Such thing as a lead male character?

[ReGen 1,466]

This recently popped into my demented mind...

 

  How come there really isn't any male characters that make reccurring appearences? 

 

And before you say so, Big Mac is more of a side character and Spike.... I'm talkin' 'bout poniez.

 

I know I may be overthinking this, but it's just a thought.

 

  Hmmm... A town with the majority of the population females.... 

 

So yeah, that's it.

 

What are your thoughts?

[Zygen 6,065]

Well I think theres a couple reasons for it.

 

First of all its because the show was in the original plan mainly focused on girls, therefore it made sense to make most of the cast relateable to girls by making them well.. girls.

 

The reason why they can't really just go adding another main character who is male is because they're already kinda spread with the Mane 6 and the several supporting characters who they have to develop, adding another character makes this harder, and spreads screen time around even more.

 

I agree it would be cool, but at the same time I don't know if its really going to work with how many other characters to develop there are.

[GamerLuna7 207]

This recently popped into my demented mind...

 

  How come there really isn't any male characters that make reccurring appearences? 

 

And before you say so, Big Mac is more of a side character and Spike.... I'm talkin' 'bout poniez.

 

I know I may be overthinking this, but it's just a thought.

 

  Hmmm... A town with the majority of the population females.... 

 

So yeah, that's it.

 

What are your thoughts?

Well first because it is a show for little girls after all,but i do think they will add a lead male characters if the bronies want it.

[SrFrog 926]

Basically what Zygen said...

 

For a cartoon that's character driven, it'd be difficult to develop a male character when the main audience can't relate. They could try to appeal to them, but there's always the chance that the viewers won't buy into those changes.

 

Like Venus...

 

 

Edited December 26, 2012 by SrFrog

[Arcanel 3,041]

Well first because it is a show for little girls after all,but i do think they will add a lead male characters if the bronies want it.

Nah, I think that Spike is going to be the only male character, and that's more than enough given Spike's personality. Pony male lead character? Probably not. What in the world could they even do about that anyway? And besides, they haven't been pandering. And if they were, it wasn't enough to clearly show IMO.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Arcanel

[Dautt 77]

I don't think adding more characters is a good thing for the show since like it's been said before the show was originally aimed at girls and I think adding more main characters will reduce the time our favorites are getting but a spin of series staring male or mixed male and female characters might be interesting.

 

Basically what Zygen said...

 

For a cartoon that's character driven, it'd be difficult to develop a male character when the main audience can't relate. They could try to appeal to them, but there's always the chance that the viewers won't buy into those changes.

 

Like Venus...

 

 

also that.

[I used to be a stranger 7,988]

Ostensibly the narrative design of the show is to have the target audience (little girls) associate with the characters in the show seen as friends and peer to themselves at some times, and negative extremes and/or role-models at others.

With a male character lead, he would either be seen as some kind of compatibility intrigue (rival or friendship interest, one of which may lead to unwanted or unnecessary romantic complications) or an authority figure such as father or brother (if he was older than the mane cast) or a little brother (which would again be different.)

 

Spike already fills the role of male secondary, and foil to many of the mane cast's stranger personality tics. He also fills the role of "little brother" quite well, for better or worse and despite some viewers' preference of him being a pony.

 

Big Macintosh as well as Shining Armor fill the roles of male authority figures, although in quite subtextual ways. Shining Armor doesn't appear much and his first appearance showed the opus of his own family which he now has to be responsible for, so we know he's there, we know he cares, and we know he's been a beneficial influence on Twilight, but he's not around much and doesn't say very much compared to the other characters. This is how he fills the role, but quietly. Big Macintosh is much the same, except he doesn't talk much (even though he appears more often.)

 

If the show was to include direct mention and common influence of a male authority figure, it would have to approach it directly (which would be confusing to the audience unless Big Macintosh could write letters to Princess Celesita's father about what he learned about the Magic of being a Father surrogate) or it would have to approach it subtextually, which would unnecessarily complicate writing the show whenever Big Macintosh, Shining Armor or any other important male characters with positions of authority over the mane cast were involved.

 

Similarly, if a recurring male lead came along with the purpose of him teaching us something instead of the lead girls learning something in spite of him, that would similarly have very different influences since the male lead (as a rival) would have to represent someone the target audience could relate to. This is why male appearances of rivals are always analogous of bullies of some form or other.

 

I'm sure someone could go at length about the complexity of getting a male character involved in a direct relationship with one of the mane cast (beyond a recurring joke crush like Spike has) far more competently than I will and I'd be out of my depth in speaking on it, so I'll say nothing on it.

