History Franchise / Barbie

A popular doll line, manufactured by Creator/{{Mattel}}, that has [[LongRunners been around since 1959]]. Partly a revolution in doll design, because until then most fashion dolls were made to look like little girls. Barbie was made to look like a young woman. When she was first created, her figure was more akin to that of a normal young woman, but later adjustments changed her dimensions in different ways so that she would maintain a more natural figure under the thickly hemmed clothes.

* BleachedUnderpants: The original Barbie doll was inspired by a German doll toy line (later taken over by Mattel and shut down) called "''Bild'' (Picture) Lilli". Lilli was originally merchandising for the central character of a campy NewspaperComic strip that included a lot of cheesecake and suggestive humour, and the dolls were marketed initially to adult men as kind of mascots, the way American and allied pilots often painted pin-up girls on their planes.

* ThouShaltNotKill: A DoubleSubversion in one of her fairy tale movies, where Barbie's character ''actually tried to kill the villain''. Then it turned out that her newfound magical powers couldn't be used to harm anyone.

Since 2001, Barbie has also been featured in a long-running series of animated movies that aired on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} and were released through home video.[[note]]Since mid-2017, however, the new movies have been released through Netflix instead.[[/note]] The earlier movies were mainly based on {{Fairy Tale}}s and famous ballets, but also included originals like the ''Fairytopia'' series. The movies tend to be accused of being saccharine, especially the newer ones, but have surprisingly strong, positive portrayals of women: i.e., the girls help each other without second intention and don't always bond only over guys.

In April 2014, news broke that Creator/ColumbiaPictures and Mattel would collaborate on a [[LiveActionAdaptation live-action Barbie movie]]. After Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway dropped out from being cast as the title role (the former drew backlash for being overweight) and the film rights being transferred to Creator/WarnerBros, Creator/MargotRobbie was officially cast as Barbie in January 2019, with Creator/GretaGerwig as director and co-writer with Creator/NoahBaumbach. The cast also includes Creator/RyanGosling as Ken, Creator/EmmaMackey, Creator/WillFerrell, Creator/SimuLiu, Creator/AmericaFerrera, Creator/KateMcKinnon, Creator/MichaelCera and Creator/AlexandraShipp. [[Film/Barbie2023 The film]] was released in July 2023.

!!There have been a number of animated productions starring Barbie, including:

* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheRockersOutOfThisWorld''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheSensationsRockinBackToEarth''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInTheNutcracker''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsRapunzel''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieOfSwanLake''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsThePrincessAndThePauper''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieFairytopia'' series
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieMariposa''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInTheTwelveDancingPrincesses''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsTheIslandPrincess''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheDiamondCastle''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBarbieDiaries''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInAChristmasCarol''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheMagicOfPegasus''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbiePresentsThumbelina''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheThreeMusketeers''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInAMermaidTale''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAFashionFairytale''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAFairySecret''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbiePrincessCharmSchool''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAPerfectChristmas''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInAMermaidTale2''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsThePrincessAndThePopstar''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInThePinkShoes''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieMariposaAndTheFairyPrincess''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndHerSistersInAPonyTale''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieThePearlPrincess''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheSecretDoor''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInPrincessPower''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInRocknRoyals''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndHerSistersInTheGreatPuppyAdventure''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieSpySquad''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieStarLightAdventure''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndHerSistersInAPuppyChase''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieVideoGameHero''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieDolphinMagic''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbiePrincessAdventure''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndChelseaTheLostBirthday''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieBigCityBigDreams''
** ''WesternAnimation/BarbieItTakesTwo'' (spin-off TV series)
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieMermaidPower''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieEpicRoadTrip''
* ''WesternAnimation/SkipperAndTheBigBabysittingAdventure''
* ''WesternAnimation/MySceneGoesHollywood''

* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieDreamhouseAdventures'', the Netflix Original Animated Series that ran from 2018 until 2020, set in the same continuity as ''WesternAnimation/BarbieDolphinMagic'', ''WesternAnimation/BarbiePrincessAdventure'', and ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndChelseaTheLostBirthday'', as well as at least the last three years of ''WebAnimation/BarbieVlog''.

