Hello all, I'm new to the forum and after lurking a bit, I've decided on the 4woods company for my future doll-related needs. Now I just need to figure out what to get from them. I've gone over basically every feature they have so far and I'm looking at compiling pros and cons for things I'm not quite so sure about, so allow me to jump right into that.

Body Type: From the pictures, it looks like the AI Evolution has a more mature look with the rib cage peeking out a bit and more focus on "realistic" aspects like that. The AI Neo looks like it has a more youthful look with a little more babyfat and softer curves. Peach looks like basically a hot 18-20 year old girls body, and Neo jr looks like a very petite kind of body. Can anyone with more firsthand experience give more on this? Are there any technical (rather than aesthetic) reasons to choose one over another?

Functional Fingers: How flexible/posable are they? Will they be able to grip onto things? How likely am I to break them if I repose them often?

Soft Stomach: The 4woods site mentions... ...which worries me a little about getting it. Can anyone confirm that the stomach sticks out? To what extent? Do you have pictures?

Integrated vs. removable vagina From the pictures, the removable holes don't look anywhere near as nice to me. They're removable for easier cleaning though. Can anyone with an integrated vagina doll give me a rundown on the difficulty involved in cleaning it? Would I have to draw a bath or is it not that complicated? How deep are the integrated holes vs the removables? Is there a difference in durability here that I need to consider? Also, it looks like going with the integrated vagina option means I get another hole... the ass. Is this true?

One more thing: The point where the head attaches looks like it's a weak point. They say specifically not to get water in there. I don't plan on doing so, but how careful exactly do I have to be here? If it gets splashed accidentally will it most likely be fine, or do I constantly have to fear humid days on the off chance that a drop might form in the wrong place?


Thanks in advance to everyone.

Hi Redsweater, first welcome to TDF You'll find a lot of info here. We are all happy to answer your questions. I'll try to give you some info based on my knowledge/experience. I own a 4Woods NEOim with a Lilica head. Here name is Lily. She arrived 30 August 2011. She is one of the first NEOim's with the new soft skin silicone

Body type
Aesthetically it's a personal choice. Technical the only info I can give you is that NEO was improved in 2010 (NEOim), NEO-J is improved in 2012 (NEO-J/im). Peach New Edition is from 2009 and I guess the latest renewal of Evolution is from 2009 too. But I guess some improvements are applied to all models.

Functional fingers
The finger wires are segmented, so there are phalanges. They are nicely posable. Grip is based on friction of silicone; the fingers have no power. Fingers won't break from carefully posing, but they are delicate! If you are not careful enough during dressing or moving, a finger wire may poke through the silicone, or the finger wire may break (get separated) from the hand bone.

Soft stomach
I love Lily's soft stomach. But yes, it may stick out a little. This looks quite natural, like a girl with a (very) little belly. I'll try to find or make a picture of it and post it into this thread.

Integrated vagina
Lily has an integrated vagina. I choose 4Woods because these dolls are beautiful and realistic. The integrated vagina really looks realistic. And now, with the NEOim you can chose between four different looks of the integrated vagina.
Cleaning is not as easy as with an insert, but IMO it's quite easy using a pear wash (anal douche), a simple pear wash is delivered with the doll.

Head attach
The head attach is strong and I don't think a little splash will enter it. But if you put your doll in bath, keep it above the water line!

Good luck choosing your doll!

Body type: I have a Neo-J made in 2007 and an Evolution made in 2009 (you can see them on my web site -- link at bottom of my posts). The Neo-J is much less heavy. Also, she can cross her legs and adopt similar poses, while the Evolution has a fairly constant legs-apart pose.

I agree about the ribs showing on the Evolution; a bit unusual, and rather good. However, the ribs also show on the Neo-J; at the sides. The legs of the Neo-J are (I think) the best in the doll world (Realdoll body 4 legs are as good in some ways). The contour detail of the knees of the Neo-J is unmatched by any other doll I know of.

Nescio50 and Midiman have both posted photos of their Neo-ims with the soft stomach. (It looks awesome in my opinion.)

Here are links to threads containing pictures of Lily's soft stomach:

http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=37803

http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=39181

http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=41103

I love my 4woods. Definitely a fine piece of engineering, but can cost you the price of nearly two North American love dolls owing to the high value of the Yen

Now that I have her, I would never part with her

I have the soft stomach too and put up some pics. My review covers this as well.

AWESOME. It's so realistic feeling. I wish all my dolls had it.

Aesthetic. I have owned all of Hiroo's models. But the question to ask is: What do you like? Thank goodness there's such rich variety to the human form!

Hi Redsweater,

I have not been on here too long myself, but I just ordered from 4Woods, so I can tell you some things I learned in my own research.

First, I think 4Woods is an excellent company. Hiroo Okawa, the owner, is a terrific guy that will answer any questions you have, just usually give him 24 hours or so to allow for translation. 4Woods is one of the only Japanese doll companies that is reaching out to overseas customers.

Second, I choose the realistic vagina. My view is all of the other body details are so naturalistically rendered, why not this most important feature as well. My current doll has this type and I enjoy it. I recognize that others prefer the insert type and thats fine. If I were to get the insert type I would probably choose the extra hairy option for pubic hair.

Third, I will seguy into your cleaning question. I have never owned a doll with an insert, but I have to believe the clean-up is easier. However, cleaning a built-in doll is not to difficult. I just pull her lower half off the bed, put a bedpan under her butt, rinse with a pearshaped bulb, and swab with a sponge on a stick. Thats pretty much it. If that sounds like work go with an insert.

Fourth, I choose not to go with the hand skeleton option. I am not a big photography nut, and to me that is the main reason to get this option. I have had finger pokes on my current doll and while they usually aren't serious they are a pain to deal with. I could easily do without them.

Fifth, I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet, but the older body designs (Peach and Evolution) are reportedly somewhat limited in the positions they can accomodate, namely no missionary. The new Neo IM and Neo-J/IM bodies have no such limitations. Eventually 4Woods will likely update the older bodies as well.

In my opinion, 4Woods makes some of the most lovely and realistically proportioned bodies anywhere.

Hope that helps.

Hello again,

A quick clearification: the Peach and Evolution require assistance to accomodate the missionary position, namely a pillow under the butt.

Also should say photography enthusiast, not nut.

Cheers