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Dolls #1
Dolls, Vol. 1
Yumiko Kawahara's disturbing short stories explore the strange and codependent world of dolls and the people who own them.
Both quirky and unsettling, these science-fiction morality fables question the dark side of love and pride.
Fair warning: When you live inside a dollhouse, it's hard to tell who's the puppet and who's the master...
Both quirky and unsettling, these science-fiction morality fables question the dark side of love and pride.
Fair warning: When you live inside a dollhouse, it's hard to tell who's the puppet and who's the master...
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 21, 2014
I read the Dolls series from years ago and I still love this series and the author's dreamlike gorgeous artwork and the tricky short stories about the mysterious, lovely dolls and their masters with all my heart....
The Wiki page for this series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolls_(...
My review for another doll-themed story Kindan Renai: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To those who are not familiar with the Dolls series, here are some basics:
(1) The Dolls (or the Ornamental Dolls as they were called in both the Japanese version and the Chinese translation), are humanoid creations made by talented doll makers. Each of them is exquisitely beautiful and awfully expensive due to their delicacy and rareness.
(2) Usually, the Dolls would appear to be sleeping with their eyes closed, they would only be awakened when they meet the humans whom they prefer to be their masters.
(3) The Dolls spend their time sleeping and awaiting their masters (well...in reality, playmate and caretaker) in a Doll Shop, a young Shop Owner takes charge to look after the Dolls' well being, but the Shop Owner himself is not affected by the Dolls and their charm.
(4) Once awakened, the Dolls would need to be clothed and fed and bathed, they also need sleep and play time just like any living child, and they need to feel loved in order to survive.
(5) The masters must take good care of the Dolls and follow every rule laid out to them by the Shop Owner, or they will suffer the consequences.
In a sense, the Dolls series is similar to Pet Shop Of Horror series, and I love both series just as much!^___^
Finally I bought this series, the total 4 volumes back! And during this re-read, I suddenly noticed the fictional nameless city in the stories are most likely a mixture of Tokyo and Hong Kong (okay...the version of HK which you'd see in movies)
Overall, the whole series serves as a modern fairytale kind of story. Like all fairytale the motto is always 'true love and a heart of gold is more important than material comfort' blah blah blah, but it's a fairytale that works! Thanks mostly to the Ms. Kawahara's lovely artwork and sweet but slightly gloomy (at times) stories.
The Wiki page for this series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolls_(...
My review for another doll-themed story Kindan Renai: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To those who are not familiar with the Dolls series, here are some basics:
(1) The Dolls (or the Ornamental Dolls as they were called in both the Japanese version and the Chinese translation), are humanoid creations made by talented doll makers. Each of them is exquisitely beautiful and awfully expensive due to their delicacy and rareness.
(2) Usually, the Dolls would appear to be sleeping with their eyes closed, they would only be awakened when they meet the humans whom they prefer to be their masters.
(3) The Dolls spend their time sleeping and awaiting their masters (well...in reality, playmate and caretaker) in a Doll Shop, a young Shop Owner takes charge to look after the Dolls' well being, but the Shop Owner himself is not affected by the Dolls and their charm.
(4) Once awakened, the Dolls would need to be clothed and fed and bathed, they also need sleep and play time just like any living child, and they need to feel loved in order to survive.
(5) The masters must take good care of the Dolls and follow every rule laid out to them by the Shop Owner, or they will suffer the consequences.
In a sense, the Dolls series is similar to Pet Shop Of Horror series, and I love both series just as much!^___^
Finally I bought this series, the total 4 volumes back! And during this re-read, I suddenly noticed the fictional nameless city in the stories are most likely a mixture of Tokyo and Hong Kong (okay...the version of HK which you'd see in movies)
Overall, the whole series serves as a modern fairytale kind of story. Like all fairytale the motto is always 'true love and a heart of gold is more important than material comfort' blah blah blah, but it's a fairytale that works! Thanks mostly to the Ms. Kawahara's lovely artwork and sweet but slightly gloomy (at times) stories.
May 10, 2017
Beautiful andthought provoking at times
September 28, 2011
Series of short stories set in a world where you can buy sentient china dolls (for an exorbitant price). The only recurring character in the stories is a Mysterious Shopkeeper who looks like Oscar Wilde with modern hair-care products. He sells dolls to customers who've obviously never encountered a Mysterious Shopkeeper before and don't realize that doing business with him means they're entering the Twilight Zone.
For some reason I expected the book to be a lot more feminist than it is -- the very idea of men buying delicate dolls who have to be pampered and loved just sounds so satirical -- but but the stories are straight-ahead fantasy in the mould of the old Beauty and the Best television series with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton (and only Linda Hamilton -- that other chick doesn't exist, dammit!).
For some reason I expected the book to be a lot more feminist than it is -- the very idea of men buying delicate dolls who have to be pampered and loved just sounds so satirical -- but but the stories are straight-ahead fantasy in the mould of the old Beauty and the Best television series with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton (and only Linda Hamilton -- that other chick doesn't exist, dammit!).
May 14, 2022
The art is beautiful, and looks exactly like Pet Shop of Horrors, complete with the same story set up and morality play. BUT the stories are pretty thin, lacking any of the supernatural or folkloric quirks of PSoH. The store owner is no Count D and lacks all personality.
