#Kiku Ningyo

[my-plastic-life]

I did a thing... actually, I did several things. :D My ani-ME (anime doll version) needed manga in her house, so of course I had to make mini Inuyasha manga! I've done this before, but this time it's different... I didn't do miniature versions of the Viz BIG volumes. Nope, I did all 56 original Japanese volumes. Because ani-ME is in Japan, so she must have the original volumes!!! :D What a task this was - because the volumes are so old, it's hard to find high resolution pictures of them online. And even if you do, many times it's just the front, not the back and definitely not the spine. I found some, but then the front and back cover colors were completely different, some had text and graphics cut off from what was most likely a scanned image, the colors were inconsistent between various websites, some colors were clashing badly due to low quality resolution, etc.

So I literally made a template in Photoshop of the real size of the original manga (obtained via Amazon) and rebuilt EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. from scratch. I was able to find a site with all the original cover photos, and then I found the most high resolution cover I could find to duplicate the pattern that's on all books (colors vary), recreated the logo for each book (the character symbols and the gradients are all different for each volume), redrew the SS Comics logo that's on all books, and I even replicated each individual barcode. Because I'm nothing if not a consistent perfectionist. :D

For the backs, I used the images I found and just copied and pasted the characters and Japanese text, and for the teeny tiny characters I used the brush tool to trace over them. Even though I knew you probably wouldn't be able to see them in such a small scale, no way was I leaving them out! Consistency, darn it! :D

For the spines, I found complete sets on eBay and used a photo of the spines from those auctions as a template. I redid everything on the spine except the character head at the top of each, which is copied and pasted from the eBay files. They're definitely pretty low resolution, but hopefully it's not noticeable at such a small scale.

And the volume numbers? Try as I might, I could NOT find a font that matched them. So I got the most high resolution volumes I could find and made number templates... so each time I needed one of the volume numbers, I'd just use a color overlay on it and plop it where it needed to go on the front and spine.

Then the fun part - resizing them all to 1/6 scale. They're a little over an inch tall right now. And because they're not very thick in the spine, wrapping the covers around foam board to mimic pages wasn't working. So I had to make pages... for 56 volumes LOL. I just took my cover template, sized it down, and made it a blank white with a black stroke so I could see where to cut. I could fit 11 mini pages in one row across a regular sized sheet of printer paper (I used cardstock for extra thickness and stability), and I could fit like six rows on a sheet. I was able to fit 11 pages in one volume to allow the spine room, so 56 volumes x 11 mini pages each = 616 total pages I wound up cutting, then stacking and gluing together. But, of course, that wasn't a perfect fit, as the pages, despite being sanded down to be completely straight and smooth, poked out of the covers. So I had to wrap the covers around the pages, mark where they hit, and use an X-acto knife to trim the pages down before gluing them inside the covers.

But finally, I was done! It was time-consuming, but I love how these little books turned out. They don't open, but that's totally okay. That would be way too much work, and every time I make a book that opens, it never closes again. I did, however, manage to find some pages from the original first volume (in Japanese), so I printed a second volume 1 cover and glued those pages inside. So now ani-ME has an open book she can read too!

So there you have it! My mini, 1/6 scale Japanese volumes of Inuyasha - all 56 of them! I made that bookshelf just for them, but I intentionally left more room in case I want to add more manga later. But of course we had to have Inuyasha manga on the shelf - it's the most important! :D And the poster on the wall is totally a tag from one of my shirts LOL.

Showing off her new bookshelf stocked full of all 56 volumes of the Inuyasha manga:

Relaxing in bed, reading from the beginning:

Why yes, she is reading the Inuyasha manga on an Inuyasha pillow :D

All 56 volumes on the bookshelf:

What do you do with an Inuyasha shirt tag? Make an instant doll poster, of course!

Front covers:

Back covers:

Volume 1 pages (glued in order, right to left):

Size reference (shown with American penny):

[shigeki0916]

Traditional event “Kiku Ningyo” (Chrysanthemum Doll) Festival is now being held at Yushima Tenjin

Chrysanthemum Doll

[pompomwormin]

My fangan classes as of now

I now have four classes, 64 characters. I still have to give everyone names in the 3rd and 4th classes as well as figure out talents for Daisuke and the 2nd and 4th protags.

