Yesterday, I received notice that my pre-ordered Rainbow Brite dolls from The Loyal Subjects (TLS) had finally shipped and were on their way to join my collection! As a lifelong fan and collector of this beloved brand, it was nearly impossible to contain my excitement!

Every Rainbow Brite release from TLS has been a dream come true, surpassing my expectations in the most colourful ways! Those micro-cheebees? They’re absolutely irresistible! I’ve had a blast collecting them and displaying their teeny-tiny cuteness on my desk. And now, the magic continues with not one, but TWO new additions to the family: Stormy and Tickled Pink!

These two sweethearts have joined the 12″ rag-doll and 5.5″ fashion doll lines, and add a bit of pastel to the sparkle color explosion that has taken over my bookshelf! From Tickled Pink’s cutesy Punky Brewster face to Stormy’s lightning bolt inspired bangs, these characters are truly stunning.

Tickled Pink: The giggling cutie was one of the last dolls released in the original line through Mattel, so it’s fitting that she is now one of the first. Her colors are bright, and her accessories are modeled after original designs, including a headband/crown from the paper dolls released through Golden Books in the eighties – a similar headband was also released with the 5.5″ Rainbow Brite doll earlier this year.

Stormy: As one of my favorite characters in Rainbow Land, I am a bit protective of her. While I enjoyed the 2015 release (as cute as she was) she lacked that magical spark of je ne sais quoi of the original character. Not here. TLS has done an impeccable job. Her face mold is adorable, and her clothing is about as near to screen-accurate as you can get.

When I interviewed Jonathan Cathey last year, he told me that “There’s no one more in love with the brand than I am,” and that he had updated the face molds to add a bit more cuteness. I didn’t believe him. “We looked at what we could enhance and add, but with the mindset of doing so without a departure from what everybody loves.”

These latest releases have proven that Cathey and TLS have something the previous companies who tried to bring Rainbow back didn’t – respect for the brand. The attention to detail, the vibrant colors, and the adorable designs all come together to make these dolls a must-have for any Rainbow Brite collector.

We’re not yet. There will be more colourful characters from Rainbow Land joining the group soon so…

Stay Tuned!