Lauren Faust's question

[Hypereddie 56]

I'm surprised there isn't already a thread for this. (and if there is then I'm stupid and post the link ._.)

 

 

So Lauren recently finished her QA over at ponychan and she ended posing the fans a question:

 

 

So, what do you guys think? Is it more a fan of the fandom phenomenon? Was it the virality of 4chan that caused it to spread or was there something really special about ponies?

 

For me personally, I didn't know about the fandom until after I watched the first 4 episodes (which is when I realized something was wrong with me because I was enjoying the show). And I didn't get involved in the fandom up until this past year. So for me, its just a good cartoon.

Edited June 11, 2013 by Hypereddie

[NavelColt 22,876]

Why can't it be both, playing off of each other? Lauren's past TV shows didn't have fanbases as large as ours, but they were still largely worshiped as stupendous cartoons. On top of being very well-done on a basic show quality level, it breaks through stereotypes successfully, which, I believe is what sparked the fandom's growth. The right people worked on the right idea in the right way so that it appealed to people of all types. That fandom then grew off the show, and has become so very powerful that it feeds back for the show in a (mostly) positive symbiosis.

[Psych Ward 377]

Well, I was always a fan of Generation 3.  I grew out of it though, of course.  When I saw some advertisements for Generation 4, I thought I might as well look into it.  I was hooked half-way through the first episode.  When my parents peering into my room three hours later, asking me what I was doing, I smiled and said I was watching My Little Pony.

[Dopey Hooves 90]

I think there was really something special about the ponies. Haven't you noticed that all of us on this very forum have a favorite mane 6 pony? We basically worship them as well as have some connection with them. My Little Pony spread so much because, all of the mane 6 ponies as well as background ponies had something to offer. It was either the way they acted or their personality. One of those ponies is at least like you in some special way and that's how we connect with this show.

Edited June 11, 2013 by Dopey Hooves

[Shanks 10,811]

It is both, yes the show being alot better than I expected did play a role in me liking it and I am sure for many other fans as well but what kept me coming for more is that it is in fact a legitimately good show. If I was so blinded with bias because the show ended up being better than I thought it would be than I wouldn't have criticized certain decisions about the direction of the show such as twilicorn for example.

 

Lauren Faust is asking a fair question though as I feel like many fans grossly overrate the show and because of that are blinded to some of its faults, that is not to say that everyone who supports certain controversial directions the show has taken are like that but it seems like that has caused many people put the show as well as the fandom on a sort of pedestal and have gotten a tad condescending toward people that disagree with them.That is not to say that the show or the fandom are bad, just that people have unrealistic expectations of it always being perfect and it is likely that Lauren Faust may have noticed this.

[TheSupremeLeaderOfChaos 1,189]

I love the show because it is awesome in itself and the fandom makes it 20% cooler (pardon the overused meme). I love the show's music, and I love the fandom's music. I love the stories the show tells and the way it makes me think about how it's world works. I love listening to the fandom's analysis videos because they make me think even more! The fandom and the show 'play off each other' as C. Discord said, and it makes the show so dang amazing, that I can't stop thinking about it! If this show were only good because of the fandom, I guarantee I wouldn't delve as deep into it as I do.

[Scootalove 10,684]

I think that even though her shows did not have huge fan bases, they still became big hits and really entertained people for a long time. When you have the right staff and writers to help you develop on a show, it can be a very huge success once you get a lot of episodes going and you start to build up on plots. So, I say why not.

[RockinRarity 1,605]

I first heard that people liked the show, and I got this feeling when I first watched it, because it resembled many of the 90's cartoons we grew up with and loved. Ultimately, that is what kept me watching.

 

This MLP show makes people feel nostalgic, and it let's us have faith in tgw cartoon industry again.

 

So for me, personally, it is because it is a genuinely good show. But only because shows that I loved as a kid, to me, are genuinely good shows too.

