Do you need to watch the show to be a brony?

[ShutterFly! 30]

I really can't figure this out. I have at least 3 friends who have mlp backgrounds, play mlp games online,

 

watch youtube poops of mlp, and reference it throughout the day, but they only watched like two episodes

 

(as far as I know) Do you really need to enjoy the show to be a brony or do you just need to like the

 

concept of it?

[Zygen 6,065]

Well my definition of a brony is a fan of the show whos not inside the target demographic, so I guess by my definition of them they wouldn't exactly be bronies?

 

I'm not totally sure, not even sure how they'd enjoy all this stuff so much from only watching 2 episodes, and then never wanting to watch more.

 

It certainly seems a bit odd to me.

[ShutterFly! 30]

Well they watch a lot of youtube poops, and little tid bits from the show, maybe it all branches off of that? But yeah I agree with you it is pretty odd

[Zygen 6,065]

I suppose, I just wonder why if they like content from the show so much why they don't just watch the show.

 

Maybe they're just bronies in denial or something..? I don't really know how to explain this.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,694]

I don't put many restrictions or judgments on what defines a brony...but IMO, you do have to watch the show at some point.

 

If you haven't and you just like the fandom or whatever, that's cool, but in my mind you're more of a brony sympathizer.

[ShutterFly! 30]

I think they like the show and they aren't willing to admit it, but they can't stay away so they only watch youtube poops while they're at my house? I dunno, it's a theory

[Celtore 2,769]

I don't think you do. I think it's entirely possible to get into a fandom through a branch of fan derived work. It is a bit more complicated with a simple youtube poop though, I don't know if I'd consider myself a fan of sonic the hedgehog because I watched a clip of Dr. Robotnik giving himself a prrrrrromotion.

 

Since they like the concept though and the other extraneous conditions, I'd say I could consider them bronies.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Celtore

[ShutterFly! 30]

I don't think you do. I think it's entirely possible to get into a fandom through a branch of fan derived work. It is a bit more complicated with a simple youtube poop though, I don't know if I'd consider myself a fan of sonic the hedgehog because I watched a clip of Dr. Robotnik giving himself a prrrrrromotion.

 

Since you like the concept though and the other extraneous conditions, I'd say I could consider you a brony.

Haha i LOVE the show, the same friends that I think are "into it" used to poke fun at me for being a brony, which is why I think they're hiding it from me, because I totally agree with you that just watching a few YTP's wouldn't normally be enough to like the fandom this much.

[Shanks 10,811]

Yeah I would think that at some point you would have to watch the show to be one but who knows maybe seeing those fanworks could actually get them into the show. Before I got into the show I did see a few parodies, one of the best ones was the Apocalypse Ponies on an episode of Robot Chicken though those were a parody of the entire franchise and not just G4 and it was before I knew about bronies. I will post it anyway though because it is hilarious

 

[Stormwind 53]

not exactly, the term brony usually refers to anybody who watches the show and falls outside of the target demographic. So your friends aren't exactly bronies but since they follow the fan's creations they are still fans (at least in my opinion).

[~Chaotic Fireball~ 498]

 

A brony is a fan of MLP. If you do not like the show, but the fanwork, you are technically not a brony, although you might call yourself one. 

[Harmonic Revelations 8,833]

If you enjoy ponies, you're a brony, period. It doesn't matter whether you like the fan works or the show itself, it's all about the ponies.

 

 

[Mightymags 1,053]

I don't think you have to watch the show to be considered a brony. As long as they're fans of mlp they're considered bronies in my opinion. 

 

If you say they aren't considered bronies than what about all the people (even just on this site) that aren't completely caught up on the show? Are they not bronies? Of course they are, they're just behind, I myself wasn't even caught up until recently but I didn't stop being a brony during that time. 

 

If watching two episodes and liking it isn't enough to be considered a brony then that leads to the question: "How many episodes does it take to become a brony?" which is one there isn't an answer to.  

[Inactive01 5,298]

Well if you like MLP without watching it, you can say you're a brony, but you wouldn't be a very good one. It's like being a fan of Doctor Who by watching fan dubs and without actually watching the show. You wouldn't understand the plot and you wouldn't get the clear meaning of the references being made in their respective shows. 

