Another note in regards to G1 quality is the glue in the heads. Yes, not all of them had glue in their head, or even glue that leaked into the hair, but MANY of them did. The glue absolutely damaged some dolls. Besides the fact that it made their hair gross and sticky, it also discolored and yellowed some of the paler dolls like Frankie and Catrine.
Yeah, the indo factories between certain years. I have some horrible ones. I found a doll in store randomly when it came out like 3ish years earlier, and the glue had seeped into the box horrifically.
I think g1 gets labeled as gothic or edgy when really it was just normal ass club wear for the time period. thats just what older teens and 20 year olds wore
The wild part is Garrett didn’t even say Clawdeen was a lesbian. He said he just wanted her to be less boy crazy than everyone else. He said he liked the idea of her being a lesbian tho. Valentine is someone I can see people claiming is gay because he said he intended for him to be. But it’s a bit annoying to me that people just say Clawdeen is lesbian and that’s not true. I’m bi myself and would love more representation but this is just not the case w G1 monster high. That’s one reason why I really like G3
See I thought he went from “don’t want her to be boy crazy” to “oh yeah lesbian Clawdeen is cool” to “yeah I imagine her that way” but I 100% could be wrong 😅 there’s sooo much info out there and I feel like he’s been asked the question a hundred times. But even me being uncertain illustrates how non-canon it is 😬
@@FaeryTaleDolls From what I saw the “I thought I’d Clawdeen as just less boy crazy” comment was on an instagram story and I believe on the same story he said he liked the idea of her being a lesbian and fans saw themselves in her. I don’t think those first two are mutually exclusive rather they happen in the same post. I haven seen him say she was lesbian anywhere but I could be wrong and just not have seen it 😅 all I know is g1 fans say it w full chest and I’m like “are we sure this isn’t just a game of telephone?” I just remember at the time I heard that I looked up a bunch of stuff trying to find out if it was true and all I found was that it’s nice that fans think that but he didn’t intend it to be that way basically. And I was like why are people saying this with their full chest 😭
@@Put_down_dem_perkies nah, if your not crazy chasing boys it doesn't mean you're lesbian. Like I wasn't obsessed by boys also, just living my life, but it doesn't meant that I was lesbian just because i didn't start dating immer with some dude
Mattel has an opportunity now to introduce an indigenous Australian character, possibly a rainbow serpent or another dream time ancestral being. Or from folklore. 🤔
Adding onto the last myth points you had: Mistaking something as good representation might also send the message that good representation can just be beating around the bush. Representation should be explicit to work as representation. I don’t wanna settle for less just to feel seen.
Your points about the diversity in g1 are so important and ive always felt like an asshole making them myself so its nice to see someone else saying it
It's hard to say whether a "monster" style doll is goth or not. They're monsters. So just some monster themes may cross over & be considered goth on a human doll. But on a monster doll, especially MH is known for putting the characters monster related designs on the outfits.
I feel like a lot of G1 purists like to block out the 2014-2015 (pre-reboot) era of G1, while there are absolutely exceptions (we still got a lot of banger dolls through this era don’t get me wrong) imo 2014 was when we started losing different textures and layers to outfits that were just the theme of the line made into a pattern and slapped on a dress instead of them actually being dressed for said activities (ex. Classroom Ghoulia is wearing an actual gym outfit, not just an outfit with pictures of basket balls on it) Personally I think 2010-2012 was really the golden era of outfits using different pieces and textiles (Dawn of the Dance and Schools Out being maybe the best examples of this) I think the other thing is that they used a lot more muted colours in this era, or the dolls had one main bright colour and then their other colours were more muted, and we don’t really get as much of that anymore and I think that’s what really contributes to the more youthful look of G3 (I wanna clarify that I think both are good this is just my observations)
I heard the same argument and hate for modern care bears is the same hate for G3 MH. Modern Care Bears are just as valid as vintage care bears. And I still say MH is basically a tamer version of Living Dead Dolls, and I'll die on that hill. And yes begoths and ldd came out in the early 2000's and late 90's
With the debate about g3 not being alternative, i feel like there so many dolks who are! Even if theres bright colors doesnt mean theyre not alernative at all. Theres so many different types of alternative fashion, and i feel like things that are weird or out of the norm count; even if theyre not gothic or dark. Venus and Catty are definitely alternative imo. g3 Draculaura feels very Gothic lolita inspired. I feel like Torelais dolls still look edgy and tough even if they have neon predominantly. Jinafires fashion is so unique/quirky. Overall, Monster High g3 has better fashion styles for the dolls where they feel more unique to each character and the character's styles feel more consistent between dolls to me. I'm biased towards g3 too though, as I just like the face styles better even if they're cutsier because they're more detailed and expressive.
Ok. I said in the chat that I had a longer thought about the Ghoulia language thing and here it is. First of all, your argument about the xenophobia associated with labeling Ghoulia's speech as "nonverbal" is so incredibly real and valid and I don't want this other angle that I'm looking at it from to be in opposition to that. I think they're both important. I think with Ghoulia, the representation looks different from technical and practical perspectives. The technical perspective is that yes, this is clearly a language that she is speaking. Which is super important to acknowledge because the way that everyone around her has learned her language so that she can speak with them comfortably is super important, and unfortunately not usually how things go in the real world. It sets such a good example for G1's audience to see the other ghouls respecting her like that. From the practical perspective, the reason why this misconception exists is because the group of people whose voices sound the most like Ghoulia's does in MH's home culture of the USA is nonverbal people. And nonverbal people are too often stereotyped as being "inferior" in terms of mental ability. But just because Ghoulia speaks in what would sound to the typical audience member as nonverbal sounds doesn't make her less smart, and Monster High knows it! It makes a HUGE deal of how intelligent she is. It's even one of her most defining characteristics. So even though it is explicitly stated to be another language, it has the practical effect of the kids growing up with G1 seeing people communicating with similar sounds as Ghoulia around them irl and having the opportunity to connect those people back to a character that they see as intelligent. That is SUCH a powerful thing, and extremely necessary for nonverbal communities, who are often othered and looked down on. Like with ESL (English Second Language) people, nonverbal people often experience isolation by way of others around them not making an effort to communicate and connect with them because it doesn't feel worthwhile to them, and even worse, that's often because ignorant people assume they're not smart enough to try to communicate with. Just because a person doesn't use verbal speech to communicate doesn't mean they don't have thoughts they want to express! So even though Ghoulia isn't technically nonverbal representation, I still love parallels can be drawn between her and nonverbal people. And as a side note, I think it would've been really cool if they had made G3 Ghoulia nonverbal and given her an AAC device, which is a tablet with buttons that helps bridge the communication gap. Or any other character, really. AAC representation is so extremely hard to come by (if it exists at all, I'm not even sure it does), and some schools literally won't even allow kids to use them in school because it's too inconvenient for them 😡 Literally. There's been widespread bans in my state recently. So I would LOVE IT if MH and other media included them more often!
The ESL analogy was my first thought when Raine was discussing Ghoulia, I remembered that her bestie Cleo spoke fluent zombie and I loved how Ghoulia was included in the friend group, the whole school, I just love the show 🥰 how the zombies have the underground expressway in the catacombs so they're never late to class. The students are encouraged to be unique, be a monster. I just love it.
I hear you 100% on Ghoulia, it really makes me wish she just HAD been canonically nonverbal so the potential issues of declaring another language not a language weren’t a thing. Cause you’re right, it’s SO cool to see someone who could be seen as nonverbal/communicating through nontraditional means be the smartest person in the room (and also never bullied for that or her interests afaik)
@@FaeryTaleDollsThis!! Like I've always fully understood that Ghoulia was never actually nonverbal, but I feel like Mattel could have heard th headcanons and made Ghoulia really nonverbal. It would be such a great opportunity.
As a Brazilian, I will say, I think Latino representation is complicated, because we aren't a race, we are different nationalities united by colonization and imperialism. So this thing about representation is complex, if I write a character that is Brazilian and it's supposed to represent my people, it's going to represent what I know while being a Brazilian in Brazil. But someone else can think it's not accurate because they are descending from Brazilians and have never been here, or maybe they live in a different region of the country that is different from mine. I think no representation will be 100% perfect.
I think the same, I'm from Central America so I see how even amongst 6 countries we have a lot in common but a lot of diferrences too. I think with just putting more effort into showing more of the heritage of the character that it's not just saying random words in Spanish (or Portuguese) is a nice starting point for representation. Like Skelita, they flashed more of her heritage in her diaries.
Thanks for your very informative video! Also, I was told (maybe someone can verify this) that Lagoona was originally intended to be called the "Daughter of the Creature from the Black Lagoon". However, because of copyright issues they changed it to the "Daughter of the Sea Monster " Of course we now supposedly got a "Daughter of the Creature from the Black Lagoon" doll in the release last year, although it was not titled "Daughter". Great doll though.
