Sweet Duffy 2010

[gurgi]

This is Duffy's "Oktoberfest" costume from 2007. Why it's Irish and not German, I don't know...It has always looked like St. Patrick's Day to me, too, though.^^

I don't quite get that either...it's not remotely German in design. It's adorable, but not really thematic...just odd.

Yeah, this has me worried, too. If I don't like the new character, Duffy's show costume in March will probably be the end for me. Might be a good time to stop spending money on a silly teddy bear anyway. I didn't get nearly as far as I intended with any of my photo/story projects and ultimately ended up just being a consumer. Nicely done, Disney and OLC!

Well, one good thing if you decide to stop in March. You can then regroup and focus on the things you do have and then pick up with your photo/story projects without distraction of buying new Duffy things.

I do have a sinking feeling that it will be a female version, and that Duffy will start being marketed as part of a hetero-pair. When this happens, one of the things that I like about Duffy - that he is an icon of innocent childhood love-of-all (unburdened by limitations on love that come with romantic attachment and growing up) - will be gone. No matter how much you love Mickey or think he loves you, we all know that he loves Minnie more. I hope if it is a female version, that she is like a sister or clearly just a pal, with no romantic overtones. If Duffy has his own "girlfriend" and a story that emphasizes this direction, the bond with an owner is less relevant: Your Duffy still belongs to you, but Duffy belongs to her. Even if they're just best friends, though; if they're marketed together, there's the feeling that you now need a "set." I don't doubt this is part of the plan. Some rabid fans, of course, will enjoy just having more Duffy goods to buy. For all the people who won't have heard of Duffy before the new mainstream version, there will be no sense of change or loss; this will simply be who Duffy is. If I understand at all why Duffy has been such a hit, though, this direction really will have a big (negative?) impact on some existing fans, myself included. It may - likely will - generate lots of revenue, but the charm will begin to fade.

Personally, I find the addition of a "girlfriend" horribly cliche. But then, Disney is often capable of that... You're right though, that something will change with Duffy if that happens. Right now he's loosely male. But, it's more like he's androgynous, or just the hint of a boy. Ok, he doesn't wear dresses (officially), but he's never really done anything overly masculine either. If he ends up with a girl partner, then that does change his story, and just lumps him in with all the other Disney couples out there. I can see it from the marketing angle though, and a "set" sounds like a great idea for more money. Still, it does force you to put Duffy into a relationship mindset, and he's always paired with his mate. I really do hope it's not a girl version, but then the fact that this is happening over Valentines & White Day, it does make me wary.

Duffy will no longer have the mystique of childhood and collector teddy bears: the "best friend" of a child-mind, keeper of its secrets, sharer in its creativity, given life only by the holder's imagination. As long as fans could decide if Duffy was male or female, dress their bear how they want and see all interpretations as equally valid; Duffy was teddy bear first, and by extension the teddy bear for Disney fans.

Yeah, defining him as strictly male, and giving him a female partner just makes him "grow up" a little more. No longer will he be the innocent, childlike plaything. He's got a responsibility to maintain a relationship. It will make the fans who create dresses for Duffy move over to the girl version only and finally define Duffy as only being able to wear boy clothes.

Behaviorally, nothing really has to change, but with too much story, the possibility opens that some fans' characterizations of Duffy are "wrong." Especially as this new direction seems headed for the mass market, there will be in the popular culture, a "right" image of Duffy. Duffy's main appeal vs. every other character is that he has always belonged to fans. For me, Duffy is more the embodiment of the concept of teddy bear than the embodiment of the Disney brand. With too much development, though, he can no longer be the "essence" of teddy bear; he will be one specific bear, with one specific story and cast of supporting characters. The more characters he interacts with, the less he seems like an actual teddy bear. And once this happens, one fan's plush doll is no longer Duffy himself, but an image of Duffy, like plush dolls of Goofy or Daisy. Eventually, even children will limit the ways they play with Duffy, as they do with other well established characters. Batman can't fly and Superman is not a detective. Then again...Mickey was not always the happy-go-lucky nice guy we usually see today, and Donald - even now - isn't always angry.^^

Yeah, I think too much story can be a bad thing for such a generic character. They got the Cape Cod foundation so right, it seems like just adding more and more will only pigeon-hole Duffy into being like the watered down Mickey we see today. I know Disney is going to try to bring the classic Mickey back this year, but it's going to take quite a shift to make the public view Mickey as the scrappy, mischievous mouse he used to be so long ago. Once Duffy goes down the path of mediocrity, it will take a lot to get people to really care again.

