View source for Rainbow Brite

{{Short description|American media franchise}}
{{About||the 1984 animated series|Rainbow Brite (1984 TV series)|the 2014 animated series|Rainbow Brite (2014 TV series)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Original research|date=January 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2019}}
{{Overly detailed|date=March 2019}}
}}
{{Infobox media franchise
|title         = Rainbow Brite
|image         =  [[File:Rainbow-Brite-logo-600x257.webp|none]]
|imagesize     = frameless
|caption       =
|creator       = [[Hallmark Cards]]
|origin        = 
|books         =
|novels        =
|comics        = ''[[Rainbow Brite (comics)| Rainbow Brite]]''
|magazines     =
|strips        =
|films         =''[[Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer]]''
|tv            =
|atv           = [[Rainbow Brite (1984 TV series)|1984 series]]<br />[[Rainbow Brite (2014 TV series)|2014 series]]
|plays         =
|musicals      =
|games         =
|rpgs          =
|vgs           = 
|radio         =
|soundtracks   =
|music         =
|toys          = 
|otherlabel1   = Related franchises
|otherdata1    = 
|otherlabel2   =
|otherdata2    =
|otherlabel3   =
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}}

'''''Rainbow Brite'''''{{efn|Also known in Japan as {{nihongo|'''''Magical Girl Rainbow Brite'''''|魔法少女レインボーブライト|Mahō Shōjo Reinbō Buraito}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-09 |title=米国生まれのRainbow Briteステーショナリーが新登場 ホールマーク |url=http://www.nichima.co.jp/new_item/entry/2988.html |access-date=2021-07-06 |website=NICHIMA Inc. |publisher=文マガ |language=ja |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706053248/http://www.nichima.co.jp/new_item/entry/2988.html |archive-date=2021-07-06}}</ref>}} is an American media franchise by [[Hallmark Cards]], introduced in 1984.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Garofalo |first1=Alex |title='Rainbow Brite' 2014 Reboot: 5 Things To Know About The Original Before The Nov. 6 Premiere [VIDEO] |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/rainbow-brite-2014-reboot-5-things-know-about-original-nov-6-premiere-video-1705633 |website=[[International Business Times]] |access-date=September 24, 2018 |date=October 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gerding |first1=Stephen |title='80s Sensation Rainbow Brite Returns In an All-New Comic Series |url=https://www.cbr.com/rainbow-brite-returns-comic-series/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=September 24, 2018 |date=July 17, 2018}}</ref> The animated [[Rainbow Brite (1984 TV series)|''Rainbow Brite'' television series]] first aired in 1984,<ref name=Perlmutter>{{cite book |last1=Perlmutter |first1=David |title=The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows |date=2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1538103739 |pages=487–488}}</ref> the same year Hallmark licensed Rainbow Brite to [[Mattel]] for a range of dolls and other merchandise. A theatrical feature-length film, ''[[Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer]]'', was released by [[Warner Bros.]] in 1985. The franchise was rebooted in 2014 with a [[Rainbow Brite (2014 TV series)|three part mini-series]] released on Hallmark's online streaming video service, [[Hallmark Movies Now|Feeln]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hare |first1=Breeanna |title=The return of 'Rainbow Brite' |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/15/showbiz/tv/rainbow-brite-returns-feeln/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |access-date=September 26, 2018 |date=October 15, 2014}}</ref> A line of new merchandise by Hallmark online and in its shops debuted in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mogan |first1=Kenyth |title=The Colorful History Of Rainbow Brite |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenyth-mogan/the-colorful-history-of-r_b_10345612.html |website=[[Huffington Post]] |access-date=September 24, 2018|date=June 26, 2016}}</ref>

==Production==
Rainbow Brite made her animated debut in the syndicated prime-time television special, "Peril in the Pits," which was first aired on June 27, 1984. Later, a pair of two-part specials were produced: "The Mighty Monstromurk Menace" and "The Beginning of Rainbowland."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Woolery |first1=George W. |title=Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987 |date=1989 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-2198-2 |access-date=27 March 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/animatedtvspecia0000wool/page/328/mode/2up |pages=328–333}}</ref>