[Nightmare Night 151]

the show is the 1 in a million show that can actually bring a tear to my eye (im not one for crying) the animations,character, and there world in general reawakens feelings i thought were long dead.everything else on TV is so mundane and..uninspiring. MLP FIM is almost like a beacon in my heart shining a brilliant light down into the depths of my soul.whenever i am sad or depressed or even angry i can watch MLP ands those feelings seemingly melt away.Its a truly therapeutic experience.................for me at least.

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

Ma'am, I doubt I would be obsessively anticipating each and every new episode release if the show wasn't at least "good." xD

 

Give youreslf some credit, Lauren, you created a show with a very interesting world, deep characters, strong morals, and found wonderful writers and animators to bring it to life. I would say that at least qualifies for "good" in my book."

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,794]

Do I sense doubt from her in her own ideas? Because it didn't develop how she imagined it?

 

Don't do that, Lauren...

 

It is a great Cartoon. In my opinion the best new one that I watched since I was a child. Just look at it! It's outstanding!

No totally ridiculous plotlines! No stupid morals! Stories presented for everyone!

And characters that are, in my opinion exactly on the peak right before uncanny valley. They are all well characterized and the show didn't made the mistake up until now to reveal all of the background of it's universe.

 

 

For me personally, I didn't know about the fandom until after I watched the first 4 episodes (which is when I realized something was wrong with me because I was enjoying the Show).

 

Wrong with you? Not sure if sarcasm...

Edited June 11, 2013 by StatesTheOblivious

[Harmonic Revelations 8,833]

An interesting question, for sure.

 

I enjoy the show because it's a good show. As long as it continues to be a good show, I'll continue to enjoy it.

Edited June 11, 2013 by Harmonic Revelations

[Comet Tail 808]

Someone tell Lauren that this show is legitimately the best there is! It's not just that it's better than what you'd expect from ponies, and it's not just the fandom, it's really from the show's own merit. I've made an entire thread on that point.

 

When I first discovered the series, I decided to catch up before I ever got involved in the fandom so nothing would be spoiled. I was as fanatic about the show then as I am now. So it's not really the fanbase, either.

 

The show is just the best darn show there is. That's really all there is to it. As for why it's the best darn show ever, I muse over that a bit in my thread I linked. I think it's largely characterization. We love these characters! Who doesn't want to hug Flutters or Twilight?

[dekutree64 711]

Yes, it really is that good.

 

The massive fandom is what gets people to check it out in the first place, but the fandom got to be massive because the show is great.

 

As RockinRarity and CosmicBrony said, it does bring to mind the great shows of the 90's. I hate being one of those old people that say "they don't make 'em like they used to", but it's true And this show with its fandom is proof, because it's like a merger of the modern animation style and production environment, with the old storytelling and non-ugly characters (actually breaking new ground in cuteness), and whatever magic is missing from most of the post-2000 cartoons/video games/etc. And even a bit of anime influence with the fairly continuous storyline rather than pure episodic style, and world history getting to be more and more defined over time. So you can't say people like me only like old stuff for the nostalgia, because new stuff like this can be just as good... it's just that most things aren't.

 

I was just talking with my siblings yesterday about video games being at a similar low point. Although a lot of it is to do with publisher and developer stupidity. Particularly the horrible load times in most games these days. Even the handheld consoles like DS (which are perfectly capable of turning on as fast as NES/Gameboy/etc), Nintendo put in that dumb health warning screen to waste a few seconds of your time, and then the publishers force developers to show ~30 seconds of logos before you can actually play, and then waste tons of development time on the tutorial section of the game that nobody wants to play through in the first place. And then my brother mentioned a race game that takes ages to load tracks, and has to reload even if you're replaying the same level... which is a totally normal player behavior in race games, trying repeatedly to set a record. But even if you took out all the bad stuff, many games are lacking "the magic"

Edited June 11, 2013 by dekutree64

[LightsCameraAction 100]

I heard of the show from a friend and ended up watching all 3 seasons in 2 days. Oh God, what's wrong with me?!? I then thought that people should know about this show and realized that thousands of people already did.

[Mars Caramel 319]

At first, it was the latter, but then it was the former.