Also, in Japan, is it common to have such a malleable character as Duffy? I mean, I get the impression that it's the norm in Japan to have a character's identity spelled out so that you do play with them "correctly".

Still, as some of us have always said, overexposure and too limited definition destroy Duffy's "magic." He will lose the quality that makes him transcendent, and be just another Disney marketing character - just another thing to buy. And once that happens, the whole thing just ceases to be worth it to me. I know that it's not actually different now, but when it starts to feel "crass," one can no longer be charmed by the illusion. Wow, it's really funny that I actually think all this and can put it into words...I wonder sometimes if I really am crazy... My own Duffy will still remind me of my "year of Disney and the indulgent childhood I never had," but I won't be boarding the "mainstream Duffy" train if it goes where I suspect it's going. What it takes to design that is far less impressive to me.

I think at that point, he'll kind of revert back to his "Disney Bear" origins. Only this time with WAY more story...but just as boring, LOL. I mean, if they end up giving him a whole cast of characters to interact with, a house to live in, a job, a social life...where is the time for adventure? He's pinned down to domestic life...that's why Mickey got so bland.

Still, it hadn't even occurred to me that the new friend could be Duffy's own plush, like Scrump from Lilo & Stitch or something. This would work for me, as it's still built on the power of plush, which is fundamentally about the power of the material/superficial to emotionally connect. This is both the essence of teddy bear and the essence of Disney, which is what makes Duffy work, at least for me.

That's just weird, LOL! Not saying that you are, but the image of another plush come to life is like those never ending pictures that go into infinity. Minnie makes a bear that comes to life, that then needs it's own plush that comes to life, and then that plush will need a friend, etc. It's just kind of a funny concept. Although, if they do it right, it could work, but I find it kind of ironic.

The female counterpart concept seems, beyond being far more mundane, fairly redundant to me in light of Cuddly Bear. If there is a female Duffy, not only does she steal Duffy's spotlight, she will be in direct competition with Cuddly Bear. This seems like a misguided marketing move to me, since Cuddly has just now started to really become mainstream and yet to become fully adored as a "fan thing" and not just a "kid thing." This fact gives me hope that perhaps it will not be a female Duffy, but something more surprising, creative and interesting. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I admit to still hoping that I am pleasantly surprised at just how good an idea this new friend is once it all plays out. It would make me quite happy, and I don't think it's entirely unlikely. The Duffy designers are my favorite team at OLC/Disney, hands down.^^

Yeah, I'm excited to see who/what it is on one hand, and disappointed on the other. I can see the competition with Cuddly Bear. But, then that kind of thing happens with Disney all the time. One division doesn't know what the other is doing and they end up competing with themselves. I'm sure Disney Consumer Products saw how successful Duffy was and created their own (Cuddly Bear), and now, OLC could step on DCP's toes with this new friend. Oh well, it wouldn't be the first time.

[gurgi]

Oh, Duffydad, guess what? Your prediction was right on! Guess what the Sweet Duffy costume is?



Terrible picture, I know, but if you look, it's the heartful red sailor costume you wanted them to release. It's very cute, in my opinion.

Oh, and what, exactly, is this thing?

[DuffyDaisuki]

Oh, Duffydad, guess what? Your prediction was right on! Guess what the Sweet Duffy costume is?



Terrible picture, I know, but if you look, it's the heartful red sailor costume you wanted them to release. It's very cute, in my opinion.

Oh, and what, exactly, is this thing?

