Concerned Fan of Rainbow Brite‏

[kookie]

Hi i'm new to the Rainbow Brite forum. I decided to write to hallmark and this is what I sent. These are just my thoughts and concerns so sorry if i offended anyone.

"Hi,

Wanted to let you know how disappointed I am in the new Rainbow Brite cartoon (also a lot of friends too).

The 80's Rainbow Brite brought so much joy into a lot of kids lives, with the little round childlike faces of the characters. The outfits aren't even close. Why couldn't the voices (audio) try to match too? Great shock to hear Starlite's new voice (eek!). The girls characters sound fine but wasn't to keen on Twinks either. The new intro song is at least descent. Has the same feel as the 80's.

Is this a Sailormoon cartoon? I don't believe Rainbow Brite transforms into Rainbow Brite with a wand. She could have transformed when she went to Rainbow land over the rainbow (just a thought). I don't think Tickled Pink has a horse either. The pink horse was some wild horse in the mountains. Also why do the kids have to look grown up. It seems like Rainbow Land would be a magical place that they stay kind of young. If you look at the 80's characters compare the Color Kids and Brian. Totally different in height and facial qualities (color kids don't have the real world look).

The story seemed like it might be interesting but the artwork and animation are horrible. Also where are the Color Kids (color friends and sprites)? Where they voted off the island?

Concerned Fan,
-kat"

Received letter:

"Hi, Kat:
Thank you for taking the time to provide input on the new Rainbow Brite. We
appreciate feedback from all of Rainbow Brite's fans!

Our story continues some time after it left off. While Rainbow is a little
more grown up, she is still the same girl with the same mission - to bring
color and light into the universe. Our artists, writers, animators and many
others put their hearts and souls into her re-launch...and we're very
pleased with the resulting characters.

To answer your specific questions - the color kids will eventually
re-surface as color wave kids. The sprites will still be around, though
their duties have changed a bit. When they're incorporated in product later
in the year, the details of their responsibilities will be communicated.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Sincerely,
Sarah"

[Chibi Rachy]

It has been said that people at Hallmark read the boards and other people have spoken up here as well as in other forms. You're going to find that very few are 100% on board with this relaunch. I was quite outspoken during the time the new images and such were released, going so far as to do a fanfic on the subject.

As with other fandoms, they do what they want in the end. Or they create random groups of fans to use in their articles to make it seem like it's a good thing.

No matter what the thought is though, many do support this new launch of Rainbow. Some still do not, and that's quite okay. If no one even half-heartedly supports it, she'll just simply fade away.

I'm still waiting for them to explain the Color Kids and such, but there haven't been any new videos yet. I'm sure we can expect something soon enough, maybe closer to spring when more of the merchandise comes out.

[Starlight_84]

Wow nicely done. My thoughts exactly. I would also like to mention about the outfits the females wear. The long legs and short skirts don't appeal to me. It really gives girls the wrong message about what is appropriate to wear. My niece was four when she visited us and she loved watching the RB movie Star Stealer. My personal opinion is there is nothing wrong with the old RB. I am glad I could get the TV series and movie on DVD to treasure this classic. I'm sure if Hallmark did a thing with girls where they showed some clips of RB from the 80's and asked them their opinions on it it would be more beneficial. I don't like the magic wand either.

[kookie]

Wow nicely done. My thoughts exactly. I would also like to mention about the outfits the females wear. The long legs and short skirts don't appeal to me. It really gives girls the wrong message about what is appropriate to wear. My niece was four when she visited us and she loved watching the RB movie Star Stealer. My personal opinion is there is nothing wrong with the old RB. I am glad I could get the TV series and movie on DVD to treasure this classic. I'm sure if Hallmark did a thing with girls where they showed some clips of RB from the 80's and asked them their opinions on it it would be more beneficial. I don't like the magic wand either.

Yes i really dislike the outfits. they arent even rainbow colors but like pastels. (like the red is a pinkish color and so forth). Its feels like they are trying to do anime, which i love anime but leave it to the professionals. Also its like oh here lets use illustrator and cheap animation, color (too much gradients). I feel like hallmark wanted to jump on the bandwagon and get stuff out even it it wasnt produced properly. Like if she became human and saw a talking horse, normal people would be freaked at 1st and how did she remember so quickly? Why didnt she remember when she was drawing it? I could see if she was following the puppy and ran into the rainbow maybe that might bring back some memories. (It also cracks me up on the rainbow hallmark website where you meet the characters, rainbow says "hello my name is rainbow brite(S)," what many rainbow brites are there? )

if you notice alot of cartoons made now compared to the 80/90's arent good at all. there are a few i consider ok. alot of disney and cartoon network shows just went down hill with time.

i would love to get it on dvd, i was hoping they would fix it up and release it on dvd instead of the video quality one

[Tennyo]

It has been said that people at Hallmark read the boards and other people have spoken up here as well as in other forms.

