Ponies got skinny! (and provocative)

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

I agree with those that say it's an attempt to move away from (near) anatomically correct ponies to cuter, more cartoon designs. Big eyes, smooth lines, rounder, simpler geometry, and skinnier extremities are just what's popular. I'm sure there's a more in-depth psychological explanation, but I am to tired to open that can of worms.

 

Any sense of provocativeness is just because the ponies have become more associable/cuter and are steering well clear of the uncanny valley. But that's a matter for a thread about ponies being attractive or sexy, both of which exist elsewhere on the forum.

[Skygunner 352]

Material isn't cheep.  Smaller ponies = lower production costs

 

 

*from an economic standpoint*

 

 

That's why Matchbox and Hot Wheels are no longer all metal,  and things are holllow on the inside.  

 

 

Oh and the whole "reflects the show" thing

[Zach TheDane 234]

They are nicer now as far as I'm concerned. It's not really any "evil" trend, it's just that it looks better and more cute that way. Small, perhaps thin body with big head and eyes simply has that "D'aaaaaw" factor.

As a matter of fact, there's a scientific explanation for that. Humans tend to think of things as "cute" when they have a larger head and smaller body (within reason, of course.) because of this, cartoon characters tend to be drawn with those proportions to elicit the "D'aaaaaawww" factor! The animators probably figured this out and gradually made the ponies thinner.

[Jessper 735]

As a matter of fact, there's a scientific explanation for that. Humans tend to think of things as "cute" when they have a larger head and smaller body (within reason, of course.) because of this, cartoon characters tend to be drawn with those proportions to elicit the "D'aaaaaawww" factor! The animators probably figured this out and gradually made the ponies thinner.

 

I know, large head, large eyes, smaller body, it's all supposed to make little kids cute enough so their parents -want- to care for them. While it works on me with manga and ponies to the extreme, when someone presents a little kid (even one of those symmetrical babies from the ads), I have the tendency to evacuate as fast as I possibly can, because that is everything, but not nice and cute. I guess I'm broken. 

Edited January 11, 2013 by Jessper

[Twinhead B 482]

Aside the from obvious production cost and show creator's vision arguments, the most obvious I can think of is the partial anthropomorphism of the chracters in the show. While not full on anthromorphic, the 4th Generation ponies do have noticably more human-like features to them: Shorter snouts, nondescript-hooves, and the ability to stand on two legs (See Spike At Your Service). Coupled with the fact that there are no humans in G4 MLP like there were in G1, and it's pretty easy to see why the design choice was made.

 

Let's think about it:

 

In the Season 3 episode Magic Duel, Pinkie Pie has her mouth magically removed for most of the episode. Now, with G4's art style, it simply looks silly:

 

 

 

 

However, can you imagine a G1 style Pinkie Pie with no mouth? Nightmare fuel.

 

A G1 style Rarity swooning on her sofa? Disturbing.

 

How about a G1 style Rainbow Dash doing a sonic rainboom? Just plain stupid looking.

 

These actions are just too odd for the art of G1. Yet, they fit perfectly for G4's art style. The ponies have human enough traits that we find them more pleasing to the eye, and more believable when they perform non-pony actions. It also allows the writers to have the characters actually do more things without the need of outside help or in G3's case, some disturbing apparatus:

 

 

 

 

 

It's probably as simple as that. Maybe even simpler, I could just be over-analyzing again...

[Zach TheDane 234]

I know, large head, large eyes, smaller body, it's all supposed to make little kids cute enough so their parents -want- to care for them. While it works on me with manga and ponies to the extreme, when someone presents a little kid (even one of those symmetrical babies from the ads), I have the tendency to evacuate as fast as I possibly can, because that is everything, but not nice and cute. I guess I'm broken. 

Nah, you're not broken; I feel the same way! Babies aren't really in the same "cuteness" category as animals and other things, at least for me.

