Would your opinion of the show change if the ponies were humans?

[Bonzy 69]

Stumbled across some silly fanart and it got me wondering.

 

What would your response be if the show had been made if the characters were all humanoid? Aside from slight modifications regarding the Cutie Mark Crusaders and how Pegasus/Unicorn characters would be written, the rest of the show would still pretty much be the same.

 

How would this affect you as a fan?

 

Would you be more open about liking it?

Would you be as big of a fan as you are now?

Would you have even started watching FiM if it didn't have the MLP name slapped onto it?

Edited October 7, 2011 by Bonzy

[Flutterguy1 203]

Some of the fan art of ponies as humans looks very good, but I don't think I'd enjoy the show as much if the ponies were humans. The current art style of the show is great and I don't think it would be as good without hooves. Some of the phrases like "everypony" would also be missed if the ponies were people. I think that Lyra brings enough human to MLP.

[Goodra 530]

Well it would loose a lot of it's horse/pony jokes and the character's wouldn't be as cute so no. Plus what would it be called, my little human?

[Fillyshy 64]

Well it would loose a lot of it's horse/pony jokes and the character's wouldn't be as cute so no. Plus what would it be called, my little human?

 

This.

 

It would be a completely different show, if it wasn't ponies.

It would be, My Little Human.

Edited October 7, 2011 by nintendo3DS

[Heartstrings 102]

It wouldn't have been bad, but it definitely wouldn't be as good. Them being ponies is part of what makes it great.

Also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lga69MGK7xU

[PlNKlE PIE 363]

Ponies are what make the show what it is, and they're the main reason why we like it so much. Aren't they? Humans would seem awkward. The animation wouldn't be as fluent what with the way bipedal limbs work (plus hands and fingers), the character designs would probably be drastically different, and the diversity of the different races would be hindered. Rainbow Dash wouldn't have wings, so Sonic Rainboom wouldn't happen, and Twilight wouldn't have her horn which places an issue in a human Cutie Mark Chronicles, basically anything depending on pegasi or unicorns would be nonexistent. Of course there would be workarounds, it just wouldn't seem as unique. The ponies have a charm that we don't.

[Miffy 79]

Nope. It must be ponies. Otherwise just nope.avi

[Katrilli 208]

Most of what I love about it is the animation, which I think wouldn't quite be the same if they were human.

[Linguz 136]

I'd have to say that one of the reasons the fandom is so huge is that they did not expect MLP to be so good.

[1Fluttershy 411]

Stumbled across some silly fanart and it got me wondering.

 

What would your response be if the show had been made if the characters were all humanoid? Aside from slight modifications regarding the Cutie Mark Crusaders and how Pegasus/Unicorn characters would be written, the rest of the show would still pretty much be the same.

 

How would this affect you as a fan?

 

Would you be more open about liking it?

Would you be as big of a fan as you are now?

Would you have even started watching FiM if it didn't have the MLP name slapped onto it?

 

1. Not really.

2. No way.

3. Yes.

[Oracle 1]

I would stich my eyes together so I could never witness such horror.

[Bonzy 69]

I'd have to say that one of the reasons the fandom is so huge is that they did not expect MLP to be so good.

 

Well obviously. I'm just pretending that it still grew to be as popular as it is now.

It's not like the show would have even survived two seasons without the toyline backing it up.

[LyraHeartstrings 479]

It would lose its charm....

[Marshmallow 1,134]

The characters would probably be less cute, but it could still potentially be good.

I mean, I didn't have a very opinion of ponies when I started watching the show. What kept me interested were the stories and the character developement. It wouldn't have made much of a difference when I started watching the show if the characters were humans instead of ponies. So yes, I'd say that it would still have been possible for me to like the show if they were humans.

 

PS: that fanart was pretty good. Especially the one with Rainbow Dash and Applejack

[Tyroq 344]

Well, keep in mind that even in MLP we don't have "just ponies." We have Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, Alicorns, and many other fantasy creatures. If this show was made with humanoid characters, it would have to be more than just humans in order to keep it interesting. I think variety is part of what gives the show its charm. For instance, we could have...

 

Applejack and Pinkie Pie would be dwarves. Why? Because Applejack is the most 'down to earth' pony there is, and Pinkie was raised on a rock farm. Who would raise rocks other than a dwarf? Seriously?

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash would be humans, with their crazy knack for adventure and their compassion toward living things.

Rarity and Twilight Sparkle would have to be a magical race, possibly High Elves or something along those lines.

Spike would of course still be a dragon.

Celestia might be a Fairy Queen or a goddess, probably.

Luna could end up being a sexy vampire queen, probably why she's so involved with the night.

 

Ultimately though, ponies is what the show is about, and it's what we've all come to love. Would I be here if it were something else? I dunno, it would depend on the community probably, because that's how I first heard of the show to begin with. When it comes down to it, I'm just happy with the way things are.

Edited October 8, 2011 by Tyroq

[Tiaaaaa 174]

It would be a completely different show, if it wasn't ponies.

