Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Bewitching Hour Luchia at 2

Manufacturer: Integrity
Series: Fashion Royalty, W Club 2008
Character Name: Bewitching Hour Luchia
Box Year, if Noted: 2008

Why is Luchia on the Top Ten list?

1. She is gorgeous.

2. She has attitude.

3. She reminds me of a blond Emma Peel.

4. She has better articulation than I am accustomed to (think basic Barbies).

When I showed a relative a photo of Bewitching Hour Luchia, I was told that I would not buy that doll because that doll was the sort that men buy. Cocked my head to the side and looked at the doll again. Bouffant blond hair, [her] flesh-colored mini dress, black slatted knee high boots ... I could almost understand why my relative had that thought. In some circles, Luchia might look like a high priced um call girl. Hmmm .... Well. Okay, she still reminds me of Emma Peel of the Avengers, only Luchia's back story came from an American Anglophile. She should be in action movies where she should know umpteen martial arts AND fencing and spy stuff.


Why is Luchia second on the Top Ten list?

The doll that placed first has two advantages over Luchia.

Help Dolls of Color Create Janay Database

Dolls of Color blogger Therese seeks photos and information about Integrity's playline Janay doll for a Janay database. Yay Therese!

While I have several Janay and friends dolls, my Janay dolls all have the last Janay head mold stamped ©Integrity 2001. I recall reading doll descriptions on the Dolls, Dreams, and Cuddly Things web site several years ago that noted whether certain Janay, Alysa, and Jade dolls had the old, big heads or the newer, smaller heads. I also recall seeing web sites showing two Janay head molds different from the head mold I have. Check the Janay shown at this link; note the size of her head and her features. This is an early Janay. Perhaps some PhillyCollector readers collect or used to collect the Janay playline. If you do or did, and if you would like to contribute to this database, please check Therese's blog for contact information.

Here's to a Janay and friends database in 2010.

Dolls shown in the photo are the Dealer version of Fashion Insider Janay, Color Rave Alysa (2nd Alysa head mold), and Fashion Fling Alysa (3rd Alysa head mold).

New Liv Dolls with Better Outfits

You can find photos of two of the new Liv dolls on Charles' Page.

I'd like to get these and pop Barbie heads on them. The outfits look neater than those on the original dolls.

Barbie Basics in Wikipedia

Congratulations to Simon Farnsworth for his Barbie Basics article in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie_Basics

Great to read a doll-related article on Wikipedia.

Guess I need to upload my revised Mixis article.

Joan Jett at Walmart - January 2010

Stopped by Walmart and found these dolls on the first of January:

Ladies of the Eighties: Joan Jett



I like the doll's strong face. The hatchet hairstyle looks interesting, too. I love her outfit and red sneakers. Emaciated body, but then I can either re-body her or give her a background where she's ill. I associate Joan Jett with the song, "I Love Rock n Roll," but other than that, she wasn't on my Eighties playlist. I do like the doll though. Someday ....


The African American version of Barbie H20




The African American version of Potty Training Pup Barbie




Three of the Barbie Basics Line




Roca Wear So in Style Chandra and Grace



No Trichelle, Kara, or Darren. Between Trichelle's cool outfit and her rougher hair and Darren's cool outfit, I was not surprised to NOT see them.


Wizards of Waverly Place Alex Russo in a new outfit



Yawn. Reporting this because it is a change, but I wish that Mattel would either add another doll to this series - one of the other characters - for variety or create a playset for her. The outfits are not spectacular enough to warrant buying multiple versions of the same doll over and over again.

Integrity Janay Links to Click

Integrity Janay fans, I found some places to discuss and to view these dolls.

First, there is a Janay focused Yahoo Group. You will need to join the Group to view the photos and to read the messages. There are 22 photo albums in the Group as well as links to MORE Janay and friends photo albums outside the Group. No cost to join.

Second, a 2007 post about saving Janay.

Next, two links to beautiful photo albums by a collector:

Janay and Friends

Janay Tribute

Reference links

MC ToyFair 2002

MC ToyFair 2003

MC ToyFair 2004

ASM ToyFair 2004

ASM ToyFair 2005

ASM ToyFair 2006

Please note: Toy Fair items may not have ever appeared, especially the 2005 and 2006 lines, OR they might emerge under a different line title than what they are shown with in the Toy Fair photos.

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.