I used to think they were a cheatin’ BJD co. because, back in the days when double-jointed bodies were rare, one of theirs strongly resembled that of Volks Yukinojo. For some reason, I decided that the similarity mean plagiarism and cast the company into metaphorical outer darkness. Not sure why, though, as it’s pretty clear to me now that there was no proof of copying [as in the Dollshe/Dollmore debacle], but just a structural resemblance. So anyway, I have lifted my personal ban on their stuff.

I also used to think that Dollzone only produced cheap, ugly, second-rate products because…well… In the early days, Dollzone dolls did indeed cost less than their non-Chinese counterparts, and I, as well as others, automatically assumed that Chinese manufacture meant an inferior product. Nope. I also used to think that they were ugly because they did not appeal to me aesthetically. All the sculpts had an unfortunate combination of large pointy chins, large pointy noses, short philtrums and long straight mouths. They all looked very similar and thus boring to me.

Now, though, Dollzone’s sculpting has become softer and more androgynous [ref. Raymond, who looks very Soom-like to me, which is probably why I like him]. They have also ventured into experimental territory with human/flower hybrid dolls, and, more recently, human-faced bats. Beyond that, they have a greater range of facial features and body types, so I believe I’m justified in saying that their sculpting has improved and matured.

Dollzone seems to have gone through the same type of development that Impldoll [erstwhile purveyors of some truly inept sculpting] is experiencing.

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