A theatrical feature-length film, ''[[Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer]]'', was released by [[Warner Bros.]] in 1985.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lenburg |first=Jeff |url=http://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312 |title=The encyclopedia of animated cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=New York : Facts on File |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-8160-3831-2}}</ref> The specials became part of DIC's weekly syndicated ''[[Kideo TV]]'' block of programming starting in April 1986, which were followed up with eight more episodes for a total of thirteen, which is one season in American television,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Prudom |first1=Laura |title='Rainbow Brite' Revival Series Set with Emily Osment and Molly Ringwald |url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/rainbow-brite-revival-series-remake-feeln-1201330885/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=September 24, 2018 |language=en |date=October 15, 2014}}</ref> and were rerun until the end of March 1987, after which the show was replaced on the ''Kideo TV'' schedule by ''[[Lady Lovely Locks|Lady Lovely Locks & the Pixietails]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saturday's TV Programs |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=gL9scSG3K_gC&dat=19870328&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=January 8, 2019 |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=March 28, 1987 |page=11}}</ref> All were published on [[VHS]] [[videotape]]s in the United States and other countries, along with two live-action programs. One of these was a program intended for use at kids' birthday parties (''"It's Your Birthday Party"''); the other was made on location at the [[San Diego Zoo]] (''"San Diego Zoo Adventure"'').

==Premise==
A young girl named Wisp is brought by a mysterious voice to a gray, desolate land with the mission to bring color to this [[Fictional universe|fictional world]] by locating the Sphere of Light. Along the way, she befriends a furry creature (called a sprite) named Twink and a horse named Starlite and finds a mysterious baby who turns out to be the key to her mission. With the help of her new friends, Wisp locates the legendary Color Belt and rescues the seven Color Kids, who had been trapped by the King of Shadows. Using the Color Belt, Wisp and the Sphere of Light defeat the King of Shadows, liberate the sprites, and bring color and beauty to the land, henceforth called Rainbow Land. Wisp is renamed Rainbow Brite in honor of her new role as the leader of the Color Kids, who are together in charge of all the colors in the universe.

The Color Kids spread color across the universe from the Color Console inside the Color Castle. Each Color Kid is in charge of their respective color, has a personal sprite and manages a number of like-colored sprites that mine Color Crystals from the nearby Color Caves. These crystals are processed into Star Sprinkles which are the essential components to brightening and coloring any object or place. The Star Sprinkles also power Rainbow Brite's Color Belt, which manifests a powerful multicolored energy force she uses to fight evil and help Starlite travel on. Rainbow Brite and the Color Kids' mission is often complicated by the likes of Murky Dismal, his sidekick Lurky, and other [[villain]]s. Brian, a boy from [[Earth]], sometimes assisted Rainbow Brite in her adventures.

In the movie, ''[[Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer]]'', the setting expands to include the diamond planet, Spectra. All the light in the universe must pass through Spectra before coming to Earth. However, Earth soon falls into a wintry darkness when the diamond-obsessed Dark Princess decides to steal Spectra for her own. Rainbow Brite and her horse, Starlite, must team with Spectra's boy warrior, Krys, and his robotic horse, On-X, to defeat the powers of darkness and save Spectra, Earth, and the universe.

==Merchandise==

===First Generation: Mattel===
For the first Rainbow Brite generation (1984–1987), [[Mattel]] produced the dolls and many of the toys.<ref>{{cite web |title=Transformers, Rainbow Brite top Christmas toys of 1984 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2623061027 |website=[[CBC News]] |access-date=September 24, 2018 |language=en |date=December 13, 1984}}</ref> Other Rainbow Brite licensed merchandise was produced by various companies. This included many story and activity books published by [[Western Publishing]] ([[Little Golden Books]]), a number of puzzles, a line of costume jewelry, banks and suitcases by Kat's Meow, clothes, toys, games, doll and child furniture, radios, child cosmetics, linen, towels, personal care items, lamps, figurines, VHS videocassettes, audio cassettes, vinyl records, bicycles, bedding, curtains and other merchandise sold in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The rest of Europe saw a smaller variety of merchandise, though this varied from country to country.