The dolls are "plant" dolls, as in they were grown and raised somewhere not revealed in the first volume. All of the customers are young men who are drawn by the Lolita-esque dolls that wear Victorian clothes, complete with bonnets and floofy skirts.
This series is written by a woman, but the stories are overshadowed by this creepy child bride aspect that is hard to shake. Or child trafficking? Either one is weird. At least Count D's creatures only presented as human with the incense but were actually animals.
All the customers are lonely young men who stumble into the shop, and "chosen" by the dolls rather than the other way around. They cost a huge amount that the men often struggle to pay. They either keep the doll or return it. The first story is the worst, where the dolls are threatened to "grow up" (yes god forbid the customer ends up with a woman of appropriate age) if they are fed the wrong thing etc.
One of them grows up and she's presented as an overweight, mouthy, needy woman and I guess that's supposed to be awful compared to the Lolita, overly naive and child like plant doll who can't speak.
The stories were often meandering, with no real conclusion, or just an excuse to draw more pretty dolls gazing lovingly at much older men. Stick with Pet Shop of Horrors, which has quality stories, art, and characters.
The dolls are "plant" dolls, as in they were grown and raised somewhere not revealed in the first volume. All of the customers are young men who are drawn by the Lolita-esque dolls that wear Victorian clothes, complete with bonnets and floofy skirts.
This series is written by a woman, but the stories are overshadowed by this creepy child bride aspect that is hard to shake. Or child trafficking? Either one is weird. At least Count D's creatures only presented as human with the incense but were actually animals.
All the customers are lonely young men who stumble into the shop, and "chosen" by the dolls rather than the other way around. They cost a huge amount that the men often struggle to pay. They either keep the doll or return it. The first story is the worst, where the dolls are threatened to "grow up" (yes god forbid the customer ends up with a woman of appropriate age) if they are fed the wrong thing etc.
One of them grows up and she's presented as an overweight, mouthy, needy woman and I guess that's supposed to be awful compared to the Lolita, overly naive and child like plant doll who can't speak.
The stories were often meandering, with no real conclusion, or just an excuse to draw more pretty dolls gazing lovingly at much older men. Stick with Pet Shop of Horrors, which has quality stories, art, and characters.
March 2, 2025
I rarely review books and mostly review if there are no reviews. This book annoyed the hell out of me in that the doll-focused stories are extremely boring. As I was getting to the end of the book, I honestly.thought I'd give this book 1 star (or none if possible) but THEN the last two stories which don't involve the dolls were actually fun. The last story, which plays out like a ghostly cursed tragedy, was a short but well written story. I can't recommend this book and will definitely not read the subsequent volumes, but I would love to know if there are less doll orientated stories in subsequent volumes and I might have a go.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2023
were you a fan of Petshop of Horrors manga but needed even more of that in your life?
this is it! Except instead of exotic animals these are plants, who look like lovely turn of the century bisque dolls, roughly "my size Barbie" sized no less
This is basically a mini-anthology of fairy-tales and creepy shorts, all drawn in a gorgeous shoujo style. Untlike Petshop tho, they aren't as... poignant?
this is it! Except instead of exotic animals these are plants, who look like lovely turn of the century bisque dolls, roughly "my size Barbie" sized no less
This is basically a mini-anthology of fairy-tales and creepy shorts, all drawn in a gorgeous shoujo style. Untlike Petshop tho, they aren't as... poignant?
October 15, 2023
Hämmentävä manga elävistä nukeista. Viisi tarinaa, joissa jokaisessa eri nukkekasvi ja asiakas, johon nukke kiintyy. Koska nuket ovat lapsenkaltaisia ja ostajat miehiä (yksi tosin osti nuken tyttärelleen), on asetelma aika karmiva.
Bonustarinoista ensimmäisessä kerrotaan miehestä, joka kesken omien häidensä vaipuu paratiisiunelmointiin. Toisessa tarinassa puolestaan vaimonsa ja tyttärensä menettänyt mies pakenee arkea kuolleen sukulaisen kartanolle, jossa kerrotaan kummittelevan.
Bonustarinoista ensimmäisessä kerrotaan miehestä, joka kesken omien häidensä vaipuu paratiisiunelmointiin. Toisessa tarinassa puolestaan vaimonsa ja tyttärensä menettänyt mies pakenee arkea kuolleen sukulaisen kartanolle, jossa kerrotaan kummittelevan.
April 8, 2020
My favorite manga of all time~ this series is a collection if short stories that also serve as morality plays~ I would recommend this series to anyone who likes light horror, fantastical realism, or beautiful artwork~ I've read this series countless times and they never get old ♡
January 3, 2022
The art is so beautiful, especially the details on the dolls but…. THE STORIES ARE SO BORING!!!
September 5, 2024
I love a good short story, especially weird ones like these! I'm thrilled that there's three more books for me to read.
June 26, 2025
Que bonito todo, me encanta el estilo y lo profundo de cada historia, lloré tanto con "Snow White". 😣
September 3, 2014
I haven't opened a manga in a few years and it was refreshing to pick up one with such a fascinating theme. This manga included short stories with Japanese plant dolls that relied on milk and sugar cookies in order to survive. It had an eerie quality and the artwork was beautiful.
November 21, 2013
It was just another manga there to be pretty with a crappy story line. At least it was pretty.
June 16, 2014
Creepy and silly in turns, these short stories are largely about living dolls that live off of milk and cookies. This would be a good manga to read over a week, one each day.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews