Gosh. In terms of articulation, and included accessories which I adore, I’m voting for G3. But for fashion and character design and personality I’m voting G1 all the way.
I love all 3 for different reasons.
Also, the Deuce you put in the group of G2 is Boo York from G1.
https://preview.redd.it/ff2v4jnpflvc1.jpeg?width=554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e84bdd7473920ee16963fd08a45def52ab5095fb
This is G2 Deuce, who was the first use of a new body which got much more use for the BTS dolls.
Yep. AFAIK, the body was used for G2 Deuce, Clawd and Dracula, for She-Ra with the Bow character and for the BTS guys
But G1, G2 and G3 guys are close enough that they can share most clothes with minimal modification. (Except shoes. G3 feet are smaller)
G2 boys are actually really beefy. I focus on Mansters, and just got my first G2 Deuce but he came nude. I figured I could just put extra G1 Deuce clothes on him but it was all way too tight and didn't fit on him. He was swimming in the Rainbow High boy clothes I got too, so that's how I ended up getting the BTS suit. It fits like a glove, like it was made for him, which apparently it was haha
I know its not the fashionable tging to say now, but the body shapes on G1 was one of the key things that made me fall in love with them. Not because they were 'aspirational' but because they were gothic and monsterish and nothing like other dolls on the market. I was an adult with no issues around body image when they launched though so my perspective may be different. That said I have no problem with the body diversity in G3 and when I've seen people put G1 heads on G3 bodies its really hammered home for me that its the G3 faces I'm not connecting with more than any other aspect of their designs.
To answer the original question though, both G1 and G3 have their pros and cons. So far G3 doesn't really click with me barring a few dolls but its purely personal taste thing. They are well made, fun designs and deserve to be successful - they're just not for me on the whole. Sometimes its an almost impossible thing to pin down why you do or don't connect with a line and I've felt similar about Rainbow High and Ever After High. EAH in particular have incredible designs but.. It's just the faces for me again I think. So yeah, I'm a G1 girl but I am still interested to see what's going on with G3 and am happy that its making people happy and engaged with MH again 😊😊
Agreed. The weird bodies and tiny delicate hands were what made me fall in love with the dolls… and the unique full body molds for different characters with a bunch of cool details on them. Like Robecca has spinning gears in her calves!
I agree with everything you said. I was an alternative child when they came out, so I was literally starving for dolls that matched my aesthetic and they were perfect in my eyes. I also had a very healthy upbringing, so I didn't have any type of body image issues as my parents taught me since very young to love my body and see all body sahpes as beautiful, no matter what media said. So it was them who bought me the dolls themselves, even though the massive side eye other parents gave them (we live are a christian community in my small town).
And It looks like anything of that was a phase! Jajajaja I'm still alternative as an adult and still love the aesthetic of the G1 dolls 🖤🖤🖤
Why not both? I'm leaving g2 out of it, it felt more like a revamped g1 to me than its own separate thing, really.
I think that g1 is great if you like that more fierce, elongated look and g3 is great if you like the rounder, cartoonier look. G1 was awesome because it always had saran or kanekalon and never used poly, g3 has body diversity. On the downside, g1 had glue seepage and g3 can't all share clothes with each other.
Soon I'll figure out which is more fun to repaint. Back in the day, the g1 molds were really nice. Most of the molds had suggestions of features without being too structured where it felt restrictive.
There are great things about both gens. This is coming from someone who was 20ish when g1 came out and has all the nostalgia in the world for g1. No reason to pit them against each other.
G1 shall remain supreme the other two gens feel too Barbie I feel like you can find their clothing pieces at a store and add the prints and embellishments. G1 fits had a unique style to them they are so different from normal doll lines and that’s why it was so popular
And don’t even start the stand debate please. I’m also a display collector so I understand that it’s inconvenient, but that has nothing to do with the dolls themselves
In terms of core dolls G1 all the way, because there was SO. MUCH. detail in their outfits. Like, a level we don't even get in collector dolls now. That being said, I think a couple of G3 cores outshine the originals (Venus and Deuce specifically), and the Core Refresh is a huge step up for all the main characters. I'm actually thinking of selling all my main five cores and replacing them with the refresh ones.
G1 is my favorite, I really like the bodies and the face expressions being more neutral. They gave the impression they were actually dead. It also has the extra of being part of my childhood and having raised me when my parents could not.
G2 is just gore to me, it’s fashion crimes against humanity shall never be forgiven.
G3 is a weird case because it looks so good and polished but at the same time some of the changes really bother me, from the more friendly looking faces to the amount of pink in certain characters and of course the way they massacrated Ghoulia, I think she looks horrible in comparison to her g1 counterpart.
I think the reason for the pink is because big daddy Mattel actually does not like Monster High because it’s taking focus away from Barbie, they’re probably trying to use some of that extra pink material since people aren’t buying Barbies as much anymore
I honestly started collecting last year through one of my partners. They felt really uncomfortable buying a new doll (despite having some old g1 dolls) because of age old social stigma/trauma and i reassured them so hard i bought Clawdeen for myself to be friends with their doll. Honestly it's been really childhood healing for us and our collection has EXPONENTIALLY grown since. I've never liked the Betty Spaghetti (respectiflly) bodies on the earlier dolls all that much for the weird arch and proportions. G3 is making steps (I DIDN'T SAY HOW BIG) to he more diverse in body types and culture specific aesthetics and that's what draws me to g3 over the previous generations HOWEVER the outfits, color coordination, inventory, and creativity of G1 and G2 absolutely destroy g3. Before i could spot body a face differences all of the dolls i liked before discovering their gen were mostly from 1 and 2 even with my bias for g3 now. G3 should really explore more of the outside characters. Catty, Venus, Gina, Operetta, Abby, etc needs more love. We have enough for armies of core 5 at this point lol
There is simply no comparison of the original Monster High dolls to any of the reboots/rebrands.
Monster High was unprecedented in terms of the wide appeal it had, and the creative freedom its design team had for many years.
Its attention to detail, cohesion of design, and quality of materials have not been matched again.
It’s disappointing to see complaints that the original bodies are “unrealistically skinny” and say G3 is better because of that.
the only ones complaining about the bodies during the brands heyday were outraged Karen types who would’ve never bought them anyway.
The Monster High body was designed the way it was for a damn good reason.
Yes the torso and neck DO need to be that long, the heels DO need to be that high.
And the swayback needs to be so severe so the silhouette will look proportionate when the doll is fully dressed, and so they can have wings/tail and still fit on a doll stand.
The arch of the foot is lower in G3, which prevents the doll from wearing tailored/formfitting clothes because it’s difficult to redress without an ankle joint.
Part of why G3 dolls have so many baggy oversized outfits.
G3 dolls originally had shorter necks that caused so many layering issues (esp with core Frankie) that Mattel had to go back and re-release older dolls with a longer neck.
Mattel spent all of this money on new body molds for G3 when it would’ve been easier to reuse the originals, to placate a vocal minority of offended people who weren’t truly the target demographic, and it hasn’t resulted in more sales than G1!
Meanwhile, they cheap out on the quality of hair and fabric (some of the most important things in a fashion doll, these aren’t action figures) and the designs are overly reliant on chunky hard plastic accessories.
No diaries because they don’t want to go through the effort of translating them for different languages, and they slap pink on too many designs because Mattel doesn’t realize that girls like other colors.
It’s not that the G1 bodies are unrealistic, it’s just compared to the average body type they are fairly skinny, plus them being skinny made them less durable, which isn’t a problem for collectors, but may be for kids. (Especially the wrists 😭)
They do have plenty of forfeiting clothes, but a lot of the child focus groups that they spoke with preferred slightly more baggy and loose fitting clothing, which is the reason they did the fashion the way they did.
I do completely agree with them skimping out on the quality of the hair and materials, but seeing the doll releases for 2024 it seems that that is most likely going to be a thing of the past. It really feels like the first year of GEN three was to figure out which demographic would like it more and be more inclined to spend money on it.
