TV My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

[Sangome]

[center][IMG]http://i53.tinypic.com/1rq9eh.png[/IMG][/center]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Oh sweet jiminy, where do I begin?

Well. I'm sure most of you have heard of My Little Pony, right? The girliest of girly things, it's a cartoon and toy line made by Hasbro in the 80s, serving as a distaff counterpart of sorts to Transformers. It's still around, and last year it resurfaced in this newest series. Subtitled "Friendship is Magic", it serves as a reboot to the franchise. Perhaps most notably, it is led by Lauren Faust, wife of Craig McCracken, who is probably best known for The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, both of which she also wrote and directed. Her goal was to make a girls' cartoon that didn't fall into the inane stereotypes of the genre, using a strong cast of females, and plots that don't involve fretting over boys and fashion [Rarity's love of fashion notwithstanding, though even she breaks the trend by [i]starting[/i] trends, as opposed to following 'em], while using the witty and clever humor her other shows are known for.

It has succeeded, but in perhaps the most backwards way possible -- while still a show that everyone can enjoy, most of the audience consists of 17-34 year old...boys and men. Admittedly, though, the fact that the show is currently 4chan's /co/ board darling is [s]probably[/s] most definitely the reason for that. Now it's gotten theOtaku and Otakuboards in its grasp [although the core fans here are mostly female so far, inverting the subversion that was meant to be subverted but wound up being inverted and ow my head], and I figured "HEY, why not make a thread for it so we can contain our spazzing?" And here we are.

Oh, and for those curious, this show airs on The Hub, and recent episodes are on its site. [spoiler]Though Hasbro has, at the time of this writing, been somewhat generous with keeping the past episodes on Youtube. But you didn't hear that from me. *cough*[/spoiler] or not since apparently trolls are now bogging them down with false copyright claims. We'll see what happens, I guess.

Onward, my fellow bronies.[/font][/color] Edited March 26, 2011 by Sangome

[The Spectacular Professor]

[font="Comic Sans MS"]Episode 21 aired today. I only have access to half of it.

Withdrawal... setting in....[/font]

[Puppet Mistress]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][color="#4b0082"]That is completely ridiculous how the damn trolls got to our videos, Ace. Where is the justice in Equestria?![/color][/font]

[Sangome]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]There are other channels, gaiz. I linked you to another one, so there's that. V:

Anyway, I guess they're doing something similar to what happened to a bunch of famous Let's Players last year -- bog the account down with a bunch of bogus copyright claims, and the account will be taken down. Youtube's system is easily abuseable like that, sadly. Most of those accounts got reinstated, but this is a slightly different situation, so.

But yeah, there's other channels. That just happened to be the one /co/ mainly used, I guess.[/font][/color]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[font="Comic Sans MS"]Impressions on episode 21:

- Pony racism, but on an even grander scale! Yay!
- Pinkie Pie's song in this one has made several thousand furries far happier than any of them have a right to be.
- This is probably the first story featuring conflict between a Native American analogy and an Anglo Settler analogy where more than three of the obvious stand-in white dudes aren't out and out bastards. It's refreshing, really.
- It's nice to get some focus on Applejack and Rainbow Dash again. Much as I love Rarity, she'd been in the spotlight for two episodes in a row already, so I don't mind her being a little less involved in the plot of this one.

Overall, very fun. Next week is a Fluttershy episode.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLTZctTG6cE[/media][/font] Edited March 26, 2011 by The Professor

[Felix the Cat]

I couldn't find Episode 21 D: The Hub doesn't have it yet either! I want MOAR Pony!

Also... More racism than this?

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TkOfhCK4Zo[/media]
Edited March 26, 2011 by Felix the Cat

[Lyndy]

[color="#556B2F"][size="3"][font="Times New Roman"]...wait what?
Was that the famous Flutterguy or what? Oo
And also Fluttershy episode - *gasps really loudly* yay.[/font][/size][/color] Edited March 26, 2011 by JeJe

[Felix the Cat]

So like I've watched this episode now! :D Much thanksgiving-ish except with a good ending.


[img]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x244/Felixdw/epic-show.jpg[/img]


PS: Isn't it spelled "Gryphon"? Edited March 26, 2011 by Felix the Cat

[Sangome]

[quote name='JeJe' timestamp='1301153227' post='705954']
[color="#556B2F"][size="3"][font="Times New Roman"]...wait what?
Was that the famous Flutterguy or what? Oo[/font][/size][/color]
[/quote]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Yes. You need to catch up, lady.

