Just to remind everyone, I treat my dolls as my daughters so I rarely show them naked. For this review, I'll make an exception on the unboxing but once that head is attached, you will never see her naked ever in my post. Just a reminder, I don't use my dolls for sex but for photography so I will stop reviewing the doll for the use.
Okay, for starters, DS Dolls are famous. I've heard of them 4 years ago before I started collecting massive amounts of dolls. They are one of my list on which states "The dolls I will never ever afford..." but who knows that I would get involved into animation and doll hobbies in the last 4 years. I actually now targetting high-ends and this includes Orients on which is on the top of the list of dolls I will never ever get in my life till I die.
So seeing I got my first one, is this what I can say an achievement? Never in my life I spend more than 2k except my drawing devices and computer but for a doll, I never done that. Is it a regret? Nope, I'm confident since the client I have for animation commission paid me 3.5k so I know since I'm full-time with another job, those 3.5k are going to my hobby and you know what that means... DOLLS!
So I made a gamble, I just spent 5k last December getting 4 dolls in total. (1 Sanhui and 3 DH168) And you know what, I actually itch myself to go after the expensive dolls starting 2017 and it is also because of the help of other people in this forum especially "Bud Bundy's" Miyu, I discovered the hidden line up of DS Dolls around EXDoll and ArteTokio. So I did my research and yes, I was please to finally get a DS Doll.
Now that I got my first one, is this the start of my conquest to get for more? Absolutely! If I can buy them all, I would. If I happen to win a lottery, yes, I would buy them all in different skin tones if I must. They're my personal models, why not? They help me make money with photography and selling T-Shirts, why should I not buy them all? But for now, I shall do an intense review about this doll.
My reviews are honest, unbiased, and based on experience. I won't sugarcoat any manufacturer, vendors, etc. for their product if my experience differs. This review is solely for others who are looking to get dolls for their own and if everyone is honest, we can understand each other and we can also help the community including the manufacturer themselves to improve. I wish more detailed reviews comes out.
I'm a doll collector so my reviews will be based off my hobby and expertise with defining my dolls. I might be a critique but that's how to help others improve on things I found interesting.
As usual and to those few who knew me here in TDF, I intend to do a Timeline review with a long stream of photos. Please bare in mind, my reviews will be bad for slow computers. I'm sorry for that. Anyways, let's get on to the review now hehehe.
You can skip my story experience from the timeline if you want to go ahead with reviews and pictures but for some reason, it might interest you how I found out about this doll and I was clueless what kind of doll she is and who sell her so you would experience it with me my struggle of asking questions before I decide my purchase.
WARNING!! THIS IS A COLOSSAL MADNESS LONG REVIEW TIMELINE WITH MASSIVE PICTURES.
PREPARE YOUR SCROLLING WHEEL TO SCROLL DOWN FURTHER!!
AND SOME POPCORN C:
Don't worry, all pictures are in JPG and resized so you're only loading a total of 50mb estimate. I promised!!
Timeline:: Dec. 12, 2015 (3:37AM) Discovery of Arte Aoi also known as DS Nina
Like all history of my doll collections are, they all begins in Pinterest but this one begins as I search for more pictures of DH161cm Aoi. She barely have photos online but as I search deeper, I found a different version of Aoi. I asked and asked about what is the doll on the picture and I also PM some members in TDF for the questions but I guess, no one knows about that doll photos until I saw a twitter link as a landmark on one of the picture. It's Aoininyan. https://twitter.com/aoininyan/media I checked her gallery and it was the same doll that named Aoi and has more pictures. I asked her in a PM but all I gotten is a link to ArteTokio. And this is when I discovered Arte Aoi. I was looking for DH161cm Aoi but now I ended up searching for Arte Aoi and the moment I keep looking at her pictures online, I started to like her expression of both cute and silly. As I browse the Arte website, I discovered a familiar DS dolls in there so I was puzzled, is ArteTokio a vendor or a manufacturer? I browse through TDF with no result until I found a review of "Von_Shredhead" with the title Introducing ... Nina von Shredhead! (Custom DS145cm).
