Were the earlier G5 character designs better?

[Cheerilee 26,577]

Were the earlier G5 designs better? From what I have seen, this seems to be an early concept art of the characters. I must say, I much prefer this look to what we've got in the actual show. Zipp here is the one that looks the best in my opinion, but I really wish the G5 ponies looked like this instead of what we got in the show. Blue Hitch is perfect. Pipp here looks much better, as well. I love everything about these designs.

 

[North Star 4,997]

Tall Izzy with a beanie is better. Otherwise pretty similar

[Jesse Terrence 2,968]

Except for Pipp and Izzy, I think the rest were way better.

[Misty Shadow 7,731]

Izzy and Hitch's old designs are the only ones that I care for. Goggles don't fit Sunny, Pipp's design is very generic to me, and Zipp's design makes her feel too much like a Rainbow Dash clone. I prefer the redesigns we got. 

[Megas 27,514]

Sunny is the only one I prefer the original over her current design, though mainly because I have a weakness for goggles 

[Cheerilee 26,577]

19 minutes ago, Megas said:

Sunny is the only one I prefer the original over her current design, though mainly because I have a weakness for goggles 

You and me both.

[User without a name 47]

I can't deny these designs look really good and it would have been interesting to see them in the final product, but at the same time I've gotten used to the current designs and they also look good too

[nataalya 42]

Nice concept. I like all of them except Zipp. I prefer her in the current colors.  She reminds someone of RD here - but more like Tempest to me... Her mane is definitely better on the concept.

And those stars on Hitch. I know he's a sheriff, but it doesn't mean he has to look like a cop car since childhood. But very well chosen colors for him.

Edited January 5, 2023 by nataalya

[Fluttershutter 2,365]

The only ones I really like are Sunny and Hitch.

[Splashee 28,559]

Very engaging 2D characters. Varying colorful ponies are why I am here. G5 would have been interesting with these designs. I like the glasses on Sunny. I like the individual personality each character got in this very drawing.

3D involves lighting, perspective, and all that stuff that kinda limits character design. These ponies wouldn't have looked as good, so I can understand why they went with what we have today.

[They call me Loyalty 1,948]

Yeah. The 3d models look a bit chunky.

[Rosy Moonlight 369]

I find the color schemes too similar to each other—too much pink, blue, and purple. I cannot tell if Izzy is covered in paint in the photo, but if she isn't, I love how her fur pattern makes her look like she is.

Here are my opinions.

Zipp here is too pink. She looks good in white.

Pipp here looks too generic. I love her current 1920s-style hairpiece headdress. I don't like the yellow/blonde at the bottom half of her hooves because they look out-of-place, to a lesser extent compared to Sunny's.

I love Sunny's hair here because it looks less generic than her current hair. I don't think the goggles fit her character that well. I don't like the pink on the bottom half of her hooves because they look out of place, even more so than Pipp's.

I don't like Izzy's decorations here. I love how current Izzy looks, though I am not sure of the color scheme.

Hitch here looks like he could be a performing cousin of the current Hitch. I really hope that the current Hitch will have a performing cousin that looks like that.