[VaporRush 18]

I think they decided to change them because this ->  looks like a hippo with hair. Not to mention I'm still trying to figure out how something that top heavy even stands up on legs that small (in comparison to the size of the..ginormous back end especially)

 

And I really don't think there's anything provocative about the ponies of G4. If anything, I think they look even YOUNGER than the ponies of before. And unless there are some pedophiles amongst us..I don't see there being anyone who would think of a plastic MLP toy as sexy.

Skinny doesn't equal sex appeal. Maybe society is under the impression that you need to be thin as a stick these days, yes. And magazines, celebrities, hollywood, etc. are all teaching us that skinny is what is most beautiful. But I don't think that has ANYTHING to do with the size of the G4 ponies or why they are thinner than the rest. Honestly, they're 85 times cuter than all the other generations combined. And they make every other generation look ugly (not just the hippo up there). I think that too much is being read into their current size in comparison to previous size and society..If something is going to teach children that they all have to be skinny, the LAST thing it's going to be is a miniature plastic horse doll. I mean, I don't know about you..but I've never compared my size to any sort of action figure or doll, let alone a non-human one. So I really don't think it's anything to worry about, OR that the size of our ponies has been influenced by society.

The ponies look much more cartoon now. The dolls, for once, look as close to the show as possible I think. And both the show, and the pony figures are superior today to every previous generation.

[Curry Pinch 34]

I just love the shape of the old g1 figurines. They look cartoonish, but enough horselike and cute.

 

I do love FiM cartoons, but I'm not a big fan of superdeformed charachters in general, onless they are so supredeformed they stop depicting a recognizable species. (Jellybean with face is ok)

 

I actually get annoyed with the modern cartoons that defy laws of anatomy completely as well as laws of physics, just to go for more sleek and cute design. Kids are pretty unable to enjoy realistic art after that. I remember in art class us being asked to sculpt a realistic human head. Very few ones could get even the idea even close to right, I ended up sculpting around 5 heads for my mates after they could not come up with anything else than Homer Simpson, and they still complained why did my work got good marks, if it was ''uglier than Homer''

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

 It makes sense that they make skinnier ponies now. After all, during the first three generations, obesity was the leading cause of death in Equestria.

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

I'm going to intentionally misinterpret an obviously aesthetic choice made from artistic direction and say there is intentional subtext to the show telling girls to get skinnier at the fashionable and provocative age of 12.

[RosenRot 5]

Let us not forget that there was a generation of ponies where they introduced skinnier and taller figures, called "teen ponies" or something to that effect... can't remember a whole lot about them, but they were like 2nd or 3rd gen... and, back then, I thought they just looked way weird and wanted nothing to do with them, but the point remains that they were there and were already heading in this skinny direction that MLP: FIP has gone for.

 

That aside, I have to agree with the person who said that it's simply changed to match the current interest - as the MLP show did change over the generations to try and best fit with the current animation budgets and target audience's interest.

 

In my opinion, while I LOVED the first gen figures, I can say that these new MLP styled figures are way cuter - and I don't think that eating disorders has anything to do with it... this is, at least originally, a cartoon intended for children and to meet the current expectations of cartoon culture... that is, to update MLP to the current standards.

 

As for who's buying most of the merchandise, I'd say it's a mix of the target audience and the older ponyfans (bronies or pegasisters, however you want to call them).

 

I don't think that the figurines have gotten any more provacative compared to the originals, than the FIP series itself did compared to the earlier series; and I don't think it really looks more provacative.

 

I also don't think that most parents who're going to be buying the toys for their kids are going to see the figurines as 'provacative'... .. unless they're looking for it, then it can, of course, be found...   Reminds me of a quote: "If you go looking for evil, you're sure to find it all over the place.".

 

That the older fans, that is, not 7-9 year olds, might find something extremely appealing... or provacative... or otherwise questionable about the figurines, I say leave them to their 'bit'.  ;-)

[bunnybuzki 45]

awww I love the older ponies! I think they're so much cuter. The new dolls manes aren't fun. I grew up with the old ones and always thought they were adorable. Maybe not G1, I have no clue what Gen it would be, but whatever they made in the early 90's. The second pic in the OP is the worst, in my opinion.