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Doll #1
Doll, Volume 1
Androids known as "dolls" struggle to find their place in the world of humans.
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2000
2 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Mitsukazu Mihara
53 books74 followers三原 ミツカズ (MIHARA Mitsukazu) is credited with helping shape the GothLoli look through her work in the "Gothic & Lolita Bible"
In 1994, she won the first "Feel Young New Face Manga Awards" Judges’ Special Prize with her short work, "The Children Who Don’t Need Rubbers."
She resides in Osaka, Japan.
Sometimes credited as MIHARA Tsukazu.
[via Mangaupdates]
In 1994, she won the first "Feel Young New Face Manga Awards" Judges’ Special Prize with her short work, "The Children Who Don’t Need Rubbers."
She resides in Osaka, Japan.
Sometimes credited as MIHARA Tsukazu.
[via Mangaupdates]
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 30 reviews
August 20, 2010
Real living dolls. Creepy, eerie, weird, fascinating and beautiful.
I liked this, even though I'm pretty sure I'd be leaving one of those Kim-shaped dust clouds you see when cartoon characters run away at the speed of light if one ever came near me.
I liked this, even though I'm pretty sure I'd be leaving one of those Kim-shaped dust clouds you see when cartoon characters run away at the speed of light if one ever came near me.
Read
August 10, 2018A world of beautiful, readily available robots used to explore human ugliness in all its permutations. The cover and chapter art suggests something more overtly kinky than the reality, which leans closer to an anthology take on the later Alex + Ada.
December 4, 2019
4.5 stars
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I didn't like Chobits.
Anything I could reiterate from the review is in the link, so if you're curious about why I have an axe to grind for this particular CLAMP title, there's your gateway.
Rebecca recommended this series since it could satisfy some of the gaps and problems I found while reading Chobits, and you gotta give her a gold star because she did me a good.
Doll is what I was hoping to get while reading Chobits, that's the short review. Long review is marked under spoilers, so if this isn't enough, click the
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Review to come once I finish reading this series, but right now the ideas explored in this series serve as the perfect antithesis to Chobits. In short, this is the type of content I was looking for when reading the CLAMP series.
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I didn't like Chobits.
Anything I could reiterate from the review is in the link, so if you're curious about why I have an axe to grind for this particular CLAMP title, there's your gateway.
Rebecca recommended this series since it could satisfy some of the gaps and problems I found while reading Chobits, and you gotta give her a gold star because she did me a good.
Doll is what I was hoping to get while reading Chobits, that's the short review. Long review is marked under spoilers, so if this isn't enough, click the
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Review to come once I finish reading this series, but right now the ideas explored in this series serve as the perfect antithesis to Chobits. In short, this is the type of content I was looking for when reading the CLAMP series.
September 4, 2017
This manga left me with a feeling of horror. It's not what I would normally pick up, but being gifted 5 volumes I gave it a read.
The short stories can be anything from deeply sad to shockingly revolting. They explore the morality of humanoid AI with a blunt grittiness that turns up quite often in mainstream sci-fi fare. The more "adult" aspects get plenty of airtime - Chobits this ain't. Love, lust, violence, empathy and humanity (or lack of it) are all big themes.
Characters aren't written to be likable. They're hardened, hurt, damaged people regardless of being human or android.
The art style is different from the usual. The lush styling and Lolita fashion contrasts sharply with the grimness of the stories being told.
It is a dark set of stories that left me feeling decidedly uncomfortable. If you like manga and the TV series Black Mirror, perhaps this is one for you.
The short stories can be anything from deeply sad to shockingly revolting. They explore the morality of humanoid AI with a blunt grittiness that turns up quite often in mainstream sci-fi fare. The more "adult" aspects get plenty of airtime - Chobits this ain't. Love, lust, violence, empathy and humanity (or lack of it) are all big themes.
Characters aren't written to be likable. They're hardened, hurt, damaged people regardless of being human or android.
The art style is different from the usual. The lush styling and Lolita fashion contrasts sharply with the grimness of the stories being told.
It is a dark set of stories that left me feeling decidedly uncomfortable. If you like manga and the TV series Black Mirror, perhaps this is one for you.
October 18, 2017
Doll is definitely a diamond in the rough, as is Mitsukazu Mihara. It is a series composed of short stories revolving around "dolls". This series is now one of my favorites, as it made me feel several emotions through the process of reading it. Mihara-sensei dresses all of her characters in the "gothic lolita" style - it is her niche and she is quite popular in the genre. I found the first two volumes of Doll on the shelf at a used bookstore. I only bought the first volume and chided myself for not buying the second. I went back a few weeks later and bought the second volume. Over time, I collected all six of them. I recommend this series to all.
October 15, 2024
I love manga series like Doll, where everyone has sad interconnected stories. I'm a sucker for the ageless, perfect robot-esque dolls and the way they interact with people in each story. The older gentleman and the young doll in the collapsing home were a stand out for me. The art is gorgeous and I love the beautiful lolita-style outfits. Very enjoyable! 4/5
June 21, 2017
Surprisingly enjoyable.