Well, I'm VERY happy about that! Where are these photos from? I was in the Disney Store today and forgot to pick up that parks newsletter they have there. Is it from that? I didn't see these in the February DisneyFAN. That second thing looks like either a popcorn bucket or the special lunchbox you can get. There was a Donald one, so perhaps this is replacing it after the last showing of Boat Builders? Or do we have to wait til March? Please tell us the source. Nice find!^^

PS - Just notice it actually says "ポップコーン" (popcorn), but I can't tell for sure if that text goes with that item from the photo.

[DuffyGuardian]

Thanks for posting the photo gurgi. So has Duffy warn this costume in the parks before? It is cute. How do you guys ever keep that much white clean in the parks? lol Maybe you don't let Duffy ware that into the park.

I do think that if Duffy has a female counterpart that will change things. I really wish they wouldn't do this, if that is what they are doing. I think Duffy should have a Disney plush doll that is for his size. For me I picked up a Pluto plush that has a strap and a zipper in the back. Not really sure what its called. Anyhow, my Duffy plays with him, so he has a Disney Plush Doll. Its a little big for Duffy, but Duffy is just a kid and "will grow into it" I know that is silly.

Not every character needs a counterpart! Goofy is just fine womenless. lol I was going to also add Pluto in the womenless category but then I remembered Tokyo has Fifi. You don't see her much state side. I didn't even know she existed till I was in Tokyo.

I think it is good that there are Disney characters that are in couples, little girls dream of their prince all the time and it is wonderful. Well until they realize life isn't a fair-tale, but really childhood is about dreaming of the impossible and everyone should have that time in their lives. Which out dreaming we would never get anywhere. If no one dreamed of going to the moon, no one would have gone. If Walt didn't have his dream, we wouldn't be here chatting today.

I think Duffy is a great character that takes on so many hats. He is, like we have all said, what ever you want him to be and that is what makes him priceless(yes Im quoting the silly credit card commercials). I think creating more costumes for Duffy is great. That way if you want fireman Duffy you can have fireman Duffy. I can see OLC not just doing a normal fireman costume. Duffy would be dressed as a child would with a little fire truck. Because Duffy too is a child who dreams.

I don't know, I just hope the new character is a plush toy doll and not a female Duffy. They have female bears they could develop, look at Bear Jamboree. If they do a female Duffy, then next we will see invites to Goofy wedding. lol

[DuffyDaisuki]

Also, in Japan, is it common to have such a malleable character as Duffy? I mean, I get the impression that it's the norm in Japan to have a character's identity spelled out so that you do play with them "correctly".

I think at that point, he'll kind of revert back to his "Disney Bear" origins. Only this time with WAY more story...but just as boring, LOL. I mean, if they end up giving him a whole cast of characters to interact with, a house to live in, a job, a social life...where is the time for adventure? He's pinned down to domestic life...that's why Mickey got so bland.

That's just weird, LOL! Not saying that you are, but the image of another plush come to life is like those never ending pictures that go into infinity. Minnie makes a bear that comes to life, that then needs it's own plush that comes to life, and then that plush will need a friend, etc. It's just kind of a funny concept. Although, if they do it right, it could work, but I find it kind of ironic.

Yeah, I'm excited to see who/what it is on one hand, and disappointed on the other.

I'm too tired/lazy to separate quotes, so I'll just do four paragraphs. I should be asleep!^^ Hm...characters always have some kind of basic stats, I guess. But I've always seen Duffy, as you know, as a Japanese character design rather than a traditional Disney character. I see him more like Rilakkuma, Gloomy, Hello Kitty or other greeting-style characters. These characters all exist primarily for the purpose of selling related merchandise like dolls, cellphone straps, and stationery. They tend to have clearly - but not narrowly - defined characters. It is important that they have enough specific story or detail to not be generic (a la Disney Bear), but not so much that they fail to accept whatever emotional attachment fans put into them. They are not blank slates, but they are not much more than a mold, either. Templates, I guess.

