The History of Sex Dolls: From inflatable sex dolls to Silicone & TPE Dolls
Most of us only know that both inflatable sex dolls and TPE & silicone dolls originated from developed Western countries, especially the United States and Japan. Today, I’ll briefly introduce the development of inflatable sex dolls and TPE & silicone dolls.
From Legends
According to ancient Greek mythology, there was a king named Pygmalion in Cyprus who bore a striking resemblance to the Ming Dynasty Emperor, a skilled carpenter. Despite being a king, he disliked real women and decided never to marry. Instead, he used his magical hands to fulfill his desires. Oh no, he crafted a beautiful portrait of a young girl with his extraordinary carving skills. Later, he fell in love with this portrait and prayed to the love goddess Aphrodite to marry him to the painted girl. The love goddess granted his prayer, infused life into the statue, and they lived happily ever after. This may be one of the earliest stories about love between a person and a doll.
East and West Chronicles
In 1865, during the Qing Dynasty, a scholar named Xia Xie from the residence of Zeng Guofan recorded in his works: foreigners could make their own things into naked women, with skin, bones, ears, eyes, teeth, and tongue, and no openings were lacking. They could be folded like clothes, blown up with air, soft and warm like a beauty, capable of intimate interaction like a human. Coincidentally, they were difficult to come by. This may be the earliest description of an inflatable doll in the world.
World War II
Amidst the turmoil of World War II, the Germans, with their extreme racial ideology, early on realized the importance of maintaining Aryan blood purity. Simultaneously, to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in Nazi camps, Heinrich Himmler, the commander of the SS, personally ordered the secret development of an inflatable doll—a solution to physiological issues. This was a significant military secret at the time.
Vietnam War
To address the physiological issues of American soldiers in the Vietnam War, scientists decided to implement a sex doll program. Due to the advanced technology in the United States at that time, the program quickly succeeded, and soon an endless supply of inflatable sex dolls reached the hands of American soldiers. On that night, soldiers across the entire U.S. camp felt the deep love of their homeland. Subsequently, the Germans recognized the practical value of this top military secret and began producing and selling similar toys. inflatable sex dolls officially entered commercial purposes. Without a doubt, Ruth Handler, the founder of Barbie, was inspired by inflatable sex dolls and designed the world’s most popular toy for girls.
Rise in Japan
Japan is known for popularizing inflatable sex dolls, as many are aware. In the mid-20th century, Japan sent the first batch of researchers to Antarctica. The compassionate government was concerned that prolonged abstinence among adventurers would affect their health. Therefore, they funded the development of high-quality sexual inflatable sex dolls, named Antarctic No. 1 (a heartbreaking name).
Then, in 1970, typical inflatable sex dolls first appeared in Japan. At that time, inflatable sex dolls, whether in terms of portability or tactile sensation, made men feel like they were finally experiencing a long-awaited era of abundance. In the 1990s, people began using advanced medical-grade non-toxic soft silicone or PVC materials to make inflatable sex dolls, making their texture closer to real skin. Although they still felt somewhat stiff, it didn’t stop otaku’s love. At the same time, manufacturers attempted to produce semi-TPE & skeletal sex dolls (with the face, chest, limbs, and genitalia made of TPE & silicone, while the rest needed inflation). However, due to technological and material issues at the time, the product results were not ideal.
TPE & Silicone sex Dolls
It wasn’t until the 21st century, with technological advancements, upgrades in medical-grade materials, and market implementation, that people were no longer satisfied with ordinary inflatable sex dolls. Manufacturers attempted to add skeletons to dolls, filling them with TPE & silicone. TPE & silicone dolls officially took the stage, contributing to the progress of material technology. TPE & silicone dolls have become increasingly closer to real humans in appearance and touch.
