Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Review: New Scaremester Jinafire Long

Picture it: Japan, 1990. A certain cone bra-wearing pop star is set to open her world tour at Chiba Marine Stadium, but torrential downpours are quite literally putting a damper on things. What to do -- cancel the show or soldier on somehow? To quote said pop star, "Just put on your Vogue costume. Put your jacket on and that's your costume for the night." And the show went on. Today's review is my Vogue costume and jacket. There aren't nearly as many pictures as usual for this review, and they're not as specific to what I'm critiquing. Between the two teasers I posted you've actually already seen many of these. But it's been storming 'round here lately (metaphorically, of course), and a full scale photo shoot just wasn't in the cards. Luckily the written portion should be about on par with the usual reviews. (Oh, and if you want to see the 1990 tour in question, just watch Truth or Dare. That or take a look at pretty much anything Lady Gaga has ever "created". Zing!) Anyway, on with the review!




Back when Jinafire Long and Skelita Calaveras were introduced via last year's Scaris: City of Frights themed line, many -- including myself -- wondered if we would ever see these characters in doll form again. And beyond that, we wondered if/when new dolls came, would they be basics or themed dolls? Although the Scaris dolls did feel strongly tied to that line, they also seemed kind of basic-y, you know? As we now know, Skelita has returned in the form of an Art Class doll. And even more excitingly, Jinafire is back, too -- and she is indeed a new signature/basic doll!




As part of the New Scaremester line, Jinafire has transferred to Monster High alongside Catrine DeMew. Clawdeen is their Goodwill Ambassador, helping them acclimate to the exciting new world they're entering. Rather than a diary, Jina comes with a planner that includes a map of the school and a minimalist, but very pretty, centerfold of doodles. Probably my favorite thing about Jina's planner, however, is the cover itself. An oval frame contains a drawing of that devilish little monster face we saw on her Scaris doll's headpiece, and the frame is topped by a skullette featuring scales on it's "scalp". It's very cute.









Being a designer, Jina has a good eye not just for clothes but also accessories and makeup. This comes through on both of her dolls. For her relocation to Monster High, Jina wears bold green eyeliner that encircles the eye. It splits dramatically at the outer edge, mimicking the fins of her tail. It is surrounded by matte eyeshadow in lime. Her wine-colored lips have a moderate shine to them, a nice contrast to the lime and lemon striped irises of her eyes. As expected, her pupils are a vertical slit -- she's a dragon, after all. The two-tone green eyeshadow and liner is a bold choice and stands out just a tad more than her Scaris doll's purple eyeshadow. It's also the first of many instances of that Scaris purple being replaced by various hues of green. Perhaps most importantly, the shadow matches her irises to a "T", and combined with her green hair give Scaremester Jina a slightly more realistic -- in doll terms -- dragon vibe.





Speaking of hair, Jina's comes in the same colors as her Scaris doll's hair -- bold green with thin black streaks. It actually seems to have the same part as her Scaris doll: on her left, with the right-hanging portion banded in front of her ear. However, I never took my Scaris doll's hair down so I can't say that with 100% accuracy. All of Jina's hair has been pulled into a thick ponytail to her back-right. Unlike the Scaris doll, NS Jina's hair has an ever-so-mild wave throughout. Like her outfit, this hairstyle is equal parts formal and casual.





Jina's strength as a designer is seen in her ability to use prints that feel vintage and modern at the same time, and in cuts that are hip but never "trend-chase-y". Jina's clothes always feel classic to me. Her top, for instance, takes cues from Halston, but with the eclecticism of von Furstenberg. Black ribbon featuring a print of shining gold, abstract flames and spikes wraps her neck from her right. It gives way to a smooth knit of lime emblazoned with diagonal, purple flames. Thick, black ribbon featuring the same print as the neck piece hugs her torso. The top is paired with ruby red, denim-look pants. The red is shiny except for punk-inspired dry splotches scattered throughout. Midway down the shin the red denim gives way to a much softer material featuring a grid of black hearts against a shining gold backdrop. In a clever touch, this heart print closely resembles dragon scales. The only problem I have with these pants is the same problem I have with all MH denim-look pants: it's virtually impossible to keep the Velcro fastened. Especially when you have her tail attached. But no matter, these things are gorgeous! They match the top well thanks to the black and gold, while the contrast of the ruby red with the lime and purple of the top keeps everything eclectic and funky. Mmm, couture -- you do it so well when you really try, Mattel. Kudos!






Each of Jina's worn accessories all come in one solid color, a choice that could be seen as a disappointment until you realize that going all paint-happy on them probably would've made the overall look a little too busy. Her earrings are orange and come in the shape of Chinese lanterns. There is some moderately detailed molding encircling the bulb. Her shimmering, emerald heels rest on the hooves of fully molded qilins. These are beautiful shoes but they're a bit squishy and I have trouble keeping them on her feet. Otherwise -- yeah, they're pure win. Matching them is her simple beaded bracelet. We've seen these a million times now. Still, it's better to have this simple piece than no bracelet at all. And it plays perfectly with her lime top and bold hair.





