When did G1 end for you?

[Lady Frostbite]

Well, more 'what were the warning signs', either looking back or that you felt was a warning sign at the time?

This is not an attack on G2, nor is this an attack on lines/characters/movies that you like! Heck, I'm going to name my own, but I like other aspects related to the 'warning sign' that I half-saw at the time, half-realise afterwards. I see this kind of thing pop up in other toy lines whenever generations wind down or looks to end (think many people discussing G4 MLP for example, ranging from Faust leaving being the 'end', to Cadence/Princess Twilight/Flurry Heart/addition of Starlight Glimmer/introduction of EQ reasonings).

For me, two things stand out. First is aspects of Monster Exchange; verrry specifically, Batsy Claro's odd mix of colours and terrible spirograph-like wings. I didn't expect characters like Lorna or Kjersti to come back after first doll, but they were okay. Marisol's colours were also pretty horrible to me, but she had a good gimmick and an interesting tie to MH.

Second was the Ghouls Getaway line. Tiki-inspired ghouls? Sounds okay, almost like a missed Skull Shores line, but the sheer amount of huge pieces of unpainted, tacky plastic REALLY put me off. And the fact it seemed to be random characters! I consider Shriek Wreaked a hybrid G1/G2 line and don't really include that ... that line had huuuuge potential, especially with old-school Sailor Jerry-style fabric patterns, yes please!

What were your warning signs?

[Konzern]

Shelf sitting was a big one.  Cases would be gone so fast, and then all of a sudden, you get your pick of a case.  Shelf sitting definitely comes from oversaturation.  The pumping out of so many so fast, and I'm seeing it in Shoppies here now, gets people bored of the line.  There's little hunt or chase, just wait a few months if you don't like that Draculaura or want another Deuce.

The lack of creativity and edge, for want of a better word, was another.  We went from all these cute details ranging from dark to just unique, to just cutesy mostly.  With the exception of Fierce Rockers, which felt like old, original MH.  Moanica kept the edge going, but she wasn't enough.  We went from Dead Tired Ghoulia, for a budget example, who had blood splatter polka dots, brain puffs, her own slippers, brush, card and maybe a stand but I'm not sure never had original DT girls in box but even without a stand, she had so much, to Ghouls Getaway, with no accessories other than their chunky, unpainted jewelry. 

[8BrickMario]

To be honest, after the first wave, there were already signs. The first group of dolls had plausible yet distinctive outfits, but the dolls very quickly shifted to exaggerated motifs and outrageous fashion. The fantastical specialty themes (Sweet Screams, Power Ghouls, etc.) were always well-done, but their very existence felt targeted to younger kids. The dialogue and writing has always been kid-oriented with the cheesy lingo and catchphrases even when the dolls were aiming for a mature vibe, so it's a really difficult mood to define. They were ostensibly for older kids, but at the same time, G1 was filled with stuff that felt targeted to children, even at the beginning. So really, G1 sort of ended...when G1 ended.

Freak du Chic and GSR were the last big lines, and they perfectly illustrate the confusion of dramatic interesting designs and bright kiddie themes. They did spin the magical mermaids into some pretty cool stuff, but they were still neon and bright, while FdC was going at full strength. It's always been a weird mix, so to me, the real shift was when the dark cool stuff was finally dropped for good in G2.

[VoidChilde]

Looking back, I think 2015 was the year it all went downhill. Except for a few dolls and lines, the rest was a lot more "basic" and cute (Geek Shriek, Ghoul Fair, Ghouls' Getaway, Scarnival and GRS for example). Designer Bootique Frankie came out that year, Draculaura was already looking a lot more cutesy than she did originally, and the Frightmares came out too. Mattel reissued the original ghouls as a pack but the vibe of the brand wasn't the same anymore.

[RodimusKnight]

I think the first sign for me, was the simplification of the dolls such as when they started to reduce Articulation, Producing mostly Mini Dresses, and shortening the hair.

[Morieris]

When G1 officially ended.

Up until it's last hurrah with Ghoul Rockers, I didn't have a huge problem with the dolls. Sure some were a bit less expensive, but they were still clever (Ghoul Fitness).

[brightberry]

Somewhere between Boo York and Great Scarier Reef.  I still loved them.  But I had so many dolls at that point I wasn't getting the same kick out of them.  Then when G2 happened, it just felt like a natural stopping point for me.