Thanks to your post I realized that's what really makes me uncomfortable about this direction - the move away from a Japanese character design style towards a Disney one. And, yeah, the irony is that while naming Duffy and giving him a simple, charming backstory made him far more a/effective; adding too much could break that same spell, at least for me. It won't mean as much for Duffy to appear in a show (even his own) if he's always accompanied now by a significant other. But since I haven't even seen it yet, I guess I should postpone judgment. Still, you hit the nail on the head with the word that encapsulates my apprehension: "bland."

No, I am weird. I just like that option better than the girlfriend that I just can't see myself liking at all. But now that you wrote it out like that and I really think about it, no, I'm not loving that idea so much, either. Hm... Let's hope the creative team behind this is just way better than me and it ends up being awesome beyond my imagination! I do actually think that's absolutely possible. So far, they always manage to impress me.^^

Nothing we can do but wait and see, I guess. If nothing else, it's something to chat about.

[DuffyDaisuki]

Thanks for posting the photo gurgi. So has Duffy warn this costume in the parks before? It is cute. How do you guys ever keep that much white clean in the parks? lol Maybe you don't let Duffy ware that into the park.

I do think that if Duffy has a female counterpart that will change things. I really wish they wouldn't do this, if that is what they are doing. I think Duffy should have a Disney plush doll that is for his size. For me I picked up a Pluto plush that has a strap and a zipper in the back. Not really sure what its called. Anyhow, my Duffy plays with him, so he has a Disney Plush Doll. Its a little big for Duffy, but Duffy is just a kid and "will grow into it" I know that is silly.

Not every character needs a counterpart! Goofy is just fine womenless. lol I was going to also add Pluto in the womenless category but then I remembered Tokyo has Fifi. You don't see her much state side. I didn't even know she existed till I was in Tokyo.

I think it is good that there are Disney characters that are in couples, little girls dream of their prince all the time and it is wonderful. Well until they realize life isn't a fair-tale, but really childhood is about dreaming of the impossible and everyone should have that time in their lives. Which out dreaming we would never get anywhere. If no one dreamed of going to the moon, no one would have gone. If Walt didn't have his dream, we wouldn't be here chatting today.

I think Duffy is a great character that takes on so many hats. He is, like we have all said, what ever you want him to be and that is what makes him priceless(yes Im quoting the silly credit card commercials). I think creating more costumes for Duffy is great. That way if you want fireman Duffy you can have fireman Duffy. I can see OLC not just doing a normal fireman costume. Duffy would be dressed as a child would with a little fire truck. Because Duffy too is a child who dreams.

I don't know, I just hope the new character is a plush toy doll and not a female Duffy. They have female bears they could develop, look at Bear Jamboree. If they do a female Duffy, then next we will see invites to Goofy wedding. lol

Janell, he wore that costume last year when Sweet Duffy debuted, but the plush costume was different - for the cafe. I'm so happy they made an official version of this, but I bet some of the folks who paid $300 on Yahoo! Auctions are gonna be kicking themselves!

I actually Goofy and Max because they not only represent a single-parent family (like mine), but also a different kind of "love." So much of Disney is about romantic love, but I like the friendships and family love more. That's what I like about the way I see Duffy. He's just about love itself.

I think that an official "Cape Codde Firefighter" costume is both likely and overdue. I have never seen a bear costume with the necessary classic firefighter design; modern just wouldn't work. There are some really great photo ops around Cape Cod that would be perfect for a retro firefighter, though! I've secretly wished this many times!^^

[DuffyGuardian]

Janell, he wore that costume last year when Sweet Duffy debuted, but the plush costume was different - for the cafe. I'm so happy they made an official version of this, but I bet some of the folks who paid $300 on Yahoo! Auctions are gonna be kicking themselves!

I actually Goofy and Max because they not only represent a single-parent family (like mine), but also a different kind of "love." So much of Disney is about romantic love, but I like the friendships and family love more. That's what I like about the way I see Duffy. He's just about love itself.

I think that an official "Cape Codde Firefighter" costume is both likely and overdue. I have never seen a bear costume with the necessary classic firefighter design; modern just wouldn't work. There are some really great photo ops around Cape Cod that would be perfect for a retro firefighter, though! I've secretly wished this many times!^^

I forgot about Max. He was good addition. I agree it shows how families are different now then they were in Walts days. There are a lot of single parents and children raised by other family members. Its no longer the white picked fence with 2.5 kids. I always laugh when people say 2.5 kids. Whats the .5? The cat or dog?

