Also known as: Magical Girl Rainbow Brite / Maho Shojo Rainbow Brite (Japan), Estela, la Guardina del puentedel Arco Iris (Spain), Sateenkaari-Riti (Finland), Blondine au pays de l’arc-en-ciel (France), Iridella (Italy), Teczowa Kraina (Poland), Regina Regenbogen (Germany)
Rainbow Brite, in her multi-coloured moon boots and acid-tinged backstory couldn’t be more 80s. If the 80s had birthed a baby it would have been Rainbow Brite, who flared and died in the memories of childhood and unlike just about every other adulterated, rehashed 80s cartoon, stayed pretty much pure in our memories. I myself wasn’t a huge fan- the only thing I liked about Rainbow was her colourful friends and I dearly coveted a doll because she had that groovy little purple star on her cheek like a kiddie tattoo. 30 years later I realise someone clearly on huge amounts of kool-aid (the oh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh kind) came up with the character wardrobes based on Denise Austen’s finest aerobics gear. But actually, the character art was beautiful. Hallmark artist G.G. Santiago is to be thanked for that.
One of Hallmark’s biggest contributions to 80s nostalgia, Rainbow Brite debuted as a 13-episode cartoon series in 1984 centered around the title character and her adventures in battling gloom and bringing colour to the universe. With her friends the Colour Kids and their helper sprites, Rainbow Brite distributes colour crystals from the mines in Rainbowland to all places grey and dismal. Though the cartoon series was short-lived, Hallmark solidified Rainbow Brite’s place in 80s history through merchandising and syndication.
Produced by DIC and Hallmark Cards and animated by Animation City with sound by Animation Sound Production and B&B Sound Studios, the show was distributed in the US by LBS Communications, and on VHS by Children’s Video Library, and Avid Home Entertainment. The cartoon was rebooted in 2009 by Animax Entertainment as a series of webisodes and again in 2014 as a video on demand series on Hallmark’s own Feel’n network featuring Emily Osment and Molly Ringwald as voice actors.
The short and kinda 60s-sounding theme does have actual lyrics :
Rainbow Brite, see the shining light,
Yes I’m gonna take you to Rainbow Brite!
Starlight Flies
Right before your eyes
And rainbow colours will cheer you up
Magic Light
Gonna take you for a ride…
There have been several reboots of the toys not always coinciding with the show reboots. For Rainbow Brite toys and collectibles click here.
| Character | Sprite | Voice actors/Character Fact |
| Rainbow Brite (AKA Wisp) – US/UK Blondine- France Azurine – French Canadian Renbue-Rita – Norway Regina Regenbogen – German Rubita-Spain Arco Iris-Mexico Iridella- Italy AREA- RainbowLand, Earth | Twink -US/ UK Gaspard- France P’tit Malin – French Canadian Blink-Spain Spuky- Norway Weißwirbel -Germany Folletto Bianco- Italy | Bettina Bush / Robbie Lee RB: Color Keeper of Rainbowland, takes the Colour Sprinkles the Sprites mine in the Colour Caves and makes the earth bright and beautiful. Twink: Head Sprite. Originally red but lost his colour after Murky Dismal threw him into the Pits. |
| Red Butler- US / UK Romeo – France Rougeard – French Canadian Rod -Norway Richard Rosenherz- Germany Alerta Rojo – Spain Billy Red – Mexico Red Rosso – Italy AREA- Red Regions | Romeo – US/UK/ France/Norway/Spain P’tit Calin- French Canadian Rotbart – Germany Rocky – Mexico Folletto Rosso -Italy | Mona Marshall Red Butler is brave and daring. |
| Lala Orange – US/UK/France/ French Canadian Maria Mandarina – Germany Lala Naranja / Lizzy Orange -Spain/ Mexico Lala Arancio -Italy AREA- Orange Meadows | O.J. – US / Spain/ French Canadian Mango, Saucy- UK Orangino- Germany Clementine – France Sassy / Bucky – Mexico Folletto Arancione – Italy | Robbie Lee Lala Orange has a secret crush on Red Butler. |
| Canary Yellow– US/ UK Capucine – France Jaunelle – French Canadian Sabine Sonnenstrahl- Germany Canaria Amarilla- Spain Sandy Canary -Mexico Canary Gialla – Italy AREA- Yellow Plains | Spark-US/UK/Mexico P’tit Fou – France Etincelle- French Canadian Gelbwuschel- German Canario Amarillo-Spain Folleto Giallo-Italy | Mona Marshall Canary Yellow is a laid back, happy little girl. |
| Patty O’Green – US/UK Mentoline- France Verdarine – French Canadian Gronn -Norway Katrin Kleeblatt -Germany Verde Esmerelda – Spain/ Mexico Patty Verde- Italy AREA- Green Grange | Lucky -US/ UK/ French Canadian/ Spain/Mexico P’tit Chou- France Lykke -Norway Grunschnabel -Germany Folletto Verde- Italy | Mona Marshall Patty O’Green likes to joke and play tricks. |