Jina carries an orange purse with small gold embellishments that's shaped like a fan. It features a black shoulder strap that rotates in its sockets. And yes, the purse does function! Hooray! Her last accessory is an orange Trapper-Keeper style folder (are we back in Picture Day?), with a dramatic gold dragon dancing across the front. It snaps in back under a skullette tab.





Overall: It ain't all sunshine and roses. As I mentioned, keeping her pants Velcro'd is nigh impossible and her shoes have a knack for falling off almost constantly. Her tail doesn't always stay in as it should, either. Although she has all those same wonderfully creative body mods that blew my mind on her Scaris doll, overall NS Jina feels just a tad cheaper. The plastic feels lighter, the shimmer of her skin just a little less luminescent. Okay then, so what's good about this doll? Everything else. She has a bold faceup that cleverly plays on her dragon theme and smartly matches her hair and elements of her outfit. And about that outfit -- wow! I adore the playful prints, the lux textures. It works perfectly as a signature outfit for a fashion designer. It's couture done in a light, casual way. If I were to ever meet a Chinese dragon girl in real life I can't picture her in anything else but this, it all works so perfectly. Indeed, I would hope this is exactly what she would be wearing. (And that she'd think I'm totally cool and wanna hang out. Hey, I ain't ashamed to admit I'd wanna be this girl's BFF!) Even though overall I prefer her Scaris doll, New Scaremester Jinafire is a more than worthy followup. Color me pleased.




27 comments:

  1. I kind of prefer this to her Scaris doll- that one, though admittedly gorgeous, was just way too stereotypically Asian, whereas this reminds me of some sort of doll-version of those trendy Asian-fusion restaurants. If only her damn (/awesome) shoes would stay on >_<

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    1. Hi Kirsten! Glad to see you back! :D I've heard others say the same about Scaris Jina, that she's just a touch too stereotypical. So I can definitely respect your opinion on these two dolls. For me it all came down to overall quality, and I just feel like, in terms of manufacturing, the Scaris doll is the winner. Like I said in the review, she just feels a little nicer, a little more substantial (if that makes any sense), to me. But I can see why others would prefer the newer doll. Thanks for stopping by again!

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    2. The new Jina is quite beautiful but the real beauty is her Scaris version. And it's precisely because of her more traditional look. The hairstyle on the Scaris version is more elaborate and elegant, and so's the outfit. Then again, I'm a huge fan of traditional Asian culture so I might be a bit biased. I love the NS Jinafire quite a lot but I prefer the SN version. One of my top 10 MH dolls.

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    3. I think Jina overall is just a really strong character in terms of her design. She's a dragon and Mattel has managed to capture that perfectly, her body mods and general beauty put her way up there among the very best MH dolls to date. And since she's a fashion designer that means her clothes will always have a fashion forward yet classic feel to them. Basically what I'm saying is, unless Mattel gets careless with her designs, she's always going to deliver beautiful dolls in great outfits. I can see why people would prefer NS over Scaris but I'm right there with you Tristan, Scaris is the doll for me.

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    4. BTW Tristan, did you catch my Sofia Petrillo homage there at the beginning? ;)

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    5. Don't worry, handsome. I sure did! ;-)
      Brought back so many souvenirs. Ah, the good old days!

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    6. If only I could've worked in a cheesecake reference. I guess consider this comment said reference ;)

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  2. this is a great doll and im going to definitely add her to my collection i have the original jina and this jina i just want because when i got the original jina i thought i wonder what she would look like as a basic doll and not related to scaris and then poof here she is and i got to say im impressed i love the green and i love that she looks true to her heritage but also very american it is a great basicy doll and i love her face up this NS line is really turning out great

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    1. Yeah, this doll totally works as a basic. I do feel her Scaris doll already felt kind of like a basic/signature doll, but the NS doll does too, even more so. Her green-heavy faceup really pops, and that outfit is just, I dunno, it's just so perfect for her. I hope they keep her designs as high quality as the first two dolls, because she definitely delivers when it comes to fun, funky fashion that also feels kind of timeless.

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  3. also jina's hair always looks so great... it is surprising that mattel can pull off hair styles like hers and then not be able to pull off a nice operetta hair style or a curly lagoona style

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    1. I know right! That whole situation with Oppy's hair just really confuses me. So often her dolls would be *perfect*, except for the horrible hair texture! With Lagoona, when her hair is straight it's pretty amazing, but like you point out, it's when they make it curly that problems arise. That said, even when it's not perfect I still tend to like Lagoona's curly hair. Her BC doll is a great example of that. At least on Jina they're getting it right so far.

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    2. Dudes, one of my biggest dreams for MH in 2014 is to get an Operetta with long and smooth, silky hair. She's way overdue. And something more elaborated too. I also want a Spectra with a nice and more complicated hairstyle ( and needless to say, dark faceup, on the original facemold). All the ghouls should get at least one very curly haired doll.

