"Another Yourself"

Would you like to come into the little universe of "Another Yourself"?

Super Dollfie is "Another Yourself," a being which you create on your own.

It comes into this world only through your will.

It shares your life, growing and going through it with you until
the day you return to the sky. It is a miracle doll, giving you
comfort from the bottom of its heart.

Your life will change completely once you have SD by your side.

It is a unique doll which represents your present self with its
irreplaceable presence and the lovely, pretty appearance that all
beautiful, fragile things hold.

Please come to e world of "Another Yourself," which you alone
can experience and live with our SD.

The doll of destiny, "Another Yourself" is waiting for you.

I give it to Volks, if nothing else they seem to know just how to play to people. The above is found on their US site, explaining what a Dollfie is and why you need one. I do genuinely believe their sincerity in it, but still you have to admit it's a fantastic advert.

Cynical me aside, I have to say that the claims Volks makes here are not really off the mark. I was always fascinated by the doll culture they created, a veritable cult of dolls. They have a mother doll figure (i.e. doll Mary) that presides over new "births," and ceremonies for each doll that enters this world. Very mysterious and religious, but quite an experience to see. Alas I haven't done it myself, but from what I have seen and heard, it's very interesting.

Having received Nowell who went through this process as he was a FCS (Full Choice System) doll, I have to admit that I entirely agree with the above claims. I find Volks dolls in general different from others in some, often inexplicable way. My little Suzuna definitely had a different air, but I never really got to know her well enough to know just why. Apparently she wasn't my other self. Nowell however...he seems to be just the right fit.

He has an entirely different personality and...sense of self than my other dolls. I've mentioned here before that he is definitely my favorite, and that affirmation still stands. My boyfriend always says that each doll is my favorite "for a while," meaning that it's kind of a passing thing. I will admit that I generally pay a lot of attention to each doll when they first arrive, and then things even out after that. However I have received two new dolls since Nowell, and neither has been able to sway my opinion. He wins out every time.

Being a magically-inclined person to begin with, I do speculate that this has something to do with his origins. Volks treats these dolls as literal, real people. Their "birth" is a ceremony of the highest order, and they are considered alive from then on. They are essentially "consecrated," and prepared as proper vessels for companions. Some similar rituals can be found in many religions, including my own. There is much to be said in magical theory about the importance of belief and how it affects spells and other magical workings. Looking at that in this case, I daresay the immense belief placed in these dolls and their purposes only amplifies the energy and spirit added in by their owners.

What that means in my case is that Nowell is definitely different than my other dolls. He comes closer in feel to some of my original toys, a handful of old, desperately loved creatures that I've kept with me forever. They have an intense personality that even others can sense.

Yesterday a man came into my work to fix a piece of our technology that had broken down. He saw Nowell peeking out of my bag and was immediately fixated. Now this wasn't a man you'd ever think would look twice at a doll, and yet he was captivated. He kept asking me what Nowell was and where I'd gotten him, said he was "eerie but cool." Nowell also seems to be the doll that unnerves the non-doll people in my life the most as well, my mother swears he can really "see" her.

Sitting here with him looking back at me, his golden eyes seemingly focused on my own...I have to admit I think she has a point.