[Dr. Eggnog 203]

That's actually an interesting question.  I guess if someone was really in love with the fandom and spent a lot of time with it then they could be called a brony.  It's hard to imagine someone not caring about the show but still working hard to produce lots of fanfics and such but if they did I guess in a way they could be a brony.  Maybe.  This really is interesting.

[pleasedontcomeback 209]

To me, yes. A true brony watches and understands the show via watching it. If a so-called-brony comes up and only watches 2 episodes, he/she won't understand it as much because they have only watched so little. To me, the definition of "brony" is a lover and fan of the show, My Little Pony Generation 4. If a person has not watched the show enough to understand the plot, characters and story, then they cannot be called a brony in my opinion. I have heard of part-bronies and closet-bronies, though.

[Love*Potion 575]

I'm sure that they could technically be called "bronys", but I would think that they are more intrigued by the show than fully into it. They may think it is cute or cool, but if they have never seen the full season it may be hard to identify with other bronies what's going on and the frequent references that are shared among other bronys 

[hawkflame 3,308]

I don't think you have to watch the show to be considered a brony. As long as they're fans of mlp they're considered bronies in my opinion. 

 

I fail to see how you can be a fan of MLP without watching MLP. You have no interest in the source of the thing you purport to be a fan of.  That makes no sense.  If you're watching the show but are behind, you're at least watching the show. 

 

You're not a fan of MLP.  You're a fan of MLP-derived works.  There's a difference. 

 

I mean, how far are we going to water down the definition? Is it going to ever be "Anyone who enjoys something that has some relation to a horse"?

[Phoenix237 353]

This is an interesting question

I guess it depends in who you ask

I don't know.

I mean it's not an easy question to answer

I don't put much judgment so maybe, but I'm not entirly sure.

[ShutterFly! 30]

I was looking into this earlier today and I found a youtube video that said. "Non Brony Reacts to Rainbow Dashie" and he cries and says he really likes the story. In the comments section he was asked if he was a brony now, and he said  "I'm pretty much getting into everything about this but the show, so not yet." 

 

This is my definition of it as of now, people who don't watch the show but like the fanworks aren't exactly bronys yet. But it's possible that they could be closet bronys, which is fine too.

 

Anyone else feel the same way?

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

Now I'm just confused, why would you get into the fandom of a show and not watch it? I'm reminded of those people that wear old T-Shirts from bands they never listen to.

[Scootalove 10,684]

Well, in some ways yes. I think that if you don't watch a show that you enjoy in a fandom, then what is the point of being in the fandom. But in some cases, you usually don't have to watch the show unless you never did.

[Starstream 182]

I suppose, I just wonder why if they like content from the show so much why they don't just watch the show.   Maybe they're just bronies in denial or something..? I don't really know how to explain this.

I could possibly provide a little insight into this from my own viewpoint.

 

I myself find a lot of enjoyment in viewing the fandom's creations and engaging in roleplays, but when it comes to actually watching the episodes it costed me way too much energy to push myself through watching the entirety of the show.

 

Now, don't get me wrong, I by no means "hate" MLP, but I've found that only a select amount of episodes hit that sweet spot for me where I believe it truly rewards my time investment (and that number of episodes is lower than most other shows I watch). Yes, I do enjoy the episodes I like probably most of any show I've seen, but the consistency is something I just don't feel is there, and recently even more so than before I feel a distinct disconnect MLP the show as season three for me personally fell flat before what I've seen from seasons one and two.

 

I should also say that I like the art style, characters, and locations of the show, it's just that the situations portrayed generally leave me saying... "meh...". The fanon stuff tends to spice that part up a bit, hence why I really love to hang around and invest my spare time on brony websites.

 

For the sake of finishing what I've started, staying up to date and knowing what the fandom is talking about, and picking out those occasional personal treasures of episodes, I will continue to follow this show until its end, but I can easily relate to anyone who would choose not to do so. I guess you are right when you say that someone with a similar mindset is not technically a "brony", but that word as a title is something that not everyone engaged in the MLP fandom accepts anyway. I couldn't care less about whether or not I'm technically a brony, so long as I can create, read, listen to, and watch content and I can say that I can enjoy what I see, I have no regrets sticking around.

