The ULTIMATE Guide to Obitsu Dolls

Although Obitsu dolls might not be well known to some and are usually considered off-topic dolls in most forums and online groups, they still have great potential and are one of my favorite types of dolls.

If you’re like me, adore Obitsu dolls, and want to know more about them, keep reading this article.

Let’s jump right in!

What are Obitsu Dolls?

Obitsu is a brand that creates different items, including models, figurines, and dolls.

In this article, I’ll cover all the information about Obitsu dolls. So let’s see what an Obitsu doll is and what it is made of.

Obitsu dolls are made of 3 different combinations of materials, including:

• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
• ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
• POM (Polyoxymethylene)

Basically, Obitsu dolls are plastic, very similar to Barbie or other fashion dolls that are sold in most stores.

However, if you dig deeper into the actual skeleton of Obitsu dolls, you’ll find that different parts may be made of slightly different materials. For example, an Obitsu doll arm looks like it’s made of soft vinyl material. On the other hand, her joints and hinges are made of harder plastic material.

But despite the different materials used in different parts of the doll, the overall look of the Obitsu doll is cohesive.​

Are Obitsu Dolls considered BJDs?

This is a very highly debatable question. Some people consider them to be BJDs while others don’t. So what really constitutes what a BJD is and what is not?

Most people will only consider dolls that are cast in resin, with ball socket joints, and are strung together with elastic to be BJDs. They also look to where they were created and will acknowledged those that come from Asian countries, hence the other abbreviation you may see which is ABJD (Asian ball jointed doll).

Others will look only at the plain verbiage of the word BJD which stands for ball jointed doll. So as long as it is a doll with ball joints, no matter the material or how it’s made, is considered a BJD.

There are also those who consider Obitsu dolls to fall more into the “fashion doll” category which are dolls that have hinge joints are are typically made of PVC, Vinyl, or ABS. (Barbie, Monster High, Azones)

What do you think?

Obitsu vs Resin Dolls

In order to give you the full idea of Obitsu dolls, I’d like to compare them to resin dolls.

First I’d like to mention that the main difference between these 2 types of dolls is the material and concept they’re made of.

So unlike resin dolls, Obitsu dolls have a peg and internal skeleton system, rather than elastic. Obitsu dolls are also made of lighter and less expensive vinyl than hard resin.

However, despite these principal differences, Obitsu and resin dolls have some basic similarities as well. Here are the things the 2 different types of dolls have in common:

Color Choices

Both resin and Obitsu dolls offer color choices.

Obitsu dolls come in 2 colors – “white skin” and “flesh tone”. And while Obitsus don’t come in any other colors, some people like to customize them using Rit dye to change the color of their dolls.

On the other hand, resin comes in many different colors and may include some exotic colors along with some typical ones. Note that the color choices depend on the manufacturer.

Eyes

Depending on the head you buy for your dolls, there may be eye sockets where you have to place the eyeballs. If this is the case, both Obitsu and resin BJDs use either acrylic or glass eyes.

Pro tip: you can apply heat via a blow dryer to soften the plastic and properly place the eye in the socket.

The ability to pose

In general, one of the main things that make any type of BJD attractive is that you can pose them in any way you want.

However, Obitsus are the most flexible dolls because of the material and internal skeleton they have. Plus, not only you can pose Obitsus in the way you want, but they hold that pose before the next time you decide to change their pose. Some Obitsu dolls even come with magnetic feet and a metal base, therefore eliminating the need for stand!

Wigs

Wigs for Obitsu dolls don’t differ from resin doll wigs. That being said, you can fit a 7/8-inch wig on most 50cm Obitsu doll heads. However, I still recommend you double-check the measurements of the head circumference. Once you start looking into the smaller Obitsu dolls you can find some heads that have hair that is rooted. This means that the doll will have the hair attached to head similar to that of a Barbie head.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About BJD Wigs

Faceups

You can customize faceups on your Obitsu doll, just like you would on your resin doll.

The materials you can use to apply a faceup on both dolls are the same:

• Chalk pastel
• Acrylic paint
• Watercolor pencil
• Acrylic gloss

Additionally, both types of dolls need a sealant to set your faceup work in place.

When looking into removing faceups from vinyl dolls this is where it different. You can’t use all the same liquid solutions to remove faceups from Obitsu dolls that you would use on resin.

While removing the faceup off the resin dolls, you can use something like Winsor and Newton brush cleaner (for acrylic mediums). But you can’t use that product to remove the Obitsu doll faceup. Note that Winsor and Newton is strong and can damage your vinyl Obitsu dolls.

On the other hand, you can use rubbing alcohol to remove a faceup from both Obitsu and resin dolls. Just use something with a larger percentage than 70%. I personally use 91%. You can also use rubbing alcohol together with a magic clean eraser.

Once you have finished using your cleaner on the doll you are going to want to rinse the doll head with soap and water (for both resin and Obitsu dolls).

Clothing

50cm Obitsu dolls fit clothes that are fitted to 1/4 scale resin dolls. Just note that if you buy bottoms made for 1/4-scale resin dolls for your 50cm Obitsu, they may fit a bit tight or look shorter.

For the smaller Obitsu dolls I have used different clothes from different fashion dolls. You can buy actual Obitsu clothes too from Parabox. I just like to be economical when it comes to dressing my smaller Obitsu dolls.

Pricing

When it comes to pricing, it’s important to mention that resin BJD prices vary from company to company. But on average, you’d be able to find a 45cm resin doll in the range of $120 to $260.