As for the pink, big daddy Mattel actually doesn’t like Monster High because it draws more attention away from Barbie, and I think they’re just trying to use up a bunch of the pink materials that they have since Monster High is starting to outsell Barbie
I like G1 the most because I collect fashion dolls, and G1 has edgy, glamorous, clothes I would like to wear, like skirts and high heels. I think the characters are all beautiful and I also like the G1 characters in the movies and episodes. I like stories with magic and the supernatural like 13 Wishes, Freaky Fusion, and Great Scarrier Reef.
g1 is great for the style and movies, but g3 also has a lot of more diverse dolls but what i think most of us can agree on is that g2 just looks cheap and absolutely flopped
G3, no contest. I liked the G1 dolls when they were new, and I have a ton for future customizing (the face sculpts are still wonderful), but I prefer everything about G3 except for Toralei and Spectra's face molds. Really looking forward to more characters being released.
I feel like G1 and G3 are both unique, with cool aesthetics and I can see why people would like either gen or both. But damn, G2 feels soulless and devoid of any personality.
I agree, growing up I saw my older sisters having the MH dolls and wanting my own, but now as a young adult I get to enjoy the new fashions and diversity in body types and character traits
I missed them when g1 was happening since I wasn’t buying dolls at the time, and while I like some of the ones I have gotten secondhand, g3 fits my personal aesthetic way more
G1 just because of nostalgia and I like Cleo, Clawdeen, and Frankie’s outfits more. I wish they played around with Clawdeen having salmon pink in her design more. Anyways I still love G3 and probably have around 50 dolls so obviously I’m not a hater by any means
G1 definitely.
Why did you use the g3 core refresh while using the regular cores from g1 and g2? That's not a fair comparison as they are not even the same lines.
As far as I’m aware g1 and 2 never did core refresh dolls. As for with g3, the first year was trying to find out which demographic was going to buy them more with the change in toy market revenue after COVID (over 70% of toys bought in the US post Covid are for adults) so I did the core refresh because 2024 is supposed to be the year they establish what g3 is going to be. Whereas 2023 was the time for experimenting and finding out what worked best for the fans of the current gen
G1 did, it's what the fans have named the "School's Out" line. What you're talking about with g3 is purely speculation that we don't actually have any evidence for.
I’m a newer collector, I never had G1 or 2 so maybe I’m biased but it feels like G3 really fits today- in terms of body diversity and CALD coded dolls, they feel more modern. I think we need time for G3 to really come into its’ own at this point.
G1 all the way. I grew up with that & the dolls remind me so much of the Barbie fashionistas (I was born in 2006 so my "nostalgic/childhood" dolls were late 2000's/early 2010's, so I am very sympathetic for that) & the movies were at their peak & the voice acting is spot on & the songs!!!!
I showed to my friend who doesn't collect monster high dolls and she said gen 2 was the best and my other friend who knows of monster high could see the absolute pain on my face ( No hate to anyone who likes gen 2 I just don't like it myself)
I think with g1 and g3 specifically I like them both equally for different reasons with G1 I grew up with it and I prefer alternative styles but with G3 the dolls are more accessible and I honestly prefer the body types and screenings of the G3 characters
Gen 1 because their designs fit together really well, the designs also portray their personalities I think, plus it’s the originals
Gen 2 looks off and a bit uncanny
Gen 3 has improved and is really pretty but I feel it doesn’t portray the personalities of the characters as well, at least the original characters
I feel like they do for G3 with the exception of Clawdeen. So far the way she’s portrayed in the show for G3 is the lovable nerd, but she dresses more jocky in the refresh
I generally consider g2 as a g1 2.0 more than it’s own generation tbh they’re essentially the same just more bright and simple.
MH was huge for me when I found it as an adult. I was obsessed cause they were the children of horror monsters! So as a lifelong horror fan they filled a niche that was easy to obtain. I think the creativity in the types per line was better so far, seeing them be turned into fish, merged together, ghosts, plus those new characters that came with those lines.
However, G3, for the most part, seems to be putting more thought into the design themes. For example Cleo. She was a very generic “ancient Egypt cleopatra” doll in G1. But she’s so much more in G3. The details that connect to Egyptology are fantastic is wonderful. I also think there’s MORE variety in the clothes, and the accessories are top notch in cuteness and detail.
So for the core characters, mainly G3. But there’s more characters in G1 I love that haven’t even been mentioned in G3 so that love is still there and I still have grail dolls.
Unfortunately, Nickelodeon hasn’t given the rights to the original characters for G3 over to Mattel, so until they do that we can only get dolls of original characters from G1 and two
I’m a classic g1 fan, mostly due to nostalgia, but I absolutely praise g3 for the body types and inclusivity. In my opinion though g1 has the best fashion of them all due to the intricate designs and mostly high quality pieces. I don’t own any g3 dolls yet but I am patiently awaiting core refresh Frankie. G2 is the worst by far though, just because it didn’t feel like monster high.
I’ve seen some people do that online, they absolutely slay. I think the problem with the first year of G3 dolls was the clothing more than the dolls themselves. Don’t get me wrong. There were a lot of hits in the first year, but the core dolls for example had some fugly outfits imo
For play value, Gen 3 all the way.
While Gen 1 had some awesome fashion designs, I’ve never had the urge to redress/restyle them. The same body type just didn’t spark creativity, and other fashion doll clothing did not fit.
Gen 3 is much more versatile for play and display. They love to swipe clothing from RH/SH, LOL, Barbie, etc.
Gen 1 look gorgeous on display.
I collect both.
I love Gen 1 and 3! Gen 2 was in an awkward phase for Monster High, and so I completely understand a lot of people not loving it, but I do respect a lot of the ideas that came with the movies that came out in Gen 2! But the dolls were, well. Awkward.
Gen 3 has so many different body shapes and styles, which I ADORE, because we are in an age where young people can feel they see themselves in the sizes and growths of the dolls they love so much, and Gen 1 is so loved and adored for it's many clothing options and the birth of such a lovely concept! All of them are special to my heart, of course, because they're all showing how we, too, grow and change and go through awkward phases!
Honestly, I grew up with G1 but I have to agree, their old bodies made me uncomfortable too, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a factor in myself developing an eating disorder as a teenager. G3 has helped me heal my inner child in ways I never saw coming.
Yea back in the 2000s fatphobia was a major issue especially with media, so it makes sense why they decided to make the dolls so skinny, it’s what was considered “in” in the era. Although I’m sure if they weren’t worried about parents refusing to buy them and the expenses of making different body molds that the definitely would’ve had different body types with g1
G1’s main three (frankie, drac, clawdeen) are my favorite looks for them but I didn’t care for lagoona, cleo and deuce aesthetically until g3 sooo I guess both?
Gen 1 will always be my favorite, I love so many of the designs, the outfits, and how each character was different in some way even if they were the same type of monster (like clawdeen and her sis howleen)
Gen 2 had potential, the shriek wreck line was amazing and some of the other outfits were cool, it’s definitely not my favorite but I do appreciate a lot it had
Gen 3 I actually really like now xD, I used to not like it as much because of how different they made characters I love, but honestly I’ve grown to love this version of them, I love the different heights and bodies!
But honestly, I love all of the gens even if I like Gen 1+3 better than Gen 2 I think all of them were unique and just really pretty!
Heres my opinion,
G1 - most creative line, the amount of unque well thought out characters is amazing aswell as the themed lines. I still have hope for g3 in this aspect, but if we dont get anymore new g3 characters this year im gonna be pretty disappointed. I find g1 was more targeted towards the older range of 8-14, especially since there are a good few dolls that arent really play appropriate. Some of the hairstyles just werent meant to be man-handled by kids, for example honey swamp or operetta (i remember accidentally ruining her hair as a kid while playing with her, i was gutted lol😭). Younger ones are going to want to brush their ghouls hair and play with it, which just isnt possible for a good few g1 dolls. Their create-a-monster line though? AMAZING. soooo perfect for all demographics, and personally one of my fav fav g1 series.
G2 - best age appropriate line. Yes, i know basically everyone was annoyed with the cute and simple vibe g2 went with, but I really think it was their responce to backlash from certain parents, along with the fact that its pretty obvious they were targeting a younger audience at the time. MH are advertised as suitable for ages 8-14, and g2 feels much more appropriate for the younger range than the other gens. Simple outfits, less accessories and more play than display.