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    3. I really don't get it. They have to know her hair texture is kinda crap and everybody hates it. Surely they can find some bold red saran that doesn't feel like it's been scrubbed with sandpaper. Oy. I'm honestly pretty happy with Spectra in general aside from the Fountain of Youth facemold, but some really unexpected colors every now and then would be nice. Give her black lips, silver eyeshadow with black liner, dark, bold. Stuff like that. Curls are always appreciated, especially when they're well-manufactured.

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    4. Completely agree with you, my dear. It puzzles me why they keep delivering Oppy with bad hair. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her upcoming Black Carpet doll... but I still doubt there'll be a change. As for Spectra's palette of faceup colors, oh yes! No pink. Never. Some black and silver would be amazing. I'd love a deep, shimmery lilac. But it has to be deep. Same for the hairstyle. A little bit of audacity could go a long way. Maybe black streaks? Or even a dark, icy blue.

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    5. Those are all great ideas. I totally agree about Spectra -- go dark, bold. Light shades aren't always Spectra's friend. She's a dramatic ghoul and her face as such should match. Black streaks in her hair would have a 99.9% chance of giving me LIFE.

      As for BC Oppy, the design is *amazing*. So unique and interesting, possibly even more than her Kohl's doll. But even in the NYCC pics you can kinda tell the texture of her hair is still that same ratty, dry texture. That said, after the New Stars, she's still my number one priority of the new stuff (alongside CB Frankie, of course).

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    6. Hey handsome!!!
      We were just talking about getting a Spectra with black streaks...
      Go to my tumblr and to my blog and you'll get a very pleasant surprise... ;-)
      I'm quite excited, right now!

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    7. IKR! She's looking much better compared to that NYCC mess. Being a Spectra completist she would've wound up in my collection either way, but at least now I'll be looking at a pretty good face and black-streaked hair (!!!) when she reaches my shelves.

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  4. I love it when they give dolls tiny trousers or tights! I have Barbie shorts where the velcro doesn't work any more, and replaced it with a single snap. A couple of MH dresses are awaiting the same treatment because the velcro was sewn on crooked or too tight and I can't bear clothes that don't fit. You don't need much skill to sew the snap, do it from the little holes to the edge, not from one hole to the other (to show minimal stitching on the good side); go around a couple of times, close the other half, stick a pin through the middle, open the snap, sew the other half the same way. Hem a little where you ripped the stitching and enjoy! To make the shoes stay on, have you tried socks? Otherwise a really cool doll!

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    1. Wow, those are some great tips, BK! I'm not very crafty but those sound like things even I could do :) In particular with the pants, I've gotta give it a try. None of the MH denim pants ever stay fastened so I may be "snap updating" all of them. Again, thank you for the help!

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    2. Tell us how this works out, and remember to use socks with loose shoes ;)

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    3. Definitely! Not sure what socks to use though -- is there a particular kind you can recommend? All I have are the few pairs that came with a few of the dolls (Basic Rochelle, PD Operetta, etc.)

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    4. Whichever, or sew your own from any stretchy fabric. Unfortunately I have the opposite problem - shoes so tight they barely go on the naked foot and can't be worn with socks.
      Good people have developped a pattern for socks/stockings http://www.quirkyartistloft.blogspot.ca/2013/05/free-monster-high-pattern-romantic-robe.html and there is my own post on this subject, although no printable pattern there (I can add it if you want): http://multicrafteral.blogspot.com/2013/05/finally-stockings.html

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    5. Great tips, BK! The too tight shoes problem is usually more of a problem with MH feet than the too loose shoes problem. I was kinda surprised just how loose Jina's were. Usually MH shoes tend to rip or tear stockings and socks. That definitely won't be a problem with Jina!

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  5. So stunning. To me there is only one letdown to NS Jinafire... Why didn't Mattel include that awesome metal robotic dragon sitting on top of her books in the artwork? Seriously, no excuse could ever right this wrong, unless of course Mattel includes it with her next doll XD

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    1. Oh gosh, I didn't even think about that! That would've been SO cool to have Robo-Dragon included. Mattel, why you gotta drop the ball at the very same time you're being so awesome? Seriously, missed opportunities.

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    2. I remember back when this artwork in black and white was found, that little dragon had me so excited! I wonder why Mattel included it in her artwork, but not with her doll?
      I think it's also where the confusion came from about New Scaremester and Art Class, if they were the same line or two seperates and who would be in it. I was so sure this Jina belonged to AC and the dragon was her metal sculpture or something!
      I also wonder if we'll ever see her pet Qing as a little figurine at some point, I really look forward to that pet!

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    3. As soon as we learned Jina was a new basic I was certain we'd get Qing. Alas, with New Scaremester they're taking it in the direction of Picture Day -- no pets, instead we get Trapper-Keepers. Which are pretty cute, but they're certainly no pets! I'm starting to have my doubts we'll see the new girls getting pets. I know Jane has one, but her whole setup is all about animals and witch doctor healing and stuff. Plus she's the first non-themed new character since, gosh, Rochelle, Robecca, and Venus? Well, we also have Bloodgood and Nightmare, but I don't exactly count her since she was a store exclusive 2-pack. I may be missing someone, but you get what I'm saying -- the pets overall seem to be becoming a thing of the past, and that's very disappointing.

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