RAYA
Set: Holograms
Year: 1987 (Second)
Sold: Worldwide
Raya came with the following items:
~Flower printed shirt
~ dark pink metallic waistcoat
~aqua metallic skirt
~Flower print tights
~gold belt with pink buckle decal
~Neon yellow shoes
~Gold hoop earrings
~Extended stand
~Drums
~2 x pink drumsticks
~comb
~cassette featuring "Jem Theme", "There's A Melody Playin'", "Love Unites Us."
Existing Variations:
There seem to be variations with Raya in the style of her hair - some have very curly factory perms, others have looser hair which has never been so curly. Also some have more blond rooted through the pink than others, and some use a darker pink fibre. These seem to be loosely related to the country of origin.
There are also minor variations in make up. Raya is also not averse to bizarre factory errors.
Mexican/Spanish/European versions?
None.
Comments: There are variations between Raya dolls and they seem country-specific. This is my sister's Raya
doll, loaned to me for the photo for the reason that she shows better
than any other doll I've found how wildly curly a European bought Raya can
be. Note that there are no manufacturing differences in terms of country
- all Raya dolls are made in China, and have ball wrists (see right) - but
as you can see from the photos on this page, there are very different manners
of styling her long hair, and also I have noticed a difference in shade between
Rayas boxed for Europe and ones boxed for America. This might be coincidence
and to do with the production line, however. Make up does vary between Raya
dolls in terms of minute shade differences and it is fairly impossible to
assign shades to countries of origin because of this. For the record, my
sister's doll came from Belgium, and she had her new from box :) Raya shares
a face mould with Pizzazz.
Comments: This is your average American bought Raya (in nice
condition, with a side parting, and silky, loosely curly hair that shows
no signs of the wild perm of the above doll.) She is made in China and has
ball wrists (as I mentioned before, there are no variations this way with
Raya.) Make up does vary between Raya dolls in terms of minute shade differences
and it is fairly impossible to assign shades to countries of origin because
of this. Raya's accessories in the US and Europe are identical however at
least ONE American boxed Raya doll has been found with white tights (perhaps
offshoots from She Makes
An Impression?) and there may be others (a variation not yet noted on
a European boxed doll).
Comments: White flowery shirt with long sleeves, velcro fastening in back, aqua bow tie (lame to match the skirt).
Comments: Dark pink and aqua lame waistcoat (or vest) with sparkly fabric lapels and white lining. No fastening.
Comments: Aqua lame skirt with white lining and slight slit in the front. Velcro fastening.
Comments: White tights with pastel flowers printed over them.
Comments: Gold glittery plastic belt with pink buckle, velcro fastening.
Comments: Neon yellow scallop shoes - same as Flash and Sizzle Jem.
Comments: Like all second edition Holograms, Raya was issued with earrings. Hers are two gold hoops in the same style as Rock and Curl Jem's only metallic gold instead of pink. Gold may flake off to reveal white beneath. I have heard a report of at least one Raya who had yellow hoops like the prototype, but this is unsubstantiated.
Comments:Raya's stand is distinctive from all the other Hologram stands because it is longer and has a small hole in the end away from the grip hole to take her drums. It is a cloudy pink like all second edition Hologram stands.
Comments: Pink hexagonal drums with yellow labels in the centres, affixed to a pink pole. Not the most imaginitive of designs ever.
Comments: Pink, narrow with slightly wider handles at the end and tiny "knobs" on the far end. Extremely hard to find and easily lost!!
Comments: Neon yellow.
Comments: Tape is white with pink lettering and features the songs "Jem Theme", "Love Unites Us" and "There's A Melody Playin'". The B side features the instrumentals without any instrument playing the lead melody line.
Comments: Fairly universal. This is my (Belgian boxed) Raya so her box is in two languages (French/Flemish or Dutch), but English language boxes are the same, merely saying Truly Outrageous at the bottom and Raya of the Holograms in the top box. Box features Raya drawn on the front and a photo of the second edition Holograms on the back.