So, normally I wouldn't make a post before I actually get the doll in hand. I don't know... I guess I just like to be able to take my own photos, and also be able to potentially work on it right away after making the
journal update, I guess. However, I'm pretty pumped - I was able to buy a certain kind of Sailor Venus doll that I've been meaning to use for the custom. I knew I wanted to use one of the more larger eyed, very anime Bandai dolls that were produced near the end of Sailor Moon's run in Japan. That left a few options - the World DX dolls, Chara Talk, Beauty Change, and I believe one or two more. Most of the Bandai dolls I've found weren't those ones in particular, however; most of them were from R or the season after, which for some reason, I think shared a mold with Mercury (which IMO, the dolls would have all been better off if they shared a mold with Moon, since she always had the better looking ones - Mercury always looked a bit off in her dolls too, which has always made me a bit sad).
Without further adieu, this the doll I was able to win!
Obviously not my photos - these were taken from the auction itself. I'm not exactly sure which doll she is... She looks like the Chara Talk Venus, but this isn't a talking doll. Though, I suppose it's also possible that the doll got a new body sometime in its existence. Overall it looks like it's in decent enough condition; the legs looked kind of dirty (hopefully a bath and/or magic eraser can help clear that up), she's missing a glove, and part of her hair was cut. The cut hair doesn't look too bad - if I can color match it, I think I can reroot the bald patches fairly easy; I think the toughest part about her hair is going to probably be thatching the bangs - assuming I don't have to do a full reroot, which will probably be killer on my wrist.
Once I get her though, I hope to eventually make her into Sailor V. I'll admit... I waited quite awhile to track this doll down, and I wouldn't be surprised if I overpaid a little bit for the condition it's in (and what I plan to use it for). There is a Sailor Venus Chara Talk doll on ebay that I would have bought a long time ago, if it ever came down in price - it used to be listed for $40, but then they relisted it for $60, and I remember hoping after the auction ended at $40 they would have relisted it for $30... It's been sitting, and sitting, and sitting though - I think it's probably been listed for a good year or so, now. I'd honestly be surprised if it ever sells at that price; it's missing so much and in a relatively beat up condition. So when I saw this one, I'll be honest: I jumped a bit at it. |D;
If I do proceed to make her into Sailor V (rather than replace the missing glove and keep her as Sailor Venus), I'll probably keep her tiara on, and if I do repaint the crescent, I'll probably have it painted under the tiara - I don't really know why, but I guess it'll help... Keep her complete, since I got her with most of her things anyways. As for her fuku/glove, I'm not sure what I'll do with them - might just put them into storage, since I doubt they'll go for enough to really warrant me selling it (moreso since I'll be using the shoes, bow, and probably the choker). I'll probably make her mask something she could wear (sans tiara) or hold in her hand, and I'll probably also make her a Sailor V compact to hold in the other. Even though Sailor V doesn't have the belt she gets as Sailor Venus, it's kind of tempting to make her one too, to kind of fuse Sailor V and Sailor Venus together... Not sure yet. Any thoughts?
Some of the following are some things that have helped inspire me making a Sailor V doll. In the meantime, I'm slowly working on a Saturn, and eventually I'd like to work on a Sailor Cosmos and Princess Small Lady as well.
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(And to some degree the Sailor V gashapon and pullip!)
Massive rambling on my part, but yeah! Any ideas?