Gamertell

The kisekae set system (KiSS) is a computer program based on the Japanese principle of kisekae ningyou - playing dress up. It is strikingly similar to the Flash doll creators you find online, only KiSS programs and sets are saved to your computer so you can play at any time.

It was quite an internet phenomenon in the 1990s, and many artists worldwide (both amateur and professional) took the time to create dolls, art and programs to share with other users online. It also became a way for users to bond with one another, as artists would often create huge collaborative efforts, like Silicon Sue or Dark Side of Cute. Many KiSS artists are coming out of retirement, so it’s worth learning about KiSS and the dolls you can play with in it.

What kind of sets are there? Any kind! If you look online for kisekae, you’ll find dolls based on anime, video game, cartoon, literary and film characters. You’ll find plenty of original characters and dolls based on real people as well. There are also quite a few artistic pieces which you can interact with, and even a few free games.

KiSS is really a fun, and free, application to add to any computer. It especially is great for kids. Parents and guardians should always check new sets first though, as there are quite a few Adult KiSS dolls floating around.

So how do I play?

Well, first you need to download a viewer. Both the KiSS Cafe and Otakuworld have sections with viewers for Windows, Macs and Linux. The viewers are all free downloads and are always very easy to install.

I’d recommend Direct KiSS, as it’s the viewer I’ve owned and used for years. It supports FKiSS1-4 (which refers to the kind of animations and effects the dolls will have), CKiSS and enhanced color palettes for dolls. It also runs seamlessly on Vista computers.

Once you have a viewer, you need some sets. KiSS sets are a collection of cels zipped into an .lzh file with a text document that tells the viewer how to arrange them. Make a separate folder for the files you’ll download, and then save all of them to that folder. Then open the viewer, open that folder and select a file to begin playing with a a doll or set.

Where can I get some dolls?

Otakuworld is the first place most people think of when they think of KiSS. It was one of the first major KiSS libraries, opening back in January 1993, and is currently the largest library online with over 4,500 dolls ready to be downloaded. There are only two downsides to Otakuworld - it is a pay site and doesn’t update very frequently. Of course it is a pay site because it is expensive to host so many dolls, and the infrequent updates were caused by a lull in KiSS doll creation. It does have free doll zone, as well as all the viewers and programs needed to create KiSS dolls.

KiSS Cafe is a new site, opened in February 2007, which is building a substantial library and getting lots of support from artists. It is a free site with fairly regular doll updates. You get a nice mix of old and new at the KiSS Cafe, as some artists from Otakuworld have begun to also submit their older dolls to the KiSS Cafe as well as new ones.

Then there’s the Invisible KiSS Links, quite possibly the most complete directory of worldwide KiSS artist sites. It is maintained by The Invisible Phan, hosted by tea and contains links to KiSS sites around the world. While Otakuworld or the KiSS Cafe are good places for new users to start, the Invisible KiSS Links are perfect for intermediate-advanced users looking for more dolls.

Who are some artists I should know?

There are tons of phenomenal KiSS artists out there, each with their own style and trademarks. Since everyone enjoys different artistic styles, it is difficult to pinpoint certain artists - especially since you don’t want to excluse anyone. Below are 12 of the most influential and prolific KiSS artists who’ve contributed their own spare time and effort to bring joy to others. There are probably at least 20 more names who even belong there, but I don’t want to overwhelm anyone.

In parenthesis after each artist are a few dolls I’d recommend. If the artist still has an active site, their name will link to it.

• Aragonite (Dagger from FFIX, Sibyll Trelawny from Harry Potter, Hinata Hyuuga from Naruto)
• Dov Sherman (Ranma Saotome from Ranma 1/2, Miss Cloud Strife from FFVII, Speck, the World’s Smallest KiSS Doll)
• Emby Quinn (Emby Quinn 2001, Marron and Cyborg 18 from Dragon Ball, Angelica)
• Jade Gordon (Calandra, Dove Character Costume Set, What a Doll)
• Kimiki (Navi, Kakumeiko, Ronnie)
• Megan (Anna, Heavy Metal Papillion - Stars from Sailor Moon, Tin Nyanko from Sailor Moon)
• Punky (Dustin, Sora, Candy)
• Rick Cramer aka Felix Cramer (Mister Canterbury, Zero’s Nightmare, Chester)
• Ruthless (Amélie from Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, Tara Felinsky, Countess Claire Von Trapp, Vegetarian Vampire)
• Silent Angel (Bright Side of Life, Kazane and Kineko, Joseh)
• Tasha (Harley Quinn from Batman, Rogue from X-Men, Blink from Generation X)
• tea (Capable from The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip, Mixie’s Colorful World, The Girl I’ve Loved All Along)

I also highly recommend visiting deviantArt and searching for the word kisekae. You’ll be rewarded with a list of many amazing and active KiSS artists. Or, if you’re creative and have some free time, stop by Otakuworld or the KiSS Cafe and learn how to make your own KiSS sets.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Next week Important Importables will talk about the best Naruto games. Of, if I can sneak it out of my friend’s DS, the new Taiko DS game. If you don’t miss a single installment of Important Importables, or want to know right away when the next column is up, then sign up for the Gamertell Newsletter and RSS feed.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables talked about video game art books.

Site [Otakuworld] Site [KiSS Cafe] Site [Invisible KiSS Links] Site [KiSSclub on deviantArt]

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