My dolls, No 113

Yet another impulsive eBay purchase... doll I always admired, line I always admired - nude - no box, no fuss, no hesitations and regrets... I will probably make her my own...

Today lets celebrate her very well represented sakura-like 'Japanese' - wonderful fair-skinned Lea with unusual hair and body...

She comes from (long) line of Mattel's 'Asian' dolls - 'Dolls of the World' and 'Princesses of...' to be precise (herstory of which I am adding for reference at the end of this post).

My doll arrived, redelivered, in fab recycled official American Post parcel box wrapped in the softest of tissue - very fotogenic one too;-)

most fabulous and charming face...

she has a great traditional hairline - both rooted and painted...

she has floral panties (and slightly yellow legs)

 with larger and longer feet (as japanese do...oh no waith ;-)..)..

here comes a twist and little trip to the future - later this year (that would be December 2016) I will buy a large selection of dolls from British Heart Foundation again and amongst them will be perfectly fair and articulated Disney's Anna from Frozen (the only good skin tone match in this galaxy....).

The new Disney bodies come with few flaws both at loose horse-riders knees and badly shaped hip joints...to make the long story short - one needs to scrap both 'panties' and actual leg in order to have a doll sitting more-less straight and almost lady-like :-S

This is how it looks in pictures ('Yuki' on your right):

unfortunately there is no more plastic left for my surgeries to carve as I am reaching the tight hollows already... anyways she seems to be quite happy in her new body and it takes light wonderfully...

I have a feeling these flowers are going soon.. just don't have a concept yet... 

but quite a few silks to utilise...

(sneak peek from the future <3)

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Her story:

One of the first 'ethnic' and 'asian' dolls wearing traditional clothes/folk costumes...was 1985 DOTW with my fav 'oriental mold', short bun, flowers to the scale and very appropriate minimal make-up :

then things go wrong and Caucasian brunettes are put in kimonos...

Barbie-Happy-New-Year-Japanese-Doll-1996

 and anther Steffi face from year before... (there must be market for these dolls)

Barbie Japanese Happy New Year Osbogatsu 1995

then 1996 edition isn't that successful, except of realistic mold... long hair and dollesque bow...

later editions are much more sophisticated and produced with a great attention to the detail...

my 2003 Princess doll in most striking clothes and nice backdrop...

2007 New Year Sakura beauty with Goddes mold:

Maiko™ Barbie® doll 2006 Gold Label™ is an absolute stunner (and probably costs a little fortune...)

2011 brings geisha with a twist... and a partner...

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