Blast from the Past: Monster High Skelita Calaveras Collector Doll

We first met Skelita Calaveras in the 2012 Monster High animated movie Scaris, City of Frights. She was an international intern from Hexico, studying with the Scarisian fashion designer Moanatella Ghostier. It was in Scaris that Skelita met Madame Ghostier’s other international interns Clawdeen Wolf and Jinafire Long. After Scaris, Skelita and Jinafire transferred to Monster High.

The Skelita Calaveras Collector Doll was released in 2016 as an Amazon exclusive. It was Amazon’s second exclusive Monster High doll after the 2015 Draculaura Collector Doll, and retailed for $29.99. The Skelita Collector Doll was Mattel’s fifth and final Skelita doll. Although I purchased this doll from Amazon in 2016, it has been sitting in my home with several other unopened boxes of dolls that I’ve purchased over the years. Monster High’s recent comeback earlier this month has made me nostalgic for the G1 Monster High dolls. Since today is Dia de Los Muertos, it’s the perfect time to reacquaint myself with an old friend.

November 1st is Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. It’s a Mexican celebration that honors loved ones that have passed away. Traditions include calaveras – decorative skulls made from sugar or clay (now we know where Skelita gets her name from). Home altars, called ofrendas, are filled with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed. Cempazuchitl, or marigolds, are used to decorate the ofrendas because their fragrance is said to attract the souls to the altars. The living also bring gifts to the graves of their loved ones. The Skelita collector doll comes with a diary, just like many of the G1 Monster High dolls. In it, Skelita describes how she celebrates Dia de los Muertos. It also explains that she was not a once-living human but was born a skeleton in the undead world. Um, okay.

The artwork on the box is charming and colorful. Cempazuchitl feature prominently on the front and back.

In addition to her diary, Skelita comes with a stand like all of the G1 Monster High dolls apart from the budget dolls. She did not, however, come with a hairbrush.

Skelita‘s stand is more ornate than the usual Monster High doll stands. It features the Monster High skullettes embedded in roses and marigolds, and a motif that resembles the type of fountains that might be found in a town square. The spine of the stand is literally a spine – it has vertebrae (see the space below the first two rosette skullettes in the photo below).

Because of the ornate design of the spine of the stand, the waist clip isn’t adjustable. It locks into a niche on the spine that was designed to accommodate it.

Here’s Skelita out of the box. She’s so sweet.

Skelita wears a headdress of yellow cempazuchitl with pink skullettes in cempazuchitl. Matching ponytail-holders keep her long pigtails in place. Her hair is black with streaks of teal. Her face is decorated with a delicate floral pattern with pale grey ombre shading from her forehead to her cheeks.

Her dress is black, a traditional Western color of mourning, but the colorful flowers and lace that adorn it underscore the fact that Dia de Los Muertos is a celebration rather than a somber occasion.

G1 Monster High dolls were known for their fabulous shoes, and the Skelita collector doll does not disappoint. Her hot pink platform sandals wrap around her ankles with braided roping and are decorated with yellow heart-and-skullette medallions.

Skelita’s body is made to look like an actual skeleton. It’s a credit to the Monster High designers and sculptors that they were able to make an articulated doll whose body is sculpted like it’s made up of bones. They successfully took the Skelita doll from conception to reality.

My only issue with this doll is that her left leg is shorter than her right leg and thus the doll is unable to stand up on its own. You can see that the left hip is higher than the right one, which makes her legs uneven.

Despite this flaw, I do really like Skelita. It was fun opening her box, after having unboxed some of the G3 Monster High dolls, because it reminded me of the thrill of opening G1 dolls, with their stands and diaries. And again, Skelita is really sweet.

The Skelita collector doll was rather basic compared to the Draculaura collector doll in terms of her clothing and packaging, but her price reflected this as it cost twenty dollars less than Draculaura. The Skelita collector doll, while beautiful, wasn’t much different from the playline Monster High dolls sold at Toys R Us, Target, and Walmart. But I’m happy to have her. I haven’t had this much fun with Skelita since I reviewed Art Class Skelita in 2014. Sadly, I don’t think we’ll be seeing Skelita return in the Monster High reboot because I imagine it would be difficult if not impossible to recreate her skeleton body in the heftier G3 bodies. But prove me wrong, Mattel. Prove me wrong!

Shadow High Costume Ball Demi Batista

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought now would be the perfect time to add Shadow High Costume Ball Demi Batista to my ever-growing Rainbow High Collection. The Costume Ball collection consists of six dolls, three from Rainbow High and three from Shadow High. They are Walmart exclusives. The Costume Ball is a sub-plot of the Rainbow Vision plot that has been driving Season Three of the Rainbow High webisodes on YouTube. Demi came with an invitation to the Costume Ball – well, an invitation to watch the Costume Ball episode. Just scan the QR code.

Rainbow High vs. Shadow High. Photo courtesy of MGA Entertainment.

Demi’s focus at Shadow High is film. Her costume, a vampire, reflects her love of old black-and-white vampire movies. Even her name, Demi Batista, is a play on words that can be loosely translated to mean half-bat.

Here’s Demi unboxed in all her gothy glory.

The Costume Ball dolls are Special Editions, which means they cost the same as other Rainbow High dolls but don’t come with a second outfit! Demi does come with a stand and a comb like other Rainbow/Shadow High dolls. They’re dark purple with purple glitter. Both the stand and the comb feature the Shadow High logo. I do love the combs that come with the dolls.

