Momoko, Ruruko, and the others
Hello! Once again, I’m back with a post full of information. Did you know that PetWORKs started out as a software company? Today I’d like to delve a little deeper into the history of Momoko and Ruruko.
All the photos of today’s post have links to the original source and they do not belong to me.
A bit of history
Namie Manabe, co-founder of PetWORKs, wanted a doll that reflected the urban style of the modern woman. Since there was nothing on the market that had everything she wanted, she decided to make one herself. The company was enthusiastic about the idea and decided to launch her design.
Momoko made her debut in August 2001 at that year’s Doll Head Exhibition. The first dolls were named DHEXs and DHEXl, names derived from the exhibition’s acronym. The last letter indicates hair length: “s” for short and “l” for long.
The editions released onto the market were very limited runs and hard to get. By 2004, they announced a temporary halt to production and sold the rights to Sekiguchi, known for its Monchhichi plush toys.
In April 2005, momokoDOLL made its grand debut as a Sekiguchi doll, with the company producing the doll on a larger scale. PetWORKs continues to release its own, more limited editions from time to time, using the body created by Sekiguchi (27 cm).
💡The main difference between the two brands seems to be the hair: PetWORKs’ is made of saran, while Sekiguchi’s is made of nylon.
¿Who is Ruruko?
Sometimes selfish, sometime spoiled.
She is a palm-size girl, the little-sister doll “ruruko”.
Official website.
In October 2013, Ruruko was released as part of the Momoko family. Designed and sold by PetWORKs, she is Momoko’s little sister, measures about 20 cm, and was an instant hit.
Unlike MomokoDOLL, Ruruko uses the Pure Neemo XS body, although some editions use the Obitsu 22 body.
She has become a highly sought-after doll among collectors, every bit as desirable as her older sister. There are also Ruruko boys, which are released a little less frequently.
Who are EIGHT and NINE?
In 2018, to mark PetWorks’ 20th anniversary, the company unveiled prototypes of two male dolls, named EIGHT (28 cm) and NINE (29 cm), although their release was ultimately postponed until 2019.
EIGHT is a young boy with a slender build, while NINE has a more masculine face and a slightly more muscular build. The hands and feet are interchangeable and fit both bodies. Both the head and body designs were developed by PetWORKs.
Currently, new versions continue to be released on a regular basis.
I had a lot of fun gathering all the information to write this post, and I learned a few new things about the dolls I collect. Until recently, I had never seen a PetWORKs boy in person, but now I see why they’re so popular.
What about you? Do you collect any of these dolls?
Sources and useful links
- About MomokoDOLL. Official website
- About PETWORKs dolls. Official website
- Wikipedia
- Reddit post about Momoko
- El rincón de mis muñecas entry about Momoko (in spanish)
- Señorita Sekiguchi: Momoko para los amigos (in spanish)
- The Toy Box Philosopher review of MomokoDOLL
- Barbigirl database of MomokoDOLL
- The Dolly insider news about Ruruko releases
- The Dolly Insider entry about the release of EIGHT and NINE
Inesa Dolls
Beautiful dolls. Their outfits are so stylish. I don’t have these dolls in my collection, but it was so interesting to learn about them and look at all the photos in your post.
Fantasywoods
Thanks! I’m glad you like them, one does not need to have a doll to appreciate its beauty, I do that with Barbies 🙂
I had fun putting all the info together, it’s my way to learn more about the dolls I own as well.