Class #1:

1. (Protag) Voice actress - Kasumi Sasaki - she/her

2. Gardener - Mia Akiyama - she/her

3. Scientist - Itsuki Kita - he/him

4. Birdwatcher - Archie Reid - he/him

5. Dentist - Aimi Fujimoto - she/her

6. Comedian - Rokuro Himura - he/him

7. Diver - Haruka Nakano - she/her

8. Blogger - Yamato Nishimura - he/him/they/them

9. Ice skater - Aiia Konstaninov - she/her

10. Model - Hayate Matsushita - he/him

11. Interior designer - Ayane Tuskuda - she/her

12. Tattoo artist - Ryuu Yamazaki - he/him

13. Translator - Luca Brilhart - he/him

14. Racecar driver - Shun Oshiro - she/her

15. Taxidermist - Kuroi Akuma - he/him

16. Party planner - Lulu Eucard - she/her

Class #2:

1. (Protag) he/him

2. Drag Queen - Julian Tash - he/him (she/her when in his stage persona, Julie Diamond)

3. Poet - Reo Aikyo - he/him

4. Pop dancer - Sara Kawaguchi - she/her

5. Chess player - Yuuto Inoue - he/him

6. Archer - Mayumi Shibata - she/her

7. Ringleader - Masuyo Fujioka - she/her

8. Puppeteer - Ningyo-shi - he/him

9. Roller skater - Akira Kasokudo - she/her

10. Skateboarder - Aiko Kasokudo - he/him

11. mathematician - Kiku Takahashi - she/her

12. Hockey player - Andre Willis - he/him

13. Lawyer - Kunio Virtanen - he/him

14. Kick boxer - Lily Arakaki - she/her

15. Seamstress - Chikako Iwasaki - she/her

16. Paleontologist - Kaseki Azuma - she/her

Class #3:

1. (Protag) Unlucky student - he/him

2. Mall santa - Nick Claus - he/him

3. Pitchman - Bill Schmidt - he/him

4. Cup stacker - she/her

5. Geometric artist - he/him

6. Vocabulary - he/him

7. Furry - she/her

8. Pirate - he/him

9. Cashier - she/her

10. Dog walker - he/him

11. Hugger - she/her

12. Hindsight - she/her

13. Whistler - she/her

14. Tourist - she/her/they/them

15. Yo-yo-er - she/her

16. Vape master - he/him

Class #4:

1. (Protag) she/her

2. Jockey - Tsuikyu Fugyne - she/her

3. Archer - Mayumi Shibata - she/her

4. Daisuke Sato - he/him

5. Dart player - he/him

6. Game show host - he/him

7. Historian - she/her

8. Drummer - he/him

9. Pyrotechnician - she/her

10. Undertaker - he/him

11. Farmer - she/her

12. Candle maker - she/her

13. Exterminator - he/him

14. Suntwoman - she/her

15. Reporter - he/him

16. Surfer - he/him

[my-plastic-life]

It's March 3, which means it's time for hinamatsuri! Kiku loves checking out this festival every year. A Japanese festival with a big emphasis on dolls? We're both there! She's currently enjoying two different displays.

Hinamatsuri is an annual festival in Japan known as the doll festival or girls' day. The day is meant to celebrate having a daughter. The festival was traditionally known as the Peach Festival, as peach trees typically began to flower around this time. This is no longer true since the shift to Gregorian dates, but the name remains and peaches are still symbolic of the festival.

The primary aspect of the festival is the display of festival dolls in an elaborate fashion. Layers of dolls are displayed, with the emperor and empress on the top. The most recent emperor and empress were enthroned in 2019, marking the start of the Reiwa Era. While there are many ways to display these dolls, a full set of festival dolls includes seven platforms as follows:

1. Emperor & empress 2. Ladies of the court 3. Musicians 4. Ministers 5. Servants 6. Personal items of the royal court 7. More personal items of the royal court, plus hishi mochi

Emperor & empress:

Ladies of the court:

Musicians:

Personal items of the royal court and hishi mochi:

That was the new 2023 Re-Ment Hinamatsuri set. I also have this set in my collection from 2011, which features only the emperor and empress.

