kajol packs a bonus with her tooth-baring smile. Where Priyanka seems smug and aloof, Kajol seems warm and welcoming. If Tiara Gold is the "Sunshine Girl," Kajol is la femme dorée, "The Golden Woman." Here's another photo to confirm that subjective statement.




Why is Kajol the fifth doll on the List?

One, limited pose-ability. Two, excessively tiny feet. She has the same body as Priyanka Chopra. Three, the gold dust on her clothes sheds. Most of all, the limited pose-ability places Kajol in the middle of the List. Straight arms and straight legs translate to toy soldier stiffness. A doll this lovely cries for articulation, but she has little in that vein. And she will be a tricky doll to match if I should decide to re-body her onto a more pose-able body. All but one of the dolls ranked higher than Kajol have more articulation.

Kajol, like the other Bollywood Legend dolls, came from Fairy Dust Dolls Ltd. through Amazon.co.uk. Postage to the United States from the United Kingdom was costly, but that was the only way that I knew to get these dolls. If anyone knows of a U.S. source for these dolls, please send that information in a comment.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

I missed seeing the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but I want to acknowledge the holiday here. Irish Barbies are everywhere online so I decided to photograph any dolls and/or action figures wearing green. I found a Black Barbie, a copper-tressed Midge, a YNU Group Inc. Mixis Houda, an M & C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Para jumper, and a Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol already dressed in green. Here they are along with my wish that all celebrating St. Patrick’s Day are having  or have had a jolly one.

Barbie Birthstone Beauties: May wearing an emerald green glittery lace minidress with a green bolero jacket

YNU Group Inc. Mixis Houda wears her original sundress and Mattel Surf City Midge wears a Fashion Avenue outfit

M & C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Para jumper wears an olive green zipped jumpsuit and Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol wears a green and gold trimmed blouse and skirt

Oh and I must not forget this video that explains how the wearing of green became associated with this holiday.

May the road rise to meet you.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Olga Tañón at 4

Manufacturer: Haschel Toys
Series: Not applicable
Character Name: Olga Tañón
Box Year, if Noted: 2000


Why is Olga Tañón on the Top Ten list?

Her face. Okay, the doll is not traditionally pretty. Her nose is long; her mouth is wide. But just as Kajol stands out on a shelf, so, too, does Olga. I would say that none of my other dolls look like her, but one does: Mattel's Kate Jackson doll from the late 1970s. Shrug. Still, Olga provides ethnic variation. And she looks snarky-smart.



Why is Olga fourth on the List?

Limited articulation. She trumps Kajol a point because Olga's knees do bend, but otherwise, think standard Barbie twist and turn body. Since her torso is a little wider than Barbie's torso, Olga cannot wear many of the modern Barbie fashions. (The outfits do not completely close.) She may have to borrow Candi and Janay fashions. Or I might get unlazy enough to make her some outfits.

I bought Olga from Beautiful Dolls where she is available for $29.99.


Information about the human Puerto Rican singer Olga Tañón can be found on her website or on her Wikipedia page.

Two Bollywood Dolls Here! Kajol and Hrithik Roshan

Two of the three Bollywood dolls, distributed by Spin Master Toys in the UK, have arrived: Kajol and Hrithik Roshan.

I won't post photos of them today, but I will this weekend. Here are links to the toys AND to an article about the launch of these figures:


http://desibbrg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=300904

http://www.ethnicnow.com/channels/film/press-release/3/516/bollywood-comes-to-harrods.html


I LOVE the faces. I'll have to get the last one from the series, Shah Rukh Khan. The figures resemble the actors. The packaging is a clear plastic box with each doll set against photos of the actor. I believe that the third doll - Priyanka Chopra - will reach me tomorrow. When I have the three together, I will photograph them.

Thus far I have NO complaints.

Step Three: More Than 10? Review Again

Two removed from the list. Now, who do I really, really, really like? In this second elimination, I separate dolls and action figures (DAFs) that I like from DAFs I love. A List versus B List. Like B list actors, B list DAFs are keepers. They just lack that je ne sais quoi that the A list or Top 10 DAFs have. Meet the B List DAFs new in 2009:

• M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers E.O.D. Technician Power Team Elite
  
• Mattel Ballerina Barbie
  
• Mattel SiS So in Style Kara
  
• Mattel SiS So in Style Kianna
  
• Mattel Beach Party Nikki
  
• Mattel High School Musical 3 Graduation Day Ryan
  
• Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Sharpay Evans
  
• Play Along Ltd. Cheetah Girls Growl Power Dorinda
  
• Revell GmbH& Co. KG Kick-O-Mania Hamburger SV Benjamin Lauth
  

The World Peacekeepers E.O.D. Technician is cute. But although he is an older man - and not as well represented in the DAF world as might be expected, he misses falling into the Top 10 list because he is not that exciting.

