I finally got my hands on the
Made To Move Barbie produced by Mattel Corporation. There's been a great deal of discussion already on the boards about these dolls. Some collectors were able to find them in November and started taking photos. Toys R Us stores got them in stock over the holiday season, and I was able to grab a couple. Here is what the packaging looks like.
And the back that shows three dolls in different skin tones: Theresa dark Caucasian, Barbie regular Caucasian, and Lea with a paler skin tone which is used with the Asian dolls. It has been reported that the black skin tone Target exclusive is beginning to show up in stores this weekend. These are the first four in the line and two more have already been rumored for 2016. Hopefully this shows Mattel's dedication to the new line.
Let's take one out for a test drive, shall we? Can she dance like a ballerina? Yep!
How about Pilates? Very nice.
She is advertised as being able to do Yoga poses (explains the workout attire). A yoga mat included in the package would've been a very nice touch! It's amazing how her hands can gracefully touch her face.
Maybe a comfortable sitting position on the floor. Alright!
Is she easy to redress? Not only does she come apart at the biceps and upper thighs, she has handspeak and footspeak! Similar to her expensive counterparts over at … cough … cough … Integrity Toys.
How does she look nude? The joint seams don't bother me too much. It's little to compromise for the realistic posing. I don't think I would choose to put her in a bikini. As you can see the thigh and bicep joints actually rotate completely (which allows the added mobility for posing).
Look at her sitting in this chair! How cool is that?
So, how does the body compare to other Mattel bodies? Her waist is a little thicker but her torso mold is more defined. Her upper arms and thighs are a little more muscular. Her height is about the same (looks shorter because she is flat-footed in the photo) as are the length of her legs, arms, and torso. I like the breast plate better. It doesn't set up so high (not pointing at the sky!).
The body has a very nice weight to it. It is not as light or flimsy feeling as you would expect. It wouldn't be fair to compare her to those expensive cousins Momoko, Misaki, or Poppy Parker. After all, she only costs $14.99. (I actually prefer her body to Momoko - her proportions are a little better and she's a bit taller. She is shorter than Misaki/Poppy and not as thin, but her proportions a little more realistic.)
She can be a little bit of a challenge to redress. Many pants/skirts won't close in the back. But when you get her redressed, she looks great! She's got an athletic appearance to her body. I really like it. (Notice how she can really cross her arms!)
So what could the release of the Made To Move line mean? When you pause to consider the implications, I think Mattel has just produced a true "game changer". Collectors who like articulation should be very impressed by these dolls. No one can buy a better posing doll for $15 anywhere. I did not use a stand for this doll or photoshop out strings. She actually stands well on her own. The engineers did a fantastic job balancing her body.
I bet this line is causing a number of headaches for those high-end doll production companies. (Yes her hands are actually touching her head!)
For one collector … I am, frankly, quite impressed. This is one well-deserved fuss being thrown about a doll line! A doll who stands up to the claim that she is the "ultimate posable Barbie". She may be the ultimate posable 12" doll period.
EDIT: I have really enjoyed this new Mattel body. Since I am a teacher, my winter break is now over. I decided to put this doll in some "back to school" college attire. I really love how she looks. The cap is from a Color Infusion Style Lab ensemble, the black bodysuit and earrings are Randall Craig, the fingerless gloves belonged to a Dynamite Girl, the boots Mattel, and the skirt and vest are Clear Lan.
11 comments:
Awesome stuff - the more posts I see about this lines, the more I feel like running out to pick one (or more!) up...
Yes. Mattel did a really great job with this doll. Hopefully, the sales figures will bear this out and Mattel will realise there is a great future for dolls with this posability and quality and make more.
Good post and I agree 100% with your comments. I am so in love with this body that I have purchased multiples of each skin tone to use as body donors. Today, I stopped at Target and they had the AA version in stock, so I purchased 4 of them! I hear that this body is to be used for the upcoming Wonder Woman doll too and have seen promo pictures of 2 more dolls in this line with different skin tones. I will be on the lookout for them to be available!
I like how well she can pose. I have one I haven't even taken out of the box yet to check her out. I am considering body donors, then I always feel bad about the unused bodies and heads I have around.
I got t AA and Asian kadies first fearing they wouldn't last going back next month to get other two and hoping they will still be around! Just a note are their feet a bit small? I have to see if they can fit regular Barbie shoes.
Between these, the articulated Silkstones coming out, and the new jointed Barbie look dolls, looks like a Mattel is doing some great stuff!
Cori
Oh wow, I've had these dolls since November and I had know idea their hands and feet were detachable! While I do love the range of movement, the availability of clothing that fits these dolls is an issue that quickly came up for me. Overall, I do prefer the articulated Model Muse and IT bodies because of the fit factor, but these bodies win when it comes to articulation and range of motion. In the end, though, I doubt if this new body will have far reaching affects in the doll industry as a whole. I think too many adult collectors would rather have a slimmer doll over one that poses like this, and the joints on these dolls are not as aesthetically pleasing as even the Fashionista joints, so dressing the dolls in short clothing is also a bit of an issue (at least for me anyway). It is nice to see that Mattel is stepping up their game, though.
WOW, I have these dolls and didn't know their hands and feet were detachable. Awesome! The slightly larger, more realistic body explains the slightly larger Mattel single fashion packs. We couldn't figure out why the pants were so much bigger than before. Now it makes sense. I just hope Mattel sticks with this concept. The designers for this body deserve a raise. Those of us, who have been Barbie collectors for many years, have plenty of clothes that will fit this doll. There were quite a few larger bodies in the past. I much prefer them to the Model Muse and other ultra slim bodies.
Okay, I just tried to remove the doll hands and feet on the AA and the brunette doll and it's not possible. Was anyone else able to remove the arms and feet?
Excellent photos and review. I've really fallen in love with these bodies. Let's hope this is a sign of Mattel improvements in playline. If nothing else, I'm stocking up on these so I can keep re-bodying my ladies in the future.
I'd love to dress my doll up in the clothes you have her posed in (black leathery pants/boots, blue top/black sleeves and earrings, could you please tell me where I can find the clothing items pictured? Or are they all special custom made one-of-a-kind items?
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