Licca-chan, Jenny, and a doll-filled Castle

Hello! Today I’m bringing you a topic that’s sure to pique your curiosity. How much do you know about Licca-chan and Jenny? Today I’d like to tell you a little bit about what I’ve learned lately.

A bit of history

Licca was released in 1967 as a concept proposed by shōjo manga artist Miyako Maki to Takara, which wanted to enter the market for dress-up and play dolls.

There have been four generations of Licca in terms of her appearance, with the 1967 version being the first generation. The current Licca that we all know is the fourth.

She is a very successful doll in her country; she is as famous in Japan as Barbie is in the West.

In 2006, Takara, founded in 1955, and Tomy, founded in 1924, merged.

Who is Licca?

Her real name is Rika Kayama; she was born in Tokyo and is 11 years old. Her mother is a Japanese fashion designer and her father is a French musician. Licca’s favorite books are “A Little Princess” and “Anne of Green Gables”. She also likes the “Doraemon” manga, tennis, and Super Mario, among other things.

Licca’s family consists of her parents, Orie and Pierre, and her grandparents, Albert, Helene, and Yoko. She has twin sisters, Miki and Maki, who are 4 years old, and triplets, Kaku, Miku, and Gen. She also has a cousin (Charles), his two brothers, and his girlfriend.

There’s also Rie, Licca’s supposed sister, who has a very curious backstory. Orie, Licca’s mother, met a flight attendant on a trip to France who looked familiar to her. That’s when Orie realized that Rie is her daughter (?). She isn’t included in the official family tree because she’s too old to be Rie’s daughter.

There’s also a long list of Licca’s friends and a few boyfriends, but we’ll have to save that for another day.

Who is Jenny?

When Mattel wanted to enter the Japanese market, it formed a partnership with Takara to create a Japanese Barbie. That’s how Takara Barbie was born in 1982, and when the contract with Mattel ended in 1986, she was renamed Jenny. The story goes that Barbie made her musical debut as Jenny in a show and adopted the name.

Like Licca, Jenny has many friends and boyfriends. The doll is taller than Licca because she is older. While Licca is 22 cm tall, Jenny is 27 cm tall.

In October 2023, Takara Tomy reintroduced Jenny as one of Licca’s best friends in the #Licca (or hashtag Licca) collection. Licca is 17 years old and has grown up. This line focuses much more on fashion and trends than the classic doll.

Other collections

In December 2015, Takara Tomy launched the Stylish LiccA collection, which is of higher quality than the standard toy line. These dolls come with more clothing and accessories and are produced in limited quantities.

With the launch of the LiccA Stylish Doll Collection Gothic Noir Style (2024), a new body called Neo Licca made its debut. This body offers improved posability, making it perfect for photos.

That same year, Takara Tomy launched the Photogenic LiccA collection. It is a product line aimed at adults and doll photographers, featuring the Neo Licca body. Like the Stylish line, these dolls are priced higher and place a strong emphasis on details and fashion.

Licca Castle

In 1993, Licca Castle opened, where they manufacture Licca dolls with a more exclusive focus. They are made in Japan (while Takara Tomy’s are made in China), under a brand license, but as an independent company.

The Castle houses the factory, a museum, a shop, a classroom, and other attractions. You can find two lines of dolls:

• Classroom dolls, which come in a plastic bag wearing only underwear.
• Licca Factory original, which come in a box in a one piece and white shoes and are more expensive. Sometimes they release special editions that cost even more.
• You can also create your own Licca a la carte in person at the castle in Fukushima.

Licca Castle offers a wide variety of head styles, makeup colors, and hair colors. This is where you’ll find the most Licca and Jenny dolls, although that makes it much harder to tell exactly which doll you got.

You can also find this line at Licca Castle Small Shop in Tokyo and Licca Castle Small Closet in Kobe. Both are operated directly by the castle, with the Kobe store being the largest and offering the widest selection of products.

I hope you’ve learned something new, and if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I’ll continue learning about these wonderful dolls as I expand my collection.

Sources and useful links

• Licca-chan’s Profile
• Licca-Chan website
• Licca’s Trials and Tribulations
• Takara entry for Wikipedia
• Licca review by The Toy box philosopher
• LiccA Stylish Doll Collection database
• #Licca database
• Photogenic Licca website
• Trailer Debut! Photogenic Licca
• Licca Castle store
• Travel to Japan: Licca Castle
• Reddit: Takara Tomy and Licca Castle dolls difference
• Reddit: Bag and boxed dolls difference
• Reddit: Beginners guide to Licca and Jenny of Japan