Demi’s hair is jet black mixed with streaks of light and dark purple. Her hair is surprisingly free of the gel or glue that makes the hair of so many Rainbow High dolls super-crunchy and difficult to manage.

I did need to trim her bangs a little. Here she is before the trim.

Here she is after.

Demi’s long pony tails are held in place with black fabric bat-wing bows with the initials for Shadow High.

Her earrings are a nod to the Versace safety pin earrings.

Demi’s skin tone is pale, but it’s not pure white or grey like other Shadow High dolls. Her exaggerated vampire eye makeup features shades of black, white, and grey. Her long rooted upper lashes are white. Her irises feature subtle shades of purple and blue, and she has starbursts for pupils. Her eyebrows resemble microblading and feature purple shading on the inner edges. She has a light blush on her cheeks. Her lips are medium purple over salmon pink. It looks like she put one lipstick on top of another. It’s pretty.

The details on Demi’s hands are incredible. She wears two molded rings on her right hand – a large silver bat ring and a silver ring with a black painted “stone,” like an onyx. She has long fingernails, like talons, with a dark purple manicure flecked with silver.

More “onyx” rings on her left hand. I love that she’s wearing a thumb ring.

Demi wears a purple damask jumper dress over a white peasant blouse with a sweetheart neckline, full sleeves and ruffled cuffs. The dress is accentuated with a separate black belt featuring a buckle with the initials for Shadow High. The black cape and the white ruffled collar are also separates.

The cape has a metal non-working zipper with a metal zipper pull. The outside of the cape is made of cotton velvet.

The lining of the cape features a printed silver iridescent scroll-and-bat design.

Demi’s thigh-high boots are made of black vinyl. The tops of the boots are ruffled.

The trompe l’oeil zippers are printed onto the boots. I haven’t attempted to remove her boots because I’m afraid I won’t be able to get them back on.

Here’s a look at her dress and blouse once the cape and collar have been removed. She’s really sweet, actually.

When I first saw the photos of Demi online, I wasn’t sure about her. I was a little put off by her exaggerated eye makeup. But I get it, she’s dressed as a vampire and she did her eye makeup as part of her costume. Seeing her in person, I think she’s really cute. Compared to the other Costume Ball dolls, I feel that Demi was the most impressive in terms of the execution of her concept. Her outfit is amazing, and I’m impressed by the details in her clothing, her accessories, and her hands. I really like her. She would look amazing displayed with the Shadow High Storm Twins, which I have also purchased and will feature in an upcoming review.

Happy Halloween from Dollsville USA. 🎃

Monster High G3 Ghoulia Yelps

After our Monster High G3 launch day shopping excursion, where we discovered how slim the pickings were, Ghoulia13 and I returned to Target a week later to see if the G3 Monster High dolls came in. They did. I wanted to go to Target because I was on the hunt for the G3 Ghoulia Yelps. Ghoulia was my favorite character from Monster High, and the Ghoulia reboot doll is a Target exclusive. My patience was rewarded, and I left the store with Ghoulia as well as Draculaura.

Here she is out of the box.

Here she is with her glasses. I don’t like how the glasses aren’t entirely clear. It obscures her eyes.

Ghoulia wears an oversized jacket over a cropped t-shirt and pink pleather miniskirt.

Her jacket has a pattern of brain membranes on it, with a band on each arm that says “BRAAAAINS”, you know, ‘cuz she’s a zombie.

Her black cropped t-shirt also has a brain on it. Her skirt has a green plastic zipper and features a scalloped hemline that I think is supposed to imitate drips, like a dripping brain, perhaps? There is a precedent for the drips in a Ghoulia G1 fashion 2-pack which featured red cropped pants ending in drips onto a black background towards the ankles. But I do know those are more brains on the belt.

G1 Ghoulia in fashion pack outfit

Her earrings are tombstones that have yet more brain membranes on it. They say “RIP.”

My favorite part of Ghoulia’s outfit has to be her boots. They’re like silver Doc Martens. The details on them are amazing.

The soles are decorated with – guess what? – more brain membranes.

The inner sides of the boots have the Monster High skullette.

The outer sides have very detailed triple buckles on them.

Ghoulia comes with some fun accessories. She’s a skater, and her skateboard is decorated with her favorite comic-book character, Deadfast.

Ghoulia skateboards to and from Monster High every day.

“I’m home.”

Ghoulia has a grey hipster beanie with a brain on it.

Her backpack also has a brain pattern on it, with a coffin zipper.

After Ghoulia comes home from school, she enjoys having a snack with Sir Hoots-a lot, her pet owl.

G3 Sir Hoots-a lot has glasses, just like Ghoulia. His eyesight must have gotten worse since G1.

Ghoulia’s favorite snack is Brain Puffs.

It looks like they’re jalapeño-cheddar Brain Puffs. Ghoulia must love spicy snacks. I don’t. I once bought a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos by mistake instead of regular Cheetos and I couldn’t eat them. I love the Nutrition Facts on the back of the Brain Puffs.

After her snack, Ghoulia calls her beastie Cleo on her iCoffin. It, too, has a brain on it. I’m sensing a pattern here.

Ghoulia is a gamer and she comes with a Nintendo Switch – Monster High style. The Left and Right knobs are Monster High skullettes. The directional buttons are bones, and the A, B, and C buttons are brains. There are fangs in each of the four corners of the screen. I don’t know what fangs have to do with zombies, though.

G3 Ghoulia looks very different from G1 Ghoulia. I’ve described the differences between G1 and G3 body types in my review of G3 Lagoona. But there are stylistic differences between the two Ghoulia’s. G1 has grey skin whereas G3 has green skin. Personally, I prefer the grey skin. It just seems more appropriate for a zombie, but since G3 Frankie is no longer green, it looks like Mattel decided Ghoulia should be green now. G3 Ghoulia has heavier eyebrows and larger eyes. Whereas G1 has silvery blue hair with cobalt streaks, G3’s hair is mostly cobalt with a tiny amount of the silvery blue strands. Her hair is made of that type of doll hair that feels greasy. I’m not sure if it’s polypropylene, since I’m not an expert on doll hair, but it feels different from G1. Her clothes are hip but not as eclectic as G1’s. I would love to see G3 Ghoulia in pants like G1. And I think Mattel overdid it with the brain motifs on every single article of clothing and accessory she has.

Ghoulia Yelps was my favorite ghoul from Monster High. I was excited to learn that she was coming back for G3 (after being dropped from G2). So it pains me to say that I’m disappointed in G3 Ghoulia. It feels like new Ghoulia is devoid of the personality she had in G1. She’s kind of lackluster. At Monster High, Ghoulia was the “brainy” student (another zombie inside joke?), and G1 Ghoulia’s eyes convey a perhaps-sardonic intelligence. She’s looking directly at you and yes, she’s judging you. G3 Ghoulia has a far-away look in her eyes. She’s pretty, but her face has a rather vacant expression. Pretty…vacant?

The Monster High reboot didn’t do Ghoulia justice. I feel like she’s lost some of her edge. Sure, she’s a gamer and a skateboarder, but G1 Ghoulia was funkier, like a hipster nerd. She just had more personality than G3. Sadly, new Ghoulia is not my favorite doll from G3. That honor now belongs to Draculaura.

She’s still cute, though.

Rainbow High Lila Yamamoto

When Rainbow High dolls debuted in 2020, I wasn’t impressed, to be honest. I didn’t like their big round eyes in their large round heads (although, oddly enough, I love Blythe dolls. Go figure.). I routinely skipped the Rainbow High section whenever I shopped the toy aisles of Target or Walmart. Fast forward to last year when Series 3 was released, and it looks like Rainbow High dolls underwent a slight makeover that, in my humble opinion, has improved the dolls’ appearance. Series 3 dolls had a more refined and sophisticated face mold with eyes that, while still large, were not completely circular but more realistically shaped. For example, compare Series 1 Violet Willow from 2020 to the newly released Costume Ball Violet Willow for 2022 (Photos courtesy of MGA Entertainment).

Series 1, 2020

Lila Yamamoto is one of six dolls released this past Spring as part of Series 4. She’s my first Rainbow High doll. Since I’m a Rainbow High newbie, I don’t know a lot about the dolls yet. I haven’t watched any of the animated episodes, and I don’t know the backstories of the characters. All I know is that they have killer fashions and accessories, and I decided to take the plunge.

Rainbow High is a school for the arts. Lila Yamamoto is an exchange student from Japan. Like all Rainbow High students, Lila has a focus. Her focus is visual arts.

With Lila being my first Rainbow High doll, I was very pleasantly surprised to see how easy it was to unbox her. The doll, the second outfit, and the second pair of shoes each come in a separate compartment. The accessories (the stand, the comb, and the second set of legs) are conveniently bagged together. There were a few ties I had to snip off to free the doll and the clothes from the box, but not as many as Mattel dolls have.

The first thing I like to check when delving into a new doll line is the quality of the articulation. Rainbow High dolls have thirteen points of articulation. And I will say the articulation is good. The limbs aren’t wonky, and they hold a pose very well.

And Lila passes my articulation test with flying (Rainbow) colors.

Gasp!

Lila’s face is very pretty, but I wondered why she was wearing a Band-aid (TM) on her nose. Or was it a Breath-Right (TM) nasal strip? It turns out the bandage and the kawaii stickers on her face are a nod to Decora Kei, a style of Japanese street fashion emphasizing cute, childish motifs and bright colors. Her lips are a glossy red with a little coral and glitter in them. She has acrylic inset eyes and heavy rooted eyelashes on her upper lids. Her lower lids have painted-on lashes and her eyes are rimmed with heavy winged eyeliner.

Her hair is a mix of blonde and purple streaks. It’s very soft apart from her bangs, which are heavily gelled. Her hair is styled in braided space buns. The rooting in the back of the head looks full.

There has been some controversy surrounding Lila’s clothes. Although she’s from Japan, collectors have noticed certain elements of her wardrobe were closer to Chinese traditional dress. Critics believe the doll designers at MGA didn’t understand the distinctions between the traditional dress of different countries in Asia, and didn’t do enough research. To rectify this, MGA has clarified Lila’s backstory to indicate that her father is Japanese and her mother is Chinese. Her first outfit is inspired by her Japanese heritage. Her white top is styled like a kimono, with a diagonal-wrap front and bell sleeves. The lilac-colored obi around her waist is a separate piece. Her burgundy faux leather “studded” skirt features the Kanji symbol for “wisteria.”

The detailing of her clothes and accessories also reflects a Japanese influence. The Sakura cherry blossom can be seen in her earrings as well as the hardware on the straps on her top.

More details, including a belt buckle with the letters “RH” and a carabiner clip with more cherry blossoms on it. The skirt has faux studs and a realistic-looking but non-working zipper.

Lila wears fingerless “leather” gloves that allow her purple manicured nails to be displayed.

Her feet are arched so she can wear heels. And it looks like my Lila is plagued with the same black mark problem that other Rainbow High collectors have complained about.

Lila is wearing platform Crocs! I keep telling Ghoulia13 that Crocs are cool but she’s not convincedThe fact that a fashion doll is wearing them too is proof.

Crocs with socks. And gibbitz.

They even have the adjustable straps that Lila could wear in front or in back. This is very impressive attention to detail.

Lila’s second outfit pays homage to her Chinese heritage. Her top is evocative of a silk cheongsam. It’s paired with a large plum-colored sash. Her Fortuny-pleated skirt is accentuated by a large sash tied with a tassel featuring more cherry blossoms. Though not a literal interpretation, I think this ornamental tassel is based on a decorative element called jinbu. It has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese dress to hold down the skirt.

Lila comes with a second pair of legs with flat feet so she can wear her second pair of shoes. I didn’t know Rainbow High dolls came with additional legs. Her second pair of shoes have a flat arch. They are inspired by Chinese chopines.

It was difficult to tie tiny bows on these tiny shoes. I couldn’t do it.

So what do I think of my first Rainbow High doll? I’m impressed. The quality is better than I expected. Their bodies are pretty solid with some heft to them, and they have great articulation. The quality of the clothes and shoes are very good, made with substantial fabrics and with lots of fun little details. Likewise, the accessories are also highly detailed. I’m not sure about the marketing concept of including the second pair of legs, though. They could have given the dolls articulated toes to allow them to alternate between wearing flats or heels, like some of the 16” Integrity dolls have. Maybe articulated toes are too difficult to do with 11” dolls. But I appreciate the effort to allow the dolls to wear both flats and heels.

Lila is my first but not my last Rainbow High doll. Since I bought Lila I’ve already purchased a few more Rainbow High dolls, with more on the way from Amazon. Stay tuned for more reviews in the works.

Do you collect Rainbow High dolls? What do you like or dislike about them? Comment below. I’m still new to Rainbow High and would love to hear from other collectors.

Lulu Pop Daisy Doll Ella by Samg Entertainment

Lulu Pop Daisy dolls by Samg Entertainment are Korean fashion dolls based on an all-female K-Pop group called Daisy. Daisy consists of four members: Bella, Ella, Iliana, and Tania. The thing that makes Daisy unique from the countless other K-Pop groups out there is that they’re not real. Daisy is a virtual band (see video above). I guess they’re similar to vocaloids like Hatsune Miku. Now I love dolls and I also love K-Pop, so when I saw these dolls based on a K-Pop group, albeit fictitious, I was like “Shut up and take my money!”

Photo courtesy of Samg Entertainment

The virtual version of Daisy. Photo courtesy of Samg Entertainment.

I’m getting serious Blackpink vibes.

Daisy was the first virtual K-Pop band from Samg Entertainment. Samg Entertainment calls itself a digital idol fashion-doll brand. Their virtual idols exist in Lulu Pop World which, according to Samg, is an “unlimited meta-verse“ which “presents new concepts of music and music video when releasing each album to entertain our eyes and ears.” Their YouTube channel, called Lulupop_official, features a mix of music videos and commercials for the dolls based on their virtual idols.

Daisy Dolls are nine inches tall. I bought the Daisy doll Ella for $35.99 from Amazon.com. They come in a verycute box. I’m a sucker for cool doll packaging. If a doll box is bright and colorful, it makes me feel like there’s something special inside. Lulu Pop boxes are fun, and when I opened my box for Ella it felt like Christmas. Lulu Pop dolls come with cute accessories. Each accessory is tucked away in separate compartments in the box. The gatefold-style box has lyrics on the inside cover. The song is called Mystic Heart, and the lyrics are in Korean. Well, most of the lyrics are in Korean. What does Cheeky checky heart pop cheeky checky pop mean?

There’s a QR code inside the box. When you scan it, it takes you to the official YouTube channel of LuluPop World.

Behind the inner box is a packet with extra little goodies. Lulu Pop dolls come with stickers, a photo card, and a pamphlet.

The doll is nestled between two molded trays of plastic. The doll and the accessories fit into separate compartments. Unlike a Monster High or Barbie Doll, there were no plastic ties and tabs to cut. I just removed the top tray and took the doll out. Easiest doll unboxing ever!

Ella has very long light brown hair with space buns and a long braid on each side of her head. She wears a black lace choker and a red knit one-sleeved top with a red tulle bow. Her silver miniskirt is accentuated with a black belt. Black stockings and pink strappy heels complete the look.

The shoes remind me a little of Monster High shoes.

Her hair is long and full. It feels very soft and smooth. Good thing Ella comes with a hairbrush.

Lulu Pop dolls have articulation at the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and legs. They also have click-and-bend knees, but they only click once.

The doll comes with a fair amount of accessories: a stand, a hairbrush, a dress hanger, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, a pair of sunglasses, a purse, and shoes.

I know I’m stating the obvious here, but Lulu Pop dolls look very similar to LOL OMG dolls, with their large round heads and oversized eyes. However, there are some slight differences between LOL OMG dolls and Lulu Pop dolls. Lulu Pop dolls’ eyes aren’t quite as round as those of the LOL dolls, and their irises are heart-shaped. It’s very kawaii. And I love how the smiles on the Lulu Pop Dolls are crooked. They have attitude!