During this special time, girls also receive special sweets made of rice called hishi mochi. These sweets come in three colors: pink (meant to chase away evil spirits), white (symbolizes purity), and green (symbolizes health). The shape is believed to have originated in the Edo period, and to be a representation of fertility.

Handmade dolls are given to a young girl in February in a glass case, which is displayed prominently until March 3, then put away until next year (leaving them up on March 4 is believed to be unlucky and result in a late marriage for daughter). In many areas, the maternal grandparents still present the dolls.

This concludes today's daily cultural lesson. Enjoy!

[my-plastic-life]

It's January 11, which means it's time for kagami biraki!

To conclude the Japanese New Year celebrations, kagami biraki, literally meaning "opening the mirror" or breaking of the mochi, is typically held on January 11. The term "kagami" translates to "mirror," and "biraki" means "opening" or "to break." The ceremony involves removing the round-shaped mochi from the family altar and breaking them into smaller pieces before cooking them in dessert or soup to enjoy. Eating the mochi symbolizes a prayer for health and good fortune in the New Year.

To break open the ornamental mochi, one should never cut it with a knife. The action is a reminder of ritual disembowelment from ancient times, and it is considered a sign of bad luck. For that reason, the customary way to break the mochi is with a wooden hammer or with one’s hands. These days, it's very common for people to buy a plastic decorative kagami mochi at a store, which the small mochi pieces are inside.

Kiku has prepared the mochi for the ceremonial opening - she even found a large wooden hammer like in ancient times. :D

After the mochi is broken open, it's customary to cook the smaller pieces in dessert or soup. A common dish is zenzai, which is red bean soup with mochi. That's what Kiku went for this year!

Time to enjoy that soup! Mmmm

[my-plastic-life]

Do you have a favorite fruit? Kiku loves all thing strawberry! From the berry itself to strawberry shortcake to strawberry ice cream to strawberry milk, she’s gotta have it! And her wardrobe reflects her love of the little red berry, too!

Strawberry milk (very popular in Japan!), strawberry patterns on her toast, and strawberry jam:

Strawberry cereal and jam:

Sliced and whole berries:

Strawberry mochi, mmmm:

Now that summer is here, it’s a great time to break out this adorable outfit!

Aren’t these shoes the cutest?!

Matching clutch:

Stopping by Baskin Robbins for some strawberry ice cream:

When you can’t decide between a clutch and a backpack, you bring both :D

Even bedtime is sweet! :D She’s got a strawberry nightgown and strawberry plushies:

Strawberry shortcake Aphmau cat:

Strawberry Squishmallow:

[my-plastic-life]

New doll diorama is up! This one took a while because there are lots of props, plus I had to decide on the perfect design. :D

Have you ever been to a themed cafe? They're very common in Japan, ranging from anime to video games to role play. Some are permanent, others are pop up (temporary). The interiors are always completely decorated in the theme, and the food is also designed in accordance with the theme. Most of these places also have gift shops where you can purchase exclusive items ranging from stationary to clothes to figures to plushies, all revolving around the cafe's theme. So fun!

I tend to always do things in themes, so this was right up my alley. I just knew I wanted to make my own Japanese themed cafe diorama. There is no shortage of options, but I decided on a Gudetama cafe. Gudetama is a Sanrio character, and his name literally means "lazy egg." This adorable little egg can be seen in a variety of scenarios, usually being prodded to not be lazy. It's quite amusing! I looked up actual Gudetama cafes so I could make my design as authentic as possible. Almost all of them featured bright yellow walls in a variety of patterns with huge wall decals of the star character on them. Smaller wall art was also common, and the wood floors even had a yellowish hue to them to finish off the look. Statues and figures were also prominent, so I placed a white cube shelf in the scene to hold some of my mini Gudetama items I've had for a long time (didn't even have to buy new stuff for this scene!), as well as the menus and place mats that I made. I also painted all the chairs yellow (they were originally purple) and painted the table base white (they were pink). The booth is borrowed from the Licca-chan revolving sushi set.

So here we have a group of dolls enjoying the themed goodies! All the food items are from Re-Ment, and the sets included a lot more - I just couldn't fit any more dolls in there LOL. And of course, this being Japanese themed, I had to use my Azone dolls. They're a better fit for these chairs and tables anyway since they're not as tall as Barbie, so they fit her size furniture better than she does LOL. Plus - interchangeable hands! YES!

