Key Takeaways
- Rainbow Brite has struggled with reboots in the past due to confusion on how to modernize the original content.
- The real main character of Rainbow Brite is the villain, Murky Dismal, with a unique backstory that sets him apart.
- Rainbow Brite should be embraced as a magical girl with empowering storylines and a focus on her heroics to ensure successful reboots.
As a long-time fan of ’80s cartoons and a connoisseur of all things magical girl, I find myself deeply invested in the potential revival of Rainbow Brite. Having grown up with this vibrant heroine, I’ve always felt a certain kinship with her struggles to bring color back to a dull world.
80s revivals aren’t new to the media landscape, with series like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers frequently getting fresh takes in movies, TV shows, and comics. Even shows like He-Man, Voltron, and Ducktales have had recent reboots. However, it seems that bringing back girls’ properties is a more challenging task. Shows such as Lauren Faust’s My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and N.D. Stevenson’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power have found their audience, but reboots of other girl-focused properties aren’t as common in popular culture compared to those aimed at boys. Interestingly, The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that both a movie and a TV series are in production for Rainbow Brite, a character who has long been an icon. Yet, it appears that Rainbow Brite might be one of the most challenging 80s cartoons to reboot.
Rainbow Brite is similar to Sonic in relation to Strawberry Shortcake and Mario. They all started as mascots produced by greeting card companies. While Strawberry Shortcake has remained consistent since the 2000s, reboots of Rainbow Brite have faced challenges in appealing to both old and new fans. With Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher at Original Film having successfully adapted Sonic for the big screen, they might be able to achieve a similar feat with Rainbow Brite, but they will face a significant challenge ahead.
Rainbow Brite Has Already Had a Few Failed Reboots
In my admiration for the enchanting world of Rainbow Brite, let me share a captivating retelling from a fan’s perspective:
Despite some misunderstanding about modernizing the original concept, various attempts were made. Generation 2 of the dolls aimed to focus on ethnic diversity, abandoning the Color Kids entirely. However, this shift was criticized for eliminating the original charm, ultimately failing. A less successful animated reboot followed in Generation 4, with attempts ranging from low-quality webisodes by Animax Entertainment to a three-episode miniseries on FeeIn (now Hallmark+) in 2014, which was notoriously poor quality and portrayed the title character as an overly energetic trendsetter prone to catchphrases. A new animated adaptation was skipped for Generation 5, but a five-issue comic series by Dynamite Entertainment, written by Jeremy Whitley, emerged from 2018-2019. This reboot, featuring an active hero named Wisp transported from Earth to Rainbow Land, is considered the best attempt so far, although it unfortunately did not gain a significant audience and its story was cut short.
The Real Main Character of Rainbow Brite is the Villain
Why exactly do these reboots fail? What is it about Rainbow Brite that makes it especially hard to adapt? Part of the problem lies with the fact that the real protagonist of Rainbow Brite isn’t Wisp at all, but rather Murkwell “Murky” Dismal, the color-hating villain of the series. Of all characters, Murky is granted a backstory. (His mother punished him for painting the walls of his home with crayons, an experience that apparently was so traumatic for him, he dedicated his life to erasing color.) Most episodes of the original series have the tendency to focus more on his misadventures with his dimwitted, though ironically color-loving, sidekick Lurky. A rewatch gives the impression that the writers of the original series had a much easier time writing the mad scientist than they did the protagonist of her own series or even the Color Kids. The standouts from the original are when Rainbow Brite has to face a much more formidable protagonist, such as much too quickly tossed aside King of Shadows from “The Beginning of Rainbow Land” two-parter or Dark Princess, a jewel-hungry tyrant who looks like she stepped out of a hair metal music video, from the movie Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer.
Rainbow Brite Should Be Embraced as a Magical Girl
What would be the most effective approach moving forward? It’s clear that Rainbow Brite truly shines when she’s the main character in her own tale. In Japan, her series was known as Magical Girl Rainbow Brite, and a reboot should reflect this. Just like classic magical girls, she has a unique item for transformation, a mascot in Twink, and numerous colorful companions. She doesn’t require an Earthly male friend like Brian or even a space boy like Krys. These male characters have historically diminished her leading role and her own narratives. Similarly to Sailor Moon’s evil queens or Sailor Galaxia, she should face formidable villains that she can convincingly battle against. The Dynamite Entertainment series provides a good example of this. While Murky was once essential, for Rainbow Brite to be recognized as a hero, she needs a worthy adversary to confront. Rainbow Brite has always had the potential to become an iconic heroine, and it’s high time she got her chance to shine brightly.
Rainbow Brite could pose challenges when it comes to modernizing an ’80s cartoon, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable to attempt a reboot. These upcoming adaptations offer a chance for Wisp to truly flourish in her role. If she is portrayed thoughtfully as a character, her magical girl traits are celebrated, and she faces a fitting adversary, there’s no question that her stories will achieve the success they were originally intended for.
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2024-10-20 19:05