Televised commercials for Mattel's Rainbow Brite dolls frequently featured the song, "[[Over the Rainbow]]," from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]], often with altered lyrics or arrangements. Child actors [[Tracey Gold]], [[Kellie Martin]] and [[Heather O'Rourke]], famous for their roles in 1980s television and film, also appeared.

===Second Generation: Up, Up and Away===
The second Rainbow Brite generation (1996–1997) greatly differed from any generation before or since. It used the Rainbow Brite name but not the same characters or backstory. The master license was held by Up, Up and Away, a company which is no longer in business.

Rainbow Brite no longer had anything do with making colors and was now in charge of diversity. Although this version did have rainbow-colored hair, the characters resembled real-world children more than their previous animated and doll counterparts. In the second generation's story, Rainbow Brite had four friends, called the Color Crew, which included Amber (Latina), Cerise (Asian), Ebony (African-American) and Indigo (Middle Eastern, the only character name borrowed from the original Color Kids).

The Canadian importer was Irvine, a company which is currently still in business, and their product packaging was printed in both French and English texts. [[Ideal Toy Company]] was the importer for most of [[Western Europe]], though Euro Play imported the line for Germany. The large doll was also distributed in Italy by GiG with only Italian text on the box. There were no other toys or accessories for the second generation dolls other than additional pots of Color-Glo Paint, which were sold in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. There was also a version of at least the large doll in a box with Spanish-only text. Another 15" Rainbow Brite doll with a Color Glo Bear and paint set was prototyped, as was a black version, which was produced in very small numbers. But only the black version was ever produced and then in very limited numbers. There was a Gen 2B which had simplified packaging and outfits as an effort to keep the line going by cutting costs. The second generation had nowhere near the success the first generation had at retail and was discontinued after less than two years on the market.

===Third Generation: Toy Play===
The third Rainbow Brite generation (2003–2005) was also the 20th Anniversary Release. The master toy licensee was Toy Play, a defunct subsidiary of The Betesh Group. The parent company is still in business. [[Nick Jr. (block)|Nick Jr.]] was the [[television network]] that advertised the line. [[Hot Topic]] was the lead merchandiser with a unique Rainbow Brite doll not manufactured by Toy Play and many items of women's clothing, accessories and stationery.

Without being an exact copy of the originals, this generation returned to the look and feel of the Mattel line. Toy Play followed the first generation's character roll out, producing Rainbow Brite, Red Butler, Canary Yellow, and Patty O'Green characters, but no more Color Kids followed. Starlite, Puppy Brite and the Sprites were also represented in various merchandise.

Toy Play was the first (and so far only) merchandiser to produce a Color Castle playset, the Light Up Musical Castle, which included small articulated figurines of Rainbow Brite, Red Butler, Twink and Puppy Brite. The playset's box showed pictures of forthcoming product (a Rainbow Brite and Friends Sprites' village playset, an in-scale Starlite with brushable mane, as well as figurine 2-packs to include Rainbow Brite and Twink, Red Butler and Romeo, Patty O'Green and Lucky, Canary Yellow and Spark, and Murky Dismal and Lurky) though these were never produced. There was also a wide range of other merchandise, mostly clothing, that was available during Gen 3.

===Fourth Generation: Playmates Toys===
The fourth Rainbow Brite generation (2009–2010) was the 25th anniversary release and was accompanied by a series of web-episodes produced by [[Animax Entertainment]] that were available to stream on www.RainbowBrite.com., which no longer exists. The master toy license belonged to [[Playmates Toys]] and their line of Rainbow Brite toys was expected to be in stores in the fall of 2009. Production delays saw the line actually debut in stores on December 24 of that year, which of course missed the 2009 [[Christmas and holiday season#Shopping|holiday shopping season]].

