Mattel:

Mattel, makers of Barbie, has released three dolls under the Doctor Who umbrella. The first doll came in 2018 and coincided with the introduction of the first female Doctor played by Jodie Whittaker. Jodie’s thirteenth Doctor wore blue pants with suspenders, a rainbow shirt and a light grey trench coat. She had short blonde hair and minimal to no makeup. Jodie’s doll is actually a pretty good representation of the character. Her narrow, square face looks very close to the actress herself.

Beyond that, I can’t say much, as I actually don’t own this doll. I found the Jodie years to be so disappointing that I actually gave up watching Doctor Who until the show hired a new showrunner. Unfortunately, a new showrunner did nothing for my enjoyment, but we’ll get to that shortly.

In 2025, Mattel released two more Doctor Who dolls. For those who don’t watch the show, Doctor Who centers around one main character who can regenerate into different bodies. With each regeneration (or recasting), the actors bring their own unique take to the character, while also continuing on with the storyline and character development from the previous seasons. It’s an ingenious plot device, actually, because it makes the transition between actors much easier.

By this time, the Doctor had been recast, being played by actor Ncuti Gatwa, with his newest companion Ruby Sunday played by Millie Gibson. Fans of the Barbie movie might recognize Ncuti as one of the Kens. Russell T Davies returned as showrunner for the 60th anniversary specials in 2023, followed by the new series in 2024 and marked the first series produced with Disney+ as its international distribution partner. All that to say, it was very exciting, which is why I believe Mattel joined in yet again and produced dolls of Ncuti’s Fifteenth Doctor and Millie’s Ruby Sunday to celebrate the relaunch. These two dolls were sold online on Mattel Creations.

I do own these two dolls and believe they did a good job recreating The Doctor and Ruby. Ruby, especially, is a great doll. I appreciate the use of the petite body for realism and the outfitting is perfect. I personally wish they’d done flocking on the Doctor’s hair, since the doll was more expensive than a playline doll, but overall, Mattel did a good job.

My own personal thoughts on the Ncuti years are less favorable. I was so excited about the return of Russell T Davies, but somewhere between his original tenure (2005-2010) and his return in 2023, his abilities as a showrunner and writer for Doctor Who were a shadow of what they were before. To the point where I wonder if he was possibly cloned between then and now and is now just a pod person.

Between forced plot points and messaging, the lack of classic villains, a disappointing ending to what could have been a fascinating companion story and, eventually, a re-shot and rushed regeneration that the BBC and Russell tried to cover up with ridiculous excuses, the two seasons and the 60th anniversary specials featuring fan-favorite Doctor David Tennant were terrible. Just. So. Bad. And it’s not Ncuti’s or Millie’s fault. Ncuti as the Doctor could have been great, and Millie as Ruby was honestly the best thing to come out of the whole series, even though Russell saddled her with a terrible ending to a storyline that gave her so much potential.

Big Chief:

But anyway, let’s get on with the post and talk about another company that produced Doctor Who dolls, Big Chief Studios. Founded in 2011, Big Chief Studios was known for high quality figures based on many popular British properties. In 2014, they began working with the BBC on 12-inch Doctor Who figures. Highly detailed, with amazing head sculpts, articulation for easy posing, good clothing and fun accessories, Big Chief Studios delivered many well-crafted Doctor Who figures for years.

I own two Big Chief Studios figures. The first one I bought was Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor in 2014, which happened to be the first Doctor Who figure the company released. Matt Smith became a constant companion for my Kurhn dolls in photo shoots. The second figure I bought was a few years later when Big Chief Studios released the Ninth Doctor, sculpted after actor Christopher Eccleston. The Ninth Doctor is my favorite and the moment I saw the company was making one, I had to have it.

I remember waiting years to receive him after pre-ordering the figure and at times wondering if I’d ever get him, but the sculpt is amazing and I really love having a Doctor Who doll of my favorite Doctor. An honest actor, he’s famous for saying he’d return to Doctor Who only if this happened, “Sack Russell T. Davies, sack Jane Tranter, sack Phil Collinson, sack Julie Gardner, and I’ll come back. So, can you arrange that?” And after the disaster that was the last few seasons, I’m with him. And I believe his requirements may have now happened, so let’s get him back on board, shall we?

Big Chief Studios also produced figures (or dolls) of First Doctor (William Hartnell), Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker), Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann), Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston), Tenth Doctor (David Tennant, Series 4), Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi), Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and War Doctor (John Hurt). Companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) were also produced in the 12-inch size. The alien creature the Ood, as well as miniature Adipose and Cyberman head Handles were also produced in a scale to work with the 12-inch dolls already produced.

They never quite figured out how to make the companion characters look right, in my opinion. Amy looks okay with the rooted hair, but she’s still not great. I was never a fan of Clara as a character, which might color my opinion of the doll, but I think she looks a bit unhinged in miniature form. And Rose? She’s probably the worst of the sculpts, looking more like a vampire on Buffy the Vampire Slayer than the Doctor’s companion, which is sad, as she’s one of my favorites! They missed the mark there. I do wonder why we never saw a Sarah Jane figure, as she was one of the shining lights of the Doctor Who franchise and has been dearly missed by fans since actor Elisabeth Sladen's passing.

Big Chief Studios liquidated in 2023, leaving many unreleased figures, including a full line of figures meant to celebrate 10 years of producing Doctor Who collectibles. This line, dubbed the definitive series, featured rereleases of the Ninth Doctor, Tenth Doctor, Eleventh Doctor and Twelfth Doctor. Robot Dog K-9 was marketed as a special surprise for folks who ordered all four figures.

Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and the Master (Roger Delgado) were set to get their first figures from the company, as well as companion Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). Little Shop Props worked on Captain Jack, the Ninth Doctor and the Tenth Doctor before the figures were cancelled due to the liquidation.

Tonner Doll Company:

Finding dolls across the pond may be no surprise, but did you know that the great Robert Tonner of the Tonner Doll Company produced Doctor Who dolls as well? Tonner was the king of experimenting with licenses that were a risk—and Doctor Who was just that. Getting approval on all aspects of a doll can be a long process when it’s contained within your company, but when an outside company like the BBC is involved, things can take a lot longer. That seems to be what happened with Tonner’s Doctor Who dolls.

Prototypes of the four dolls in the collection were on display at trade shows as early as 2009. It wouldn’t be until the summer of 2010 that Tonner would officially release his four dolls, with a production cap of 1,000 to 2,000, depending on the doll.

The line consisted of the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) with companion Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles). The Doctor and Martha represented Doctor Who, with Captain Jack and Gwen representing Torchwood.

The weird thing about the line’s release was that when the dolls were finally available to buy, Freema’s character Martha had already left the show and a new series of Doctor Who had begun with new companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). Because of this, the dolls were already dated when released.

For what it’s worth, I think Tonner did a good job on their dolls. Unlike the ones we’ve talked about in this article so far, Tonner’s Doctor Who dolls were 16-17 inches tall, with good sculpts and nicely tailored outfits. Straight from the box, the Doctor figure looked a little bit off, but if you played with the hair a bit, the likeness became more apparent. I bought both the Doctor and Captain Jack for my collection.

The Doctor was purchased on eBay from a collector who had fixed the hair and given him better sideburns. I bought Captain Jack from the Tonner Doll Company. One thing I love about Jack is that the body type fits the character well. Plus, they did an equally good job on his sculpt. He looks pretty similar to John Barrowman!

I never picked up Martha or Gwen, as I wasn’t as fond of them, but looking at them now, they aren’t that bad. I think the line mostly suffered from being a season behind, not to mention the fact that I seem to remember them not being able to be shipped to the UK, where the prime audience was. Still, though, they’re great examples of Doctor Who dolls from a master dollmaker.

Underground Toys

Underground Toys was not a brand that could be easily found outside of Europe, at least outside of online shopping, so I have the least information on their history and releases. Underground Toys had been around since the 2000s and became heavily involved with Doctor Who merchandise during the revival era. Known for pop culture toys and other products, Funko acquired this company in 2017 after working on distribution for several years.

Back in the heyday of ‘new Who’ after its relaunch in 2005, Underground Toys had some really fun Doctor Who toys, some of which fit perfectly into this post. Besides 5-inch action figures, they also had a line of 12-inch dolls.

I’ve never actually seen these in person, so I can’t speak on the quality, but I can say they exist! The dolls are articulated and have real fabric clothing.

As far as I can tell, Underground made the following figures in this 12-inch format: 10th Doctor, 11th Doctor (10 inches), Cyberman, Ood, Clockwork Man, Novice Hame, Judoon, Martha Jones and Dalek Sec Hybrid.

Personally, I’ve always been curious about these 12-inch figures, especially the 10th Doctor, the Ood, Clockwork Man, Novice Hame and the Cyberman. The Doctor’s sculpt doesn’t look too bad for a playline doll and honestly, who doesn’t want an Ood or Clockwork Man on their doll shelves?

Weirdly, the only companion I could find in this size was Martha Jones, from season three. Underground Toys made plenty of 5-inch figures of the earlier companions Rose Tyler and fan favorite Sarah Jane Smith, but no 12-inch figures? It just seems odd to me!

And there you have it—the dolls of Doctor Who. If I missed any, please share them in the comments and, as usual, let me know what you think of the dolls featured in this post as well.

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Growing up, our DVR was filled with episodes of Buffy, the spin-off series Angel, Everwood, Supernatural, Dawson’s Creek, Roswell, Gilmore Girls, The Vampire Diaries and all its various spin-offs, Seventh Heaven—you name it, I probably watched it. The WB at that time was a fourth place network that was creating shows that captivated 15-year-old me and left an imprint on my pop-culture, television-loving soul.

The Show

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a cultural phenomenon when it came out in 1997, on the heels of the Girl Power era ushered in by equally iconic bands like the Spice Girls. Buffy showed girls that they could kick butt just as easily as guys—in heels, nonetheless. One interesting fact about Buffy that I just learned was that the late and great Dolly Parton was an uncredited executive producer on the show through her production company Sandollar Productions. The story goes that while she hated the movie that inspired the TV series, she felt it had potential and let production use her sound studio. She wasn’t seen on set, she was proud of the success of her “little show”.

Star Sarah Michelle Gellar even commented once, “The legend Dolly Parton was a producer. We never saw her [but] we’d get Christmas gifts in the beginning that would have our name, and I would think, ‘She doesn’t even know who I am.’ And then one day, someone asked her about it, and she complimented the show and my performance. I was like, ‘Oh, I can die now. Dolly Parton knows who I am and thinks I’m good.’”

Even after cancellation, the impact and fan base never really died off. If anything, it grew to the point where there was potential for a Hulu reboot series, which was sadly not picked up. To say it once more, with feeling, Buffy is still as loved as it was 20 years ago when it debuted.

Enter Monster High

Between the cancellation of the reboot series and the death of a beloved unseen influence on the show, the legendary Dolly Parton, it’s interesting that Mattel chose to release its brand new 2-doll set now. Whether it was the powers that be, or a smart idea from a PR guy, the timing could not be more perfect for a successful launch of the just announced Monster High Skullector Buffy and Angel 2-doll set.

I love this set! It looks great. We’ll start with Buffy. Mattel did a good job of making her look as close as they could to Buffy Summers in a Monster High aesthetic. I think they did a great job with the makeup around her large green eyes. Mattel also did a great job with Buffy’s full, slightly pouty lips. The 90s fashions are on point with the pleather red pants, black tank, faux leather jacket and high heels. Buffy’s purse is themed around the Slayer’s Handbook. She also comes with a stake (which I am going to consider Mr. Pointy), crossbow and holster.

Angel, played by actor David Boreanaz, portrayed Buffy’s first love. The problem? Angel was a vampire, which made for some problems in their relationship. Fittingly, Mattel chose to feature Angel with his vampire face.

With a dark Celtic printed shirt, black pants, and a black pleather trench, Angel looks great miniaturized for the Monster High line. His eyes, at least in these promo photos, are done really well and I love the makeup around his defined cheekbones and lips, complete with fangs. I’m sure some will wish they’d gone the rooted hair route, however, I love the molded hair. It’s just right. His sword necklace is a callback to the tragic end of their romance.