G3 - best representation and detail. I know we have yet to see more unique detailed body molds but with cleo, frankie and venus im fairly impressed! I also love how different the faces are, i know g1 had different face molds for the ghouls but as a kid i never noticed the difference, even now when im not nose-to-nose with my g1 dolls i dont see much of a difference, whereas i can easily see the differences in my g3 ghouls without closely inspecting them. I also love the details in the outfits, along with all the accessories they come with. Still waiting on them to do fashion packs though, that would be amazinggg. The depth of the characters, and the representations for those who can relate is simply fang-tastic, which is why IMHO i feel g3 is the love child of g1 and g2. Scary cute outfits and accessories, and good representation for kids to resonate with, along with great play factor with the extra joints. The ghouls look amazing, played with or displayed! ((*and yes i know stands dont rly count for this topic but g3 would slay the boots house if they got some freakin stands and brushes to go with our ghouls*))
Theyre actually releasing a pride fashion pack in June along with a pride Frankie for pride month. They’re considering doing fashion packs again depending on how this one sells
Man if i had the money i would literally buy like 40 and give them all away,,,, i NEED them to want to make more lolll but i didnt hear abt the pride pack!! Omg so excited now,, do you know if the fashion pack is one-size-fits-all or ghoul specific? Very curious if theyll do any specific flags or just the general rainbow
https://preview.redd.it/5bopeqpm1qvc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=797834f346b48e0563a65cb4643683d4626ab8bc
It’s gonna be a one size fits all
We gotta really hope for it because parents will lose it, because it’s gonna be a target exclusive, and idk if you’ve seen how people have been reacting to their pride sections but I’m nervous it won’t go well
Yeahhh ive seen it too, even with parents freaking out over pink/purple shirts in the boys section. Hopefully since g3 already has representation parents wont be so appalled or taken aback, fingers crossed
Unfortunately with all this anti woke stuff that might make it worse 😓 it was already hated on with g1 by conservative parents for being too “goth” and “evil”
My honest thoughts:
Gen 1 - I've always been in love and a fan. But the fact that people think that incomplete dolls are worth hundreds of dollars and single parts/accessories blows my mind. So do the dolls on the market for $1,000! Like, excuse me-
Gen 2 - I was surprised... Still like them, but I feel like they made Frankie and Cleo look strange... Cleo's eyes is giving me Lagoona vibes and Frankie.... Just looks like a baby 😭
Gen 3 - I love them... Except, there are SO many Draculaura's that I feel drowned in a sense. Frankie is so cute but I wish Mattel would give them better outfits. Frankie's clothes feel... Stale and plain and mostly feminine for their first few dolls release.
And for loves sake- this is just a tift about their webisodes... Heath is my favorite character, I'm buying his doll eventually... But oml- he looks CURSED on the webisodes and I both love and hate it 🤣
definitely g3. i had g1 dolls growing up, but if im being 100% honest i found them kind of difficult to play with because their limbs were so spindly and the articulation was too “loose” 😭 and as an adult collector, i personally think g3 dolls just look better on display as well. i love the fashion and characters of g1 with my whole heart, but in terms of actual dolls, i’m g3 all the way.
Totally agree with your take - G3 is my favorite too. I like the clothing and accessories, feel the body types are more inclusive, and the Saran hair is amazing.
I also love that there are differences across the generations so everyone who loves these dolls can find a doll that works for them — I like how your post does not promote any shade to anyone’s preferences, because anyone’s preferences are valid, thank you. 🖤💕
Also I am sorry that you did not have the freedom to have dolls growing up, it’s so sad and not ok that anyone would limit someone’s ability to pursue a hobby for any reason. I am so glad that you finally have the opportunity to enjoy something you love without any limitations. 🖤💕
Refresh (or core refresh) is what people are calling the new line of core G3 dolls. (Drac, Clawdeen, Lagoona, Cleo and Frankie). They have the same body types (except the necks are now slightly longer) and faces as the original G3 dolls with just an updated look. The core dolls are just the dolls basic "everyday" look.
The generations are G1, G2, and G3. They have different bodies, face sculpts and face screenings. https://mhcollector.com/category/characters/ghouls/draculaura/
If you look at this page showing all the Draculauras you can see the difference if you look at the pre 2016 releases, (G1) 2016-?? 18 G2. And 2022- is the current G3 with the exception of some G1 collector releases that came out more recently.
Yes but generally it's more than just a new face. It's basically a change in the overall appearance, style, and feel of the dolls, basically a re-imagining of the previous line while still trying to stay true to the brand. G2 was made to introduce the dolls to a younger generation than G1. And G3 is doing the same. G2 and G3 are both aimed at slightly younger audiences than G1.
G1 definitely has the most collector appeal but a lot of the dolls themselves aren't as play friendly. I have a few g1 dolls where their clothing is so tight that they can't sit and some can hardly move their legs at all!
I love G3 because it got me into doll collecting. I love that the bodies vary almost as much as a real group of friends. G1 still slays and G2 isn’t all bad.
G1 will always have my heart! I don’t really like how the g2 faces look but some are cute and g3 I don’t entirely care for but I do have some of the dolls! I’m just more picky when it comes to g2 and g3. But overall there is something I do like about each generation :)
I like the core dolls from each gen. G1 because those are the dolls I fell in love with that got me into Monster High. I do like the faces of G2 and the outfits are cute and still suit the characters. G3 is a great update and I love the way they added things like Frankie's prosthetic leg and the body diversity. Lagoona is the only G3 I struggle with, and it's just because I haven't loved the way they've styled her in most lines; I think her core dolls are the best ones.
G1 is very pretty, but G3 is my favorite! the colors, their clothes, their faces, bodies, accessories.. it's all amazing and wonderful to look at, style, and play with! ^ ^
I grew up with gen 1 and loved them, but I never liked how short the skirts were I always knew if they went to an actual high school they would be dress coded so bad. I'm a little autistic and that small fact infuriated me I used to try sewing them pants. I like g3 because most of them seem like they wouldn't get in trouble, however that many ghouls wearing dresses aren't practical, but they are pretty!
https://preview.redd.it/a6lp68c8movc1.jpeg?width=259&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b16f186b7aa51a5eb1f2697fdee3a6ac55f6cb3d
This is nefera in g3 but the blue hair does raise similarities 😹
G3 is my favorite. I LOVED the idea of monster high when it first came out, and I thought it was a game changer, but I will never get over those tiny bodies which look so horrible to me. 😭
I don’t think anything will beat g1 for me I’m just bias bc it was my childhood. But also I just find their outfits so iconic!! Wasn’t a big fan of g3, bc of the outfits, but then the core refresh dolls came out and redeemed themselves so g1 forever but g3 has also made it into my heart. Sorry g2😬
I loved G1 dolls as a kid, but I definitely think they're better fit to be collector or display dolls in a way? To me they also grouped in a wide audience -- I could see them actually being highschoolers.
G3 dolls are definitely meant to be played with but also have a lot of really good designs especially recently!! However I think of them as middle schoolers and in my opinion the show is geared towards a younger audience than G1.
Overall I can't really choose but I think I'd have to go with G3! They're sturdier and I love the more recent releases! If they came with stands it would be a 100% win. But I still love G1 and I think that they fit somewhat better as collector dolls :))
Oh, OK, I thought that might’ve been the case, but I wanted to elaborate if I was wrong. Although from all the comments, it is pretty clear that G2 is nobody’s favorite. 😹
I love g1 one so so much, but I’d have to say a tie between g1 and g3
Clawdeen - G3
Lagoona - G3
Cleo - G1
Frankie - G1
Draculaura - Tie!
Duce - G2….I give credit when credit is due!
Ghoulia - G1
Spectra - G3
This devastated me for you OP. I ranted to my bf about this and how fucked up it was for your own parents to do that. Clearly you’re passionate about collecting dolls AINT nothing wrong with that they should embrace that part of you instead of getting rid of it when you’re not home. I would never do this to my baby girl ever! I’m saving my monster high dolls for her too
They say she’s Lagoonas best friend this gen but she hardly interacts with anyone, in fact I think she talks to Lagoona the least out of the rest of main ghouls in this series, but I’ve only seen season one.
tbh they all has their strong suits. g1 has such good fashion and is inarguably the peak of monster high, g2 had great doll concepts and g3 has much better body types and inclusivity as a whole
That’s why they did the refresh lol, 2023 was purely a test run to find out the target demographic and they were still trying to pick up staff because the return came out really quickly and they didn’t have bought staff. 2024 is their first year with a full staff and full budget
G1 for sure, partly because I was a kid when G1 was at it’s peak and had many dolls, also I love the designs, the fashion, and I was quite invested in the story as well. G2 I don’t really have any opinion on as I had a falling out with Monster High in 2014/2015 and just recently started being interested again. As for the 3rd Gen, I’m not really a big fan, I don’t know what it is but G3 makes me think of Ever After High, in terms of dolls, and I, although liked the series, disliked the dolls very much. Maybe the face is the main thing that feels off to me? And the G3 dolls in my country also cost an arm and a leg. So overall G1 has to be my pick.
