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They’re all a little too grown up.
American Girl is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and to celebrate, Mattel, Inc. announced it’s reimagining its beloved historical characters through a “contemporary lens” — much to the chagrin of diehard fans.
The American Girl Modern Era Collection features Samantha, Addy, Kirsten, Josefina, Molly and Felicity — this time with an update.
The 14.5-inch dolls and fashions are on sale for $90 each, available for presale starting Friday, Feb. 13, with a “ships by” date of May 1.
However, fans have taken issue with the changes made to the dolls that have been a cultural staple since the 1980s.
The “modern” dolls have caused a rustle online, with many claiming that the new updates go against body positivity — complete with “an upper bleph, a blowout, and a glp-1.”
“They gave them Ozempic, lobotomies, and TikTok channels (seriously, those faces are SO vacant. nothing behind the eyes). massive yikes,” one person wrote in a Reddit thread showing a first look at the dolls.
“God forbid that girls have dolls that don’t give them a complex,” someone said.
“Why do they fully look like they’re on Ozempic?” one asked.
“These are genuinely atrocious, I’m sorry!! Some of the outfits aren’t so bad, but the proportions are off and I hate that they look like they’re wearing makeup,” another complained.
“They look like AI made them,” a user quipped.
“Weird giant heads…they look like Bratz,” one noted.
“Please tell me this is satire,” someone wrote.
The comments on the company’s announcement of the Modern Era dolls weren’t too positive, either.
“The whole world is leaning on nostalgia in the wake of AI fatigue and y’all do the total opposite,” one said.
“Why does this feel like a hate crime?” someone chimed in.
“Nooooo, we like the classics and want the old outfits back,” a fan cried. “Listen to your millennial followers who are now buying stuff for their daughters.”
“I keep scrolling and looking for a positive comment and can’t find one… the world may be divided on a lot of topics, but there is unity in these comments,” someone joked.
People over on X were a little more intense with their complaints.
“When we want American Girl to put emphasis on the historical dolls, this is not what we mean. my poor baby girl, what have they done to you?” a person wrote.
“You have ripped the heart and soul out of my childhood, you have sacrificed your character at the altar of modernity, and I wish you no success in your endeavors,” a very passionate fan posted.
“Why would you yassify a f–king nine year old,” someone else said.
However, others think that those upset are overreacting, saying that the dolls aren’t so bad — even if they don’t want them for themselves.
“I will always prefer the originals, but I actually think these are cute! Not cute enough to own at a $90 pp, but cute enough to enjoy as a concept,” one argued.
Another who said they “hate” the dolls noted that “if they get one kid into American Girl and gets them to read the books I grew up cherishing, then they are a necessary evil.”
Many pointed out that there are already so-called modern American Girl dolls, and there’s no reason to give their classic historical figures a modern twist.
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