Which just so happened to coincide with a spin-off series, titled Angel, so don’t feel too bad for him. Angel, the show, may actually be my favorite of the two shows and is worth a watch if you’ve never seen it. It has some great characters and when it suffered, it was due to the toxic work environment set forth by now-

exiled showrunner Joss Whedon. Charisma Carpenter, along with support from other Buffy and Angel alums, posted about it on her instagram, for those who are curious.

Where To Shop

The Monster High Buffy and Angel 2-pack goes on sale for Fang Club members September 4 at 9:00 AM PT and general public September 5, while supplies last. Occasionally releases like this end up on other websites, like Amazon, so check there, too, just in case! This 2-pack is priced at $98.00 USD, plus shipping, which is the only thing that gives me pause. Paying over $50 per doll when shipping is added in seems a bit high to me, so I’m still on the fence, as much as I would love to have them in my collection.

Do you plan on picking up this new Skullector doll? Share your thoughts in the comments! And as always, I wanted to give a quick shout-out to all those who subscribe and/or have shared a tip here or there. I really do appreciate your support!

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Jan’s artistry shines when looking at the dolls released during her tenure as a doll maker. She gained international recognition in the doll world in 1991, when she won the Dolls Award for Excellence for her porcelain doll named "Pansy" at the American International Toy Fair in New York City.

Looking through the archives saved by the Dollery, you can see her growth as an artist as Jan honed her sculpting and found a signature style all her own. As Jan told Doll Reader in 2001, “I study people all the time. I am fascinated by the human condition, especially babies and adolescents—collecting images of faces, expressions, fashion and colorings.” Because of this, her sculpts are timeless, while also displaying a variety of emotions through expressive eyes and well-defined features.

The Original Inspiration

As a designer, Jan released many dolls, but I’d like to focus here on a specific line—the Lollipop Girls. Bold and vibrant, these 25-inch porcelain dolls have lean bodies sculpted with long limbs and tiny waists. Their round heads are sculpted beautifully with expressive eyes. They ooze coolness, from their sculpts all the way down to their hair, makeup and outfits.

Debuting in 2000, the first two dolls were Lulu from London and Pipi from Paris. They were joined by Bunny from California and Cissy from Sydney in 2001. In 2002, Bebe from Barbados and Nicole from Norway joined the Lollipop Girls. Ally from Auckland and Neena from New York were released in 2003. And finally, in 2004, the final two dolls, Kimmi from Kathmandu and Brigette from Berlin, were released. Two more dolls were produced as one-of-a-kind dolls. These tall porcelain dolls were limited editions, with between 3,000 and 5,000 produced, depending on the doll.

High Fashion Made Mini

In 2002, a vinyl line of Lollipop Girls by Unimax made its way to stores. Shrunk down to 12 inches, the first wave featured Lulu, Pipi, Brigette, Cassie, Bebe and Cissy. They mirrored their porcelain counterparts, though some had name changes due to rights issues. All the dolls had rooted hair in fun, bold colors, and were articulated at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Their necks and waists turn, as well.

Shortly after, a second wave was produced, which featured Kimmi, Alani, Nicole and Neena, all of whom were based on previously made porcelain dolls. Two new characters were introduced, Suzi-K from Seattle and Milli from Milan, who were exclusively made for this vinyl play line.

A third line was listed on Dollery, which wasn’t released. It’s a shame, as the dolls looked adorable! Especially Kimmi, with her spunky schoolgirl-inspired look and punk hairstyle. Cissy, too, looks so cute with her crimped hair and fishnet top and hat. And let’s not forget the amazing jacket, boots and hat Lulu is wearing. So boho—I love it! I want Lulu’s look in my size!

Fashion packs were also available with lots of separates that could be mixed and matched. The looks below were produced along with the first and second wave dolls. There was another wave of fashions ready to go with the third wave of dolls, which sadly was never produced.

My Thoughts and Favorites:

It probably comes as no surprise that I love everything about this line. With their large, round eyes, cool and funky vibe, colorful hairstyles and keen sense of fashion, the Lollipop Girls deserved a lot more releases than what they got. And the images of what we could have had—the third wave—looked really, really good.

Some of my personal favorites are:

Cissy (later renamed Sassi) and Lulu, Wave 1:

Milli, Wave 2:

Kimmi, Lulu, and Cissy, Wave 3:

In the End…

Like many doll lines that were canceled too soon, I feel like the Lollipop Girls were ahead of their time. The dolls had so much vibrancy to them. I wonder, too, what we might have seen from Jan if she hadn’t retired from doll making. She could have made some wonderful BJDs had they been a larger market during her run. For those curious on Jan McLean’s current projects, you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

What do you think of the Lollipop Girls? Do you have a favorite? Share it in the comment area!

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Full disclosure here—I have a feeling this post will be more fangirl than facts, as there’s not a ton of information out there on these three beyond the basics. However, I still feel like it’s worth sharing here on the blog.

Disney princesses in manga form are not a new concept. Loungefly has had purses with similar graphics for years now, and there was even a Manga Princess Cafe that opened in Japan in 2024. But this may be the first time that dolls have been mass-produced in this style.

Ariel, Jasmine and Snow White are adorable and look like they just stepped out of a manga. Each doll is 9 inches tall and has 11 points of articulation. The Disney princess dolls’ standout feature is their large, round eyes, very reminiscent of manga artwork.

Snow White

Let’s start with the original Disney princess, Snow White. What a charming doll! I think she’ll be a favorite among Disney and doll collectors.

Snow White fits the manga aesthetic best out of all three dolls with her rooted hair styled in a bob, round face and large eyes. Her hair looks to be dark brown with light purple rooted throughout it, which matches well with her purple brows and eye details.

Snow White wears a removable classic blue and yellow dress, which looks adorable. She comes with a purse, hair bow and doll stand.

Jasmine

I find it interesting that Jasmine (from the film Aladdin) was chosen as one of the first three dolls to get the manga-style treatment, but I’m so happy she was! She’s the definition of kawaii in this style!

Her tan skin looks wonderful with the light blue outfit, which features cute little genie bottle designs on the pants and a lacy, shimmery top. Jasmine’s eyes are a vibrant mix of blues, purples and browns that look great together.

Jasmine’s hair is styled in a long ponytail in dark brown and dark blue tones. I love the dark blue in her hair! It’s a small detail, but it looks great. Jasmine comes with a purse, headband, jewelry and stand.

Ariel

Last but not least is the Little Mermaid, Ariel—the princess who helped bring a second life to Disney animation.

Ariel’s large eyes are very expressive, much like her bright and inquisitive character. I love the light and dark blues with a touch of pink that her eyes carry. Ariel wears a top inspired by her movie look and a fabric tail decorated with shells and a sheer fin. She also comes with a purse, jewelry and stand.

I know what you’re asking—does she have legs? The answer is yes! If you remove her tail, two legs are revealed, so Ariel can be posed just as easily as the other girls. One problem with this quick change is that it doesn’t look like Ariel comes with a second outfit or a convertible tail/skirt combo, so you’ll need to find a dress or bottoms for her if you prefer to display her with legs.

Ariel has bright red rooted hair with pink highlights. The highlights are harder to see on a redhead, but it still makes for a fun look. I do wonder how heavily sprayed down her hair will be, because we all know Mattel loves its hairspray.

The Finishing Touches

I would be remiss if I finished this post without showing the box artwork, because a badly designed box could deter sales. The box artwork in this case does a good job of showcasing the concept of the line with manga art throughout. It will definitely capture the attention of Disney fans of any age.

I am looking forward to seeing the Disney Princess manga-inspired line in person and adding them to my collection. Do I think they’ll be worth anything in the future—no way—but will they look adorable on a doll shelf? Yes! And if they do well, maybe Mattel will do a second wave with a few more princesses, or maybe even some of their princes.

So, stay tuned and keep your eyes open for this new take on the Disney Princess line from Mattel! And in the meantime, what princess or prince would you love to see get this manga treatment? Share it in the comments!

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Descendants stars Dove Cameron (Mal, daughter of Maleficent), Cameron Boyce (Carlos, son of Cruella De Vil), Sofia Carson (Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen), Booboo Stewart (Jay, son of Jafar) and Mitchell Hope (Prince Ben, son of Belle and Beast). The original film was an instant hit with fans. Between the chemistry of the cast, the directing skills of TV musical legend Kenny Ortega (High School Musical, Newsies, Netflix’s Julie and the Phantoms) and the well-written, catchy songs, the original Descendants movie deserves high praise.

The success of this first film spawned four more films, from Descendants 2 in 2017 to Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, which was just recently released in July 2026, with specials, online content, stage tours and books being published, as well. While the cast and talent behind the camera have changed over the years with a new target audience, it’s safe to say that the Descendants franchise has earned a spot in the Disney TV movie history books as a success.

So why am I talking about it here? Because beyond spawning an entire decade of fairytale drama on the small screen, it also launched a line of colorful and spunky dolls! Today, we’ll cover a little bit about the doll line, which has seen over 100 doll releases over the past decade, as well as my favorites from the entire run!

The original 2015 movie premiered with a line of dolls with popular toy brand Hasbro at the helm. Twelve signature dolls were released in their main movie looks, including core characters Mal, Carlos, Evie, Jay and Ben. A surprising number of secondary characters made the cut too, like Audrey (daughter of Sleeping Beauty), Jane (daughter of the Fairy Godmother) and Lonnie (daughter of Mulan). Hasbro’s take on the line wasn’t to match the actors’ appearances when it came to sculpts, but to match their vibe in a more stylized way. Honestly, I was all for it. I think Hasbro did a great job with these colorful characters.

An additional line, dubbed Coronation, was also released featuring our main characters and a few side characters in their coronation looks from the film. I owned Coronation Audrey for a long time before giving it to my girls, actually, and always thought she was really pretty.

2015 also gave us a line of dolls themed on the Wicked World, a short animated series based on the property.

Descendants 2 in 2017 brought us more dolls by Hasbro! The core signature line added Dizzy (daughter of Drizella) and a favorite in our household, Ursula’s daughter Uma, to the mix. The returning cast was also released in their Descendants 2 styles.

Royal Yacht Ball and the Enchantment Under the Sea lines were also released, along with some deluxe and singing dolls. Just Play also released three 28-inch dolls—Mal, Evie and Uma. What a fun size—I’ll definitely be looking those up after finishing up this post!

In 2020, Descendants 3 made its grand debut. It would be the last film directed by Kenny Ortega, and the last to center on Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay. The signature line shrunk a bit, with Celia’s (daughter of Dr. Facilier) debut doll, alongside Dizzy, Evie, Mal, Audrey and Uma in their Descendants 3 looks.

A multi-pack with the main four, which included a new Jay and Carlos, was also released. Sadly, shortly after this film was shot, the actor who played Carlos, Cameron Boyce, passed away due to a health condition. I hope his family found solace in the fact that his image will live on not only in film, but also doll form. A new Mal and Uma were added to the 28-inch dolls, alongside villain and frenemy Audrey.

If I’m being honest, the quality of the original dolls and the 2020 dolls differs. I think the look and feel of the original 2015 dolls had more character to them, myself. But they still embody the charm of the series they were made for and made a lot of kids really happy, which is what really matters in the long run.

With the original trilogy over, the franchise came back in 2024 with Descendants: Rise of Red. This spin-off film focused on Red, the daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, the daughter of Prince Charming and Cinderella. Since this isn’t a movie critique, I’ll keep my thoughts short about this film. But I gotta say—while the costumes were fantastic and the songs were catchy, the plot was all over the place. (Time travel as a plot device can do that to a show, alas!)

My favorite part, however, has to be Cinderella and Prince Charming. Why? Because they were played by Brandy and Paolo Montalban, who both reprised their roles (redefined for this franchise) from the 1997 TV musical Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. It’s my favorite version of Cinderella. Brandy and Paolo are adorable together!

Between the third and fourth movies, licensing agreements changed and Mattel began production on the dolls. Mattel’s take on the line was different in that they went with more realistic face molds. Rise of Red saw a fair number of dolls released in conjunction with the film. Signature dolls of Red, Chloe, Uma, Bridget (future Queen of Hearts), Uliana (Ursula's sister), Ella (future Cinderella), the Queen of Hearts and Cinderella were produced.

