Even before the things like tariffs, importing some dolls and figures from Japan could get expensive. Not every place might offer them, and especially popular variants end up in high demand. Takara Tomy’s Licca-chan dolls have been interesting, since we’ve seen things like Oshi no Ko and Super Mario series releases. Now in 2026, the company decided to branch out into a North American release. With that, it also included a number of crossover Licca dolls like the Frieren and Sanrio Kuromi and My Melody ones. After picking up all three, I’ve found each one features outfits that look more intricate than things like standard Barbie, Bratz, and Monster High dolls and do a good job of accurately capturing the themes of the three characters.
The first thing I want to call out about the Licca dolls’ North American release is that there’s no wasted space. Each of the boxes is compact, features a large window for the figure, and also includes images of the crossover characters referenced. I appreciated this for display purposes. These don’t take up too much shelf space, so it’s easy to keep them complete-in-box and find a spot. Said boxes are also stable and can stand up under their own power easily, which again helps. While you do need to cut the plastic tabs to release the connection around the neck, I honestly left the one plastic strap for the legs intact in each box so I could use that to hold them in place for storage purposes later.
Photos by Siliconera
The two Sanrio Licca dolls based on Kuromi and My Melody are the ones that, at a glance, you can immediately see the extra touches that show the additional work to offer a sense of realism. While there are some printed elements to My Melody dress and Kuromi top and skirt, there are more interesting materials present than I expected. For example, the “laces” across the bodice of the My Melody dress, on the white My Melody socks, and down the arms of the Kuromi shirt are printed. But other elements are real and separate parts. While not articulated at, say, the elbows or knees, the plastic is such that you can bend the dolls and have them hold a pose. The arms turn twist at the shoulders, legs turn at the hip, and the upper torso and neck can turn.
Take the My Melody Licca doll. The lace, ribbons, and sort of chiffon and organza sheer fabric on the sleeves are all real and feature some intricate stitching. Likewise, the headpiece for that is made up of plush-style pink bunny ears, blue bows, pink threads, and white lace. It’s a lot of work for an accessory! The apron on the dress has the My Melody print, with some pleates. The skirt of the dress has laters to it, with a print on the sheer fabric. While the shoes are just plastic, like Barbie, Monster High, or Bratz dolls, the socks feature lace at the top too. Even the hairstyle feels extra special with this doll, as there’s an upper blond layer and the bottom is all pink.
Photos by Siliconera
While the Kuromi Licca-chan doll features a more casual look than the Baby the Stars Shine Bright sort of approach to the other Sanrio one, it also features similar sorts of accents. The Kuromi top feels like a gothic punk kind of piece, given the slits at the shoulders, the fake laces down the sides, and the black lace at the color. The Kuromi print at the top features her in a gothic Lolita dress that matches the color scheme. The purple plaid skirt also has a lot of extra frills I didn’t expect, like the pleating, white kind of collar/belt, black ribbon, and pink pom-poms. She also has matching sorts of black pom-poms in her hair and oversized hoops. Again, the shoes are plastic, but they still look detailed and fit the theme well. Also, like the My Melody Doll, this one’s hair features purple highlights in it to further commit to the theme in a gorgeous way.
While the Frieren Licca-chan doll might not seem as detail if you quickly glance at her, there’s a lot more to her to make Licca look like the elf. To start, there are longer elf ears on the doll, complete with earrings that are exact replicas of Frieren’s. The back of the box even explains how to take them on and off. (The earrings themselves can also be removed.) The makeup and hairstyle are also designed to more accurately reference the character. Yes, it has Licca’s big, expressive eyes. However, there are also Frieren’s exact brown eyebrows, banks cut in the same style as hers, and the same pigtails. Once you start looking at the outfit, the efforts to recreate it come through. She wears black tights, and there are brown matching plastic boots. (Said boots have a slit in the back to make them easier to put on.) Her dress is exact, with additional gold ribbon used as trim and accents and the black stripes on the bodice being more fabric and not a print. Likewise, the belt is a satin-style fabric with a grey plastic buckle. The capelet can be be removed, and it features the same trim work and accents on the edges and seams. There’s even a small copper button at its collar to match the character’s. It’s a lot more effort than you’d expect. The only downside is, I sort of hoped there’d be a plastic staff included for her, but she doesn’t come with one.
Photos by Siliconera
The Licca Frieren, Kuromi, and My Melody dolls all are such detailed collectibles, and there’s so much work put into their outfits. Even the smaller accessories, like the headpiece for the My Melody one or the Frieren capelet, include all these details that you wouldn’t always expect from these types of dolls. I specially appreciated all the different types of materials used for them, instead of constantly relying on printed fabrics or plastic parts. All three feel special as a result.
Photo by Siliconera
The Licca-chan North American release rollout is happening now, with the Frieren, Kuromi, and My Melody crossover Licca dolls among the first releases.
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