 

I'm sure it happened to some of us. We didn't exactly expect a show like this to be this surprising, but then we found it was actually a fantastic cartoon.

[Gigapony 650]

I have to say it was equal shares of both for me.

 

This show just does so much good for me. Like others have said, it takes me back to my childhood because it has that "feel" to it that makes me think of my youth looking forward to watching my favourite cartoons. It does this without seeming dated, or cliché, and produces that same classic quality through its own merits. It's so far the ONLY current Western cartoon that captures my interest and keeps it, and it surpasses even those cartoons I liked as a kid. Its characters appeal to me like few ever have, and I genuinely care about them and their stories; its morals are universal and make nobody feel left out. It bust through stereotypes subtly yet boldly and does so in a way that isn't preachy or arrogant. It lifts my mood and takes me out of some very dark places and tells me it's OK to smile when I'm down, and that the world isn't such a bad place, even when I'm surrounded by media that would tell me otherwise.

 

And then there's the fandom, which deserves its share of credit. It has its little factions and its bad apples, but by and large, I've never been part of a fandom that has such a large proportion of genuinely nice and open-minded people, and that's thanks in no small part to MLP's excellent way of delivering morals that transcend gender and age. It's the one fandom where I actually feel like I "belong" and am surrounded by kindred spirits. For me that means a lot.

 

Lauren Faust deserves to be very proud of herself for what she's made. She's taken her talent for cartoons (her past works have also been amazing) and created what I believe is her masterpiece. I am a very picky person, especially when it comes to television (which I rarely watch), so for a series to capture my heart like MLP has is very special. I wouldn't be as obsessed with it as I am if it weren't a genuinely fantastic show in and of itself.

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

I wouldn't in a 100 years have watched this show initially if it wasn't for the fans spamming the hay out of the internet. 

 

My opinion coming from someone who doesn't watch tv because almost everything on it is crap....

      It is a legitimately good show.  Just because I don't watch tv (we have one, but no cable or box converter thing to make it work. I have it for Vhs' my PS2 and Gamecube) doesn't mean I don't know what is currently on tv.  For a children's show, this cartoon is the G rated show compared to (should be) PG13 rated popular cartoon network shows.  In the cartoon world as I have seen, there are two categories; Any kid show that really isn't for kids  but is marketed towards them (i.e. Spongebob, Regular Show, Adventure Time,etc), and educational cartoons (mainly aimed at preschoolers such as Dora, the entire Noggin channel, etc) which really focus on the education part and not so much the entertainment (however, I do remember seeing a really good preschool show called Toot and Puddle).  Most entertaining cartoons of today follow Ren and Stimpy in humor, tone, and even animation.  Other shows of that time (90's) were either so strange it just a has a small cult following and did not last long on the air, or were tamer, not always popular with older fans, but still entertaining to kids (like Tale Spin, Darkwing Duck, Tiny Toons, Gargoyles, etc).  The few that came out of this time that were weird (such as Ren and Stimpy, Animaniacs, Cow and Chicken, Freakazoid, Pinky & the Brain, Ed,Edd, Eddy ) and caught on like wildfire in popularity really changed how cartoons are today in my opinion. 

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic really sits in the middle of what modern cartoons offer.  They aren't constant jokes that over the heads of 8 year olds, not are their things that happen in the show that can be labelled as "gross" or "inappropriate" in the eyes of parents.  It's educational, but it's not the focus of the show.  It's entertaining, yet children actually can learn deep morals from it.  It's a wonderfully balanced show when put up against the most popular kid's shows of today.  Best of all, it IS meant for all ages, the jokes that kid's won't get (such as Pinkie and Twilight's quip about Rarity becoming a crazy cat lady) isn't inappropriate, nor is it something that if kid's do understand they won't be dumbed down by it or say or do anything that is outright not okay because of it. 

I'm a rambling once again, but I sure do hope I get my point across. 

[Hypereddie 56]

Wrong with you? Not sure if sarcasm...