!!There have been various miscellaneous ''Barbie''-related media, including:

* ''Film/{{Barbie|2023}}'', a 2023 live-action film.
* Music/BarbieSings
* ''Barbie Live'', a series of live plays based on movies exclusively in the Philippines except ''Barbie Live! In Fairytopia''. They have adapted the following:
** ''Swan Lake''
** ''Princess Charm School''
** ''Life in the Dreamhouse''
** ''A Fashion Fairytale''
** ''The Secret Door''
** ''Mariposa and the Fairy Princess''
** ''The Princess and the Popstar''
* Toys/MyScene
* VideoGame/SecretAgentBarbie
* VideoGame/MagicFairyTalesBarbieAsRapunzel

* SweaterGirl: A number of her outfits over the years. The [[TheEighties early 80s]] set "Fashion Jeans" included a pink, fuzzy sweater, even though a doll with that name could have included any kind of top.

* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Barbie is a blonde, as are her sisters (usually), and they are pretty well liked.

In April 2014, news broke that Creator/ColumbiaPictures and Mattel would collaborate on a [[LiveActionAdaptation live-action Barbie movie]]. After Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway dropped out from being cast as the title role (the former drew backlash for being overweight) and the film rights being transferred to Creator/WarnerBros, Creator/MargotRobbie was officially cast as Barbie in January 2019, with Creator/GretaGerwig as director and co-writer with Creator/NoahBaumbach. The cast also includes Creator/RyanGosling as Ken, Creator/EmmaMackey, Creator/WillFerrell, Creator/SimuLiu, Creator/AmericaFerrera, Creator/KateMcKinnon, Creator/MichaelCera and Creator/AlexandraShipp. [[Film/Barbie2023 The film]] is slated for a 2023 release.

* ArtisticLicenceAnatomy: Generally, the proportions of Barbie and her friends are pretty stylised.

* PinkMeansFeminine / PinkProductPloy: Barbie is all about [[WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick piiiink]]. Her logo is pink. Her Dream Car and Dream House are pink. Packaging for most of the dolls and accessories are pink. One of her first outfits, "Enchanted Evening", has a pink evening gown. Her ''signature color'' is "Barbie Pink" and can't be used by another company without getting permission from Mattel. Therefor, when other products try to do the PinkProductPloy, it's usually a very close comparison to Barbie pink (just a hair lighter or darker). It is very much the Gold (Pink) Standard to which other pink products aspire to. ''Hot Wheels'' is the contrasting "blue for boys" product line.

* FashionModel: Her original backstory was that she was a teen model. Even now being a model is one of her many jobs.

* ''Film/Barbie2023'', a live-action film.

In April 2014, news broke that Creator/ColumbiaPictures and Mattel would collaborate on a [[LiveActionAdaptation live-action Barbie movie]]. After Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway dropped out from being cast as the title role (the former drew backlash for being overweight) and the film rights being transferred to Creator/WarnerBros, Creator/MargotRobbie was officially cast as Barbie in January 2019, with Creator/GretaGerwig as director and co-writer with Creator/NoahBaumbach. The cast also includes Creator/RyanGosling as Ken, Creator/EmmaMackey, Creator/WillFerrell, Creator/SimuLiu, Creator/AmericaFerrera, Creator/KateMcKinnon, Creator/MichaelCera and Creator/AlexandraShipp. The film is slated for a 2023 release.

* BreastExpansion: Inverted. Ever since the 1990s. The original Barbie was much more well-endowed, something still commonly seen in parodies; Barbie is still somewhere in D-cup range, but realistically so.

* GoldMakesEverythingShiny: Many outfits, including her 1994 holiday dress (a gold lame dress with fur trim).