Honestly, I think the only way for anyone to make a really successful character is one that is backed by a company, with many vendors committed to the support of that character. There have been many good usable figures that have lain on shelves and got dusty for lack of support. Anastasia is an amazing re-work of Alyson2, but has not recieved a lot of support. I love Miki 4, who also does not recieve a lot of attention, and yes I am also now a Dawnophile.

It seems you are worried about disappointing people, but as Eclark said, tastes are very individualistic and therefore nothing you ever do will please everyone. The creation of a new figure is an enormous undertaking that will consume a lot of your time, so I think the best advice anyone can give you is to create first for yourself. Let your muse be  your guide, not the wants and desires of others. Put your passion into your character, but expect your character to be criticized and raked over the coals the way every single new figure is, not because he/she will deserve it, but because people find it easier to find flaws than to find the beauty, which is a very sad thing. I hate to see artists and their work treated this way. I think it is easy for people to criticize the long hours of labor that someone else undertook without thinking about the way those people feel about their creation. Good luck.

"People who attempt define what art is or is not, are not artists"---Luminescence