| Buddy Blue – US/UK Bluet – France Beau Bleu- French Canadian Bla – Norway Bubi Blauschuh- Germany Chico Azul -Spain/Mexico Buddy Blu – Italy AREA- Blue Zone | Champ- US/UK/Spain/Mexico P’tit Plum -France Champion – French Canadian Blaustern – German Folletto Blu – Italy | Pat Fraley Buddy Blue is fun and fit and likes to jog with PattyO’Green. |
| Indigo – US/UK/ France/ French Canadian/ Norway Nina Nachtogall – Germany Anil – Spain Indachella -Italy AREA: Indigo Acres | Hammy -US/Spain Encore -UK P’tit Miam -France Cabotin- French Canadian Tintentupf -Germany Folleto Indaco-Italy | Robbie Lee Indigo likes to dance and sing. |
| Shy Violet – US/UK Violine- France Fiolett -Norway Viola Veilchenscheu-Germany Violeta-Spain / Mexico Violetta – Italy AREA- Violet Valley | I.Q. – US/UK /Spain P’tit Crack -France Violetto – Germany Folletto Viola – Italy | Robbie Lee Shy Violet is a genius girl who fixes things. |
| Stormy – US/UK AREA: Storm clouds above Earth | unnamed sprite | Marissa Mendenhall Stormy helps the Colour Kids, brings rain to Rainbowland. |
| Moonglow – US/ UK Sandra Silbermond- Germany Clairlune – France Rayon de Lune – Canada (French Canadian) Manestrale – Norway Chiar de Luna – Spain Raggio di Luna -Ialy Area- Night Sky over Rainbowland | Nite Sprite | Rhonda Alldrich Moonglow brings colour to the night in Rainbowland. |
| Tickled Pink – US/ UK Penny Popperpink -Germany AREA- Mountains of Rainbowland | Dee Lite, Merrily, Flutter, Spritzie, Posie, Glee | Rhonda Alldrich Tickled Pink is in charge of the girl sprites. |
| Baby Brite/ Sphere of Light | Mona Marshall / Pat Fraley Guided Wisp by her voice in the beginning of Rainbowland. Baby Brite’s story book that came with the doll’s text can be read on the Rainbow Brite Wiki | |
Other animal characters
| Character | Matches to | Voice Actor |
| Starlight horse | Rainbow Brite | Andre Stokja |
| On-X mechanical horse | Krys | Pat Fraley |
| Shimmer horse | Moonglow (reboot) | |
| Skydancer horse (originally named Thunder) | Stormy | Peter Cullen |
| Sunriser horse (originally named Flutter) | Tickled Pink | |
| Puppy Brite | Rainbow Brite | |
| Kitty Brite | Rainbow Brite | |
| Bombo (Spectran sprite) | Les Tremayne | |
| Popo (Spectran sprite) | Charles Adler | |
| Spectran “lavender sprite” | ||
| Spectran “ice blue”sprite | ||
| Spectran “grey”sprite | ||
| Orin sprite | Les Tremayne | |
| Baby Sprite Bitsy | ||
| Baby Sprite Isty | ||
| Baby Sprite Eensy | ||
| Baby Sprite Weensy |
Other Characters
| Character | Friend or Foe | Voice actor |
| Krys | Friend | David Mendenhall |
| Brian | Friend | Scott Menville |
| Dark Princess | Foe | Rhonda Aldrich |
| Count Blogg | Foe | Jonathan Harris |
| Wajja | Friend | Patrick Fraley |
| Sorrell the Wizard | Foe | Andre Stojka |
| Plock | Reformed Foe | |
| Murky Dismal | Foe | Peter Cullen |
| Lurky | Foe | Pat Fraley |
| Monstromurk | Foe | Peter Cullen |
| King of Shadows | Foe | Patrick Fraley |
| Robot Brite | Foe tirme | Bettina Bush |
| Sargeant Zumbo | Foe | David Workman |
| Glitterbots | Foe | Pat Fraley/ Peter Cullen |
| Series Narrator | ————— | Peter Cullen |
| Slurthic | Peter Cullen/ Pat Fraley | |
| Sphere of Light / Baby Brite | Friend | Mona Marshall / Pat Fraley |
| Spectrans | Mona Marshall, Pat Fraley, Andre Stojka | |
| Wizard | Andre Stojka | |
| Castle Creature | Foe | Mona Marshall, Rhonda Aldrich |
| Tangled Forest Monster | Foe | Peter Cullen/ Pat Fraley |
The World of Rainbow Brite- areas in RainbowLand
| Area | Located/Associated with | Area | Located/Associated with |
| Rainbowland | Rainbow Brite and the Colour Kids | Blue Zone | Buddy Blue/ Mines of the Blue Colour Crystals |
| Colour Castle | Home of Rainbow Brite/ where Colour Kids create Star Sprinkles with their Sprites | Colour Caves | Located under the mountains around Rainbowland |
| Green Grange | Patty O’Green/ Mines of the Green Colour Crystals | Indigo Acres | Indigo/ Mines of the Indigo Colour Crystals |
| Orange Meadows | Lala Orange/ Mines of the Orange Colour Crystals | Prism Ponds | Underneath the Colour Caves/ where Colour Crystals are washed down and mining is refined |
| Red Regions | Red Butler / Mines of the Red Colour Crystals | Prison Planet | Desert-like planet housing galactic prisoners |
| Spectra | Planet th a diamond-like brilliance that reflects the light of the universe | Storm Clouds | Stormy / Source of winter snow, storms, rains |
| Tangled Forest | Home of the Tangled Forest Monster | Violet Valley | Shy Violet / Mines of the Violet Colour Crystals |
| Yellow Plains | Canary Yellow / Mines of the Yellow Colour Crystals | Night Sky | Moonglow/ Source of Star Shine from Gold Star Shine Crystals |