[Nemesis]

When G1 officially ended.

Up until it's last hurrah with Ghoul Rockers, I didn't have a huge problem with the dolls. Sure some were a bit less expensive, but they were still clever (Ghoul Fitness).

Ditto. Towards the end, the lines were being released so rapidfire that I just ignored the super-budgety dolls and reveled in the beautiful deluxe lines (GSR, FdC, Fierce Rockers, Inner Monster, etc.). With G1, I never felt like there was a lack of gorgeous dolls on store shelves. I do feel like the tone shifted somewhat from what it was at launch, but it was never enough to put me off.

I guess for me, the most “ick” moment of G1 was when they shifted the tone of the fiction to target younger kids... I really liked the Lisi Harrison books (they were my first introduction to the world of MH, actually!), and when the “Ghoulfriends” series was released... it was jarring for me. XP Yes, it’s a zany doll line about monsters in high school... but I honestly enjoyed the more realistic setting and the inclusion of/conflict with “normies”. When everyone is a monster, NO ONE is a monster, y’know? I felt like the change to a “Monster World” full of monster-fied versions of real world cities and countries was just kind of... jumping the shark. The return of a more realistic setting is something I’ve really enjoyed about G2, actually.

[LightningBolt]

When G1 officially ended.

Up until it's last hurrah with Ghoul Rockers, I didn't have a huge problem with the dolls. Sure some were a bit less expensive, but they were still clever (Ghoul Fitness).

Same pretty much. I don't like every pre-reboot doll granted, but I can count the reboot dolls that appeal to me on one hand.

[Wardah]

I feel G1 ended when the molds and facial screenings changed.

Most the other stylistic changes I feel happened rather slowly and felt like the normal kind of evolving that would happen with any long running doll line. I have both G1 and G2 dolls and really other than the faces, there really isn't any kind of stark contrast between them. Of course I only get the lines that appeal to me and I do feel there's less that do now than in the past but that has more to do with less lines being produced to pick from.

[neon_jellyfish]

Interesting topic! I'd say it was when first less articulated releases appeared. Articulation on MH was a big deal for me, and for a long time, even budget thinbox dolls had full articulation, so for me, G1 ended when full articulation was no longer a universal standrard, eventhough the dolls still had G1 faces and bodies. The last dolls that I was really excited for were GSR and Isi, and even GSR won me over because of the idea rather than the execution.

[Carrehz]

When G1 officially ended.

Up until it's last hurrah with Ghoul Rockers, I didn't have a huge problem with the dolls. Sure some were a bit less expensive, but they were still clever (Ghoul Fitness).

Same pretty much. I don't like every pre-reboot doll granted, but I can count the reboot dolls that appeal to me on one hand.

-nod- Same here.

I could deal with the lesser articulation (I was fine with it when it was just certain lines, but it did annoy me when it started becoming an exception rather than the norm ) but when the faces changed, that's pretty much what killed it for me. They just lost all their personality.

[Wuvmykitties]

G1 ended when G2 came along.  I agree with Carrehz, the new faces ruined it.  But not just that, the themes are all "little girl" focused....insects, fairies (or wings), the ice scream (?) pack, new family members...to me these are all playline Barbie type themes.  The molded on items did (and don't) do anything for me.  The toned down brightly colored clothes and accessories didn't work either.  And the overall "cheapening out" of the whole line was the final straw. I was afraid this would backfire on them, and it looks like I was right, sadly. 

[Wardah]

G1 ended when G2 came along.  I agree with Carrehz, the new faces ruined it.  But not just that, the themes are all "little girl" focused....insects, fairies (or wings), the ice scream (?) pack, new family members...to me these are all playline Barbie type themes.  The molded on items did (and don't) do anything for me.  The toned down brightly colored clothes and accessories didn't work either.  And the overall "cheapening out" of the whole line was the final straw. I was afraid this would backfire on them, and it looks like I was right, sadly.

I dunno. Even in the early days of G1 MH has taken what are traditionally "little girl" themes and gave them their own twist. (tho I'm not sure how insects count as a "little girl" theme since stereotypically girls are supposed to be afraid of bugs except maybe butterflies and ladybugs)

I still tend to think if they hadn't changed the faces and molds nobody would have noticed a big change in the line. But the drastic facial changes caused people to look at the past more forgivingly and at the present more critically.

