Ever After High Discussion Thread!

[Midnight_Echo]

Love the animation, story and intro song so far.

The dolls? Well, I hope their faces look different in person. I like their outfits, but I'm slowly backing away from being 100% insta-sold. Cute boxes, but I guess I'm so used to the MH head sculpts these are different from what I was expecting. And depending on the price point, I may still pick a few up for the outfits.

[DoomBunnies]

Hate it when I randomly stop getting updates on topic. Last reps I saw were page 7...

I have to say though, just from the artwork and the doll pics I am not loving this line so far, which is sad. The whole reason I learned to read was to read East of the Sun and West of the Moon (mm russian fairy tales) and the other fairy tale books my mom would read to me and my brother when we were camping.

Turning them all into puffy, round faced princesses in pretty pretty dresses just takes all the depth, darkness, and child terrifying that fairy tales have and their core and white washes them into the "learn to read" fairy tales walmart sells, and kills the bits of the stories I love best. It is late here, and I'll look at character bios/webisodes tomorrow and judge more then, but for the superficial parts of this line, the bits that pulled me into MH before, I am less than interested. Especially if they all have the same round, little child faces.

[sakuralu]

I'm just in love ♥

I've discovered them yesterday evening and I was crazy! They are so cute! I especially love Briar Beauty (make me think Flora in Winx Club, well, at least a little) and Maddy hatter!

I try to make a list:

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Cerise Hood, Daughter of Little Red Riding Hood
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Kitty Cheshire, Daughter of the Cheshire Cat/ Lizzie Heart, Daughter of Queen Heart
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Daring and dexter Charming, Sons of Prince Charming
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Ashelynn Ella, Daughter of Cinderella
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Blondie Locks, Daughter of Goldie Locks
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Cedar Wood, Daughter of Pinocchio
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C.A Cupid, Daughter of Eros
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Hunter, Son of the Hunter in Snow White
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Daughter of the Shepherdess
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[MilkyTaroMochi]

They look interesting Very cute, and the line has potential.

Still, that's a lot of pale blondes... I really hate to be That Guy, but I hope they plan on introducing some POC characters that aren't like, just made out of wood. Briar Beauty is ok, but if I recall correctly MH started with Cleo AND Clawdeen right off the bat as major characters

It just seems like a step backwards, though unfortunately I think that's what sells.

I think part of it is the fairy tales and stories they are based on are very European centric.  I bet that as the line expands and gets more popular that they'll explore fairy tales from more diverse cultures and we'll see more races represented, at least I hope so!  I wouldn't really call it a step back though, they are just starting with stories that are going to be familiar to the widest audience and those stories happen to be mostly western European.  I am with you on hoping we see more diversity in the future though!

I'd love (and look forward) to see more diversity in the line as well! I too noticed how there were a lot of blondes and save for Briar Beauty, the only other diverse/darker skin-tone one (that I saw) was Pinoccho's daughter, and it kinda bummed me out a little. But the line is just starting out, so I'd imagine eventually there would be more diverse characters.
Growing up there was a TV series I watched (and still love, to this day) on HBO called "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child", and it pretty much did a bunch of classic fairy tales with a multicultural twist/re-telling. So there would be for example an Asian version of The Little Mermaid, African version of Beauty and the Beast, Spanish version of Hansel and Gretel, and the list goes on. They also had a Native American version of Snow White, IIRC.  Pretty sure that show is still airing on HBO Family.
I think it would be neat if EAH did the same thing with some future characters. And there are a bunch of stories from other cultures that would be fun/neat to see as students of EAH.

[SunnieBunny]

Saw pictures of the art on facebook and thought that the characters looked neat. Then saw the promo webisode and thought i was going to up chuck since its so ummm girly, stereotypical that you have to be who your parents were kinda thing compaired to monster high is be who you are but I am assuming that they are going to get to that point somewhere in the story line since Raven Queen dosent seem to want to take after her mother. Apple White drives me nuts! She's to much of a Goody Goody lol Yuck!

Whats with the Brothers Charming? One is dating Apple white and the other i don't know but didn't their father or fathers marry Snow White and Cinderella kinda deal. So not making sence in Ever After High hope it gets explained. Lol

After seeing the doll pictures there I am totally sitting on the fence lol.
I like the dolls but not some of the characters.

[LuvlyMelody]

Turning them all into puffy, round faced princesses in pretty pretty dresses just takes all the depth, darkness, and child terrifying that fairy tales have and their core and white washes them into the "learn to read" fairy tales walmart sells, and kills the bits of the stories I love best.

