What if they hadn't been ponies?

[silvadel 1,393]

If it were not ponies, I do not think it would have quite the appeal. The problem with other races is with ponies you have unicorns, earth ponies and pegasi. It would be hard to have such a triumvirate with other animals and that could cost them some majesty.

[Forlong 1,725]

Rejected names for the product line:

"My Little Piggies"

"My Little Harpies"

"My Little Allergies"

"My Little Cobras"

"My Little Republicans"

[Cakesplat 38]

If they were cats instead of ponies, something tells me Fluttershy would be a ragdoll and Rarity would be something fancy like a bengal or savannah. Just sayin'.

Edited September 7, 2012 by Cakesplat

[thegoodhen 698]

It might be even better if they were chicken.

But then we would be called brokens. O_o

 

But it's kinda hard to imagine... One reason why ponies were a good choice is because they are real animals, yet we already have names for mythical creatures based of off them-pegasi and unicorns. Those have special abilities and you can move on from that. Pigs with wings and horns or chicken without wings would look weird.

[Minkeey 10]

It would be exactly the same, just different type of species, I wish they would have been cartoon humans, They would look super-adorable, Including Rainbow dash.

[Dr Pinkie Pie 21]

If they weren't ponies then... We wouldn't be here, and this post wouldn't even ever exist, dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

!!

[Skoogles 45]

I've said loads of times to my non-brony friends that I would still love the show if it weren't about ponies. It's just a generally awesome show. Great characters, great plots, great comedy, great animation, great everything. I think the only thing that would change is what we call ourselves.

Though if you ask me, it isn't the ponies, it's the show as a whole. It's just flat-out awesome.

[WildCard 1,037]

I probably would not have watched it, because the character style may not appeal to me. I mean I really like cats(I have one at home^^), but I can't imagine cats drawn in a way that they look cute and so "humanesque" at the same time. I mean Lauren somehow managed that the characters look like they are about 20yo(which is a huuuge factor for me, because otherwise it would be hard to relate) and after a few minutes you don't even think about them being ponies anymore. Also horses are really cool animals in real life which have a lot of "human" traits.

[KakeiTheWolf 652]

Considering my rigid traditional views of masculinity, I would say the fact the characters are ponies would NOT be among the reasons I became a fan. In fact, that fact alone (paired with the really pastel colours) almost made me not become a brony. Frankly, I don't care what type of anthropomorphic creature they are... If it's the high-quality stuff I fell in love with, I'd be a fan still.

[FlareChaser0096 142]

I'm sure I'd still like it, but ponies just made it more..... awesome. The colors, the personalities, the humor... as long as that stayed, I'd probably be into it.

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Wolves would be pretty cool, and cats too

 

 

But I don't think it'd change my view on the show, they're still adorable

 

damn thoughts of what the rule 34 would look like

[RazzyJam 1,519]

PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFT.......

 

I dont want to think about it. I dont think it would of had that much appeal. I wouldnt watch a show about cats, thats what youtube is for.

[Black Cloud 73]

A lot would be changed if it was not ponies. The first reviewer of the show probably would not have trashed it or people would probably not be that into it. Ponies can have plenty of personalities because they dont usually express themselves in real life like cats do. Also a bit of the stuff in the show generated from previous versions of the show like cutie marks for example. Also there probably would not be any flying or horned cats or any other animal for that matter. So it is a bit hard to explain this but it would not be the same without ponies.

[FoxyCryptid 4,328]

We wouldn't exist. the reason the show became known is because cartoon brew called Lauren a sellout for doing a merchandise driven seiries and her fans watched the show to prove the writer of the article wrong.

[moneyshredderofdeath 414]

I think the show would still have gotten noticed eventually because it'd a quality show even if the animals were different. However, the pace of getting noticed would be much more sluggish as there wouldn't be the taboo aspect to the pre-existing franchise to provide a fast propelling into prominence.

 

One thing for sure is that if the show was My Little Guinea Pig, I'd have been following it the instant it hit the airwaves.

[Wubsie 1,123]

AppleJack would be in a coma

Rarity would be held captive by Mexicans

Fluttershy would be in the nut-house

Rainbow Dash would be dead

Anymore questions smartass?

JK But in all seriousness I would be pretty depressed without Pinkie Pie to cheer me up when my friends can't.

[Ad Foedera Cresco 188]

I honestly couldn't think of the show getting the same appeal as it would with Ponies. I think that if it wasn't a certain species of animal, but several each and unique to the character it could work, but it'd have to be more "boyish" than all Ponies. I also think that it's not just what animal it is, but how they're drawn too. Real ponys don't have hooves like any of the MLP characters (duh), and since a lot, or most people know of the old 80's and 90's generations of My Little Pony, it becomes more recognizable and accepting. There's still a borderline to the "girly cutesy" atmosphere. I honestly, for the life of me cannot think of another animal that would be both fitting to the kind of atmosphere MLP: FiM has, and fitting overall. I think ponies work so well with how the show is already, is because how the older generations were where the "girly" type atmopshere was WAY over borderline, they lowered those levels, and added all the things we all love and BAM, FiM. I think some things could work the same, though it wouldn't necessarily be exactly the same as it would the Ponies we all know and love, but some things can work.