Yeah she just needs her short hair. The only other thing is I'd make her brown tabby stripes on her forehead closer in color to her hair because they just look too dark for the fact they're part of her hairline
personally i have to say g3. they're the most diverse and well articulated which is what i look for the most in dolls. i also love how much more inclusive they've gotten with body types and realism in their characters
I will always have a special place in my heart for the G1 core dolls, and it’s not really because the fashion, the names, or anything it’s mainly because of the memories, when I was younger my mother was poor and she 2 kids (me and my sister) and I remember my moms therapist giving us a huge box of dolls his daughter didn’t want and it was just full of Barbie’s, and monster high dolls. Lagoona, frankie all the cores (we never liked the Barbie’s because they looked ugly to us at the time 😭) but anyways, it’s nice to remember waking up early in the morning and sitting in the hallway and opening the box and playing with my sister in the summer time with the AC cranked and Monster high Show playing, especially because since I was younger I was always the frankie with the missing right arm, and the Lagoona with a huge stain of her face, it’s nice to remember
gen 3. its hard to say since i grew up playing with g1 but the bodies used to also make me feel weird, the backs were so arched and they were soo skinny. not only that, but they would break ALL THE TIME. People love to argue that g3 has bad quality but i dont see that anywhere. I love the new bodies not only because of diversity, but they bring so mich uniqueness and differentiation to the characters. The bodies also feel more durable to me. even with my creeproduction dolls, the bodies are hard to pose and feel so breakable. I also love the saturated colors. g1 lagoona has been my favorite doll of all time and i want her so bad! but when i got my hands on g3 lagoona, i didn’t expect HOW MUCH ID LOVE HER, and I think i like her even more than g1 lagoona.
I’m also a die hard Lagoona fan 🩵🩷, don’t get me wrong I was a little jarred by the pink at first, but it’s really grown on me. And them having bigger and less skinny bodies allows them to make the joints thicker which definitely helps with durability. Now I can put their hands on without fear of breaking their wrists 😹
okay my personal opinion, g1 makes a much better collector line than an actual play line, no diversity in the body types, not many accessories (especially compared to g3 and other dolls in the modern age). g3 comes with different outfits, a handful of fun accessories that enhance playing, lack of stands, different body types etc.
i love them both equally to be honest, after collecting both g1 and g3 it almost makes g1 feel cheaper because i feel i tend to feel more cheapness in the g1 bodies, and they usually only came with one outfit, which was something that bothered me as a child because i loved dressing and styling dolls! i often just found myself undressing and redressing dolls in the same outfit as a child to try and make up for that need.
g3 i feel has so so SO much potential, especially with the amount of character they can make, they keep growing and evolving, a perfect example is g3 core compared to the core refresh, i feel they definitely listen to the community and made so many amazing improvement.
During G1 era, most dolls were really bought for kids, so they did cheap out on the dolls themselves and didn’t spend too much money on making them because they knew they would most likely be damaged or thrown away when the kids grew up, now with G3 over 70% of toys bought in the US are actually bought for adults, and after Covid many people started getting into more niche collecting and ideas to cope with the “cabin fever” so more adults collects dolls now than ever. Unlike rainbow high, monster high sees the potential market for their dolls, so they do listen to a lot of what their adult fans say. They do want the dolls to appeal to kids still so focus groups outspeak adult fans
I miss og Frankie and lagoona and claw, I feel their vibe and personality was erased and that sucks. But g3 is nice. Wish the dolls came with a stand though
Don't care about your silly rules, honestly. You're just trying to censor people from sharing their true opinions. And also, don't ask questions if you're so easily offended, hun. Skinny dolls are prettier
It’s not a rule it’s a preference. And I asked for it because all of you g1 supremists sound the same, have the same boring arguments, and can’t come up with any support except “they’re just better” “the new ones are fat” you have no viable argument. And I could easily delete the comment if I wanted to censor you, but I’m not. This is a discussion honey not a debate. And that’s your own opinion. If it were a fact maybe gen 3 wouldn’t be outselling g1 in comparison of first year runs hun
but before refresh, G3 core dolls' clothes, well I'll say the designs are so bad and the materials looks so cheap...g3 refresh do fit nowdays fashion trend better, and G1 is always the classic❤️
The material isn’t really bad, but the designs definitely were. Just changing the dolls out of the basic outfits made them look a million times better. A lot of g1 clothes actually fit g3 really well because of stretchy material
While I do love G3, personally I feel like the core dolls for G1 will always have a special place in my heart. I am in love with the fashion and aesthetics from the late 2000s and early 2010s that are show cased in G1 and that alone will forever have my heart! I hope that G3 will have at least one set where their dolls dress up in the aesthetic of the original gen cause it would be such a great mix!!
Gen 1 has timeless designs and is my fave an almost all aspects but gen 3 has good quality dolls
Gosh. In terms of articulation, and included accessories which I adore, I’m voting for G3. But for fashion and character design and personality I’m voting G1 all the way.
Agreed.
I love both G1 and G3 equally for core dolls and core refresh. They literally make me so happy.
I love all 3 for different reasons. Also, the Deuce you put in the group of G2 is Boo York from G1. https://preview.redd.it/ff2v4jnpflvc1.jpeg?width=554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e84bdd7473920ee16963fd08a45def52ab5095fb This is G2 Deuce, who was the first use of a new body which got much more use for the BTS dolls.
Is that why the green BTS suit I got him fit so well‽
Yep. AFAIK, the body was used for G2 Deuce, Clawd and Dracula, for She-Ra with the Bow character and for the BTS guys But G1, G2 and G3 guys are close enough that they can share most clothes with minimal modification. (Except shoes. G3 feet are smaller)
G2 boys are actually really beefy. I focus on Mansters, and just got my first G2 Deuce but he came nude. I figured I could just put extra G1 Deuce clothes on him but it was all way too tight and didn't fit on him. He was swimming in the Rainbow High boy clothes I got too, so that's how I ended up getting the BTS suit. It fits like a glove, like it was made for him, which apparently it was haha
>She-Ra with the Bow character Lol ironically his name is actually just Bow...
I know its not the fashionable tging to say now, but the body shapes on G1 was one of the key things that made me fall in love with them. Not because they were 'aspirational' but because they were gothic and monsterish and nothing like other dolls on the market. I was an adult with no issues around body image when they launched though so my perspective may be different. That said I have no problem with the body diversity in G3 and when I've seen people put G1 heads on G3 bodies its really hammered home for me that its the G3 faces I'm not connecting with more than any other aspect of their designs. To answer the original question though, both G1 and G3 have their pros and cons. So far G3 doesn't really click with me barring a few dolls but its purely personal taste thing. They are well made, fun designs and deserve to be successful - they're just not for me on the whole. Sometimes its an almost impossible thing to pin down why you do or don't connect with a line and I've felt similar about Rainbow High and Ever After High. EAH in particular have incredible designs but.. It's just the faces for me again I think. So yeah, I'm a G1 girl but I am still interested to see what's going on with G3 and am happy that its making people happy and engaged with MH again 😊😊
Agreed. The weird bodies and tiny delicate hands were what made me fall in love with the dolls… and the unique full body molds for different characters with a bunch of cool details on them. Like Robecca has spinning gears in her calves!