I agree the couples and the romance of disney is nice. Disney need that, but they need other things too. There needs to be Disney for everyone. Not everyone is in a romantic relationship.

And it takes time to get it there. Look at how the princess have really started to get more divers in the culture backgrounds. I think its great.

They just can't loose sit of the fact that guest look at the characters and find one that fits them. Maybe they are like the characters, maybe its just a friend, or maybe its a character someone hope to be like. I know for me, that grew up I like Mickey and liked him as the Sourer Apprentices. Why? Because he was like me. Cute and got into trouble. lol

For me Duffy is Tokyo Disney Seas. I had dreamed of going there for years. I was lucky to have a husband whos work took him there and I was able to join. I like the story line of Duffy, he was made with love. I also love that Disney has a bear. lol I love bears and Disney, so its a great fit. I also love how in Tokyo adults walk around with a bear. To me that is special. Because we are all kids at heart and its nice to step away from life and enjoy a day in the park like you did when you were a kid, with you bear in hand. Although as a kid, I never had a bear dressed so well.

[gurgi]

Well, I'm VERY happy about that! Where are these photos from? I was in the Disney Store today and forgot to pick up that parks newsletter they have there. Is it from that? I didn't see these in the February DisneyFAN. That second thing looks like either a popcorn bucket or the special lunchbox you can get. There was a Donald one, so perhaps this is replacing it after the last showing of Boat Builders? Or do we have to wait til March? Please tell us the source. Nice find!^^

PS - Just notice it actually says "ポップコーン" (popcorn), but I can't tell for sure if that text goes with that item from the photo.

I found that photo on Yahoo auctions. I've been checking there because, when there's something new and hot, it's usually put up for sale immediately. So, it's a way for me to see what's new, sometimes before it's "official". I'm not sure where these photos came from, but they look like from something shiny, not the TDR Times, or whatever it's called. I'm curious what the source is too. Anyway, here's the auction itself.

???TDS?? ?????????????????? - Yahoo!??????

Thanks for posting the photo gurgi. So has Duffy warn this costume in the parks before? It is cute. How do you guys ever keep that much white clean in the parks? lol Maybe you don't let Duffy ware that into the park.

I do think that if Duffy has a female counterpart that will change things. I really wish they wouldn't do this, if that is what they are doing. I think Duffy should have a Disney plush doll that is for his size. For me I picked up a Pluto plush that has a strap and a zipper in the back. Not really sure what its called. Anyhow, my Duffy plays with him, so he has a Disney Plush Doll. Its a little big for Duffy, but Duffy is just a kid and "will grow into it" I know that is silly.

Not every character needs a counterpart! Goofy is just fine womenless. lol I was going to also add Pluto in the womenless category but then I remembered Tokyo has Fifi. You don't see her much state side. I didn't even know she existed till I was in Tokyo.

I think it is good that there are Disney characters that are in couples, little girls dream of their prince all the time and it is wonderful. Well until they realize life isn't a fair-tale, but really childhood is about dreaming of the impossible and everyone should have that time in their lives. Which out dreaming we would never get anywhere. If no one dreamed of going to the moon, no one would have gone. If Walt didn't have his dream, we wouldn't be here chatting today.

I think Duffy is a great character that takes on so many hats. He is, like we have all said, what ever you want him to be and that is what makes him priceless(yes Im quoting the silly credit card commercials). I think creating more costumes for Duffy is great. That way if you want fireman Duffy you can have fireman Duffy. I can see OLC not just doing a normal fireman costume. Duffy would be dressed as a child would with a little fire truck. Because Duffy too is a child who dreams.