[Wuvmykitties]

I apologize about that.  I was thinking that some girls might be into bugs, but now I realize maybe that's more for boys?  I really don't know.

That is also true about G1 having some little girl type themes too, but they also had some themes geared more toward older girls.  JMO, but it seems like G2 has had nothing but themes for little kids.  *I could be wrong*
The biggest glaring problem for me is that characters like Ghoulia are missing bc she's too scary (or so I've heard).  Spectra is missing but they replaced her with Ari, so I'm not sure why that move was made.  Cleo, my fave, is still around but now she has molded wrappings.  But that's a personal beef.

Lastly, the lack of articulation has been especially disappointing.  The little siblings don't have much articulation (although I understand it might be more costly to do so). 

I was willing to give G2 a chance, and still am...even modified some dolls' eyes so they didn't look so big....but  the line now feels more like a variation of Barbie.  The creepy cool factor is almost gone.  The uniqueness is gone.  The whole line has changed.  There are hints of creepy cool here and there, but it's not as obvious as it was in the early days of G1. 

[Nemesis]

The biggest glaring problem for me is that characters like Ghoulia are missing bc she's too scary (or so I've heard).  Spectra is missing but they replaced her with Ari, so I'm not sure why that move was made.

I think the reasons for removing those characters are even sadder than that. DX Ghoulia was widely criticized by soccer moms... They interpreted her as a negative stereotype about “smart girls”—awkward, bad posture, speech impediment, “ugly”... Yeah, she moans and has bad posture... she’s a ZOMBIE. DUH. (Maybe those moms will feel better about Disney Channel’s new singing, dancing “Zombies”, lol.)

As for Spectra, she was criticized for being a gossip, and thus setting a bad example for all the little angels of the world.

Wow, remember the stuff The Misfits used to get up to on Jem and the Holograms? I seem to recall them sabotaging the brakes on Jem’s car and almost sending her off a cliff, once. And yet no one demanded the Misfits dolls be changed or removed from production. We sure live in a more policed/censored world these days.

[SaelaVe]

I apologize about that.  I was thinking that some girls might be into bugs, but now I realize maybe that's more for boys?  I really don't know.

I don't know.  When I was a little girl I loved bugs.  I used to spend hours watching earwigs crawl across my grandmother's patio.  And my daughter loves bugs as well.  We've caught her playing with wood lice, crickets, carpenter ants, and even an Oriental cockroach.
On the flip-side of that: neither my husband nor my brother liked bugs when they were kids.  In fact, my husband had anxiety over insects when he was a little boy.  To this day he hates bugs, arachnids, rodents, and all reptiles.
So yeah, I'd be willing to venture that there are just as many little girls who like bugs as there are little boys, and just as many little boys who are afraid of bugs as there are little girls.


As far as when G1 ended:
I agree with those who have said that it ended when it officially ended.
I was never a completionist where MH was concerned (my "gotta catch 'em all" brand was EAH), so there were always characters, lines, and individual dolls that just didn't grab me at all.  So I can't say that the brand as a whole ever reached a point where it lost its appeal for me.  In fact, I had just started collecting FTGs when the reboot happened.  So the dawn of G2 is definitely when everything ended for me.

[Wardah]

The biggest glaring problem for me is that characters like Ghoulia are missing bc she's too scary (or so I've heard).  Spectra is missing but they replaced her with Ari, so I'm not sure why that move was made.

I think the reasons for removing those characters are even sadder than that. DX Ghoulia was widely criticized by soccer moms... They interpreted her as a negative stereotype about “smart girls”—awkward, bad posture, speech impediment, “ugly”... Yeah, she moans and has bad posture... she’s a ZOMBIE. DUH. (Maybe those moms will feel better about Disney Channel’s new singing, dancing “Zombies”, lol.)

As for Spectra, she was criticized for being a gossip, and thus setting a bad example for all the little angels of the world.

Wow, remember the stuff The Misfits used to get up to on Jem and the Holograms? I seem to recall them sabotaging the brakes on Jem’s car and almost sending her off a cliff, once. And yet no one demanded the Misfits dolls be changed or removed from production. We sure live in a more policed/censored world these days.

Yeah the Misfits did awful stuff but they were also clearly the villains. But Spectra is ostensibly supposed to be a good guy so she can't have any bad habits. Moanica does some awful stuff and it's ok since she's the villain.