I love G3 but I really hate the ombre boots and boring shoes. I don't mind shoe molds being re-used but I just wish we'd get more painted details and nicer colours. Most of the time the shoes don't match the outfit at all
(Sorry, probably going to have running commentary as I'm watching this video. Lol) Yes!!! I 100% agree that I actually like Monster High G3 bodies, sculpts and sturdiness better than G1. I absolutely love G1, but I hate how delicate the joints are. I have definitely broken a couple elbows in my collecting career, and I don't feel like that will happen with G3. Not to mention that because of the nature of how thin G1 dolls are, sometimes if the joints aren't sitting correctly, it will hinder the range of poseability, whereas I have not had that issue with any of the G3 dolls. The one thing I will say is I like how G1 outfits are designed for the bodies, way more flattering. (It's absolutely getting better as time goes on for G3) But G3 has SO MANY Dolls where their outfit/accessories are just not flattering. Also, yes. I HATE polypropylene. That has been a huge deciding factor for me with dustin NOT to buy certain dolls from G3. So none of the generations are 100% perfect.
G3 Frankie is my favorite version because I really like their personality and character. Yes, they are non-binary, but that is not all they are. They are smart and kind and always want to do what is best for and help their friends. When I heard G3 Frankie‘s voice, that is what I imagine their voice would sound like. What I mean by that is G1 Frankie‘s voice didn’t sound like Frankie to me, it just reminds me too much of Barbie since that’s literally the same voice actress and voice as Barbie. That is one of the reasons I don’t really like G1 Frankie.
agree! g1 frankie always struck me as a sort of annoying, naive, preppy, kinda boring 2010's quirky girl main character. I dont hate her, but as a kid i just found her personality boring. I LOVE g3 frankie!! I love that theyre nonbinary, neurodivergent, and have so many different interests and hobbies, Their personality is much more unique and fun and i love their relationship with Cleo toooo
a point i tried to make in chat but got cut off: I think g1 and g3 are both really good in different ways, and both have their flaws. g1 just gets a lot of love due to nostalgia, and being a pretty sentimental person, I get that. however, it's so frustrating to me as someone who likes both but just didn't have g1 on my radar while it was around that people won't give g3 a proper chance just because it's different. i like to take my dolls places with me because I like them and also their hair makes a really good fidget for me, and yesterday's doll happened to be core refresh lagoona, and I ran into a friend who, while not a doll collector herself, has a lot of g1 nostalgia, and likes to look at my dolls when I have them with me. she held my lagoona for a minute before saying she was pretty, handing her back, and asking who she was. when i said it was a lagoona doll, though, her opinion changed, like "she's pretty but that's not lagoona." it just feels like a shame that people who would otherwise like the g3 dolls can't enjoy them because it's not exactly what it was before. g3 is by no means perfect, but in my opinion, a lot about it is pretty great. g1 wasn't perfect either, I'm sorry. this is why the separation of generations matters, because the excess of comparison hinders the actual enjoyment of what g3 has to offer. i can respect all the headcanons that say that they're related or the same characters in different years of high school or something, but i wish that the community could have an easier time accepting that they are different characters who happen the share a name. not that the g1 easter eggs and references aren't cute, i like those, but i feel like g3 gets sooo much more scrutiny due to people's preconcieved notions.
You are not stupid. You didn't pick it up because depsite them saying it there is nothing Romanian abiut G3 Drac. No culture is shown, she and her dad now both talk like they are from California, they harp on her Taiwanese side when talking abiut her abcestry at all, they have her speak Mandarin but not Romanian. So yeah she is Romanian in name only, and even then they basically just said that because they had to, since her dad can't be labelled as anything else. Remember romanians are eastern european and we all know western media doesn't care about representing them at all unless it's as villains
@@finland4ever55 This is so true. I don't mind them having Taiwanese rep in G3 of course, rep done in the right way is always good ofc but to me it feels somewhat of an excuse to not show her Romanian side. I mean they could have made almost any other character Taiwanese it didn't have to be Draculaura. Would have been nice way to actually portray some of the cultural differences in Europe.
Other myths: Operetta does not qualify as a monster because her dad is actually human or Spectra is from some sort of royal family and died of hunger (even though it was never clearly established and confirmed by the powers that be).
Okay there’s a whole different very interesting discussion to be had about which monsters are the most/least monstrous! Like where do you draw the line? Cleo used to be human… idk it’s just a funny rabbit hole to go down
I could say all I want that this specific character struggles with their gender identity, but if I do not display this, then it’s just saying it. It’s not representative because there’s nothing to physically pull from where I could go, “This is solid evidence that this character is ___”
Marisol is Peruvian and named (awkwardly or not) for the maricoxi, a Sasquatch equivalent being in folklore. Her name being a slur for Brazilians is surprising and unfortunate to learn, but she was never portrayed as Brazilian. I do otherwise agree completely that G1 was very flawed in terms of diversity, and have criticized those aspects myself while still loving the brand. Tackling and acknowledging the problem is healthy.
And Lagoona is not the creature's daughter. She is the "daughter of a sea monster". People just heard the name Lagoona and decided she must be the creature's daughter, because the other monsters were Universal, she must be Universal too. No, she is not. So her being Australian was not wrong or weird at all. Funny that this video is about busting myths but this myth is sill perpetrated in the video.
Re. G1 and queerness: the big issue is how people say definitively that certain characters are queer when never explicitly stated (and no, a creator pulling a jk Rowling and saying “they were gay” after the fact does not count). We can do “queer readings” of the media and point out instances that can be seen as queer-coded or narratives that have queer elements but that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily true. An example of this being done in the literary world is queer readings of Bram Stokers Dracula. Because of what we know about Stoker and his personal life and making interpretations on the writing based on his technique and other writings, a strong case can be made for Dracula being a queer narrative despite the surface level heterosexual relationships. We can’t explicitly say that it is queer though because it is never explicitly stated. The same can be done with monster high but is complicated by the fact that one creator has said there was queer intent- but he is only one person on the team and i don’t think there is strong enough evidence to take that word as the absolute truth when it’s being said after the generation is done.
And this isn’t all to say that you CANT do a queer reading of g1 monster high- what it means is that you can’t tell people “clawdeen is lesbian representation and you’re wrong if you disagree”. You CAN say “i think clawdeen shares a lot of experiences and characteristics that can be related by lesbian fans, or that lesbians can see things that they went through in clawdeen” (as an example).
I resonate with the last rant for sure because I feel a bit weird when g1 is getting changed because Garret said something new about g1 lore. I love Garret, and I think he's a lovely person and clearly has a good heart for the LGBTQ+ community, but just because he said something doesn't make it true. He may have been a big creative in their team at the time, but he doesn't work for them anymore, nor can he speak for the brand. When something becomes canon in any media, typically, we have to see real evidence for it in the media, or have the brand confirm it. Also.... (This is my own person issue but I just wanted to add it on) I personally also feel a bit sad by this too, because it feels a little random at times when someone may ask how Garret feels about *insert random g1 ship or head cannon* and if hes like "Oh I think thats a great idea" People run with it like it was the solid gold ticket answer so now thier ship is real LOL. That doesn't even remotely mean that's cannon, because at that point, it's just a cute little response, not a fact in g1s lore! Lol, it drives me insane.
100% agree like he’s definitely just answering hypothetical questions and having fun and people immediately assume it’s canon just cause he gave the mildest thumbs up
The “fashion” being better in G1 is laughable. G1 tube dress and skirt l…like 70% of the clothes and the accessory game was weak. They used crappy hair fiber as well. I’m saying this as someone who was an adult when G1 were released.
Okay here we are The Frightmares Clawdeen's younger siblings (not the G2 or Howleen) from the books Spelldon Cauldronello Fawn Scary Stone Cy Clops Eyera Harmony Burns
The OG Bratz Pretty n Punk dolls are significantly more edgy than most Monster High dolls. The idea of Monster High is more gothic than the dolls themselves.
I dont think Marisol was suposed to be brazilian, as not one single piece of clothing she wears (por example) derives from brazilian culture, native or not. She seems more aestheticaly peruvian or from some country in the north of south america. Neither does "coxi" means anything in portuguese. Maybe you got that piece of information wrong.
Imo retcons and comments after the fact don't necessarily change what it was at the time. Is G1 Clawdeen a lesbian now? Yeah. But she wasn't then. Just because she's queer now doesn't mean she was always queer. Diversity after the fact doesn't mean it was always diverse, it just means it was retconned
I was today years old when I realized Ghoulia’s last name is a pun 😂 I love your rant videos and am so glad you did this! I’ve seen so many people take the myths as truth and it’s so glad to see you bust them (especially about diversity!!)
29:26 i mean, in fairness, for its time, i would consider it edgy and alternative, scene, gothic, hippie, punk etc. Keeping in mind that it still is targetted towards children. And specifically the base dolls, themed lines are supposed to deviate from the base formula in either direction. My personal theory is that most of the time the dolls have a neutral or frowning expressions in g1, which makes them more, like, serious and edgy I like g3 for what it is, but it definitely is less risky when it comes to colors in particular, at least at the beginning. But it is also fun at times. I liked monster ball, Venus is a slay, and she does look punk rocky i think? Also, what really sets g1 apart is collaborations and collector's editions. It is quite weird that g3 doesn't really have it, unless Squid Game one is a bridge towards that?