From that point, I finally discovered about few weeks of lurking around, it was a DS Doll under the name DS Nina however I learned they stop selling her on DS US due to some issues. Because of this, I became curious on how to get DS Nina because she looks quite hard to obtain now.
Timeline:: Jan. 06, 2017 (9:42AM) My desperation to know where to get DS Nina.
I just wish everyone would point me that X/S George actually sells one but whoever I asked on TDF is either not informed or don't really know. In my desperation to know, I lurked the Used Doll section of TDF on buyer Thread on which you buy used doll. There are sellers like "Patbutter" who until now still awaits for his Nina to be picked up and others that sell their doll but rarely reply to my PMs about my interest.
I almost closed to getting Patbutter's Nina only that he wanted pickups from SoCal instead of shipping so I really had no choice since I work full-time and don't want to travel in person. In total desperation, I even posted my own "Wanted 145minus Nina" on the wanted thread, just to see who has what I want however, they all directed me to an existing sale.
Because of this, I really went back to DS US and asked direct question again since John refused to sell DS Nina before when I asked so I need help from different member like "Bud Bundy", "Samara78" and "Von_Shredhed" including the right customization for the doll. I have a friend by the name "Guest7" who also appeared interest with the same doll and also aid me with my purchasing plans. I didn't know he ordered the doll a week before my despair. I felt kinda stupid for not asking him first though.
Timeline:: Jan. 09, 2017 (3:47AM) Inquiry about DS 145Minus Nina
I thought DS won't sell me DS Nina, thanks to "Guest7" I had my hopes of getting her finally. This is the day I'm making an inquiry and will pay any amount just to get her shipped. At first, I was totally lost about how John talks. Sometimes I just can't understand him since he kept offering me DS158 or higher but I want DS145 so it's very hard to catch up to him until he said he can ship her but only if it's separate shipment. It took both of us until Jan. 11 (because he reply so late like 1 day per reply) before he sent me the total amount for the doll.
Now for the pricing, I will give the estimate since most Manufacturers don't want it shared but I'll share you the estimate amount and it varies. The 145 doll cost 1.5k (oh sweet, it's cheap...) not really... it's 1.5k plus the 500 shipping. Okay, so that's 2k. John sent me the 500 initial payment through invoice and after I paid it, he given the next value I need to pay when the doll is done. What a surprised, it was back to 2k, I was like "Hey man, I paid 500, so should it be my left over be 1.5k? He was like "Oh, there's 4.4% paypal fee..." Wow! I'm actually pulling out joints for 2.5k which is actually not so bad after all, the actual DS Nina is around 2.7k so I'm good with 1.5k amount.
Here's my specs given for my DS Nina 145Minus::
Body type/style : DS145 minus
Head : Nina (Aoi)
Eye color : Brown
Skin Color : Light-Pink
Joint type : Tight
Finger bones/wires : Yes
Finger/Toe Nails : Yes
Pubic Hair : No
Wig choices : Black wig
Eyes Move: Yes
I told him "I want the doll similar to this picture"
At that time I was offered a shipment of UPS and TNT for separate package but I during that time "Von_shredhed" adviced me to go DHL since DHL has no issues afar from seizures and/or customs stealing packages.
I even told John to go Fedex but he said the shipping company can only ship with UPS or TNT. So I demanded DHL instead if he can't go Fedex which we agree on for both packages.
Timeline:: Jan. 18, 2017 (2:55PM) CNY Delay
I was informed that my doll won't make it before CNY but that's the last time I heard from him. I never gotten a response after that.
Timeline:: Feb. 3, 2017 (6:38AM) Your doll is finished! Factory Photos!!
After 2-3 weeks of silence from John, I was worried what happened to my doll. I know it's CNY so the production is halted, turns out, the doll is finished before CNY only that they somehow forgotten about me or postponed since they already know the delay that will happen during CNY.
