Animals 03

(an adaptation)

Animals 02

(an adaptation)

Animals 01

(an adaptation)

Welcome to Marwen

I'm looking forward to the movie "Welcome to Marwen." Here's the trailer.

I'm happy that there are people who can use dolls not just as a feel-good  hobby but to make statements about what's wrong with our society.

Because being silent helps the oppressor.

Movable Joint African Doll from China

They came in ordinary plastic bags with no labels aside from randomly placed stickers, one for warning against choking and another for something like a product code that made no sense to a common person. 

Simple packaging

They came from China but the dolls exhibited African features. While the body is noticeably a copy of an older (but better) playline doll from Mattel (except for the neck peg), the face is unfamiliar. Both dolls I got have the same skin tone and face mold. The perceived difference in color is due to the different lighting conditions.

Faces and body

If you try to search for "movable joint African doll", you'll find out that there are a lot of variants. The opened-mouth variant (another copy of a Mattel doll) seemed to have a lighter skin tone than the closed-mouth variant. The former is similar to Momppy Mpoppy dolls from South Africa. An IG user commented that the doll had the same skin tone as Nikki from the earlier Barbie Fashionista line.

Closed-mouth variants

Sporty variants

Opened-mouth variants

I am not a fan of the face sculpt so one doll has become a body donor to my Asha doll, below. I'm still thinking of keeping the one with the Afro. The curls on the Afro doesn't easily become loose like some dolls from Mattel.

Before repaint

After repaint

The skin tone is different compared to most dolls I have, so I have little intention to buy again.

Left to right: Fashionista body (Nikki), I Can Be Tennis Player, 

Barbie Basics (yellow swimsuit), Dynamite girl head, movable joint African doll