Pullips and Junk

JPGroove NYCC Pullip Sale

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Klein

While there may not be an exclusive Pullip at NYCC this year, JPGroove is celebrating anyway with a sale this weekend! Coupon code GSCC2016 is good for 15% off any anime or comic category item the full selection of items this code applies to can be viewed here. It is important to note that this is strictly an online sale, Groove will not be attending NYCC this year.
This sale would be a great opportunity to acquire the SDCC exclusive Pullips Harley Quinn Dress Version & Wonder Woman Dress Version if you haven’t already. In case you missed it I recently did a write up of Pullip Harley Quinn Dress Version that can be seen here if you are interested.
Personally I’m incredibly tempted to use the coupon code to get a discount on some of the Sailor Moon x Pullip collaboration series of dolls as I’m woefully behind on collecting them, there are a lot of great dolls on offer so really you can’t go wrong.

On an unrelated note, JPGroove has opened up preorders for Isul Elder I had previously noted that they had opened up preorders for his counterpart Dal Alpine but not Elder himself and that I would update here when he became available for preorder.

Posted in 2016 Groove | Tagged groove, jpgroove, Pullip, pullip sale, sdcc | Leave a comment

Looking back at Pullip Giata/Alte and Pullip Blanche

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Klein

Pullip has been around since 2003, it’s pretty rare for a doll line to last for that long. The Pullip line even outlasted Jun Planning the original company that produced it, production of Pullip has continued under Groove Inc since early 2009. I recently had the opportunity to acquire some old Jun Planning catalogs that were originally given to retailers/potential retailers, these catalog books showed new as well as upcoming releases so they are kind of interesting to look through as they gave glimpses of some dolls before their designs were really finalized. As you can probably guess, I’m a bit of dork for Pullip history as well as sharing the Pullip love so I couldn’t resist scanning a page from one of the catalogs to share. This scan is from the Winter 2006-Spring 2007 Doll Catalog it features Pullip Giata who appears to be an early prototype of Pullip Alte, an earlier prototype Blanche who looks a bit different from the actual release and Pullip Stica who more or less looks the same. It makes sense for the later releases to still not really have their designs finalized at this point as their release was still a way off at this point. Pullip Alte was released in April of 2007, I recently did a write up of her that can be seen here.
I think it’s really interesting to look at how a prototype has evolved to a production model, I understand that things sometimes have to be changed because of cost or practicality (maybe Jun Planning couldn’t source enough fabric etc). I must admit that I actually prefer Giata’s original design over Alte’s. I preferred the fabric choices of the original as well as the overall more casual style. I wonder why it was to be changed. Pullip Alte is still a strong release but I think Giata would have been an even stronger release!

Alte/Giata wasn’t the only doll whose design evolved over time, while Pullip Blanche’s outfit is more or less the same (her laurels/flower headdress are green on the production model versus gold on the original prototype) her face up has changed quite a bit.
In March of 2007, Jun Planning attended the Paris Fashion Doll Expo and had several dolls on display including recent releases as well as prototypes of upcoming releases including Blanche. The photos from the event are by Cauldroness and have been reposted with permission, you can read her write up of the event here.
This event was closer to Pullip Blanche’s actual release date in June, she appears to kind of be somewhere in between the original prototype and the actual production model. Compared to the production model the makeup on this display doll is overall lighter in color, the blushing is less intense, her lips are quite different and less detailed. Her eyes also look to be a bit lighter green than on the production model. Blanche’s production model always seemed a bit melancholy to me, the display doll and the original prototype both look much cheerier to me. I always loved Pullip Blanche’s somewhat gloomy expression so it’s a bit strange to me to see her so happy looking.
Please forgive this old photo of my Blanche, I wanted to include a picture of her to show how different her expression was from the prototype but didn’t realize how long it had been since the last time I photographed her. I really want to take her out for photos now!

I hope you have enjoyed this trip down memory lane with me.