 

 

In short,

The show does not make me feel rewarded for my time investment as much as I believe it needs to while the fandom does just that, that's why I personally don't spend an incredible lot of time on the episodes, but rather on fan created content.

 

 

Just some "mentions" and "quotes" in order to respond to certain people's questions/statments.

 

I really can't figure this out. I have at least 3 friends who have mlp backgrounds, play mlp games online,

 

watch youtube poops of mlp, and reference it throughout the day, but they only watched like two episodes

 

(as far as I know) Do you really need to enjoy the show to be a brony or do you just need to like the

 

concept of it?

 

@

@@Shoboni

@@Dr. Eggnog

@@Phoenix237

@@hawkflame

 

 

Edited March 30, 2013 by Rockmare

[Zygen 6,065]

I could possibly provide a little insight into this from my own viewpoint.

 

I myself find a lot of enjoyment in viewing the fandom's creations and engaging in roleplays, but when it comes to actually watching the episodes it costed me way to much energy to push myself through watching the entirety of the show.

 

Now, don't get me wrong, I by no means "hate" MLP, but I've found that only a select amount of episodes hit that sweet spot for me where I believe it truly rewards my time investment (and that number of episodes is lower than most other shows I watch). Yes, I do enjoy the episodes I like probably most of any show I've seen, but the consistency is something I just don't feel is there, and recently even more so than before I feel a distinct disconnect MLP the show as season three for me personally fell flat before what I've seen from seasons one and two.

 

I should also say that I like the art style, characters, and locations of the show, it's just that the situations portrayed generally leave me saying... "meh...". The fanon stuff tends to spice that part up a bit, hence why I really love to hang around and invest my spare time on brony websites.

 

For the sake of finishing what I've started, staying up to date and knowing what the fandom is talking about, and picking out those occasional personal treasures of episodes, I will continue to follow this show until its end, but I can easily relate to anyone who would choose not to do so. I guess you are right when you say that someone with a similar mindset is not technically a "brony", but that word as a title is something that not everyone engaged in the MLP fandom accepts anyway. I couldn't care less about whether or not I'm technically a brony, so long as I can create, read, listen to, and watch content and I can say that I can enjoy what I see, I have no regrets sticking around.

 

 

In short,

The show does not make me feel rewarded for my time investment as much as I believe it needs to while the fandom does just that, that's why I personally I don't spend an incredible lot of time on the episodes, but rather on fan created content.

I see. Well Its an interesting observation and insight to see from your perspective. I guess it kinda makes sense. I personally have no trouble watching any episodes of MLP really. I love each and everyone of them, but I guess if you don't thats cool. And if you enjoy the fan content more thats cool with me.

 

I think you need to atleast have watched the show at some point though. So if you've done that I'd consider you a brony. Its a little more complicated when it comes to use to watching the show but still liking fan content. But idk. I typically refer to everyone here as bronies more or less . Just out of habit.

 

You make a good argument for your cause, so I respect it regardless.

[Modphase 1,270]

That's an interesting question, and one that could bring up a lot of discussion.

 

What I personally think is that there are two sides of the spectrum, calling yourself a fan and having others call you a fan.

 

 

It's easy to call yourself a fan of anything. I won't name names, but have you ever seen those people on the forums who call themselves "The biggest fan of X character?" That's fine, but no one would believe that if they have nothing to back themselves up. It's more, to put it simply, "real" if others think of yourself as a fan than you. And most of these people don't have anything to back themselves, so it's hardly believable that they're the biggest fan.

 

Take Firebolt for example. She has much evidence to support the fact that she's a huge Trixie fan, so many, including me, believe her. If you need said evidence, just look up her "Trixieism" thread.

 

 

So these "Bronies" that don't watch the show, they can call themselves Bronies and fans of the show all they want, but it doesn't seem they would have enough evidence for others to call themselves a fan if they don't even watch the show.

 

There's my two cents.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Modphase