Ballerina Barbie, SiS Kara, Nikki, and Sharpay are pretty dolls. But that's the most I can say about them. I like them in my collection, but nothing stands out about them. Kianna works the cute factor - who can bypass curly pigtails - but she looks like the other SiS little sisters. Graduation Day Ryan has the kilt working in his favor. Oh and the soft curled, rooted hair. Move past the hair and the kilt though and where's the draw? Yawn. Stretch.

I like the Cheetah Girls Dorinda ... she looks like a character more than some dolls who look doll, but she just misses the wow factor. Sigh. I like Benjamin Lauth, another character, but articulation-wise, he's on the stiff side. For an action figure. I like that he isn't as pretty/handsome as my Kens, but again, no wow factor.

So where am I now? Who are the remaining 10 by manufacturer?

1. Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission No. 4 Mai
   
2. Haschel Toys Olga Tanon
   
3. Integrity Dynamite Girls Heartbreaker T.J.
   
4. Integrity Fashion Royalty Bewitching Hour Luchia
   
5. M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers Combat Engineer Power Team Elite
   
6. Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Tiara Gold
   
7. One2Believe Tales of Glory Esther
   
8. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Hrithik Roshan
   
9. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol
   
10. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Priyanka Chopra
    

Next step will be to rank them. Now that will be fun ... groan. Not.

The South Asian American DAF Heritage Post

Possible Bollywood Extras shown in photo above: top, Mattel Juliet; right, Mattel Amazing Nails Kayla; bottom, Mattel Flavas Party Tika; and left, Lanard I-Girl Sahara.

Isn't May "Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month," period? With the adjective Asian referring to people from both South and East Asian countries? In the U.S.A., yes. So why am I breaking the list into two sections? To see what I can see. I assume that because I have more East Asian dolls that possibly, there are more East Asian dolls available. Let's start with the South Asian list - as listed - to test that assumption. Note: please share any South Asian heritage, playscale dolls or action figures that I have missed here. (Thanks in advance ;-D)

Countries falling under "South Asia" include India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka: for a complete list, see the World Bank website. Dolls in this post lists have heritage from those areas.

Aside: I need to ask your indulgence on a small matter. I have cheated: some dolls listed are not ALL based on American citizens. I confess to stealing English, Irish, and other citizens to provide greater representation. Why does that matter? Well, this is an American ethnic heritage month, but here I am bogarting dolls and characters outside of the United States. Sigh. I warn you in advance though.

INDIA

Funskool 

Miss India Sindy 1996-2005        
Additional Sindy



Integrity Toys

Isha
Malika
Poppy Parker 




Leo Company (with Mattel)


Expressions of Barbie 
Barbie / Ken / Skipper sets




Mattel


Barbie I Can Be [a] Movie Star - Katrina Kaif 2010
Dhoom Barbie 2014
Dhoom Ken 2014

Diwali Barbie 2006
India Barbie 1982       

India Barbie 1996       

India Barbie 2012       

Princess of India Barbie 2000



MGA Entertainment

Bratzillaz Back To Magic Illiana Honesty


One World Doll Project, Inc.

Dahlia (to be released Fall 2014)


SpinMaster

Priyanka Chopra 2006
Kajol 2006
Hrithik Roshan 2006
Shah Rukh Khan 2006
(None of these actors are American.)



YNU Group

Mixis Bollywood Outfit - Bright colored tunic, palazzo pants, and tailored dupioni shoes
2 Mixis dolls not yet on the market have Indian heritage. Bios and photos on FB Mixis Jr.

PAKISTAN

Hasbro

Zayn Malik 
(Mr. Malik has English-Pakistani heritage.)

SRI LANKA 

Vivid Imagination


Siva Kaneswaran 
(Mr. Kaneswaran has Irish-Sri Lankan heritage.)

Additional Reading

South Asian Dolls (larger scale)  

Step One: List of DAFs Received in 2009 to Date

Manufacturer and Doll or Action Figure (DAF) Name

1. Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission No. 4 Mai
   
2. Haschel Toys Olga Tanon
   
3. Integrity Dynamite Girls Heartbreaker T.J.
   
4. Integrity Fashion Royalty Bewitching Hour Luchia
   
5. M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers Combat Engineer Power Team Elite
   
6. M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers E.O.D. Technician Power Team Elite
   
7. Mattel Ballerina Barbie
   
8. Mattel SiS So in Style Kara
   
9. Mattel SiS So in Style Kianna
   
10. Mattel My Scene Lindsey Lohan
    
11. Mattel Beach Party Nikki
    
12. Mattel High School Musical 3 Graduation Day Ryan
    
13. Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Sharpay Evans
    
14. Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Tiara Gold
    
15. One2Believe Tales of Glory Esther
    
16. One2Believe Tales of Glory Noah
    
17. Play Along Ltd. Cheetah Girls Growl Power Dorinda
    
18. Revell GmbH& Co. KG Kick-O-Mania Hamburger SV Benjamin Lauth
    
19. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Hrithik Roshan
    
20. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol
    
21. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Priyanka Chopra
    

These are the DAFs I have received for 2009 to this date. Please note: any other DAFs received but NOT shown here are gifts to be given to me at Christmas. Those DAFs are not in my possession yet.