 

I apologize about that.  I was thinking that some girls might be into bugs, but now I realize maybe that's more for boys?  I really don't know.

I don't know.  When I was a little girl I loved bugs.  I used to spend hours watching earwigs crawl across my grandmother's patio.  And my daughter loves bugs as well.  We've caught her playing with wood lice, crickets, carpenter ants, and even an Oriental cockroach.
On the flip-side of that: neither my husband nor my brother liked bugs when they were kids.  In fact, my husband had anxiety over insects when he was a little boy.  To this day he hates bugs, arachnids, rodents, and all reptiles.
So yeah, I'd be willing to venture that there are just as many little girls who like bugs as there are little boys, and just as many little boys who are afraid of bugs as there are little girls.

I know that there's just as many girls as boys that like bugs. I just mean it's not a typical thing for a doll line to cover.

[Operetta82]

The biggest glaring problem for me is that characters like Ghoulia are missing bc she's too scary (or so I've heard).  Spectra is missing but they replaced her with Ari, so I'm not sure why that move was made.

I think the reasons for removing those characters are even sadder than that. DX Ghoulia was widely criticized by soccer moms... They interpreted her as a negative stereotype about “smart girls”—awkward, bad posture, speech impediment, “ugly”... Yeah, she moans and has bad posture... she’s a ZOMBIE. DUH. (Maybe those moms will feel better about Disney Channel’s new singing, dancing “Zombies”, lol.)

As for Spectra, she was criticized for being a gossip, and thus setting a bad example for all the little angels of the world.

Wow, remember the stuff The Misfits used to get up to on Jem and the Holograms? I seem to recall them sabotaging the brakes on Jem’s car and almost sending her off a cliff, once. And yet no one demanded the Misfits dolls be changed or removed from production. We sure live in a more policed/censored world these days.

I can agree with the dislike of Spectra's gossiping which is why I liked Haunted so much. She sees what her nosiness did to others. My biggest beef in regrards to characters was the violent background of many of the main characters. I actually researched every character for my then 6 yr old who has always been drawn to the darker stuff of the world, so I did not allow many of the main characters to come home; Lagoona was probably the one of the original ghouls that I okayed. As she got older we bought dolls like Clawdeen and Ghoulia.
 
As a collector I liked the dolls. Some lines were cheesy but still cute. The Line went downhill once they changed the face molds and articulation. Then instead of talking about school conflicts they went to babysitting and pet setting. Those are Barbie lines, Monster High was for OLDER girls the Tween market. Heaven Forbid a 10yr old puts down her iPhone long enough to play with dolls. Same with the sister line Ever After High. Once they changed the face molds, bodies, and articulation that line just isn't what it used to be.

[Nemesis]

I can agree with the dislike of Spectra's gossiping which is why I liked Haunted so much. She sees what her nosiness did to others. My biggest beef in regrards to characters was the violent background of many of the main characters. I actually researched every character for my then 6 yr old who has always been drawn to the darker stuff of the world, so I did not allow many of the main characters to come home; Lagoona was probably the one of the original ghouls that I okayed. As she got older we bought dolls like Clawdeen and Ghoulia.
 
As a collector I liked the dolls. Some lines were cheesy but still cute. The Line went downhill once they changed the face molds and articulation. Then instead of talking about school conflicts they went to babysitting and pet setting. Those are Barbie lines, Monster High was for OLDER girls the Tween market. Heaven Forbid a 10yr old puts down her iPhone long enough to play with dolls. Same with the sister line Ever After High. Once they changed the face molds, bodies, and articulation that line just isn't what it used to be.

That’s just it—because Spectra WAS a gossip, there was an opportunity in Haunted for her to change and mature as a character. People—even very good people—have character flaws. In the process of living, we make mistakes, learn from them, and struggle to be our best selves. But if everybody is just perfect and wonderful from the get-go (as heroes so often are in children’s entertainment), then that struggle—that thing that makes them relatable—is gone. It’s hard to feel anything for or learn anything from a character you can’t relate to, and even children pick up on that. That’s why I find it kind of sad that a character was axed from a show/toyline because she wasn’t “perfect”.

I agree that it’s very sad how MH’s original target demographic just wasn’t interested in dolls. It sounds cliched, but it seems like kids are trying to grow up more and more quickly in recent years. Smartphones certainly didn’t help matters, especially compounded with the advent of social media... When I was ten, I was still very much into dolls and toys.