My Little Dashie Isn't That Sad?

[Dr Manehattan 17]

I wasn't an enormous fan of it either. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I'm thinking the "You don't have a soul" or "What can be sadder than that!?" sort of comments are like memes. MLD is just sort of a poster child for sad Pony fiction.

But I think the story affects people differently. Some people might be younger and haven't even been exposed to some of the sadder stories and sadder parts of life. I think teenage girls cry during Twilight because they've never watched anything on the level of Schindler's List. I think one reason I didn't connect to MLD as much as others was because 1. I felt the protagonist was a bit selfish and 2. I was expecting a personal connection because I had recently lost a pet myself... but I felt like the Dashie character wasn't used in a way that could make that connection possible.

 

I'm working with MyLittleDriver and although neither of us had the sort of strong tearjerker reactions to it as others, we thought it was a good enough story for us to try to adapt.

 

The reason we wanted to adapt it was because we knew a film based on that story would mean a lot to a lot of Bronies, and we wanted to make something for the fans to enjoy. The premise is what attracted me and what we're writing isn't a word for word adaptation... but it'll bear similarities. We also like the idea of blending live action and animation. And any other Pony fanfic is difficult to do in live-action due to their scale and the fact that they take place in Equestria and are about the ponies. We also wanted it to be something that we'd personally watch, so we're sort of concentrating on making it more emotional, but also more subtle.

 

With all that said, the story is overrated. That doesn't mean it's bad, it's not bad at all, it just means it gets more attention than you'd expect it to. But I'd say the same about "Inception" and "Avatar" which are two of my favorite films. I don't consider it to be something that automatically makes people cry, but maybe I have a weird sense of what's sad and what isn't. I felt nothing for most of "Precious" but I teared up at the end of "Speed Racer" and all 3 Batman movies.

I'm also dort of desensitized by most Pony fan-fiction because I read actual books. Not to be offensive, but most fanfic writers aren't established authors. One of the saddest books I've ever read was "Never Let Me Go" and even then, I didn't cry like a baby. I shed a few tears when I started thinking about the characters after I finished. I've never seen or read anything powerful enough to really, really make me cry though.

 

BTW If you guys are into sad books, I highly recommend reading "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro or at least watching the movie which was pretty good(the acting by Andrew Garfield was fantastic).

Edited August 5, 2012 by Dr Manehattan

[~Lawful Jordo~ 2,064]

It was more from a parental standing in my opinion. For me, nothing seems more tragic than losing your child, biological or not. It just kind of hits me.

 

I can also kind of relate to the character, I've been in that place where everything in your life seems utterly meaningless.

 

I guess we all just have different things that make us sad, but i'm a pretty emotional guy.

 

I also cried buckets when I read A Precious Rainbow, sooo yeahhh

Edited August 5, 2012 by Eljordo

[Driz 1,552]

Many people didn't find it sad as well, but that's just a matter of opinion. No one can say you're a heartless monster for not crying over something everyone else does.

 

I'll admit, I cried like a baby over My Little Dashie, and I sincerely don't know why. When I first read it, I had only watched seven or eight episodes of the show, so I wasn't very familiar with MLP and its characters yet. I was just looking for a fanfic to try out and everywhere I looked, people were talking about this one.

 

I can also kind of relate to the character, I've been in that place where everything in your life seems utterly meaningless.

 

I guess we all just have different things that make us sad, but i'm a pretty emotional guy.

 

^that

 

I believe I've managed to put myself into the story because of that, and I had the very true feeling of a magical and wonderful event happening in my life that would change everything. That whacked me like a dream.

 

...But again, that's just a matter of opinion!

Edited August 5, 2012 by DrizzleSTAR

[Thunderbolt 35]

I shed a few tears over it its sad but not sad enough to get me to bawl my eyes out, its one great story though.

[SBaby 660]

I'm sorry, but I'm gonna say it right now. It didn't make me cry. I mean, I can understand why it would make people cry. But it didn't have that effect on me. There's a reason though.

 

See, the problem with me is, almost nothing makes me cry anymore. Not since... Mother 3. Good GOD, was that game depressing! It was so sad that it's actually considered by alot of people and a few magazines to be the world's saddest video game. Yes, even sadder than Shadow of the Colossus. Yes, even sadder than Klonoa. And yes, even sadder than watching the artificial Mew die in Pokemon.

 

I'm not trying to go off topic. I'm just putting it into perspective. Basically, because of Mother 3, there isn't really a whole heck of alot that's sad to me anymore.