Still, he given me factory photos that seems had been taken around Jan 17 - Jan 23:: "Click the picture for high quality"
After he given this factory photos he sent the invoice of 2k. I told him to partial the invoice by activating the partial pay for paypal so I can pay with multiple cards. There's no way I can pay by credit with that amount. My spending limit for Paypal creditcard is $999 per day so literally no way to pay higher without using 3 cards and I don't know how to bypass the spending limit on my paypal so yeah. What I did was, go to Send Money on Paypal and copy the invoice email and send the payment in there. He received it and he didn't question my method. I told him to do that on the invoice so I cancelled the invoice after I pay via send money. (In other words they don't have invoice record.)
I also asked him to provide me Skin tones samples if he's willing to give me some for free. He just said yeah lol
Timeline:: Feb. 6, 2017 (6:38AM) Your doll is shipped, DHL for the body, UPS for the head... UPS???
Okay so I'm so happy, she's finally shipped!! I got the before shipment photos to make sure I get the same out of the box.
"Click the picture for high quality"
I was asking him if the silicone samples are in there and I felt ignored.
I was constantly bugging John to send me the tracking already. I got the UPS tracking first but the DHL takes like 3 days before I get the tracking on which is Feb. 9 before I started tracking DHL.
Timeline:: Feb. 13, 2017 (7:25AM) DHL arrived first however... Duties?
I was excited that DHL arrived first and clear customs fine. That's one last thing to worry about and I trust DHL does better job that everyone recommend them when I get DS Dolls however, I didn't know I have to pay custom duties. Basically, of all dolls I bought, only DS declare their doll at full price. Anything above $800 is hit with 4.4% total value. In my case I have to pay $93 so that means the total declaration is $2.1k. So after the payment, I checked that the tracking still state "Shipment Held - Available upon receipt of payment" but I paid already, dafuq DHL? So I called them and asked why is it not shipped yet. This guy told me that usually the payment takes upto 24hrs. to be received... huh? dafuq? What the hell is this? Year 2000? This is 2017, it should be instant now. The guy was just sorry and said my package should be delivered tomorrow. Great job DHL, and here I am hoping I'll received the body first today. Anyhow, the head from the UPS arrives tomorrow so at least I'm getting two birds in one stone. I wish I can pay their duties in advance. Around 10 evening of this date, UPS cleared the customs. Great job UPS.
Timeline:: Feb. 14, 2017 (10:36AM) DHL Shipment on Hold - MAD REACTION
Okay, this worries me. In the description, it says, "Waiting for the next movement." So I thought to myself, hmmm... maybe waiting for a truck? So I waited until 11pm, it's still on hold so I called DHL again. They told me that the driver forgotten to pick up my package and sorry about it but I should expect it tomorrow..... FORGOTTEN!!!! I was in rage, how can you forget that DAMN BIG BOX!! HOW!!!! So they told me, if I really wanted it today, I can pick it up... Really? From PalmSprings to Ontario, that's 2-3hrs. drive and I'm waiting for my UPS package, screw that. So I called DHL Ontario and pissed off. I told the manager to Priority my package tomorrow due to delay and make it the first stop of the truck. The manager was like "Okay, I'm really sorry about that." Okay, that sounds good, priority tomorrow and first stop. Since they start loading at 10am, I should expect my doll around 1pm - 2pm... (I work at 4pm tomorrow so they better arrive or no one will sign for it.)
Timeline:: Feb. 14, 2017 (4:53PM) UPS Head arrive, Sayumi on SH165+
On the other note of my enrage mood, I was quite welcomed by the UPS who in my area is much friendlier than USPS. I like UPS however only TDF members made me hate using them for DS Doll due to seizure and this is why I went to DHL as recommended.
So Sayumi's box arrive finally!!! Let's lay out the tracking!!
Box has a bit of damage but the interior is magically untouched.
Here's whats inside the box. Magically, I have two wigs. (Let me check my specs again... oh BoNUS!!)
