The Future of My Little Pony and the Brony Phenomenon

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

Oh it's this thread again...

I'm going to say the same thing I said for the other ones. It will probably end at 6 seasons. The brony community will continue on for decades to come, just like the Star Wars fanatics or the Trekkies.

[RenagadePony 0]

To be honest i ask myself this too but at the same time i think its here to stay for about 5 or 6 seasons which is good because as they say if you get to much of something that is good it wont be the same besides we will still have the memory and a lot of the fan art and musicians will stay as well and though g 5 wont be as good at least it will continue the fandom so we leave it to time if it ends it does but we are left with hope that maybe somebody anybody can create g5 and good be as good or better but we will just have to see

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

We'll be like alot of other fanbases. We'll be around but we'll fall out of the limelight into our own little niche of the internet. Like Trekkies and Whovians.

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

I think the brony community has the potential to become just as big as trekkies. They have lasted decades after the show was canceled. I have high hopes, but hey that's just me.

[ceresbane 61]

Creating games?

Creating music?

Endless streams of artwork? Comics? Parodies?

 

Bronies have a big sister and her name is Touhou.

 

If things go right, this statement will be true. Brony-ism will someday be equal to touhou, in quality, in quanitity and scale.

 

But there are so many things that will not make that happen. What do you think they are?

[Vaporeon 1,168]

I'm convinced something like this will happen.

 

But seriously I think we'll just get bigger and bigger until no one gives as shit about us anymore and we'll just be another fandom in the eyes of the internet. It also depends on how long the show lasts. While I think bronies will last long after the show is over, a lot of us will lose interest and stop all together. Really only time will tell.

Edited September 11, 2012 by N-Harmonia

[Ad Foedera Cresco 188]

It all depends on what happens in the future. At the rate we're going at, and stay how we are, we're going to take the world over and maybe match Bungie in world domination. This can't be a closed statement though, because we don't know if the mass media or some "popular" show on MTV will bring the fandom down in the public's eyes. That's what I'm most worried about.

 

The Brony Fandom is something very unique, and it's something that'll live on LOONNGG after the show stops. Even if it stops airing on T.V, there's still going to be Bronies around. Bronies who meet up and have families might pass MLP down to their children, if they like it they might become Bronies too. Look at Starwars, the first movies have been out for a Buck load of time, and there's games, shows, toys, collecters items, and recent movies were made too. My Little Pony has only been out since 2011 I believe, and look how much the fandom's grown since then. The Brony Fandom still has A LONG time to go, a lot of great things to see and create, and will probably last until we're very old. If not, after we die in a way. Also, after the show stops airing, there's always going to be those who'll still provide for the fans, like Halo 4 for instance (Examples FTW ).

 

This is all my opinion, it'll be different than every other pony's opinions, but... yeah .

Edited September 11, 2012 by Ad Foedera Cresco

[Zoop 8,384]

Bronies have a big sister and her name is Touhou.

I honestly don't see MLP ever becoming anywhere near as big as Touhou is, to be honest. I think a lot the reason that it was able to take off to the ridiculous level it did had to do with ZUN's extremely relaxed stance on copyright; I don't think Hasbro would take nearly as kindly to people making unlicensed commercial fan games, albums, comic books, episodes, movies, figures, and all other manner of merchandise as ZUN did.

 

And... to be completely honest, there are a lot of aspects of the Touhou community (western, at least) that I really hope don't end up being copied in the brony community. x_x

 

* Zoop is a recovering Touhouholic that owns several hundred dollars worth of games, albums, and other assorted merchandise.

[Jokuc 8,172]

We already have endless artwork and music, actually. And right now some people are making a fanmade episode. There are alot of games and animatinos and.. Guys, have you even thought about how much our community creates? I don't think there will be much more our community can make that we haven't already made.

[ceresbane 61]

We already have endless artwork and music, actually. And right now some people are making a fanmade episode. There are alot of games and animatinos and.. Guys, have you even thought about how much our community creates? I don't think there will be much more our community can make that we haven't already made.

 

I beg to differ. The bronies are still very young and very unprofessional in comparisan to say... IOSYS. I mean those musical creators are hardcore versatile in music.

 

Music in brony scale pigeon holes itself a little in musical genre. And it is starting to branch out, but no where near as pronounced as others.