List of DAFs I Considered Asian

Aoshima/Skynet	Kelly Jackson	Lady's Mission	Series No.4
Aoshima/Skynet	Madam Ryu Reika	Lady's Mission	Series No.21
Aoshima/Skynet	Kyoko Tenryu	Lady's Mission	Series No.22
Aoshima/Skynet	Tanaka Miina	Lady's Mission	Series No.24
Aoshima/Skynet	Code Name - Mai	Girl's Mission	Series No.6
Azone Incorporated	Belinda
Azone Incorporated	Minako
Azone Incorporated	Reimy
Azone Incorporated	Reina
Hasbro	Foreign Soldier	G. I. Joe	Japanese Air Force Officer
Hasbro	Miss Fear	G. I. Joe	Dreams & Visions
Hot Toys Limited	TrueType 38 Figure: Series 3	01-Male
Integrity	Candi	Candi
Integrity	Ayumi Nakamura	Fashion Royalty: NuFace
Integrity	Kyori Satori	Fashion Royalty
Integrity	Jade, playline
Lanard	Asia	I-Girl
M &C Toy Centre	StarRunner	Hung	KC Boxing Gym
Mattel	Mulan	Disney	Princess
Mattel	Li Shang	Disney	Captain
Mattel	India	Barbie
Mattel	Indian	Barbie
Mattel	Japanese	Barbie
Petworks	Momoko
Sears Holding Corporation	Jade Princess
Sekiguchi	Momoko
Sideshow Collectibles	Michelle Yeo	James Bond
Sonokong	Sharp
Spinmaster	Hrithik Roshan	Bollywood Legends
Spinmaster	Kajol	Bollywood Legends
Spinmaster	Priyanka Chopra	Bollywood Legends
Takara	Motoko Kusanagi	Cool Girl	Ghost in Shell: Ninja-Suit Version
Takara	Princess Jun	Cool Girl	Battle of the Planets
Takara	Kaori Chan
Takara	Kisara
Takara	Lina
Takara	Meiren
Takara	Mitsuki
Takara	Moe
Takara	Rie
Takara	Sayaka
Takara	Shion
Takara	Shou
Takara	Tamaki
Takara	Uno Kanda
Volks	Kana	Who's That Girl
Yue-Sai Kan Holdings	Yue-Sai Wa Wa

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

Top Ten DAFs of 2009 (Steps Four-Six)

• 10 - One2Believe Tales of Glory Esther
  
• 9 - Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Priyanka Chopra
  
• 8 - Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Hrithik Roshan
  
• 7 - M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers Combat Engineer Power Team Elite
  
• 6 - Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Tiara Gold
  
• 5 - Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol
  
• 4 - Haschel Toys Olga Tanon
  
• 3 - Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission No. 4 Mai
  
• 2 - Integrity Fashion Royalty Bewitching Hour Luchia
  
• 1 - Integrity Dynamite Girls Heartbreaker T.J.
  

One-Five




Six-Ten

New Terrority - Amazon.co.uk and Bollywood Dolls

I have discovered Amazon.co.uk .

No, I am not claiming I found land or created a website. I realized that I as an
American could purchase some items from Amazon.co.uk .

WWWWWWHHHHHAAAAAA-HHHHHHOOOOOOO!

Okay perhaps every other doll and action figure collector has made this discovery a long time ago. This is great news to me though because now I can get more dolls than I used to. Some things not available here like 12" Bollywood dolls ... now, I MIGHT be able to get them. Might. All dolls and action figures and other items presumably are NOT available. Licensing conflicts. Sigh. But oh the figures I can get.

The Bollywood Legends dolls are by Spinmaster. I see four dolls on Amazon.co.uk through a store called "Fairy Dust Dolls Ltd." The ones I will be getting are Mr. Hrithik Roshan, Ms. Kajol, and Ms. Priyanka Chopra. The fourth doll is named Shah Rukh Khan (male). Photos will be posted after the dolls arrive.

So ... dolls from Japan, from Taiwan, from Canada, and now ... the United Kingdom.

Here is a link for those willing to view new temptations:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spinmaster-Bollywood-Legends-Hrithik-Roshan/dp/B000GWUPTI/ref=pd_sim_k_h_b_cs_3