If you are in the MLP community for a long time, how was it back then?

[Barpy 2,225]

How did it change, what do you like to remember, what videos are nostalgic for you, how the fandom changed and how is it going now in your opinion? 

[K.Rool Addict 718]

The community has gotten ALOT worse. The show has gotten ALOT better xD A trade off I am perfectly ok with =^-^=

[Colt 45 148]

I only started watching the show in April 2016, but was partly involved with the community since the summer of 2015. I haven't really noticed any change in the fandom since then, since it wasn't that long ago. Despite that, some of the videos have become nostalgic, especially the songs. When I first watched them, the comments were all people saying they missed these times and how much nostalgia was attached to them. Now ironically, I am also feeling nostalgia from those videos, even though I was so late to the fandom.

[K.Rool Addict 718]

1 minute ago, Colt 45 said:

I only started watching the show in April 2016, but was partly involved with the community since the summer of 2015. I haven't really noticed any change in the fandom since then, since it wasn't that long ago. 

Believe you me, the 2011 brony community is worlds apart from anything after late 2012 Dx

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

 

Yeah, I'm in that "the brony community wasn't so putrescent" camp.

There used to be this sense of cohesiveness and camaraderie, like people coming from all walks of life to take part in a shared experience. As time went on, nastier people started gushing in and over time, the more mature people in the fanbase either left or became toxic themselves.

If I make it sound like the early brony community was the garden of Eden, well, relatively speaking, it certainly was closer to that than it is now!

Oh and the fan art used to come out much more frequently and and the quality as good as it was diverse. Most fan art look more or less the same these days.

Whenever I want to reminisce about "the good old days," I listen to this. Fits the atmosphere quite well.

 

[Mesme Rize 15,683]

Oh god, i am here since 2011. Alot of stuff has happend since then.

Back then, it was considerably smaller and alot more relaxed. There was barely any sort of analyst in the community it felt very new and fresh and incredibly exciting. I think the biggest turning point came at the end of season 3, when in the same week, they announced that Twilight turns into an Alicorn and the first Equestria Girls was announced. Some people left screaming bloody murder, some people stayed saying "meh" and a bunch of new people came.

These days, it's alot bigger then it used to be.

[Looking Glass 197]

 

Well, I have Officially Became a Brony in July 2012, between season 2 and Season 3,  yet was made aware of it as early as February of that year, through a Furry Imageboard I frequented. Back then, the only "Fandom issue" was the Derpy Voiceover Change, however, there was a strong resentment by members of the Furry Community against Bronies, and there was kinda an "ANTI-MLP" movement on the board. The Bronies seemed nicer and more cohesive then, and I was hearing of the charity work they were doing.  There seems to be more toxicity among some brony elements now, and more infighting, well a lot moreso than at the time, incidents were less.  Overall, the internet was more vengeful at the Bronies, then again, this was at the height of MLP proliferation, when ponies were popping up practically everywhere. 

[cmarston1 5,959]

As someone who has been involved with it sense 2012 and before the third season premiered a lot has changed.

I have to agree that the biggest turning point had to be the end of season 3 with the massive drama that took place over Twilight becoming an alicorn and the announcement of Equestria Girls.

Those were some pretty nasty months, I'll tell you.  I definitely wish I never had to deal with that sort of drama.

After that I feel like the fandom become more at its own throats, and much less cohesive than it used to.

[Will Guide 21,360]

I saw the first two episodes of FiM in Summer 2012, but didn't binge watch the series and officially joined the herd until April 2013 AFTER Season 3 finished! When it comes to this fandom, people join and leave the herd on a frequent basics.

I personally think the fan base is more or less the same since I joined the herd!

[GeekySonic 1,150]

Well, I joined the fandom in 2015, but I had been keeping an eye on it since early 2013. It was more fun back then.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

An addendum.

I've made brony friends during my time in the fanbase. Some came and went, others I'm still in touch with. Very few of them on both camps would still associate themselves with the fanbase even if they are still watching the show. I've even seen some who stopped watching the show itself because their experience in the fanbase simply ruined it for them. One of them went as far as to say that not even the furry fanbase is more hospitable than the brony fanbase.

[Ganondorf8 11,281]

It's been a mixed blessing from what I've been seeing. The show has definitely gotten better over the years yet the fandom has been pretty divisive especially since Starlight was reformed at the end of season five. Though, there was Equestria Girls when it first was announced and Twilight ascending to the status of alicorn that were also controversial debates across the fandom.