It would be, My Little Human.

 

I still love the idea that little children in Equestria watch My Little Human.

 

As far as the idea of the characters being human... I've thought a lot about this, actually. What I love the most is fantasy slice-of-life stuff, so if the characters were to be human then for me it would have to be like Tyroq said, multiple different races even if it was just humans with wings and horns (which there is also a ton of fanart of). But, even so... I don't think I would be as interested in the show. I've wondered a lot about what it would be like if the characters were a different species, especially cats since I love cats, but I honestly don't think I would be as interested. This is sort of complicated for me to reason out, so bear with me...

 

Like I mentioned, the fantasy is just as important to me as the slice-of-life. Before My Little Pony I followed Touhou avidly (still do, just not as much as ponies) because it included so many mythological creatures in its cast. Part of the appeal was that a lot of these creatures were often depicted as monstrous or animal-like in mythology but were humanoid in Touhou which led to very interesting characters such as a living umbrella who hopped around on one leg or a kappa that carried a backpack similar to a tortoise shell. In that series a lot of the appeal for me was that all the characters were humanoid and I'd often avoid fanart of the animal-like characters in their animal forms. It just didn't appeal to me at all.

 

In a similar way, part of the appeal of the current My Little Pony is just how human the characters are. Take the body-shape for example. This is most obvious in the head. These are not horse heads here, and that's part of what makes the characters so adorable. They look a lot like us while at the same time obviously being a completely different species. I also think this is where the appeal of clopart began, but that's a completely... different topic. The point is that the ponies in this show are very human without actually being human, and I think that's where a large amount of the appeal comes from. Still, the right amount of balance has to be maintained. I think making them human would just be taking it too far.

 

Of course, I have a love for partially-human creatures and i would watch a show about a harpy, mermaid, naga, and plant-girl in a heart-beat.

 

Okay, wow, wall of text. Sorry, I just love analyzing this kind of stuff.

[TwilightSparkle 224]

Another vote here for "No, probably not." It's odd, I can't see a similar show about humans having anywhere near the same appeal.

[ryak 135]

Probably not, just because animals have a different impact on us. So, no. In my opinion, Animals make a cartoon better or at least more emotional. How many cartoons or movies are awesome just because they are talking animals and not humans. We have MLP FiM, the Lion King, Finding Nemo, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and the list could go on and on. I personally don't think the show would have had as much popularity if it was about 6 human girls. It would have seemed just like every other girly cartoon, and it would probably be something along the lines of the G2 ponies. To where it was just girls doing girly things and that was pretty much it.

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

The quality of the show as far as its jokes and characterizations would essentially be the same, but I think it wouldn't have near as much charm. The art style of the show and the character designs are a huge part of the reason the show is so beloved and successful.

 

Now, I might not mind an episode or something where they turn human for a short time due to some spell or whatever, but I must admit I'd be scared to see what they'd all look like.

[LyraHeartstrings 479]

The fact that it's ponies makes it very ironic. We all grewup thinking ponies weere bad, then a show comes out and changes them and the way we see things. If they were girls, the show would probbly still be pretty good, but it would lose its charm...

[Swoop 2,276]

I'll keep this simple.

 

Half the reason i watch the show is to escape the monotony that normal human life possesses.

 

Replacing cute ponies with humans would detract from that feeling of refuge.

 

Ponies have the ability to cheer me up better than humans.

 

So please. Give me ponies, lots of them.

Edited October 8, 2011 by Swoop

[Apple Bloom 2,915]

I don't know if I would like it. It would lose a lot of it's appeal if the characters were human and many of the scenarios wouldn't happen and besides, "My Little Human" just doesn't sound right.

[Sageflare 272]

I wouldn't even get close to watching this if it was humans. It just seems if it was humanoid it would probably a teen drama show instead of the awesomeness it is now.

[Slendermane 474]

I might kind of like it, if it was still an animated fantasy world, but I wouldn't like it nearly as much as I do now. I love the world and mythology of Equestria, I love the characters, I love the art style, I love the humor, but I also love the ponies. I love every part of Friendship is Magic. If you take away a piece of it, would it still stand, or would it crumble?

 

I could care less about the My Little Pony name or Hasbro. What I do like is what Lauren Faust and the rest of the team created.

Edited October 8, 2011 by Slendermane

[planet news 16]

As for #3 I think the MLP name did have a big impact on why I started watching it. I didn't know Faust was involved until several episodes in having never devoted much time to her previous work.

 

But I think the fact that it is MLP and MLP is such a recognizable name and so strongly associated with little children that

We all grewup thinking ponies weere bad

which makes it almost a kind of guilty pleasure, but the guilt (or irony) is always part of the pleasure in any guilty pleasure.

 

I do think I love the show for what it is -- that is, as a show and as the product of Faust -- but in falling in love with the show in the first place the irony played a huge factor. The irony is still a huge factor, since there's still a lot of stigma on and off line.