Lulu Pop is a damned catchy name for a K-Pop-idol-fashion-doll business. The packaging and graphics are fun, and the dolls are really cute. The idea is genius, but the execution could be better. The quality of the dolls leave room for improvement. The articulation is a little wonky. For example, it’s difficult to get the arms to hold a pose, and the click-and-bend knees are hard to bend. But the material of the clothing is not bad. It’s heftier than that papery type of fabric that some cheap doll clothing is made from. Also, the hair is full and luxurious, not skimpy or sparse. But I don’t think Lulu Pop dolls are worth the $36 price tag, especially considering that the new Monster High dolls or Barbie Extra dolls are sturdier and with better articulation for about ten dollars less. I think Lulu Pop dolls are super-cute, perhaps better for display than play, although I’m sure children could have a lot of fun playing with them.

Heart hands.

Monster High Draculaura Reboot

Of all the new Monster High dolls that were released this month as part of the franchise’s reboot, Draculaura was the doll I was most looking forward to. Whilst I was on the fence about the other dolls when I saw leaked photos of them online, I knew I wanted to get Draculaura. She looked really cool. Different, but cool.

Vampires traditionally live in creepy old castles, but Draculaura is a modern vampire, so I’ve decided that my Draculaura lives in a Sears 1965 Barbie Dream House. She probably can’t go outside and use the pool much, but she’s got a beautiful view of it out the back window.

The bedroom in the Dream House has a vanity, even though Draculaura doesn’t have a reflection.

The bed in the Dream House isn’t quite as comfortable as Draculaura’s coffin, but it’ll do.

The new Draculaura, or G3 Draculaura, has a very different body type from her G1 counterpart. G3 Draculaura is shorter than G1, and all of the other G3 dolls. In the original Monster High webisodes, Draculaura was shorter than the other ghouls, so it’s very fitting that the new Draculaura doll is shorter. Her body is also curvier than the other G3 dolls. I love this awareness of body diversity with the new Monster High dolls.

G1 Draculaura had mostly black hair with streaks of pink in it. G3 Draculaura’s hair is half-pink and half-black. It looks fierce! Her pointed bangs are very goth. The hair is Saran, I think, and a little straggly. I do wish the G3 dolls came with hairbrushes like the G1 dolls did. Like G1, G3 Draculaura’s ears are pointed, but now they protrude outwards so they’re easier to see. I love this the most about the new Draculaura.

Draculaura wears a pink camisole with black shorts underneath a sheer pink ruffled minidress with long puffy sleeves. She has sheer black knee socks and high-heeled pink Mary Jane shoes decorated with a heart and bat wings.

Dracula was famous for his cape, and Draculaura has her own stylish version. It’s a chic little number in black, of course, with pink glittery hearts and bats and a black lace ruffled collar.

“I vant to suck your blood, mwah-ahh-ahh. Not really, I’m a vegetarian!”

Draculaura has a pink headband with a batwinged-heart on it, to hold her hair back, so you can better see her pointy ears. Her earrings are little hearts with bat wings. She also wears a large pink ring on her index finger. Could her ring be a nod to Universal Studio’s Dracula (as portrayed by Bela Lugosi), who wore a distinctive signet ring? Is her white cameo necklace meant to emulate the medallion Dracula wore around his neck? Personally, I think the necklace is one accessory too many. What was it that Coco Chanel said about over-accessorizing? “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take at least one thing off.” Being a vampire, Draculaura can’t look in the mirror, but I think she should have taken the necklace off. Her outfit looks better without it.

The G3 dolls come with great accessories, including a bag, a snack, a beverage, glasses or sunglasses, and of course an iCoffin. Draculaura’s bag is a quilted heart-shaped purse with bat wings. Her iCoffin also has a bat motif.

Draculaura enjoys her snacks, but the kitchen in the Dream House is a little cramped.

She has a Frappuccino-type cup of – blood? No, it’s cherry juice!

Her big salty pretzel has bat wings and eyes – did she get it from a sidewalk vendor in Boo York City? It comes in a wrapper shaped like a folded spider web.

Of course, sunlight is a vampire’s worst enemy, but Draculaura is prepared. She’s got her batwing sunglasses and a bottle of sunblock – SPF 500.

And like the G1 Draculaura, G3 LaLa also comes with her pet, Count Fabulous, who has also undergone a makeover.

Oh look, Lagoona came over to the Dream House to use the pool.

I think the new Draculaura doll is totes adorbs. I love her shorter, curvier body type and her pointy ears. Like the new Lagoona doll, the G3 Draculaura’s body is sturdier and with better articulation than G1 Monster High dolls. When I bought Draculaura, I also bought Ghoulia Yelps (a Target exclusive), and I can’t wait to review her next.

Do you like the new Monster High dolls? Are you planning on collecting them or will you pass on them?

Monster High Lagoona Blue G3

The new Monster High dolls officially launched today. Although these new G3 dolls have been available on eBay for the past month or so, collectors paid inflated secondary-market prices for dolls that would retail for around $25, just to get them a few weeks earlier. October 1st marked the official debut of the dolls in stores such as Target and Walmart. From the pictures I saw online, I wasn’t sure I would like them and wanted to see them in person before buying one. I went to my local Target and Walmart in search of them, and I did not return empty-handed.