Overview of the diorama showing all the wall art and designs:

Left plate: Curry. Right plate: Ramen.

Curry:

Ramen:

Of course ani-ME is on the dessert :D

Left plate: Cake & ice cream. Right plate: Parfait.

Cake & ice cream:

Parfait:

Left plate: Hot cakes (aka pancakes). Right plate: Kanitama (crab omelet).

Hot cakes (aka pancakes):

Kanitama (crab omelet):

Left plate: Ramen, fried egg, & salad. Right plate: Butatamadon (pork rice bowl).

Butatamadon (pork rice bowl):

Ramen, fried egg, & salad:

Cube with various Gudetama figures/merchandise, plus the menus and place mats I made:

Menu (two-sided) Fun fact: Every single item on the menu is a genuine Re-Ment Gudetama product. I don't have every set, but I included them on the menu anyway:

[my-plastic-life]

It's New Year's Eve! That means it's time for Kiku to savor her toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles). :) This traditional meal is consumed as the last meal of the year. The long strands symbolize the wish for long life, while the firmness to the bite and ease of cutting of soba is associated with the intent to “break off the year” with ease.

[my-plastic-life]

Ready for the New Year God to arrive! Kiku has her shimekazari, kadomatsu, and shimenawa in place!

The shimekazari is a twisted rope consisting of rice straw (shimenawa), zig-zag paper (shide), pine leaves (symbolizing prosperity), and a bitter orange (a symbol of posterity). This ornament is hung on or above a door to ward off bad luck and evil spirits as well as welcome the gods of good luck.

The kadomatsu (pine gate) always come in pairs and are placed at the gate or door of a house, temple, or business. They are an invitation for the New Year God (toshigami) to come down from the sky. The kadomatsu are meant to provide temporary housing for the god. Designs for kadomatsu vary depending on region but are typically made of pine, bamboo, and sometimes plum tree sprigs which represent longevity, prosperity, and steadfastness.

There is also a shimenawa (sacred rope) hanging above the balcony to help ward off evil spirits. All of these little decorations are 100% handmade by me! And each year, I tend to improve them. :D

Shimekazari (top ornament) and shimenawa (rope):

Kadomatsu:

[my-plastic-life]

It's already 2024 in Japan, so I'm late posting these LOL. Kiku finished osouji (the big cleanup) yesterday in preparation for Toshigami! :) She then took a break to look at some of the New Year cards she's received. Happy Year of the Dragon!

Osouji - A deep cleaning of one's household that is believed to clean the home and purify the residence in order to welcome Toshigami, the Shinto deity of the New Year:

Reading and displaying Nengajo (Japanese New Year cards):

[my-plastic-life]

"Itadakimasu." Kiku is enjoying the typical Japanese Christmas Eve meal of KFC! :D And for dessert - the famous strawberry cake!

"Itadakimasu" (I humbly receive)

For dessert - strawberry cake!

[my-plastic-life]

Kiku is finally ready to open her Fukubukuro! These are Japanese lucky bags sold during the New Year by various vendors/stores. Sizes and prices range, and the contents can be anything from food to clothes. The norm used to be that stores would fill bags with overstock and sell them for a huge discount, and while some still do that, it's very common these days for there to be themed lucky bags at certain stores. Some even have signs showing what's inside (as in you're guaranteed a plush, a hat, and a cup, but not which one specifically). This year, Kiku went to a few areas and got a variety of goodies! She also made sure to wear her Pray For Japan shirt due to the New Year's Day earthquake. Let's all pray that the country recovers quickly and that anyone missing is found. Thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones.

Let's open the first bag!

This one had chips and a kendama!

(digging)

How cute is this little sumo wrestler sushi keychain?!

What's in this one?

A variety of hygienic items! We've got shampoo, conditioner, and body soap, as well as travel size kits of lotions and a toothbrush and toothpaste. And Kiku's favorite part, the Kirby bath bomb!

Cute stickers and a new pencil case!

