Momoko Dolls - What, Why, How, Where!

Introduction

What is a Momoko doll? Why get one? What are they like? Where do I get them? Up until recently, I had no clue and no interest.

I told my friends I didn't want dolls, but good intentions evaporate in the face of ... well, a face. One day, while searching the Internet for Re-ment Japanese miniatures, I came across a picture of a doll opening a cupboard. But not just any doll - a cute, Asian girl-next-door doll with personality: Momoko! I was hooked. So much for my good intentions!

Overview

Momoko is a 27 cm (10.6 inch, 1/6 scale) Japanese fashion doll. Momoko literally means "Peach Child"; it's a standard Japanese girls' name. This is also why you'll find peach prints on Momoko boxes and clothing labels.

She started off in 2001 as a side project by a software company(!) called Petworks. Petworks handed most of the line over to doll-making firm Sekiguchi in 2004. Sekiguchi altered the body and doll characteristics a bit, and made her more of a mass-market item in the $60-$100 range. This article focuses on the Sekiguchi dolls. There are also miniature super-deformed "Mame Momoko"s, which will be described later in this article. You can see a full-sized Momoko holding a Mame Momoko in the picture below.
Momokos' face style is not overtly manga or anime-esque, unlike Takara or Azone dolls, but they still retain a hint of artistic simplification erring on the side of "cute." They are likewise not stuck in extra-wide smiles. They are designed to look intelligent, aware, confident and very down-to-earth. They are meant to look like everyday girls and women you might find in modern-day Japan - but their "look" is not limited to just modern Japan. Some are a little retro (e.g. Marrons Glaces), some very Western (e.g. Go for Victory!!! ), some are collaborative pieces (e.g. the GAINAX anime "cosplay" girls - including Evangelion's popular Ayanami Rei character). The outfit determines the audience. In an online interview on a Japanese Toys "R" Us site, Sekiguchi representatives note that, although most Momoko buyers are women in their 20s and 30s, Sugary Cafe Au Lait (in her trenchcoat and scarf) appealed to older buyers in their 50s. Dash! After School had her male fans, and one can only guess the GAINAX girls do too! And culturally speaking, Momoko has fans around the world. No wonder the interview says Momoko captivates both doll collectors and those who aren't normally doll collectors. (I wasn't a doll collector until Momoko....)

Details

Sekiguchi versus Petworks Momoko Dolls: There are articles online comparing the two variants of Momoko. Aside from price and availability, the sizes, bodies, materials, types of clothing, and so on are different. Petworks Momokos are apparently a little bit taller, made of different plastics, and have somewhat less flexibility of posing. Genuine Petworks Momokos also generally have obscure names like "Ver.02CD" - and cost about three times more than Sekiguchi, as of 2007 (remember, very few Petworks dolls are being made). There's something magical about Petworks Momoko dolls, for they seem to generate some very hardcore fans!

Hair and Face: The faces, including eyes and eyelashes, are painted on; the eyes usually glance to the left, which you may love or hate. Most Sekiguchi Momoko dolls have fairly similar faces; the makeup, eye color, outfits, and hair styles and hair color provide most of the variety. The hair ranges from stylishly short to long and flowing. On a few dolls, the hair feels like it has been hair-sprayed a bit stiffly into place; Skiguchi hair quality isn't the highest; Petworks is much better. The head itself is relatively soft.

Joints and Posing: Sekiguchi Momoko dolls are quite posable. They can flex to some degree or other at head (including tilt control), shoulders (good), elbows (good), wrists (though with no rotation), chest (slight sideways rotation) and waist/hips (tilt plus slight left/right movement), knees (good, but not great), and ankles (flex only). My biggest complaint is that these very Japanese dolls cannot sit in seiza position (legs folded beneath). The joints are visible as joints - they aren't covered in a skin, so a person new to ball-jointed dolls might find them a little freakish at first (you get used to them). Momoko's joints are reasonably tight (though it varies by doll); I can often usually get even my loosest-jointed Momoko dolls to stand on their own without help, which makes me happy after childhood years of cheap fashion doll frustration. Her hands, by the way, can sort of hold some fun props in place - but they are NOT meant for holding items. The below Midnight Crossing has a loose grip on the Mononofu sword.


