History Franchise / Barbie

* EverythingsBetterWithSparkles: Glitter is a fairly common part of the Barbie toyes. Sparkles are also often present in the films when something magical happens.

* GeniusDitz: Barbie is portrayed as a borderline DumbBlonde in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory 3'' (albeit with redeeming qualities). And then ''wham'', democratic philosophy out of nowhere:

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 [[TastesLikeDiabetes Tasting Like Diabetes]], 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.

* RapunzelHair: Even when she isn't ''actually'' Rapunzel, she'll often have hair that goes below her waist.
** "Totally Hair Barbie", from 1991, had wavy or curly hair down to her feet. Totally Hair Ken had more of an Elvis look.

!! There have been various book series starring barbie, such as:

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/WillFerrell, Creator/SimuLiu, Creator/AmericaFerrera, Creator/KateMcKinnon, Creator/MichaelCera and Creator/AlexandraShipp. The film is slated for a 2023 release.

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 film is slated for a 2023 release.

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 film is slated for a 2022 release.

* ''Barbie and Friends Book Club''

* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInThePrincessAndThePauper''

** Kelly disappeared, with Chelsea taking her place.

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 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 [[TastesLikeDiabetes Tasting Like Diabetes]], 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.

The original storyline attached to the dolls was that of Barbara "Barbie" Millicent Roberts, a teenager and the oldest of many sisters, and her career as a model. Her surname and original age are rarely brought up now, and she generally plays adult characters, being showcased in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie%27s_careers various careers]]. Barbie has also been featured in a series of animated direct-to-video features since 2001 (each with a tie-in toy line), most of them based on {{Fairy Tale}}s and famous ballets, but also including originals like the ''Fairytopia'' series. They tend to be accused of [[TastesLikeDiabetes Tasting Like Diabetes]], 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.

* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Barbie has a confusing history of this and {{Sudden Name Change}}s. Barbie was explicitly a teenager when introduced however eventually she fell into the range of "usually 19-30 [[ArtisticAge except when needed]]". Her younger sisters however are perpetually stuck as children. Barbie can be president of America (you need to be at least 35) but Skipper and Chelsea will never hit 20. Skipper was originally a preteen who hit puberty in the 70s, however since then she's barely aged and likely never will (as Barbie is the adult doll in the family). Barbie has three sisters: Skipper, Stacie, and Chelsea... Except she also had a toddler sister named "Kelly", an infant sister named "Krissy", a brother named "Todd", and another kid sister named "Tutti". Fans usually assume Tutti was just renamed "Stacie" and that Kelly was aged up and renamed "Chelsea", however nothing canon has been stated (or likely will ever be stated).

* DependingOnTheArtist: Is Ken brown haired, blonde haired, or black haired and in what shade?

* NiceGirl: Barbie.

* TheRival: The recent movies have Raquelle in this role.

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, Margot Robbie was officially cast as Barbie in January 2019, with Creator/GretaGerwig as director and co-writer with Creator/NoahBaumbach. The film is slated for a 2022 release.

* LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition: See Barbie Collector above.

* FiveTokenBand: Teresa's the Hispanic one, Raquelle's the Asian one, Nikki took over Christie's role as the black one, Summer's the Irish one, and Barbie's the white one, though you can get her in any ethnicity. This turned out to be a problem when Mattel released Oreo Barbie with the African-American option. Oops.

[[quoteright:262:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/How-to-Design-Your-Own-Barbie1_9290.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:262:An iconic doll in her iconic pink.]]