To put it in perspective. I only watched the first episode because an online friend of mine posted the link randomly in the wrong chat room. I thought he was joking around when he posted it, and since at the time I had nothing better to do I told him I'm gonna watch it. I had absolutely 0 knowledge of what I was getting into and had absolutely no knowledge of what I was watching.

 

Thats why I thought something was wrong with me. Its because I went into the show ironically thinking "oh I have nothing else better to do, so I'm gonna watch this episode of My Little Pony someone posted in chat" and ended up enjoying it.

And the fact that a show, about colorful horses ponies that try to learn about the magic of friendship, got me hooked even when I wasn't planning on watching the whole episode, is amazing. That's how you know you made a cartoon.

[duidamasterXD 9,626]

I live under a rock, and didn't really figre out that there was a massive and creative fandom behind the show until I had already finished and enjoyed the first two seasons. It's certainly a very high-quality show. I can barely stand much of TV in general nowadays, but I'm still able to enjoy MLP FiM a lot. I think that a lot of it's popularity is becuase of the fandom and that perpetuating itself, but at the same time the show is genuinely good.

Edited June 11, 2013 by DashForever

[Trixies Apprentice L 489]

In my opinion the show is good though sadly it degraded by a long shot through the third season. I was geniuly didn't expect to like it when I watched the first episode.

 

Compared to other cartoons of this generation it has a good standing but I wouldn't call it the best Adventure time holds that spot firmly  

 

It is geniuly good it degraded a bit I hope it get fixed over the new season 

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,794]

To put it in perspective. I only watched the first episode because an online friend of mine posted the link randomly in the wrong chat room. I thought he was joking around when he posted it, and since at the time I had nothing better to do I told him I'm gonna watch it. I had absolutely 0 knowledge of what I was getting into and had absolutely no knowledge of what I was watching.

 

Thats why I thought something was wrong with me. Its because I went into the show ironically thinking "oh I have nothing else better to do, so I'm gonna watch this episode of My Little Pony someone posted in chat" and ended up enjoying it.

And the fact that a show, about colorful horses ponies that try to learn about the magic of friendship, got me hooked even when I wasn't planning on watching the whole episode, is amazing. That's how you know you made a cartoon.

Ah, okay. I guess the "first contact" of everyone of us with the show differs. Actually I'm one of those who were very open in the first place. I knew about the fandom and then I thought "Hey, you like - still like - many things since your childhood and there has to be something about that FiM if it's having that huge fanbase, so I'll give it a try."

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,368]

I am not going to come up with some deep philosophical meaning here, I do not need to. I love the show because it is a great show. It is kind hearted, has great characters, great animation, great humor, a great team who makes it, great morals,what is there that is not to like? Also, I actually do think this is easily one of the best cartoons, not just on TV now, but of all time. 

 

What she asked is a fair question, but, why did she ask it though? 

[Spring Storm 276]

I didn't get into FiM just because it has a large fanbase. I like what I like, regardless of how many people like it. For instance, I tried watching Adventure Time, and I just couldn't get into it. Dunno why, really. So I don't go around saying that I like it just because a lot of people do. I've never done stuff like that and I never will. It's the reason why I didn't listen to much pop music growing up - I didn't like it much, nor did I want to pretend to like it just so stupid girls would like me.

 

I also didn't get into FiM just because it exceeded expectations. An example of something I enjoy because it exceeds expectations but isn't that great otherwise would be Barbie movies (well, that and playing "spot the FiM voice actor" is fun). They're fun to watch if I want a mindless fantasy romp, but I don't love them. It takes something more to make me love something.

 

And FiM has that something more. Action, suspense, loveable characters, great animation, top-notch writing, and beautiful songs. It takes a lot of effort to make me want to join a forum devoted to something and discuss that thing with people. It takes a lot of effort to get me that obsessed with something. And obviously, FiM delivered in that regard.

[H3lios 6]

I think Faust deserves a Nobel prize to be honest. This show has inspired not just one but many generations of men to finally abandon that cave man bull about being the biggest baddass in the room and realise that you can be both strong and gentle as well.