mega thread The state of the Brony fandom (Numbers, Popularly, Future)

[Buck Testa 5,503]

Actually I started a new topic 2 days ago and the mod merged it into this old one

Do my points make sense though? It clearly isn't dying, if anything its thriving. 

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

If you look at the Mother/Earthbound fandom, there hasn't been a new game release in 9 years and there's still a following and still has fan projects including Mother 4 that's almost done.

 

So I'm sure the Brony fandom will be around long after the show ends.

[Hypn0ticD 1,213]

The fandom is doing just fine in my opinion. You'll have people coming and going, but you'll find that in any fandom. I think that so long as the show stays on the air, there will be legions of Bronies!

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,329]

On a side note, I've noticed that the fandom seems much more active during a season. Sure there is a review here and there between seasons, but this forum is a lot more lively in season. Heck, just look at the reactions to that super bowl ad.

[Qsphere580&9/5 10]

It's fine. People like myself have other stuff/job/hobbies  to keep us busy in between seasons. I'm excited to see how season five goes! Plus i can't wait until midwest brony fest in Kansas city, KS. Excited to see Andrea Libman!

[Aidan OGain 112]

As long as I'm not dying, I don't see this fandom dying. Well, I don't know. But I know I like this show, and the more I examine it, the more I like it. I don't think that's ever going to change for me. I also know I'm not unique. So surely there are other people who will never stop liking this show.

 

I remember people getting their underwear in a twist over Star Trek the Next Generation "It'll never be as good as Kirk and Spock!" It lasted for 7 seasons. 21, if you count DS9 and Voyager. And even after the show was not on the air, it still has made a massive impact on so many people's lives. Look at the tech we've got today. It's driven by Star Trek.

 

Also, Star Trek had so many truly terrible episodes. It had whole terrible seasons and it still survived as a fandom. MLP is so much more consistent.

 

So what's MLP going to make? Who is it going to inspire? How is it impacting our world? We have yet to see, but as much as Princess Celstia sees potential in Twilight Sparkle, I see potential in this show. (Not that I'm the show's princess, or anything... I just have confidence.)

 

Additionally, Norman, every time I see your avatar and then read your post, I hear Picard's voice in my head.

[HeroSparks 232]

Still goin' strong. As much as everyone contributes to the fandom, I don't see it dying for a very, very long time

[Steve Piranha 28,778]

 

 

So what's MLP going to make? Who is it going to inspire? How is it impacting our world? We have yet to see, but as much as Princess Celstia sees potential in Twilight Sparkle, I see potential in this show. (Not that I'm the show's princess, or anything... I just have confidence.)

 

Yeah, a little girls merchandise driven show that gained a huge adult male following can't be in the oblivion of the media history 

[JonasDarkmane 19,777]

I don't think the fandom is dying. I guess many that have been a part of the fandom are starting to leave, but there are a lot more new people joining the fandom . 

[Mesme Rize 15,681]

I just realized over the last few days, how bronies pop up from the ground all of a sudden. Further proves the fact that, just because the fandom is a bit slower during the hiatus, dosen't mean it's dead.

[Aidan OGain 112]

True, Mr. Piranha. That's common wisdom. Star Trek was in color to sell color TVs. That's why their shirts are all such bright primary colors. Transformers is seen similarly. But if a show creator comes at it from that angle of "this is a toy selling machine and nothing more" they won't be able to produce a show of this quality. Michael Bay's transformers is a good idea of the opposite perspective, just explosions that sell toys. Lauren Faust had something more in mind. She was coming from Power Puff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. There's this book called "The Elements of Harmony." It's a show guide, but there's a one page intro from Ms. Faust that really shows what she was doing: taking the things little girls love and treating them as seriously as they do. As adults, we tend to dismiss unicorns and rainbows and cupcakes. She was trying to reconnect, and I think she did a fantastic job. I have a whole podcast on it. There are multiple boards discussing it. We don't see the same from Winx Club or Barbie. There aren't huge groups of adult male fans of other girl's TV shows. Sure, there's the low-hanging fruit reasons for why this exists. There are the obvious answers. But there's something else going on here. Something deeper. This show has a heart.

[Adorkable 2,737]

Nah, of course not, it's perfectly alright. As of right now, I think the only reason one would think so would be due to the activity in the fandom, because of lack of inspiration from no pony. But since MLP: FiM is back in action, expect it to become seemingly endless, once again.

[Overlord0909 479]

This fandom? Heck no! This is the bigger then the popularity of the show itself. XD Waaaaay bigger then another fandom I'm part of.