The head is completely wrapped like an armor. Really great job for protection. Most of my dolls come in a bag but this one comes with a packed armor.
Glad that the shell takes off rather quickly but I'm impress with the way they wrap the head. Please keep this up DS.
Okay so I don't have a body. Great, now my excitement is killed. I wanna try something out just so I can put Sayumi a small glance of home.
Kincliu, won't you mind lending your body for a bit? She's silicone so I guess it's natural partners lol.
Kincliu: "Fine but make it quick."
Little she knows, I will have to keep her until Sayumi's body arrives.
It seems that Sanhui160 and above head and DS145 head are at the same size. Oh hoot!!
What a discovery, plug and play, I didn't need an adapter, she fits on SH165+ perfectly.
That's the gap between the SH165+ neck and DS145 head.
The more I shoot this photos the more she became huggable.
Alright, let's play some wig style.
This is the other wig that came with her.
Grrrrr.... ARF!!! ARFF!!!!!!! GRRR..... ARF!!!!
She looks like an angel with SH wig. AWESOME!!!
Okay, Sanhui works well, does WM or any TPE stand a chance. Let's borrow yours Chia.
Switchy witchy!!
Dang, that marker stained her... grrrr....
Let's put a pen. This should able Sayumi to fit in. Remember TPE is bad against Silicone. Silicone melts TPE.
Oh wow, it's possible with pen haha lol
Now WM bodies looks great too!!
Let's get back to SH165+ after this fun things I'm doing, I kinda forgotten my rage about the DHL. It feels that I'm content with her being in the SH165 body lol
Her tongue is way too small.
Comparison to Sanhui tongue.
Haha, she's more goofy with Sanhui tongue. Best hybrid ever!!!
Le eat some icecream xD
With Sanhui tongue, she can feel the true ice cream.
With her tongue, you have to shove the ice cream on her face hahaha
This is so fun. Each time I take a photos of her, I squeal haha she's so cute!!
The black wig that I asked for. Similar to the stocked photos and factory photos given.
Kincliu: "*sigh* I thought it would be quick, it's 5am and he still spending time with Sayumi Hybrid..."
Poor Cliu, haha
The way her proportion on 165+ fits really well for a petite Sanhui. Really awesome combination.
It's like her 145 version is 18 while this 165+ makes her more 21. I really like the combination. Which they make a petit 145 and stretched it to 165 with a cup, best dream ever.
Timeline:: Feb. 15, 2017 (7:10AM) All night til morning playing with Sayumi + Cook Sayumi
I was playing dress with Sayumi til morning of Feb 15. I work at 4pm so I need to be sleeping soon however, I can't stop dress her up. I even dress her up with one of my old culinary uniform when I was still a cook. Since I'm a chef now, she wants to work for me. I even made a badge for her to make her look like my cooks at the deli. Totally awesome! It feels like a new hiree hahaha
Sayumi: Let me work with you Papa, I'm ready to cook!
Sayumi: I'll make you and the customers happy!
Sayumi: I'll cook something for you to prove it.
Sayumi: You think I'm kidding, I'm ready for this.
Sayumi: Got my badge, I can totally work now.
Sayumi: Am I hired?
She really looks adorable on that uniform. I'm really going to buy a culinary uniform for specific for her.
Sayumi: Are you hungry perhaps?
Sayumi: I'll make your breakfast if you want before you go to bed.
Sayumi: How about omelets and hashbrowns?
I'm really hungry at the time of this shooting and each time I look at her, she's like asking to cook something for me xDD
Sayumi: Tada!!! How about a taste of Oxtail soup in the morning?
Sayumi: Here, sip some.
Oh!! Delicious Sayumi. Didn't know you can cook Korean dish haha
Sayumi: See I told you!!
Sayumi: So did I pass?
Then I told her, "You can't sugarpie, you're too precious for the job but Papa is used to it." She gave me a snub look and gave me a IDC
Sayumi: BEH!!! Meanie!!
Sayumi: Oh well, I'll can still be your home personal cook teehee!!