Ghoulia13 and I got in the car this morning and headed to Target. It’s been years since we went Monster-High-doll hunting and man, did it feel good to once again hit up our favorite stores with the hopes of coming home with dolly treasure. The fact that it’s the first day of October and it felt like autumn outside made it more fun searching for Monster High dolls in anticipation of Halloween. While our trip to Target ended in disappointment, we lucked out at Walmart, but just barely.

Our first pass of the toy aisles in Walmart yielded nothing, but when I passed by an end-cap of Rainbow High dolls I noticed two boxes with the Monster High logo on it, hidden behind the other dolls. Sure enough, they were G3 dolls. Both were Lagoona. Did someone hide them with the intention of coming back for them? Seeing that Walmart only had two dolls makes me wonder if they had gotten Monster High dolls earlier than October 1st and had sold out of everything else.

I’m not crazy about the new illustrative style of Monster High tbh.

To be honest, Lagoona was not my first choice of G3 Monster High dolls to buy. I really wanted a G3 Draculaura, but when I saw Lagoona in person I saw how cute she still is. I bought her for the manufacturer-suggested retail price of $24.95, waaaaaay less than what this person paid for her a few weeks ago:

This “lot” was just Lagoona. The bidder must have wanted this doll real bad.

Like G1 Monster High dolls, G3 dolls come with a pet, but unlike G1 dolls, they don’t come with a stand, or a hairbrush. Even the pets have undergone makeovers. Lagoona’s pet fish Neptuna has more of a My Little Pony vibe to her.

Each G3 doll also comes with accessories and an additional outfit. Lagoona comes with a bathing suit, a shell phone, sunglasses (for when she’s on land), a water bottle, a carton of goldfish crackers, a bag of kelp krisps, a fanny pack, and a backpack in the shape of a clamshell.

Lagoona’s hair is made up of shades of yellow, teal, and lavender. She has one long tendril of teal and one long tendril of lavender framing her face and clipped back by “pearl” barrettes.

G3 Lagoona comes dressed in a hot pink hoodie with mesh sleeves. The hoodie has a design of a skeleton sea horse on it. The hoodie has ruffles on the side of the head and Lagoona looks adorable in it. Her tie-dyed shorts have web-like ruffles on each side. Her fanny pack has jaws on it, like a sea monster.

Hoodie down

Hoodie up

Her clamshell backpack opens slightly and has goo dripping from it.

Her hot pink sandals are sporty. They have the word “Monster” on them. They look like Tevas. G3 Lagoona has a “surf’s up” vibe, but she is a sea monster, after all.

Lagoona also comes with a bathing suit. It has a design of fish scales on it. When she’s on land (and not in school at Monster High), she enjoys lounging on the beach.

While G3 Monster High dolls have been revamped from the G1 dolls we knew and loved, Lagoona is arguably the most controversial because she has undergone the most dramatic change. Originally a pale blue sea monster, G3 Lagoona is pale pink. I don’t know why Mattel changed her from blue to pink, considering that her name is still Lagoona Blue. For comparison, here she is next to a G1 13 Wishes Lagoona.

The biggest reservation I had about the G3 dolls had to do with their faces. I wasn’t sure if the new dolls would be as cute as I thought the G1 dolls were. When I saw the Lagoona doll in person, I found that her face, while different, is still cute. G3 Lagoona still has the same doe-eyes and freckles that made me fall in love with G1 Lagoona. I love how her freckles now extend over the bridge of her nose.

Still got it!

G3 dolls look more youthful, like they really are teenagers. Next to G1 Lagoona, G3 Lagoona looks like G1’s younger sister. G3 Lagoona’s eyebrows are heavier than G1 Lagoona. Another change is that Lagoona has reptilian “baby scales” on her forehead.

Another difference between G1 and G3 dolls is in their bodies. G1 bodies were highly stylized, with a skinny torso that curved outwards, thin, spindly limbs, and a large head. G3 bodies retain the curved torso, but the torso is shorter and wider, the hips are fuller, and the limbs are thicker. Her head is smaller and is in better proportion to her body than G1 Lagoona.

A new feature of G3 dolls is the addition of an articulated upper torso, like Integrity Dolls have. This makes for a slightly more poseable doll.

The details are better on G3 Lagoona than on her G1 counterpart. G3’s scales and webbing on her arms and legs are bigger and more detailed.

The feet on G3 dolls are arched just like G1 dolls, but they are shorter and wider.

G1 dolls can wear G3 shoes but G3 dolls can’t wear G1 shoes.

Comparing them side-by-side, what strikes me the most about the G3 dolls is how much sturdier they are than G1 dolls. The articulation is better. They hold poses better, and if I need to pull out the lower arm to dress the doll, I don’t have to be afraid of breaking it off like I feared with G1 dolls. And the G3 Lagoona passes my patented (not really) articulation test much better than G1 dolls.

Gasp!

Articulation test with another webbed, water-based Monster High ghoul, Lorna McNessie:

Gasp!

Even her webbed ears are larger and more authentic for a sea monster!

A major criticism of the G1 dolls was that their appearance and their clothes were a bit too “advanced” for the little girls that the dolls were marketed for. Many mothers had issues with how the dolls looked, and I think this was the reason behind the redesign for the G2 Monster High dolls. The G2 dolls were made to look more innocent, almost childlike, in an effort to make them less offensive to their critics. However, in this case, inoffensive equaled boring. Monster High G3 perfectly finds the middle ground between advanced and innocent. G3 faces look more like teenagers than G1. Also, G3 clothes better reflect the fun and funky fashions that teenagers would wear. Lagoona wears a hoodie and shorts like a teenager would wear to go to high school. G3 Clawdeen wears adorable overalls, and Frankie’s skirt-and-top ensemble is stylish but appropriate for school. And all of the shoes for G3 are flat. The platform heels and knee-high lace-up boots from G1 have been replaced by sneakers, boots that look like Doc Martens, and sandals evocative of Tevas. It’s like the difference between the younger Monster High students like Howleen or Twyla and older students like Clawdeen and Frankie.

Old Lagoona, new Neptuna

I was very skeptical of the G3 dolls when I first saw the publicity photos online, but having one in person and comparing it side-by-side to a G1 doll, I’ve done a 180. The faces, at least with Lagoona, are still cute, and I really like their more youthful appearance. The clothing styles are fun, and Mattel has really stepped up the quality of their accessories. I was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of the bodies and the greater range of articulation. It remains to be seen whether the G3 Monster High dolls will be successful with kids, their parents, and collectors, but I would certainly get a few more.

Off to Monster High

Snack time!

What do you think of the return of Monster High dolls? Do you like the G1 or G3 dolls better? Let us know in the comments.

Blast from the Past: Neve by Hujoo

Hey folks, Ghouliette here! I’ve been getting nostalgic for Hujoo dolls recently. Hujoo was a doll company from South Korea who made affordable alternatives to Asian ball-jointed dolls (bjd) by using plastic instead of resin. Hujoo was perhaps best known for their anthropomorphic bjds such as Freya, a cat; Phoebe, a mouse; and Rabi, a rabbit, but they also made human bjds such as Berry and Yomi. The dolls were sold as blanks. Collectors were free to do their own face-ups, and added wigs and eyes to the dolls. At some point Hujoo changed its name to bjdshop before going out of business in 2018, apparently because of a decline in the quality of the dolls, including an increase in factory defects which, in turn, led to a decrease in sales.

Hujoo sticker I received with my Neve order from the Hujoo website

While Berry, Yomi, and the anthro dolls were very popular amongst Hujoo collectors, arguably the most under-appreciated of Hujoo’s dolls was Neve. Unlike most of Hujoo’s dolls, Neve was not a ball-jointed doll. With minimal articulation and standing at just six-and-a-half inches tall, she was very basic compared to other Hujoo dolls. She did come with a simple faceup and inset eyes, but buyers didn’t have a choice of eye color. You got what you got.

One leg is shorter than the other. Maybe this is one of the factory defects that plagued Hujoo.

Photo from the now-defunct Hujoo website

Photo from the now-defunct Hujoo website

Photo from the now-defunct Hujoo website

I bought two Neve dolls in 2015 from the Hujoo website. I paid $30 each for them. They both came with brown eyes. I bought dresses, wigs, and shoes from eBay. Neve dolls are so small that even the tiny dresses I bought for them are a little loose. If I recall correctly, I think I bought dresses that were made to fit Pukifee dolls.

I’m a ballerina. Even my dress has ballerinas on it.

I’m not a ballerina.

My Neve dolls need a haircut compared to the doll in the official Hujoo photos. It looks like the Hujoo doll stylist trimmed the same style of wig that I bought for my dolls. I’m not skilled enough or adventurous enough to trim the wigs on my dolls, especially since I glued them on to the dolls (and I glued on the light brunette wig a bit askew). But I think they look cute. I do have to apologize for the fly-aways though. I combed their hair but the wigs are still a little unruly.

Sisters!

I found that Bratz clothes fit Neve well. Although Neve is much shorter than Bratz dolls, she has a tiny torso just like Bratz.

However, in my humble opinion I don’t care for Bratz clothes on Neve. I prefer the cute, little-girl style of clothing, like the dresses I originally bought for her. They suit her personality better. Neve doesn’t seem like a doll with a passion for fashion, although I discovered she’s a massive Blackpink fan.

Neve was a rather odd doll. With a very stylized face and body, I don’t think she was popular with Hujoo collectors. There really isn’t much about her online. But I like her. I think she’s cute in a weird way.

Monster High Haunt Couture Lagoona

Before the G3 Monster High dolls launch on October 1 (see previous post), Mattel is releasing a G1-style collectors line called Haunt Couture. The Haunt Couture line features the original core lineup of Draculaura, Frankie, Clawdeen, and Lagoona in highly detailed outfits. The dolls come in a coffin-shaped case. So far Mattel has released Draculaura, Clawdeen, and Cleo. Today Mattel’s official Monster High page announced that Haunt Couture Lagoona will go on sale on September 16. From the Monster High Facebook page:

Put your fins together for Haunt Couture Lagoona Blue! 🌊 The latest doll in the collection makes waves from down under, in fierce and bubbly fashion. Take your Monster High skullection to a totally tidal new level this Friday 9/16 at 9am PT, only at MattelCreations.com.

Photo courtesy of Mattel

I’m assuming Haunt Couture Lagoona will retail for $75 like the other three Haunt Couture dolls. I’m also assuming that Lagoona will sell out in a matter of hours like the other three Haunt Couture dolls. If you want to get one, don’t delay.