I don't know, I just hope the new character is a plush toy doll and not a female Duffy. They have female bears they could develop, look at Bear Jamboree. If they do a female Duffy, then next we will see invites to Goofy wedding. lol

Oh, man, a Duffy wedding...that would be so wrong, LOL! I do think a fireman, in the old fashioned setting could be very cute. Certainly not a contemporary one. I sure hope it's not a female Duffy either...at least not derivative of his design. Something totally new, but in the same spirit needs to be created. Speaking of a fireman costume...Disney in the US has started to get back into Disney Bear (maybe because they see how well Duffy is doing in Japan). Anyway, in addition to those little shirts they sell, they now have costumes like Build-a-Bear. And, one of them is a fireman. The only thing is that it's a pretty generic contemporary one. I think that the BAB one is actually nicer. Anyway, here's a picture of it.


If they make one for Duffy, I'm sure it will be 100% cuter than this.

I'm too tired/lazy to separate quotes, so I'll just do four paragraphs. I should be asleep!^^ Hm...characters always have some kind of basic stats, I guess. But I've always seen Duffy, as you know, as a Japanese character design rather than a traditional Disney character. I see him more like Rilakkuma, Gloomy, Hello Kitty or other greeting-style characters. These characters all exist primarily for the purpose of selling related merchandise like dolls, cellphone straps, and stationery. They tend to have clearly - but not narrowly - defined characters. It is important that they have enough specific story or detail to not be generic (a la Disney Bear), but not so much that they fail to accept whatever emotional attachment fans put into them. They are not blank slates, but they are not much more than a mold, either. Templates, I guess.

Thanks to your post I realized that's what really makes me uncomfortable about this direction - the move away from a Japanese character design style towards a Disney one. And, yeah, the irony is that while naming Duffy and giving him a simple, charming backstory made him far more a/effective; adding too much could break that same spell, at least for me. It won't mean as much for Duffy to appear in a show (even his own) if he's always accompanied now by a significant other. But since I haven't even seen it yet, I guess I should postpone judgment. Still, you hit the nail on the head with the word that encapsulates my apprehension: "bland."

No, I am weird. I just like that option better than the girlfriend that I just can't see myself liking at all. But now that you wrote it out like that and I really think about it, no, I'm not loving that idea so much, either. Hm... Let's hope the creative team behind this is just way better than me and it ends up being awesome beyond my imagination! I do actually think that's absolutely possible. So far, they always manage to impress me.^^

Nothing we can do but wait and see, I guess. If nothing else, it's something to chat about.

Hmm...yeah, Hello Kitty can still be seen as adaptable to whatever you want her to be. Maybe it's just because of her history though. If you look at it, she actually does have quite a bit of backstory. She's got a family with a sister, and she's got a boyfriend, a social life, lots of friends. She's had lots of careers over the years. She's still escaped being stuck into one thing though. I guess that's because she's established herself first. Kind of like Barbie. She's been around for decades now. That woman can do anything, and has. When a girl (or boy :-) gets a Barbie doll, she can become anything, because that's part of her story and charm. Kitty is the same. Duffy, I think is too new for that established sense of accomplishments. If they're already trying to "domesticate" him and tie him down to Cape Cod (in story) only, then it's too soon. Even Mickey got a few good years in as a scamp before he settled down and became a suburban everyman. Of course, this is all conjecture, because we don't even know what or who the new friend is. I could be totally blown away, and love it.

Janell, he wore that costume last year when Sweet Duffy debuted, but the plush costume was different - for the cafe. I'm so happy they made an official version of this, but I bet some of the folks who paid $300 on Yahoo! Auctions are gonna be kicking themselves!

I actually Goofy and Max because they not only represent a single-parent family (like mine), but also a different kind of "love." So much of Disney is about romantic love, but I like the friendships and family love more. That's what I like about the way I see Duffy. He's just about love itself.

I think that an official "Cape Codde Firefighter" costume is both likely and overdue. I have never seen a bear costume with the necessary classic firefighter design; modern just wouldn't work. There are some really great photo ops around Cape Cod that would be perfect for a retro firefighter, though! I've secretly wished this many times!^^

Duffydad, what are you referring to when you say people paid $300 on Yahoo auctions for something? Was there some fan-made costume or something?