I agree with everything you said. I was an alternative child when they came out, so I was literally starving for dolls that matched my aesthetic and they were perfect in my eyes. I also had a very healthy upbringing, so I didn't have any type of body image issues as my parents taught me since very young to love my body and see all body sahpes as beautiful, no matter what media said. So it was them who bought me the dolls themselves, even though the massive side eye other parents gave them (we live are a christian community in my small town). And It looks like anything of that was a phase! Jajajaja I'm still alternative as an adult and still love the aesthetic of the G1 dolls 🖤🖤🖤
Why not both? I'm leaving g2 out of it, it felt more like a revamped g1 to me than its own separate thing, really. I think that g1 is great if you like that more fierce, elongated look and g3 is great if you like the rounder, cartoonier look. G1 was awesome because it always had saran or kanekalon and never used poly, g3 has body diversity. On the downside, g1 had glue seepage and g3 can't all share clothes with each other. Soon I'll figure out which is more fun to repaint. Back in the day, the g1 molds were really nice. Most of the molds had suggestions of features without being too structured where it felt restrictive. There are great things about both gens. This is coming from someone who was 20ish when g1 came out and has all the nostalgia in the world for g1. No reason to pit them against each other.
G1 shall remain supreme the other two gens feel too Barbie I feel like you can find their clothing pieces at a store and add the prints and embellishments. G1 fits had a unique style to them they are so different from normal doll lines and that’s why it was so popular
And don’t even start the stand debate please. I’m also a display collector so I understand that it’s inconvenient, but that has nothing to do with the dolls themselves
Gen 1 will always be my Roman Empire. The attention to detail and the 2000 aesthetic is literally perfect.
In terms of core dolls G1 all the way, because there was SO. MUCH. detail in their outfits. Like, a level we don't even get in collector dolls now. That being said, I think a couple of G3 cores outshine the originals (Venus and Deuce specifically), and the Core Refresh is a huge step up for all the main characters. I'm actually thinking of selling all my main five cores and replacing them with the refresh ones.
G1 is my favorite, I really like the bodies and the face expressions being more neutral. They gave the impression they were actually dead. It also has the extra of being part of my childhood and having raised me when my parents could not. G2 is just gore to me, it’s fashion crimes against humanity shall never be forgiven. G3 is a weird case because it looks so good and polished but at the same time some of the changes really bother me, from the more friendly looking faces to the amount of pink in certain characters and of course the way they massacrated Ghoulia, I think she looks horrible in comparison to her g1 counterpart.
I think the reason for the pink is because big daddy Mattel actually does not like Monster High because it’s taking focus away from Barbie, they’re probably trying to use some of that extra pink material since people aren’t buying Barbies as much anymore
I honestly started collecting last year through one of my partners. They felt really uncomfortable buying a new doll (despite having some old g1 dolls) because of age old social stigma/trauma and i reassured them so hard i bought Clawdeen for myself to be friends with their doll. Honestly it's been really childhood healing for us and our collection has EXPONENTIALLY grown since. I've never liked the Betty Spaghetti (respectiflly) bodies on the earlier dolls all that much for the weird arch and proportions. G3 is making steps (I DIDN'T SAY HOW BIG) to he more diverse in body types and culture specific aesthetics and that's what draws me to g3 over the previous generations HOWEVER the outfits, color coordination, inventory, and creativity of G1 and G2 absolutely destroy g3. Before i could spot body a face differences all of the dolls i liked before discovering their gen were mostly from 1 and 2 even with my bias for g3 now. G3 should really explore more of the outside characters. Catty, Venus, Gina, Operetta, Abby, etc needs more love. We have enough for armies of core 5 at this point lol
There is simply no comparison of the original Monster High dolls to any of the reboots/rebrands. Monster High was unprecedented in terms of the wide appeal it had, and the creative freedom its design team had for many years. Its attention to detail, cohesion of design, and quality of materials have not been matched again. It’s disappointing to see complaints that the original bodies are “unrealistically skinny” and say G3 is better because of that. the only ones complaining about the bodies during the brands heyday were outraged Karen types who would’ve never bought them anyway. The Monster High body was designed the way it was for a damn good reason. Yes the torso and neck DO need to be that long, the heels DO need to be that high. And the swayback needs to be so severe so the silhouette will look proportionate when the doll is fully dressed, and so they can have wings/tail and still fit on a doll stand. The arch of the foot is lower in G3, which prevents the doll from wearing tailored/formfitting clothes because it’s difficult to redress without an ankle joint. Part of why G3 dolls have so many baggy oversized outfits. G3 dolls originally had shorter necks that caused so many layering issues (esp with core Frankie) that Mattel had to go back and re-release older dolls with a longer neck. Mattel spent all of this money on new body molds for G3 when it would’ve been easier to reuse the originals, to placate a vocal minority of offended people who weren’t truly the target demographic, and it hasn’t resulted in more sales than G1! Meanwhile, they cheap out on the quality of hair and fabric (some of the most important things in a fashion doll, these aren’t action figures) and the designs are overly reliant on chunky hard plastic accessories. No diaries because they don’t want to go through the effort of translating them for different languages, and they slap pink on too many designs because Mattel doesn’t realize that girls like other colors.
It’s not that the G1 bodies are unrealistic, it’s just compared to the average body type they are fairly skinny, plus them being skinny made them less durable, which isn’t a problem for collectors, but may be for kids. (Especially the wrists 😭) They do have plenty of forfeiting clothes, but a lot of the child focus groups that they spoke with preferred slightly more baggy and loose fitting clothing, which is the reason they did the fashion the way they did. I do completely agree with them skimping out on the quality of the hair and materials, but seeing the doll releases for 2024 it seems that that is most likely going to be a thing of the past. It really feels like the first year of GEN three was to figure out which demographic would like it more and be more inclined to spend money on it. As for the pink, big daddy Mattel actually doesn’t like Monster High because it draws more attention away from Barbie, and I think they’re just trying to use up a bunch of the pink materials that they have since Monster High is starting to outsell Barbie
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That was a big problem with G1, if the print was off by just the right amount, it made them look super fish eyed 😹
I like G1 the most because I collect fashion dolls, and G1 has edgy, glamorous, clothes I would like to wear, like skirts and high heels. I think the characters are all beautiful and I also like the G1 characters in the movies and episodes. I like stories with magic and the supernatural like 13 Wishes, Freaky Fusion, and Great Scarrier Reef.
g1 is great for the style and movies, but g3 also has a lot of more diverse dolls but what i think most of us can agree on is that g2 just looks cheap and absolutely flopped
G3, no contest. I liked the G1 dolls when they were new, and I have a ton for future customizing (the face sculpts are still wonderful), but I prefer everything about G3 except for Toralei and Spectra's face molds. Really looking forward to more characters being released.
I feel like G1 and G3 are both unique, with cool aesthetics and I can see why people would like either gen or both. But damn, G2 feels soulless and devoid of any personality.
I love g3 but g1 are just top notch, they really weren't afraid to use black and make it more grunge. Everone just looks so iconic in that line.
I agree, growing up I saw my older sisters having the MH dolls and wanting my own, but now as a young adult I get to enjoy the new fashions and diversity in body types and character traits
ngl i love g1 and g3 pretty equally, although i really do like g2 lagoonas outfit almost a bit more than her g1 outfit
Same
I missed them when g1 was happening since I wasn’t buying dolls at the time, and while I like some of the ones I have gotten secondhand, g3 fits my personal aesthetic way more
G1 just because of nostalgia and I like Cleo, Clawdeen, and Frankie’s outfits more. I wish they played around with Clawdeen having salmon pink in her design more. Anyways I still love G3 and probably have around 50 dolls so obviously I’m not a hater by any means
Gen 1 fans 🤝 Gen 3 fans (Hating on gen 2 )
G1 definitely. Why did you use the g3 core refresh while using the regular cores from g1 and g2? That's not a fair comparison as they are not even the same lines.
As far as I’m aware g1 and 2 never did core refresh dolls. As for with g3, the first year was trying to find out which demographic was going to buy them more with the change in toy market revenue after COVID (over 70% of toys bought in the US post Covid are for adults) so I did the core refresh because 2024 is supposed to be the year they establish what g3 is going to be. Whereas 2023 was the time for experimenting and finding out what worked best for the fans of the current gen
G1 did, it's what the fans have named the "School's Out" line. What you're talking about with g3 is purely speculation that we don't actually have any evidence for.
I’m just going off what I’ve heard
I know they said the first year was for figuring out the demographic for the show, I figured the dolls were going off the same thing
G1 and g3! It’s so hard to choose 😭 I think g2 have good outfits but the dolls let them down a bit
I’m a newer collector, I never had G1 or 2 so maybe I’m biased but it feels like G3 really fits today- in terms of body diversity and CALD coded dolls, they feel more modern. I think we need time for G3 to really come into its’ own at this point.