Momoko Alteration: You can pull off a Sekiguchi Momoko head and install it on an Obitsu 27cm body - but be careful of the plastic neck, which can get (more) hairline fractures! (Note on skin color: some Momokos, such as the yukata summer one, are closer to "white"; others are "tanned.") At last, my yukata doll could sit in seiza position. But Obitsu lacks some of the graceful lines of the Sekiguchi Momoko and can't tilt the head, so I wound up putting my experimental victim's head back on her normal body. But if I need that seiza position, or specialized "grasping" hands, head swapping will commence! (Read more about 27cm Ball Jointed Dolls (bjd), such as Obitsu and Dollfie, here!)

Default Clothing: Many Momoko doll outfits have a normality that is charming. According to Sekiguchi, some parts are so detailed and delicate, such as Cherry's bedtime slippers, that they require hand sewing (no wonder these dolls are pricey). Still, most shoes and boots are generally purely plastic, with a slit cut down the back of the footwear for ease of removal (some are so tight they should be warmed in hot tap water). Many other pieces rely heavily on Velcro, or hidden hooks. However, there are some nice pieces such as the delightful cardigan of Dash! After School, which relies on real, working buttons. Underwear: Some Momokos have panties (don't expect any with jeans or leggings), but none I've seen have a bra. Most shirts are sleeveless, to allow them to wear jackets (long would bunch up badly).

Other Doll Clothing: The dolls can wear a lot of standard 1/6 scale doll clothing - but with varying degrees of fit. On the pricey side, Pullip's outfits do well, such as the Pullip Scottish outfit (forget the giant headwear). Azone is pricey but seems to fit (pants are a bit long), and Volks' Who's That Girl (WTG) series is reputed to be good as well. Takara Jenny outfits seem reasonable so far (shoulder/neck is a tad large, but otherwise OK; some stockings may slide); the cheap plastic snaps and white Velcro can be a bit obvious, though. Obitsu 27cm doll normal and magnetized shoes seem to fit (add a slit to the back with scissors if tight). Remember, Blythe's body is not proportioned the same, but it can work out! Barbie clothes are cheap in the US, but traditional ones are too big in the upper torso and too long/tall; however, the newer My Scene and Fashion Fever are OK. Curving Barbie high-heels will not fit Momoko's flat feet. Try Mary Kate and Ashley (Mattel), Francie, and loose Susie outfits, too. Momoko looks best in quality clothing.

Included Doll Stand: The Sekiguchi Momoko stands are sturdy metal, coated white, and nicely constructed. In constrast, the one equivalently-priced Azone doll I have came with a cheap plastic stand that doesn't even function with her beautiful but bulky kimono. (However, lately I have become enamored of Obitsu magnetized shoes.)

Props: Of course, almost any 1/6 scale furniture and decor works for Momoko. Her realistic look and outfits mean that she looks better with realistic, quality furniture and items. If you're looking for some stunning sofas, beds, tables, and so on, search eBay for handmade furniture (or "sofa" or "bed" or "table"), which are often made of real cloth and wood. You can also try eBay searches including terms like "Fashion Royalty," "Silkstone," or "Silkie" (famous collectors' Barbie) for some high-end, extra fancy results.
Re-Ment Props: Re-ment makes an astounding variety of highly detailed miniature plastic goods, such as meals, desserts, drinks, raw vegetables and meat, electronic devices, school supplies, summer vacation goods, and also tables, fridges, stoves, and such. (See this Re-ment guide!) Most Re-ment items are made to look Japanese (a few sets are based on Korean, French, or American items), but a skillet of pork chops or a fishing pole is basically the same anywhere. Not only do Re-ment's items come in an astounding array, but they are also generally very high quality! The ONE big drawback of Re-ment is that some of the items seem to be 1/7 or 1/8th scale (and some are as small as 1/12!). This means that most of their furniture and some of their items will feel just a little too small for your Momoko doll (or in fact most fashion dolls).

Even so, Momoko looks superb paired with most Re-Ment products. Momoko looks quite nice in a Re-Ment kitchen stirring a pot of curry on the stove, a mop leaning against the counter, Re-ment "china" plates and colored "glassware" gleaming in the cupboard. (The late-night scene below is almost all Re-ment stuff.) Re-ment is what got me started on Momoko in the first place!

Mame Momoko

"Mame" (mah-meh) literally means "bean" - it means "mini" in this case. Mame Momoko are super-deformed, cartoony 9cm (3.5 inch) tall dolls generally sold for 20-25% the cost of a large Momoko. They have a variety of outfits, some of which match a normal Momoko’s outfit, but many of which have no counterpart. Some of these Mame Momokos are even male, which is a little odd given the feminine name, but the bodies have so little anatomical detail that you probably couldn't tell the difference anyway. These small dolls have an even more pronounced "attitude" than their larger cousins, and their flat, cat-like large eyes can be a little disconcerting, though still somehow cute.

