Sasha Nuna
My holiest of grails
See this doll? This is a Sasha doll by Groove, best known as the makers of Pullip and her friends. In 2012, they were looking to expand their doll collection into an odd new direction: anthro.
Sasha dolls are similar to Pullip, even using the exact same body as her, with the primary difference being their heads. Instead of Pullip's signature large doe-eyed head, Sashas have either a realistic rabbit or cat head.
In terms of Groove dolls, they were seemingly...unpopular, only receiving eight releases and becoming vanishingly rare on the secondhand market nowadays.
This is why I'm here: to tell you about Nuna, my favorite of the Sasha dolls and perhaps my most sought after doll of all time.
As her name belies, Nuna is a Catholic nun — or at least, likes to dress as one. Her white habit is decorated with embroidered brocade and large cross charms. She comes with a red Bible and a pair of white boots.
I'm not exactly sure why I like her so much. I've never been a huge fan of nun costumes, and I'm definitely not Catholic. I do love rabbits, but there are several other rabbit head Sasha dolls for me to choose from, many of which are much easier to find aftermarket.
I could point out all of the individual qualities I like about her: her soft features, her makeup including blush and painted eyelashes, and the ornate quality of her outfit. But beyond all that I feel there is just some metaphysical pull that draws me to her.
As a grail, I have been trying for a while now to find her and bring her home, but the rarity and obscurity of these dolls makes that difficult. I have yet to see Nuna for sale in the English or Japanese market, even as other Sashas are listed and sold. Until the day I am able to find her, I will continue to appreciate her uncanny beauty from afar.