Two singing dolls were also released, Red and Bridget, along with a line of budget dolls. Original characters like Mal and Evie were brought back for a 10th anniversary release with this new take on face molds, which are okay, but I think I prefer the original dolls.

And here we are today with a whole new wave of dolls on store shelves—new core dolls for our main characters and many new characters introduced in Wicked Wonderland. Let’s talk about the movie real quick—it’s not my favorite. Some of the songs are really catchy, but similar to Rise of Red, the plot was weirdly broken up and there were just too many brand new characters to really get to know any of them. Also, Paolo Montalban’s Charming was used basically as a prop, which made me a bit sad, as I love seeing him and Brandy on screen together.

There is a nice selection of dolls, though the difference between the core dolls and budget dolls is more noticeable than in the Hasbro years, I’d say. For those who are curious, here’s a checklist for the dolls produced up till now by Mattel, found here.

Now that we’ve gone through a brief history of the releases, I would like to share my favorites from the line!

Mal (Wicked World Jewel-bilee, 2015)

I really like Jewel-bilee Mal and have no recollection of ever seeing her. The double-dragon elements in her outfit, mixed with the cool color combo of royal purple and bold green, look great!

Carlos (Descendants, 2015)

Hasbro did a great job on the boy dolls, especially Carlos. They kept the character’s freckled-face look, which pairs great with the eye design that suggests he might be up to no good! I also have to commend Hasbro on the molded hair. Molded hair could go very wrong, but in this case, they did a wonderful job. They did eventually release a Carlos with rooted hair, but it didn’t work so well, in my opinion.

Audrey (Coronation Doll, 2015)

Audrey starts as Prince Ben’s girlfriend and Mal’s frenemy in the first movie, then has a short villain arc, before the two have a really nice dialogue and agree to put everything behind them in the third movie. Coronation Audrey is one of my favorite Descendant dolls produced, which is funny since she’s not one of the core characters. I just think she’s very pretty and well designed.

Mal (Descendants 2, 2017)

Mal’s look and styling in Descendants 2 is my favorite of all three films, which this doll is based on. The bangs are a nice touch and her outfit is really cool. Even her shoes make an impression.

Evie (Descendants 2, Royal Yacht Ball, 2017)

Evie dolls can be hit or miss for me, but I do quite like Yacht Ball Evie. I think it has to do with her hair, which I’m not crazy about on her other releases. This release is pretty, with her blue hair pulled up and a little less wild than other dolls, and her eyes are well done.

Red (Descendants: Rise of Red, 2024)

What I like about the Red doll is that they did a really good job capturing the actress, Kylie Cantrall, in the sculpt without it looking weird, like the Mattel sculpts for Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson. They also captured her outfit well. It’s a cool look in the movie and equally as cool on the doll!

Evie (Wicked World Jewel-bilee, 2015)

I know I just mentioned that Evie wasn’t my favorite, but I have to mention Jewel-bilee Evie. Her dress is so neat! I love the bold blues, reds and golds in the graffiti-like design.

Mal (Descendants 2, Royal Yacht Ball, 2017)

Again themed around Descendants 2, this Mal looks glamorous and fierce in her purple gown. Her vibrant indigo hair, again styled with bangs, has body to it. Her gown’s multiple layers look pretty cool.

28-inch Dolls (Descendants 2 & 3, 2017 & 2020)

I am kind of sad that these dolls eluded me when they came out and I think I know why. Had I seen these on store shelves, I would have given them a second glance, but being that online shopping is the norm, the scale was probably lost on me. The one thing that is a bit of a bummer is that Mal, Evie, Audrey and Uma were the only dolls made in this size. It would have been nice to have some of the guys!

Red and Max (Wicked Wonderland, 2026)

We’ll finish up the list with a Wicked Wonderland doll set featuring Red and new character Max, son of the Mad Hatter. This set isn’t perfect—the printed-on tie and vest bug the heck out of me—but otherwise, I like the design on Max’s jacket and how they styled his molded hair. Red, too, is cute!

There are so many dolls in the Descendants line that it was fun going through and picking a few favorites. I imagine, too, that this isn’t the end. If the Rise of Red storyline isn’t derailed by all the cast drama surrounding the films, I wouldn’t be shocked if we got a third film to round out this spin-off. What do you think of the Descendants doll line? Do you prefer Mattel or Hasbro’s take? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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In this post, we’ll dive into this topic, but before that, a quick disclaimer—I’m not an expert on this topic and much of it was new to me as I was researching. So, forgive me if this article doesn’t go into the fine detail of certain things, as it’s more of an overview. I found it all really interesting, though, and hope you do, too!

Baby dolls have been manufactured since the mid-1800s, when French bisque companies like Jumeau, Bru and Romher added baby dolls to their catalog. Previously, most dolls had been modeled after adults, dubbed lady dolls, but the inclusion of babies to their line introduced the world to a genre of dolls that still has a place in many people’s hearts. As other doll makers saw the popularity of the finely dressed French bébés, with their composition bodies, bisque heads and realistic childlike features, they, too, began producing their own versions.

By 1890 and through the early 1910s, Germany had quickly taken over the market with popular bisque doll makers Armand Marseille, Simon and Halbig and Kestner producing German dolly-faced and character dolls, which expanded on the child-like expressions, testing the waters to see what kind of feelings one could emote solely through porcelain. Beyond France and Germany, dollmakers in other countries were also taking notice—with the introduction of the ichimatsu-style doll in Japan and United States based artists, like the Parsons-Jackson Company and others, who made baby dolls to help fill store shelves when international conflict made it harder to import them.

It is said that the 1920s were the major heyday for baby dolls in the United States with the popularity of mama dolls, which were made with a voice box inside that said mama, as you might have deduced. The first of this kind, the Lyf–Lyk (a play on Life-Like) doll, was patented by Georgene Averill in 1918. It featured a composition head and neck and a stuffed torso with composition hands and stuffed legs and stitched feet, complete with big toes. This doll spawned many more, mostly unmarked dolls from various companies, and by 1932, over 80% of children had a mama doll.

I have an affinity for the dolls made in the 1920s and 1930s. There was such craftsmanship, much of which came out of the United States with brands like Arranbee (R&B), American Character, Madame Alexander, Ideal and others. The artistry and creativity behind the dolls of that era has yet to be matched and might never again.

And bear in mind that much of this creativity emerged after a world war had increased tariffs on imported goods, making Stateside manufacturing necessary, and during the years of the Great Depression. It wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns in the world. From some dark and scary times, came a resurgence of dolls created so beautifully, collectors still adore them today—and baby dolls were not left out.

There was the Bye-Lo Baby, introduced in the 1920s, whose sculpt was inspired by a 3-day-old infant that designer Grace Storey Putnam saw while visiting the Salvation Army. The doll was dubbed the "million-dollar baby" because of its immense popularity.

Or Effanbee’s lovable Lovums, introduced around 1928, made with composition limbs and a stuffed body. Lovums most notable feature is her face sculpt—with the most delightful smiling eyes and happy expression.

And let’s not forget the popular baby dolls based on celebrities, like the Dionne Quintuplets, the first set of quints born in Canada, and America’s sweetheart, Shirley Temple, among others. You can see my 24-inch Dionne baby doll in this video. I would love to have the rest, but they’re very hard to find nowadays!

Continuing through the decades, the baby doll market changed again in the 1960s and 1970s, with dolls like Ideal’s Thumbelina taking over little girls’ hearts, along with Betsy Wetsy and Baby First Step.

Toddler and walking dolls gained popularity during this time, too, as seen with dolls like the Patti Playpal series, which had a wide range of dolls from baby twins (Johnny and Bonnie) to toddler size (Suzie, Penny and cousin Saucy Walker) to kid size (Peter and Patti).

Baby dolls have stood the test of time, still popular with today’s youth and collectors, but the look and feel has changed a bit over the years. Mass produced Berenguer babies and Lee Middleton dolls were celebrated for their realistic looks.

This eventually led to blank kits being sold for customizers to utilize and make their own dolls, which would come to be known as reborns. Reborns can take any shape, but in most cases, they are ultra realistic baby dolls and works of art in their own right, with every hair, down to the eyelashes, being placed by hand by talented doll artists.

My favorite reborns are actually not human. While realistic babies are nice, I have always found that reborns made in the likeness of adorable baby animals and out of this world aliens to be cuter. They’re the ones I would splurge on. Though if I was wealthier, I would potentially hire someone to make reborns of my two daughters, because they were adorable babies.

The only reborn I own is a mass produced Amazon baby designed to look like a Na'vi from the movie Avatar. She may not be one of the high-end dolls, but I adore her! There’s something really eye-catching and adorable about her sculpt, which is also available as a normal baby.

While the look and feel of baby dolls has changed over the years, there are a few things that have stayed the same. They bring comfort to those having a bad day—just holding a baby doll can help lighten your mood. This can be seen in baby doll therapy, which is used with everyone from children to the elderly. Baby dolls make people happy.

Not to mention, they are some of the first toys we play with that teach us how to nurture and care for others. Just today, as my kids were playing, I saw them help their babies walk up the stairs, encourage them to have fun while going down the slide and worry about their babies when they had a fall. These are more than just playthings, and just as they've been helping and teaching children for decades, they will continue to do so for decades to come.

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The Beginning

The UFDC was started by Mary E. Lewis in 1949 as a way to unite doll collectors from around the globe. Mary was a Brooklyn-based doll collector and lecturer, known for her passion to collect and speak about dolls. During a radio appearance in 1937, Mary invited other doll enthusiasts to meet her at a hotel in New York City. Eight other like-minded collectors met at the Hotel Pennsylvania and the National Doll and Toy Collectors Club was born. While traveling the lecture circuit around the United States, Mary encouraged people to start their own clubs, which resulted in 14 new groups being formed by 1940 and the introduction of the newsletter and journal DOLL NEWS, which began publication in 1941 and is still published today.

Still, Mary’s dream was bigger. She envisioned a whole federation of clubs, tied together under one banner, as well as a museum and research center to educate collectors and non-collectors alike about the hobby. Her dream started to take shape in 1949, when Mary and her club members officially formed the United Federation of Doll Clubs, Inc. More clubs were added to the federation and by their first annual gathering in 1950, there were 16 clubs present. Mary was elected the first official president of the organization.

Now, there is a lot of information mentioned in the official history that has to do with all the things that come along with making an organization like this happen, which I’ll be skipping because I honestly don’t understand any of it. The important thing to know is that in 1979, there was an opportunity to move the organizational end of everything to Missouri and by 1981 the organization was recognized as a 501(c)(3). Things moved along, new presidents and directors stepped into open spots and the organization continued to grow and celebrate doll collecting. They even opened up a doll research library in the Des Plaines Public Library in Des Plaines, Illinois in the 1990s for a few years, which is wild, as I grew up really close to there. If it existed today, I would be up there all the time!

The Final Touch

Mary’s dream of connecting doll clubs around the world had succeeded in a big way, but her other goal—creating a doll museum—wasn’t achieved until 2002 with the grand opening of the UFDC's new headquarters, where it remains today. The museum “endeavors to present the multi-faceted story of dolls” and features dolls of all kinds—antique, modern, play, artist and everything in between—from the 1700s and beyond. There are permanent collections, as well as special exhibits.

The museum is open to the public to celebrate and educate people about the art of dollmaking. Also inside the headquarters is a research library with archival material on all sorts of dolls. The UFDC also offers scholarships for the betterment of doll studies—which I don’t think will help fund a trip to Japan for me to learn about Japanese dolls—but might help you if you're interested in pursuing scholarly research.

There are currently 16 different regions represented by regional directors in the United States, and an international chapter, with over 130 clubs currently listed as open to new members. Over the past few years, many new virtual clubs have been formed, as well, for folks who don’t have any in-person groups to join.