I agree with pretty much every single thing you said!☺️I absolutely love g1 and it is still probably my favourite(nostalgia likely plays a big role lol), but I also love g3 too and I definitely appreciate the representation in g3 more than the somewhat lack there of in g1. I was thrown for a bit of a loop at first when lagoonas ethnicity was changed and ghouia now speaking etc( I do miss the old ghoulia tho) but I honestly came to absolutely LOVE lagoonas character now, she’s really funny and cute, and as much as I actually really loved Abby’s old accent, I really do love her new one, especially since it actually makes sense for where she’s from! And Frankie being nonbinary just fits and feels right for them and I really love to see it. Also I think there are definitely several g3 dolls that are still pretty “alternative” looking, like core refresh drac and Frankie, Venus, Toralei, for example, among others, and I still love them all! I feel like now they can only expand and make things even better, and have even more representation that’s even inclusive for everyone, which is always a good thing 🩷
Abby didn't just have a Russian accent while saying she was from the Himalayan mountains she also described her village in the Himalayan mountains as if it were Russia. Despite never saying she was from Russia i can totally understand thinking she was russian.
She also has two relatives with Russian names. Uncle Frotovitch and her cousin Blitnichik And in one movie she says they have a word in her home for someone acting weird "prelyuvnachicnetchkovitch" or something like that. So they may not have initally wanted her to be Russian but they actively added those things so they WERE coding her as Russian
The amount of people I still see say G1 Draculaura is a "gothic lolita" is baffling. Like I'd qualify two of her G1 dolls as lolita (Forbitten Love and Picture Day), but gothic? No. People just learn fashion subcultures and randomly assign them to characters.
The only goth she has is literally just having fishnets and lace. That's like saying you're coquette because you wore pink with a ruffly bow in your hair. Elissabat is gothic, Draculaura is not.
You absolutely hit the nail on the head with your takes on G3 and G1 because that's exactly what's happening. G1 Purists think G1 is perfect retroactively AFTER the fact and then complain about G3.....which in turn causes G3 fans to complain about G1.......which then causes G1 to complain about G3 MORE. And thus we end up in an endless back and forth cycle which really sucks.
Hi there! I’ve been enjoying your videos so much lately. I had a question tho, I thought Marisol was from the monster high version of Peru. Does her last name have the same meaning in Peru as is does in Brazil?
Athough I don't know if theres specific discussion about the word maricoxi in Peru (it's not a topic that gets brought up often, the creature is named "Pie Grande" and that's it), in general it can still be offensive to south american people since it was coined to refer to native people from there. Not exactly due to an exact word meaning. They're not the same of course, but theres some overlapping with some of the ethic groups from South America
@@stelladewayne4942 ahhhh ok, now I understand. That’s unfortunate since I quite like the design of the character. I’m sure the design team didn’t mean to offend or cause harm, but they definitely should’ve done more research.
I want to talk about Jinafire situation. It’s controversial. This is just my opinion. Jinafire is Chinese. And as a Chinese, I never see Chinese fans upset about her skin colour. The one who upset are South Asian. If the situation happened on Rochelle that North European get offended but not French?
I have seen East Asian Americans complain. But the funny thing is many of them aren't Chinese either but Japanese or Korean. Only Chinese, Taiwanese, etc people have the right to complain. And the yellow skin i get but people forget that gold dragons are a thing in China, its one of the many colors they come in so are actual Chinese people racist then? As for Rochelle, in the west stereoupes are obly considered bad and probelmatic if it's stereotypes about non European cultures, even if its European cultures that are marginalized (like Eastern Europeans), usually villainized in movies (EE, Germans), mocked (Italians, Irish, Scottish), or rarely/never represented at all (Maltese, Baltics, Icelandic, Finnish, Belgian)
I’m a G1 fan first and foremost but I do like G3 as well. Both have their pros and cons for me. With that being said , I adore this Cupid! I have zero issues with her. In my opinion, she’s perfect.
I’ve always head cannoned that the reason the Zombies in G1 don’t speak English but can understand it and everyone understand the language is because they’re bodies are always in a state of decomposition so their vocal chords would physically be rough and probably can’t keep up with the way words are spoken in other languages I love both Gens but I’ll admit I do prefer the styles of G1. The quality of G3 is great! But it feels like it took a while to get their footing on what they wanted out of the dolls trying to get their personalities and styles down. Also I like Lagoona being Honduran now. I’m Mexican and I totally agree with representing the diversity among Latin cultures. I can also understand the cultural oomfs from G1. I don’t think they were intended to be stereotypes. I think they were trying to be diverse but missed the mark but I do think they’re trying to do better this time around.
I sort of think that for "fiction characters" as toys, maybe sexual orientation doesn't need to be specified. As, the consumer or child of the doll can have their doll be what they want them to be. I understand MH had cartoons & movies, so the characters are set a certain way. But when i played with toys ( or even now ), I make up my own rules. Hopefully this doesn't come off as insensitive. Don't mean it that way. It doesn't bother me if they are labeled one way or the other.
This was a great video, and all points needed to be said, especially the ending. The other problem I always point out too with acting like g1 so diverse in sexuality is like..gay marriage wasnt even legal in the USA when Monster High first came out, and it was still, in fact, something that was debated heavily at the time on whether it should be legally allowed. Theres no way mattel, which i believe is the #1 toy company in the USA and was at the time, was allowing any queer rep with their huge doll line that was second only to Barbie herself- and saying that the characters are canonically lgbt+ is taking the responsibility and very real decision Mattel had to have positive representation, along with their repeated denials to do so, out of their hands. Of course as a corporation, Mattel will never own up to it, but the association of a g1 character being canonically queer can make Mattel seem more progressive than they actually were at the time, and thats a title this mega corporation does not deserve.
Tbh I don’t see the problem with using mold, one of the joy of doll collecting for me personally is to collect accessories with the same mold but in different colour
Omg, the shoe molds! Lol I don't see the re-used molds as that big of a problem. If you go into a shoe store (whether it's high-end or not), chances are the shoe you're looking at will come in more than one color... And multiple people shop at the store, sometimes groups of friends will go and more than one of the friends in the friend group might like the same shoe. So it's possible that some of these ghouls shop at the same shoe store. It's not that big of a deal. Would it be nice to have a new unique shoe mold for every doll release? Yes, absolutely. That's one of the things I get most excited for when I open a new Monster High doll (especially collector dolls), because the shoes can be super cool! But if a particular accessory/shoe mold works for an outfit or new doll's look, I don't see the issue.
I always hated how they decreased Frankie's role as the main character, and pretty much conflated her with Ghoulia in Gen 2. While they were the quirky friend in G3, I miss the quirky lead Frankie in G1 (oh, and Neighthan/Frankie forever).
Agree about basically everything. Especially G3 dolls being sturdier, not romanticise the queer rep in G1 (like you said it can be harmful) and also the diversity being better in G3 (but not perfect ofc). For example, I live in Scandinavia, and the only ever rep we got were Kjersti Trollson in G1. Mind you she wasn't even good rep, since imo she is no where based on Scandinavian folklore trolls but more the Americanised version of trolls. Also the viking stereotype is becoming boring. Vikings didn't even wear hats like that and no one in modern day Scandinavia would actually wear a hat like that seriously.
Hii Rainn!! I hope you're doing well:) have you thought about doing a new doll room tour? Even if it's not quite finished. I've been dying to see the new set up!
@FaeryTaleDolls oh my goodness no! I'm sorry if I was being pushy about it. I'm so excited to see the new space and what you're working with:) I just know that basement is bigger and like a good place to expand into.
Honestly i agree with you but regardless of what g1 fan said about g3 i don't really care anymore since the show already ended and let me tell you season 2 had a lot of wasted potential.
I def agree with your point about the Ghoulia being non-verbal headcanon, I feel like it’s a slippery slope slope cos on one hand that’s a totally valid headcanon to have and I can understand people’s reasonings for it! But on the other hand, she DOES speak, we the audience may not know what she says but it’s an established language in universe so it’s also kinda strange to completely dismiss that fact. HOWEVER, I think it’s so unfair on people to hate on G3 Ghoulia because she speaks English? She’s such a fun character in the show and for people to completely dismiss her cos she doesn’t fit in with their headcanon is wild to me? I can definitely understand being frustrated with the lack of representation… but I think it’s weird of people to argue that G3 Ghoulia is a lack of representation in comparison to G1, when your argument for G1 is actually just a widely accepted headcanon (Again totally fine to have this headcanon! But it’s wrong to claim it’s 100% truth) Same can be said with a lot of headcanons being spread as fact over the years tbh (Sorry for the ramble, I just found the topic of this video to be so interesting haha 🙂↕️)
Wait.... Ghoulia has a SISTER?!?!??!!?? And Yeah... I would go as far as saying that g3 is actually more edgy than g1. Just look at Frankie in g3. G1 Frankie had like 2 goth dolls... But thank you for this video sm! More UA-camrs should do this! I love this! Sometimes, G1 (especially purist) need to calm down and see how g1 really was
The “fashion” being better in G1 is laughable. G1 tube dress and skirt l…like 70% of the clothes and the accessory game was weak. They used crappy hair fiber as well. I’m saying this as someone who was an adult when G1 were released. Oh and no your head-cannon doesn’t count for diversity.