She's biting her lips haha
She's so adorable at any angle.
And then she took of the hat and the uniform.
It's 9am, I have to sleep so I can wake up at two to get the package from DHL since they said it's priority so I expect her at 1-2pm. Can't wait...
Timeline:: Feb. 15, 2017 (6:34PM) DHL Close call, got the body *sigh*
Okay so I thought I would expect a package as early since the manager promised priority for so much delay already however they didn't keep up with the promised. This move frustrates me. Before I go to work at 4pm, I call DHL Ontario and you know what happens next. The manager was like this and that daily route, and that.... "I just drop the call." I'm just wasting my time. If the sticker comes in, I'll just sign it. Here goes another delay I guess.
So around 6:15PM, I took my first break. It was getting pretty much busy at the deli but my cooks can handle it. They already went on their breaks so I have to go to the office and do some paper works. Actually, I skip, I went home which is 10min drive from where I work. Just in time, I saw the DHL guy lifting a box carrying it back to the car. So I actually made it home before that DHL guy leaves.
What an idiot, who carries the whole box all the way to the door without knocking first? He was gasping for breathe lifting it back and I was like "WTF, why would you do that." He mentioned waiting 5 minutes before he take the box back. I understand why he would do that. He's all the way from Ontario, CA to PalmSprings, that's really rough but kinda funny how stupid he lift the entire box without checking if someone is actually there lol. Can't he see all the lights are off?
Anyhow, I got the package so I asked him, "Hey, why so late?" He said, he finished his route before going for the last delivery. Okay, this is to say, DHL never keeps their promise. I had worst day with them and I will never use them again if that's the case. Fedex can do more than screw your day.
Anyhow, let's put all those anger aside and let me put this box inside my room and I need to go back to work. I director is probably wondering where I gone off too lol
Timeline:: Feb. 16, 2017 (1:24AM) Unboxing Finally the DS145Minus
Tired after work, it keeps me really up just thinking about unboxing the box. So I stayed, charge my phone for camera and around 1am I started setting up the camera and make this review. FINALLY, let's see the body.
This box is massive but not heavy. The DHL guy looks mascular and taller than me and around his 30s but man, he's struggling to lift that? lol I guess he was just tired haha
I heard about this green label before, I hope they didn't open her.
The scent of opening new box or at least the DS Facility before she was shipped lol
Just like in the preshipment photos, she was wrapped in sleeping bag. When I went to Von's Nina review, there's a lot of styro so I hope the body was okay with the sleeping bag. (I hate styros but that's the only way I think of making her very protective but a sleeping bag could be a best experiment. Besides... FREE SLEEPING BAGS!!!! HAHA
Ohhh... manual, who reads manual? I hope it's not in Chinese lol the last time I got a manual, it's written in Chinese. It's okay, I don't read it anyways. haha
She was tighten with some sort of velcro.
Oh so here's the silicone sample. I was wondering if it he really put it with Sayumi.
I'm testing the skin tone to Sanhui pink skin. Indeed, the Lpink skin tone is compatible with Sanhui pink. Awesome.
Okay I hope I'm not mistaken but I don't see the brown silicone here or I might have missed it? I know the top left is Lpink, top right is white, bottom left is yellow skintone and buttom right looks exactly like the yellow skin tone. IDC, brown looks more chocolate but it didn't appear in here.
Okay, let's unwrap her body from the sleeping bag. I'll put her out the way she was in the bag.
OMG!! The neck is bent. *Panics*
This is what her body is outside that bag.
The neck is bent bad, I should call 9 wang wang...
I'm looking for slight damage if there's any. The cover on her wee wee part can stay there. I won't use her for sex so I hope all dolls come with something like to protect them from custom confiscation and stuffs.
Finger wires No?
Finger wires Yes!
Whew, that's so simple. All I have to do is align it like that lol. I made a big deal about that haha.
This is the butt part. I thought DS don't have buttholes lol
Her body like her face is smooth and soft. When you drag your hand on her smooth surface, it feels like dragging it on a glass mirror, no frictions or anything while at the same time super smooth. Okay this is the last we can see her naked. Once I put her lingerie on, I'll put the head as well.