Edited August 5, 2012 by SBaby

[GrooveBroove 680]

It's only sad if you play the Dead Island Trailer Music behind it.

That music makes anything sad to be honest though.

[Twi Rubix 726]

Everyone has different views. Some find it really sad, some find it just... meh. Its fine to have an opinion. Personally, I did find it sad near the end, but it wasn't "Crying a River", but I did feel slightly choked up at about then end, but that's just me.

[Carolina 212]

I didn't think "My Little Dashie" was that good, either. The end is a little bit sad, but not the saddest thing I've read by a long shot. I do think the idea behind it is pretty interesting/original, but I also think that people over look its flaws because of its popularity. The beginning and the ending were the only really memorable parts, while the middle dragged quite a lot.

[Coolius rpi 117]

See, the problem with me is, almost nothing makes me cry anymore. Not since... Mother 3. Good GOD, was that game depressing! It was so sad that it's actually considered by alot of people and a few magazines to be the world's saddest video game. Yes, even sadder than Shadow of the Colossus. Yes, even sadder than Klonoa. And yes, even sadder than watching the artificial Mew die in Pokemon.

 

I didnt know what mother 3 was, so I looked it up on wikipedia, and apparently its a video game..? It was only released in Japan, so how did you play it? Weird, huh?

[Retden 19]

According to me, the fic is just a little sad, I've read stuff even sadder. For example the Discord and Chrysalis fic I read somewhere on EqD but I forgot the name.

[rcollinz13 428]

It's the same kind of idea with the fanfic cupcakes. There will be some people that are very disturbed by it, and some people that won't. With my little dashie some people might find it more sad because it might relate to something that happened to them in life.

[Raspberry32 226]

I admit, I have told some people they are pretty ridiculous for thinking it isn't that sad. Now, don't take me for a jerk yet. The only people I have said that to are my really close friends. I say they are ridiculous because I know them, and most of them try to act all hard, but they aren't. They are really emotional actually. They have cried at things less emotional than MLD. So, when they said it wasn't as sad as I said it was, I knew they were lying through their teeth.

[SBaby 660]

I didnt know what mother 3 was, so I looked it up on wikipedia, and apparently its a video game..? It was only released in Japan, so how did you play it? Weird, huh?

 

Fear not, I didn't pirate it. I generally avoid doing that unless I have no other way to physically be able to play the game (and even then I'll still try to legitimately buy a copy).

 

I bought it as an import and patched it with a fan translation. It took about a half hour to get everything working. The problem was I could only play it on an Emulator, because at the time, I had no flash cards. So once it was patched, I had no way to get it back onto a cartridge.

 

But yes, Mother 3 is really sad. I cannot stress that enough.

 

I was simply using the game as a way to put my situation with MLD in perspective.

Edited August 5, 2012 by SBaby

[Music Chart Fan 818]

I agree with the OP. Heh heh, the writing style of this fanfic made me think of how I would write a fanfic if I were ever to write one - kind of stiff, trying to include details but ending up being bare-bones, writing about emotions but not really making them come across effectively. I recognize that there are some sad concepts here - a child moving out never to be seen again, being unable to relive good times in your past, memories of these good times gradually fading in your imperfect memory - but this particular story didn't have much emotional impact on me. However, I have a very narrow emotional range and am rarely much affected by stories like these.

[DeiStar 248]

See, the reason why MLD is overhyped and overrated, it's because people most people relate to the guy in the fic.

No life, sad, pathetic, no friends, etc, who has nothing else but FiM.

 

One day, outta nowhere, he finds a pony. Woot, the dream of every brony: getting a pony!

 

So, yes, in the end, the reader finds himself self-inserting to that guy, and he goes all weepy eyes when Dash is taken back.

 

Mere wish of fulfillment fic. "I wish I had a pony to love IRL"

 

Very overrated, but hey, it's the people who decided to make it what it is now, not aware of the loads of better pieces of fanfiction out there.

[Night Shine 767]

 

Seriously though, I listened to Mic the Microphone's dramatic reading of MLD on Youtube.

 

And I loved it.

 

It was sad, it was beautiful, and yet the ending left me with a strange sad-yet-satisfied feeling I haven't felt since I finished playing Mother 3.

 

I feel like too many people are going beyond what is necessary in stating "it wasn't that great" and coming off as haters. Maybe if someponies were just slightly less blunt, it wouldn't come off quite as...well...mean-spirited.

[DeiStar 248]

I feel like too many people are going beyond what is necessary in stating "it wasn't that great" and coming off as haters.

 

Disliking this fic doesn't turn us all into haters.

 

Dislike is not equal hate.