 

The whole point of the show would be concerned with talking to little girls. The moment a male lead was involved, it would change the direction and entire point of having lessons and morals in the show (unless they were completely ignored from the start. See S2E25-26 A Canterlot Wedding.)

If any part of this post makes no sense, ignore it.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Blue

[Foliha 395]

I did actually do a search for "Prince", Princes" and "male pony."  But the search came up empty on the Prince issue.  So I started a new thread that turned out to be redundant.  Sorry about that... 

 

And I have been told that there is a Prince - Prince Blueblood - but I've tried to remember him and came up empty.  So I'm putting my post in this thread.  To wit:

 

OK, so we all know there's a dearth of male good male characters in MLP FIM.  Most of them are villains, lame plot devices or just comic relief.  The notable exception is Big Macintosh, who actually has something to do occasionally.

 

Why is that?  No Princes, let alone Kings.  Yet the place is littered with Princesses.   Shining Armor is basically an equine Ken doll.  His character is painfully two-dimensional.  Spike is good, but he isn't a pony. 

 

Even if the fan base was mostly little girls (and them days are way gone...) What would be wrong with some interesting male characters?

 

I'm all for having strong female cast members, but having a few more colts or stallions would not necessarily get in the way of that.

 

 

Blue makes some very good points, but I still have doubts that some strong male characters would unbalance the show.  On the contrary, if there were some more strong males, with a full set of skills for appreciating and respecting both male and female ponies, it would only strengthen the message that "girl power" is good. 

 

I grew up with zero good male role-models.  Many girls and women have had the same experience.  All the more reason to have some in a show for a big age-range - it would be great to show that men (er, stallions, colts) can be decent too, as friends, not just authority figures and romantic interests.  And after all, that's what MLP FIM is now - a show for everybody.  (Even if they're too thick to know it!)

Edited February 11, 2015 by Foliha

[Dulset Tarn 441]

Why are you ignoring Spike? So he's not a pony... and?

[Foliha 395]

Why are you ignoring Spike? So he's not a pony... and?

Spike is great!  Wonderful character.  But as a different species from any of the 3 races of ponies, he has different needs (and many the same as well) from the ponies.  He is cast as a pet.  A very talented and talking pet, who has proved himself quite indispensable to not only Twilight Sparkle but to the Crystal ponies and others.  But he is a dragon.  Someday he'll be as big as a house. 

 

He has a crush on Rarity.  That's an amusing subplot, but a very different thing than what it would be if Big Macintosh had a crush on Rarity.  Rarity might reject Big Macintosh on various grounds, but she would have to reject Spike, because their relationship could not work.  So it's a "safe" crush for the show, and therefore for the audience.  It's cute, but will never amount to anything more than a crush-from-a-distance. 

 

In the love-potion episode, when the cutie-mark crusaders tried to fix their teacher up with Big Macintosh, nothing came of it.  Because it wasn't real love.  It was a chemical delusion.  (And thank doG! - remember how ridiculously the couple behaved?  Imagine if we had to put up with that over-the-top, gooey, babbling forever?) 

 

No, someday Spike will grow up and go live on top of a heap of jewels.  So there can be no serious long-term arc-of-story about a pairing - however G rated and "Leave It to Beaver" it might be - of Spike and a pony. 

 

The whole business of the scarcity of male characters ends up meaning that back-stories are vague.  Ponyville is teeming with orphans and characters with no visible fathers, grandfathers, etc.  The obvious exception is Twilight and Shining Armor.  But who are the fathers and brothers of the rest of the mane six?  Will we ever hear their stories?

Edited February 11, 2015 by Foliha

[Dulset Tarn 441]

@@Foliha

Oh, so when you ask about recurring male characters, you only care about romance.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

The only one who really qualifies is technically Spike; and a large contingent of his episodes aren't all that good. Now, some of the comics he is featured in, like the Celestia/Spike FF, are done QUITE well!

 

As for other male characters playing lead roles...well, outside of Discord, I don't see much room for potential there.

[Foliha 395]

@@Foliha

Oh, so when you ask about recurring male characters, you only care about romance.