I was gonna edit and add more to my comment but when I looked for it it disappeared so whatever but anyway; You didn’t talk about this and idk if I can even give my opinion on because I’m white, but it just straight up did not make sense to me that Jinafire did not have an accent. Obviously it’s hard voice actor wise to find someone with a natural Chinese accent (idk if it’s controversial to use Chinese but I’m pretty sure there many Chinese languages and dialects so I can’t just say Mandarin or Cantonese accent.) It’d be one thing if she was just Chinese and had moved to an English speaking country when she was young and didn’t have an accent because I know that her new voice actress is Chinese/Canadian. But when she was introduced I’m pretty she said that she’d just come from Fanghai? So how does she have an American/Canadian accent? I’m probably just nitpicking but idk. (Also Abby’s change made sense so I’m not referring to her accent change)
I have no idea how lol but I think your comment ended up on a completely unrelated short of mine! You make a good point though about Jinafire, instead of an accurate accent (which can def be done without playing into stereotypes) she kinda just has a “wise calm” voice that kinda feels worse??
@@FaeryTaleDolls G3's biggest ethnicity problem is the stripping of accents. Please see my commnt talking about exactly why Romanians dislike G3 Drac (and explaining what people mean when they say she's been Americanized, it's not just her being mixed or her losing the accent, it's much more than that). Also they only give accents to villains/former villains, sidekicks, or characters largely defined by negative traits (Toralei was a bully, Lagoona pre-character development was just the "violent girl", and Lochlan Ness was a one-time character). Every time a formerly accented character comes back they remove the accents. There is zero excuse for removing accents in a modern cartoon whern you are way more likely to encounter a foreigner than you were in 2010. And then there are character like Mr. Foxford and Bunny Earickson who are Icelandic and Welsh respectively (Foxford is voiced by an Icelandic man, and Bunny, Shea literally said werebunnies come from Celtic lore.). I don't know if Mr. Foxford has an accent, but either way they don't ever touch on him being Icelandic. Bunny's Welsh heritage is never acknowledged either, and instead of getting a Welsh VA they get a Latina (G3 has more characters played by people of the same or similar backgrounds. Not all but a lot. The European characters are not played by people from the correct nationalities, and Nefera is voiced by a Latina, so do with that what you will). Ghoulia is also Canadian, but they got an American VA and completely ignore her Canadian heritage, despite concept art showing a Canadian flag and one of the designers saying she was influenced by Scott Pilgrim on one of her Tiktok videos. So they not only downplay heritage, and often villainize or brush cultures aside, but they actively don't even TRY to represent some cultures beyond word of mouth or doing small things that never impact the actual cartoon.
Romanians aren't really lying though with Drac. They did not technically remove her heritage but when they strip her of her accent as well as her fathee's accent, the lack of interest in her Romanian heritage (they only mention it in the show twice very briefly, and Shea, Mattel and the VA only care about her Taiwanese side. Shea says she speaks both Romanian and Mandarin but we never hear a lick of Romanian. So yes, G3 Drac is quite anti Eastern European on purpose or not. Additionally They remove accents in G3 constantly. Only a small ampunt of characters have accents i G3. Lagoona, Toralei, Lochlan Ness (a one time character), that's about it. It's weird and kinda gross
Okay, something that I have to disagree with in this video is the talk about characters being canonically queer. I don't want to get too deep into it in a comment (maybe this is a topic for a separate video on sometime), But personally, I don't think queer character HAS to come out. Non-lgbtq+ people don't have to come out, why do we have to? I have been saying for literal YEARS that o wish i could have more media where the main character is gay, but not make the Story be about coming out, their relationship, dealing with discrimination or an STD, or somehow centered around them being gay. Because like, you can look at any movie where the main character does not have a love interest, and romance is never brought up, and people just automatically assume they are straight. They could even be bi, asexual or aromantic, or something else. But what actually determines that? Like, I would love an Indiana Jones type movie, or where the lead just happens to be gay. I mean, I get it, at some point you need to have something within the media to establish that they are gay, otherwise are they actual representation? But something like Dumbledore being gay, he is an old man when we meet him, and they never talk about his personal or romantic life in the Harry Potter franchise, but later in The fantastic beasts franchis (when Dumbledore is younger), they finally do depict a romantic relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. (I know JK is a piece of s***, and That's a separate topic for another time), but yeah. This is kind of a tough one for me, because I hate "coming out culture", But I also very much understand the importance of good representation. I guess the difference must be representation versus simply allowing a character to live. Sorry, this turned into a slightly incoherent rant 😂 but yeah, rhis might be a fun discussion topic
Also, I want to make it clear that I understand that the creators of Monster High and the creators of the individual characters had certain intentions, but they were restricted (or told "no") by the individuals above them saying "it wasn't the right time". I'm not arguing that any of the G1 characters SHOULD be considered good lgbtq+ representation, I'm just putting the question out there of what is the standard? What is the minimum? What is required to 'allow' a character to be considered lgbtq?
(Obviously I paused the video part way through the discussion to start writing my comments so I didn't hear the whole thing). But yes, there is absolutely something to be said about retroactively making something Canon when specifically Mattel, or the higher-ups that Mattel would not let Garrett create the representation he wanted to. That really is an excellent point to make, And should not be overlooked.
I definitely hear you, it’s a very nuanced topic. I mostly just wanted to argue that Sander retconning sexuality doesn’t count as canon haha but I absolutely get that we should be able to get to a point where a gay character doesn’t have to be a GAY CHARACTER (I hope the caps convey what I mean lmao). I guess to me it feels like we have to get to the point first where there is normalized “out” queer rep in media before it can become more subtle? Cause with the precedent being heteronormative subtle rep feels more like no rep or queer baiting, whereas if the precedent was more “all gender and sexualities are normal” then subtle rep is something that can be better received? I hope that makes sense
I actually didn’t know a lot of these things. In my defense, I haven’t read everything, and was very late in finding MH. I only found them at the end of G2. I did see some of the original web series after I found mh though. The only thing I feel like commenting on tonight is about Lagoona. I personally think both dolls are adorable, but I prefer G1 Lagoona as to her heritage. I think her being Australian is so adorable, and feel like Mattel could have just created a different character for her new heritage, rather than changing her. They created new dolls in the past, and are supposed to be doing a new one soon. I don’t remember her name though. Anyhow, I like the new Lagoona as to looks, but never watched any of the new web series, so I can’t speak to her character. I have a couple of her dolls and like them. But G1 Lagoona is my favorite in all ways. Have a great evening sweetie 💗🌸💗🌸🧚🏻
In G1 Garrett Sander has never confirmed that Claudine was gay he said she was supposed to be the one that was not boy crazy that is it other characters like Valentine we're out right said they were supposed to be gay Claudine was never one of them
hi! long time watcher here. could you perhaps turn off the audio tracks, or make it so the original audio is the one you start nwith (idk if it's possible tho). the AI voice is honestly annoying, it lacks your emotions, and etc
Thank you so much for consistently pointing out the fat shaming that G3 constantly gets. I don't talk about it that much, mainly because when I get a new doll, I'm usually so excited that I'm more focused on the doll than on what other people say in the comment sections, But I'm glad people are being called out. Because fat shaming is stupid, and these are literally just little plastic people. Haha. Btw, I love, Love, LOVE this look!!! Obsessed with the haircut and color, and I'm loving the outfit the way you put it together! I think I've seen you wear it in videos before, but I love the way you did the sleeves separate from the top, it looks super cute, And kind of whimsical! 🖤🤍💜
Ah thank you friend! 🥹 Yeah it’s really wild to me that people get SO worked up over the sizes of these dolls like…that’s the hill you want to die on? Okay 🙄
I think people say G1 was all gothic, because they forget how people dressed in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
G1 literally just used some sort of tube dress for most of their dolls so with g3 they are giving us more fashion than they did before
Another note in regards to G1 quality is the glue in the heads. Yes, not all of them had glue in their head, or even glue that leaked into the hair, but MANY of them did. The glue absolutely damaged some dolls. Besides the fact that it made their hair gross and sticky, it also discolored and yellowed some of the paler dolls like Frankie and Catrine.
Real!
Yeah, the indo factories between certain years. I have some horrible ones. I found a doll in store randomly when it came out like 3ish years earlier, and the glue had seeped into the box horrifically.
Draculaura can also have yellowing on her body
I think g1 gets labeled as gothic or edgy when really it was just normal ass club wear for the time period. thats just what older teens and 20 year olds wore
The wild part is Garrett didn’t even say Clawdeen was a lesbian. He said he just wanted her to be less boy crazy than everyone else. He said he liked the idea of her being a lesbian tho. Valentine is someone I can see people claiming is gay because he said he intended for him to be. But it’s a bit annoying to me that people just say Clawdeen is lesbian and that’s not true. I’m bi myself and would love more representation but this is just not the case w G1 monster high. That’s one reason why I really like G3
See I thought he went from “don’t want her to be boy crazy” to “oh yeah lesbian Clawdeen is cool” to “yeah I imagine her that way” but I 100% could be wrong 😅 there’s sooo much info out there and I feel like he’s been asked the question a hundred times. But even me being uncertain illustrates how non-canon it is 😬
@@FaeryTaleDolls truuue (referring to the non-canon)
@@FaeryTaleDolls From what I saw the “I thought I’d Clawdeen as just less boy crazy” comment was on an instagram story and I believe on the same story he said he liked the idea of her being a lesbian and fans saw themselves in her. I don’t think those first two are mutually exclusive rather they happen in the same post. I haven seen him say she was lesbian anywhere but I could be wrong and just not have seen it 😅 all I know is g1 fans say it w full chest and I’m like “are we sure this isn’t just a game of telephone?” I just remember at the time I heard that I looked up a bunch of stuff trying to find out if it was true and all I found was that it’s nice that fans think that but he didn’t intend it to be that way basically. And I was like why are people saying this with their full chest 😭
Clawdeen being lesbian JUST MAKES SENSE!