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

I joined a little before Season 3 began, and the next several months after that were very dramatic. Equestria Girls was announced, Twilight became an alicorn, Fighting is Magic got C&D'd, and there're probably other controversies I'm not remembering. The Twilicorn thing was probably the most divisive, with a lot of people making wild predictions, bashing people who liked the change, and some I believe even threatened a few of the writers. On the other hand, lots of people who weren't too big on the change but were generally more mature about it got lumped in with the crazies and caught some flak from the pro-Alicorn crowd. It was all very stupid and unpleasant.

The fandom now seems a lot more chill, though that might be because I'm less involved in it . Can't even recall the last time there was real drama.

[Kiri 7,288]

I joined the pony community back in 2013. It was far more lively from what I can remember. There were quite a few animators, analyzers, singers, and projects in general. I remember there being a trend of taking pictures of your pony figures in various outdoor environments and drawing ponies in random places to see if anyone noticed. While there is still a following, I've noticed that it isn't what it used to be. Many veteran fans are moving on to other fandoms and quit a few pony YouTubers no longer covering MLP subjects. I was friends with some users here who went inactive, and I do miss them. I have seen people mention that they were very young during the show's inception and left the fandom when their life obligations increased as they grew up. Clearly, this does not hold true for everyone, but it does account for the departure of some.

I'd say I also have mixed feelings about my time in the fandom. While I'm not too interested in watching the show nowadays, I am still very much into the pony art community. It is a bit sad seeing some of my favorite artists move away from pony art. I do cherish all of the great memories and experiences I have had throughout the past four years, however. Nothing will replace it! I like being a part of these forums because there is plenty of content to participate in, even for those who are no longer a part of the fandom.  

 

This was one of the first fan songs I listened to. I still love it to this day! I remember a time when I was learning to sing it.  

 

[Luminance 2,186]

It seems like the fandom was better during the time of it's inception just by looking at the replies above me. I'm still glad that I can still enjoy it in 2017 even if the good ol' days are long gone. 

[KrazyDashie 1,847]

 

well... there was this song from long ago  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4amc3a8IqE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMO4AWxhSRw

 

[Snow Frostflame 3,568]

I became a brony back in late 2012 (a month before S3 came out), but didn't go looking for the community till 2014 when I arrived on MLPF. Haven't the foggiest clue as to what it was like back then, but I'll tell you what I know. There were a lot of Brony musicians rising up left and right, lots of pony related content everywhere, and debates who best pony was. The brotherhood was also high in numbers around those times... wasn't as easy to avoid'em as it was to troll them.... OH, I remember when Twilight became an Alicorn.... heheh, soo many people were throwing hissy fits about that.

[Jeric 46,850]

I got my kids into the show back in late 2010 early 2011. While the show didn't grab me until about three years later in 2014, you couldn't escape some of the more shared art and videos being a casual animation geek. That, coupled with my kid's continued interest in the show, gave me a unusual neutral vantage point. It definitely had a closer feel at times. 

By the time I became a fan, the fandom had gone through some of the more well known 'cataclysms' and there was a slight edge and cynicism from some, but not the majority. As someone who is more seasoned and world weary than most, yet with my own passionate tendencies, I found the old guard and the 2014 era fandom a curious mixture of naivete, salt, suspicion with optimism, a good natured spirit, and good intentions. 

I was impressed at the density of talent and intellect the fandom showed, though there was is a distinct lack of real world awareness and pragmatism. The positives far outweighed the negatives, and at the time I was rather enamored with the community at large. 

In many respects I still am, though it is too difficult to analyze with any unbiased opinion as my experiences as a Brony and interacting with individual Bronies are tangentially connected to some extremely personal and world shattering life events. 

I have formed close bonds and friendships here and in other places that will carry me long past the last episode of FiM. These aren't internet friends, but people I would invite to huge life events such as a wedding, a baptism, or a graduation. I have guided people through personal shitstorms, and been picked up when I was in need of a kindness or two. If not for some people, I would be still struggling with some things. 

It has been a rollercoaster experience, but for all the heartaches, it was absolutely worth it. I miss those who I no longer interact with, but feel blessed by those that I do keep close connections with. 

TL;DR

The fandom was good, and I suspect it still is.