...even though I'm one to talk; that was the one I watched last.[/font][/color]

[chibi-master]

I'm sad that my main uploader got deactivated, but whatever.

I was very interested to see how they'd animate the buffalo in this episode and I'm happy they did such a great job of it! I have to admit that Little Strongheart's looong, baby buffalo legs got on my nerves a bit. I've no idea why though! D:

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='chibi-master' timestamp='1301159464' post='705959']
I'm sad that my main uploader got deactivated, but whatever.

I was very interested to see how they'd animate the buffalo in this episode and I'm happy they did such a great job of it! I have to admit that Little Strongheart's looong, baby buffalo legs got on my nerves a bit. I've no idea why though! D:
[/quote]
[font="Comic Sans MS"]I think it's because her design was just nonstandard. We're used to seeing ponies, so even the normal characters all look alike to some degree, and Princess Celestia still bears the same basic shape as the others, but this is the first time we've seen buffalo at all. It's offset for the most part by seeing so many at once, but Little Strong Arm just looks so different from the rest of her species that it's harder to ignore.

Kind of like Applejack's dog in "Applebuck Season". It was cute, but it looked a little out of place. I blame its eyes.[/font]

[Sangome]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Something that I just now noticed...[/font][/color]

[quote name='Felix the Cat' timestamp='1301138739' post='705952']I couldn't find Episode 21 D: The Hub doesn't have it yet either! I want MOAR Pony![/quote]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Can you actually view videos on The Hub's site, Felix? I figured it'd be region-locked, but if it's not, then that's definitely different.

I'm watching episode 10 right now. Reproducing by puking. I'm not sure what to make of that.[/font][/color]

[chibi-master]

[quote name='The Professor' timestamp='1301162197' post='705961']
[font="Comic Sans MS"]I think it's because her design was just nonstandard. We're used to seeing ponies, so even the normal characters all look alike to some degree, and Princess Celestia still bears the same basic shape as the others, but this is the first time we've seen buffalo at all. It's offset for the most part by seeing so many at once, but Little Strong Arm just looks so different from the rest of her species that it's harder to ignore.

Kind of like Applejack's dog in "Applebuck Season". It was cute, but it looked a little out of place. I blame its eyes.[/font]
[/quote]
True. Also, I feel like an idiot for getting the buffalo's name wrong. Damn.

[Felix the Cat]

[quote name='Sangome' timestamp='1301162595' post='705962']
[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Something that I just now noticed...[/font][/color]



[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Can you actually view videos on The Hub's site, Felix? I figured it'd be region-locked, but if it's not, then that's definitely different.

I'm watching episode 10 right now. Reproducing by puking. I'm not sure what to make of that.[/font][/color]
[/quote]

I believe I can, I didn't actually try since I've seen 20 already. I can access the site itself though so maybe it isn't.

Anyways, it's amazing how much of the usually cute stuff is really really wrong if you stop and think about it for a second.


PS:

[font="tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica"][size="1"][i]She's an evil enchantress
And she does evil dances
And if you look deep in her eyes
She will put you in trances
Then what will she do?
She'll mix up an evil brew
And she'll gobble you up
In a big tasty stew
So...watch out. [/i][/size][/font]
[font="tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica"][/font]
[font="tahoma, verdana, arial, helvetica"]I'm still loving it.[/font] Edited March 26, 2011 by Felix the Cat

[The Spectacular Professor]

[font="Comic Sans MS"]Hey guys. I made this. Just. For. You.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjcfsiWE2OU[/media]

You're welcome. Good night.[/font]

[Nony]

I watched the first four episodes of this pony-ness the other night. My conclusions?

Twilight Sparkle = Gome
Pinkie Pie = chibi master

I don't know how far I'll go with the show though. It's definitely cute, a nice little show for girls. But... okay, let me ask this of the male fans. Why the heck do you like this show so dang much? I must know.

[The Spectacular Professor]

[font="Comic Sans MS"]It's a funny, smartly-written show with strong female protagonists and surprisingly effective monsters. It also helps that they at least attempt to be subtle about the obligatory weekly moral.

It's also worth mentioning that Lauren Faust brings a lot of the style of humor that made Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home popular, and the writers and animators actually slip in frequent nods to the /co/ fanbase, such as slipping Derpy Hooves into the episodes and making Spike an obvious surrogate for all the dudes in the audience.