HA! Hallmarks says this but I doubt it's true. If it was they would hold off on what they are doing, either that or they wouldn't make up things to say in their press releases about how much we all love it. :D

As with other fandoms, they do what they want in the end. Or they create random groups of fans to use in their articles to make it seem like it's a good thing.

lol We are on the same page. XD

Yes i really dislike the outfits. they arent even rainbow colors but like pastels. (like the red is a pinkish color and so forth). Its feels like they are trying to do anime, which i love anime but leave it to the professionals. Also its like oh here lets use illustrator and cheap animation, color (too much gradients). I feel like hallmark wanted to jump on the bandwagon and get stuff out even it it wasnt produced properly. Like if she became human and saw a talking horse, normal people would be freaked at 1st and how did she remember so quickly? Why didnt she remember when she was drawing it? I could see if she was following the puppy and ran into the rainbow maybe that might bring back some memories. (It also cracks me up on the rainbow hallmark website where you meet the characters, rainbow says "hello my name is rainbow brite(S)," what many rainbow brites are there? )

if you notice alot of cartoons made now compared to the 80/90's arent good at all. there are a few i consider ok. alot of disney and cartoon network shows just went down hill with time.

A disgruntled fan after my own heart. <3 I like to describe more along the lines of throwing a "Flash for Dummies" book at their novice graphic designers and telling them to have at it. lol If there is a "Flash for Dummies," book, but that's a moot point.

i would love to get it on dvd, i was hoping they would fix it up and release it on dvd instead of the video quality one

This. I want to get the episodes on DVD as well, in a fairly decent quality, but I've heard bad things about the DVD and so have chosen not to. I'll watch the episodes for free on YouTube and save myself the money. (or watch my old tapes on VHS since they do still work)

Hallmark, if you really do pay attention to us like you claim I'd hope you'd be smart enough to actually listen.

[Chibi Rachy]

~snip~.

That's why I said "It's been said". If they do, they don't take it seriously. Who knows. As for the fan thing, they could just randomly go up to people, ask them if they like Rainbow Brite, and go from there. I'm sure they chose fans who aren't hardcore, but that remember Rainbow from their childhood.

Frankly, the same thing is going on over at Rangerboard with Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. They've brought it back and added a bunch of things. Some are necessary. Some are just unneeded and really cheesy. I call the reincarnation MMPR: Cheesy Squared. Like Rainbow, that show does not have an official DVD release for MMPR Seasons 1-3. What you see there makes the criticism and complaints that were seen here with Rainbow Brite mere child's play. I've been following the discussion on the first two episodes there and it's decidedly negative, though the reaction outside of the hardcore fandom is positive. I think that's what we're going to see with Rainbow as well.

Many of us don't like it, or downright hate it, but the general idea is that a random, run of the mill fan is going to react differently, no matter the fandom. And that's the fans they're going to use in their articles. What we have to remember though is that the changes or reincarnation does not change the love we have for the original and keep that firmly in mind.

[Wardah]

Wow nicely done. My thoughts exactly. I would also like to mention about the outfits the females wear. The long legs and short skirts don't appeal to me. It really gives girls the wrong message about what is appropriate to wear. My niece was four when she visited us and she loved watching the RB movie Star Stealer. My personal opinion is there is nothing wrong with the old RB. I am glad I could get the TV series and movie on DVD to treasure this classic. I'm sure if Hallmark did a thing with girls where they showed some clips of RB from the 80's and asked them their opinions on it it would be more beneficial. I don't like the magic wand either.

I really don't think their skirts are too short at all. Rainbow Brite is supposed to be active, riding a horse and saving the day. A longer skirt would make moving around quite difficult and a Rainbow Brite in pants would be an even bigger travesty. I don't think they are targeting this incarnation of Rainbow Brite at the preschool crowd anyways. They already have other characters that are preschool friendly like the Care Bears for example.

I like this incarnation myself, except for the animation which I hope is just a placeholder and the real thing will be much better.

[Chibi Rachy]

I really don't think their skirts are too short at all. Rainbow Brite is supposed to be active, riding a horse and saving the day. A longer skirt would make moving around quite difficult and a Rainbow Brite in pants would be an even bigger travesty.

They aren't too short, and they are no shorter than the original Rainbow's outfit. The only difference is that older Rainbow is taller and her legs are going to be longer. However, her dress is the same length as her younger self.