As for the love angle, I agree with you and Janell. I think that there are already WAY too many romantic Disney couples. We need another one like we need a hole in the head. There are also a few Disney buddies, like Buzz & Woody, Lilo & Stitch, Baloo & Mowgli, etc. I like the relationship that Goofy & Max have because it's not common in the Disney universe. A Goofy Movie actually surprised me in how touching it was. Goof Troop was kind of obnoxious, but they fleshed out the relationship for the movie and made it more realistic...despite being, well, Goofy. I have no idea how they will link this new character to Duffy, but I hope, with all my heart, it's not a girlfriend. What kind of message does that send? In order to be truly happy, you need a mate? Duffy's a kid, or at least has the innocence of one, don't force him to settle down from his adventuring for a "soul mate". Now...if maybe it's something like a parrot or some kind of travelling companion, that might work. I mean, it's obvious that Duffy has gotten away from paling around with just Mickey and keeping him company. I just hope that OLC has done something outside of a cliche and will totally surprise everyone...and not have done it just to sell more plush...or at least come across that way.

Oh, and Duffydad, you REALLY should be in bed, I'm amazed you were still awake to post! Get some sleep man!

[jedimaster7313]

If Duffy does have some female counterpart, I hope they don't do something stupid like naming her Duffina or something stupid like that.

I still like my first idea of giving him a bear or some other animal or mammal that he can hold and love- Maybe the little lobster in a bucket can be some sort of hint from his last costume.

I just hope TDR doesn't screw up too much and do the obvious and give him a girlfriend so they can sell even more bears.

[gurgi]

If Duffy does have some female counterpart, I hope they don't do something stupid like naming her Duffina or something stupid like that.

I still like my first idea of giving him a bear or some other animal or mammal that he can hold and love- Maybe the little lobster in a bucket can be some sort of hint from his last costume.

I just hope TDR doesn't screw up too much and do the obvious and give him a girlfriend so they can sell even more bears.

LOL, yeah, I thought about the name thing too and wondered what a girl Duffy would be called. Hopefully not a variation of Duffy. I'm sure we could come up with some pretty awful and stupid ones though. Duffette, Dufftasia, Dufferella, Duffle, Duffabelle, Duffleupagus, Oh, I'm going to give myself a headache thinking about this anymore...

[DuffyGuardian]

I hadn't thought of what they name the Duffy girl. Oh no, my head hurts too gurgi. lol

gurgi, I saw that fire mans costume on line and I was trying to figure out where it came from. I doubt it was from TDS. Because its lacking in detail and really isn't all that cute. Such a build a bear item. Not to pick on build a bear, but they just cant compare.

[gurgi]

I hadn't thought of what they name the Duffy girl. Oh no, my head hurts too gurgi. lol

gurgi, I saw that fire mans costume on line and I was trying to figure out where it came from. I doubt it was from TDS. Because its lacking in detail and really isn't all that cute. Such a build a bear item. Not to pick on build a bear, but they just cant compare.

No, it's not Build-a-Bear either. It's from WDW and DL. Like those little t-shirts they've been selling for the "Disney Bear". I do agree that Duffy's TDS costumes are the cutest, and Build-a-bear is below that in quality, but I think this US Disney Parks version is even below Build-a-Bear.

[DuffyDaisuki]

I found that photo on Yahoo auctions. I've been checking there because, when there's something new and hot, it's usually put up for sale immediately. So, it's a way for me to see what's new, sometimes before it's "official". I'm not sure where these photos came from, but they look like from something shiny, not the TDR Times, or whatever it's called. I'm curious what the source is too. Anyway, here's the auction itself.

???TDS?? ?????????????????? - Yahoo!??????

...Certainly not a contemporary one. I sure hope it's not a female Duffy either...at least not derivative of his design. Something totally new, but in the same spirit needs to be created...