Posted in Doll, Pullip | Tagged 2007 pullip, asian fashion doll, fashion doll, groove, history of pullip, jun planning, prototype, Pullip, pullip alte, pullip blanche, pullip giata, pullip history, pullip stica | Leave a comment

SDCC Exclusive Pullip Harley Quinn Dress Version

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Klein

Every year many companies release limited items exclusive to San Diego Comic Con, these items range from variants covers of comic books to toys produced solely for the event. As SDCC has become one of the biggest events of the year for many different fandoms, producing an exclusive has become a great opportunity for many companies to showcase their different products and maybe even attract some new fans!

This year, Groove collaborated with DC Comics to release new versions of dolls based on DC Comics characters Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman. Groove had previously collaborated with DC Comics starting in 2011 with the SDCC exclusive releases of Pullip Batgirl and Pullip Catwoman (recolored versions of both dolls were available at Wonder Festival that same year), they were joined in 2012 with SDCC exclusives Taeyang Batman and Pullip Wonder Woman as well as NYCC exclusive Pullip Harley Quinn and in 2013 they were joined by Supergirl. This year’s SDCC exclusives Pullip Harley Quinn Dress Version and Pullip Wonder Woman Dress Version were available for purchase during SDCC at the Teddy Scares booth as well as via their website JPGroove . The dolls were priced at $130 each at SDCC or $155.99 each via the website (there was a 15% off coupon promotion during SDCC).

Love makes me do many things…..I can easily dress up for you, Puddin’!!….Feel Like So.

JPGroove didn’t even publicly confirm that there would be a SDCC release this year until early July when they first mentioned upcoming exclusives via their facebook page, the dolls themselves were not revealed until July 17th only a few days before SDCC would begin. There were so many really awesome SDCC exclusives this year that left a gaping hole in my wallet that I was not able to get the Pullips until recently via JPGroove. I’m a huge fan of Harley Quinn so I, of course had to add the new version of the Pullip to my collection. I love Harley Quinn’s character so much that I had commissioned Requiemart to make a custom Pullip Harley Quinn years before Groove would officially make a Pullip release based on the character; here’s my custom Harley Quinn alongside her official NYCC Pullip Harley Quinn.

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Posted in 2016 Groove, Doll, Pullip | Tagged dc comics, groove, harley quinn, harley quinn dress version, Pullip, pullip harley quinn, pullip harley quinn dress version, pullip x DC comics, sdcc, sdcc exclusive, wonder woman | 3 Comments

New Groove Photo Contest plus various other Pullip News Updates!

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Klein

Groove has announced details of a new photo contest to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Dal and Taeyang joining the Pullip line of dolls via their blog, the theme is “Memory”. I’ve quoted the details below, I’m not affiliated with this contest in any way but I figured I would pass along the details in case anyone would like to enter the contest!

We Want You To Post Your Photos That Are Full Of “Memories” Of TAEYANG, DAL, And Pullip Family!
The Theme Of Our Photo Contest ～ TAEYANG Ando DAL 10Th Anniversary Project Is ” Memory “.

Regardless Of Professional Or Amateur, Anyone Can Participate You Have A If Camera Or Even If You Just Have A Smartphone!