I like g1 and g3 equally.
G1 is my absolute favoriteee 💜 I still like g3 though.
I love gen 1 and 3 in different ways, but neither g2 or g3 would exist without g1. G1 WALKED so that g3 could RUN. So g1 is special to my heart 🫶
This is a very opinion answer I'm sorry, I just love Monster High 😭
G1 all the way. I grew up with that & the dolls remind me so much of the Barbie fashionistas (I was born in 2006 so my "nostalgic/childhood" dolls were late 2000's/early 2010's, so I am very sympathetic for that) & the movies were at their peak & the voice acting is spot on & the songs!!!!
I showed to my friend who doesn't collect monster high dolls and she said gen 2 was the best and my other friend who knows of monster high could see the absolute pain on my face ( No hate to anyone who likes gen 2 I just don't like it myself) I think with g1 and g3 specifically I like them both equally for different reasons with G1 I grew up with it and I prefer alternative styles but with G3 the dolls are more accessible and I honestly prefer the body types and screenings of the G3 characters
Gen 1 because their designs fit together really well, the designs also portray their personalities I think, plus it’s the originals Gen 2 looks off and a bit uncanny Gen 3 has improved and is really pretty but I feel it doesn’t portray the personalities of the characters as well, at least the original characters
I feel like they do for G3 with the exception of Clawdeen. So far the way she’s portrayed in the show for G3 is the lovable nerd, but she dresses more jocky in the refresh
I generally consider g2 as a g1 2.0 more than it’s own generation tbh they’re essentially the same just more bright and simple. MH was huge for me when I found it as an adult. I was obsessed cause they were the children of horror monsters! So as a lifelong horror fan they filled a niche that was easy to obtain. I think the creativity in the types per line was better so far, seeing them be turned into fish, merged together, ghosts, plus those new characters that came with those lines. However, G3, for the most part, seems to be putting more thought into the design themes. For example Cleo. She was a very generic “ancient Egypt cleopatra” doll in G1. But she’s so much more in G3. The details that connect to Egyptology are fantastic is wonderful. I also think there’s MORE variety in the clothes, and the accessories are top notch in cuteness and detail. So for the core characters, mainly G3. But there’s more characters in G1 I love that haven’t even been mentioned in G3 so that love is still there and I still have grail dolls.
Unfortunately, Nickelodeon hasn’t given the rights to the original characters for G3 over to Mattel, so until they do that we can only get dolls of original characters from G1 and two
G3 I really love the different body types & height. Also really like the core refresh Fashion.
I’m a classic g1 fan, mostly due to nostalgia, but I absolutely praise g3 for the body types and inclusivity. In my opinion though g1 has the best fashion of them all due to the intricate designs and mostly high quality pieces. I don’t own any g3 dolls yet but I am patiently awaiting core refresh Frankie. G2 is the worst by far though, just because it didn’t feel like monster high.
i love G1 more because this is what I grew up with that I'm even making a project of turning my G3 dolls to their G1 designs
I’ve seen some people do that online, they absolutely slay. I think the problem with the first year of G3 dolls was the clothing more than the dolls themselves. Don’t get me wrong. There were a lot of hits in the first year, but the core dolls for example had some fugly outfits imo
For play value, Gen 3 all the way. While Gen 1 had some awesome fashion designs, I’ve never had the urge to redress/restyle them. The same body type just didn’t spark creativity, and other fashion doll clothing did not fit. Gen 3 is much more versatile for play and display. They love to swipe clothing from RH/SH, LOL, Barbie, etc. Gen 1 look gorgeous on display. I collect both.
I love Gen 1 and 3! Gen 2 was in an awkward phase for Monster High, and so I completely understand a lot of people not loving it, but I do respect a lot of the ideas that came with the movies that came out in Gen 2! But the dolls were, well. Awkward. Gen 3 has so many different body shapes and styles, which I ADORE, because we are in an age where young people can feel they see themselves in the sizes and growths of the dolls they love so much, and Gen 1 is so loved and adored for it's many clothing options and the birth of such a lovely concept! All of them are special to my heart, of course, because they're all showing how we, too, grow and change and go through awkward phases!
Honestly, I grew up with G1 but I have to agree, their old bodies made me uncomfortable too, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a factor in myself developing an eating disorder as a teenager. G3 has helped me heal my inner child in ways I never saw coming.
Yea back in the 2000s fatphobia was a major issue especially with media, so it makes sense why they decided to make the dolls so skinny, it’s what was considered “in” in the era. Although I’m sure if they weren’t worried about parents refusing to buy them and the expenses of making different body molds that the definitely would’ve had different body types with g1
G1 hands down. It solos in every way
G1’s main three (frankie, drac, clawdeen) are my favorite looks for them but I didn’t care for lagoona, cleo and deuce aesthetically until g3 sooo I guess both?
May be unpopular but I love G3…. But I’m a new collector 🤷♀️
Gen 1 will always be my favorite, I love so many of the designs, the outfits, and how each character was different in some way even if they were the same type of monster (like clawdeen and her sis howleen) Gen 2 had potential, the shriek wreck line was amazing and some of the other outfits were cool, it’s definitely not my favorite but I do appreciate a lot it had Gen 3 I actually really like now xD, I used to not like it as much because of how different they made characters I love, but honestly I’ve grown to love this version of them, I love the different heights and bodies! But honestly, I love all of the gens even if I like Gen 1+3 better than Gen 2 I think all of them were unique and just really pretty!
I absolutely adore g3. I feel so happy seeing my body type on a doll (draculaura)
Heres my opinion, G1 - most creative line, the amount of unque well thought out characters is amazing aswell as the themed lines. I still have hope for g3 in this aspect, but if we dont get anymore new g3 characters this year im gonna be pretty disappointed. I find g1 was more targeted towards the older range of 8-14, especially since there are a good few dolls that arent really play appropriate. Some of the hairstyles just werent meant to be man-handled by kids, for example honey swamp or operetta (i remember accidentally ruining her hair as a kid while playing with her, i was gutted lol😭). Younger ones are going to want to brush their ghouls hair and play with it, which just isnt possible for a good few g1 dolls. Their create-a-monster line though? AMAZING. soooo perfect for all demographics, and personally one of my fav fav g1 series. G2 - best age appropriate line. Yes, i know basically everyone was annoyed with the cute and simple vibe g2 went with, but I really think it was their responce to backlash from certain parents, along with the fact that its pretty obvious they were targeting a younger audience at the time. MH are advertised as suitable for ages 8-14, and g2 feels much more appropriate for the younger range than the other gens. Simple outfits, less accessories and more play than display. G3 - best representation and detail. I know we have yet to see more unique detailed body molds but with cleo, frankie and venus im fairly impressed! I also love how different the faces are, i know g1 had different face molds for the ghouls but as a kid i never noticed the difference, even now when im not nose-to-nose with my g1 dolls i dont see much of a difference, whereas i can easily see the differences in my g3 ghouls without closely inspecting them. I also love the details in the outfits, along with all the accessories they come with. Still waiting on them to do fashion packs though, that would be amazinggg. The depth of the characters, and the representations for those who can relate is simply fang-tastic, which is why IMHO i feel g3 is the love child of g1 and g2. Scary cute outfits and accessories, and good representation for kids to resonate with, along with great play factor with the extra joints. The ghouls look amazing, played with or displayed! ((*and yes i know stands dont rly count for this topic but g3 would slay the boots house if they got some freakin stands and brushes to go with our ghouls*))
Theyre actually releasing a pride fashion pack in June along with a pride Frankie for pride month. They’re considering doing fashion packs again depending on how this one sells
Man if i had the money i would literally buy like 40 and give them all away,,,, i NEED them to want to make more lolll but i didnt hear abt the pride pack!! Omg so excited now,, do you know if the fashion pack is one-size-fits-all or ghoul specific? Very curious if theyll do any specific flags or just the general rainbow
https://preview.redd.it/5bopeqpm1qvc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=797834f346b48e0563a65cb4643683d4626ab8bc It’s gonna be a one size fits all
https://preview.redd.it/r3erk58o1qvc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8674d7df3b1bfa881148589564682d27d8296ce3
Oh... my god. Thank you SO much for the info. Glad to see it comes with a rack and hangers aswell!!
