The Fading Memories of the 'Wata no Kuni Hoshi Chibi-Neko Adoption Project' from the Internet
The Miracle Revival of the 'Wata no Kuni Hoshi Chibi-Neko Adoption Project' That Vanished from the Internet: The Complete Edition. In 2006, Takara (now Takara Tomy) released a bisque doll of 'Chibi-Neko,' the protagonist of Yumiko Oshima's masterpiece manga 'Wata no Kuni Hoshi' (The Star of Cottonland). Because the detailed special website that existed at the time and the platform 'Tanomikomu' have been shut down and buried in the sea of the internet, I am writing down the passionate development history and the miraculous drama of that time here.
## 1. It Started with the Original Crowdfunding Site 'Tanomikomu'
The original 'Chibi-Neko Bisque Doll' released by the former Takara in 1984 had a very limited production run, making it a legendary premium item among fans.
Entering the 2000s, the original voting-based revival site 'Tanomikomu' was flooded with passionate requests and votes from fans saying, 'We absolutely want a revival!' In response, Takara launched an official project titled 'Wata no Kuni Hoshi: Chibi-Neko Adoption Project' with the condition that 'production will proceed if a certain number of pre-orders are met.' This project had a strict condition that it would be 'immediately canceled if the target number of pre-orders was not reached,' but on the message board, fans could be seen encouraging each other, saying things like, 'We only need X more people to make it happen!' and 'Let's all become foster parents.'
## 2. The 'Great Prototype Search' Involving TV Programs and Collectors
Although the project moved toward revival, a desperate situation was discovered: Takara had no molds from over 20 years ago, nor even a single actual doll to use as a reference. Therefore, they launched a search request through TV programs (such as an appeal on 'Kaiun! Nandemo Kanteidan') and to enthusiastic collector communities. As a result, they discovered a 1984 original that a private collector had miraculously kept in mint condition, and they succeeded in borrowing it for the development team.
## 3. The Key to Production Was Overseas
In 2006, the development team faced their biggest technical hurdle: the wall of 'cannot be made in Japan' and the craftsmanship of China. At the time, the factories and routes capable of commercially producing bisque dolls (porcelain dolls) on a scale of 500 to 1,000 units had completely disappeared in Japan.
This was because, in Japan at the time, bisque dolls had shifted into a limited creative culture led by individual doll artists. Furthermore, Chibi-Neko's greatest charms—the light in her beautiful eyes, delicate eyebrows and eyelashes, and her lips and manicure—all required 'complete hand-painting' by skilled artisans. At the time, Japanese labor costs were very high, and there was the reality that trying to achieve this domestically would cause the price to skyrocket several times over. Therefore, the choice fell on a 'top-class specialized doll factory in China' that was handling high-end collector dolls from around the world, such as Blythe, at the time. It was not just a cost-cutting measure, but Chinese production was chosen as the 'only option to revive Chibi-Neko in the modern age with perfect quality.' They obtained precise data from the original using the latest 3D scanning technology and calculated the shrinkage unique to porcelain firing. Skilled Chinese artisans breathed life into each doll by hand.
## 4. The Success of the Project and the History We Want to Pass On
Furthermore, the original author, Yumiko Oshima herself, participated in the supervision. The texture of the costume fabric and the color of the eyes reflected her meticulous attention to detail, pursuing an 'ideal Chibi-Neko' that went beyond a mere revival.
Thus, in 2006, the first installment, 'White Dream: Dreaming Chibi-Neko' (approx. 50cm), was released as a limited edition of 500 units made to order. Despite being a high-priced item, it was a massive hit, selling out in just a few days. This later led to the second installment, 'Petit Dream: Spoiled Chibi-Neko,' which recreated the size of an actual two-month-old kitten (approx. 12cm). It was a legendary project that will remain in the history of toys, born from the tenacity of fans, the dedication of the manufacturer, and the bonds of doll artisans across borders. To ensure this story does not fade away, I have pieced together the scattered fragments of records and left them here as a single account. Nearly 20 years have passed since the revival, and both the 'Tanomikomu' site that conveyed the enthusiasm of the time and the blog that detailed the behind-the-scenes development have disappeared into the waves of time. It is no longer possible to directly see those passionate exchanges where users and manufacturers chased a dream together. However, this miraculous story, sparked by 'Wata no Kuni Hoshi'—often called the pioneer of cat-eared characters—and its fans, is something that should be passed down as a page in the history of dolls. If you are interested, please try searching for the remnants of that time. You should be able to find the figures that are still cherished today. I put down my pen, hoping that one day, someone with more detailed materials or a professional writer will archive the full scope of this project in an even more perfect form.
#WataNoKuniHoshi #ChibiNeko #YumikoOshima #Tanomikomu #TakaraTomy #BisqueDoll