On the other hand, Obitsu doll pricing varies on what size you go with. Having said this, you can buy an larger scale 50cm Obitsu doll body for around $200 and a basic head for around $20 (total doll can be around $220).

A deeper look into Obitsu Dolls

By now, you’ve understood what Obitsu dolls are and how they differ from resin dolls. Let’s move on to discover more details about Obitsu dolls like doll sizes, customization, clothes and accessories, price, and where to buy.

Obitsu Doll Price range

Like I mentioned earlier, Obitsu doll price varies depending on its size and the company that sells them. But most common pricing for Obitsu dolls starting off with the smaller scale dolls which are 22cm go for around $20.00 for just a body. The largest ones which are the 50cm dolls at $200 for just the body.

It is very cafeteria style when it comes to buying Obitsu dolls and you can really pick and choose what your doll will look like which of course can effect the total price.

Where to Buy Obitsu Dolls

While there are multiple companies selling resin BJDs, options are limited when it comes to buying Obitsu dolls. So in my experience, a lot of mine came from the Junky Spot. The great thing about them is that anything that is there on the site is in-stock and therefore will come in pretty fast!

There is also the ObitsuShop and Parabox too!

Obitsu Doll Sizes

Obitsu dolls come in many different sizes. Needless to say, the most popular Obitsu dolls are ⅙-scale dolls, which are more on the fashion doll side (Barbie, Monster High).

So let’s review the ⅙-scale Obitsu doll sizes.

The chart below shows all the parameters of each Obitsu doll size. So you can bookmark this page to use this size guide whenever you need to buy something for your Obitsu doll.

Note that the difference amongst the 3 types of 27cm female bodies is only in the shape of the trunk.

Obitsu Pose-ability

What’s best about BJDs, in general, is that they are extremely flexible in terms of pose-ability.

And Obitsu dolls aren’t an exception as well. You can position your Obitsu dolls in many different ways with ease, no matter what size category they belong to. Since Obitsu dolls have internal skeletons, they can be positioned in any way and hold that pose until you repose them.

Additionally, Obitsu dolls can be purchased with magnetic feet can do even more jaw-dropping things. Magnetic feet allow you to place the dolls on their metal base and make them stand however you want them to. That’s why these types of dolls make excellent drawing and photography subjects.

So if you’re looking for a doll that can pose, then Obitsu is a perfect option that won’t deceive you in any way.

Obitsu Customization

BJDs are fun because you have total freedom when it comes to customization. So why should an Obitsu doll be an exception?

Just like any other BJD, Obitsu dolls are highly customizable as well. You can choose the Obitsu size that you like the most, do a faceup, put on a wig and style it however you want, and fit on the clothing of your preference.

Some people even customize their Obitsu doll skin colors as well, using Rit dye.

Plus, as I’ve mentioned a couple of times in this article, Obitsu dolls are highly pose-able. So you can pose your dolls in any way you want them and they will maintain that pose until the next time you repose them.

So if you’re looking for a doll that you can fully customize, Obitsu won’t disappoint you!

Obitsu Clothes & Accessories

Clothes and accessories are items that give your doll the finished look. So it’s really important to find quality clothes that match your preferences.

If you’re good at sewing, that’s great, you can sew whatever clothing you’d like for your Obitsu doll, without worrying if the size will fit, or when you’ll receive your item.

However, if you’re looking to buy clothes and accessories for your Obitsu doll, I’d say Etsy is a great place. From casual outfits to special character costumes, you’ll find something that would fit perfectly with your beautiful Obitsu doll.

For the smaller scale 1/6 dolls you can find a lot of fashion doll clothing fits them (Barbie clothes, Ever After dolls, etc).

For the larger scale dollies 1/4 size, I highly suggest investing in a body suit for them to help prevent staining. It is basically like a panty hose that covers the dolls body. You can get them in different colors and you can find them on the Parabox site as well as VOLKS. You may even be able to find some on Etsy!

Maintenance & Care for Obitsu Dolls

Obitsu doll care may be overwhelming at first. For sure, you don’t want to damage the doll that you’ve spent time and effort creating. That’s why I’ve decided to share some important information to maintain the perfect condition of your Obitsu doll.

Since Obitsu doll material is quite different from other BJDs, you can’t use the same liquids to clean your Obitsu that you’d use on a resin doll.

I highly recommend you use rubbing alcohol that’s higher than 70% to remove stains and clean your Obitsu. Additionally, a magic clean eraser is also a great option to remove any dirt from your Obitsu. In fact, you can use it in combination with rubbing alcohol to get even better results. Overall, if you’d like to try something new to clean your doll, remember that Obitsus are made of plastic. So any agent that’s not plastic-friendly could damage your doll as well.

Now if we are talking vinyl stains this gets trickier to clean. For those hard to get out stains you should use acne cream with benzoyl peroxide.

What?!?

Yes I said acne cream. You are going to want to put a thick layer of it on the piece that has the stain. Leave it on for 2-3 hours and check on it. Clean and re-apply if needed. I have even seen people suggest putting it into a plastic ziplock bag and leaving it by a window to get some sun. It is a weird secret that is well known to vinyl collectors.

So what do you think about Obitsu dolls?

I think Obitsu dolls are a great way to get a taste of what it’s like to step into the BJD world. They are also very affordable and just as customizable as BJDs. I really enjoy mine and find myself playing with them and re-posing them more than my resin dollies.

What size do you like the most? Would you consider getting a Obitsu? Tell us in the comments section below!