[kookie]

I think what is meant by the skirt being shorter... When you see the older version you cant tell much because the girls are shorter compared to now where the teens are super tall showing more skin (also newer version showing more skin on arms). Plus little kids watch these cartoons/shows its plays a roll on how they want to dress too. I have a 4/5 year old cousin who loves hannah montana and i dont think she should be watching a show for older kids that young (wants everything dealing with that show/and to dress up too).

A lot of cartoons are being made with no one thinking of animation, character style, story line, etc. Many cartoons being produced just for the sake of hoping to get a winner. If they make this story to complex for kids they wont want to watch it. But if just another cartoon with nothing really happening and no meaning (example spongebob) there isnt a lesson for the child too. I was really excited when I heard about Strawberry Shortcake coming back out, got my hopes up and creators brought it crashing down when I saw the newer animation. But at least they are cutesy and seem to have lessons for the kids or part of the one I saw. The animation on that is nice and clean. Dont know about music or voices (cant remember/havent watched much).

daekazu on deviantART has grown up version she's older but her outfit still the same style as the older version. her adult appearance is that of an anime character but he was following that stlye of sailormoon with his other rainbow brite characters and disney characters giving it an anime feel

~J8d deviantART chibi cute style just moves me, it reminds me of the older version too but with a twist of anime. another anime style version showing legs but not arms and follows style.

or even this from rainbow lands deviant fanart. comparison of new and old version.

I like the anime versions above even though they have that japanese appeal. Still follows the style yet they are older looking compared to the newer version were you dont know what you are actually watching until you see the little puppy, horse, or rainbow land

[Chibi Rachy]

I think what is meant by the skirt being shorter... When you see the older version you cant tell much because the girls are shorter compared to now where the teens are super tall showing more skin (also newer version showing more skin on arms). Plus little kids watch these cartoons/shows its plays a roll on how they want to dress too. I have a 4/5 year old cousin who loves hannah montana and i dont think she should be watching a show for older kids that young (wants everything dealing with that show/and to dress up too).

A lot of cartoons are being made with no one thinking of animation, character style, story line, etc. Many cartoons being produced just for the sake of hoping to get a winner. If they make this story to complex for kids they wont want to watch it. But if just another cartoon with nothing really happening and no meaning (example spongebob) there isnt a lesson for the child too. I was really excited when I heard about Strawberry Shortcake coming back out, got my hopes up and creators brought it crashing down when I saw the newer animation. But at least they are cutesy and seem to have lessons for the kids or part of the one I saw. The animation on that is nice and clean. Dont know about music or voices (cant remember/havent watched much).

daekazu on deviantART has grown up version she's older but her outfit still the same style as the older version. her adult appearance is that of an anime character but he was following that stlye of sailormoon with his other rainbow brite characters and disney characters giving it an anime feel

~J8d deviantART chibi cute style just moves me, it reminds me of the older version too but with a twist of anime. another anime style version showing legs but not arms and follows style.

or even this from rainbow lands deviant fanart. comparison of new and old version.

I like the anime versions above even though they have that japanese appeal. Still follows the style yet they are older looking compared to the newer version were you dont know what you are actually watching until you see the little puppy, horse, or rainbow land

Which style you like depends on taste. In the fan art section of the board, there are many variations on Rainbow Brite, both older and younger. Patreek was the one to have daekazu do the older crew, and those are all here. Personally, I'm partial to Fanchan's pre-teen look mixed with an anime style. I believe she was drawing from Card Captor Sakura for that...can't remember.

I don't see the issue with the girls' outfits. The new relaunch is targeted at an older audience these days. They really aren't showing all that much. Dresses tend to be right above the knee. The boots they wear are actual nice, and they only increased the height of the top of the boots. They didn't turn them into hooker boots with high heels on them. The dresses are made without long sleeves, and are turned into a version of short sleeves. They aren't strapless or low-cut in the front or back. Seems pretty good to me, even for a younger crowd.

Cartoons are merely cartoons. Some are meant to be pointless and stupid. Some are meant to teach morals. All other variations included. It's about finding the right cartoon and though many parents do monitor what their kids watch, others don't. What one parent finds okay for their child, another doesn't. And some times, logic makes no sense. As a kid, my mom banned us from watching Looney Tunes because of pointless violence, yet we could still watch Power Rangers, as long as we didn't perform the moves they did on the show on others. That show was fighting boxed with morals and even had commercials outside of the show to help teach morals. Besides, I think younger kids get the social ideas of dress more from adult television shows and popular music artists and toys. Bratz was a toy before it produced cartoons to go with. Plenty of toys made do not have cartoons to go with them.

In the end, Rainbow 2.0 is what it is. We can voice our concerns and comments on the relaunch, but at this point, it's not going to stop things right now. Possibly for the future, but not right now. Is this the last relaunch of Rainbow? Or will they bring her back in the future for her 50th Anniversary? No one knows.