We Love To See Lots Of “Your Memory” …. Memories That Make You Happy, Make You Sad, Make You Laugh, Make You Cry. Of Course, Emotional Photos, Cute Photos, Funny Photos, Are Appreciated.
※ Even If This Photo Contest Is A Kind Of Competition, We Believe The “Memory” Of Everyone Is Equal And There Is Nothing To Choose Between Your Memories.
★ How To Apply
★ 1. Entries — We Accept Photos By Email Only To: Contest@groove.Ws — Email Title Should Be: . “Photo Contest 2016” — The Minimum Number Of Pixels Is 2.0 Megapixels, J-Peg Format, File Size Up To 1MB Is. — The Name Of Attachment And The Photo Title Should Be Same.
2. Be Sure To Decide One Of Following Category Described Below You Will Post. ① TAEYANG ② DAL ③ Other Pullip Family (Pullip, Dal, Byul , Taeyang, Isul, Docola, Little Pullip +, Little Dal +, J-Doll, BJD’S Ai, BJD’S Pang-Ju, Etc. The Objects In Photos Should Be The Dolls Released By Groove Inc. (Including Jun Planning’S Release).
3 Sure To Specify . Be The Following In The Body. (1) Photo Title (2) Applicant’s Name (Open To The Public) We Do Not Mind If Your Name Is The Real Name Or Nickname, But Please Let Us Know Your Real Name . Your Real Name Will Not Open To The Public. (3) Category Please Choose One From Following ① ～ ③. ①TAEYANG Section ②DAL Section ③ Pullip Family Section (※ If The Multiple Characters, Such As Pullip Ando TAEYANG, DAL Ando Byul, Please This Category Choose)
※ The Personal Information Received Will Be Used ONLY For The Contest Purpose.
※ The Copyrights Of Any Photos Submitted To This Contest Belong To Groove INC.
4. Important Notice * Do Not Or Modify The Deform Body Or / And The Face Of Dolls. Changing Wigs And / Or The Face (Make-Up) Is Acceptable. We Do Accept Major Photo Manipulations With A Photo Editing Software (Photoshop Etc). * Refrain From Using Other Manufacturer’S Parts (Body, Hand, Foot, Outfits And Accessories). ※ Self-Made Outfit And Accessories Is Acceptable!
* Do Not Apply Photos That Violate The Copyright Of Others.
* Do Not Send Photos That Are Offensive To Public Order And Morality.
* Copyrights Of Applied The Photos Belong To Groove INC.
* The Personal Information Of Applicants Will Be Used ONLY For The Contest Purpose. Deadline: 2016 October 17 (Monday)
※ We Will Display Every Entry Of Your Photos At Physical Venue. But Please Understand It May Not Be Possible We Can Display Them All If They Are A Larger Number Of Entries Than We Expect.
※ The Copyrights Of Applied Photos Belong To Groove INC. ※ We ONLY Use Applicant’S Personal Information For The Contest Purpose .
※ Be Careful If There Is A Deficiency In The Application Format, You Might Not Be Able To Participate In The Contest. ※ You Can Send Us Multiple Photos To Every Category. (Please Refrain From Submitting Similar Works.)
★ Results Announcement
★ The Will Be Announced Results On November 11Th (Friday) Based On The Results Of The Votes Of The fans More Fan. We Will Award Prizes To Winners Of Each Category. If You Have Any Questions, Please Free To Contact At Contest@groove.Ws

★ How to Vote ★ To There Are 2 Ways. 1. Online Click “Like!” Image To Vote Your Favorite Entries In Each Category On Our Facebook Album Site (Https://Www.Facebook.Com/groove.Pullip/) 2. Offline ( At The Event Voting Venue) For More Details, Please Click Our Last Post ￫[press release] DAL & TAEYANG 10 anniversary project start-up! We look forward to seeing everyone’s entries !

While prizes are mentioned, I don’t believe that it is actually specified what the prizes are. I look forward to seeing everyone’s entries for the contest when Groove posts them on their Facebook page.

Additionally Groove posted some pictures of some upcoming releases via their blog earlier today. I really love that Groove has been posting pictures of the dolls out of box, it’s a great opportunity to see the dolls in a less controlled setting and if you are on the fence about a particular doll it can really help give you a better sense of the doll.
Dal Quince and Pullip Lupinus on display at Akihabara Radio Kaikan . I’m starting to warm to the new flower eye chip style in Dal Quince at least, still not totally sold on the choice of color for Pullip Lupinus’ eye chips though. Their stock outfits both look amazing! Although I may ultimately end up rechipping Lupinus, I am definitely going to need this pair!
Isul Elder and Dal Alpin are also on display Akihabara Radio Kaikan. I can’t get over how blushy Dal Alpine is!

Four really great releases in one month, I’m not sure my wallet is ready for this.

Pullip Cheshire Cat in Steampunk World and Pullip Taffy also got photos. I’m still admittedly kind of on the fence about Pullip Taffy and how quickly I will need her but I am firmly convinced that I need Pullip Cheshire Cat home as soon as possible as she is absolutely amazing!

