Check out my YouTube video on the subject here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJBvqfsUfXY
The Rayman Sings Sexbomb animation refers to an unofficial test animation created by a member of the development team for a canceled Rayman project, most likely Rayman 4, even though it most likely uses character models from Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc. The mysterious test animation consists of Rayman and his best friend Globox singing the popular and suggestive song Sexbomb by Mousse T. and Tom Jones. The animation was first uploaded to YouTube by Lemmy556 on December 27, 2007 where it garnered over a million views and quickly became viral, with other YouTube videos and memes referencing the animation.
Below is the original video of Rayman and Globox singing Sexbomb by YouTuber Lemmy556.
Below is a longer and higher quality version of the animation by YouTuber ShadowStone.
The origins of the test animation are still unknown to this day, but it’s believed to have been created by a developer or animator in their spare time. While the song that Rayman is singing is Sexbomb by Mousse T. and Tom Jones, the specific version in the animation is not from those two artists and instead is from the German jazz singer Max Raabe. Below is a video of Sexbomb sung by Max Raabe and confirms that Max’s version was used for the Rayman test animation.
According to the internet, the unofficial Rayman test animation was most likely made for the canceled Rayman 4 project. After Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, the French video game development company Phoenix Studio was in the process of creating Rayman 4. Rayman 4 was going to be an unreleased 3D platformer and the first game in the mainline Rayman series to not be developed by the series’ main developer, Ubisoft. Rayman 4 is actually the name for multiple canceled Rayman projects, including the 2005 prototype that would have been a 3D game in the main series, an early version of Rayman Raving Rabbids announced in 2006/2007 and canceled officially in 2007 that would have had Rayman fighting against the Rabbids in a 3D platformer and potentially a third game as mentioned by YouTuber Corkben before the eventual official release of Rayman Raving Rabbids for the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 2 and PC in 2006. The released version of Rayman Raving Rabbids is different from the canceled prototype since it is a party game unlike the canceled 3D platformer.
A Tumblr user, rayomz, talks about the unofficial test animation below in this screenshot.
In the link below the image of Rayman and Globox is a page from an animator named DaM, presumably someone who has worked on Rayman projects including the test animation. In a post titled “Disco Party !!!”, DaM has the image of the two main characters singing and explains that the test animation was a humorous attempt to get a feel for the character and was made sometime in late 2005 during the pre-production of a game that was never released. *Originally I had this full page translated but for some reason it didn’t show up as on option again when I was working on this post. Because of that I have used Google Translate for the French description underneath the photo. It reads: “A funny test animation to get a feel for the character (Rayman for those unfamiliar), made last year during the pre-production of the game that was also never released! Another funny test animation…do you know mike & the flower pops?!! (Click on the image to watch the animation)“.
Cultural Significance
The enigmatic origins of the Rayman Sings Sexbomb video has led to the creation of several other videos uploading or discussing the animation. The animation in question is considered lost media by many users on the internet. Fans of the Rayman series in particular have taken a liking to the video and have made several video edits and animations of Rayman Sings Sexbomb. The origins of this animation are still a mystery to casual internet users and fans of the Rayman series, and only time will tell if Ubisoft or anyone else behind the franchise will finally provide more information about the test animation.
Below is an animated version of the Rayman Sings Sexbomb video by YouTuber G_guy.
Sources
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rayman-sings-sexbomb
https://dams-animation.blogspot.com/2006/04/disco-party.html
https://raymanpc.com/wiki/en/Rayman_4_(2005_cancelled_prototype)
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