Monster High is Coming Back and We Have Thoughts

Ghoulia13 and I are huge Monster High fans, as if you couldn’t tell by our names, and our avatar as Deaditors-in-Chief. Our love of Monster High was a huge motivation in creating Dollsville USA. We loved the first generation dolls (G1), but we stopped collecting them when they rebooted the line in 2016. We weren’t crazy about the second generation (G2) dolls, which were re-designed in response to critics who were concerned that Monster High Dolls were inappropriate for little girls. The G2 dolls had more innocent facial screenings, simpler clothing, and fewer accessories. But the biggest nail in the coffin (no pun intended) for Monster High Dolls was the fact that Mattel took away the articulated limbs, rendering Monster High Dolls as useless for play as Barbie Fashionistas (which also used to be articulated).

Draculaura G1. Photo courtesy of Mattel.

Draculaura G2. Photo courtesy of Mattel.

Then Monster High dolls disappeared from store shelves. Mattel occasionally offered online-exclusive collector-edition dolls such as the Grady Twins from The Shining or Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice, but these dolls were expensive and sold out quickly. So this summer when San Diego Comic Con offered a Monster High exclusive doll for the first time since 2016, it looked like Monster High was on the verge of making a comeback. Now photos and videos have been popping up online in the past few weeks of new Monster High dolls in what is being referred to as G3. The thing is, Mattel has been very tight-lipped about it. Monster High used to be prominently displayed on Mattel’s front page as one of their top brands. Now they’ve practically disappeared from Mattel.com. The only Monster High Dolls on the website are reproductions of the core line of G1 girls – Draculaura, Frankie, Clawdeen, and Lagoona; and the sold-out Monster High Collectors Cleo De Nile doll.

So what will the G3 dolls look like? Youloveit.com has compiled extensive information on the new G3 dolls, with plenty of photos. It looks like new releases include a Ghoul Spirit six-pack. Individual dolls include deluxe editions of Lagoona, Frankie, Clawdeen, Cleo, Draculaura, Deuce, and Toralei as well as budget versions of Frankie and Clawdeen. A Creepover series of slumber party-themed dolls, and a new Coffin Bean playset are also on the way.

Looking at the photos online of the new G3 dolls, Ghoulia13 and I have thoughts. The fashions and accessories look as great as the G1 dolls. It’s great to see that the articulated limbs are back (yay!). The faces are different, and that’s our biggest issue. The G3 dolls have new molds. Their faces are rounder and their features are different. They kind of look like Rainbow High faces. The facial screenings are a little different from the G1 dolls, but at least they don’t reflect the vapid, wide-eyed innocence of the G2 dolls that were made as a concession to those mothers who objected to the G1 dolls. The new faces make it seem like these dolls are not quite the old friends we knew and loved. They’re not bad, they’re just different. But the most dramatic change from G1 to G3 are the body types. G1 Monster High Dolls were exaggeratedly thin. The G3 bodies are heftier, for lack of a better word. They have thicker thighs and torsos that, like their faces, bring Rainbow High dolls to mind. Was this a deliberate attempt by Mattel to compete with the Rainbow High franchise that became popular during Monster High’s absence? The G3 dolls also vary in height. Draculaura in particular is shorter than the other dolls. Her body also looks similar to the curvy Barbie body type. We love this new awareness of body diversity for Monster High dolls. Draculaura has always has pointed ears, like a vampire should, but it wasn’t always obvious underneath her hair. G3 Draculaura’s ears stick out so you can really see them. Totes adorbs, as Draculaura would say.

Ghoulia13 and I are itching to get our hands on some new Monster High dolls, but we’d like to see the dolls in person before we buy them. Draculaura looks adorable so I would probably get her first, even if I have to buy her online. The deluxe editions pay amazing attention to detail with their clawsome fashions and accessories. With new dolls, we hope Mattel will bring back Monster High fashion packs at some point.

In addition to thoughts, we also have questions. When are the G3 dolls being released? Where can we buy them? In answer to both, the dolls are scheduled to be released on October 1st, but some collectors have purchased them already on eBay. A quick check on eBay shows the exorbitant prices of G3 Monster High dolls. Individual dolls range in price from $50-$80 dollars. Ghoul Spirit sets are listed at over $200, but some sellers have broken up the sets to sell the dolls individually. The one shocker, however, is this individual Lagoona G3 doll that, at the time of this writing, is going for $1013 with less than two days to go.

This doll will retail for $25.

This reviewer was able to get the Ghoul Spirit six-pack, a Walmart exclusive, because Walmart accidentally posted the link to purchase the dolls early. The link was subsequently taken down. It’s September, and Halloween is right around the corner. This would be the perfect time to rekindle our love of Monster High dolls. We understand that some collectors want to get these dolls as soon as possible, and that’s fine, but we can wait until these dolls are available in stores. Past experience has taught us Monster High new releases will eventually hit the stores after the initial frenzy has died down. Then we can buy them at the suggested retail price. A little patience will save us a lot of money.

Until we can find the G3 Monster High dolls, we’re including our favorite posts about Monster High from Dollsville USA. These include the Ghoul Chat dolls, Monster High Goes to McDonalds, the Monster High Student Lounge, and the Art Studio playset. They remind us of how much fun we had with Monster High dolls.

Will the new Monster High Generation 3 reboot, with its new facial screenings and body types, be as popular as the original line? Only time will tell. Oh yeah, one more question: when is Ghoulia Yelps coming back?

Ghoulia trying to win that Lagoona doll on eBay.