Bratz From The Past: Bratz Class Kumi

Direct link to view photo:
http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/photos/robyn-bratzclasskumi.jpg

MGA Entertainment has developed and manufactured many rare Bratz dolls. I can name several of them right now: Bratz Live In Concert Nevra, Bratz Feelin' Pretty Dana, Bratz Treasures Jade, the Bratz Princess Wicked Twiins Ciara and Diona, Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden....

The list goes on and on. However, none come close to being as rare as Bratz Class Kumi.

I'm sure there are plenty of Bratz fans who have not heard of this particular Bratz doll. For those who have, and for those who own Bratz Class Kumi, consider yourself among the very fortunate. That's because this Bratz doll, along with the other dolls in the Bratz Class collection, was released in the United Kingdom and Australia during Spring 2006. Even back when this collection was first released, Bratz Class Kumi was very hard to find anywhere.

The above photo of my Bratz Class Kumi doll was captured at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. And, it was captured at the same location where I captured a photo of my Bratz Ooh La La Kumi doll for my "Too Funky For Kumi" Bratz Photography Project five years ago. I am planning to overhaul that project, because I consider it to be very stale and outdated by today's standards (although I have not yet decided when to overhaul it....may not be until mid- to late 2011 or early 2012?). But if remains a mystery if there will be any Bratz Photography Project involving my Bratz Class Kumi doll. If a project does happen, at least the photo will serve as a preview for what is expected. Moreover, it may be another character from the Bratz Class collection that I will use for such a project and not Kumi. I really do not know at this time.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Bratz Class Kumi is not so much the doll itself, but how in the world this doll ended up in my Bratz Doll Collection. Given how extremely rare and hard to find Bratz Class Kumi is, it seemed virtually impossible that I would ever obtain this doll. Fortunately, in early November 2008, I saw Bratz Class Kumi listed on the auction website eBay. And what really surprised me was that approximately four days after the auction for Bratz Class Kumi was first listed, no other people were bidding on this doll! Imagine how nervous I was when I placed my bid ten seconds before the auction ended. I was thrilled that not only did I win Bratz Class Kumi, but that I was also the only person to have bid on and won this doll! Bratz Class Kumi finally belonged exactly where it should: In my Bratz Doll Collection.

Believe me, trying to win Bratz Class Kumi on eBay was like walking a circus tightrope 30,000 feet in the air. I shudder to think what would have happened had I lost or missed out on this auction. I was reminded of another similar auction before this one where I had bid on a Bratz Class Kumi doll until I was outbid at the last second. Yes, I know the bitch who pulled off this despicable stunt, and I made sure that she would not try and sabotage this auction for what would be my Bratz Class Kumi doll.

Now I should point out that when I win Bratz dolls on eBay, or have people help me win Bratz dolls on eBay, it's sometimes known as sniping, napping, etc. But there's a more accurate term: Stealing. Stealing, to the extent that it's considered armed robbery, just like what happened in September 2007 when O.J. Simpson was involved in an armed robbery incident that sent him to prison for several years (click the following link to listen to the unedited audio recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNt76QhAFyc). For me to win Bratz Class Kumi on eBay would not exactly be considered stealing, given what I endured to obtain this doll. Of course, there are the select people out there who would proclaim otherwise.

Jealous much?

Bratz Class Kumi, as rare and hard to find as this Bratz doll is, does not come with a whole lot: One doll, two fashions, a book bag accessory, and a collectible poster. Not much, but I'm still perplexed as to why Bratz Class was released in the United Kingdom and Australia and not in the United States? Who the hell at MGA Entertainment (likely a former Mattel employee) made the unfair decision to release this collection in the United Kingdom and Australia? Did MGA Entertainment believe that consumers would not "relate" to the schoolgirl fashions in the Bratz Class collection? Did MGA Entertainment believe that consumers would not purchase the Bratz Class collection if it was released in the United States, thinking that it would release a version of the collection in the United States that was significantly better?

Speaking of which, the version of the Bratz Class collection that MGA Entertainment did release in the United States was not significantly better than the version released in the United Kingdom and Australia. Instead, it was significantly different. Here are the character listings for both versions of Bratz Class:

Bratz Class* (United States): Yasmin, Cloe, Phoebe, Cameron
Bratz Class* (United Kingdom / Australia): Yasmin, Cloe, Sasha, Kumi, Katia, Cameron

In case you are wondering, yes, I have all the characters from both versions of the Bratz Class collection.

I'm happy that I own Bratz Class Kumi, and I thank the heavens everyday that this very rare Bratz doll is part of my Bratz Doll Collection. It would have been nice if there were additional accessories included with Bratz Class Kumi — accessories that illustrate the Bratz Class collection's back to school theme and that were included in the version of the collection released in the United States. This includes things such as pens, pencils, notebooks, and so forth. A simple book bag is not enough. But even without any accessories, owning Bratz Class Kumi itself is an accomplishment!

*NOTE: This collection was also known as Bratz High School Style; in the United States, it was briefly renamed Bratz Back To School, before it eventually defaulted to Bratz Class.