Pullipstyle News Updates- Earlier this week the September release dolls (August in Japan) arrived in stock and are now available for purchase via their website. Who are the September releases?

Swimsuit themed models Pullip ha-ha and Dal ho-ho as well as Pullip Queen Serenity from the super popular Sailor Moon x Pullip collaboration series clicking on the above photos will take you to their appropriate listings. In addition the Pullip MIO or Make It Own kits in natural have been restocked and are available here, all of the Pullip kits have been sold out for months so I suspect these won’t last very long. If you are unfamiliar with MIO kits they are blank doll kits designed for customization so you can create a Pullip in your own style.

Preorders have been opened for next month’s dolls Pullip Bonnie, Angelic Pretty collaboration Pullip Marie and Pullip Mistress 9 of the Sailor Moon x Pullip collaboration line. Bonnie is priced at $130 while AP Pullip Marie and Pullip Mistress 9 are priced at $135 (collaboration dolls are always priced a bit higher). Clicking on the above pictures will take you to their appropriate links. They are all very different releases but I like all three of them, I’m going to have a tough time deciding which one will be the one to get preordered next month T_T.

I can’t wait for Pullipstyle to open up for Pullip Cheshire Cat in Steampunk World, hopefully her preorder as well as Pullip Taffy, Dal Deneb and Taeyang Albireo will all open soon. I preordered Dal ho-ho this past month and have already received notice that she is on her way home to me now, she should arrive early next week so please look forward to photos of her!

JPGroove Pullip ha-ha, Dal ho-ho and Pullip natural MIO kits are also now available and in stock on JPGroove. Additionally JPGroove is a lot more proactive with opening up preorders, so in addition to having opened up preorders for Pullip Bonnie and Angelic Pretty Pullip Marie (both are priced at $155.99) they have also opened up preorders for the following dolls:

November Releases (October in Japan) Pullip Cheshire Cat in Steampunk World and Pullip Taffy who are both priced at $144.95 as well as the 10th Anniversary Special models Taeyang Albireo and Dal Deneb who are both priced at $169.99.

December Releases (November in Japan) Creator’s Label dolls Pullip Lupinus and Dal Quince who are both priced at $169.99 and Dal Alpin who is priced at $144.95. I will be sure to update when Isul Elder becomes available for preorder.

Clicking on the above pictures will bring you to the their appropriate listing(s).

There is currently a coupon code offer via JPGroove, I’m not sure how much longer it is good for but they do currently have it listed on their website. The code T&D10 is good for $10 off of Taeyang or Dal, I’m not sure if it includes all Taeyang or Dal models or not.

Well that’s all for now! I’m hoping to get Pullip Harley Quinn Dress Version’s review up tonight or tomorrow, September has turned out to be a bit more hectic than anticipated so I haven’t had as much time to devote to getting doll reviews up as I would like to unfortunately ^^;

Posted in 2016 Groove, Dal, Doll, isul, Pullip | Tagged 2016 Dal, 2016 Groove, 2016 isul, 2016 pullip, Apline, cheshire cat, Cheshire Cat in Steampunk World, creator's label, Dal, Dal Alpine, dal deneb, dal quince, elder, groove, isul, Isul Elder, lupinus, photo contest, Pullip, Pullip Cheshire Cat in Steampunk World, pullip lupinus, pullip taffy, pullipstyle, taeyang albireo, taffy | 5 Comments

Dal Alpin & Isul Eder Announced!

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Klein

Falling a bit behind again ^^;. In addition to announcing the upcoming release of Creator’s Label Pullip Lupinus & Dal Quince, Groove also announced the release of Dal Aspin & Isul Eder via their blog earlier today. Dal Aspin & Isul Eder are going to be November releases in Japan, they will be released one month later here in the US. They have a MSRP of 18000 yen each which is approximately $176 as of this writing or $352 for the pair.

