Doll Name Rio
Stock # (US) # 4015
Hasbro package contents listing 12 1/2" fully poseable Rio doll with fashion, briefcase, poster, hairpick, cassette and figure stand.
Comments/Trivia
  • Apparently the last of the 8 dolls to hit store shelves in 1986.
  • I used to write that he was Hispanic, now I'm not so sure, given that Christy Marx has not defined him as such; "I never specified an ethnicity for Rio, and he certainly was NOT set out as Puerto Rican.  If anything, he might have some Hispanic blood a couple generations back mixed with who-knows-what." -from TrulyOutrageousJem, digest # 2121)  Which doesn't necessarily mean the *doll* isn't Hispanic... but you gotta wonder about that tan if he's not!
  • There is an 80's song called "Rio" by Duran Duran.  However, the "Rio" in the song is a woman.
Produced Variants So far, I know of dolls marked on their backs with one of the following places of manufacture, and there are slight variations among them:
  • Hong Kong
To learn more about these body types and slight differences, please see the body variations page.
More Skip here for a listing of other depictions of Rio (cartoon, prototypes, catalogues, etc).

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the photo.

12 1/2" fully poseable Rio dollMale doll, bright purple rooted hair (sticks out about 1/2" - 3/4" all over). 
  • He is differentiated from Glitter N' Gold Rio by hair colour- this Rio's hair is much brighter (no black streaks) and usually longer.
  • Some Rio's came with longer hair.  Not sure which is rarer. The longer hair version I have has lighter eyes and thinner eyebrows.
  • Another make-up variation, paler lip paint, and thinner eyebrows. 

fashion (blazer); Mauve "linen" with multicoloured vertical stripes, one decorative aqua blue button in front, sleeves are rolled up to elbows
  • Very Miami Vice!

fashion (muscle shirt); Yellow cotton sleeveless t-shirt with '80's style splash design on front, two velcro closures in back.

fashion (peg pants); Plum spandex pleated pants, tapered at hems.  The belt is sewn in at the back, made of white ribbed material with a gold "buckle" sewn in the front.  Velcros in the back.

fashion (sneakers); Lavender rubbery sneakers with circle tread on the soles.

briefcase; very pale lavender plastic, does actually open and close!  Sticker decal with paint splash design on front.
poster: rolled, first year Jem illustrated poster, first year Jem catalogue poster on the reverse.

hairpick; slightly darker mauve than his sneakers. 
  • As far as I know, he's the only one that comes with this colour hair pick.
cassette tape; Says Rio- "JEM Theme, Deception, I Got My Eye on You."
  • The only Jem tape with this colour of writing.

figure stand; clear mauve with fatter "Rio" leg holder. 
  • My doll's stand base came in a plastic baggie.
  • He and Synergy have the same colour stand base, with the same TM font by the M in the logo.

Items not listed in Hasbro's box contents (not all dolls came with the same posters and inserts, this is a listing of what I got personally with my dolls)
box - First Year Rio box with flap
insert - hot pink
*Variation: Some 1st Edition Rio's came with mauve sunglasses, I'm not 100% sure which but they are smaller ones (not square shaped)

MTV offer (US version)


Other images of 1st Edition Rio (generally unproduced/prototypes/promotional figures) Differences from produced doll (if any)
1986 US Hasbro Toy Fair Catalogue
1986 Belgium Hasbro Toy Fair Catalogue
Topolino Magazine  Issue 1611, October 12, 1986
1986 German Leaflet
Store Catalogues
Prototypes (from Hasbro employees, etc)
Commercials Rockin' Roadster.
Other Print advertisements
Illustrations: Hasbro Box art
Illustrations; Hasbro Promotional art
Illustrations: Cartoon 
Illustrations: UK Comics
Illustrations: Colouring & Activity Books

Credits: Thanks to Molly for the Rio paint variation photograph. Thanks to sven-ken of the Titi-chan forum for donating the scans from the Belgium Hasbro catalogue.