Ball-jointed doll facts for kids
A ball-jointed doll (often called a BJD) is a special type of doll that has parts connected by round "ball" joints. These joints allow the doll's arms, legs, and other body parts to move in many different ways, just like a real person. This makes them very flexible and fun to pose!
Contents
A Look at Their History
Ball-jointed dolls have been around for a long time. In the 1930s, an artist named Hans Bellmer created dolls with ball joints and used them in his photography. Later, in the 1980s, traditional doll artists in Japan started using ball joints in their own doll designs.
The modern ball-jointed doll became very popular in 1999. This happened when a Japanese doll company called Volks started making and selling them. These dolls were often made from a strong plastic material called urethane.
What Makes Them Special?
The most important part of a ball-jointed doll is its joints. These joints are round and can be taken apart, which means you can put the doll together piece by piece. Some dolls even have "double" or "triple" joints, which allow for even more realistic and delicate poses.
One of the coolest things about BJDs is how much you can customize them. You can easily change their eyes, wigs (hair), clothes, and even their make-up! This means people can design a doll that looks exactly how they want it to. It's like having a unique piece of art that you can change whenever you like.
Popular Doll Companies
Many companies around the world make ball-jointed dolls. Volks, the Japanese company, is one of the most well-known. Other popular companies include:
- U-noa (from Japan)
- D.O.D (Dream of Doll) (from Korea)
- Luts (from Korea)
- Blue Fairy (from Korea)
- Iple House (from Korea)
- DZdoll (from China)
Each company often has its own unique style and types of dolls.
Images for kids
-
Super Dollfie, a modern Japanese ball-jointed doll (BJD) described by Time as having "exaggerated features inspired by Japanese animation".
-
Bisque-headed German doll with ball-jointed composition body, c.1920
-
Asian ball-jointed dolls are influenced by Japanese traditional dolls, like Ichimatsu dolls (pictured)
-
A BJD owner wearing Lolita fashion
See also
In Spanish: Ball joint doll para niños