===Feeln===

{{Main|Rainbow Brite (2014 TV series)}}

A three-part animated [[miniseries]] was launched on November 6, 2014 by Video On Demand site [[Hallmark Movies Now|Feeln]]. The reboot showcased updated character designs for the cast, and starred [[Emily Osment]] as the voice of Rainbow Brite and [[Molly Ringwald]] as the voice of Dark Princess.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Lesley |title=Emily Osment, Molly Ringwald Voice New 'Rainbow Brite' Series |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/emily-osment-molly-ringwald-voice-740667 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=September 24, 2018 |language=en |date=October 24, 2014}}</ref> The second episode was shown on November 13, 2014 and the series concluded on November 20, 2014.

===Fifth Generation: Hallmark Toys===
Hallmark introduced the fifth generation of Rainbow Brite toys, along with clothing and other merchandise in July 2015. A limited edition line of Rainbow Brite Itty Bittys<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Tina |date=2015-04-26 |title=Rainbow Brite alert! New retro-style doll to be released |url=https://metro.co.uk/2015/04/26/oh-my-star-sprinkles-a-new-retro-style-rainbow-brite-doll-is-on-the-way-5168564/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Metro |language=en}}</ref> featuring Rainbow Brite, Twink, Champ, O.J., Lucky and I.Q. arrived first, each produced in limited quantities of 500 units.{{Needs citation|date=July 2024}} The demand led to Hallmark reissuing the Itty Bittys with slightly revised designs in much greater numbers along with the first Rainbow Brite Itty Bittys boxed set featuring Red Butler, Romeo, Indigo and Hammy. These items were followed by an 8" Twink plush and 11" Starlite plush in September 2015, as well as a 16" Rainbow Brite doll that November.{{Needs citation|date=July 2024}}

A [[Rainbow Brite (comics)|Rainbow Brite]] comic was published by [[Dynamite Entertainment]] for five issues from October 2018 to February 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Arrant |first1=Chris |title=RAINBOW BRITE Ongoing Ends in February 2019 |url=https://www.newsarama.com/42973-rainbow-brite-ongoing-ends-in-february-2019.html |website=[[Newsarama]] |access-date=May 9, 2019 |language=en |date=December 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205041409/https://www.newsarama.com/42973-rainbow-brite-ongoing-ends-in-february-2019.html |archive-date=5 December 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Upcoming Sixth Generation===
On October 14, 2024, it was announced a CGI-animated series and theatrical film are currently in the works. The film will be produced by Hallmark, [[Crayola Studios]] and [[Original Film]] with [[Neal H. Moritz]] and Toby Ascher on board, while the series will be produced by [[Cake Entertainment]]. Crayola will also handle the licensing and merchandising for the new series.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gardner |first1=Chris |title=Crayola Studios and Hallmark Reviving Rainbow Brite for New Generation With Film, TV Project |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/rainbow-brite-tv-series-film-crayola-studios-hallmark-1236031148/ |website=[[Hollywood Reporter]] |date=October 14, 2024 |access-date=October 14, 2024}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{wiktionary}}
* [http://www.rainbowbrite.net Rainbow Brite.Net]
* [http://www.rainbowbrite.co.uk Rainbow Brite.Co.Uk]
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q1857203|id=tt0174422|title=Rainbow Brite}}
*[http://toonopedia.com/rainbow.htm Rainbow Brite] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20240528002649/https://www.webcitation.org/6llvLXsDe?url=http://toonopedia.com/rainbow.htm Archived] from the original on November 4, 2016.
{{Rainbow Brite}}
{{Hallmark Cards}}
{{Mattel}}

[[Category:Rainbow Brite| ]]
[[Category:1980s toys]]
[[Category:1990s toys]]
[[Category:2000s toys]]
[[Category:2010s toys]]
[[Category:2020s toys]]
[[Category:Child superheroes]]
[[Category:Fairies in popular culture]]
[[Category:Hallmark Cards]]
[[Category:Mass media franchises introduced in 1984]]