The UFDC Today

If, like me, you’re not part of a club, you can still join as a member-at-large for $45 a year. Benefits include free admission to the museum if you’re in Kansas City, the chance to be connected to a larger collector community through occasional virtual programs and social media, priority registration to the annual doll convention and, my favorite perk, four issues of the doll journal DOLL NEWS. In addition to the latest issues, you have access to all the back issues in digital form. DOLL NEWS is the best doll magazine on the market and worth the price of membership on its own.

And, let’s not forget the younger collectors! The UFDC has a junior membership program for those under 18 who are part of a registered club. The benefits of junior membership are based on the club you’re affiliated with, but the annual convention has special activities for the younger members.

Speaking of which, the event of the year for many UFDC members is the annual convention! I haven’t attended one myself, but they look really fun. This year, the 77th annual convention is being held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Titled Past, Present, Future, it is celebrating dolls of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Similar to the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention, the UFDC convention can be a bit pricey, but it features a group dining event, the ability to sign up for workshops and, of course, shopping!

The 2027 convention, dubbed Dolls and People that Changed the World, will be held in my backyard—Schaumburg, Illinois. I’m very excited to attend the convention and catch up with folks I've only met through a computer screen, enter some of the doll contests and—this comes as no surprise, I'm sure—shop till I drop! I’m already saving for a 20-inch or taller Ichimatsu from the 1920s or 1930s to add to my collection—preferably the closest I can get to the Friendship dolls from Japan. I think it would be a wonderful way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the doll exchange by getting a nice Ichimatsu for my collection.

Joining the UFDC

If you’re a lone doll collector, I highly recommend checking out the UFDC’s website. Access to DOLL NEWS alone is worth it. I’ve been a member for six years now. While I’m not in a club, I joined at a time when most clubs were doing virtual meetings. The ladies I met during the meetings were so nice and very passionate. My mom and I loved learning about all sorts of dolls we rarely see at the collector shows here in Illinois.

The group was even kind enough to throw me a virtual baby shower back in 2021, which was very sweet and indicative of the kindness of most of the members! As a member, I’ve also had the honor of being published in DOLL NEWS, authoring a few pieces that I'm very proud of (Summer 2022, Winter 2022). I hope my name appears in the bylines again sometime in the next year, as writing about dolls is a passion of mine and I certainly have some ideas for future issues!

If you’re part of a club, it’s worth looking into what membership might look like for you! And, as I’m sure Mary said many times, if you’re a collector looking for a community, consider starting a club yourself. The United Federation of Doll Clubs was started because one person asked during a radio show for fellow collectors to come together for a night of chatting about dolls. That meeting ultimately led to an organization that has now been around for more than 75 years. Regardless of what you collect or how you collect, there’s a place for you in the United Federation of Doll Clubs.

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Ever After High hit store shelves in 2013 and ran through 2018. The line started out very promising with dolls that were on par with the then still relatively new companion series Monster High. Releases were steady, featuring nicely detailed dolls on articulated bodies that had ample character. Originally complementing their ghoulish predecessors, Ever After High eventually became a competitor as the quality of Monster High started to wane.

Ever After High was consistently knocking it out of the park with its releases until 2015, when some really well designed dolls were released (like Way Too Wonderland) alongside dolls that looked far more cheaply made (like Enchanted Picnic).

Unfortunately, the trend of cheapening Ever After High continued into 2016 and 2017, with the dolls being released with, quite frankly, creepy smiling faces, with less articulation and less clever fashions. Poor Daring literally looks like a knock-off doll. Interestingly, they also experimented with toddler-sized dolls under the title Princess Friends, which I honestly don’t think even made it to the United States.

The last couple years of the line, the Ever After High gang looked like poor imitations of what they once were. Take Sweet Treats, the only line released in 2018, for example. Oh, Mattel, why even release these? You turned the daughter of the Evil Queen, one of the coolest looking characters, into a Stepford wife.

And speaking for myself—an avid fan of Ever After High—I honestly had completely given up buying most of them towards the end, because the quality and character Mattel had once instilled in the series was completely gone.

But let’s try to forget the terrible end of the doll line and think about the better days. I’d like to share with you my 10 favorite Ever After High dolls. Let the commencement begin.

Raven Queen (Rebels and Royals Wave 1, 2013):

It’s only fitting to start with the protagonist herself, Raven Queen. Raven Queen’s quest to discover who she really is outside of being the Evil Queen’s daughter can be seen in her doll, as well as in the animated series. Raven’s design has a gothic edge to it, which perfectly contrasts with Apple White's character. I knew instantly this line would be something special when I saw the creativity in Raven's design and those of the other core dolls.

C.A. Cupid (Heartstuck, 2015):

Cupid is a very important character in the lore of Ever After High, as she is the bridge that ties Monster High and Ever After High together. The character of Cupid originally made her debut in the ghoul-tastic Monster High line and after a quick makeover transferred to Ever After High.

Heartstuck Cupid makes me a little angry and sad, because I love her entire look and I don’t believe I own her! What was 2015 me thinking passing this doll up on the shelves of Toys R Us? Her wings are so pretty and detailed. They look wonderful, especially when paired with the pink and yellow dress. Her face and hair details add to the adorableness. Cupid’s definitely on my list of dolls that got away!

Melody Piper (Royals and Rebels Wave 6, 2015):

Melody Piper, daughter of the Pied Piper, is another doll that I missed out on. If I recall correctly, we just didn’t see her much. What I love about her, weirdly, is that she reminds me of a My Scene Delancey. Yes, she’s not identical, but she’s similar enough that she tugs at my nostalgic heartstrings. She’s cool in her own right, with her leg tattoo and fun accessories.

Lizzie Hearts (Royals and Rebels Wave 3, 2014):

There was no question as to if Lizzie Hearts would make the cut. Her red and black card-themed outfit, her cool hairstyle, her bold eyes—everything is amazing and perfectly speaks to her character as the daughter of the Queen of Hearts. I also quite like that Lizzie utilizes the petite body, which adds a bit of variety when displaying her with other dolls.

Hunter Huntman (Royals and Rebels Wave 1, 2-pack featuring Ashlynn, 2013):

Hubba, hubba! Ashlynn’s a lucky lady! I adore Hunter. He’s one of the best male dolls released by Mattel, not just in the Ever After High line, but throughout their entire history of doll making. (I'd say he's right up there with Jinu!) I wrote about this release on the original blog back in the day, for those curious! First, Hunter has the coolest hair. Half flocked, half rooted, it’s styled perfectly for the son of Robin Hood. Hunter also has a very manly face, which I appreciate, as sometimes male dolls by Mattel can look a little feminine.

This outfit is equally well put together with varying layers and fabrics. He just looks like a cool dude. And back when I had time to photograph my dolls with backdrops, he photographed really well!

Raven Queen (Thronecoming, 2013):

Besides being a doll collector, I’m also a die-hard fan of the TV show Once Upon a Time, which also featured fairy tale characters. Raven has always reminded me of Once Upon A Time’s Evil Queen played by Lana Parrilla, especially in her Thronecoming outfit. I raved about this doll years ago and still consider her one of my top three favorite Ever After High dolls of all time.

Her face is so pretty. Adding in the voluminous gown and unique up-do, Raven Queen is definitely winning Thronecoming Queen over the other ladies. She’s so pretty, while keeping her signature gothic style.

C.A. Cupid (Thronecoming, 2014):

While Raven is winning the race to the throne, Cupid gives her a run for her money in this release. Thronecoming Cupid is also a really pretty doll. Her hair is relatively simple, but her almost bone-like wings matched with the pink and gold highlights in her outfit make her stand out amongst other Ever After High characters. And her face—it’s done so sweetly.

Maddie Hatter (Way Too Wonderland, 17-inch doll, 2015):

Just as I featured the 17-inch Monster High dolls in my top 10 favorites in that series, I need to add the 17-inch Maddie Hatter to this one. There’s just something about that size that works really well with the Ever After High aesthetic. I wish they’d done more dolls in this style. Now, the doll in the picture below is clearly a prototype, because my Maddie’s hair is a bit less refined and far more frizzy, but even still, Maddie looks great in this size.

Dexter Charming (Royals and Rebels Wave 3, 2014):

Ever After High excelled at making male dolls. Enter Dexter Charming. Dexter Charming, like Hunter, made such a great photo partner for the other dolls. Easy to pose and great at standing on his own, Dex is such a fun doll. One of the things I like about Dexter is his cool vibe. He has a bit of an edge to his look, even though he’s a proper royal, as part of the Charming family. His face, particularly his eyes and eyebrows, are done nicely, as well.

Raven Queen (San Diego Comic Con, 2015):

Raven Queen going full-on Evil Queen is epic. This release was special to San Diego Comic Con. I want this doll—and the reason why harkens back to something I said earlier. Remember how I mentioned Raven Queen reminding me of one of my favorite shows, Once Upon a Time? This doll is a stunning example of what I meant. It brings back a feeling of nostalgia for two of my favorite things. Also, can we talk about details? The feathers? Love it! The makeup and real lashes? Love it! The shiny red apple accessory? Love it! Raven looks powerful and regal.

Coinciding with the limited release was a more basic doll that went to stores. I wasn’t as fond of this one, so I never picked it up. That being said, making a budget doll based on a comic con exclusive was a nice idea.

And that’s it—my favorite Ever After High dolls produced. Putting this list together was a lot of fun and reminded me how much I loved the line and miss our Toys R Us doll hunts. For your own blast from the past, Ever After High’s instagram is still available to browse—though you need to scroll down quite a bit before you stop seeing the creepy smiling faces used in the later lines.

What are your favorite Ever After High dolls? Let us know in the comments!

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Before we dive into specifics on this new doll line, let’s quickly go back in time to when another doll company tried something similar and got a lot of backlash. Zuru’s line is not the first attempt at marketing a pregnant doll to consumers. Back in 2002, Mattel, makers of Barbie, released a pregnant Midge doll in their Happy Family line. Pregnant Midge was sold separately to her male doll companion Alan, who was packaged with their toddler son Ryan. Midge’s baby bump was magnetic. When you pulled it away from her regular Barbie torso, newborn baby Nikki popped out.

While the Happy Family line ended up having many well-loved and popular releases over the next few years, this pregnant Midge doll was very quickly recalled due to consumer backlash, with critics citing that Midge was condoning teen or unwed pregnancy. Some of this was due to consumers not knowing the backstory of the characters, who had a wedding set released prior, or the fact that some early Midge dolls didn’t have a wedding ring. But the biggest reason for the recall was most likely the polarizing opinions people have around pregnancy and the varying nature of what people find appropriate for their kids to know.

For what it’s worth, I find this controversy ridiculous. I can't imagine many children looking at the mature-looking Midge doll (or any Barbie doll) with a baby bump and being anything other than excited for her doll to deliver her baby. Make believe play mimics life and women getting pregnant is part of life. Kids are curious by nature and even if a pregnant Midge doll didn’t exist, they would eventually be asking about real women’s baby bumps, or parading around the house with a stuffed animal or baby doll under their shirt pretending to have a baby in their tummy. My youngest does that all the time, yet no one in the family has been pregnant while she's been around. But, then again, these are the thoughts of a solo mom of two adorable kiddos with no ring on her finger… Now that I’m thinking about it, maybe it’s all pregnant Midge’s fault? (Just joking!)

Mattel may be the biggest brand to try this doll, but they definitely weren’t the first, or the last. I remember a viewer of the YouTube channel sending me one when I announced my first pregnancy. It was very sweet and I still have her in my collection. All this to say, dolls like this have been around before Mattel’s Midge debacle and long after, so while Zuru is getting a lot of press for their new My Mini Baby Mom and Baby doll set, it’s not because it’s new, but because they are the first toy company in a while that has a brand presence to do it.

Now I think it's time to get back to the dolls at hand! Inside her removable baby bump is a My Mini Baby protected in an amniotic sac made of slime. Yes, you read that right—slime! Once the baby is born, the baby bump can get flipped around and transformed into a flatter, baby-free tummy. Each Mom doll is newborn ready with a swaddle, bib, diaper and some smaller accessories. There are three variations so far: Maria (brown eyes, brown hair with tan skin tone), Brittany (blue eyes, blonde hair with white skin tone) and Nickey (brown eyes, black wavy hair with brown skin tone).