[MLG4Ever 876]

Nope this fandom is maybe going to stay a few decades after the show ends! And there's like always new fan-made content being made every week / month!

[Steve Piranha 28,778]

True, Mr. Piranha. That's common wisdom. Star Trek was in color to sell color TVs. That's why their shirts are all such bright primary colors. Transformers is seen similarly. But if a show creator comes at it from that angle of "this is a toy selling machine and nothing more" they won't be able to produce a show of this quality. Michael Bay's transformers is a good idea of the opposite perspective, just explosions that sell toys. Lauren Faust had something more in mind. She was coming from Power Puff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. There's this book called "The Elements of Harmony." It's a show guide, but there's a one page intro from Ms. Faust that really shows what she was doing: taking the things little girls love and treating them as seriously as they do. As adults, we tend to dismiss unicorns and rainbows and cupcakes. She was trying to reconnect, and I think she did a fantastic job. I have a whole podcast on it. There are multiple boards discussing it. We don't see the same from Winx Club or Barbie. There aren't huge groups of adult male fans of other girl's TV shows. Sure, there's the low-hanging fruit reasons for why this exists. There are the obvious answers. But there's something else going on here. Something deeper. This show has a heart.

Yeah, despite that we have many shows we enjoyned as kids, those rarely are the talk of the day. I don't see a dedicated fanbase these days for Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo, Hey Arnold, Superman TAS, etc. FiM on the other hand, will reach over 100 episodes in a constant rate of a season per year for so long, and if it stays good to the end, it will leave a legacy for the likes of Star Trek and Star Wars for a couple of generations at least, and the impact made by the male adult audience will help build it's pedestal 

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

Nope this fandom is maybe going to stay a few decades after the show ends! And there's like always new fan-made content being made every week / month!

That and I have a YTP movie planned that will feature MLP characters which may actually take a while to make but I hope to complete it by 2019 or 2020, maybe around 2017.

[Fhaolan 4,468]

Actually I started a new topic 2 days ago and the mod merged it into this old one.

Yeah, that happens here. Unlike other forums there isn't a rule against topic necromancy. In fact, it's encouraged here.

 

More on topic, the reason you got a somewhat irritated response is that this used to be a common topic that cropped up on a monthly, if not weekly basis, and a lot of people got tired of hearing about it constantly. There was an awful amount of effort being put into 'proving' that the fandom was dying and everyone needed to leave now or be... something or other. I didn't quite understand the logic myself. Interestingly, the topic seems to have mostly died out itself.

 

At this point, the fandom is unlikely to dissolve completely, even if the current run of Friendship is Magic ends (which it will eventually.) MLP *will* get more series, unless Hasbro completely derps. Gen4 of MLP is making far, far too much money for Hasbro for them to completely abandon the franchise, and they know full well the cartoon is a big part of that machine. There might be a further G4 cartoon after FiM (like the G1.5 My Little Pony Tales or the G3.5 specials) or they might retool and go for G5. We don't know yet, but it will happen.

 

And with the support of other fandoms like the Trekkies and Whoovians (who have gone through generational changes and survived), Bronies will too.

[derpflutterbrony 20]

It's just me that a whole bunch of analysis ponies and people would do videos on my little pony on YouTube have gone seems like dr wolf be mysterious Mr. enter and very few are left.

 

How many quit the fandom on YouTube like tommy Oliver it's so dark and depressing without happy little pony analysis reviews and commentarys to brighten up a dreary day and while I'm still here you'll be missed MLP fandom and it will always be a dear part in my life.

 

Is there hope?is the MLB fandom dead?

[Guest]

Yup it is deader than dead. It no longer exists it ended years ago. 

[Yummychickenblue 301]

Tommy leaving isn't the death of the fandom. I had 0 idea who he was until him leaving exploded anyway. There's much more to the MLP fandom than Youtube.

 

 

The MLB fandom is definitely not dead

[InfectedPone 1,548]

Look at these forums! Does this look like the site of a dead fandom? People may leave the fandom, but many are still joining and most are staying. We're good so far.

[Little Red 1,529]

What is the MLP fandom? Never heard of it.

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

It's NOT dead at all! Individual youtube users/fanfic writers etc come and go but the fandom as a whole is still around. 

[SpeedIsMagic 37]

Goes on the most active MLP forums in the community. 
Asks if the community is dead. 

[Guest]

 

 

Goes on the most active MLP forums in the community.  Asks if the community is dead. 

 

No according to the OP it is the MLB Forums