Comments on: New Barbie Dolls Put the Japanese Back in Time

By: Giulia

Giulia — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:39:03 +0000

Who cares. It is a barbie doll. This site makes me sick. Why does everyone have to be politically correct. Its not the the little girl recieving the barbie doll is going to say “This is not a historically correct Barbie so I am not going to play with it.” Barbie has many dolls based on regions ascross the world. The barbies are often the sterotypical image of that region. I guarantee you that those barbies are going to end up like the rest of a little girls barbies. Naked or with closes that did not come with the barbie. The barbies hair is going to be completely messed up and it wont look like the same barbie doll that came out of the package.

By: RMG

RMG — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:37:47 +0000

Edward Said is spinning in his grave.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:05:30 +0000

Why, exactly, is that an issue?

By: Red

Red — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:44:42 +0000

The issue isn’t that it’s ‘inspired’ by traditional dress.

The issue is that it looks NOTHING like traditional dress. Just characterized and turned into something you’d see at an anime convention.

By: QPR

QPR — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 01:39:29 +0000

Lazy, Lazy, Lazy reporting. All the Dolls of the World are based on traditional looks, including the “white” ethnic dolls. Have you seen French Can-Can Barbie? She’s not exactly a great roll model. These ones are different, if you read the description of Pink Label Dolls of the World Japanese Barbie:

“For the first time in the Dolls of the World® collection, a traditional look is infused with a “fashion” influence. Japan Barbie® doll features a traditional Japanese patterned-fabric with contemporary styled clothing—accented with flowers in her hair.”

These aren’t SUPPOSED to be representations of modern Japanese people. These aren’t SUPPOSED to be representations of historical Japanese people. They are buying into the Wamono look – not on accident, on purpose.

If these were the only Asian Barbies ever – ok, I’d see your point. This is the first time they’ve use this head mold for a guy before (I think he looks like Isshi from Kagrra myself). Name me how many times they’ve had a new doll head mold and never used it again. Wait? That’s right – they reuse the head molds. This implies future Asian Ken dolls, so this won’t be the last one.

Now, if you want to complain that the Dolls of the World are a horrible idea – go for it. But the first “Dolls of the World” came out 30 years ago.

By: April

April — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:23:03 +0000

A lot of Westerners wear lolita clothing too. And many of them self-identify as feminists. Including myself.

All fashion borders on ridiculous. That’s what makes it interesting and fun.

By: Zebster

Zebster — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:29:41 +0000

At least not until the invention of cosplay. I mean seriously, those outfits look like something out of a video game.

Epic Fail, Mattel … just call her Mortal Kombat Barbie and be done with it.

By: Bagelsan

Bagelsan — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 02:27:02 +0000

Sure, the dolls are very cute, but importing the “Lolita” look into an American context (especially if it were aimed at kids, even nominally) would have some unfortunate implications. That’s really all I was getting at…

By: eeka

eeka — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 22:34:22 +0000

And only in one part of Germany, of course.

By: Anthrologico » Blog Archive » New Barbie dolls highlight the complexities of thinking through Japanese popular culture.

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:51:37 +0000

[…] Via Reddit via Sociological Images. […]

By: Sim

Sim — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:51:34 +0000

The outfits aren’t exactly historically accurate, though. Like, not at all.

By: Nora

Nora — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:49:43 +0000

I could see Japanese people wearing those for cosplay-type stuff. Not that it’s representative– it would’ve made a lot more sense, especially given the rest of that particular Barbie series, to give them actual kimono.

They are, however, sort of awesome costumes. I would totally wear them. (I am not Japanese and do not speak for the Japanese, though.)

By: Elena

Elena — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:27:42 +0000

Don't be silly. Natalie means something like this or this, except most probably not half as cute. (I apologise for spamming this thread with random Japanese dolls. I am a big nerd about Asian dolls, both resin ball-jointed dolls or vinyl dolls)

By: RMG

RMG — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:22:48 +0000

Isn’t ganguro basically dead these days? I was in Japan back in 2005 and I didn’t see a single ganguro girl, and that was five years ago.

By: RMG

RMG — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:20:27 +0000

In the whole, unimaginably diverse continent of Asia, from the Arabian Peninsula to Hokkaido, from Siberia to the Indian subcontinent, at no point in history has anybody worn anything like those outfits at all.

I mean, seriously, if I saw that Ken doll out of context I’d assume he’s some sort of space pirate or something, not some sort of representation of the allegedly historical.

Jesus Christ, what was Mattel thinking?