Zuru isn’t known for the highest quality doll brands, so I am not expecting much in terms of hair or vinyl quality, but I have to give them some credit. I love the idea of the baby being encased in slimy amniotic fluid that kids or adults have to deliver their new bundle of joy from. It’s a gimmick, but as gimmicks go, I like it!

One thing I’m not crazy about is the box art I’m seeing online. I’m not a big fan of the art style used for the characters. In going for a realistic-looking cartoon image, the girls on the box ended up looking a little creepy, in my view. But, for an out of box collector like me, box art isn’t a make-or-break issue. I’m just not sure how the casual doll buyer will feel about the box art or which way it will sway them when it comes to dropping the My Mini Baby Mom and Baby doll in their cart.

Honestly, as much as these are gimmicky and maybe not the quality of the usual dolls I buy, if I see one, there’s a good chance I’ll pick one up. I think my two daughters would love a doll like this and I have to admit Zuru does a great job when it comes to having their finger on the pulse of the mini toy market. If I do end up finding one, you know it will end up here on the blog and YouTube channel, so stay tuned!

One quick thing before I go: I want to say how much I appreciate everyone who reads this blog. I’ve been blogging for over a decade now under the Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter umbrella. It is a labor of love. (Pun intended!) Sharing doll content is one of my favorite things and to each and every one of you, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, liking and sharing these posts, watching my videos and supporting the blog and channel through merch, tips or subscriptions. Thank you!

Are you looking forward to Zuru’s pregnancy-themed doll? What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments!

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But one thing that doesn’t get discussed enough about the franchise is that it did something few doll brands have done in the last few decades—Monster High caused a massive resurgence in the doll collecting hobby. People that had never bought a doll in their adult life were suddenly enamored with the ghouls of Monster High.

Mattel created a whole new wave of doll collectors with Monster High, a line of playline fashion dolls that were the daughters and sons of fantastical creatures and monsters. Many of those collectors stayed in the hobby long after Monster High’s quality went down and the initial line went dark, moving onto MGA’s Rainbow High and Shadow High, discovering Bratz and their witchy counterparts, Bratzillaz: House of Witchez, or continuing to collect the Monster High crew through exclusive Mattel Creations releases. And I imagine many are looking forward to Mattel’s upcoming Moonspell Magic and MGA’s upcoming Mirror Mi series, which have a similar vibe to Monster High.

It’s because Monster High is still looked at fondly by collectors that I wanted to showcase them in today’s post by sharing with you my top 10 favorite Monster High dolls. Let the freakishly fab reveal begin!

Holt Hyde (Wave 1, 2010):

How could one not love Holt Hyde? The son of Dr. Jekyll, Holt is the alter-ego of ‘normie’ Jackson Jekyll. Interestingly, Holt is the only doll released in the first wave of dolls to make only two appearances in the entire Monster High run. I’m curious why Mattel decided to limit Holt’s releases as much as they did, but suspect it must be something to do with this flame-like hair. Regardless, I love Holt’s vibe. His blue skin mixed with the orange tones in his molded hair and the red in his cool jacket look great. He might be my favorite Monster High doll of all time.

Frankie Stein (Classroom Series, 2011):

There are many fangtastic-looking Frankies to choose from when searching through the doll releases, but Home Ick Frankie, hands down, is one of my favorites. While she may not have an over-the-top hairstyle or an outfit with lots of pizzazz, I love this Frankie. The combination of patterns in her outfit works really well together and her face is pretty, while showing off her freaky flaws.

Dead Fast Ghoulia Yelps (SDCC, 2011):

The 2010’s had some amazing San Diego Comic Con releases—Dead Fast Ghoulia being one of them. Ghoulia is one of my favorite Monster High characters in doll form and in the animated specials. While she barely spoke in common words, her actions and zombie grunts made it perfectly clear what she was saying. One thing that was true in both the doll line and animated series was that Ghoulia was always true to herself. There’s a lovely bit of meta to the Dead Fast release because she’s not the character of Dead Fast, she’s cosplaying the character at a comic convention and came complete with a con badge, shopping bag and doll-sized action figure of Ghoulia’s favorite character. (She upped her game in this 2024 release, which was too rich for my blood, but equally as cool!)

Clawdeen Wolf as Little Dead Riding Hood (Scarily Ever After, 2011):

Mattel had a lot of fun with the Scarily Ever After line. I love that the line’s werewolf was acting the part of Little Red Riding Hood. The bright red, layered outfit looks great, especially with Clawdeen’s blood red lips, dark eye makeup and red highlights.

Frankie Stein (Sweet 1600, 2011):

This Frankie is the opposite of the one I featured earlier, as her hair and outfit are done up to the nines for Draculaura’s Sweet 1600! I love the blue and black color combo on Frankie’s vinyl. Her hair, as well, stands out in a great way. Frankie was by far the best dressed of the 1600 girls. Also worth mentioning is her face. Her makeup is delicately done, but still pops.

Astranova with Floatation Station (Boo York, Boo York, 2015):

Astranova is one of the few Monster High dolls made later in the line to make this list. I love Astranova’s alien aesthetic with her large eyes and geometric style limbs. She was released once throughout the series and came with a cool ‘floatation station’ that allowed her to, as you might have guessed already, float. You can find Astranova in two vinyl colors: indigo and periwinkle. My mom and I were lucky enough to buy Astranova right as she hit store shelves, before they had switched to the lighter vinyl, as it takes away from the character's cool look.

Garrett Sander, one of Mattel’s most well known alumni and creator of Monster High, posted on Instagram that production originally intended to make Astranova the deep purple seen in very early releases of the doll. Higher-ups at Mattel, however, felt she was too dark and midway through production changed her vinyl to the lighter purple in hopes of promoting better sales. Judging from Garrett’s post and collector’s comments, however, Mattel made the wrong decision here, as most agree the indigo version is the better of the two.

Ghoulia Yelps (Sweet Screams, 2014):

I love all the dolls in the Sweet Screams line, but Ghoulia is by far my favorite! Beyond the amazing design of the dolls, I also loved the Boogeyman candy-inspired horror story and wish they’d leaned into it more in the multimedia end of things. It would have made a fun webisode or mini movie.

Ghoulia’s gummy worm inspired outfit is over the top in all the right ways! Some highlights are her green and red shoes and her bold curly blue hair. From head to toe, this doll tells a story without even needing the booklet.

Frightfully Tall Ghouls (17-inch dolls, 2015):

I love tall dolls, which is why I decided these dolls should be on the list. There are four frightfully tall dolls: Frankie, Draculaura, Clawdeen and Elissabat. (Gooliope was also this size, but not part of this series.) Frankie is my favorite of the ghouls released. I wish Mattel had released the other characters in this size—Ghoulia, Cleo, Deuce and Holt—because the immense size of these compared to the traditional dolls looks very cool on a doll shelf.

Venus McFlytrap (Wave 4, 2012):

There are so many things I love about Venus. The character’s vibrant green skin works so well with the bright pink hair and accents. Beyond that, I love, love, love the half flocked head. It’s edgy, cool and sets her apart from other Monster High dolls! Venus’s styling here, with the jean vest, colorful top and cropped pants and black skirt, also works well with the character design. Where her outfit isn’t in-your-face, the colors really make everything pop!

C.A. Cupid (Sweet 1600, 2011):

We’re rounding off the list with one of the most creepy of the Monster High dolls ever produced: C.A. Cupid. Cupid’s beauty is unconventional and a bit creepy to some. It's because of her unconventionality that she made the list. Generally speaking, this isn’t a doll that would speak to me, but there’s something about Cupid that has made her stick in my mind as a favorite. I love the soft pink color of her hair with the cute braided heart. The heart-shaped lips on her stark white skin are also a nice feature.

It’s important to note that while Cupid may have started as a character in the Monster High line, she was the doll that was chosen to help spin off Mattel’s sister line, Ever After High, which featured dolls based on the children of storybook characters. And while her look changed drastically, being that Cupid is a monster and featured in many stories of love lost and love gained, her background definitely made her the easiest to help guide collectors to Ever After High. And selfishly I’m so glad they did, as some of the Cupid dolls in the Ever After High line are gorgeous!

Wrap Up:

So there you have it—my top 10 favorite Monster High releases. There are, of course, so many more that have a place in my heart, but if I wrote about them all, this post would never end. If you feel like going back in time, check out my YouTube channel. Search "Monster High" and you'll find years of reviews. Now that I’ve shared my favorites, I invite you to share some of your own in the comments.

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The process of weeding your doll collection can be stressful in more ways than one. Beyond the physical toll and time it might take to go through a collection, it can also be quite emotional. How do you choose which doll is worth keeping versus parting with, especially if you have happy memories attached to each of them? Ultimately, how you decide to slim down your collection is personal, so these tips may not work for you and that’s okay, but maybe they’ll help make something that can be quite daunting a little easier.

Step 1: Evaluate Your Collection

When you live around a large collection, it can be easy to forget just how large it is. Our eyes naturally catch our favorite dolls and skim over the ones that stand out less. It doesn’t mean we love them less, but it’s natural for our brains to prioritize things above others. That is why it’s very important to take some time to look, and I mean really look, at your collection.

Start a list, write them down, take photos, whatever you need to do to start organizing your collection on paper. And beyond noting basic analytical info, like the name and maker, go further. Think emotionally about each doll for a moment. Is the doll you’re looking at something you can’t part with? Is it something that has a special memory attached to it? Or maybe it’s something you are less attached to—something you bought on a whim or were gifted, but could part with without too much attachment. While taking inventory, also consider if an item is something you plan on passing on to a family member as part of your final wishes. Has a loved one mentioned they have always admired a certain doll or did they maybe gift you something that you cherish? Make a note of it.

If this seems like too Herculean a task, use technology to help get you started. You can easily use resources like ChatGPT, Claude or your favorite free AI provider by taking pictures of your dolls, uploading them to an AI chatbot and asking it to create a starter Excel spreadsheet for you. You'll have to edit it, of course, but it might save you quite a bit of time.

Step 2: Think about Your Motivation

What is motivating you to sell? What do you want to get out of selling your collection? What are the circumstances that make this the right time? The reason you’re thinning out your collection can be big—like moving into a smaller home or needing to make money to supplement your retirement, or small, like making space for a loved one moving into your home or just needing room for new dolls. Whatever the reason, consider your goal. The biggest question to ask yourself is: do I want, or expect, to make as much money off my dolls as possible, or are other avenues, like donating, selling cheaply or giving dolls to like-minded collectors more your style? There is no right or wrong answer here. You should know the answer, however, before moving forward with selling your collection.

Step 3: How Much Work Do You Want To Do?

You know what you can't part with. You know what you expect to get out of selling your collection. Now it's time to think about how much work you, specifically, want to put into it. For those that want to take the hands-off approach, consider shopping around for an auction house.

A few tips from me—do not choose the first auction house you see, even if you have heard through the grapevine that it’s amazing. Talk to the auction house. Read the contract front to back until you understand all your rights, as well as the auction house's. Ask the auction house for references, but also check with your favorite doll collecting Facebook group or club to see what their experiences have been. Do your due diligence because once your items are out of your possession, even if they are still yours until sold, you have less control. So be sure to know everything before delivering your dolls to an auction house.

That’s not to deter you from taking this method. For folks that don’t have the time, means or energy to sell a collection—particularly a large one—piecemeal, an auction house is a great idea. It’s hands-off and you can potentially sell items in bulk all in one big sale, with guaranteed exposure for your items, in exchange for whatever commission the auction house charges, without having to do any of the shipping.

Auction houses aren’t for everyone, and for the patient, selling your collection on your own may be the right path. You have ultimate control, for the most part, which is nice. And if you're strategic, you might be able to get away with having no extra fees taken from your earnings. The most common ways to do this are through eBay, Mercari, Whatnot, Facebook Marketplace or Facebook groups with like-minded collectors. You can also consider renting a table at a local doll show or hobby fair and selling your dolls in person to eliminate shipping. If you do decide to go the DIY method, just note that the doll market can be fickle. I’ve heard Madame Alexander collectors chat back and forth about dolls that once commanded far more than they do now. The prices you have in mind may not reflect the current market, and there's not much anyone can do about that.