Ever have one of those situations where you think something is pretty or nice but don’t really have a hell of a lot to say about it? I’ve definitely struggled with that with this set, I’ve been delaying doing this write up hoping inspiration would strike as they are cute but somehow I just don’t have much to say about them even though I am glad to see original designs on the release schedule.
The dolls are an original design, they seem to have a bit of a traditional Alpine fashion vibe not dissimilar to previous Dal release Colline who was released way back in April of 2008. Dal Alpin & Isul Eder would definitely look right at home beside Dal Colline on the shelf.

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Posted in 2016 Groove, Dal, Doll, isul | Tagged 2016 Dal, 2016 Groove, 2016 isul, alpin, Dal, elder, fashion doll, groove, isul | Leave a comment

Creator’s Label Silver Butterfly Pullip Lupinus & Dal Quince Announced

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Klein

Groove has announced two new additions to the Creator’s Label line via their blog a short while ago, Pullip Lupinus and Dal Quince. The Creator’s Label line gives Groove a chance to showcase the talents of different doll customizers from around the world by collaborating with them to release a doll based on their designs. This is great for the community because it’s not always possible for everyone to get an one of a kind custom by their favorite customizer due to expense/customizer’s schedule etc but it still gives everyone a chance to own a doll designed by them plus it gives us the chance to see the works of artists we may not be familiar with.

Silver Butterfly has been featured alongside Mitsubachi@BabyBee as a part of the Creator’s Label previously with the releases of Pullip Galene and Taeyang Natsume who the pair collaborated on the designs of, Dal Quince and Pullip Lupinus represents Silver Butterfly’s first time being featured as the sole designer of a doll as a part of the Creator’s Label line. Pullip Lupinus and Dal Quince are said to be inspired by Bisque dolls and they do seem to have a bit of an air of old fashioned elegance about them.
Pullip Lupinus and Dal Quince are to be released in November in Japan, they will be released one month later here in the US (it takes Pullip a little while to travel all the way from Japan!). The dolls are priced at 20000 yen each which is just shy of $196 as of this writing.
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Posted in 2016 Groove, Dal, Doll, Pullip | Tagged 2016 Dal, 2016 Groove, 2016 pullip, asian fashion doll, creator's label, Dal, dal quince, Doll, fashion doll, groove, lupinus, Pullip, pullip lupinus, quince, silver butterfly | 2 Comments

10th Anniversary Dal Deneb Announced

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Klein

WordPress apparently ate my post regarding the announcement of Dal Deneb so I am going to do a more abbreviated, more concise version so I can move on ^^; .

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Dal and Taeyang’s introduction to the Pullip line of dolls, last week Groove announced a new Taeyang release and Dal release to commemorate the anniversary via their blog. Though fans have been clamoring for Taeyang and Dal pair for years, there has never been one before now so it’s really great that Groove took this opportunity to finally give us a Taeyang and Dal pair and what a pair they are! Deneb and Albireo look like they are dressed up for a masquerade ball. Both dolls have a swan theme as well as a bit of a ballet influence, Swan Lake immediately sprung to mind when I saw the pair but it does not seem to be the inspiration (I’ve never seen a male Black Swan) regardless I feel like my Deneb shall be doomed to be named Odette.
Dal Deneb and Taeyang Albireo will be released in October in Japan, they will have a November release here in the US. Both dolls are priced at 20000 yen each which is just about $196 at the moment, the pair will be 40000 yen.

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Posted in Announced, Dal, Doll | Tagged 10th anniversary Dal, asian fashion doll, Dal, dal deneb, deneb, fashion doll, groove | Leave a comment

