In a way, this is exactly what folks were worried about when Mattel acquired the Pleasant Company back in 1998 and took over American Girl in 2000. For the 40th anniversary of the legacy brand, the toy company is releasing “modern era” versions of American Girl dolls Felicity, Kirsten, Addy, Josephina, Samantha, and Molly that are likely to enrage your local history buff because they are, not to mince words, Barbie-fied AF.
Listen, I love a Modern AU moment in fandom and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. It’s fun to think about what these beloved characters would be like today. It isn’t a bad idea on paper. Plus, the original historical dolls still exist. This is a special edition.