In summary, it's a decent cartoon that the creators put a lot of love and effort into and as a result, anyone can enjoy it even though it's marketed primarily to the demographic that TV executives decided they could sell literally anything to ages ago. I want to be an animator myself some day, so I can only hope that some project of mine will ever be half as good as this show.[/font]

[Lilt]

[b]When I first heard of this series (I didn't know about the 'Friendship is Magic' part,) I thought that everyone was just interested in the old series again for some reason. Thanks to OB though, now I know better.

I would find it a little weird if guys were suddenly interested in the first My Little Ponies cartoon, but I'm glad that all genders and ages can enjoy this one. It gives all of the girl Bronies out there more Bronies to discuss this show with.

I still haven't even watched the first episode actually though, although I will be soon. Any cartoon that has chibi-sister has one of the main characters must be good. xD[/b]

[Sangome]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Honestly, as much as I give Ace grief for liking this show [playfully of course], I find it absolutely no different from guys watching romantic comedy, slice of life, or magical girl anime. [Although there may be some justification for that last one. *cough*] And on the flipside, it's no different from girls watching shows targeted to boys, especially shonen anime. I think the only reason people are really going WTF over it, outside of the fact that it's My Little Pony, is because it's an American cartoon. [/font][/color] Edited March 27, 2011 by Sangome

[chibi-master]

[quote name='Nony' timestamp='1301188272' post='705976']
But... okay, let me ask this of the male fans. Why the heck do you like this show so dang much? I must know.
[/quote]
I honestly don't understand why this is even a question other than it being a chance for gender stereotypes to be flaunted. I find it to be a very good show with several wonderful qualities that Ace has already mentioned, and therefore I see no reason why it should be confined to one gender.

[Lilt]

[b]I can't quote right now, but a big QFT to you chibi.

Actually, I think it's cool if a show can break away from it's target audience. It just shows how awesome it is.[/b]

[Felix the Cat]

[quote name='Sangome' timestamp='1301192413' post='705980']
[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Honestly, as much as I give Ace grief for liking this show [playfully of course], I find it absolutely no different from guys watching romantic comedy, slice of life, or magical girl anime. [Although there may be some justification for that last one. *cough*] And on the flipside, it's no different from girls watching shows targeted to boys, especially shonen anime. I think the only reason people are really going WTF over it, outside of the fact that it's My Little Pony, is because it's an American cartoon. [/font][/color]
[/quote]

Well one thing about the "girls watching boyish cartoons/anime" is that most guys actually like that since they can talk about the stuff they like to watch too, whereas I haven't come out the closet about watching MLP to my friends yet for it'd be weird. :P

Also, since anime producers have noticed that boys obviously like little girls with magical powers riding around on broomsticks and killing monsters, most Magical Girl anime nowadays are directed at boys or are at least unisex anyways. The only ones directed at girls that I could think of from the top of my head would be Card Captor Sakura (though I have my doubts on that one) and DoReMi.

[Sangome]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]True. Still, to the average person, they wouldn't know that, since a lot of magical girl series still soak everything in glitter and sparkles and all matter of girly colors.

Oh, and for series made for females, Sailor Moon was also definitely one of those, but that's also pretty much responsible for magical girl anime as we know it.

ANYWAY, to keep this on topic, I'm still disappoint that this didn't actually become a magical [s]girl[/s] pony show like Faust wanted. It would have been interesting. And I object to the notion of girls not being able to join in midway; I joined in the aforementioned Sailor Moon about midway through the first season when it aired, and I loved it anyway. It's not impossible to make a magical girl series still be episodic [heck, quite a few of them are]...but oh well.[/font][/color] Edited March 27, 2011 by Sangome

[Puppet Mistress]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][color="#4b0082"]The one thing that I thought would've been a pretty smart move would be continuing the "Nightmare Moon" portion of the series for a couple of more episodes since Nightmare Moon was a great opportunity to be an all-around tortured antagonist, maybe put her in a view episodes here and there, or just have a longer story for her... it seemed to be solved with a rather cliche technique... but, I digress.

Submit to Rarity.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csPPqdbcVwM&feature=related[/media]

Submit.[/color][/font] Edited March 28, 2011 by Puppet Mistress

[Felix the Cat]

That was my opinion as well, I found it pretty lame that they basically eradicated Nightmare Moon from the series that quickly. I mean it made the start unbelievably awesome but I was a little disappointed that the action-y mood was entirely gone afterwards.