Photos of Some Asian and Asian-American Dolls and Action Figures

Perhaps it's an East Coast thing, but Vanessa of Fashion Dolls at Van's Doll Treasures and I are both submitting posts about our Asian/Asian American dolls and action figures today. I was taking photos of my figures earlier - photos that should have been taken and been uploaded last month, but here they are now. More photos will follow.

From left to right and standing: Dragon Detective Chow, Mattel DotW Princess of Japan Barbie, Mattel DotW Japan Ken, M and C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Exploration Unit Skier, Aoshima/Skynet Ladies Mission Basic Infantry Kelly Jackson, Mattel StarDoll Fallen Angel 1, Mattel Rio de Janeiro Lea, Sears Holding Corporation Just Girlz Jade Princess, RnD L.A. Luxe Susie, and Hot Toys True Type 38 Asian.

From left to right: 
Aoshima/Skynet Ladies Mission Woman's doctor Tanaka Miina seated; Mattel DotW Princess of Japan Barbie, Mattel DotW Japan Ken, and M and C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Exploration Unit Skier standing; Dragon "Linh" Vietcong Scout seated; Aoshima/Skynet Ladies Mission Basic Infantry Kelly Jackson and Mattel StarDoll Fallen Angel 1 standing; Sideshow Michelle Yeo as Wai Lin from James Bond, Mattel Kelly Picnic Friend, and Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission Mai seated.

From left to right: Aoshima/Skynet Ladies Mission Woman's doctor Tanaka Miina seated; Dragon Detective Chow, Mattel DotW Princess of Japan Barbie, and Mattel DotW Japan Ken standing.

From left to right: Aoshima/Skynet Ladies Mission Basic Infantry Kelly Jackson, Mattel StarDoll Fallen Angel 1, and Mattel Rio de Janeiro Lea standing; Sideshow Michelle Yeo as Wai Lin from James Bond and Mattel Kelly Picnic Friend seated.

From left to right: Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission Mai seated; Mattel Hawaiian Jenny and Mattel Renee standing.

From left to right: Mattel Rio de Janeiro Lea, Sears Holding Corporation Just Girlz Jade Princess, RnD L.A. Luxe Susie, and Hot Toys True Type 38 Asian standing; Sideshow Michelle Yeo as Wai Lin from James Bond and Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission Mai seated.

From left to right: M and C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Exploration Unit Skier, Aoshima/Skynet Ladies Mission Basic Infantry Kelly Jackson, Mattel StarDoll Fallen Angel 1, Mattel Rio de Janeiro Lea, Sears Holding Corporation Just Girlz Jade Princess, and RnD L.A. Luxe Susie standing; Sideshow Michelle Yeo as Wai Lin from James Bond seated.

So that's the identification of the pictured dolls and action figures.

Toshiko had her head down at first - sulking anyone? - because I had left her name off my list last month. (Also, we were having some trouble getting her adjusted to her new body - the Sinatra Barbie body. Alas, poor Jo is temporarily body-free now.)

Paris Mode Susie by RnD Dolls

I missed getting the "Sweet Freedom" Susie. I snoozed; I loozed. (Pardon the bad English.) So for compensation, I opened up one of my favorite Susies that I had kept never removed from box: RD0007 "Paris Mode" Susie from the Next Wave Collection, 2004. 

The video shows Paris Mode Susie with her light blond hair and hazel eyes and the chic green brocade suit this Susie wears. Susie is an articulated fashion doll, almost 11" tall created by Rudi Teruel and David Wu of R & D Dolls. Larraine of Barbigirl.com archives the Susie files, but that page on her site is under construction. So I'm sharing a Wayback Machine link to the original R & D Dolls site to show some of the many Susies that have been available. 

I also have the "Milan Chic" Susie doll from the same Next Wave Collection: I will debox her later this month. In PhillyCollector, you have seen Ibiza Heat Susie, L.A. Luxe Susie, San Francisco Days Susie, and Tokyo Trendy Susie removed deboxed.

Aside: the inspiration to share these photos as a YouTube video came from watching a recent video by RoxanneRoxanne of Roxanne's Dolls.

Herringbone and Houndstooth in Logan Square

Could you name two formal, yet resilient fabrics? I nominate herringbone and houndstooth. I mean, what famous fictional character do those fabrics bring to mind? Sherlock Holmes, yes? Whether it is his hat or his overcoat, Mr. Holmes usually wears some kind of herringbone or houndstooth print. Very staid look. However, in the playscale world, herringbone and houndstooth prints have come some way from sartorial stoicism. So I pulled together some of my doll fashions using those patterns.

Here are some examples of new-style herringbone and houndstooth.











Who is wearing what? Shown from left to right, the dolls and fashions are:

Smartees Amanda wearing her original blouse, skirt, and hose and borrowing Anne Klein Barbie’s black-white houndstooth jacket and L.A. Luxe’s boots.

Mattel’s Nikki wearing an off-brand tan-cream houndstooth jacket, matching solid tan skirt, and Liv boots.

Aoshima/Skynet’s Girl's Mission Mai wearing Barbie Millicent Roberts’ beige cable sweater, Fashion Fever white-pink houndstooth mini skirt, white stockings, and Integrity Toys’ Rock Ringmaster Lukas’ boots. (Now that is a crush when you borrow his boots.)

Gemma (formerly Mattel’s Hermione Granger rebodied onto a Mattel HSM body) wearing a black herringbone Kari Mitchell coat, a Kari Mitchell black glitter top, a My Scene mini skirt, Takara Jenny socks, and her original Mary Janes.

Roxanne (formerly StarDoll Fallen Angel 2) wearing her original pants and boots and borrowing a Liv houndstooth jacket.

Integrity’s T.J. wearing Sinatra Barbie’s houndstooth suit and white blouse and black-white spectator pumps.

If these patterns interest you, you can read more about them on Charles Tyrwitt's website or see Google's offerings.

2015 Resolutions and Goals

That time again. L.A. Luxe Susie opens her arms to 2015. Resolution and goal-setting time.

I have been thinking along these lines.

1. Decide what I want to keep

2. Sell what I no longer want

3. Post more frequently on my blog; schedule posts

4. Experiment more with doll photography

5. Participate more often in doll group activities

6. Join Barbie Club and Integrity W Club


Not much to do, hey? Anyone else with doll-themed resolutions? Share ;-)