The Future of My Little Pony and the Brony Phenomenon

[FruitRiver 355]

Truthfully, I think some will love it forever.

 

IT WILL NEVER DIE!

[SonOfTheNorthe 412]

We bronies will have a civic duty to introduce our children and grandchildren to MLP, and to try to convert them to bronies.

And they will pass it onto their children.... and their children...

And we will tell them "There are many more like us out there. Go, search the internet for them. Contribute to them."

 

And so, our fandom will last for many generations to come.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

What will happen? MLP will get another reboot. Over. And. Over. And. Over. It will go on.

 

Hopefully we've had enough influence that those reboots don't turn out like G3.

[InfinityWhale 771]

I wish I could say I'll be a brony FOREVER, but the fact of the matter is that half the fun is bronying it up with all of the fans. I'll always a fan, and even embarrass my kids with it (ex-Hippy, anyone?), but I'll probably move on. However, much like Steampunk, the show is morphing into a subculture. With music, videos, art, literature, etc., the show is quickly building its own steam (ignore the mild pun). If it gets enough inertia, it could continue indefinitely. I'm talking multi-generational bronies, with continuous updates by fans and semi-professionals. It's entirely possible that the legacy of the show will not die out, but in fact will continue to grow and grow, with it's own histories and canons (note the plural). My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, could become the next Star Wars, or Star Trek, or everything that Joss Whedon has ever made.

[Scarfy HOOVES 310]

I still loved and openly played pokemon even when the craze at my school ended,

 

i agree the pokemon fandom never ends its been going on for well over a decade now and it's still very strong. i feel MLP will be the same way.

 

It all depends on how good they can keep the series to be honest. I think it will last good for a while then they will eventually start to run out of ideas. Everypony eventually does.

 

i have to disagree with that. people will just watch the classic first couple of seasons.

take pokemon for example there ideas and new shows have been so dead yet the pokemon fandom is still one of the largest ever. It has more to do with simply how good they can keep the show going. we are attached to these ponies now and if we have to we will just watch the best first couple of seasons. (much like how people do with pokemon.)

 

im sure there will always be those who make the best out of what we are given.

 

I would say long after the show ends, but the fanbase would probably shrink. Heck there are sill tons of Star Wars and Star Trek fans and these fanbases have been around for ages. I would have to say you don't have to worry about the bronies going anywhere any time soon.

 

EXACTLY that's a great example cuz star trek was such a short lived series. the original series was that started the mass fan base following was only 3 seasons. and it has one of the largest followings ever ( i said the same think about pokemon but that was referring to children's cartoons that are popular with adults and teens.)

[InfinityWhale 771]

EXACTLY that's a great example cuz star trek was such a short lived series. the original series was that started the mass fan base following was only 3 seasons. and it has one of the largest followings ever ( i said the same think about pokemon but that was referring to children's cartoons that are popular with adults and teens.)

 

The major difference that I find is that MLP:FiM is merchandise-driven, albeit high-quality merchandise-driven. That means that no matter how much bit the show becomes, it will still be profitable like a bad commercial. However, I think the team they have is VERY good, and will try and keep that from happening. That, and the bronies are getting more and more say. While they are not letting the bronies run the show, their input should at least prevent it form being total crap.

[Scarfy HOOVES 310]

The major difference that I find is that MLP:FiM is merchandise-driven, albeit high-quality merchandise-driven. That means that no matter how much bit the show becomes, it will still be profitable like a bad commercial. However, I think the team they have is VERY good, and will try and keep that from happening. That, and the bronies are getting more and more say. While they are not letting the bronies run the show, their input should at least prevent it form being total crap.

 

i used to think that but the whole derpy-ditsy controversy really makes me wonder now.

[InfinityWhale 771]

i used to think that but the whole derpy-ditsy controversy really makes me wonder now.

 

But think, how much of the fanbase are the bronies right now? How much are they going to be? We are growing and growing and growing at an insane right, and groups like the Herd Recruitment Group are only increasing that. Eventually, we'll be half, or more, of the total group, and that's not liable to change. In the end, we are going to be the predominant voice, and the final quality-checkers, for this show. We have DESTINY.

[RobVanDam 15]

When I'm finished with my blunt

 

9 months

 

Edited June 21, 2012 by RobVanDam

[Scarfy HOOVES 310]

When I'm finished with my blunt

 

9 months

 

 

when you finish ur blunt in nine months....are you sure you don't mean after you have a kid.