The entire Fukubukuro haul:

[my-plastic-life]

Anyone still working on Halloween candy? I don't mind the extras! :D Do you have a favorite candy bar? In Japan, Kit Kats are the most popular candy bar. There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of different flavors of Kit Kat. Kit Kats were first introduced in Japan 50 years ago, in 1973. Popularity was gained due to the name sounding similar to the phrase Kitto Kattsu (きっと勝つ), which is translated as “You will surely win." So Kit Kats have been associated with good luck for quite some time. Kiku managed to snag several, and she's still munching on them! :D (Yes, she's still wearing her Halloween shirt lol)

[my-plastic-life]

Today's Monday 4 Dolls theme on Instagram is "Sweater Weather." This can mean a few different things. :D

Sometimes it's nice to just hang out on your front porch like Kenleigh, sipping a hot beverage (in this case, hot chocolate - we don't drink coffee lol).

For Kiku, it's about keeping warm under the heated kotatsu table and blanket, turning on the space heater, and cozying up with a good manga... followed by video games! :D

[my-plastic-life]

New doll diorama is up! It's been a while LOL. And I'm still obsessed with all things Japan. :D The current scene takes us to a popular pastime in the Land of the Rising Sun - cat cafes! Cat cafes are literally designed for people to go in and just relax and play with kitties. Yep, that's it! Many also serve food and drinks, and most offer cat toys and treats for you to pamper the kitties with as well. Some places even allow you to adopt a cat from the cafe. The entire area is laid out for the cats to play. You'll find them on various surfaces, and you can sit on a couch or the floor, wherever, and just chill with the furbabies. :D So cute! So I dug out all my old Barbie cats and paired them with my Azone dolls in their adorable cat-themed attire to bring this scene to life! I'm melting in the cuteness - and I'm more of a dog person in real life LOL!!!!

Kiku has found a playful companion!

Maya is holding a treat in her hand to offer this kitty:

She'd better be careful, though - looks like one is after her mochi snack!

"Meow, meow!"

Awwww, looks like someone may be bringing a new friend home:

I don't know if Chiika is playing with this cat or startled that it jumped up behind her LOL

Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur… Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr… admit it, you sang that :D

Uh oh, someone left the treats out!

Playing with the yarn:

[my-plastic-life]

Happy mid-autumn festival! Kiku is participating in the Japanese custom of celebrating a good autumn harvest, as well as tsukimi. Literally called "moon viewing," this Japanese custom dates back to the Heian period (794-1185). Autumn moon viewing has long been a popular pastime in Japan. Traditionally it was a way of expressing gratitude for a good harvest and hopes for similar bounty in the future.

Tsukimi is not only about admiring the moon, but originally a way to pray for good harvest, as the moon’s round shape symbolizes fertility. The full moon is auspicious for a large and successful harvest.

For tsukimi, Japanese people display Japanese pampas grass (susuki) as good luck charms because they look like rice plants. Seasonal products are also offered to the moon. For tonight, Kiku is offering chestnuts and green soybeans. It's also common to display some vegetables like cucumbers and eggplants using bamboo sticks to make them look like animals. Kiku has also done that!

She's also offering the most popular item - the tsukimi dango, or rice flour dumplings. These are offered because each dumpling looks similar to a full moon. They're also arranged a certain way for this occasion. After offering them to the moon, the tsukimi dango are eaten in order to obtain good health and happiness.

Here in the U.S. and Western cultures, we see a "man in the moon." For Japan, it's the "rabbit in the moon." Instead of a man's face, you see a rabbit making mochi (rice cakes). There's an old legend about the origination of the "moon rabbit," including the belief that rabbits originally came from the moon. Oh look, here's one now!

(Sorry, I don't have any Calico Critters or other bunnies that would work, so Easter Kelly will have to suffice lol)

Kiku is embracing her inner "moon rabbit" with her adorable outfit for viewing the moon.

There are several dishes considered to be good luck to eat during tsukimi, and Kiku is making sure to take part! First up is her tsukimi udon noodles topped with a raw egg (the egg symbolizes the full moon).

There is also rabbit-shaped mochi and moon cakes, which are customary to be eaten with family and friends. Kiku's best friend, Miwa, has arrived, and the two will continue to gaze at the moon together while enjoying their treats. Kiku is holding the rabbit mochi, while Miwa has taken a bite out of her moon cake.