April 30, 2021
The first volume in this manga series was just ok for me although I really enjoyed the first story, A Nameless Doll.
April 6, 2014
i'm starting to get really into stories that explore human relationships with artificial intelligence
idk, i just think it's really interesting, this instinct people have to humanize everything, like i had a prof talk about this in lecture once with the example of smilies and how all we need is two dots and a line to see a human face
so yeah, i really dug this
there's another manga series i have -- dolls, pluralized -- that deals with essentially the same concept but in a...sweeter way? like some of the stories here get quite dark. i kinda liked it as a gothic alternative though
it occurs to me now i should probably actually describe this book
basically it's a series of short stories set in a world where artificial intelligence has evolved to the point that companies now manufacture dolls that are indistinguishable from humans
i like short stories, i like the art style, and i like the doll concept so basically we got on
prob going to read the second volume tonight because school? what school, i have like seven new books from shopping this afternoon and tonight is going to be about bad decisions
3 stars
idk, i just think it's really interesting, this instinct people have to humanize everything, like i had a prof talk about this in lecture once with the example of smilies and how all we need is two dots and a line to see a human face
so yeah, i really dug this
there's another manga series i have -- dolls, pluralized -- that deals with essentially the same concept but in a...sweeter way? like some of the stories here get quite dark. i kinda liked it as a gothic alternative though
it occurs to me now i should probably actually describe this book
basically it's a series of short stories set in a world where artificial intelligence has evolved to the point that companies now manufacture dolls that are indistinguishable from humans
i like short stories, i like the art style, and i like the doll concept so basically we got on
prob going to read the second volume tonight because school? what school, i have like seven new books from shopping this afternoon and tonight is going to be about bad decisions
3 stars
November 27, 2011
"This is a very nice series of stand alone short stories.
From the inside cover:
" In these haunting tales, dolls- human-link androids - have an uncanny way of working themselves into the lives of their masters: A woman develops an unusual closeness to a doll that she takes beyond the grave... A man wants to make his doll into the perfect human lover... a father buys his son a doll to help him get over the death of his mother. 'Doll' examines the question of what it means to be truly human."
It's also rated "OT - 16+" for the graphic sexual content. FYI.
I really like the artwork, it's very clean, and yes, the "dolls" are dressed up quite a bit.
(that was my paperbackswap review)
Adding to that, I've been collecting this series, because it IS pretty (I love all the gothic-lolita clothing), and compelling. It's a look at sexuality, and what it means to be human.
There's an underlying thread of a plot, about the original maker of the "Dolls" which haunts the background, but it's not annoying, so you don't have to read them in order or anything.
From the inside cover:
" In these haunting tales, dolls- human-link androids - have an uncanny way of working themselves into the lives of their masters: A woman develops an unusual closeness to a doll that she takes beyond the grave... A man wants to make his doll into the perfect human lover... a father buys his son a doll to help him get over the death of his mother. 'Doll' examines the question of what it means to be truly human."
It's also rated "OT - 16+" for the graphic sexual content. FYI.
I really like the artwork, it's very clean, and yes, the "dolls" are dressed up quite a bit.
(that was my paperbackswap review)
Adding to that, I've been collecting this series, because it IS pretty (I love all the gothic-lolita clothing), and compelling. It's a look at sexuality, and what it means to be human.
There's an underlying thread of a plot, about the original maker of the "Dolls" which haunts the background, but it's not annoying, so you don't have to read them in order or anything.
June 14, 2011
This first volume is a compendium of short, haunting tales told from the perspective of several Dolls, or androids made to look like dolls. These separate stories tell the lives of the humanoid beings who have to serve their masters and mistresses in a new age of science and science fiction.
Some of the others actually develop an attachment to the Dolls, whether it is love, or affection, that they have served for so long and demanded nothing in return makes a difference to them. Their owners find that their Dolls are better than their lovers or wives and husbands as they, in this novel have only pretended to love them, while the Dolls hvae been observant of who they are, their likes and dislikes, and what makes them human.
Doll is a pleasure to read, though the artwork does differ from the normal manga fare - other than that it is a fun book to get into.
Some of the others actually develop an attachment to the Dolls, whether it is love, or affection, that they have served for so long and demanded nothing in return makes a difference to them. Their owners find that their Dolls are better than their lovers or wives and husbands as they, in this novel have only pretended to love them, while the Dolls hvae been observant of who they are, their likes and dislikes, and what makes them human.
Doll is a pleasure to read, though the artwork does differ from the normal manga fare - other than that it is a fun book to get into.
Want to read
August 30, 2019Recently rediscovered my manga collection from when I was a younger, including one of my then favourites, Doll. I was sort of obsessed with gothic lolita styles, horror and the idea of robots/AI that blur the line between machine and humanity. So Doll was perfect for me. When I was 13 I would have given this 10/5 stars.
Now, I see some more flaws in story telling as a mature reader, but the nostalgia irons out most of the wrinkles. The stories can be depressing and full of angst, sometimes to the point of being a little silly or let's face it emo, but they're engrossing and you can't help wanting to know more about the characters and the world they live in. I'll definitely be rereading the rest of the series and looking into the writers other work.
