Bratz dolls are not really my style. I can honestly say that I have never walked the aisles of a toy store and been tempted by a Bratz character. I don't even like the name. Remember that I am a huge Cinderella fan, and looking at the world through that lens, the Bratz dolls come off a bit like the bratty stepsisters.
Anyway, Bratz dolls first appeared in 2001 and have been dominating an impressive chunk of the fashion doll market ever since. Mattel and MGA Entertainment have been suing each other back and forth over these dolls since about 2005--MGA claiming that the My Scene dolls are a rip off of Bratz and Mattel claiming that they actually own the rights to Bratz because the Bratz designer allegedly came up with the idea for these dolls while he was working for Mattel. A third party is suing Mattel
and MGA for stealing what he claims is his idea. Sheesh. It's a big mess, and for a while there, I remember there was some serious tension among collectors about whether or not Bratz would be permanently pulled from the shelves.
Things seem to have calmed a bit on the legal front (after lots of money flew back and forth) and Bratz is alive and well and legally owned by MGA. I have always been mildly interested in this legal battle (I mean, who wouldn't be? Two behemoth doll companies locking horns is the doll collector's version of watching the World Series) but as I said, I have never been interested in purchasing a Bratz doll...until last week. Last week I plunked down $20 for a Bratz
illaz doll, and I'll tell you why in a sec. First, here's a picture of the doll I chose (the redhead, of course):
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"Meygana Broomstix" Bratzillaz doll by MGA |