 

Art, yeah that's vrsatile already but art and fanfic are always the first areas in every existing fandom to develop the fastest.

 

As for fanmade episodes. None are anywhere near decent yet. It still has that amateur feel to it, because it's a first. As for the pony animations? most of those are uninspired parodies of parodies. A lazy ponification of a popular meme because originality is too far in the horizon yet.

 

I mean "Double Sonic Rainboom"? That fanmade ep also seems to be less of an episode and more of sketch variety show. Which is fine, but it's kinda false advertising to call it an actual mlp ep seeing as it really has no plot (from what Ive seen so far).

 

My hope for the brony fandom, is that our standards for material rise and hasbro's poor writing is forced to keep up. Making for a better fandom, a better show and a better, more developed,.... movement?

[Zoop 8,384]

My hope for the brony fandom, is that our standards for material rise and hasbro's poor writing is forced to keep up. Making for a better fandom, a better show and a better, more developed,.... movement?

 

Again, the reason why so much of the material produced by the Touhou fandom is of such a high quality is to due how much money is involved by comparison.

 

Those fanmade Touhou animes? Despite the fact that most English speaking folks watched them for free, those were all commercial endeavors - again, I somehow doubt that Hasbro would be willing to tolerate unlicensed commercial activity to that same extent. A couple people selling plushies on eBay, or selling a bit of digital music online is one thing - entire teams coming together to produce (arguably) studio quality animation with the intention of selling DVDs? Another entirely.

[Jokuc 8,172]

As for fanmade episodes. None are anywhere near decent yet.

Hm you probably do, but do you know about the fanmade episode called "Double Rainboom"? It's not out yet, but I can tell it's gonna be better than decent.

 

 

[Nouth 495]

I hope that the situation remains as close to the current one as possible. All the internet hate works as a perfect filter which

only lets tolerant people inside the fandom, and also as a glue-element, making the community stick together more.

I hope that bronies never become mainstream. That would hurt the community too much. So, let's hope that haters gonna hate !

[Lifehax 81]

So guys.. How many seasons do you think there will be of My Little Pony: Friendorship is Magic?

I cant help but think that the show will go way farther because of all the supporters and bronies and other fans of this show. THE MLP LEGACY MUST CONTINUE!

Honestly I think the animators cant go on forever.. so I'd say up to season 4 or 5.. Unless it somehow goes downhill sometime.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Vinyl

[THE WILD HUNT 213]

The show will probably stop having new episodes either after the third season, and at most the fourth season. Friendship is a vast topic, but there's only so much they can do with the child friendly aspect of it. If they wanted to continue their series and attract new watchers, they'd probably need to step it up and talk about more serious issues about relationships and just people in general. Furthermore, they'd need some more action than the regular, "What'd you learn today out of this simple problem?" if they want to prevent it from becoming stale.

[Lifehax 81]

I dont want it to end ;_;

I'd pay the animators billions of dollars if I could to continue it for several more seasons

The brony legacy must continue! We just gotta BELIEEEEEVE!!!!!

[Samurshy 708]

If anyone watches this particular sitcom and can guess this reference then I give you major props, but this is my answer: SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE!

Edited September 29, 2012 by Bronynonymous

[PonyKorra 35]

I really hope it doesn't end after 3 season. It probably won't. I'm guessing maybe six. I really hope that they make a movie for the theaters.

[NavelColt 22,876]

1: Five or six. It's a basic ballpark estimate because Codename Kids Next Door, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends and Powerpuff Girls, all things Lauren had some sort of helping hand in creating, starting or maintaining, all had exactly six seasons. I honestly doubt with all my heart and soul that three is the last one, or even the second to last one. Besides, that guy who works for the show who made the DeviantART journal talking vaguely about the 'seasons' and how that 'some seasons were more special than others (Season 3, being shorter and most likely focusing on one story arc most of the time)' and that 'there are many seasons to come.'

 

And as far as 'running out of content' goes, they can easily gently shift later seasons to focus less on learning lessons, and more about adventure arcs and other single-episode character development stories, that don't have to have a blatant letter summarizing things in the end. The show morphed from just Twilight, to all the Mane Six sending letters, so after a few seasons of depicting the mane Six growing with one another, they could easily be shown to no longer blatantly mention these things. Which, in result, means they have everything under the sun to expand on in this vast world they've created using both mythology as they have been with creatures, and real-life situations.