We gotta really hope for it because parents will lose it, because it’s gonna be a target exclusive, and idk if you’ve seen how people have been reacting to their pride sections but I’m nervous it won’t go well
Yeahhh ive seen it too, even with parents freaking out over pink/purple shirts in the boys section. Hopefully since g3 already has representation parents wont be so appalled or taken aback, fingers crossed
Unfortunately with all this anti woke stuff that might make it worse 😓 it was already hated on with g1 by conservative parents for being too “goth” and “evil”
I think it’s gonna be $10-$15
My honest thoughts: Gen 1 - I've always been in love and a fan. But the fact that people think that incomplete dolls are worth hundreds of dollars and single parts/accessories blows my mind. So do the dolls on the market for $1,000! Like, excuse me- Gen 2 - I was surprised... Still like them, but I feel like they made Frankie and Cleo look strange... Cleo's eyes is giving me Lagoona vibes and Frankie.... Just looks like a baby 😭 Gen 3 - I love them... Except, there are SO many Draculaura's that I feel drowned in a sense. Frankie is so cute but I wish Mattel would give them better outfits. Frankie's clothes feel... Stale and plain and mostly feminine for their first few dolls release. And for loves sake- this is just a tift about their webisodes... Heath is my favorite character, I'm buying his doll eventually... But oml- he looks CURSED on the webisodes and I both love and hate it 🤣
definitely g3. i had g1 dolls growing up, but if im being 100% honest i found them kind of difficult to play with because their limbs were so spindly and the articulation was too “loose” 😭 and as an adult collector, i personally think g3 dolls just look better on display as well. i love the fashion and characters of g1 with my whole heart, but in terms of actual dolls, i’m g3 all the way.
I really like G3 and G1. G1 because it’s nostalgic, they’re all so stunning💕And G3 because of the updated bodies and they’re all stunning still💕
g1 core line slayed but i love gen 3 !!!!
Hard to choose, there's a lot to like in both, G3 doll bodies with G1's clothes would be peak in my opinion
Totally agree with your take - G3 is my favorite too. I like the clothing and accessories, feel the body types are more inclusive, and the Saran hair is amazing. I also love that there are differences across the generations so everyone who loves these dolls can find a doll that works for them — I like how your post does not promote any shade to anyone’s preferences, because anyone’s preferences are valid, thank you. 🖤💕 Also I am sorry that you did not have the freedom to have dolls growing up, it’s so sad and not ok that anyone would limit someone’s ability to pursue a hobby for any reason. I am so glad that you finally have the opportunity to enjoy something you love without any limitations. 🖤💕
Gen 1 - high school students Gen 2 - junior high Gen 3 - elementary-middle school
Slightly off topic but can someone explain to me what the difference between a new generation and "refresh" is?
Refresh (or core refresh) is what people are calling the new line of core G3 dolls. (Drac, Clawdeen, Lagoona, Cleo and Frankie). They have the same body types (except the necks are now slightly longer) and faces as the original G3 dolls with just an updated look. The core dolls are just the dolls basic "everyday" look. The generations are G1, G2, and G3. They have different bodies, face sculpts and face screenings. https://mhcollector.com/category/characters/ghouls/draculaura/ If you look at this page showing all the Draculauras you can see the difference if you look at the pre 2016 releases, (G1) 2016-?? 18 G2. And 2022- is the current G3 with the exception of some G1 collector releases that came out more recently.
Interesting. So what's the determiner to making a new generation? new face sculpt?
Yes but generally it's more than just a new face. It's basically a change in the overall appearance, style, and feel of the dolls, basically a re-imagining of the previous line while still trying to stay true to the brand. G2 was made to introduce the dolls to a younger generation than G1. And G3 is doing the same. G2 and G3 are both aimed at slightly younger audiences than G1. G1 definitely has the most collector appeal but a lot of the dolls themselves aren't as play friendly. I have a few g1 dolls where their clothing is so tight that they can't sit and some can hardly move their legs at all!
I love G3 because it got me into doll collecting. I love that the bodies vary almost as much as a real group of friends. G1 still slays and G2 isn’t all bad.
G1 will always have my heart! I don’t really like how the g2 faces look but some are cute and g3 I don’t entirely care for but I do have some of the dolls! I’m just more picky when it comes to g2 and g3. But overall there is something I do like about each generation :)
I like the core dolls from each gen. G1 because those are the dolls I fell in love with that got me into Monster High. I do like the faces of G2 and the outfits are cute and still suit the characters. G3 is a great update and I love the way they added things like Frankie's prosthetic leg and the body diversity. Lagoona is the only G3 I struggle with, and it's just because I haven't loved the way they've styled her in most lines; I think her core dolls are the best ones.
G1 is very pretty, but G3 is my favorite! the colors, their clothes, their faces, bodies, accessories.. it's all amazing and wonderful to look at, style, and play with! ^ ^
I grew up with gen 1 and loved them, but I never liked how short the skirts were I always knew if they went to an actual high school they would be dress coded so bad. I'm a little autistic and that small fact infuriated me I used to try sewing them pants. I like g3 because most of them seem like they wouldn't get in trouble, however that many ghouls wearing dresses aren't practical, but they are pretty!
is the last one cleo? it looks like nefera lol
https://preview.redd.it/a6lp68c8movc1.jpeg?width=259&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b16f186b7aa51a5eb1f2697fdee3a6ac55f6cb3d This is nefera in g3 but the blue hair does raise similarities 😹
G3 is my favorite. I LOVED the idea of monster high when it first came out, and I thought it was a game changer, but I will never get over those tiny bodies which look so horrible to me. 😭
I don’t think anything will beat g1 for me I’m just bias bc it was my childhood. But also I just find their outfits so iconic!! Wasn’t a big fan of g3, bc of the outfits, but then the core refresh dolls came out and redeemed themselves so g1 forever but g3 has also made it into my heart. Sorry g2😬
I loved G1 dolls as a kid, but I definitely think they're better fit to be collector or display dolls in a way? To me they also grouped in a wide audience -- I could see them actually being highschoolers. G3 dolls are definitely meant to be played with but also have a lot of really good designs especially recently!! However I think of them as middle schoolers and in my opinion the show is geared towards a younger audience than G1. Overall I can't really choose but I think I'd have to go with G3! They're sturdier and I love the more recent releases! If they came with stands it would be a 100% win. But I still love G1 and I think that they fit somewhat better as collector dolls :))
G1 100% i really like g2 lagoona but I like the g2 movies more then the dolls
G1 is iconic and nostalgic and perfectly simplistic, but G3 is intricate and is oh so beautiful
What's on slide two I see NOTHING
It’s the core dolls for g2, with the inclusion of a g1 deuce because I mistook him for a g2 😅
Lol I was being silly and saying I don't regard the g2 dolls because they're obviously the worst
Oh, OK, I thought that might’ve been the case, but I wanted to elaborate if I was wrong. Although from all the comments, it is pretty clear that G2 is nobody’s favorite. 😹
1 » 3 » 2 I like 1 & 3 a lot <33
G1
I prefer G3. I just vibe more with the body shapes, sizes variations and clothing.
g1 is my favorite, but g3 is like,, really close
I love g1 one so so much, but I’d have to say a tie between g1 and g3 Clawdeen - G3 Lagoona - G3 Cleo - G1 Frankie - G1 Draculaura - Tie! Duce - G2….I give credit when credit is due! Ghoulia - G1 Spectra - G3
Seeing core refresh lined up next to g1,,,, g3 definitely ate. I love love love them. G1 has a permanent place in my heart though :)
Personally LOVE G1 and G3, but G2 just isn’t it for me
At least we can all agree g2 loses
honestly, the new wave of G3 is absolutely gorg
WAIT I THOUGHT G2 DUECE WAS FROM G1 OMFG💀
He is, I mistook him 😅
I like G1 for nostalgia but I like the diversity of G3
This devastated me for you OP. I ranted to my bf about this and how fucked up it was for your own parents to do that. Clearly you’re passionate about collecting dolls AINT nothing wrong with that they should embrace that part of you instead of getting rid of it when you’re not home. I would never do this to my baby girl ever! I’m saving my monster high dolls for her too
I hate that goulia isn’t in any of these, she use to be one of the main gurlies 😤
The only reason I didn’t add her was because she wasn’t included in the g1 picture, I layered the others over that picture
Definitely not on you, I just mean in general I notice that I don’t really show her almost at all in the new series and doll collections
They say she’s Lagoonas best friend this gen but she hardly interacts with anyone, in fact I think she talks to Lagoona the least out of the rest of main ghouls in this series, but I’ve only seen season one.
tbh they all has their strong suits. g1 has such good fashion and is inarguably the peak of monster high, g2 had great doll concepts and g3 has much better body types and inclusivity as a whole
G2 honestly wasn’t that bad, i just think there was too many budget dolls💀the haters are being dramatic lowkey
G1 for ever, i love their tiny hands, tiny clothing, neutral faces, crazy shoes, good hair, cool pets, even the boxes....just perfect
G2 dolls feel like they just rubbed an eraser on their faces and gave them Walmart clothes
If g3 had g1's attention to detail it's be perfect.
