Being alone in liking a specific pony

[ManaMinori 4,145]

This fandom is weird. Most everyone is honed in on the tv series, and arguing about best pony, and me....well, I'm just sitting here, just gushing about how amazing and utterly adorable g4 Star Dreams  http://www.mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Star_Dreams is, and making/ requesting fanart, fanfics, and theories about her. It's sad to me that so many g4 fans are so displaced from the toyline, because no one really knows who this cute pony is, and I can't really talk to anyone about her, or bring attention to her, because no one wants anything to do with anything that isn't the series and its canon.

 

Has anyone else in the fandom had such a predicament?

[Jeric 46,851]

4 minutes ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

This fandom is weird. Most everyone is honed in on the tv series, and arguing about best pony, and me....well, I'm just sitting here, just gushing about how amazing and utterly adorable g4 Star Dreams  http://www.mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Star_Dreams is, and making/ requesting fanart, fanfics, and theories about her. It's sad to me that so many g4 fans are so displaced from the toyline, because no one really knows who this cute pony is, and I can't really talk to anyone about her, or bring attention to her, because no one wants anything to do with anything that isn't the series and its canon.

 

Has anyone else in the fandom had such a predicament?

Updated topic title to make it align with your closing question and invite people to talk about their own experiences.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Just now, Jeric said:

Updated topic title to make it align with your closing question and invite people to talk about their own experiences.

good looking out, Jeric

[Mirage 24,766]

I read your article on Amino and, like you said, there's very little info out there. I think she's interesting though, and such a cool name. No cutie mark though?

I often feel alone with my liking of Sea Swirl. 

[ManaMinori 4,145]

13 minutes ago, Mirage said:

I read your article on Amino and, like you said, there's very little info out there. I think she's interesting though, and such a cool name. No cutie mark though?

I often feel alone with my liking of Sea Swirl. 

hey, thanks for reading it! I'll definitely be making more entries about her. (which amino was it? I'm no several) I'm big into astronomy, so yes, I adore her name too! No cutie mark, though, but that's fine by me. a g1 pony named Ember didn't have one either, and there aren't many recordings of made ponies without cutie marks/ symbols, which I think, makes her all the more special.

 

aww, Sea Swirl. I see her hanging around Ponyville in the backgrounds pretty often. I was actually attempting to draw her

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Nightmare Muffin

[EpicEnergy 23,218]

I used to hold strictly to canon. However, the fan art, fan-fics, SFMs, and other fan-made content - I've opened up to these things, and it's funny because I used to push them aside because I had no interest in them. I don't hold strictly to canon now, and I love many fan-made things; why, some I even consider some to be as good as the show is!

Thanks for making me aware of Star Dreams! I didn't know about her because I don't buy any toys or pay attention to them, but that doesn't mean I don't care about the characters. I think Star Dreams is a fantastic character now that I've seen her! Just like you, I'd also like to see art and fan-fics about her!

[Passion 3,484]

So... like... what makes her any different from an OC if we exclude the fact she is an official release?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

5 minutes ago, EpicEnergy said:

I used to hold strictly to canon. However, the fan art, fan-fics, SFMs, and other fan-made content - I've opened up to these things, and it's funny because I used to push them aside because I had no interest in them. I don't hold strictly to canon now, and I love many fan-made things; why, some I even consider some to be as good as the show is!

Thanks for making me aware of Star Dreams! I didn't know about her because I don't buy any toys or pay attention to them, but that doesn't mean I don't care about the characters. I think Star Dreams is a fantastic character now that I've seen her! Just like you, I'd also like to see art and fan-fics about her!

I'm pleased to hear that people are stepping outside solely taking the tv show as canon. There's a TON of content, both fan-made, and official, such as the comics, and books, as you said, that have interesting stories and characters that the tv show doesn't always get to touch on. One thing I think people forget is that the show is meant to promote the toys, so the toys actually hold more of a priority (as a toy company, Hasbro would agree, I'm sure).

you are very welcome! I'm happy to spread my admiration and fondness of this cute little filly. Truthfully, I have grown tired of  collecting g4 ponies (it's nothing but mane 6 + gimmick, nowadays. They used to make more of a variety of ponies in FiM's earlier years), but I will always love little Star. I can throw some links to some fanworks of mine (and others'), if you're interested.....