@@Put_down_dem_perkies nah, if your not crazy chasing boys it doesn't mean you're lesbian. Like I wasn't obsessed by boys also, just living my life, but it doesn't meant that I was lesbian just because i didn't start dating immer with some dude
Mattel has an opportunity now to introduce an indigenous Australian character, possibly a rainbow serpent or another dream time ancestral being. Or from folklore. 🤔
you might be a genius
an actual Russian character too instead of just one that has a Russian accent but never actually talks about being there.
Adding onto the last myth points you had: Mistaking something as good representation might also send the message that good representation can just be beating around the bush. Representation should be explicit to work as representation. I don’t wanna settle for less just to feel seen.
Your points about the diversity in g1 are so important and ive always felt like an asshole making them myself so its nice to see someone else saying it
It does feel like such a weirdly hot take to have lol but it’s REAL
It's hard to say whether a "monster" style doll is goth or not. They're monsters. So just some monster themes may cross over & be considered goth on a human doll. But on a monster doll, especially MH is known for putting the characters monster related designs on the outfits.
I feel like a lot of G1 purists like to block out the 2014-2015 (pre-reboot) era of G1, while there are absolutely exceptions (we still got a lot of banger dolls through this era don’t get me wrong) imo 2014 was when we started losing different textures and layers to outfits that were just the theme of the line made into a pattern and slapped on a dress instead of them actually being dressed for said activities (ex. Classroom Ghoulia is wearing an actual gym outfit, not just an outfit with pictures of basket balls on it)
Personally I think 2010-2012 was really the golden era of outfits using different pieces and textiles (Dawn of the Dance and Schools Out being maybe the best examples of this)
I think the other thing is that they used a lot more muted colours in this era, or the dolls had one main bright colour and then their other colours were more muted, and we don’t really get as much of that anymore and I think that’s what really contributes to the more youthful look of G3 (I wanna clarify that I think both are good this is just my observations)
I heard the same argument and hate for modern care bears is the same hate for G3 MH. Modern Care Bears are just as valid as vintage care bears. And I still say MH is basically a tamer version of Living Dead Dolls, and I'll die on that hill. And yes begoths and ldd came out in the early 2000's and late 90's
There is hate on the care bears community? I hace always loved every iteration of them
as a nonbinary I love how Frankie doesn’t need a reason to be nonbinary even though it makes sense
With the debate about g3 not being alternative, i feel like there so many dolks who are! Even if theres bright colors doesnt mean theyre not alernative at all. Theres so many different types of alternative fashion, and i feel like things that are weird or out of the norm count; even if theyre not gothic or dark. Venus and Catty are definitely alternative imo. g3 Draculaura feels very Gothic lolita inspired. I feel like Torelais dolls still look edgy and tough even if they have neon predominantly. Jinafires fashion is so unique/quirky. Overall, Monster High g3 has better fashion styles for the dolls where they feel more unique to each character and the character's styles feel more consistent between dolls to me. I'm biased towards g3 too though, as I just like the face styles better even if they're cutsier because they're more detailed and expressive.
Ok. I said in the chat that I had a longer thought about the Ghoulia language thing and here it is.
First of all, your argument about the xenophobia associated with labeling Ghoulia's speech as "nonverbal" is so incredibly real and valid and I don't want this other angle that I'm looking at it from to be in opposition to that. I think they're both important.
I think with Ghoulia, the representation looks different from technical and practical perspectives. The technical perspective is that yes, this is clearly a language that she is speaking. Which is super important to acknowledge because the way that everyone around her has learned her language so that she can speak with them comfortably is super important, and unfortunately not usually how things go in the real world. It sets such a good example for G1's audience to see the other ghouls respecting her like that.
From the practical perspective, the reason why this misconception exists is because the group of people whose voices sound the most like Ghoulia's does in MH's home culture of the USA is nonverbal people. And nonverbal people are too often stereotyped as being "inferior" in terms of mental ability. But just because Ghoulia speaks in what would sound to the typical audience member as nonverbal sounds doesn't make her less smart, and Monster High knows it! It makes a HUGE deal of how intelligent she is. It's even one of her most defining characteristics. So even though it is explicitly stated to be another language, it has the practical effect of the kids growing up with G1 seeing people communicating with similar sounds as Ghoulia around them irl and having the opportunity to connect those people back to a character that they see as intelligent. That is SUCH a powerful thing, and extremely necessary for nonverbal communities, who are often othered and looked down on. Like with ESL (English Second Language) people, nonverbal people often experience isolation by way of others around them not making an effort to communicate and connect with them because it doesn't feel worthwhile to them, and even worse, that's often because ignorant people assume they're not smart enough to try to communicate with. Just because a person doesn't use verbal speech to communicate doesn't mean they don't have thoughts they want to express! So even though Ghoulia isn't technically nonverbal representation, I still love parallels can be drawn between her and nonverbal people.
And as a side note, I think it would've been really cool if they had made G3 Ghoulia nonverbal and given her an AAC device, which is a tablet with buttons that helps bridge the communication gap. Or any other character, really. AAC representation is so extremely hard to come by (if it exists at all, I'm not even sure it does), and some schools literally won't even allow kids to use them in school because it's too inconvenient for them 😡 Literally. There's been widespread bans in my state recently. So I would LOVE IT if MH and other media included them more often!
The ESL analogy was my first thought when Raine was discussing Ghoulia, I remembered that her bestie Cleo spoke fluent zombie and I loved how Ghoulia was included in the friend group, the whole school, I just love the show 🥰 how the zombies have the underground expressway in the catacombs so they're never late to class. The students are encouraged to be unique, be a monster. I just love it.
I hear you 100% on Ghoulia, it really makes me wish she just HAD been canonically nonverbal so the potential issues of declaring another language not a language weren’t a thing. Cause you’re right, it’s SO cool to see someone who could be seen as nonverbal/communicating through nontraditional means be the smartest person in the room (and also never bullied for that or her interests afaik)
@@FaeryTaleDollsThis!! Like I've always fully understood that Ghoulia was never actually nonverbal, but I feel like Mattel could have heard th headcanons and made Ghoulia really nonverbal. It would be such a great opportunity.
Wow this is such a genuinely well thought out comment, I have nothing to add I just wanted to say I found this comment really interesting
@annetheelf8174 Oh wow, thank you so much! I've thought about this a lot because I've known several people with autism that use an AAC device
As a Brazilian, I will say, I think Latino representation is complicated, because we aren't a race, we are different nationalities united by colonization and imperialism. So this thing about representation is complex, if I write a character that is Brazilian and it's supposed to represent my people, it's going to represent what I know while being a Brazilian in Brazil. But someone else can think it's not accurate because they are descending from Brazilians and have never been here, or maybe they live in a different region of the country that is different from mine. I think no representation will be 100% perfect.
I think the same, I'm from Central America so I see how even amongst 6 countries we have a lot in common but a lot of diferrences too. I think with just putting more effort into showing more of the heritage of the character that it's not just saying random words in Spanish (or Portuguese) is a nice starting point for representation. Like Skelita, they flashed more of her heritage in her diaries.
Thanks for your very informative video! Also, I was told (maybe someone can verify this) that Lagoona was originally intended to be called the "Daughter of the Creature from the Black Lagoon". However, because of copyright issues they changed it to the "Daughter of the Sea Monster " Of course we now supposedly got a "Daughter of the Creature from the Black Lagoon" doll in the release last year, although it was not titled "Daughter". Great doll though.
I love G3 but I really hate the ombre boots and boring shoes. I don't mind shoe molds being re-used but I just wish we'd get more painted details and nicer colours. Most of the time the shoes don't match the outfit at all
(Sorry, probably going to have running commentary as I'm watching this video. Lol)
Yes!!! I 100% agree that I actually like Monster High G3 bodies, sculpts and sturdiness better than G1. I absolutely love G1, but I hate how delicate the joints are. I have definitely broken a couple elbows in my collecting career, and I don't feel like that will happen with G3. Not to mention that because of the nature of how thin G1 dolls are, sometimes if the joints aren't sitting correctly, it will hinder the range of poseability, whereas I have not had that issue with any of the G3 dolls. The one thing I will say is I like how G1 outfits are designed for the bodies, way more flattering. (It's absolutely getting better as time goes on for G3) But G3 has SO MANY Dolls where their outfit/accessories are just not flattering.
Also, yes. I HATE polypropylene. That has been a huge deciding factor for me with dustin NOT to buy certain dolls from G3. So none of the generations are 100% perfect.
G3 Frankie is my favorite version because I really like their personality and character. Yes, they are non-binary, but that is not all they are. They are smart and kind and always want to do what is best for and help their friends. When I heard G3 Frankie‘s voice, that is what I imagine their voice would sound like. What I mean by that is G1 Frankie‘s voice didn’t sound like Frankie to me, it just reminds me too much of Barbie since that’s literally the same voice actress and voice as Barbie. That is one of the reasons I don’t really like G1 Frankie.