[Psychic Shimmer 20]

I remember being around 14 when bronies really started to become a thing. I really loved mlp as a little girl so I was super quick to jump onto the hype. I remember I was also very very active in the furry community. I remember that there was a HUGE...very...ironic rivalry between fandoms. Furries saw bronies as "fakes" and bronies saw furries as "nsfw freaks". I remember how furries got blamed left and right for apparently being the sole cause of "Clop" . ( To be fair I kinda got the reasoning. I've had so many horrific experiences with furries over my 8 years in the fandom. I find them to be way way too sexually charged as a majority. I do very much enjoy anthro animals, but I prefer the brony fandom as we tend to have actual canon and lore which is a huge part of the series itself whereas furry is much more lose and based on the ideas of others in the community. Much easier to find what you're looking for in the herd than with furries..again since it is such a chaotic fandom with no canon universe. 100% user created. also-furries don't eat me. Nothing wrong with sexuality/fetish It's just not my cup o tea   )
 I remember when season 2 came out and they had a sort of music video..cameo.. thing, where applejack mentioned mentioned bronies canonically, and I remember the gigantic explosion of "SENPAI NOTICED US" and it was the first time bronies were truly acknowledged in the canon by the writers. That was super cool. I even remember the very early days on 4chan.. since I was an edgy teenager and I hung around there anyway.. Bronies..oh man, they DEFINITELY caused a crap-storm  over there on /b/ so much so that they were basically forced to make a whole new board for us fans because we spammed /b/ so much lol. and then ponychan was born. I remember Sim Gretina's beginnings and I'm very nostalgic over lots of those songs. Being a teenager listening to those songs drawing ponies.. I even remember there was other bronies in my school too.. I remember when desktop ponies got first developed and how EVERYONE was super into it and wanted to make their ocs.. I remember when people flipped their you-know-what over the prices of custom plushies that were selling for up to like 4k. I remember when cupcakes first came out and how it was SUPER SUPER controversial in the fandom. Yes lot's has changed. I took a hiatus the last two years. It seems that the brony fandom has calmed down a lot over the years I've noticed. Ponies are not ALL OVER THE INTERNET ALL THE TIME anymore, but yet tend to stay in their own communities now. There's a lot more disturbing art than when the fandom was in it's prime but I suppose that's just what happens to massive fandoms. 

Also. Friendship is Witchcraft. Sweetiebot is BAE. most nostalgic thing for me I'd say. I loved that dumb abridged series.  

EDIT: ALSO I REMEMBER WHEN EQUESTIRA DAILY WAS JUST A SMOL BABBU AND WAS LIKE THE ONLY BRONY SITE ON THE INTERNET FOR A LITTLE BIT 

Edited May 19, 2017 by Psychic Shimmer

[Star Petal 215]

I started watching sometime around Season 4 I think. I have never paid attention to the actual community, Just popped around, listened to some music here and there, watched episodes etc. 

[碇 シンジン 27,431]

well i would say that the fandom and its behaviour as a whole havent changed as much as you would think it has though it largely depends on what parts of a fandow you have been active in to notice any changes if there were any since i dont think lot of people if any have been able to be somewhat involved in every part of the fandom  and based on my observation on the parts that i've been active in I havent really seen that big of a difference.

[twilight24 322]

I've been a brony since 2012ish. I think like anything it has its ups and downs, drama and fun, life lessons, and whole lots more. For me I still feel connected to the show and community, even if I havent finished season 6 or always reply or visit the forum. I'm still here and proud to be a brony/pegasister! <3

[Steve Piranha 29,419]

I've joined the fandom shortly about halfway of S3. When I became enamored with the show, I've investigated a bit of fan project and such, but My Little Dashie, Story of the Blanks, and Fallout Equestria, Super Filly Adventure, that Smash Bros ponies that was subject to a S&D later on, and of course, Banned from Equestria Daily  (that made me get into clop BTW  ). I wasn't into the personal lives of artists, Tumblrs, nor brony music even then, but I feel like the fandom covered more areas and bigger project back then. Maybe it's me, but I think most fan stuff limit themselves in art and music, while I think there were more games and other bigger projects  (maybe it's because of the infamous S&D) 

[gamecubeguy214 2,512]

I joined the brony community in I think 2011. The community was so much more enthusiastic and it felt so good to be in. It used to be all like "20% COOLER SWAG HATERS GONNA HATE" in the big meme captions on a picture of Rainbow Dash wearing her shades. The episodes in season 2, possibly my favorite season, were so amazing to me and I have a lot of nostalgia for them. These days, the bronies aren't really as loud as they used to be and the community feels like nothing but people who like My Little Pony and that's it.

[Ra1nbowCrasH 272]

I feel like both the show and fandom peaked around Season 2, then hipsters started joining, we had Twilicorn, Lauren Faust left. A lot of stuff went wrong at that point. The mane (huehuehuehue I said mane instead of main) reason I think the fandom has gotten worse is the so many of my favorite fanfiction authors have left, quite a few of my favorite stories will never be finished. The show's quality, while not necessarily worse, has changed because most of the original writers have left. I also don't like being the only one in my group of friends still into the show.