Hmm...yeah, Hello Kitty can still be seen as adaptable to whatever you want her to be. Maybe it's just because of her history though. If you look at it, she actually does have quite a bit of backstory. She's got a family with a sister, and she's got a boyfriend, a social life, lots of friends. She's had lots of careers over the years. She's still escaped being stuck into one thing though. I guess that's because she's established herself first. Kind of like Barbie. She's been around for decades now. That woman can do anything, and has. When a girl (or boy :-) gets a Barbie doll, she can become anything, because that's part of her story and charm. Kitty is the same. Duffy, I think is too new for that established sense of accomplishments. If they're already trying to "domesticate" him and tie him down to Cape Cod (in story) only, then it's too soon. Even Mickey got a few good years in as a scamp before he settled down and became a suburban everyman. Of course, this is all conjecture, because we don't even know what or who the new friend is. I could be totally blown away, and love it.

Duffydad, what are you referring to when you say people paid $300 on Yahoo auctions for something? Was there some fan-made costume or something?

...I just hope that OLC has done something outside of a cliche and will totally surprise everyone...and not have done it just to sell more plush...or at least come across that way.

Oh, and Duffydad, you REALLY should be in bed, I'm amazed you were still awake to post! Get some sleep man!

Now I should be on my way to work, but...^^

Lots of people wanted the Heartful Sailor last year, so of course lots of the cottage industry Duffy costume designers made it, and of course some of them sold for a lot.

Kitty and Barbie do have a lot of supporting characters, but they are both the center of their universes. I have always liked that Duffy is peripheral to the entire Disney parks universe - not stuck in his own franchise. Being on his own, he can cross over into anything. Kind of like Stitch, who apparently isn't even tied down to Lilo (in light of the new Japanese animation). I hope whatever happens, this isn't lost. A travelling companion is interesting...

If Duffy does have some female counterpart, I hope they don't do something stupid like naming her Duffina or something stupid like that.

I still like my first idea of giving him a bear or some other animal or mammal that he can hold and love- Maybe the little lobster in a bucket can be some sort of hint from his last costume.

I just hope TDR doesn't screw up too much and do the obvious and give him a girlfriend so they can sell even more bears.

More and more now, I'm optimistic that it won't be a female bear. Reading this thread, we're not alone in thinking this would be a cliched, unoriginal move. What has made Duffy so special is how the OLC version seemed so much more invested in not being a trite marketing tool...or at least not feeling like one.

I kinda disagree with you, though, Gurgi. I think the new character should have the same color scheme and same Mickey mark integration as Duffy. As I've said in the past, the Mickey mark is almost the "Duffy mark" in my eyes. I like the partner in adventure idea, though. Maybe a puppy or a cat - with four legs like an actual pet (not anthropomorphic) could be really cute...and probably wouldn't have a "rubberhead" mascot, which is the thing I really don't want to happen. I love how excited people - even not hardcore Duffy fans - get when Duffy makes an appearance in shows. It there were two "Duffys," that would have a lot less impact. A pet, though, would just be marketing and Duffy could still sail the seas of imagination... Hm... Now I'm getting excited and the suspense is killing me!^^

By the way, in that photo of the popcorn bucket(?), on the right side, it looks like lots of pages, like a magazine. Maybe it is from DisneyFAN and I just didn't look carefully enough. I'll try to look again today. Ok, gotta go!^^

[DreamSweetsLove]

My mothers group was guessing they might introduce a girl character while we were chatting at a Christmas party last December. If it's a girl or little animal friend I don't mind. It will be fun to see what it is in the end and how it comes out! Thinking about Boat Builders ending on monday made me a bit sad all of a sudden today though. It really was a great show and amazing that you could see it for a couple hundred yen. Will anyone go on the last day? I'm pretty sure I will be there and try t make the last show.

[DuffyGuardian]

No, it's not Build-a-Bear either. It's from WDW and DL. Like those little t-shirts they've been selling for the "Disney Bear". I do agree that Duffy's TDS costumes are the cutest, and Build-a-bear is below that in quality, but I think this US Disney Parks version is even below Build-a-Bear.

I should have paid more attention over the holidays at DL Bear. I knew they were doing more then just the PJ bear and now selling shirt. I didn't realize they had costumes too. I wonder if WDW and DL will get better quality costumes or if they will stay poor?

Does anyone know if they are doing any other merchandise for Sweet Duffy?