 

Hasbro wanted the show to be about friendship, but that doesn't mean that they can't softly shift the focus of that friendship theme as seasons go by. And it's not like things will get more complicated to a point where the young kid audience they aim themselves at wouldn't understand. Depicting friendship doesn't need a blatant letter for you to understand it.

 

2: Of course. This fanbase is so vast, so creative and so productive, that the endless amounts of fanon created will easily keep me at least a minor brony for a while to come. Not to mention that the fanbase is, again, fully capable of continuing the show after Hasbro stops the official episodes. The fanbase has shown this, over and over and over.

 

3: I can't even begin to comprehend where they'd attempt to go from here. I'm optimistic, knowing that they'd hopefully build off the success that is G4, and not revert to any of the previous, not as well-received generations. And those retarded, hippo-looking ponies .__.

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

The more I think of it the more I want to say the show won't end anytime soon. It has such a big following that I can't see it dying out in such a simple way. It will continue until the brony fandom dies down. I mean Hasbro is making money so there really isn't a reason that it should end really quick. My only fear is that the creators will start making the show for the older fanbase, and completley desert all of what the show was built on. I mean that is the only thing that would send me away from the show. I mean I like a little, but when it gets too much, it really is too much. I will continue to be a brony, much as how trekkies are still trekkies. I think that g4 is the high point of the MLP universe so I think anything after that will be worse in comparison.

[Acoustic Cloud 2,202]

I think the show will only end if like a few VA's died or even TV stations all ran out of money and can't show TV at all anymore.

I don't think there will be a G5, it would have to deal with the standards of FIM and most likely would be shot down by fans everywhere.

But I think if we continue to watch the show that it will last ATLEAST 5 seasons. but i voted for 8+ because i just really would love to see that.

[Winona the Dog 1,981]

Honestly i cant tell yet.....If the community response for season 3 is strong then im sure it will go on for a while maybe to a season 5 or 6 maybe.

 

Will just have to wait really (The community is already strong)

[Modphase 1,270]

Oh...god......thread.....too sad......*sniff....

 

I like Sharp Staccato's idea of the Bronies dying out before the show does, I think it would save a lot of sadness.

 

But if that doesn't happen, then on that fateful day, I will give out an earth shaking....

 

And then proceed to lock myself up in my room eating nothing but crackers and water

 

 

But honestly, the thought of bronies going on after the show kinda makes me sad. Not only will the population of bronies substantially decrease, much of the charm and fun of the brony fandom would be gone, so I think the best thing to do would be for the brony fandom to end to, but still keep ponies in our memory.

 

After all, when I think of the fandom going on after the show has ended, I get this weird image in my head of a kid petting his dead dog.

[Rarietty 632]

I don't get why Hasbro would cancel it. It's their most viewed show on the Hub, it's making loads of money and they have a huge fanbase who many in will probably despise them if they decided to cancel it.

 

Seriously, if you think about it, there are some bronies who are rabid enough to have petitions for a character's voice or who are very vocal about their brony-ism. Imagine how those fans would react to a FiM cancellation and how much hate Hasbro would get.

 

Ignoring the fandom, I think that the show should cancel when it feels natural and makes sense, or they run out of stories to tell. For example, I want the CMC to get their cutie marks before it's cancelled, please. Running out of stories seems fairly unlikely, considering that they have an entire world to pick locations and characters from. So, it's impossible to tell, but I bet it won't end after the third or forth season. Come on, if a show centering around a sponge has enough staying power, why can't MLP?

Edited September 29, 2012 by Rarietty

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,694]

I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Looking at how short-lived your truly good shows tend to be--and how long they can go without losing their magic, for that matter--I think four seasons is reasonable for this generation of MLP. I'm afraid that if most of us had a choice in the matter, we would have them drag out the show past its prime rather than deal with the heartbreak of cancellation. I won't be as crazy about the show forever as I am now, maybe, but I will remain a strong fan after it's gone. Most of my favorite shows were cancelled long ago (Garfield & Friends, Animaniacs, Samurai Pizza Cats), or aired long before I was able to see them on TV much anyway (Red Green, Gidget, Daria, MST3K, list goes on).

 

I don't know if or when a G5 will come along, or how good it will be. Regardless, it will never measure up to G4 in our hearts.

Edited September 29, 2012 by TailsAlone