Accoutrements: They come with a little stand that has one tiny prong sticking up to insert into a hole in the foot, a flat plastic "speech bubble" with some stickers to attach, and a little round card with a "secret of mame momoko" on it in Japanese. (Translated examples: "Secret of Mame Momoko 4: They seem to be pretty sarcastic. I guess they're obstinate." or secret 3: "They express themselves with the speech bubble. Mame Momokos apparently lay it under their pillows when they sleep.") Hint: do not remove anything keeping their shoes attached. The feet don't hold some shoes well.

Mame Momoko physical characteristics: The heads can turn, the arms can rotate at the shoulder, and the legs can rotate at the hip, but that's about it. Their outfits are removable, but the "underwear" is basically painted on. The hair is the same quality hair you'll find on the large Momokos. As they are super-deformed, their heads are larger than normal Momoko heads! I've seen pictures of Mame Momoko heads on 22 or 23cm other-brand bodies as well.

Why get a Mame Momoko? They are cute, have an "attitude," and have reasonably detailed outfits for dolls so tiny. And how can your Out with Puppy, Baby Blue Labyrinth, or Good Night Cherry be complete without her miniature counterpart? Or how do you resist a miniature hard-drinking male Momoko with a mug of beer - or a mini Momoko in a chicken outfit? (Wait, don't answer that one.)

Acquiring Momokos (for North American purchasers)

Naturally, eBay is a great place to find Momoko dolls… and props and outfits to go along with them. eBay’s strongest advantage is variety. Not only will there be someone with the latest and greatest, or obscurest Asia-only items, but you can find dolls without their clothes, and clothes without the dolls, for less expensive mix-and-matching.

Overseas or Domestic? Either! Many Momokos are available for good prices from eBay shops based in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, or even Momoko's homeland of Japan. Expect a good selection, good prices, and a range of other Asian clothing options, but relatively high shipping costs for shipping to North America. Also expect relatively slow shipping times, from one to three weeks. This caveat applies also to European suppliers. Momokos are of course available in North American eBay and non-eBay shops, too. Due to the price of shipping them over here in the first place, the prices may be a little higher. However, domestic shops will probably be able to get your order to you faster. This has certainly been true for Re-ment items, which arrive with blinding speed compared to international orders.

So where you buy from is up to you - so far, all the Momoko sellers I've encountered have been responsive, honest, excellent people.

Search Tips

As of 2007, the best way to find all Momoko dolls on American eBay is to just search on "Momoko " - don’t add "doll." The name is sufficiently unusual that there won’t be many extraneous matches. If you want a particular doll for cheap, and you don’t care about clothing, you can add the word "nude ."

And remember to check "See additional Buy It Now items" when the link appears at the bottom of the search results. If you're really desperate, check the international listings, too.

If you want to do a search in Japanese on the Internet, you can use the katakana  モモコ ("Momoko") or  モモコ ドール ("Momoko doll"). Note that Sekiguchi and Petworks just use the phrase "momokoドール" - or just "momoko doll."

Specific Momoko names: If you are looking for a specific doll, first go to the official Momoko website, at www.momokodoll.com (Sekiguchi only), and check the lineups for the dolls' official names (there's an English section, but English names are listed next to the Japanese names as well). Sekiguchi Mame Momoko names are on www.mamemomoko.com (go to the English section), though they don't have one or two that you'll find on the main 27cm doll site. You cannot buy dolls at either of these sites, so you should probably come back to eBay when you're done.

Momoko Props on eBay: When looking for furniture or other accoutrements, here is a sample search you might try:


Replace "sofa" with any word of your choice. For clothing, keep in mind what fits and what doesn't.
 
A few things, such as miniature musical instruments, paintings, screens, and figurines, may not have any associated doll brands. In that case, just search on (miniature,mini) with the item type, and look for things of the right size. Some things you shouldn’t even include the "miniature" part - just read the descriptions and look for the right sizes. Regarding sizes - example: if you do a "miniature violin" search, check to make sure the violin itself (not including the case) is about 3.5 inches. Too big or too small won't do your Momoko any good.

If you happen to get the Momoko "bug" - good luck, and happy shopping!