Figuring out your path may be stressful, but whatever you choose, as long as you do the right research, should make the process a little easier. And if it is too much, consider taking a different route or bringing in a trusted friend to help you out.

Step 4: Start Weeding

You’ve percolated on everything this post has touched on so far. Now it’s time to roll up those shirtsleeves and start actively working with your collection. Going back to your inventory, what items did you mark down as not worth keeping, but also not worth selling? Create a bin for donations. Whether they go to a thrift store, doll club or your favorite organization, start setting them aside. Once you’ve set aside the donation items, look at your collection again and begin selling. Remember, there’s no shame in keeping something from your collection. If you love it, it can stay! But there are probably things in your collection that you have less attachment to, and those are the items you should consider selling first.

Final Thoughts

Full disclosure, I have not parted with anything from my collection, aside from two awful-looking Barbies I received at the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention when it was in Chicago. (The dolls were that bad!) So, when reading this, know that these steps are guidelines, not rules. They’re the way I would begin to thin my collection if I were doing so. Hopefully they will be helpful to you if you’re at this stage in your collecting journey.

Do you have a tip I didn’t mention here? Share it in the comments.

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Varying in height based on their unique features, Novi Stars should have been more popular than they were. It truly is a line that should be brought back because these dolls were ahead of their time and out-of-this-world fun!

My history with these dolls is a frustrating one. I remember making Toys R Us runs with my mom looking for them and seeing the same dolls on the shelves every time. I'd say about 75% of the dolls that were created never hit our store, which makes sense considering the last few waves were sold only in Europe and never made it to North America.

2012’s first wave consisted of four dolls: Alie Lectic, Una Verse, Mae Tallick and Ari Roma. Wave 2 added three new dolls: Malie Tasker, Tula Tone and Syla Clops. Finishing out 2012, MGA released one final line, Orbit Beach, which featured Alie, Una, Mae and Ari in futuristic, alien swimwear. They also released a deluxe ‘energy pod’ playset around this year.

As 2013 rolled around, however, the tide turned for the line and Novi Stars became much harder to find in person. The year started with a brand-new Novi Stars concept, Stellar Skinz, which featured Cici Thru and Gail Lexi. Gail is a doll I reviewed on the blog and YouTube back in 2013, for the curious. The dolls had taller bodies, two interchangeable skins and accessories you could mix and match between them. But after that—crickets.

The internet says three other 2013 lines were available in the U.S.: Super Novas Wave 1, Invasion Wave 1 and Curl 'n' Coil. However, I'd argue that if they were available, they didn't receive a wide release in North America.

Wave 1 of the Super Novas line introduced Mimi Merize and Vera Tabray, two super-fun-looking characters that I would remember seeing—and probably would have left Toys R Us with—had they reached our store.

Similarly, the first wave of the Invasion series introduced two adorable new characters I know I would have brought home: the cold-as-ice Anne Arctic and the fiery Ina Ferna. All four dolls were in the line's more common smaller size. Adding to the taller dolls was the Curl 'n' Coil line, which I vaguely remember seeing, but I can't imagine leaving without Tily Vizon—an alien with a TV in her torso is pretty memorable—or her cohort Roe Botik. Knowing me, if I did see them, I probably thought the gimmick was too gimmicky and passed them by.

Moving into 2014, MGA offloaded the last four dolls to Europe, with one source saying they primarily ended up in Russia. It's such a shame because these four dolls are some of the cutest and most inventive in the series. A second wave of Super Novas was released featuring Doe A Deer and Justina Hour. Finally, the line was rounded out by the second wave of the Invasion series, which introduced Carmela Sweet and Frostina Sprinkles.

All four of these dolls, along with most of the dolls released the year before, deserved a lot more love from MGA's distribution department. Toy lines fail when they aren't put in front of consumers, and the lack of product on toy store shelves made Novi Stars seem unreliable. That's what I suspect ultimately led to the line being discontinued after just two years and 24 unique releases. It's worth noting that it looks like at least some work went into planning another year of releases, but they were never put into production. The powers that be must have known fairly early that the line wasn't moving forward.

Novi Stars is a line that I would actually like to get more of, so I thought it might be fun to look at the dolls they released and choose my top five (or six, or 24) that I would love to find in the wild!

Here are five Novi Stars I’d LOVE to have!

Vera Tabray (Super Novas Wave 1):

I love everything about Vera! Her third eye looks so cool with her face sculpt. Her pink and black color scheme works well, too. And how can you not love the skeletal wings and legs?

Anne Arctic (Invasion Wave 1):

Anne Arctic’s gimmick of water filled snow globe-like legs may eventually evaporate, but my love for this Novi Star will never fade. Maybe it’s the Christmas baby in me, but I love Anne Arctic. She’s like an alien Jack Frost and I’m here for it. I love her troll hair, as well as her blue and white color scheme. You don’t know how much I wish this doll had come to our Toys R Us!

Ina Ferna (Invasion Wave 1):

The fiery companion to Anne, Ina's look is on fire! It's easy to see her element reflected in her styling, with her long flame-like red hair and flowy dress in reds, oranges and yellows. Also worth noting is her face—it's beautifully done—as well as the gradient of her body coloring, which moves from orange to grey to black. The designers clearly had fun with this one!

Doe A Deer (Super Novas Wave 2):

Doe A Deer has to be one of the sweetest looking Novi Stars around the galaxy. There is nothing I dislike about her. The lilac coloring of her hair paired with her white skin that moves into a deer like brown works shockingly well. I also love how the brown is brought in not only in her hands, but also her ears and her antlers, which sit behind her silver antenna. Doe’s special element is flocked legs, which is perfect for a Novi Star themed around a forest creature. Doe A Deer is really just the cutest thing!

Carmela Sweet (Invasion Wave 2):

Rounding out my top five is Carmela Sweet. Using caramel as inspiration, Carmela has gummy-textured legs. The adult collector in me wonders how this doll's gummy legs will age over time, but the Novi Stars fan in me doesn't care. Carmela is so colorful! The standout feature for me is definitely her face, decked out in colorful images of sweets, with eyes made of pink-and-teal swirls and bold green and bright pink lashes. Carmela gives off such a fun vibe! Another nice touch is the circle of freckles she has. From head to toe, Carmela is sugary sweet in the best way.

Novi Stars Stellar Makeover Styling Heads:

I couldn't finish this post without at least mentioning the Novi Stars Styling Heads, which were sold in limited quantities in Australia. The two heads featured Cici Thru and Gail Lexi. How cool are these? From what I can tell, each styling head came with three colors you could brush onto the wig, along with glitter-holding gel to help create an out-of-this-world hairstyle. Because each Novi Stars Styling Head was similar in proportion to a child's head, the wig could be swapped between the styling head and its human hairstylist.

Of all the Novi Stars on my list, the Stellar Makeover Styling Head is probably the one I'd spend the most on because I think my mom would love adding it to her collection. It would make an epic Mother's Day gift, that's for sure! So Australians, if you're reading this, let me know if you spot one at a decent price!

These five are just a few of the Novi Stars I wish I had in my collection. And who knows? One day I might. But for now, I'll have to be content looking at them on a computer screen. Prices for Novi Stars are, to put it bluntly, insane—far too high for me to even consider buying them. But I'm hopeful that another Novi Stars doll will find its way into my collection one day if I'm patient.

Do you remember Novi Stars by MGA? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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At the time of its release in June 2025, there was little to no merchandise available, which was a real head-scratcher. Anyone who had previewed it should have known that, at the very least, it was destined for a doll line. In fact, dolls were the first thing I looked for after watching it, because it was obvious that the characters of Rumi, Mira, Zoey and demon heartthrob Jinu would make fantastic dolls for kids and adult collectors alike. Fast-forward four months to October 2025, when Mattel was announced as the global co-master toy licensee, along with Hasbro, for all things K-Pop Demon Hunters, and doll collectors finally had something to look forward to.

And we’re finally here in July 2026, with dolls on store shelves! Mattel could have taken this line in so many different directions and at varying levels of quality. Let’s be honest— nine months to go from concept to finished product is practically unheard of when it comes to making a quality toy, but now that I have four of the dolls in my collection? I gotta say, Mattel didn’t let me down!

Let’s start off by talking about everybody’s favorite demon and Saja Boys leader, Jinu. Mattel isn’t always known for making the greatest looking male dolls, so I was worried! Thankfully, Jinu, along with the rest of the dolls released, looks like he stepped right off the screen. His molded hair is done really well and has depth to it, as do his brown eyes, which have a slight side glance to them.

Jinu is outfitted in his ‘Soda Pop’ look that features a pink T-shirt, an unbuttoned overshirt and jeans with a small rip in the knee. Unlike the rest of the dolls, Jinu comes with an alternate hand that can easily be swapped if you’d like to change the one he’s packaged with.

Head of Huntrix and Jinu's love interest, Rumi is equally well crafted. The hardest part to get right, her long purple braid that begins high on her head, could have easily gone wrong, but Mattel did a wonderful job. This is high praise coming from me, as I’ve found Mattel’s hair design on Barbie to be lacking recently. For those in the know, it’s on the level with Chinese doll manufacturer Kurhn, which has blown Mattel out of the water for years now in that area.

Equally as noteworthy is Rumi’s face sculpt. Like Jinu, it’s like she stepped out of the film into real life. It’s perfect. My favorite thing about her facial design is her smirk. It isn't an even smile and rises on one side, giving her the perfect expression. I also really like Rumi’s outfit. Her yellow faux leather jacket looks great and her white turtleneck crop top fits well. Her shorts are the only letdown, as they’re definitely reminiscent of the cheaply made Barbie fashions with printed on features. I’m willing to give them a pass, though, because costs had to be cut somewhere and the shorts seem like a logical choice.

Like Rumi, Mira looks fantastic. I imagine Mira might have been the hardest to sculpt because she rarely smiles in the film and has a very deadpan expression in many shots. That's not always an easy look to translate into a doll. Mattel did a great job, though, at recreating Mira in doll form.

Her outfit and weapon are probably the best out of all four dolls. Mira’s boots are a showstopper—really tall and cool looking. Her hair is the most basic of the girls, but very bright and right on when it comes to character design.

And finally, let’s talk about Zoey, the peppy one. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’ve got to say, Mattel knocked this doll out of the park. Her outfit is fantastic. Colorful, vibrant and true to character with printed on faux leather elements that don’t look awful or cheesy.

Zoey’s face is a mirror image of what was in the animated film, as well, which is great. My favorite feature on Zoey, however, is her hair. Zoey sports black hair done up in bangs and braided space buns. As with Rumi, the quality of Zoey’s hairstyle is noticeably better than that of Mattel's flagship Barbie line. It's refreshing.

Speaking of hair, some collectors are upset that Mattel decided to use polypropylene hair, as opposed to nylon or saran. I’m no expert on hair and don't really have a horse in that race, so I have no problems with this choice, as it looks great.

I’ve surrendered myself to the fact that when my two daughters get their own K-Pop Demon Hunter dolls, their hair will be a mess within five minutes, but as long as they’re okay with it, I’m okay with it.

All four dolls feature 15 points of articulation, making them easy to pose. They don’t come with stands, but all but Mira can stand on their own. Also unique to this line is that the members of Huntrix are on bodies of different heights, with Mira on a tall body, Rumi on a standard body and Zoey on a petite body.

One thing worth mentioning is that while the bodies are made of hard vinyl, their hands are made of flexible vinyl, with thin, unpainted fingernails. And weirdly, they have very thin fingers. The pinky fingers are so delicate that I could easily see them getting chewed off if a dog or teething child got hold of them.

Overall, I love these dolls! Mattel did a great job recreating the iconic characters of K-Pop Demon Hunters in doll form. I look forward to seeing what they do next with this franchise! Do you have a favorite doll in the line? After the long wait, do you think it was worth it? Let us know in the comments!

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The first wave of Mirror Mi features six dolls: Suki Goldpetal, Akiko Kittyama, Luna Skye, Blaze Maxx, Amora Valentina and Shai Meadows. With 15 points of articulation, Mirror Mi dolls have a distinctive look with colorful features and bold styles.

