Who's the Best?

You've seen the figure comparisons featuring some of my articulated dolls, and now I will let you vote on who is the best of the best.  But first, I would like to get your help in choosing the dolls that will go on to the final round, where I will pose them in yoga poses.  I have chosen 2 dolls from each group that I thought posed the best and that were the most popular based on the comments, so let me know which one from each group that you would like to see move on.

Group 1 - Articulated Fashion Dolls

LIV Alexis body (Hadley head) vs. Artsy Fashionista

Group 2 - Action Figure Ladies

Dragon Jennifer (Special Version) vs. Triad Alpha (African)

Group 3 - Blurring the Lines

Dragon Linh vs. action figure body (similar to Takara with Opal head)

Group 4 - Trendy and Bendy
Dance 'N Flex Christie vs. Monsieur Z. Wild

Group 5 - Large and Lovely

Girls Explore Bessie Coleman vs. Happy Family Grandma (or neither)

Group 6 - Fragile and Fabulous
AA Nutcracker Barbie vs. Alvin Ailey Barbie

(As shown in the photo, Nutcracker Barbie can stand on her own after all).

Do you have a favorite that did not make the cut?  If so, let me know and I will consider moving that one to the final round instead of Bessie or Grandma.  Also, let me know if there are any specific yoga poses that you would like to see.

Fragile and Fabulous Figure Comparisons

They are not all fragile.  Some are dainty but sturdy.  Some are hefty but breakable.  Some I talked myself out of posing, but then talked myself back into it.  Here are more ladies ready for another round of figure comparisons.

From left to right:  Triad Otaku Tan, Phicen "Hindu", CY Girl Ebony, AA Nutcracker Barbie, Fashion Royalty Adele, and Alvin Ailey Barbie.

I must tell you that 3 of these figures have issues.  The Otaku has a broken left arm which no longer rotates (because I glued it back in place).  The Phicen has a broken left hip.  The Nutcracker Barbie was my first doll that is jointed at both the elbows and knees, and she was my only jointed doll for years, so she has been posed A LOT over the years.  As a result, her knees are very floppy.  But these ladies are all troopers and they are ready to pose.  Just keep in mind that these 3 would pose a lot better if they were not damaged.

The Otaku, Phicen, and Ebony can all stand on their own.  Perhaps I could get Nutcracker Barbie to stand on her own if her knees weren't so loose.

Here they are showing their elbow articulation.  The Otaku has double-joined elbows, and therefore has the best range of motion here.  I have to tell you, I was sweating bullets when posing the Otaku.  Before posing her, I got out my hairdryer and heated her joints for about 60 seconds to loosen them.  I have had her for years, but after breaking her and reading about the breakage problems that others have had, I have had her sitting on a shelf most of the time.  At this point, she moves really well at the elbows and knees, but her shoulders and hips are still a little stiff, and I hesitate to do much posing that would put these areas at risk for breakage.

The Otaku and Phicen figures have standard size action figure feet.  Ebony has boot feet.  I would have to unscrew her boots at the bottom in order to get them off, and I think that I would be left with these big white things at the end of her legs that have little resemblance to actual feet.  I probably have some other action figure feet around here somewhere that would be a close enough skin tone match for her, but that's a project for another day.  For now, she keeps her boots.  The Nutcracker Barbie has molded-on ballet slippers, but I sometimes put other shoes on her.  Adele has standard size doll feet for Fashion Royalty and Barbie dolls.  The Alvin Ailey Barbie has hyper extended pointy feet and can not wear all Barbie shoes.  She crosses her arms the best.

 Here they are doing a side stretch.  The Otaku has no torso articulation, but the others all do.  Nutcracker Barbie has the best range of motion here, but the Phicen looks the best.

Here they are walking like an Egyptian.  Nutcracker Barbie has no wrist articulation, and can not support her own weight with bended knees at this point.

  Here they are doing kneeling back bends.  The Barbies do this the best.

Here they are showing off their hands. The Otaku, Phicen, and Ebony are all shown with relaxed hands, but they all came with extra hands that are able to grip objects.

Here they are attempting to sit cross-legged on the floor.  Alvin Ailey Barbie comes the closest.

Here they are attempting to do middle splits.  Alvin Ailey Barbie does this the best.  Click here to see the Phicen doll attempting this pose before I broke her hip.

Here they are attempting to do front splits.  Nutcracker Barbie does this the best.

 Here they are doing a leg lift.  Nutcracker Barbie does this the best.

 Here they are sitting down.  I think that Alvin Ailey Barbie looks the best in a seated position.  Click here to see the Phicen doll in a seated position prior to me breaking her hip.

Do you have a favorite among these dolls?  Which dolls pose the best?  Which dolls look the best?  Which dolls are the most realistic?

Large and Lovely Doll Comparisons

Not all dolls are skinny.  I like having 1:6 scale dolls of all shapes and sizes.  This post features some of my larger than average dolls.  They are from left to right:  American Teen Dominique, Gone with the Wind Mammy (with Jazz Diva Barbie wig), singing Tracy Turnblad, Happy Family Grandma, Girls Explore Bessie Coleman, and Big Beautiful Dolls Dasia.

They all have very limited articulation.  Dominique swivels at her upper arms and thighs, and bends slightly at the elbows, knees, and ankles.  Mammy's body is stuffed and has no articulation.  Tracy's arms move forward and back.  Grandma has joined elbows and clicky knees.  Bessie has a stuffed body, her arms and legs are made of soft vinyl and they bend slightly.  Dasia's arms and legs move back and forth.

They have feet of various sizes, and most can share shoes with other dolls.  Dominique can wear flat shoes or shoes with a slight heel, since she has clicky joints in her ankles.  Mammy has molded on shoes.  None of them can cross their arms, but Grandma and Bessie come the closest.

Dominique and Mammy can stand on their own, the others can not.  Bessie is the only one that can bend to the side, and she can also arch her back slightly.  None of them can kneel.

 Here they are showing off their hands.  Bessie is the only one that can grip objects in her hands.

Here they are attempting to do splits, any way that they can.

 Here they are doing a let lift.  Grandma and Bessie do this the best.

Tracy, Mammy, and Dasia do not have knees that bend, so they do not look good sitting on furniture. Dominique's knees bend only slightly.  Grandma and Bessie look good seated on furniture.

Honorable Mentions

My Booty Babe statue is not really a doll had has zero articulation, but I wanted to mention her here anyway. 

 

 

I also wanted to mention Sideshow Mandy's fat suit, which has allowed me to have plus sized dolls with articulation.  The suit is made for a male action figure, so the suit looks better on taller figures.  Here is Sideshow Jinx showing off part of Mandy's fat suit.

 

The suit has 2 pieces.  Here is Jinx showing off the full fat suit.

And here, Jinx shows off the full fat suit while wearing Mammy's dress.

Which plus size dolls are your favorites (whether they are featured here or not)?  Are you aware of any plus size dolls with articulation?  Would you like to see manufacturers make more larger than average dolls?

**4/26/2017 Edit**
This post continues to receive numerous reads, so I wanted to add an update that includes other Large and Lovely dolls - including Martini Beach Monica, Madam LaVinia Curvy Barbie, and Lammily Photographer. See my video below.