3 minutes ago, Passion said:

So... like... what makes her any different from an OC if we exclude the fact she is an official release?

.........are you aware that every pony under Hasbro licensing is an original character? Even the mane six.

[EpicEnergy 23,218]

Just now, Nightmare Muffin said:

I can throw some links to some fanworks of mine (and others'), if you're interested.....

I did visit the Star Dreams fanclub, so I've seen some of the art! However, you can still give me some links, thanks!

[ManaMinori 4,145]

43 minutes ago, EpicEnergy said:

I did visit the Star Dreams fanclub, so I've seen some of the art! However, you can still give me some links, thanks!

here you go.

https://www.deviantart.com/duomochiaro/art/The-Bond-We-Share-770853152

https://www.deviantart.com/duomochiaro/art/Star-Dreams-Compilation-770299843

(also, I'm in the process of constructing a very lengthy theory about her (hopefully it'll be in collaboration with EE, so stay tuned for that.) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPnBVy9b8MtZsgFw8UASDUA

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

2 hours ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

This fandom is weird. Most everyone is honed in on the tv series, and arguing about best pony, and me....well, I'm just sitting here, just gushing about how amazing and utterly adorable g4 Star Dreams  http://www.mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Star_Dreams is, and making/ requesting fanart, fanfics, and theories about her. It's sad to me that so many g4 fans are so displaced from the toyline, because no one really knows who this cute pony is, and I can't really talk to anyone about her, or bring attention to her, because no one wants anything to do with anything that isn't the series and its canon.

 

Has anyone else in the fandom had such a predicament?

I have the same feeling towards Minty, but that’s mainly for a portrayal of her being second eldest Rarity child and my favorite OC’s biological sister in one of my favorite fics 

[ManaMinori 4,145]

11 minutes ago, Steve Piranha said:

I have the same feeling towards Minty, but that’s mainly for a portrayal of her being second eldest Rarity child and my favorite OC’s biological sister in one of my favorite fics 

I'll admit, Minty is cute, and there's more to her than just socks, as the g4 fandom likes to focus on, when they do dare to acknowledge g3, rather than criticizing it. She may be a distant relative of Derpy, or she may be related to Twist and/ or Minty Bubblegum. Either way, I like that she's been given an inclusion in the toyline of g4, at the very least.

[SharpWit 2,647]

Not sure how people are supposed to know about a pony who is exclusively from the toy line or really how what their appeal is if they don't have any character beyond an appearance and name. Her colors work fine but it's a very generic almost cotton candy design.

I would like to see more fan art for the Pony of Shadows. There's some out there that's very good but I haven't come across very much. He's not even close to being my favorite on any level but I think there's a lot you can do with his design. After all, we have some gorgeous peices of King Sombra.

[Passion 3,484]

Perhaps I didn't make myself very clear. Erase Hasbro from equation. Ignore the fact that she's been released by official sources. What is so special about her that I should turn my head and spare my love for this character if we assume Hasbro had nothing to do with her?

Is the fact that Hasbro released a random toy character who doesn't even have any backstory whatsoever automatically recognized as superior to characters of people who have put a lot of work into writing really good personalities and stories for them? Because I do have fond memories of many fandom OCs, and I love a lot of in-show characters, but the one you are presenting... It's only visual design. There's really nothing more to it. And design is strictly subjective term to perceive.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

13 minutes ago, SharpWit said:

Not sure how people are supposed to know about a pony who is exclusively from the toy line or really how what their appeal is if they don't have any character beyond an appearance and name. Her colors work fine but it's a very generic almost cotton candy design.