Yes!! They’re so sweet!
agree! g1 frankie always struck me as a sort of annoying, naive, preppy, kinda boring 2010's quirky girl main character. I dont hate her, but as a kid i just found her personality boring. I LOVE g3 frankie!! I love that theyre nonbinary, neurodivergent, and have so many different interests and hobbies, Their personality is much more unique and fun and i love their relationship with Cleo toooo
a point i tried to make in chat but got cut off:
I think g1 and g3 are both really good in different ways, and both have their flaws. g1 just gets a lot of love due to nostalgia, and being a pretty sentimental person, I get that. however, it's so frustrating to me as someone who likes both but just didn't have g1 on my radar while it was around that people won't give g3 a proper chance just because it's different. i like to take my dolls places with me because I like them and also their hair makes a really good fidget for me, and yesterday's doll happened to be core refresh lagoona, and I ran into a friend who, while not a doll collector herself, has a lot of g1 nostalgia, and likes to look at my dolls when I have them with me. she held my lagoona for a minute before saying she was pretty, handing her back, and asking who she was. when i said it was a lagoona doll, though, her opinion changed, like "she's pretty but that's not lagoona." it just feels like a shame that people who would otherwise like the g3 dolls can't enjoy them because it's not exactly what it was before. g3 is by no means perfect, but in my opinion, a lot about it is pretty great. g1 wasn't perfect either, I'm sorry. this is why the separation of generations matters, because the excess of comparison hinders the actual enjoyment of what g3 has to offer. i can respect all the headcanons that say that they're related or the same characters in different years of high school or something, but i wish that the community could have an easier time accepting that they are different characters who happen the share a name. not that the g1 easter eggs and references aren't cute, i like those, but i feel like g3 gets sooo much more scrutiny due to people's preconcieved notions.
Being from Romania, I didn’t pick up draculaura was Romanian or half. I feel so stupid lol. Still love that for her.
You are not stupid. You didn't pick it up because depsite them saying it there is nothing Romanian abiut G3 Drac. No culture is shown, she and her dad now both talk like they are from California, they harp on her Taiwanese side when talking abiut her abcestry at all, they have her speak Mandarin but not Romanian. So yeah she is Romanian in name only, and even then they basically just said that because they had to, since her dad can't be labelled as anything else. Remember romanians are eastern european and we all know western media doesn't care about representing them at all unless it's as villains
@@finland4ever55 This is so true. I don't mind them having Taiwanese rep in G3 of course, rep done in the right way is always good ofc but to me it feels somewhat of an excuse to not show her Romanian side. I mean they could have made almost any other character Taiwanese it didn't have to be Draculaura. Would have been nice way to actually portray some of the cultural differences in Europe.
Other myths: Operetta does not qualify as a monster because her dad is actually human or Spectra is from some sort of royal family and died of hunger (even though it was never clearly established and confirmed by the powers that be).
Okay there’s a whole different very interesting discussion to be had about which monsters are the most/least monstrous! Like where do you draw the line? Cleo used to be human… idk it’s just a funny rabbit hole to go down
For the last point, I wholeheartedly agree. You can state things, but if you do not show it in your media then it fails to be good representation.
I could say all I want that this specific character struggles with their gender identity, but if I do not display this, then it’s just saying it. It’s not representative because there’s nothing to physically pull from where I could go, “This is solid evidence that this character is ___”
Marisol is Peruvian and named (awkwardly or not) for the maricoxi, a Sasquatch equivalent being in folklore. Her name being a slur for Brazilians is surprising and unfortunate to learn, but she was never portrayed as Brazilian.
I do otherwise agree completely that G1 was very flawed in terms of diversity, and have criticized those aspects myself while still loving the brand. Tackling and acknowledging the problem is healthy.
Oh damn that’s my bad!
Yup, she is based off of the maricoxi, hence her name.
@@FaeryTaleDollsshe’s from South Scaremerica which is general enough to still be offensive.
And Lagoona is not the creature's daughter. She is the "daughter of a sea monster". People just heard the name Lagoona and decided she must be the creature's daughter, because the other monsters were Universal, she must be Universal too. No, she is not. So her being Australian was not wrong or weird at all. Funny that this video is about busting myths but this myth is sill perpetrated in the video.
Re. G1 and queerness: the big issue is how people say definitively that certain characters are queer when never explicitly stated (and no, a creator pulling a jk Rowling and saying “they were gay” after the fact does not count). We can do “queer readings” of the media and point out instances that can be seen as queer-coded or narratives that have queer elements but that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily true. An example of this being done in the literary world is queer readings of Bram Stokers Dracula. Because of what we know about Stoker and his personal life and making interpretations on the writing based on his technique and other writings, a strong case can be made for Dracula being a queer narrative despite the surface level heterosexual relationships. We can’t explicitly say that it is queer though because it is never explicitly stated. The same can be done with monster high but is complicated by the fact that one creator has said there was queer intent- but he is only one person on the team and i don’t think there is strong enough evidence to take that word as the absolute truth when it’s being said after the generation is done.
And this isn’t all to say that you CANT do a queer reading of g1 monster high- what it means is that you can’t tell people “clawdeen is lesbian representation and you’re wrong if you disagree”. You CAN say “i think clawdeen shares a lot of experiences and characteristics that can be related by lesbian fans, or that lesbians can see things that they went through in clawdeen” (as an example).
Excellently put
I resonate with the last rant for sure because I feel a bit weird when g1 is getting changed because Garret said something new about g1 lore. I love Garret, and I think he's a lovely person and clearly has a good heart for the LGBTQ+ community, but just because he said something doesn't make it true. He may have been a big creative in their team at the time, but he doesn't work for them anymore, nor can he speak for the brand. When something becomes canon in any media, typically, we have to see real evidence for it in the media, or have the brand confirm it. Also.... (This is my own person issue but I just wanted to add it on) I personally also feel a bit sad by this too, because it feels a little random at times when someone may ask how Garret feels about *insert random g1 ship or head cannon* and if hes like "Oh I think thats a great idea" People run with it like it was the solid gold ticket answer so now thier ship is real LOL. That doesn't even remotely mean that's cannon, because at that point, it's just a cute little response, not a fact in g1s lore! Lol, it drives me insane.
100% agree like he’s definitely just answering hypothetical questions and having fun and people immediately assume it’s canon just cause he gave the mildest thumbs up
@FaeryTaleDolls EXACTLY 😭
The “fashion” being better in G1 is laughable.
G1 tube dress and skirt l…like 70% of the clothes and the accessory game was weak. They used crappy hair fiber as well.
I’m saying this as someone who was an adult when G1 were released.
25:01 speaking of G3 reuseing stuff from G1, this bottle of SPF 500 that she's holding is the exact same as the one in G3's core doll.
On the monica yelps thing, could you make a "obscure characters in MH" i searched for a video on these but not found one
I’ll def add it to the list and look into it!
Okay here we are
The Frightmares
Clawdeen's younger siblings (not the G2 or Howleen) from the books
Spelldon Cauldronello
Fawn
Scary Stone
Cy Clops
Eyera
Harmony Burns
The OG Bratz Pretty n Punk dolls are significantly more edgy than most Monster High dolls. The idea of Monster High is more gothic than the dolls themselves.
I dont think Marisol was suposed to be brazilian, as not one single piece of clothing she wears (por example) derives from brazilian culture, native or not. She seems more aestheticaly peruvian or from some country in the north of south america. Neither does "coxi" means anything in portuguese. Maybe you got that piece of information wrong.
Imo retcons and comments after the fact don't necessarily change what it was at the time. Is G1 Clawdeen a lesbian now? Yeah. But she wasn't then. Just because she's queer now doesn't mean she was always queer. Diversity after the fact doesn't mean it was always diverse, it just means it was retconned
I prefer G3 to any other generation ❤
These takes are all so valid you voiced my thoughts that I didn’t know how to word perfectly
I was today years old when I realized Ghoulia’s last name is a pun 😂
I love your rant videos and am so glad you did this! I’ve seen so many people take the myths as truth and it’s so glad to see you bust them (especially about diversity!!)
29:26 i mean, in fairness, for its time, i would consider it edgy and alternative, scene, gothic, hippie, punk etc. Keeping in mind that it still is targetted towards children. And specifically the base dolls, themed lines are supposed to deviate from the base formula in either direction. My personal theory is that most of the time the dolls have a neutral or frowning expressions in g1, which makes them more, like, serious and edgy
I like g3 for what it is, but it definitely is less risky when it comes to colors in particular, at least at the beginning. But it is also fun at times. I liked monster ball, Venus is a slay, and she does look punk rocky i think?
Also, what really sets g1 apart is collaborations and collector's editions. It is quite weird that g3 doesn't really have it, unless Squid Game one is a bridge towards that?