 

I dislike this fic, yet, I'm not a hater who hates it without a reason, like a hater.

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

i personally was on the verge of tears when reading the ending (and trust me, i NEVER cry about anything along the lines of sadfic)... but i can relate, i havent cried for alot of things most people would cry for.

[Ad Foedera Cresco 188]

When I first read it, I knew I wasn't going to cry but have a few frowns and sad moments. Everybody thinks it's a very sad, (and well written) story. I played some fitting music and that's what got to me. Not the story itself, because it didn't give the reader too much visual and much of the 5 senses at all, but the combination of sad music and the story got me. I would've cried if it had more detail in any of the 5 senses, and went deeper to how the main character actually felt, but other than that it's just like any other sad story.

[John 793]

>>>>>:: ((( You soulless automaton!!! Jk, the thing that is so sad about that story is the fact that the main character pretty much has a lonely terrible life and he gets screwed out of every chance at happiness. But seriously, This is you!!! (See attached pic)

Edited August 13, 2012 by John

[Music Chart Fan 818]

See, the reason why MLD is overhyped and overrated, it's because people most people relate to the guy in the fic. No life, sad, pathetic, no friends, etc, who has nothing else but FiM. One day, outta nowhere, he finds a pony. Woot, the dream of every brony: getting a pony! So, yes, in the end, the reader finds himself self-inserting to that guy, and he goes all weepy eyes when Dash is taken back. Mere wish of fulfillment fic. "I wish I had a pony to love IRL" Very overrated, but hey, it's the people who decided to make it what it is now, not aware of the loads of better pieces of fanfiction out there.

You make a good point. While I am somewhat like the main character, i.e., I don't have much of a "life" and I don't hang out with or talk to other people very often, I do not wish that I had a pony to love in real life, and so maybe I couldn't relate to the main character. This story is wish fulfillment fantasy, but since I have never had that wish, I was not invested into the story as much as others who do have that wish.

[p51 15]

I've read My Little Dashie before, and I'm getting kind of sick of everyone expecting me to think its so sad. I've told people before that I never really got anything from it, and they usually replied: "What is wrong with you?" Or "You have no soul." I don't like to believe that i'm a soulless husk, because I have cried at a lot of things before. (the end of the dark knight rises.) So I read it again to try to find what people liked so much in it, and still nothing came to me.

 

So im asking you, am I a bad person because I dislike something everyone else likes, or is there something im missing? what did you find so sad about it? (if you found the fic to be sad, that is.)

everyone told me that I am a heartless bastard just because I didnt find a fanfic to be as good as everyone says.

If I could find one brony, just one brony that didnt find it sad, maybe I would feel more normal.

I know almost every brony with at least a double-digit IQ has read this, and am I the only one that thought it wa s waste of time?

 

So all in all, what is wrong with me and what do you find sad about it?

 

I cried 5 times when I read it (not full out sob, but tear up a bit). I don't cry during stories, or movies much (can't actually remember I movie I cried at the end of. Nope, not even Dark Knight Rising. Several of my friends were like "WHATS WRONG WITH YOU?!")

 

About MLD, I found the amount of emotion in it, especially towards the end, led me to cry. I really liked it though, a very well written story. To quote Markus Zusak, "You laugh, you cry, and then you come back for more"

Edited August 13, 2012 by p51

[Ajay 10]

I would have to say 'My little Dashie' is not a sad story as the main character improves his life and completes what he set out to accomplish by keeping Rainbow Dash safe and well cared for until she can return to where she belonged.

[FedoraMemes 582]

I did find it sad, and I cried, but apart from that. I think it is incredibly overrated.

 

Dude, you are entitled to your opinion, if you didn't find it soul crushing, that's fine, but to the people who are saying he's a bad person, he's not, it just didn't affect him as much as you.

[pjsforever 89]

I personally didn't think My Little Dashie was that sad. Rainbow Dash didn't really have much of a Rainbow Dash attitude (or is it just me?) and I couldn't relate to the main character very well. I barely teared up, and even then I was making an almost conscious effort to cry like I do when something isn't sad enough to get much of an emotional reaction out of me. (Hopefully that's not too lame xD) Not many things can make me cry anymore. I didn't even cry at the end of any Batman movies. The only story that genuinely made me cry was Zusak's "The Book Thief." That book was amazing. I don't read enough sad books... I love sad stories.

 

Anyway, I have to agree with the OP. My Little Dashie is pretty overrated and isn't as heart-wrenchingly sad as people say it is. I can see why people think so if they relate to the main character, but otherwise...

Edited August 18, 2012 by cleva