Pullip My Select Merl

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Klein

Pullip Merl was one of the most popular Pullip releases of 2012, she was so popular that Groove released a recolored version of her less than a year later called Merl Nostalgia Version as well as a basic My Select version. The My Select line was introduced in late 2012 as a precursor to the MIO or Make It Own line of customization items, the dolls released as a part of the line were all re-releases of previous dolls but instead of their more elaborate stock outfits they came with only a simple towel wrap dress. Dolls released as a part of the My Select line did not even come with a stand. The My Select doll line had the advantage of being more affordably priced than normal releases, before the advent of the MIO line they were a great option if you wanted a doll to customize or if you wanted to add a doll to your collection but maybe weren’t the biggest fan of their stock clothing or look (new eyes/wigs?).
Earlier this year, Joliedoll announced that they would be releasing a new exclusive version of Pullip Merl with a special dress set designed by them. Unfortunately it looks like the plans for the doll fell through as My Select Merl and the Antique Skull Dress set that she was supposed to be Jolie Doll’s exclusive are now available for sale separately via JPGroove. I’ve already done a review of the outfit set that can be seen here in case you missed it so I thought it was time to do a post focusing on My Select Merl! My Select Merl is priced at $94.95 and is available via JPGroove, she is also available in a number of bargain priced bundle packages with various Groove outfit sets that can be seen here.

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Posted in 2016 Groove, Doll, Pullip | Tagged 2016 Groove, 2016 pullip, antique skull dress set, groove, groove fashion, joliedoll, jpgroove, kani honey set, merl, my select merl, Pullip, pullip my select merl, Tenjho Tenge Coney Island Set, Tenjho Tenge Santorini | Leave a comment

Taeyang 10th Anniversary Special Model Albireo Announced!

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Klein

Can you believe that Pullip and Taeyang have been together for 10 years? It’s been ten years since Pullip’s new boyfriend Taeyang and his little sister Dal have joined the Pullip line of dolls. Although lots of Pullip and Isul sets such as Isul Hansel and Gretel have been released since Isul’s introduction in 2011 and there have been many Dal and Pullip pairings as well as Taeyang and Pullip pairings there has never been a Dal and Taeyang matched pairing until now, I wonder why that is? It’s been something the Pullip fan community has been wondering for a long time now… finally our prayers have been answered!

Shortly after 10th Anniversary Special Dal Model Deneb was announced earlier this morning via Groove’s blog, her big brother 10th Anniversary Special Model Albireo was also announced on Groove’s blog. If you missed it, I have already done a write up of Deneb’s announcement that can be seen here. Taeyang Albireo will be released alongside his sister in October in Japan, they will be released one month later here in the US. Of course both of the dolls that are dressed for a fancy costume ball are to be released just in time for Halloween in Japan, at least! Taeyang Albireo has a MSRP of 20000 yen which is about $197 as of this writing, he is priced the same as his companion release Deneb so the pair will cost 40000 yen together because I mean who could think about the one without the other, right?

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Posted in 2016 Groove, Dal, Doll, Taeyang/ Namu | Tagged 2016 Groove, 2016 taeyang, albireo, asian fashion doll, fashion doll, groove, taeyang | 2 Comments

JPGroove Labor Day & Other Pullip News!

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Klein

JPGroove is having a Labor Day sale, they sent out a coupon code earlier this morning via email good for 15% off any purchase with code LBDS2016 that is good from midnight tonight PST until midnight the next day. Of course, news of the sale didn’t come out until after I made a late night order last night >_<
This would be an absolutely fabulous opportunity to finally get the SDCC Pullips Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn dolls if you have missed out on them!
The code should also be useable for preorder items such as Pullip ha-ha & Dal ho-ho who come out later this month or maybe you prefer Pullip Angelic Pretty Marie and Pullip Bonnie.

In other news, Pullipstyle‘s new exclusive designed by Requiemart and myself Pullip Amelia is now in stock at Pullipstyle. I’m so excited that she is finally showing up at her new homes all over the world, every time I see a picture of her I have to smile! My own Pullip Amelia that I had preordered arrived earlier this week.
In addition to Pullip Amelia, Pullip Super Sailor Moon is now in stock plus the restocks of Pullip Vocaloid Miku & Pullip Tokidoki Lunarosa have also arrived and are now available via their website as well so if you missed out on them you now have the opportunity to add them to your collection as well . I almost forgot the most interesting restock! Pullip Alura is also now in stock, she was one of my favorite Pullip releases of last year so if you missed out on her now is your chance to get her!