Do you think Equestria Girls is stereotypical?

[joshuachasseur 6]

When the show was being created, we know how Lauren faust didn't want the show to be stereotypical as usual shows for girls. Do you think Equestria Girls goes against what she wanted and is stereotypical?

[Riganthor 483]

yes I think so and the reason is verry simple all the girls have dresses, there is no girls anywhere in EQG without a dress and when they have a pants on they have a dress over it with high hells. There is no tomboy, moderate or even goth. Th closest it was to being non-stereotypical was the CMC with their boast busters outfit in rainbow rocks.

[chirox the pony 1,334]

Yeah I'd say it does rely on stereotypes. Seeing as it largely revolves around:

 

A cute boy

 

Having parties (like real ones)

 

Being popular

 

And pretty dresses (and the dresses provide nothing to the plot)

[joshuachasseur 6]

Wait are you guys talking about the first one? I agree with that but honestly I was wondering does anyone think that Rainbow Rocks onwards feel stereotypical? To me I think they dropped the stereotypes after that in my opinion, which is probably why people like the other two better.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,220]

I think all of the films hold true to some stereotypes. All of the girls apparently have to wear skirts, and all of the guys are useless blockheads. I think in the case of Crystal Prep it is just uniforms and such but for CHS? I don't get it. 

[\/ 650]

Is it stereotypical? Hell yes. It's a rip-off of Monster High. How could it not be full of "girly girl" stereotypes? 
 

(epic announcer voice): In a world where all girls are forced to wear skirts and massive boots, and boys are only objects to be had as "boyfriends," Twilight Sparkle must blend into the social norm and make herself the most popular girl in school. Coming to a theater near you.

[NyanLuna 81]

It super-doopery is! It's pretty much your classic High School drama!

[ShadowSJG 62]

Is it stereotypical? Hell yes. It's a rip-off of Monster High. How could it not be full of "girly girl" stereotypes? 

 

(epic announcer voice): In a world where all girls are forced to wear skirts and massive boots, and boys are only objects to be had as "boyfriends," Twilight Sparkle must blend into the social norm and make herself the most popular girl in school. Coming to a theater near you.

I disagree with you there. The first one yes, but from Rainbow Rocks onwards I think its seperate from Monster High in my opinion.

[\/ 650]

I disagree with you there. The first one yes, but from Rainbow Rocks onwards I think its seperate from Monster High in my opinion.

They're still wearing skirts and massive boots. And Brad still exists. But sure, I'll give it to you, they made it a bit better, but the entire plot is always a popularity contest.

[ShadowSJG 62]

They're still wearing skirts and massive boots. And Brad still exists. But sure, I'll give it to you, they made it a bit better, but the entire plot is always a popularity contest.

Well personally I don't see it that way but we have different opinions.

[\/ 650]

Well personally I don't see it that way but we have different opinions.

Well, the first movie was about Twilight being popular to get her crown back. The second one was about the Dazzlings being popular to get powerful and rule the world. And the third one was about... well I don't think anyone even knows what went on there, but we're going to assume that Sunset Shimmer was trying to get popular by being the "Good Guy."

 

Literally every single "High School Drama" made for 13 year old girls. Then there's Brad popping in to steal everyone's waifu just generally be an idiot and ask about Twilight. 

[ShadowSJG 62]

I see you're not a fan of these movies

[\/ 650]

I see you're not a fan of these movies

No, they're great to laugh at. Kind of like how Army of Darkness was meant to be a horror movie, but was so terrible it was categorized as comedy.

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

One hundred percent. Every single film revolves around using stereotypes, retaining stereotypes, and embracing stereotypes. There's no better way to destroy your worldbuilding and story quality than by using stereotypes as the backbone for your film. Rainbow Rocks uses them less than Friendship Games and EQG1, but they still use 'em to build it.

[SilverStarApple 849]

Yes, it's incredibly stereotypical and cliche. Rainbow Rocks did what it could to salvage the setting, but it feels like one of MLPFIM's rare instances (Which sadly, are becoming more and more common these days) where profit was placed over story or characters.

 

Still, the brony fandom of that era has itself to blame, with their constant stream of uninspired HiE and PoE fics.

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

 

 

Still, the brony fandom of that era has itself to blame, with their constant stream of uninspired HiE and PoE fics.

This is a tiring scapegoat. EQG wasn't created in response to content like HiE or humanized fanart. (Neither Hasbro nor DHX are allowed to look at 'em them or else risk a plagiarism lawsuit.) Mattel's Monster High was highly successful, so Hasbro created EQG to compete with 'em.

[ShadowSJG 62]

Wow, a lot of people don't like these movies.

[----- 476]

Yes, they are at least in some ways.

[Chara 1,565]

Not to mention on how all the girls go to sugarcube corner. (The Starbucks of the EG World)

[SolyWack 482]

The Hasbro influence is there, but it's definitely not stereotypical at its core. The story doesnt revolve around boys or dresses, and the characters certainly don't seem to care too much beyond the usual, well "human" stuff like Twilight's little lust crush.

 

On the outside, yes it's stereotypical a.f., but the stories that are told aren't run of the mill High School Drama stuff.

 

If there are other high school shows or movies about ponies turning into humans, then proceeding to turn into demons, fight sirens, and become badass manifestations of light and dark complete w/ dimensional tears...

 

You point me in their direction, 'cause I'm missing out.

[Frostgage 7,972]

Yeah they are. Though it seems like I'm the only one who's not really bothered by it

[best poni 1,518]

Yes, but I still like it. The first one is all stereotypes, but the other 2 are better 

[Rainbow Diamonds 282]

I would say it's not that stereotypical. 

 

If Equestria Girls was stereotypical, Rarity would try to humiliate Twilight and wouldn't associate with Applejack. Rainbow Dash would not associate with Twilight or even Fluttershy. Twilight would constantly think about Flash rather than just when he's around. In fact, they would gossip about him a lot. Conflicts would be more slice of life than magical stuff like demons or sirens. 

 

I don't like how almost all the girls, including Rainbow Dash and Applejack, wear a skirt. I went to school with lots of country girls and hung out with jocks. They didn't wear skirts. Country girls (and boys) wore jeans, and jocks wore shorts or sweat pants depending on the weather. (They usually wore sweat pants and shorts for the sport they currently played.) Rainbow has athletic shorts under her skirt, but that doesn't mean anything. I doubt it was a school rule that girls had to wear skirts. How were Apple Bloom and Scootaloo excluded? Also, long shoes? Seriously? 

 

I don't like their attire, but I wouldn't say it's stereotypical. 

[Handmantoot 20]

Oh definitely. Painfully stereotypical.

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

The use of high school clichés without a hint of irony, commentary, or satire really is a cloud hanging over EqG's potential, and while the assembly-line school of character design worked for the ponies, it does not work for human characters, considering the thin, long-legged body type actually used and especially considering that their clothes are all on similar silhouettes.

 

Where FiM got where it was by breaking stereotypes, EqG definitely embraces them and does divert resources from the main series. Character archetypes such as "the boyfriend" and "the bully" are all there with little depth. Although I will give the EqG franchise credit for creating Sunset Shimmer's post-reformation character arc and creating some of the franchise's most entertaining villains in the Dazzlings (most of this only in the second film), the formulaic nature of the films and many of its character and setting elements really compromise what MLP is truly capable of.