Ethnic Dolls

Hearts 4 Hearts Tipi

Hearts 4 Hearts Tipi
13" Hearts 4 Hearts Girls Tipi is a little bit unique in that she comes from Laos in South East Asia, a region which isn't often represented in Asian play dolls. She has long black hair and brown eyes, and her vinyl is light tan as opposed to the usual pale-skinned Asian doll. Her face mold in unique. H4H dolls debuted around 2011 (?) but can be difficult to find at retail stores today. They can still be found at online markets like Amazon and eBay, typically for about $40 - $80, sometimes more. They can also be purchased in used condition on secondary markets for less. Tipi in particular can be hard to find and usually costs more than the average H4H, about $50 - $125, though a diligent buyer may find her for less. 

Global Friends Mariko and Mei Ling

Global Friends Mariko and Mei Ling
13" Global Friends debuted in the late 1990s with 13 (?) dolls, two of whom were Asian: Mariko from Japan, and Mei Ling from China. Both dolls have light beige skin and brown eyes. They share a common face mold with all the other Global Friends dolls. Mei Ling has long, straight black hair originally clipped into hair ornaments. Mariko's black hair is cut in a shorter, bob hairstyle. The dolls are now retired and can be difficult to get, but they will occasionally show up on secondary markets like eBay for about $30 or $70 (sometimes less).

Adora Friends Jasmine and 4Ever Friends Lily

Adora Friends Jasmine and 4Ever Friends Lily
Adora makes Asian dolls in both of their 18" "Friends" collection: Jasmine from "Friends" and Lily from "4ever Friends." Jasmine has a unique face mold but Lily has occasionally shared her face mold with her Caucasian 4Ever Friends buddies. Jasmine and Lily can be found at some toy outlets but more reliably from online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. They can usually be bought for about $30 - $70, although the asking price can be higher. This is more often the case with Jasmine.

    
JASMINE and LILY

Best Friends Club, Ink. Yuko

Best Friends Club Yuko
Best Friends Club, Ink. Yuko is one of the rarest of the retired BFC dolls. She can however still be found on Amazon and on secondary market sites like eBay. Yuko has long black hair and brown eyes. Her face mold is unique. BFC, Ink. dolls are frequently cited as being suitable for older kids and for adult collectors, due to their complex and possibly fragile, highly articulated 18" bodies. So be prepared to shell out around $100 for a new-condition Yuko, though her price can easily range in the $200s.

Today's Girl Leah

Today's Girl Leah
Today's Girl at CP Toys offers two 18" Asian dolls, Leah and Limited Edition Mia. The dolls use the same face mold but come in different outfits. They retail for $39 at the CP Toys site. Incidentally, Leah and Mia have a Canadian twin: Newberry's Asian Lily, sold only through Newberry in Canada (no US shipping) for Asian doll seekers up north. Lily retails for $29 CAD.


TODAY'S GIRL LIMITED EDITION MIA | CANADIAN NEWBERRY LILY

Gotz Precious Day Kimberly | Pottery Barn Kids Mei

Gotz Precious Day Kimberly | Pottery Barn Kids Mei
In 2002, Gotz added several 18" girl dolls to their Precious Day collection, one of them being Asian pouty-faced Kimberly. Kimberly has light skin, dark brown eyes, and long, thick brownish-black hair with bangs. She was retired after only two years so she can sometimes be difficult to find, but she does occasionally show up on secondary markets like eBay. Her cost will vary, usually between $30 - $100.

A very similar doll is Pottery Barn Kids Limited Edition Mei from China, also by Gotz. Mei uses the same face mold as Kimberly, with a slightly slimmer, slightly lower quality Pottery Barn Kids body. Her thinner hair comes styled into two, high, side buns, and is shoulder-length and layered when taken down. Mei, like Kimberly, is retired and difficult to find. Her secondary market cost when in new condition runs similar to Kimberly's, about $30 - $100.

  
GOTZ PD KIMBERLY AND PBK MEI FROM CHINA

Journey Girl Callie

Journey Girl Callie
Callie is Journey Girls' contribution to the Asian doll market. She has a unique face mold from other Journey Girls. She has medium-light skin, brown eyes, and long, straight black hair (the only Journey Girl who has completely straight hair). Callie also has an alternate version offered with fringe/ bangs. She currently retails at Toys R Us for about $40. She can also be gotten on the secondary market for about $30.


ALTERNATE VERSION OF JG CALLIE

Madame Alexander Dolls

Madame Alexander Asian Dolls
Madame Alexander has several Asian dolls to choose from. One of them, a "Favorite Friends" doll with ivory skin, brown eyes, and long, black hair, is retired but can be found on the secondary market for about $10 - $50. Also, a blue-green-eyed fringed "My Life" version of this doll is also available from Walmart, retailing for about $30. She can cost more on secondary markets.


BLUE-GREEN EYED MY LIFE DOLL

Madame Alexander also offered Asian "Play Wonder" doll "Layla," one of two or three "Play Wonder" dolls.  "Play Wonder" dolls have slightly older features compared to other MA 18" dolls, more closely resembling teenagers. They even come with fingernail/toenail polish to enhance the "older girl" idea. Layla, like her Playwonder bffs, was originally sold through Target beginning in 2011. Today she can sometimes be found on Amazon for about $30, and also on the secondary markets for varying (and sometimes inflated) prices.


MADAME ALEXANDER "FAVORITE FRIENDS" ASIAN DOLL AND "PLAY WONDER" LAYLA
 

Our Generation May Lee and Suyin

Our Generation May Lee
Our Generation recently released Asian May Lee, soon followed by Suyin, each of whom have an original Our Generation face sculpt. May has long black hair in pigtails and bangs. Suyin has medium length black hair in pigtails and a side part.

Previous to May Lee and Suyin, Our Generation may have offered few or no Asian dolls, although they are currently both sold through Target and retail for about $25. However not every Target store will carry them and they may need to be ordered through Target's website.

Battat, the company behind the Our Generation dolls, previously offered at least one other Asian doll that is rare to find today. Her name is unknown. She had light skin, brown eyes, and black fringed hair. She can sometimes be found on the secondary market for varying prices.


VINTAGE BATTAT ASIAN DOLL

Battat may possibly have offered other Asian dolls besides this one.

American Girl Ivy Ling

American Girl Ivy Ling
Ivy Ling is an American Girl "Best Friend." She was released with Historical Character Julie Albright in 2007. Ivy uses a modified version of a face mold that was first used for Jess McConnell. Ivy has light skin and brown eyes. She has straight, brownish-black shoulder-length hair with bangs/ fringe. Ivy was retired in 2014. She can be found on the secondary market for about $120 - $180 or more, though lower prices occasionally happen.

For those looking for "multiracial Asian" American Girl dolls, both Jess McConnell  ( Japanese and Scotch-Irish descent) and Kanini Akina ( Japanese-Hawaiian and French-German descent) are available, though retired. They also use this mold.


JESS (L) AND KANANI (R) MULTIRACIAL ASIAN DOLLS

There are also always at least several different "Truly Me" Asian American Girl dolls available through the American Girl doll site. They currently retail for $115.


TRULY ME ASIAN AMERICAN GIRL

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