Here’s the official backstory:

Let’s go through the characters, starting with Suki Goldpetal. According to her character blurb, Suki “has a gift for helping others and mending what has been broken.” Her stark white vinyl with blue detail is reminiscent of a fine porcelain tea set, which is also brought out in her teacup-inspired dress and headphones. Her reflective eyes have tiny petals in them and her hair is a vibrant dark blue, done in a punk rock style. Her China Doll look portrays how fragile friendships can be, but also how once broken, they can be mended.

Akiko Kittyama represents a cozy kindness. By far the standout feature on this doll are her cat paw gloves. Akiko’s pink vest and faux fur skirt are both stylish and cozy and her boots—they’re the definition of kawaii! Her long dark brown hair is styled in curled pigtails with front bangs. Akiko’s vinyl goes from light skinned to white towards her calf, which is an interesting feature that I don’t quite understand. It makes me wonder if her arms/hands have similar coloring. Admittedly, this doll is not one of my favorites of the line based on photos, but she’s stylish and fits the cozy vibe well.

Luna Skye is creative and empathetic. She’s whimsical with a “head in the cloudzzz” energy. Her curly purple hair is vibrant on her sun-kissed tan skin. From promo photos, it already looks incredibly sprayed down, so I foresee folks washing this out and making it a bit more natural. The ruffles and flowy, airy layers of her dress play on the theme of whimsy.

Along Luna’s body are light patterns that look like they’re representing the billowing wind. While again, Luna isn’t my favorite doll in the series, I must say that her eyes, with the touches of pink, green and teal, look great.

If you couldn’t tell by the bright red hair and punk rock outfit, Blaze Maxx is outspoken, brave and bold! Her character design is probably the most ‘on the nose’ of the six dolls. Blaze rocks a striped red and black sweater paired with a faux leather bubble skirt—her fashion is on fire! The same fire can be seen in her red eyes, with a touch of blue to add a bit of depth. Blaze’s hair worries me a bit, because again it looks like those curls are heavily hair sprayed, but the more I look at her outfit, I’m liking her vibe!

Amora Valentina has a big heart and always sees the good in people. Her body is the most gimmicky, as her legs, towards her calf, are transparent and filled with tiny hearts, which reminds me of another long gone MGA line, which I’ll mention later in the post. Amora loves chocolate. You can see it in her chocolate colored sleeves, cake purse and Neapolitan hair. She wears a bright pink, ruffled corset top and a lacy skirt. Her outfit is one of my least favorite, but I like how they incorporated her love of sweets into her hair colors.

And finally, we get to Shai Meadows. She’s my favorite of the six dolls. Fair-skinned with curly white chocolate and pale yellow colored hair, Shai is soft spoken and a little bit shy. Her face is so pretty, with almond shaped blue eyes and gold freckles. She is dainty, with an almost alien like vibe to her. Shai wears a lacy yellow dress lined with soft faux fur. Her legs transition from white to soft yellow, covered under leg warmers. The lamb purse is a nice design touch. It speaks to her shyness and softness, without being overly obvious.

I am excited to see these Mirror Mi dolls in person. My favorite dolls are definitely Shai and Suki. Weirdly, those two dolls remind me of another MGA line, one that was gone too soon, Novi Stars. There’s just something otherworldly about them that draws me in.

Mirror Mi will retail for 29.99 USD and can be purchased wherever dolls are sold.

A quick reminder that I do have a merchandise store set up, as well as a Ko-Fi tip jar for those that would like to support the work we’re doing here on the blog and YouTube channel. You can also subscribe here on Substack and leave a ‘tip’, if you so desire.

Can’t help in that way? That’s totally okay! Subscribing and sharing this content goes a long way, too. And, as always, if you’re new here, please check out some of my other blog posts and YouTube channel.

Do you have a favorite Mirror Mi doll? Let us know in the comments!

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For the Love of Pullip

PUDDLE started as a small fan gathering held at Mitsuwa, a Chicagoland Japanese market. Since then, attendance has grown and locations have changed, but the passion behind the event hasn’t wavered. The idea was to create an event where collectors could share their love for Pullip dolls by displaying, customizing and mingling with fellow fans, and that hasn't changed. If anything, PUDDLE has grown from a fan gathering of strangers into an ever-growing, always-welcoming community of collectors.

One quick story that embodies what PUDDLE is comes thanks to my mom. Last year at PUDDLE, she picked up two super cute TV kitty ball jointed dolls. When my mom went to put them together, she discovered that she had no idea how to get them dressed in their outfits. For a year, they sat half-dressed until PUDDLE 2026, when two attendees who had watched our video and knew of our problems, volunteered to use some of their time at the show to help us get them dressed properly— which took a lot more effort than we expected! Those two really made my mom’s day. They’re great examples of the wonderful people who attend PUDDLE.

Gotta Play To Win

While early years of PUDDLE were heavily focused on Groove and Jun Planning Pullip dolls, the ones brought to the event now are far more diverse. Whether it’s due to lack of availability, quality control on Groove’s part or the discontinuing of the popular and affordable customizable Make It Own kits, Pullip dolls are almost in the minority now. The guest tables were filled most prominently with Danny Choo’s Smart Doll in all shapes, colors and sizes. Beyond that, there were other Asian ball jointed dolls, Blythe, Monster High, Mori Lolli and, of course, Pullip and friends. All dolls are truly welcome at PUDDLE and embraced in the dress like me contest and custom doll contest, which are open to all dolls.

Besides catching up with old acquaintances and seeing all the pretty dolls, one of my favorite parts of PUDDLE is the ability to enter contests! For fans who can't attend, the Art and Photography contests can be entered remotely. For attendees, there are multiple custom doll contests to enter on the day of the event, including full and partial Pullip doll customs, custom outfit, a mini category and the Smorgasbord category for dolls outside of the Pullip family.

As an attendee, I do think they need to change the contest a bit. It’s one of my few critiques of the event, honestly. The multiple categories worked back in the day when Pullip dolls were the star attraction of PUDDLE, but now it’s so diversified they need to rework them a bit to reflect the current trends. My suggestion would be to combine the full and partial custom Pullip competitions into one. Do the same for Smart Dolls, one competition that includes full and partial customs. Keep the mini category, but open it up to any mini doll that is a similar size to little Pullips. And for all other types of dolls, keep the Smorgasbord category. Custom outfit is another category I wouldn't change, beyond allowing dolls of any kind to enter a single category and also having a separate Smart Doll category. It would be easier for everyone involved, I believe, as the biggest issue we noticed with 2026 was that there was some confusion as to how the contest room should be run and where entries fit.

Shop Till You Drop

Let’s not forget to talk about the vendors! There were a lot of wonderful vendors at PUDDLE this year— some new and some returning. I’m a huge fan of having new vendors at shows and am thankful to see some at PUDDLE, like Who Has a Pet Books, MrsFrazzled/Meliza P. Studio and Island Frog Dolls. I didn’t buy much at the show, but I did try to support these vendors and bought something from each. I have to call out Meliza P. Studio, which makes the cutest tiny dolls. They had Kermit, Piggy, Nightmare Before Christmas, Raggedy Ann and others. I picked up a cute Strawberry Shortcake, which I’m sure my dolls will fight over due to its adorableness.

2027 and Beyond

Overall, mom and I had a great time at the 18th annual Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event. 2027's PUDDLE theme is 'Life Is A Circus.' I’m very excited about this theme. You can do so much with it! I’m already looking forward to working on a few customs; the ideas are flowing!

A quick throwback before I wrap this up, I wrote an article for Doll Magazine called For the Love of Pullips: the People of PUDDLE a few years back, as well as a great piece for DOLL NEWS that covers the history of PUDDLE, titled PUDDLE Style: 13 Years of Celebrating Pullips, for their Winter 2022 issue. These two articles are great reads! Those, as well as some basic write-ups, are above.

If you’re a doll collector in the Illinois area, check out PUDDLE. It's a great way to spend a Saturday! And time is of the essence as Jane revealed that looking ahead, she may be looking for someone new to spearhead PUDDLE as we head into the 2030s. Time will tell what happens next, so I highly recommend joining in on the fun while you can. Visit my YouTube channel and search PUDDLE to watch our yearly coverage of the event and for those who are curious about our original thoughts, here’s an old blog post from our first PUDDLE!

If you have any questions about PUDDLE, I recommend liking them on Facebook and checking out their website. See you under the big top at PUDDLE 2027!

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After a lot of debate and many, many searches through various Smart Doll hashtags on Instagram, I finally landed on the anime sculpt Naughty But Nice. Her main contender was Relativity, but after looking at user images of that sculpt, I realized that it wasn’t as pretty to me as I thought based on promo photos and it looked a little too similar to my original ultra anime, wide-eyed Smart Doll Fortitude.

Pear shaped and realistic dolls were not something I wanted, so I opted for the cinnamon, anime sculpts while searching for my next (and probably last, unless I make it to Japan one day—please universe—or buy one secondhand). My Fortitude is in the tan ‘tea’ skin tone, and I wanted a bit of variety in my collection, so I mostly looked at cinnamon-colored dolls. What ultimately drew me to Naughty But Nice was her sweet, effortless expression, which can look good in so many different looks.

Her wig also drew me in. I had been a bit disappointed with the wig on Fortitude when I received it and changed it shortly after, so I expected feeling the same way about Naughty But Nice. This time around, however, I actually like the wig more—which is great, because I really do love the blue/grey color it has and the unexpected waves in the back of her cute shaggy bob.

Due to the yen-to-USD conversion, we actually paid less for these dolls than we originally had back in 2021 for our first two—though any savings we might have had were eaten up by high (but quick) shipping and annoying tariffs. But still, with any higher priced doll, it can be daunting to order something without seeing it in person so there was a bit of fear in the back of my mind that I wouldn’t love her enough and might feel regretful. Going into the box opening, I was hopeful that I would love her and, thankfully, I do!

Piper, my youngest, also loved her and immediately took her from me and hugged her. Later she fed Naughty But Nice too many marshmallows, which put her in the doctor’s office and then whisked her away so Piper could take care of her. It was adorable. Honestly, I think Piper has played with the doll more than me so far.

My mom chose to order Kanata. There are two versions of Kanata, one with a neutral expression and one with a slight smile. Kanata Smile is what she liked best. Kanata has really pretty green eyes. They’re narrower than Naughty But Nice, making for a nice contrast between their looks.

Though ordering these two dolls basically decimated our YouTube earnings, my mom and I both love our new Smart Dolls. They’re a great size, pose well and have character to them.

A quick reminder that I do have a merchandise store set up, as well as a Ko-Fi tip jar for those that would like to support the work we’re doing here on the blog and YouTube channel. You can also subscribe here on Substack and leave a ‘tip’, if you so desire. Can’t help in that way? That’s totally okay! Subscribing and sharing this content goes a long way, too. And, as always, if you’re new here, please check out some of my other blog posts and YouTube channel.

Do you own a Smart Doll? Which is your favorite? Let us know what you think of Danny Choo’s doll line in the comments!

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The Smart Doll Summit is being billed as an informal gathering, more like the early years of the Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event. Here’s the blurb from the Facebook event.

The Smart Doll Summit will be held August 30, 2026 from 9AM-4PM at the Holiday Inn Chicago-O’Hare Rosemont in Rosemont, IL. If you are attending, share that in the Facebook event so Jane can coordinate the space properly.

Will you and your Smart Doll be joining in on the fun? Let us know in the comments!

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My history with Smart Doll is relatively short. My mom and I admired them for years until we each bought one in early 2022, thanks to saving our meager, but steady YouTube earnings. I bought Fortitude in the tea skin tone. Since then, both our dolls have received a good amount of love.

I was convinced my doll would be my one and only, but much like real children, I am now wavering on that! Just in case another Smart Doll is in my future, I thought it would be fun to bring you along on my (window) shopping trip and show you some of my favorites.

Before we dive into my favorites, here are some of my favorite (or least favorite) traits on Smart Doll. I am not crazy about the pear-shaped dolls. I know some people love them, but I just don’t see the appeal, so none of those are on my list. Also, while I appreciate the semi-real dolls, I love the anime aesthetic more. And because I have a doll in tea, I might try to stay away from that skin tone if I’m ordering a second doll, for variety’s sake!