[~Lawful Jordo~ 2,066]

MLP losing it's fanbase isn't set in stone you know. Shows like Pokemon, Spongebob and Dragonball still have very large fanbases.

[~Lawful Jordo~ 2,066]

 

exactly even tho most of the shows are crap now.

 

I would be very disappointed if FiM started to degrade in quality, I hope that it doesn't happen. Even if the show gets canceled i doubt the bronies will die out. Think about it; Dragonball Z ended in 1996, and it still has a very active fan following.

 

Plus, the brony community is growing at a very rapid rate. Personally, I think we'll be around for quite a while

[InfinityWhale 771]

I would be very disappointed if FiM started to degrade in quality, I hope that it doesn't happen. Even if the show gets canceled i doubt the bronies will die out. Think about it; Dragonball Z ended in 1996, and it still has a very active fan following.

 

Plus, the brony community is growing at a very rapid rate. Personally, I think we'll be around for quite a while

 

We will develop our own food source long after Laura Faust is done feeding us.

[Scarfy HOOVES 310]

We will develop our own food source long after Laura Faust is done feeding us.

 

she is done you do realize she is not heading the show anymore don't you

[InfinityWhale 771]

she is done you do realize she is not heading the show anymore don't you

 

Yeah, but a lot of her ideas are still being put into use. If anything, the fact that she wasn't helming the show for season 2 is what gives me hope, because, IMO, it was better than Season 1.

[moneyshredderofdeath 414]

I could easily see the fanbase staying active for some time, even after the show ends. The sheer amount of fan output is by far one of the more impressive among fanbases.

[Finesthour 7,287]

As long as it damn wants

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

I couldn't just walk away and forget about everything nor just look back on it.

Brony FOREVER!

[murkyx 904]

I've become too involved already to give up on this fandom or this show. Trekkies are a prime example of how long a fandom can last, as it's well over a few decades old and still is there despite the show being over.

 

With the professional works that exist throughout this fandom, the already existing dedication, mutual friendships, and memories already made, most bronies have grown emotional and physical bonds with the fandom that are going to be extremely hard to break no matter how long the show is gone. The next popular thing may overshadow this fandom, but it shall exist nonetheless in the hearts of the dedicated fans.

 

I may become the weird old guy down the street who says, "Back in my day, men liked ponies!" but I know that the show's spirit is near unstoppable. When the official show stops running, the fans shall take it's place and continue it in whatever way they can. It may be unrealistic, but I would never be surprised to see at least the remnants of bronydom survive to see the 22nd century. (Or it get's restarted, like other old fads, but surprisingly sticks, reviving the fandom)

Edited June 21, 2012 by Brisineo

[FedoraMemes 582]

With the way it's going now, I'm pretty sure the show will stay for a while. However, if it must change, then they'll maybe get the same writers in, to make it appeal to the older audience, but I doubt that will happen. If the fad does die out, then I will stay true to the show. I will carry on watching it, and will stay on this forum until it's final days.

[InfinityWhale 771]

I thought there was another topic about this.... *grumble, grumble*

Like I said before, I think the subculture is going to develop its own inertia and keep developing its own content for many years after the show. If this is about the show itself, I think it has at least 5 seasons in it, assuming the quality remains constant and the fandom keeps growing. At the most, I'm saying 9. Any more than 9 and even these delightfully well-done characters will be played out.

Now, with bad quality, it depends where it starts to suck. If season 3 is absolutely crap, then I could see fandom dying about by the end of Season 4. If it starts later down the road, then it could take even longer for its funeral dirge to finish. Bronies are the most absolutely dedicated fan-base I've ever seen, and the more fuel for the tank we get, the longer we are going to go.

[Radiance64 7,053]

I think it's way too early to tell if the show itself will be regarded as a classic, but I believe the community can last a long, long time.

[Confetti Nova 58]

The community is so advanced with hundreds of artists and musicians. Hasbro knows how deeply this show has impacted others, but quality becomes before quantity of episodes. I think the show will produce enough episodes that won't ruin the magic. However many episodes that are like that we'll just have to see. For all we know MLP could stop at the 3rd season or it go as far as 10 years!

[caesar15 231]

It will go on for a long time i sense it will, pretty much, if they dont mess up ike spongebob, i still rememebr some good jokes...

 

"Oh hey squidward glad you could make it!"

 

"My cables out"

 

"Oh, hehe, sorry to hear about that"

[Dasher 119]

I personally don't see the show being continued for more than at most 5 years and the Fan base I have no idea.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Dasher