Sanrio, Groove Inc, and Mitsubachi @BabyBee (Honey bee) have partnered together to bring Pullip fans Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO.
The Dolly Insider recently had the opportunity to interview the talented doll designer Mitsubachi @BabyBee.
Mitsubachi @BabyBee talked about the motivation behind Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO and future projects.
We hope you enjoy this Dolly Insider’s look into the creation of Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO.
Interview Japanese Translation
Question 1:
Could you please introduce yourself?
I am Mitsubachi @BabyBee(honey bee). I custom design and produce dolls.
On Pullip there are a variety of makeup samples and creator levels that are commercialized.
I make things like illustrations, manga, and collaborations with other artist.
I am also a professor at a university.
Question 2:
What is HEN-NAKO? Is it a character you created? If so, could you explain the character to our readers?
HEN-NAKO is what I was working on during the Sendai earthquake. It is my original character.
HEN-NAKO (talisman) is meant to protect its owner.
It is a fairy that protects the person it is close to.
There are a countless number of HEN-NAKO is this world. It exists to help heal everyone’s pain.
Question 3:
What inspired you to combine My Melody with the HEN-NAKO character?
I created it to go with the event held in Taiwan for My Melody.
I think My Melody’s and HEN-NAKO’s ears are similar.
I thought of the way to bring it together. Since starting to mass produce them, they are now able to protect their owners all over.
Question 4:
What is your favorite feature of Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO?
I think that the cuteness of My Melody matches with the mysterious aura of HEN-NAKO which makes it even more cute.
I really love the unique eyes. I also love how the lips are like candy.
Question 5:
What future projects are you currently working on?
I have been speaking with different makers in the doll industry in order to increase it’s popularity.
From here on I hope to create some very enjoyable projects. I hope to hold a personal(solo) exhibition in 2016.
Question 6:
Where can our readers go for more info about your work? Do you have a website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc?
I mostly use Twitter and Instagram to release information.
Twitter ID:@mitsubachi_z
Instagram ID:mitsubachi999
Mitsubachi @BabyBee(honey bee)
The Dolly Insider would like to thank Mitsubachi @BabyBee (Honey bee) for taking the time to answer our interview questions.
We hope you, our readers, have a better understanding of the creative process behind Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO.
Where To Order:
質問１
まずは自己紹介をお願いします。
みつばち@BabyBee(櫁蜂) ドールのカスタマイズ、デザイン、プロデュースを行っています。 プーリップでは多数のサンプルメイクやクリエーターズレーベルで商品化に関わっています。 イラストやマンガを描いたり、アーティストとコラボレーションをして作品も作っています。 大学で講師もしています。
質問２
HEN-NAKOとは何ですか？キャラクターですか？キャラクターでしたら、詳しい説明をお願いします。
HEN-NAKOとは、2011年に日本で起こった東日本大震災の時にずっと作り続けていた、私のオリジナルキャラクターです。 HEN-NAKOは自身がお守り(護符)の役割があります。 側にいる者を守る妖精です。 HEN-NAKOはこの世に無数に存在します。 みんなの癒しとなる優しい存在です。
質問３ HEN-NAKOとMy Melodyを組み合わせたきっかけは？
台湾で開催されたマイメロディーのイベントに合わせて生み出しました。 マイメロディーの耳とHEN-NAKOの耳が似ていると思い、組み合わせることを思いつきました。 量産となったことで、皆様の元でオーナーを守る存在となります。
質問４ 貴方はPullip My Melody x HEN-NAKOの何が一番好きですか？
マイメロディーの可愛さとHEN-NAKOの不思議な雰囲気が合わさり可愛くなったと思います。個性的な目元が気に入っています。 キャンディのような唇も大好きです。
質問５ 現在どのようなプロジェクトを進めていますか？
ドール業界が更に乗り上がるように各メーカーと色々な話をしています。今後も楽しい企画に関わっていきたいです。 2016年も個展を開催できればと考えています。
質問６
読者たちは、どこで作品について情報収集できますか？ホームページ、ブログ、Facebook、ツイッター、インスタグラムなどはお持ちですか？
主にTwitterとInstagramで情報を発信しています
Twitter ID:@mitsubachi_z
Instagram ID:mitsubachi999
みつばち@BabyBee(櫁蜂)
Congratulations Lena,
you are the winner of the My Melody Fun Pack!
Thank you to everyone who left a comment and entered the giveaway 🙂
1 Winner Will Receive:
- My Melody Shaped Coin Purse (x1)
- My Melody 8″ Plush (x1)
- My Melody Mini Memo Pad (x1)
Rules:
All you have to do is leave a comment on our blog in the comment section below related to the interview or Mitsubachi @BabyBee (Honey bee) or Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO.
Easy right? (Comments are moderated & may take up to 24 hours to display on the site)
Deadline:
Deadline to enter the drawing: January 20, 2016 12 A.M. Central Standard Time
The winner will be randomly selected and we’ll announce the winner by January 26, 2016
Conditions:
- Entries are open to our global audience
- We will pay for shipping
- We are not responsible for lost packages
- No purchase necessary to win
Thanks for reading the interview and taking part in our My Melody Fun Pack Giveaway
Good luck!