The Contenders:

Mirai:

You can’t go wrong with a classic, right? Mirai started it all and has been a staple in the Smart Doll line since the beginning. I like how joyful her expression is. She looks happy, like she’s having the best day ever. Mirai looks like she stepped out of an adorable slice-of-life, shoujo manga—and I am here for it!

Relativity:

Relativity also looks happy, which I generally prefer over grumpy or ‘posh’ expressions. She shares a similar joyful vibe to Mirai. The only thing I am not sure about is the pink wig. I don’t love it. In my head, though, I see her looking really pretty with a lemony yellow or soft peach-colored wig. (Minority in the tan skin tone ‘tea’ wore this wig, too, and it looks adorable, so I’m thinking the color just doesn’t pop as well on cinnamon dolls.) Also, her open-mouth smile is reminiscent of my Fortitude. Do I want one that is similar or different to what I own? It’s so hard to decide.

Catch Me If You Can:

This doll caught my eye instantly as I was browsing the website. Her expression is intense, like she’s thinking. Catch Me If You Can’s angular eye shape is very pretty and different from Fortitude’s large almond eyes. Alongside that, her stock wig fits her face well. I could see this character in a girl detective manga, like an anime Nancy Drew.

Naughty but Nice:

Naughty but Nice is named perfectly. There’s a sweet, yet sultry feeling to her expression that is different from some of the other Smart Dolls available. That being said, what I love most about this doll is her wig color. The grey/blue wig is so pretty! It pairs so well with her blue eyes.

Minority:

Minority has the prettiest purple eyes. Between her bright eyes and wig, she stands out from the crowd. Her expression sits in between happy and in thought—like she just had an idea that she’s excited about. My hesitation comes from not knowing if I like her expression or the purple eyes and wig. The struggle is real.

The Moon Is Made of Cheese:

The Moon Is Made of Cheese has such a whimsical, off in her own little world expression. It makes you wonder what she’s thinking. She has the same energy as Luna Lovegood or the slightly ditzy, but always earnest and usually right character in an anime or manga. Similar to another doll on this list, what I think I like most is how well the wig and eyes go together. I love how bright and vibrant they are.

Kanata Smile:

There are two versions of Kanata, this smiling version and one with a more mysterious expression. Both are adorable, but I think this one wins out when it comes to my favorite. Kanata has vibrant green eyes that fit her gentle smile.

The Holy Grail of Smart Dolls

My ultimate Smart Doll would probably be the Smart Doll Plus, or Smart Doll 200%, that was sold in 2018 in very limited numbers. Roughly double the size of a traditional doll, Smart Doll Plus stands at 3.9-feet tall. I would love one of these to pose around the house. And of course, she’d have to have a Smart Doll of regular size in hand! If I heard correctly, she’s on display at the Smart Doll store. If I ever make it to Japan, I really hope to make a trip to the store and see one of these in real life and pick up a doll or two as a souvenir for me and my mom. (Please, Universe, one day send me to Japan to partake in all the dolly goodness!)

I highly recommend visiting Danny Choo’s Smart Doll website and taking a peek at the dolls yourself. It’s a very interesting read, as well, as Danny has paragraphs of information on all sorts of things on there, even why not to buy a Smart Doll.

Besides offering a whole line of inclusive dolls, something else that I love is that they show kids with their dolls in promotional photos. Sometimes, people forget that dolls are playthings that evolve into collectibles as we grow up and play with them differently. We have an ever-evolving relationship with dolls, but that relationship can only be cultivated by real, honest, old-fashioned play that the youngest of us do best.

Do you own a Smart Doll? Who is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

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A Little About Ruby Red Fashion Friends

Before we dive into Jolli Buddies, let’s talk a bit about the Ruby Red Fashion Friends brand itself. While it’s talked about frequently in the doll world for its excellence in doll craftsmanship, this brand actually made its debut relatively recently, launching its first doll line in 2020. While visiting her niece in the United States, founder Ruby Ho, whose passion project, Ruby Red Galleria, began in 2008, was intrigued by how fashion-conscious her niece and niece’s friends were. This passion for fashion inspired Ruby to create a premium doll line designed for repeated play with 14.5-inch tall articulated vinyl bodies, high-quality wigs and well-made fashions that girls would love.

Since then, Ruby Red Fashion Friends has introduced more lines, including the popular Siblies line of 12-inch dolls that are meant to be the little sisters and brothers of the original line and their 11-inch Create Your Own Doll line, featuring doll designs originally inspired by the doll-loving community. They have even collaborated with the popular Virtual Doll Convention, creating Siblies Sundae Funday and Carnival Days exclusively for the event. And of course, there’s a variety of fashions and accessories available to fit all the dolls and multiple collaborations between brands like Santoro Gorjuss, Holly Hobbie and other artists.

Now that we’ve learned a little more about the past, let’s talk about the future and Ruby Red Fashion Friends' newest doll line, Jolli Buddies!

Ruby Red Fashion Friends did a wonderful video introducing the line to the doll enthusiast community in the video linked above, which is where most of my information for today’s post came from. I highly recommend subscribing to their channel for interesting doll content. I have to give a shout-out to Ruby’s son Fred, who headlines the YouTube videos for the brand’s channel and does an amazing job. Ruby Red Fashion Friends has embraced the YouTube community in a way I’ve only seen done by the Tonner Doll Company, putting out down-to-earth, informative videos, while not being afraid to be a bit silly sometimes! Keep up the good work, Fred and team! And while you’re there, double-check that you’re still subscribed to Kewpie83 and Barbee0913 on YouTube—just in case YouTube unsubscribed you.

The Jolli Buddies Line

A lot of care was put into crafting the eight dolls in this collection. Based on original illustrations by longtime Ruby Red designer and collaborator Cary, the 12.5-inch Jolli Buddies range aims to deliver joy—one doll at a time. The characters included in the line are: Joey, Ophelia, Lisa, Leanne, Iris, Benjamin, Uma and Dorothy. When said in that order, the names spell out JOLLI BUD (short for buddy), which is a cute nod to the series name.

Advertised as happiness you can hug, the vinyl on Jolli Buddies dolls is a little softer than that of their other doll lines, but just as high quality and safe for young hands. The softer material makes this range lighter and more tactile than other lines they produce. The dolls have five points of articulation: the head, shoulders and hips.

Jolli Buddies dolls are sculpted using three unique face molds, designed by Ruby based on Cary's illustrations. It was important for the dollmaker to make sure the faces were joyful, which they brought to life through plump cheeks and cheery expressions.

A few even have freckles and dimples, which always look adorable on dolls. They used quality wigs with invisible roots and premium fibers that doll lovers of any age can brush and style.

Jolli Buddies have inset eyes that complete the joyful look the company was going for. The first batch of dolls will come with a special surprise, providing even more incentive to order early. Beyond the dolls, there are clothing and accessories made just for this line on the website, as well!

I love the passion behind Jolli Buddies and the brand in general. I sense that they’re creating these dolls with more than just the bottom line in mind, which I appreciate as a doll collector and a mom to two girls who would love these dolls.

Save 10% with KEWPIE83 at checkout!

Jolli Buddies Dorothy

Ruby Red Fashion Friends was kind enough to provide a sample doll to review here on the blog and YouTube channel. I am so thankful for their support of my efforts to share the hobby of doll collecting. Talking about dolls and sharing them with others is one of my favorite things, which is why I am so excited to review Dorothy from the Jolli Buddies line.

Dorothy has porcelain-colored skin, hazel eyes, natural-colored lips and light blushing on her cheeks. She has copper red hair styled in pigtails. The hair color looks great on this skin tone! Dorothy’s expression is the least smiley, with a more pensive look. Still friendly and kind, with more of a hidden smile.

The character is said to be the kindest of the group and the glue that binds the others together. Her name is inspired by the Wizard of Oz, which you can also see a bit in her outfit with her gingham top and pink jumper.

Dorothy is probably my favorite of the girls, with Uma coming in close behind. Getting to see her in person, I am really happy with her quality! Ruby Red Fashion Friends did a great job making a quality doll at a price point that is a little easier on a parent's or young collector's pocketbook. With less articulation than the Fashion Friends line and softer vinyl, the dolls are slightly easier to dress and are lighter for kids to carry and bring along for adventures.

Plan on buying one of these dolls? Be sure to use coupon code KEWPIE83 at checkout for 10% off your purchase of Jolli Buddies and most other dolls on their website, including the equally adorable Santoro London Gorjuss and Holly Hobbie, which I’ve talked about on the blog. Using the code or our direct link shows the brand that we’re worth partnering with in the future.

A quick reminder that I do have a merchandise store set up, as well as a Ko-Fi tip jar for those that would like to support the work we’re doing here on the blog and YouTube channel. You can also subscribe here on Substack and leave a ‘tip’, if you so desire. Can’t help in that way? That’s totally okay! Subscribing and sharing this content goes a long way, too. And, as always, if you’re new here, please check out some of my other blog posts and my YouTube channel.

What are your thoughts on Jolli Buddies by Ruby Red Fashion Friends? Let us know in the comments!

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Both my mom and I left with some unexpected finds. Interestingly, we both broke our rule of not buying before doing a full walk-through of the show, but honestly, things were going fast! The crowd was great, filled with lots of first timers, a few who stopped us and said hello!

Here’s our haul from the show! Let’s start with what my mom, also known as Barbee0913 on YouTube, picked up at the show! She picked up the oldest doll of our bunch, a 1910 bisque doll made not in Germany or Japan, but right here in the United States. That is pretty rare, as most bisque dolls of that time were made abroad. This 22-inch doll was made by James Scholly Taft Pottery in Keene, New Hampshire. One website hypothesized that James Scholly Taft manufactured these dolls between 1910-1917 to fill the gap left by the lack of German dolls due to World War I. It seems James Scholly Taft sold his pottery business in 1916, so it makes sense now why doll production stopped around then. This unnamed bisque doll is 22-inches tall and has an adorable face.

While looking around I spotted two really adorable Thumbelina dolls from the 1960s. I instantly thought of my mom. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when she came back from her go-around with them both in hand!

Moving on to my haul, I am really happy with the items I brought home. It’s rare that I walk into the show and instantly buy something, but I did this time around. Right as we walked in, my mom noticed a Skipper doll case that I have wanted for years. It’s the Barbie/Skipper Equestrian double case from 1964. The graphics are adorable, featuring Barbie and kid sister Skipper ready to set out on an equestrian adventure together. I’m very excited to finally have this case in my collection!

The girls got in on the fun with a Berenguer type baby doll for Piper and a modern blue haired Barbie for Lena. Some of the vendors were also kind enough to give them both a 1990s Barbie on the house.

The final thing I picked for myself was actually something completely unexpected. My YouTube name is Kewpie83, so it comes as no shock that I have a lot of Kewpie dolls in my collection. Most were gifted to me and because most generally look the same, I don’t usually pick them up at shows unless they stand out. At this show, that is exactly what happened.

I was walking around, pretty sure I was done shopping, and saw a Kewpie doll that had a different sort of look to it, produced for the Japanese market sometime in the 1990s. Originally, I was going to pass because the doll was priced at $95.00 and I had no idea of the value of it. After a few minutes, though, I was back at the booth asking if we could do a bit better on the price. I got the dealer down by $20.00 and because of the unique nature of the Kewpie doll, decided to go for it! She’s such a cutie! I love her expression. So sweet and playful!

And that’s that. That’s what we picked up at the June Naperville Doll Show. Mom and I both agreed that this show was great! If you’re in the Illinois area, check out their website for information on the next Naperville Doll Show and Kane County Doll Show.

A quick reminder that I do have a merchandise store set up, as well as a Ko-Fi tip jar for those that would like to support the work we’re doing here on the blog and YouTube channel. You can also subscribe here on Substack and leave a ‘tip’, if you so desire. Can’t help in that way? That’s totally okay! Subscribing and sharing this content goes a long way, too. And, as always, if you’re new here, please check out some of my other blog posts and YouTube channel.

What have you added to your collection recently? Let us know in the comments!

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