Omg, I never noticed before, but the example photo you used for Howline in the "Gothic" section; take away the hat and it's Hannah Montana... 🤣
Oh, and the dawn of the dance Frankie as well! Just add a blonde wig, and that outfit is Hannah Montana 😂😂😂😂
So what we’re learning is MH is just monster-ified Disney channel 😂
@@FaeryTaleDolls 🤣🤣🤣🤣 That, and they are a product of their time. Lol
I agree with pretty much every single thing you said!☺️I absolutely love g1 and it is still probably my favourite(nostalgia likely plays a big role lol), but I also love g3 too and I definitely appreciate the representation in g3 more than the somewhat lack there of in g1. I was thrown for a bit of a loop at first when lagoonas ethnicity was changed and ghouia now speaking etc( I do miss the old ghoulia tho) but I honestly came to absolutely LOVE lagoonas character now, she’s really funny and cute, and as much as I actually really loved Abby’s old accent, I really do love her new one, especially since it actually makes sense for where she’s from! And Frankie being nonbinary just fits and feels right for them and I really love to see it. Also I think there are definitely several g3 dolls that are still pretty “alternative” looking, like core refresh drac and Frankie, Venus, Toralei, for example, among others, and I still love them all! I feel like now they can only expand and make things even better, and have even more representation that’s even inclusive for everyone, which is always a good thing 🩷
Abby didn't just have a Russian accent while saying she was from the Himalayan mountains she also described her village in the Himalayan mountains as if it were Russia. Despite never saying she was from Russia i can totally understand thinking she was russian.
She also has two relatives with Russian names. Uncle Frotovitch and her cousin Blitnichik And in one movie she says they have a word in her home for someone acting weird "prelyuvnachicnetchkovitch" or something like that. So they may not have initally wanted her to be Russian but they actively added those things so they WERE coding her as Russian
@ yah they should really make an actual slavic character it was weird.
The amount of people I still see say G1 Draculaura is a "gothic lolita" is baffling. Like I'd qualify two of her G1 dolls as lolita (Forbitten Love and Picture Day), but gothic? No. People just learn fashion subcultures and randomly assign them to characters.
The only goth she has is literally just having fishnets and lace. That's like saying you're coquette because you wore pink with a ruffly bow in your hair. Elissabat is gothic, Draculaura is not.
@carleymitchell9331also Spectra's core doll and her bed lol
You absolutely hit the nail on the head with your takes on G3 and G1 because that's exactly what's happening. G1 Purists think G1 is perfect retroactively AFTER the fact and then complain about G3.....which in turn causes G3 fans to complain about G1.......which then causes G1 to complain about G3 MORE. And thus we end up in an endless back and forth cycle which really sucks.
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS AND CONSIDERING MAKING A VIDEO like this LMAO
😂
Ayyy great minds think alike!
Gasp! It’s almost we can like both g1 and g3 🤣🤯 monster high fans sometimes
Hi there! I’ve been enjoying your videos so much lately. I had a question tho, I thought Marisol was from the monster high version of Peru. Does her last name have the same meaning in Peru as is does in Brazil?
Yeah no I messed up on that one 🥲
Athough I don't know if theres specific discussion about the word maricoxi in Peru (it's not a topic that gets brought up often, the creature is named "Pie Grande" and that's it), in general it can still be offensive to south american people since it was coined to refer to native people from there. Not exactly due to an exact word meaning. They're not the same of course, but theres some overlapping with some of the ethic groups from South America
@@stelladewayne4942 ahhhh ok, now I understand. That’s unfortunate since I quite like the design of the character. I’m sure the design team didn’t mean to offend or cause harm, but they definitely should’ve done more research.
I want to talk about Jinafire situation. It’s controversial. This is just my opinion.
Jinafire is Chinese. And as a Chinese, I never see Chinese fans upset about her skin colour. The one who upset are South Asian. If the situation happened on Rochelle that North European get offended but not French?
I have seen East Asian Americans complain. But the funny thing is many of them aren't Chinese either but Japanese or Korean. Only Chinese, Taiwanese, etc people have the right to complain. And the yellow skin i get but people forget that gold dragons are a thing in China, its one of the many colors they come in so are actual Chinese people racist then? As for Rochelle, in the west stereoupes are obly considered bad and probelmatic if it's stereotypes about non European cultures, even if its European cultures that are marginalized (like Eastern Europeans), usually villainized in movies (EE, Germans), mocked (Italians, Irish, Scottish), or rarely/never represented at all (Maltese, Baltics, Icelandic, Finnish, Belgian)
I’m a G1 fan first and foremost but I do like G3 as well. Both have their pros and cons for me.
With that being said , I adore this Cupid!
I have zero issues with her. In my opinion, she’s perfect.
I’ve always head cannoned that the reason the Zombies in G1 don’t speak English but can understand it and everyone understand the language is because they’re bodies are always in a state of decomposition so their vocal chords would physically be rough and probably can’t keep up with the way words are spoken in other languages
I love both Gens but I’ll admit I do prefer the styles of G1. The quality of G3 is great! But it feels like it took a while to get their footing on what they wanted out of the dolls trying to get their personalities and styles down.
Also I like Lagoona being Honduran now. I’m Mexican and I totally agree with representing the diversity among Latin cultures. I can also understand the cultural oomfs from G1. I don’t think they were intended to be stereotypes. I think they were trying to be diverse but missed the mark but I do think they’re trying to do better this time around.
I sort of think that for "fiction characters" as toys, maybe sexual orientation doesn't need to be specified. As, the consumer or child of the doll can have their doll be what they want them to be. I understand MH had cartoons & movies, so the characters are set a certain way. But when i played with toys ( or even now ), I make up my own rules. Hopefully this doesn't come off as insensitive. Don't mean it that way. It doesn't bother me if they are labeled one way or the other.
This was a great video, and all points needed to be said, especially the ending.
The other problem I always point out too with acting like g1 so diverse in sexuality is like..gay marriage wasnt even legal in the USA when Monster High first came out, and it was still, in fact, something that was debated heavily at the time on whether it should be legally allowed. Theres no way mattel, which i believe is the #1 toy company in the USA and was at the time, was allowing any queer rep with their huge doll line that was second only to Barbie herself- and saying that the characters are canonically lgbt+ is taking the responsibility and very real decision Mattel had to have positive representation, along with their repeated denials to do so, out of their hands. Of course as a corporation, Mattel will never own up to it, but the association of a g1 character being canonically queer can make Mattel seem more progressive than they actually were at the time, and thats a title this mega corporation does not deserve.
Tbh I don’t see the problem with using mold, one of the joy of doll collecting for me personally is to collect accessories with the same mold but in different colour
Omg, the shoe molds! Lol
I don't see the re-used molds as that big of a problem. If you go into a shoe store (whether it's high-end or not), chances are the shoe you're looking at will come in more than one color... And multiple people shop at the store, sometimes groups of friends will go and more than one of the friends in the friend group might like the same shoe. So it's possible that some of these ghouls shop at the same shoe store. It's not that big of a deal. Would it be nice to have a new unique shoe mold for every doll release? Yes, absolutely. That's one of the things I get most excited for when I open a new Monster High doll (especially collector dolls), because the shoes can be super cool! But if a particular accessory/shoe mold works for an outfit or new doll's look, I don't see the issue.
Agree, as long as it’s not wildly overdone it doesn’t really bother me (and a lot of the time I don’t even notice at first 🫣)
@@FaeryTaleDolls I do agree what you said about draculaura in G3 though. LOL.
I always hated how they decreased Frankie's role as the main character, and pretty much conflated her with Ghoulia in Gen 2. While they were the quirky friend in G3, I miss the quirky lead Frankie in G1 (oh, and Neighthan/Frankie forever).
Agree about basically everything. Especially G3 dolls being sturdier, not romanticise the queer rep in G1 (like you said it can be harmful) and also the diversity being better in G3 (but not perfect ofc). For example, I live in Scandinavia, and the only ever rep we got were Kjersti Trollson in G1. Mind you she wasn't even good rep, since imo she is no where based on Scandinavian folklore trolls but more the Americanised version of trolls. Also the viking stereotype is becoming boring. Vikings didn't even wear hats like that and no one in modern day Scandinavia would actually wear a hat like that seriously.
Hii Rainn!! I hope you're doing well:) have you thought about doing a new doll room tour? Even if it's not quite finished. I've been dying to see the new set up!
I’m going to be doing one soon but please prepare to be disappointed 😅 it’s um…a bit of a mess
@FaeryTaleDolls oh my goodness no! I'm sorry if I was being pushy about it. I'm so excited to see the new space and what you're working with:) I just know that basement is bigger and like a good place to expand into.
Punk, grunge, are a couple other terms ?
Honestly i agree with you but regardless of what g1 fan said about g3 i don't really care anymore since the show already ended and let me tell you season 2 had a lot of wasted potential.
I def agree with your point about the Ghoulia being non-verbal headcanon, I feel like it’s a slippery slope slope cos on one hand that’s a totally valid headcanon to have and I can understand people’s reasonings for it! But on the other hand, she DOES speak, we the audience may not know what she says but it’s an established language in universe so it’s also kinda strange to completely dismiss that fact. HOWEVER, I think it’s so unfair on people to hate on G3 Ghoulia because she speaks English? She’s such a fun character in the show and for people to completely dismiss her cos she doesn’t fit in with their headcanon is wild to me? I can definitely understand being frustrated with the lack of representation… but I think it’s weird of people to argue that G3 Ghoulia is a lack of representation in comparison to G1, when your argument for G1 is actually just a widely accepted headcanon (Again totally fine to have this headcanon! But it’s wrong to claim it’s 100% truth)
Same can be said with a lot of headcanons being spread as fact over the years tbh (Sorry for the ramble, I just found the topic of this video to be so interesting haha 🙂↕️)
Wait.... Ghoulia has a SISTER?!?!??!!?? And Yeah... I would go as far as saying that g3 is actually more edgy than g1. Just look at Frankie in g3. G1 Frankie had like 2 goth dolls... But thank you for this video sm! More UA-camrs should do this! I love this! Sometimes, G1 (especially purist) need to calm down and see how g1 really was
Tbh I thought every MH fan knew this 😂
The “fashion” being better in G1 is laughable.
