I was once by a viewer on YouTube what were some pros and cons to the BJD Hobby. They were thinking about joining the hobby and wanted to start collecting dolls but were still on the fence about it. Pros and cons lists are great because it can help organize your thinking and may help you make a decision.
This hobby definitely would be something that you would not want to rush into mainly because it’s a very expensive hobby. We’re talking about laying down two hundred to six hundred dollars for a doll at times. Therefore examining the pros and cons might not be a bad thing to do before jumping in.
Without further ado let’s look at the pros and cons of the BJD hobby.
Cons of the BJD hobby
I don’t want to be a negative Nancy but I want to share with you some things that may be hard to talk about and some things that are real downsides involving this hobby.
- Upkeep
BJDs requires upkeep. You need to learn the proper items that you can use to clean your doll or you might damage it. The elastic in the doll doesn’t stay taught forever and you will need to learn how to change it out.
- Judgment for your sculpt
Unfortunately like everything in today’s modern society, people like to pass judgment. People have experienced negative comments aimed towards them over what doll they have/how they dress their dolls/what their dolls look like. I wouldn’t say this happens all the time but it does happen.
- Fragile
BJDs are quite fragile because resin is almost like porcelain. You need to be very careful when you travel with BJDs because resin can chip/break. One of the worst things to happen to owners in this hobby is to have your doll face plant during a photo shoot and BAM there goes your expensive dolls face.
- Shipping and Customs
Most of these dolls come from Asian countries and therefore you are going to be paying some hefty shipping costs. Others might also have to pay customs fees too! So if paying for a large amount for your doll isn’t stressful enough, the additional fees may also hit you even harder.
- BJDs need space
Depending on how many dolls you own you need to be able to have the space for them. The doll boxes alone take up a lot of space.
- Family/Loved ones don’t approve
Let’s face it. Dolls are not for everyone. Some people actually find them creepy. Sometimes your family/loved ones might not like them. I have an aunt that is mortally afraid of my dolls. She says they’re going to come after her one day.
- Searching for clothes
Sometimes it’s hard finding clothes for specific dolls because they vary in size. Doll clothes aren’t cheap either. There are times where it is hard for me to justify buying things for them because I don’t even buy clothes that are expensive for myself!
- Recasts
If you don’t know what recasts are please feel free to read my informative article here. You want to make sure that you know where you are buying your doll from in order to avoid purchasing a recast.
- Lack of doll conventions/meets
Depending on where you live there might not be a lot of chances to meet a lot of collectors face to face. There are not that many BJD conventions here in the U.S. either unlike in Asian countries.
- Finding the right wig/ eyes
Not being able to find the right wig or the right eyes is another con. There is a multitude of sizes and styles. Again, these items don’t come cheap so it can be discouraging if you buy the wrong item.
11. Company/distributor issues
When things go wrong with your purchase or order it might be hard to communicate with the company or distributor. You need to make sure you have proof of any damage or defects before making claims. There also might be a language barrier to cross too since most of these companies are from various Asian countries. Some people swear off certain doll companies because of bad experiences. Imagine having to wait for several months to almost a year to find that when your doll comes in, something is wrong!
I hope those cons weren’t too scary for you but I feel like they were good cons to be aware of. They are things that you need to let marinate and think about because they are real issues people in the BJD hobby face.
Pros of the BJD hobby
Now onto the good stuff. I know it might have seemed like there was a lot of bad scary things, but fear not! There are some really great things about this hobby too! You won’t experience a bad buy or get a damaged doll 100% of the time. The chances of those things happening is actually not that high. Even if something does go wrong there is always a solution! Let’s look at the pros!
- Teaches Responsibility
The BJD hobby teaches you responsibility and provides something to care for (cleaning/restringing). I know they aren’t exactly like pets but they are an investment that you want to make sure is well kept. So if you are young and you’re trying to convince your mom and dad to let you get a doll, you can tell them it teaches you responsibility.
- Saving up
It teaches you how to budget and save up for something. This is a very valuable skill to have as most essential things can cost quite a lot of money and require some saving.
- BJDs are art
They are beautiful. That should count as ten pros. They’re amazing display pieces and can be posed and moved around. A lot of the limited edition dolls are so gorgeous and it’s amazing to see the craftsmanship that is put into making them.
- Builds a sense of community
BJD dolls help you find friends. When you have a community of people with the same interests it’s easy to make friends. If you are lucky enough you can even see if there are local BJD groups and engage in BJD meetups. No local groups? Don’t worry! There are TONS of online forums and Facebook groups to join!
- Coping Mechanism
They can be used as a coping mechanism for some people. I think they’re very therapeutic for some people. I’ve known people who are into the hobby because it helps them cope up with certain things in life. Getting to play with your dolls helps relieve stress and it’s fun.
- Create what you want
They are highly customizable. That is a fantastic thing about this hobby because creating your own characters or bringing characters that you have to life is so exciting! They are so much more different than your typical Barbie that usually comes stylized in one way. BJDs can be made into virtually anything you want. You can change the hair color, eyes, clothes, etc.
- Creativity outlet
BJDs are an awesome platform for creativity in artistic expression. From faceups to photography to sewing. The list goes on and on how people work with these dolls creatively is very inspiring.
- Writing
Are you a writer? Well there are several people that use their dolls to create stories. Sometimes it’s the other way around and people have stories and would like to see their characters materialized. There are even those who create photo stories as well.
9. Variety in sculpts
There’s a huge variety of sculpts to choose from. That is a definite pro. If you’re into fantasy dolls, there are mermaids, animals, hybrids, you name it! If you want different colors, several companies offer an array of colors too! There are so many BJDs to choose from!
10. Box openings
I love That moment when your doll comes in . It’s wonderful when you get to do your own unboxing, or even seeing others. There is no greater moment when you get to peel off the bubble wrap and see your new doll!
11. Uniqueness
Everybody could essentially buy the same doll, same sculpt, but everybody always comes up with a different character and different styles for their dolls. I love seeing what people do with the same sculpts that I have! It is great to see the variety and characters people create. No 2 dolls are ever the same!
12. Face ups…bringing the doll to life
It is truly night and day to see a blank doll and then BAM when it gets it’s faceup it is somebody new! Face ups are so great because they bring so much life to your doll. Whether you do it yourself or you commission someone, I think we can all agree that faceups are truly special!
13. They are family
These dolls kind of become family. They’re a part of your life and it’s really nice because they become so much more than just “toy”. You pour so much creativity and time into these dolls that they are very valuable to most people and almost sentimental.
14. Don’t have to stick to one look
You don’t have to stick with just one character.
You can customize as many times as you want. You are never stuck with having your doll in just one particular style. I have had dolls that I thought initially would look one way and over time I have changed them to look completely different. I think it’s great to have that flexibility in this hobby.
15. Body Positivity
For some, the hobby gives them body positivity because there are a lot of different sculpts and body types out there. There are short dolls, thin dolls, more plus sized dolls, tall dolls etc. I think the variety in sculpts over time have greatly increased!
What do you think?
Those were the pros and cons that I could think of. I hope that helps people. Honestly, I think in the end you have to think about what makes you happy. If it’s something you feel that will bring happiness to you then go for it.
I don’t think anybody really feels 100% whenever they join new hobbies or new things in life. You never know until you try.
If it is something that you really feel like you’re passionate about and you may end up liking, then it’s time to take the first few steps into the hobby. Join some groups online or maybe talk to a local community within your area.
Be honest with yourself and enjoy your research and exploration into the hobby. If you do end up buying a doll I hope you have a lot of fun with it!
Can you think of any other pros or cons? Let me know in the comments section down below.
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