BJDcollectasy ran a review for the original Granado Maiden body with a Void head back in 2014. I now own one of the two updated versions that were released in 2015. This article compares the two bodies.
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The original Maiden 1 body design included some qualities that really appealed to me, including a softly sculpted natural-looking figure, but there were some problems that quickly became apparent when attempting to pose my new doll. One issue was an inability of the legs to remain parallel. Instead they splayed out in a “V” when she was seated. The torso was not able to stay erect, but tilted backward so Void had to be propped up. She also lacked stability in her knee joints.
When Granado renewed the Maiden body last year, they released two versions- the Maiden 2 and Maiden 2+. The bodies are almost identical, but the 2+ version has a 3-part torso. When choosing between them, I decided that I wanted maximum poseability, so I ordered the 2+. I also decided to check out a different breast size, so it was ordered with the larger breasts (natural version).
The new body came packaged identically to my original Void doll, albeit without a head. As you can see, the new body on the left (below) is similar but definitely not identical. First, however, I will point out a few similarities. The arms and hands are essentially the same. These parts worked well in the original Maiden body, so the company really didn’t need to make any adjustments.
Most of the differences between the two are lower down. The more natural shape of the old Maiden body has been altered to allow more movement in the legs. While this does not look as realistic, it makes a huge difference when posing.
The second target area for changes is the knee structure. The original design tended to slip when standing, so the doll would collapse. The new design replaces the smaller joint and resin cover plate of the old knees for a more robust lozenge, which holds the knee in more poses and supports the rest of the body much better.
Another noticeable difference is the new anti-slip silicone bumpers on the center torso part of the Maiden 2+ that keep all of the parts from sliding out of place. Two sets are located on the top and bottom of the back and there is also another one in the lower front of the waist part. They work very well.
The three part torso is very flexible, and made the body much more fun to pose.
So, I must say that the new body possesses a huge improvement in poseability! After installing the Void head atop the neck, I had a lot of fun shooting photos of her with her new flexible torso and sturdier knees. Is the body perfect? I had some minor problems still with her legs turning at the hip when I didn’t want them to, but it was not a very serious issue. Sueding in the hip area may help. Her middle torso part would frequently expose the bumper in the center front of the middle torso part which isn’t as attractive. (You can see it peeking out below her belly button in a few shots below.) While aesthetically the Maiden 1 body is lovely, I prefer a more athletic poser. I am very pleased with the upgrade.
The Granado Maiden 2 an 2+ bodies may be found on their website HERE with additional comparison photos and posing shots. maiden 2, maiden2+
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Cool review!