Let's take off the foot bandages.
No sign of damages! It's fully cured sir!
Okay, I'll get her setup for dress mode.
Let's volt...
... IN!!
Here she goes! In her actual body. I just noticed something, is she actually Lpink? Hmmm...
Whoa!! This is both White and Lpink Sample, it seems to me, she's white skin... what really?
Here's the four sample, White, Lpink, Yellow, and supposed Brown skin tone and I swear am not colorblind, she's white skin. If she's really Lpink, where's the white sample? And if she's really Lpink, what's the lpink sample is? An inbetween color between Lpink and yellow skin tone?
I think I can see a slight difference now. The head feels and look Lpink but the body is white? Ehe? I'm so confused. I'm glad I had these samples...
Here's the Sanhui wig. It's really good on her. See the difference? Lpink head, white body. That's it, I call it!! I got a wrong skin tone?
There's a way out of this though, an artistic way out of it. Blending tones of pink to the white but too risky for the new body.
Or maybe it's the lighting? But the samples already convinced me, she's white skin tone. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!!!?
Okay, enough of that puzzle, let's just powder her and move on.
I don't know, she looks naturally lpink but the silicone samples are really trying to make me feel... argghhh..
Alright, let's put her clothing finally.
WHERE'S WALDO? This is very hard. Ahhh!!! Found him... erhmmm.. her I mean xD
She looks adorable with glasses haha
I found Waldine!! xD
Can her hands rotate?
It can go up.
Down
But it can't rotate. Sanhui can, can't the DS... That's disappointing....
UPDATE:: Her wrist does rotate. Just put it up and twist gently. I discovered it by accident. It was a different joint mechanism.
Her head measurement, it's 7.8cm
And that's the end of the photostream!!!
THANK YOU FOR STAYING TIL THE END OF THE PHOTOSTREAM!!
VERDICT
Grading:: (+) Positive / (-) Negative / (=) In between PosNeg
::Service::
5/10
+ Positive Customer Service
= informative
= Communication
= Payment
- Limited Shipment Choice
- Fees/Tax/Duties
- Few Customer Choice
- Partially Active
::Appearance::
9.5/10
+ Textured Skin
+ Detailed Makeup
+ Detailed Designs for body parts
+ Detailed Face design
+ Easy to manipulate eyes
+ Very life-like overall
+ Well proportioned
= Slight skin lumps
- Partial mouth interior
- Mistaken Skintone?
::Impression::
9.8/10
+ Flexible joints
+ Easy Movement
+ Removable tongue
+ Standing Feet without Screws
+ Correct placement of Vagina
+ Correct Anatomy
+ Bit lighter
+ Smooth Glassfelt Skin
+ Soft Skin
+ Sleeping bags
= No Styros
- No Doll kits
::Experience::
10/10
+ Undamaged
+ Photo-perfect
+ Model
+ Companion
+ Partner
Score Total: 34.3/40 (86%/100%) or (8.6/10)
:FINAL VERDICT:
8.6/10
DOLL APPROVAL!!!
::Note to DollSweet::
I kinda wish you guys open up more shipping options. Also communications are pretty slow at times and information provided is kinda cut off. Also payment via invoice should have availability of partial payment or we'll end up sending money the other way. Anything else? Well there's a lot but one major selling point, please use Fedex. The customer pays the shipping anyways so why shy it away. There's rare issues with Fedex and they're very professional in handling packages, why not use them? That's all.
More pictures of Sayumi coming soon.
Thanks for reading!
Sayumi is my 2nd Silicone Doll and also my 10th Lifesize dolls. (I count my dolls by head, not by body.) I have 7 body but 10 heads.
--------------
DS145Minus Lpink Nina acquired! YES!!!
Next target:: Yellow Skin Saki DS145minus, Yellow Skin Ako DS145cm, OI Saori Ange
RJ