G1 tube dress and skirt l…like 70% of the clothes and the accessory game was weak. They used crappy hair fiber as well.
I’m saying this as someone who was an adult when G1 were released.
Oh and no your head-cannon doesn’t count for diversity.
I was gonna edit and add more to my comment but when I looked for it it disappeared so whatever but anyway; You didn’t talk about this and idk if I can even give my opinion on because I’m white, but it just straight up did not make sense to me that Jinafire did not have an accent.
Obviously it’s hard voice actor wise to find someone with a natural Chinese accent (idk if it’s controversial to use Chinese but I’m pretty sure there many Chinese languages and dialects so I can’t just say Mandarin or Cantonese accent.) It’d be one thing if she was just Chinese and had moved to an English speaking country when she was young and didn’t have an accent because I know that her new voice actress is Chinese/Canadian. But when she was introduced I’m pretty she said that she’d just come from Fanghai? So how does she have an American/Canadian accent? I’m probably just nitpicking but idk. (Also Abby’s change made sense so I’m not referring to her accent change)
I have no idea how lol but I think your comment ended up on a completely unrelated short of mine! You make a good point though about Jinafire, instead of an accurate accent (which can def be done without playing into stereotypes) she kinda just has a “wise calm” voice that kinda feels worse??
@@FaeryTaleDolls Literally! It just doesn’t make sense to me 😭
@@FaeryTaleDolls G3's biggest ethnicity problem is the stripping of accents. Please see my commnt talking about exactly why Romanians dislike G3 Drac (and explaining what people mean when they say she's been Americanized, it's not just her being mixed or her losing the accent, it's much more than that). Also they only give accents to villains/former villains, sidekicks, or characters largely defined by negative traits (Toralei was a bully, Lagoona pre-character development was just the "violent girl", and Lochlan Ness was a one-time character). Every time a formerly accented character comes back they remove the accents. There is zero excuse for removing accents in a modern cartoon whern you are way more likely to encounter a foreigner than you were in 2010.
And then there are character like Mr. Foxford and Bunny Earickson who are Icelandic and Welsh respectively (Foxford is voiced by an Icelandic man, and Bunny, Shea literally said werebunnies come from Celtic lore.). I don't know if Mr. Foxford has an accent, but either way they don't ever touch on him being Icelandic. Bunny's Welsh heritage is never acknowledged either, and instead of getting a Welsh VA they get a Latina (G3 has more characters played by people of the same or similar backgrounds. Not all but a lot. The European characters are not played by people from the correct nationalities, and Nefera is voiced by a Latina, so do with that what you will). Ghoulia is also Canadian, but they got an American VA and completely ignore her Canadian heritage, despite concept art showing a Canadian flag and one of the designers saying she was influenced by Scott Pilgrim on one of her Tiktok videos. So they not only downplay heritage, and often villainize or brush cultures aside, but they actively don't even TRY to represent some cultures beyond word of mouth or doing small things that never impact the actual cartoon.
awesome vid, im with you on your arguments on diversity and queer rep. ❣
Can you please make a video what you hope to see in monster high g4 or futuer generation💀🎀🌈
Maybe at some point, I think I’d love to make that sort of video post-g3 but I’m hoping that doesn’t happen for a while haha
7:31 Isn't that just people's headcanon? Yeah she's always just been Australian and she is from the Great Barrier Reef.
It started as a headcanon but some people see it online and think it’s canon just cause…rumors, y’know?
Romanians aren't really lying though with Drac. They did not technically remove her heritage but when they strip her of her accent as well as her fathee's accent, the lack of interest in her Romanian heritage (they only mention it in the show twice very briefly, and Shea, Mattel and the VA only care about her Taiwanese side. Shea says she speaks both Romanian and Mandarin but we never hear a lick of Romanian. So yes, G3 Drac is quite anti Eastern European on purpose or not.
Additionally They remove accents in G3 constantly. Only a small ampunt of characters have accents i G3. Lagoona, Toralei, Lochlan Ness (a one time character), that's about it. It's weird and kinda gross
Okay, something that I have to disagree with in this video is the talk about characters being canonically queer. I don't want to get too deep into it in a comment (maybe this is a topic for a separate video on sometime), But personally, I don't think queer character HAS to come out. Non-lgbtq+ people don't have to come out, why do we have to? I have been saying for literal YEARS that o wish i could have more media where the main character is gay, but not make the Story be about coming out, their relationship, dealing with discrimination or an STD, or somehow centered around them being gay. Because like, you can look at any movie where the main character does not have a love interest, and romance is never brought up, and people just automatically assume they are straight. They could even be bi, asexual or aromantic, or something else. But what actually determines that? Like, I would love an Indiana Jones type movie, or where the lead just happens to be gay. I mean, I get it, at some point you need to have something within the media to establish that they are gay, otherwise are they actual representation? But something like Dumbledore being gay, he is an old man when we meet him, and they never talk about his personal or romantic life in the Harry Potter franchise, but later in The fantastic beasts franchis (when Dumbledore is younger), they finally do depict a romantic relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. (I know JK is a piece of s***, and That's a separate topic for another time), but yeah. This is kind of a tough one for me, because I hate "coming out culture", But I also very much understand the importance of good representation.
I guess the difference must be representation versus simply allowing a character to live.
Sorry, this turned into a slightly incoherent rant 😂 but yeah, rhis might be a fun discussion topic
Also, I want to make it clear that I understand that the creators of Monster High and the creators of the individual characters had certain intentions, but they were restricted (or told "no") by the individuals above them saying "it wasn't the right time". I'm not arguing that any of the G1 characters SHOULD be considered good lgbtq+ representation, I'm just putting the question out there of what is the standard? What is the minimum? What is required to 'allow' a character to be considered lgbtq?
(Obviously I paused the video part way through the discussion to start writing my comments so I didn't hear the whole thing).
But yes, there is absolutely something to be said about retroactively making something Canon when specifically Mattel, or the higher-ups that Mattel would not let Garrett create the representation he wanted to. That really is an excellent point to make, And should not be overlooked.
I definitely hear you, it’s a very nuanced topic. I mostly just wanted to argue that Sander retconning sexuality doesn’t count as canon haha but I absolutely get that we should be able to get to a point where a gay character doesn’t have to be a GAY CHARACTER (I hope the caps convey what I mean lmao). I guess to me it feels like we have to get to the point first where there is normalized “out” queer rep in media before it can become more subtle? Cause with the precedent being heteronormative subtle rep feels more like no rep or queer baiting, whereas if the precedent was more “all gender and sexualities are normal” then subtle rep is something that can be better received? I hope that makes sense
@FaeryTaleDolls that absolutely does make sense 💜 and I totally get that ,and agree!! 💯
I actually didn’t know a lot of these things. In my defense, I haven’t read everything, and was very late in finding MH. I only found them at the end of G2. I did see some of the original web series after I found mh though. The only thing I feel like commenting on tonight is about Lagoona. I personally think both dolls are adorable, but I prefer G1 Lagoona as to her heritage. I think her being Australian is so adorable, and feel like Mattel could have just created a different character for her new heritage, rather than changing her. They created new dolls in the past, and are supposed to be doing a new one soon. I don’t remember her name though. Anyhow, I like the new Lagoona as to looks, but never watched any of the new web series, so I can’t speak to her character. I have a couple of her dolls and like them. But G1 Lagoona is my favorite in all ways. Have a great evening sweetie 💗🌸💗🌸🧚🏻
In G1 Garrett Sander has never confirmed that Claudine was gay he said she was supposed to be the one that was not boy crazy that is it other characters like Valentine we're out right said they were supposed to be gay Claudine was never one of them
hi! long time watcher here. could you perhaps turn off the audio tracks, or make it so the original audio is the one you start nwith (idk if it's possible tho). the AI voice is honestly annoying, it lacks your emotions, and etc
Are you referring to the AI voiceover not in English? If so that’s something you can turn off on your end!
Thank you so much for consistently pointing out the fat shaming that G3 constantly gets. I don't talk about it that much, mainly because when I get a new doll, I'm usually so excited that I'm more focused on the doll than on what other people say in the comment sections, But I'm glad people are being called out. Because fat shaming is stupid, and these are literally just little plastic people. Haha.
Btw, I love, Love, LOVE this look!!! Obsessed with the haircut and color, and I'm loving the outfit the way you put it together! I think I've seen you wear it in videos before, but I love the way you did the sleeves separate from the top, it looks super cute, And kind of whimsical! 🖤🤍💜
Ah thank you friend! 🥹 Yeah it’s really wild to me that people get SO worked up over the sizes of these dolls like…that’s the hill you want to die on? Okay 🙄
@FaeryTaleDolls 🤣 for real! They must not have much else going on in their life if THAT is what they are spending their energy on.