In late December I was idly browsing the Volks USA website and happened to take a peek at the Doll’s Party 26 limited items. I’m not a very close follower of new doll releases, particularly because I’m so satisfied with my current dolls, but I do like to see what’s new every once in a while. I scrolled down the page idly, admiring the two new Nonos but not terribly interested in trying for one myself, and then I hit the section of the page with the Dollfie Dream releases.

Before I became interested in ball-jointed dolls and even before I started wearing lolita fashion, Pullips were a major hobby of mine. At one point I owned four Pullips and one Taeyang (Pullip’s second boyfriend). Considering that I was also a teenager working a part-time job and I still collected My Little Pony toys actively, that was dedication. At the time, one of the popular websites for Pullip owners to buy wigs for their dolls is Can Can J Series. One of the Pullip models featured on this website (currently in the banner at the top of the page) is a Pullip head on a large Obitsu vinyl body. (Here is a picture of her! I think she used to be featured on their website, but I can’t seem to find that area anymore.)

I thought she was AMAZING! (In fact, I still do!) The Pullip head is actually approximately the same size as a 1/3 scale ball-jointed doll’s head, so when the head is on 1/3 scale body (I’m not sure if this one is 50cm, 55cm, or 60cm…) it is technically proportional. If you collect Pullip dolls, whose proportions are dramatically exaggerated, it looks very strange–but if you collect ball-jointed dolls it looks just about right, but with a less realistic face. For years this was something that I wanted to do. It takes some modification to the head for it to fit on the larger body–you need to dremel the neck hole to be larger, but there are tutorials for that sort of thing.

For a while I planned to make a “big Pullip” of my very own, inspired by the doll I had first seen and the tutorial I found later. That didn’t ultimately happen, but I think in a way it helps explain how I feel about Dollfie Dream. I really like Dollfie Dream. Ball-jointed dolls are fun, but so are vinyl dolls. There are advantages and disadvantages either way, due to the differences in materials amd construction. Some people are exclusively devoted to one way or the other, but since I’ve owned dolls with small articulated bodies and larger elastic-strung bodies I’m not opposed to either.

I hadn’t previously been interested in buying a Dollfie Dream because I just hadn’t seen a doll that I really liked. I did follow some general announcements about Dollfie Dream simply because they are made by Volks and news about these dolls is sometimes included with news about Volks’ ball-jointed dolls. When I started reading about the Dollfie Dream Sister body I really liked its smaller size and slighter build. I thought Akira was pretty cute, but nothing about her made me want to enter the lottery.

I love this image of Ms. Mariko! This plaid dress is so sweet on her~

When I saw Ms. Mariko, my reaction was immediate. I didn’t even really think about it, I just did it. I found the information for the two USA vendors, We Love Dolls and Kerbey Lane Doll Shoppe, and I did my best to the USA lottery as fully as I possibly could. I even started preparing for possibly entering the international lottery or searching Yahoo!Japan auctions.

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that! I received notification from one of the vendors that I had been successful in the lottery and promptly did an excited dance and rang up a doll friend to squee about it.

Since then, I’ve been trying to learn more about Dollfie Dream dolls before she arrives. I’d also like to get a few things for her, like eyes, wigs, clothing, and shoes…but that’s not as easy as it used to be now that I have student loan payments. I do have until April, however! That’s plenty of time!

I have no idea what I will name her or what “type” of girl she will be for me, but I love her timid face and her pale skin. Her frightened and unsure expression makes me want to reassure her that everything is okay and she’s in a wonderful place~ ♥ I’m feel really satisfied lately with my current “doll family,” and Ms. Mariko will be a perfect addition~ She’ll even be able to share some clothing, shoes, and wigs with Mimi, although they aren’t precisely the same size.

I can’t wait to see her! Maybe by that time I’ll even have my new camera!