The Dolly Insider
I’m glad I stumbled upon this and now know what a HEN-NAKO is. Spooky cute (as I call it) is my favourite aesthetic and these little creatures definitely fit that criteria. If Mitsubachi sold them somewhere like Etsy I would buy one to go with my My Melody x HEN-NAKO Pullip. She is a stunner, very unique. Love everything about her.
Hey Skye,
I’m so happy to hear that you found the interview informative. 🙂
Oh, that would be cool if Mitsubachi offered HEN-NAKO accessories.
Thanks for leaving a comment! 🙂
~Kat
Soo cute! Hoping to get the Melody pullip one day when I can afford her. TxT Such cute Melody stuff so here’s my entry
The Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO looks really cute. It was interesting to learn about Mitsubachi’s HEN-NAKO character and design process. Thanks for sharing the interview!
This may be the first Sanrio inspired pullip I buy. The interview gave more depth to the doll then if she was released without knowing the creators thoughts. The concept of the HEN-NAKO character is great on its own but also blends with My Melody really well. Also if I hadn’t read the interview I wouldn’t know the creators favorite feature, her unique eyes, are also my favorite! As soon as I saw her faceup I knew I had to have her.
I’m totally in love with this doll, so it was very interesting to hear about its design and designer. Mitsubachi @BabyBee has created many fascinating dolls, but to me Hen-nako is number one. She’s the first doll I’ve ever pre-ordered, and I’ve got a few. 🙂 I can’t wait to get her!
Cool. Thanks for reporting. I was wondering what this collab was.
This Pullip is so beautiful and magical, I love her unique design *-* Thanks for the interview and for the giveaway!
It was interesting to learn the meaning of Hen-Neko. Makes me want the doll more.
I’m putting My Melody on my wish list
I think My Melody is a gorgeous doll! She definitely puts the more recent Hello Kitty Dolls to shame. Her ears are the cutest thing!! >o<
my melody is just as sweet as any song!and what a KAWAii PULLIP!*hugs the screen*thanks for doing this giveaway!
I pre-ordered this doll almost immediately after I saw she was available. My Melody is my favorite Sanrio character, and this version is just stunning! I am really looking forward to this release. Thank you for sharing this interview. It is always fascinating to learn what the artist’s thought process was behind the design. Thanks for having this giveaway!
This doll is going to be the fourth pullip in my collection. I really love her quirky eyes and her cool hair. Her shoes look adorable too. Now that I know the Hen-Nako story I’m even more excited to welcome this fun pixie to my house. She’s really, really awesome! 🙂
The first My Melody Pullip was *my* first Pullip and I love her. The new Pullip My Melody x HEN-NAKO nicely captures the deeper, darker pink version of My Melody bunny.
Combining My Melody and HEN-NAKO was a nice design choice. I’m a huge fan of the bunny hood and the doll’s eyes. I’m always a fan of bunny-like designs in general though~
This comment sheds light on why they gave this MY Melody such skinny ears! I was wondering about that previously. I also like the images!
It’s a very beautiful idea that is a doll inspired by a protective fairy … Really, I think that if one looks for inspiration to create one as dramatic as the earthquake in Sendai fact, gets more beautiful ideas and union stronger, such as creating a fairy that protects all affected by pain. Is worthy of praise and imitation, beautiful story always has to be that faith, that hope that everything will be fine, even painful to move towards those future roads.
My Melody adds sweetness to the idea of the fairy, is the tenderness together with magic and mysticism. I loved the idea of combining these bonds of kindness and gentleness. May we all follow this example and as deep things can get ideas and inspiration for our future projects.
Thank you for posting this interview. I always love to hear about the concept behind a character design and creation. It has certainly changed the way I look at the My Melody x Hen Nako Pullip and I really loved the fact that the idea behind this particular doll was to give protection to the owners and came about from an urge to protect and heal pain. You really get the sense from the artist that this isn’t just a doll, perhaps its concept and meaning is also a symbol for hope after pain.
Very interesting and thought provoking.
I love so much My Melody! This Pullip is very cute! But I love the My Melody plush too, so I take my chance to win 😉
My Melody is my all time favourite Sanrio character, and I can’t wait for this lovely Pullip to add to my collection of My Melody-themed dolls and character goods ????
My Melody has always been one of my favourite Sanrio characters, so it was a pleasant surprise to see a Pullip doll inspired by My Melody. I love the concept behind the Hen-Nako character, the meaning of its name and how it is supposed to protect people. Mitsubachi did a splendid job in designing this Pullip doll, I particularly love her eyelashes ^_^
I am so excited about this beautiful girl. Her curlie cue eye liner is my favorite, but I love the unique combination of Hen-Nako with My Mero too. I would also love to see just a Hen-Nako pullip too.
The interview was informative. Before reading the article, I had no idea why they made this My Melody pullip with the skinny ears. That explains it. Also nice to see more pictures of the face-up.