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A Beginner’s Guide: Comparison of Takara Blythes

Written on September 14, 2016 at 12:00 pm by Michelle
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Takara Blythes are also referred to as Neo Blythes, and they are the full-sized Blythes. The molds that make up the Neo Blythes are: BL, EBL (Excellence), SBL (Superior), RBL (Radiance), FBL (Fairest), and RBL+ (Radiance Plus). Here is a group photo of a stock doll of each Takara mold type:

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From left to right, there is: Mondrian (BL), Love Mission (EBL), Velvet Minuet (SBL), Monique Magnifique (RBL), Simply Sparkly Spark (FBL), and Hi-Ho! Marine (RBL+).

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Some BLs, such as Mondrian, came “boggled”. None of the the eyelids show in some of the dolls.

Most EBLs came with thinner, wispy eyelashes. Both BL and EBL had the same shade of pink eye chips. They were changed for SBLs.

Velvet Minuet is one of the earlier SBLs, she had the natural downward gaze, “yellowed” eyeballs, and the upward smirk that some people didn’t like in the earlier SBL Blythe dolls.

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For reference, here is the text that is present on the back of their heads. The copyright date refers to the year that the mold was created, not the year that the specific release was manufactured. Often times, people think that a doll sold in 2016 should read 2016 on the doll, which is not the case. The copyright date is for the copyright of the design of the base doll.

BL (Back of Head)
Blythe TM / © 2001 Hasbro, Inc. / © CWC

EBL (Back of Head)
Blythe TM / © 2001 Hasbro, Inc. / © CWC

SBL (Back of Head)
Blythe TM / © 2003 Hasbro, Inc. / © CWC / TAKARA / CHINA

RBL (Back of Head)
Blythe TM / © 2006 Hasbro, Inc. / © CWC / TOMY / CHINA

FBL (Back of Head)
Blythe TM / © 2008 Hasbro, Inc. / © 2008 CWC Ltd. / TOMY / MADE IN CHINA

RBL+ (Back of Head)
Blythe TM / © 2013 Hasbro / TOMY / CHINA

Hasbro is mentioned on the back of the dolls’ heads as they own the Blythe trademark/brand. Hasbro had bought the rights to Kenner trademarks. CWC pays to license the name, and thus Hasbro must be mentioned on the products.

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