That feeling. What you grew up with for what it originally was, gets all watered down and covered in sugar and rainbows so kids won't be scared.

"No, the three little piggies didn't live happily ever after, two got eaten by the wolf, who also got eaten by the smart piggy who didn't get eaten, so only he lived happily ever after."

[WildLace]

I am really excited for these dolls!!! But where the ***beep*** is Alice!!! I want an Alice!!!

[Zombelina]

I really don't think they're trying to give the opposite message to MH's "be yourself" -- they're setting up the storyline to be a lot more plot/conflict based than the MH webisodes, and part of that is to set up the school/headmaster as actually misguided, and the main characters will have to grow to realize that and learn that they certainly don't have to conform to expectations, they can indeed write their own stories. At least that is what I read from it -- the same message as MH.

I totally agree that it's frustrating to have a lot of white girls, though. Yeah, they're using northern/western European fairytales, but that doesn't mean they can't adapt them however. And/or it would've been AWESOME (and important, from a big brand) if there'd been an Asian or African tale's character included from the start. :/ I'm sure it does come down to marketing to the perception of "what western culture is familiar with." Which sucks

On the subject of the fairytales being prettified up, that honestly doesn't bother me. Much as I love the early messy, gory, brutal tales (I do hesitate to call them "original" when they grew out of oral storytelling) I also love the gentle ones. The whole foundation of fairytales rests on their being retold over and over again in a thousand different ways, and we've got both heavy versions and pretty versions running through our culture today. If EAH hooks a kid into fairytales and they want darker, it's out there. (Robin McKinley anyone? Or more adult yet, Anne Rice? ) I truly think "light" and fluffy versions are as legit as "dark" ones

However, both defenses and critiques aside, I adore the fundamental concept of EAH and the style and will devour it all while hoping for more growth too!

Edit: typos!

Edit the second: a beautifully put post on tumblr that says things I only managed to say clumsily: http://persinetteinthetower.tumblr.com/post/51766494600/theres-some-interesting-meta-to-be-found-in-the

Edit the third: added in a few more thoughts because I can't sleeeep and my brain is full of EAH

[ShortyBoo]

Did Dexter Charming remind anyone else of Jackson? I'm curious about which Prince Charming the brothers are the sons of. Because there was a Prince Charming in Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. I'm guessing they're not related to the Snow White Prince Charming, since that would make Daring and Apple brother & sister. I wonder, though, if the boys are the brothers of either Ashlynn or Briar?

[Tropical_Sunset]

Love the characters and the webisodes so far and I can't wait to see more...but am I the only one who's disappointed by the fact that most of the characters just seem to be boring ol' humans?  I was REALLY hoping to see fairies and unicorns and mermaids, etc... Even Kitty is a human with a cat ear hat instead of a cat girl like I was hoping to see.  And, yeah, that's a lot of whiteness going on.  I was hoping there's be more variety in skin tones, not only in natural skin tones but fun fantasy skin colors like they do in Monster High.  I don't know.  I was just expecting a little more creativity from the line.  There are a few too many mostly-white-human-girl doll lines already, IMO.  I guess that's why I'm so drawn to Monster High. 

I like everything about those dolls except their big ol' heads...  Their faces just look so wide and plain, especially Raven's.  I guess I'll just have to see them in person to know if I'll like them or not.  Their outfits are beautiful, at least.

[Martini]

Did Dexter Charming remind anyone else of Jackson?

Yes, that was my immediate reaction. Maybe it's just the same voice actor?

Yeah, I was kinda hoping I wouldn't like them either. I will buy some of them (I want Maddy, Raven, Cerise and Kitty), but I don't plan to really collect them. At least not yet. I have quite enough with MH, Pullips and BJDs.

That's how I started with Monster High  I'll only buy one, I said, but now I have 50.

I was hoping their faces would be closer to the cartoon, so I guess I could have dodged a bullet here.

[WildLace]

Does anyone know when these dolls will be released???

[bewilderness]

Love the characters and the webisodes so far and I can't wait to see more...but am I the only one who's disappointed by the fact that most of the characters just seem to be boring ol' humans?  I was REALLY hoping to see fairies and unicorns and mermaids, etc...

This!

[michelle53]

Doll pictures! We've got doll pictures courtesy of tumblr!!!

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Oh man, so much awesomeness!  These girls are seriously bringing the pale.  I'm with Saply though...give us more diversity please!

[Vertefae]

Wow. This may be the unpopular opinion but there is nothing wrong with basing a line on European fairy tales. I'm sure they'll add more characters later but there is no "shame" in using European models for the stories and characters. Not everything has to be politically correct all the time.