I would like to see more fan art for the Pony of Shadows. There's some out there that's very good but I haven't come across very much. He's not even close to being my favorite on any level but I think there's a lot you can do with his design. After all, we have some gorgeous peices of King Sombra.

well, here's the thing- the people who liked the first 3 gens of mlp were focused on the toys rather than the tv series. As one who grew up with the brand, I do the same (granted, I do also enjoy the tv series) g4 fans differentiated from that completely after 27 years of the series not being the standard, and lack knowledge about the toyline, The extreme focus of the tv show has only been going on for the 8 years that FiM fans have manifested (so it's not really 'normal' by the standards of fans who came before). Please try to understand that.

PoS might get more fanart now that he's reappeared in the Nightmare Knights comic. Only time will tell.

 

[BornAgainBrony 2,397]

1 hour ago, Passion said:

Is the fact that Hasbro released a random toy character who doesn't even have any backstory whatsoever automatically recognized as superior to characters of people who have put a lot of work into writing really good personalities and stories for them?

Eh... why not both? Sombra didn't really come a really big deal to me (beyond, "Alright that's kinda cool") until I started looking at fanworks and "EU" stuff. Now he's my favorite villain.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

Breaking news: there are official characters only collectors care about. If I need to invest into a blank slate character I'd rather just create one that I can own, thank you.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

16 minutes ago, Goat-kun said:

Breaking news: there are official characters only collectors care about. If I need to invest into a blank slate character I'd rather just create one that I can own, thank you.

weren't the now popular "secondary six"  background ponies (Vinyl Scratch, Octavia, Dr Whooves, Derpy, Bon Bon, Lra) also 'blank slate' characters?

[Hardway Bet 96]

15 hours ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

The extreme focus of the tv show has only been going on for the 8 years that FiM fans have manifested (so it's not really 'normal' by the standards of fans who came before). Please try to understand that.

Yes, but those aren't really comparable. The new wave of pony fans were people who got into a quality cartoon, while the old fans were toy collectors. They're not really the same fandom in any way that matters. Completely different interests.

 

I do feel the pain, though. Twist was never seen again after season one...

Edited November 5, 2018 by Hardway Bet

[Goat-kun 2,527]

1 hour ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

weren't the now popular "secondary six"  background ponies (Vinyl Scratch, Octavia, Dr Whooves, Derpy, Bon Bon, Lra) also 'blank slate' characters?

They came with basic info and unique behavior and/or design. Toy-only ponies are complete blank slates.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

1 hour ago, Hardway Bet said:

Yes, but those aren't really comparable. The new wave of pony fans were people who got into a quality cartoon, while the old fans were toy collectors. They're not really the same fandom in any way that matters. Completely different interests.

 

I do feel the pain, though. Twist was never seen again after season one...

fair enough, I suppose......

 

actually, Twist had silent cameos in season 2 (Return of Harmony pt. 1, The Cutie Pox, Family Appreciation Day, Hearts and Hooves Day), season 4 (Flight to the finish, Filly Vanilli, Twilight Time, Inspiration Manifestation, Hearth's Warming Tail, Cart Before the Ponies), season 7 (Fame and Misfortune), and season 8 (Marks for Effort)

 

however, it does feel like she's being phased out ): I really wanted her and Apple Bloom to get back together and hang out

[Savy 5,077]

Yeah I guess I can definitely relate to that..... Um.

[dead account 2,710]

There are many really nice ponies. One I would love to see more about is Sans Smirk! I love that guy! He only has around 20 fan arts.

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

On 2018-11-04 at 7:31 PM, ManaMinori said:

This fandom is weird. Most everyone is honed in on the tv series, and arguing about best pony, and me....well, I'm just sitting here, just gushing about how amazing and utterly adorable g4 Star Dreams  http://www.mylittlewiki.org/wiki/Star_Dreams is, and making/ requesting fanart, fanfics, and theories about her. It's sad to me that so many g4 fans are so displaced from the toyline, because no one really knows who this cute pony is, and I can't really talk to anyone about her, or bring attention to her, because no one wants anything to do with anything that isn't the series and its canon.

 

Has anyone else in the fandom had such a predicament?

I actually quite like Star Dreams! I used to include her in a story of mine and made a mom for her as well. I might pick the story back up some day, who knows.

[Ika Musume 54]

For a while I thought I was the only Queen Haven enjoyer