Now, I see some more flaws in story telling as a mature reader, but the nostalgia irons out most of the wrinkles. The stories can be depressing and full of angst, sometimes to the point of being a little silly or let's face it emo, but they're engrossing and you can't help wanting to know more about the characters and the world they live in. I'll definitely be rereading the rest of the series and looking into the writers other work.
January 1, 2017
Es de mis obras favoritas de AI. Son relatos cortos sobre androides, aka dolls, y cada uno tiene un giro de tuerca que me gusta mucho.
El primero es mi favorito, en donde una mujer vieja y adinerada mantiene a su doll con ella siempre, el único que se preocupaba por ella y de algún modo la "quería".
Después vemos la creación de los dolls y por qué no deben de parecerse a ninguna persona real ni transmitir las memorias de una persona a un doll.
Hay otros cuatro relatos, unos mejores que otros, pero con finales que se salen de lo común.
El primero es mi favorito, en donde una mujer vieja y adinerada mantiene a su doll con ella siempre, el único que se preocupaba por ella y de algún modo la "quería".
Después vemos la creación de los dolls y por qué no deben de parecerse a ninguna persona real ni transmitir las memorias de una persona a un doll.
Hay otros cuatro relatos, unos mejores que otros, pero con finales que se salen de lo común.
March 16, 2012
Note: review is for the entire series.
Hooray! Finally, after years of searching, I found the last volume of this series! And NOT for a ridiculously inflated price!
So overall, I enjoyed this series. It was interesting how it started out as a bunch of standalone stories about the dolls, but then gradually started having an actual storyline. Except for one aspect, I liked the ending, but I won't say what that aspect is so as not to spoil anything.
Hooray! Finally, after years of searching, I found the last volume of this series! And NOT for a ridiculously inflated price!
So overall, I enjoyed this series. It was interesting how it started out as a bunch of standalone stories about the dolls, but then gradually started having an actual storyline. Except for one aspect, I liked the ending, but I won't say what that aspect is so as not to spoil anything.
October 7, 2013
2010 bookcrossing:
This one was really interesting. Perhaps one of the best I've read so far, and more grown up than some of the other ones. It's a collectiong of short stories about these robots/dolls - life life robots basically, and the different relationships people have with their own particular doll, and how they treat them. There's some interesting scenarios in here.
This one was really interesting. Perhaps one of the best I've read so far, and more grown up than some of the other ones. It's a collectiong of short stories about these robots/dolls - life life robots basically, and the different relationships people have with their own particular doll, and how they treat them. There's some interesting scenarios in here.
January 17, 2015
While doing a massive cleaning-out of my room, I stumbled upon some manga from my adolescence, including this one that I never got around to reading.
Meh. It was alright. Melodramatic and a bit overwrought, but that's definitely how I liked my manga back then. A n interesting quick read, but not necessarily as thought-provoking as the blurb may imply.
Meh. It was alright. Melodramatic and a bit overwrought, but that's definitely how I liked my manga back then. A n interesting quick read, but not necessarily as thought-provoking as the blurb may imply.
January 26, 2018
As the overall series, I stopped reading Dol. But I do keep on hand vol 1 and 3 since I think they are the best in the series. The drawings of the dolls are all "gothic lolita" so if you are a fan of the clothing style, the book might be interesting.
September 28, 2013
My sister got this book from a friend of hers, but hasn't read all of it yet. I really like it and hope I can find the 2nd one somewhere.
The short stories make the reader think about life and what it means to be truly human. They were a bit sad, but I enjoyed them.
The short stories make the reader think about life and what it means to be truly human. They were a bit sad, but I enjoyed them.
August 27, 2012
This is a manga short story collection all focusing on 'dolls' or synthetic humans, the stories are creepy and remind me a bit of dollhouse (the Joss Whedon tv show) basically if you like manga and creepy stories you should probably check these books out.
December 13, 2013
The stories are amazing but the art can be questionable, though I suppose it could be accredited to the stylization of the artist's artwork...regardless a lot of the stories are powerful and thought-provoking.
May 12, 2016
I'm fascinated by the doll culture in and outside of Japan, and that was why this series caught my attention. This was my first experience with this series, and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be checking out the other volumes.
June 24, 2017
I remeber getting this during the start of my gothic lolita interest phase....very much a lolita style of art especially in regards to the clothing of certain characters especially in regards to the dolls. Very much emotional-"love" narrative style of story telling.
October 29, 2007
thanks miss Evee ;)I would write what I thought about it but I already told you over hot chocolate/garlic knots the other night
kisses
jen
kisses
jen
June 9, 2012
A creepy, sinister look at a future with artificial intelligence. Short stories, well told.
May 21, 2014
I really enjoyed this, yes it's not best manga ever and I'm not rushing out to get the 2nd volume. But it was still very enjoyable
February 12, 2015
a good story. magical and fantasy close to futuristic reality
December 26, 2015
I have always been interested in the differences and similarities between humans and machines (androids, in this case). The short stories in this volume are a wonderful addition to the genre.
Read
July 29, 2018oops. Accidentally read this twice. The second time was for work though!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 30 reviews