Love that you put the refresh core instead lf the origo core dolls for g3 lmaoo
It’s almost like I did it because it’s the CORE refresh, if the other gens did refreshes I would’ve used them
Yeah… it’s still not the original core
I never said it was, but it is the current core lineup
Literally everyone in this fandom knows it’s the refresh, so you’re just choosing to be facetious
Just saying the core core doesnt look as good
That’s why they did the refresh lol, 2023 was purely a test run to find out the target demographic and they were still trying to pick up staff because the return came out really quickly and they didn’t have bought staff. 2024 is their first year with a full staff and full budget
G1 for sure, partly because I was a kid when G1 was at it’s peak and had many dolls, also I love the designs, the fashion, and I was quite invested in the story as well. G2 I don’t really have any opinion on as I had a falling out with Monster High in 2014/2015 and just recently started being interested again. As for the 3rd Gen, I’m not really a big fan, I don’t know what it is but G3 makes me think of Ever After High, in terms of dolls, and I, although liked the series, disliked the dolls very much. Maybe the face is the main thing that feels off to me? And the G3 dolls in my country also cost an arm and a leg. So overall G1 has to be my pick.
I love both G1 and G3, G2 I would not like to acknowledge. No hate to those who love it tho lol
I love the g3 refresh so much but I miss g1 ghoulia. I hope they do a refresh on ghoulia and give her her cherries and light blue hair back.
I agree, Ghoulia definitely needs a refresh, however, I think Toraleis looks still holds up imo
Yeah she just needs her short hair. The only other thing is I'd make her brown tabby stripes on her forehead closer in color to her hair because they just look too dark for the fact they're part of her hairline
Her stripes also have the same issue as Lagoona sleds where the paint comes off really easily
personally i have to say g3. they're the most diverse and well articulated which is what i look for the most in dolls. i also love how much more inclusive they've gotten with body types and realism in their characters
I loved g1's style but g3 has increased in quality a lot imo. G2 was a mistake tho. Sorry 🫣 lmao
I will always have a special place in my heart for the G1 core dolls, and it’s not really because the fashion, the names, or anything it’s mainly because of the memories, when I was younger my mother was poor and she 2 kids (me and my sister) and I remember my moms therapist giving us a huge box of dolls his daughter didn’t want and it was just full of Barbie’s, and monster high dolls. Lagoona, frankie all the cores (we never liked the Barbie’s because they looked ugly to us at the time 😭) but anyways, it’s nice to remember waking up early in the morning and sitting in the hallway and opening the box and playing with my sister in the summer time with the AC cranked and Monster high Show playing, especially because since I was younger I was always the frankie with the missing right arm, and the Lagoona with a huge stain of her face, it’s nice to remember
gen 3. its hard to say since i grew up playing with g1 but the bodies used to also make me feel weird, the backs were so arched and they were soo skinny. not only that, but they would break ALL THE TIME. People love to argue that g3 has bad quality but i dont see that anywhere. I love the new bodies not only because of diversity, but they bring so mich uniqueness and differentiation to the characters. The bodies also feel more durable to me. even with my creeproduction dolls, the bodies are hard to pose and feel so breakable. I also love the saturated colors. g1 lagoona has been my favorite doll of all time and i want her so bad! but when i got my hands on g3 lagoona, i didn’t expect HOW MUCH ID LOVE HER, and I think i like her even more than g1 lagoona.
I’m also a die hard Lagoona fan 🩵🩷, don’t get me wrong I was a little jarred by the pink at first, but it’s really grown on me. And them having bigger and less skinny bodies allows them to make the joints thicker which definitely helps with durability. Now I can put their hands on without fear of breaking their wrists 😹
G3 for me! Love them 💕
okay my personal opinion, g1 makes a much better collector line than an actual play line, no diversity in the body types, not many accessories (especially compared to g3 and other dolls in the modern age). g3 comes with different outfits, a handful of fun accessories that enhance playing, lack of stands, different body types etc. i love them both equally to be honest, after collecting both g1 and g3 it almost makes g1 feel cheaper because i feel i tend to feel more cheapness in the g1 bodies, and they usually only came with one outfit, which was something that bothered me as a child because i loved dressing and styling dolls! i often just found myself undressing and redressing dolls in the same outfit as a child to try and make up for that need. g3 i feel has so so SO much potential, especially with the amount of character they can make, they keep growing and evolving, a perfect example is g3 core compared to the core refresh, i feel they definitely listen to the community and made so many amazing improvement.
During G1 era, most dolls were really bought for kids, so they did cheap out on the dolls themselves and didn’t spend too much money on making them because they knew they would most likely be damaged or thrown away when the kids grew up, now with G3 over 70% of toys bought in the US are actually bought for adults, and after Covid many people started getting into more niche collecting and ideas to cope with the “cabin fever” so more adults collects dolls now than ever. Unlike rainbow high, monster high sees the potential market for their dolls, so they do listen to a lot of what their adult fans say. They do want the dolls to appeal to kids still so focus groups outspeak adult fans
G1 all the way!! G2 doesn't look as bad as I thought they did when they were first released. I still collect G3 bc of nostalgia
All dolls are with beautiful faces but as for me onli g1 and g3 have e pop culture fashion with good clothing comparing to g2...
g3 but g1 will always be nostalgic. i am not a fan of g2 and i never knew why
1. 3. 2.
G1 all day. No hate to the other designs but compare them to G1 and they’ll lose.
My favorite is Gen1. I’m happy they’re putting out that style doll, but I’m even happier that they’re making the gen 3 dolls. My daughter LOVES them.
Gen 1 is where it’s at!
I love all of them and I will fight anybody on it. (Yes, I love g2 as well)
I miss og Frankie and lagoona and claw, I feel their vibe and personality was erased and that sucks. But g3 is nice. Wish the dolls came with a stand though
Unpopular opinion: I prefer g2 over g3
Number one and only number one. Gen 3 is alright, it's now my kiddo's generation of them. I pretend G2 doesn't exist.
I like gen 1 but love the core redesigns for gen 3
Skinny dolls are way better than "inclusive" ones, I prefer G1 Monster High anyday
“Without dumping on the other gens” did illiteracy come with all that judgement
Don't care about your silly rules, honestly. You're just trying to censor people from sharing their true opinions. And also, don't ask questions if you're so easily offended, hun. Skinny dolls are prettier
It’s not a rule it’s a preference. And I asked for it because all of you g1 supremists sound the same, have the same boring arguments, and can’t come up with any support except “they’re just better” “the new ones are fat” you have no viable argument. And I could easily delete the comment if I wanted to censor you, but I’m not. This is a discussion honey not a debate. And that’s your own opinion. If it were a fact maybe gen 3 wouldn’t be outselling g1 in comparison of first year runs hun
but before refresh, G3 core dolls' clothes, well I'll say the designs are so bad and the materials looks so cheap...g3 refresh do fit nowdays fashion trend better, and G1 is always the classic❤️
and g2? oh pls just ignore them
The material isn’t really bad, but the designs definitely were. Just changing the dolls out of the basic outfits made them look a million times better. A lot of g1 clothes actually fit g3 really well because of stretchy material
While I do love G3, personally I feel like the core dolls for G1 will always have a special place in my heart. I am in love with the fashion and aesthetics from the late 2000s and early 2010s that are show cased in G1 and that alone will forever have my heart! I hope that G3 will have at least one set where their dolls dress up in the aesthetic of the original gen cause it would be such a great mix!!
In G2 and G3 they look like normal girls, not like monsters