Do Kiddie Characters Really Need Makeovers?

March 18, 2009

After much speculation, the new tweenage Dora the Explorer was unveiled this week. Some mothers breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that the long haired, leggy character was not quite as mature as some had feared, and Mattel assured them that she will remain the same wholesome girl their daughters have grown to love. Dora is not the first children's character to mature right before our eyes. Last year the company behind Strawberry Shortcake revealed their modern version of the doll in hopes of attracting a new audience and Barbie seems to get slightly modified annually.

17 Comments

Ericka 4 years 9 weeks

She's not a new Dora though, she's the pre-teen Dora. They still plan to have the little Dora doing whatever she does, while the new one will do more age appropriate things. It makes sense to me. I like the idea of having the character grow with your child as long as they stay true to the character.

Ericka 4 years 9 weeks

pinkykay 4 years 9 weeks

No! The old ones were fine! It's just showing children more pressure to look good and look older! They don't need that!

PiNkY PiNk 4 years 9 weeks

i think some people were up in arms about this because there were rumors that dora was going to have high-heels and some boobage, make-up, etc... i truly hate the fact that they changed dora. why change a good thing? isn't their target audience 5 years and younger? why try to appeal to older kids who won't like her no matter what she looks like because they feel they have out-grown those shows anyway?? although both strawberry shortcake and dora are cute in their new versions...they were also cute in their old versions... the changes were unnecessary and stupid in my book.

PiNkY PiNk 4 years 9 weeks

katherinev 4 years 9 weeks

I like old Dora, she is rounder. New Dora looks like a lisa frank character.

mstrauss 4 years 9 weeks

While the new Dora and Strawberry looked very cute and pretty, I think they are harder for children to identify with. I like that with the old cartoon characters, children don't need to identify with them because they don't look like real human beings. By making them more life-like, I think it creates a bit of pressure to be pretty like Dora, etc. The younger ones won't know the difference, but the older kids should also not know the difference and now they will. They will see that Dora changed and maybe they will wonder if they should also be prettier...just a thought.

Roarman 4 years 9 weeks

I don't see anything wrong with the new Dora or the new Strawberry, they look cute. I don't see why they are changing Dora though. are they trying to gear her towards an older set? Im sure there are plenty of three year olds out there who were satisfied with Dora as she was.

momma tikita 4 years 9 weeks

I don't see what the big deal is..they didn't really make Dora all that grown-up other then longer hair and longer legs (because she's older). I think some people just love to talk shit. Who the hell is up in arms about this?! Its ridiculous. My daughter right now doesn't really like Dora anymore and she's 5...I'm sure the new Dora will appeal to older girls. I don't see anything wrong with that.

momma tikita 4 years 9 weeks

princess_eab 4 years 9 weeks

I think it's really gross how these characters have been changed. They don't look like little girls anymore - they look like preteens with makeup on. What's wrong with a normal little girl figure and a regular, non-beautiful, clean little girl face?

lms 4 years 9 weeks

I voted other. I don't mind the change b/c they want the character's to look more modern. However, I don't think that changing the way it looks is going to keep a kids interest. I find that my daughter would outgrow a character and think it was too young for her. The new look would not have kept her interested any longer IMO.

Frank y Ava 4 years 9 weeks

The new Dora is cute and so is the new Strawberry Shortcake. I really don't care though.

kmckay 4 years 9 weeks

i hated when they changed strawberry shortcake- she's classic. dora is fairly new and hardly a 'classic' in my mind but still... SO unnecessary.

care0531 4 years 9 weeks

I like when something stays the same because items can be passed on from generations. I think for that reason they are making changes so that people will want the new Dora or whatever instead of the old ones- it can bring in more money to that market.

care0531 4 years 9 weeks

I like when something stays the same because items can be passed on from generations.I think for that reason they are making changes so that people will want the new Dora or whatever instead of the old ones- it can bring in more money to that market.

Rally RE 4 years 9 weeks

no, the characters totally don't need make-overs. who is designing the "new look"??? it appears to be males because the characters appear more sexualized in their new outfit/persona. and, the characters appear older. i'm horrified to see the new strawberry shortcake - yikes. and, what happened to her cat????

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