Sorry if I gave that impression.  I'm probably the least romantically-inclined person I know.  No, I would like to see some male characters with real depth, whether it be in choosing friends, mates, type of work or just deep thinking.  Discord is a good example.  He has been truly touched by Fluttershy's trust and faith in him.  So much so that he continues to struggle with the impulse to chaos that he has.  Plus he has a great sense of humor - a little twisted, but hey, that's part of what makes him entertaining.  I'd love to hear his backstory...  Spike is sweet and has a noble side, but he's pretty predictable.  Discord on the other hand, is full of surprises, and there's no hint of "romance" in his character arc.  Imagine a male pony with as much dimension as Discord.  That would be a real treat.  It wouldn't matter if he were a villain or a good guy, as long as he was interesting.  It would also be nice if he wasn't the cookie-cutter, big-chested stallion with the "look of eagles."  (Or, if he has to look macho-inpressive, how about Hellboy with hooves?  Hmmmm.  Maybe that's what they were trying for with Sombra.

[Dulset Tarn 441]

@@Foliha

So you're looking for more depth than the mane six? Just what are you asking for?

[Foliha 395]

@@Foliha

So you're looking for more depth than the mane six? Just what are you asking for?

Not more than the mane six, just a few more male characters with as much depth as the mane six.  Is that considered heretical?

[Dulset Tarn 441]

Not more than the mane six, just a few more male characters with as much depth as the mane six.  Is that considered heretical?

So again, why ignore Spike?

[Foliha 395]

So again, why ignore Spike?

I'm not ignoring Spike.  As I said: "Spike is great!  Wonderful character.  But as a different species from any of the 3 races of ponies, he has different needs (and many the same as well) from the ponies.  He is cast as a pet.  A very talented and talking pet, who has proved himself quite indispensable to not only Twilight Sparkle but to the Crystal ponies and others.  But he is a dragon."

 

I'd just like to see more well-developed male pony characters. 

[Dulset Tarn 441]

I'd just like to see more well-developed male pony characters. 

And again, why?

First you say you want a male main character, so I point out Spike.

Then you say he doesn't count because he'll never be romantically involved with a pony, so I ask you if romance s your only concern.

Then you say it's not about romance, it's about depth. But again, Spike is right there.

Now you're saying it has to be a pony, and I don't have a clue why.

[Fractured 2,683]

Any recurring male lead would invariably show up as a love interest. I've already said it on other threads, and i'll say it again here; I don't trust Hasbro enough to handle that. The death of every predominately female cast show that ever went bad (ala Winx Club, Card Captor, etc) has invariably been through the actions of love interests. At best, they're useless. At worst, they're useless, and they ruin the show by degrading female leads into gibbering, slack jawed idiots whenever they show up. Considering Flash Sentry pretty much confirms they already think the second idea is a reasonable course of action, going to say no to male leads.

Edited February 11, 2015 by Shimmer5000

[Foliha 395]

And again, why?

First you say you want a male main character, so I point out Spike.

Then you say he doesn't count because he'll never be romantically involved with a pony, so I ask you if romance s your only concern.

Then you say it's not about romance, it's about depth. But again, Spike is right there.

Now you're saying it has to be a pony, and I don't have a clue why.

And I don't have a clue why not. 

Any recurring male lead would invariably show up as a love interest.

I don't know why...  Certainly not every recurring female lead invariably shows up as a love interest.  It seems a bit sexist to think that. 

[Fractured 2,683]

It seems a bit sexist to think that. 

Of course its sexist. But in the very, very small world of cartoons/ animes dominated by female leads, it's pretty much a guarantee, especially this late in a show. Most writers just have no idea how else to write them in(as non-villains), unless they're making them idiots that pander to the girls' whims(which we already have in this show). See Cardcaptors, Sailor Moon, Winx Club, etc. The only show I know that handled it well was Legend of Korra...

[LeafFerret 3,382]

If the male character is likeable, then why not? Honestly, I don't like having to see the mane 6 all the time, it would be cool if we had some fresh faces.

[Spikey-Wikey 378]

I'd really like male characters to appear more, all we see is female characters.

[RainbowTashie 378]

This recently popped into my demented mind...

 

  How come there really isn't any male characters that make reccurring appearences? 

 

And before you say so, Big Mac is more of a side character and Spike.... I'm talkin' 'bout poniez.

 

I know I may be overthinking this, but it's just a thought.

 

  Hmmm... A town with the majority of the population females.... 

 

So yeah, that's it.

 

What are your thoughts?

This has probably been covered by now but the target audience is little girls (boys have germs at this age? ect although i'd love a male mane character the closet pony I guess we have is Shining which isn't great after watching a canterlot wedding.

[Po-Nonimous 583]

It's a shame you said ponies only because my first thought of a main male character was Discord.