Greetings, Bronies. To the point: why are you even here?

[ReGen 1,466]

Gaddamnit, this person is smart. How can I compete!? D:

 

Well... we just like it. Some things you just like and you can't explain why. Maybe we just don't need an explanation. Maybe we just enjoy it because it makes us happy. Do you really need a page long essay on why we enjoy it?

 

Do I still watch it? Yeah. I find it entertaining. Why? Because I do.

 

Maybe it's more about the person who watches it than the show itself.

Edited July 8, 2013 by ReGen

[Fluttering High 55]

Although I cannot pick out specific episodes that show the greatness of MLP, If I had to choose some of my favorites, they would include Suited for Success as well as Read It and Weep. Some of the overall appeal of the show comes from the humor, which, while funny to little kids, is still really funny to older fans.

[Booksmith 87]

Also I think the fandom would have not taken off as much as it had if the technology used to create the show wasn't so freely available. People started making a lot of vector art for the first time after falling in love with the show, they learned to paint in photoshop or make music or remixes or write fan fiction.

 

It was an open field for new artists and the fans were not as harsh or cruel as other fandoms because the show's themes are basically "Don't be a douche bag."  

 

They wanted to make their own pony so they learned a whole new skill set to make part of that idealized "Pony world" their own. I think that really helped the fandom and the show to grow in popularity which is why I think Ha$bro should stop harassing content creators. 

[Discount_Flunky 75]

To be honest with you, I don't really think the show is near as perfect as the bronies make it out to be. I find it entertaining, and I really can't answer you why, but there are better cartoons out there. In fact while I'm at it I might be a minority group here and say that while the vast majority of bronies assume that Faust is god at creating characters, I actually disagree and think that for the most part her characters are meh. I really have no reason to say this other than it's what I think from seeing some of her character designs.

 

Now then, would I be watching this crap without the fandom? lol probably. I'm a dork already who watches anime cartoons that are clearly made for little girls in Japan, so I don't see why I wouldn't give this a shot.

I didn't say shes the best creator ever and everything she touches is gold.  I just said shes good at making shows that appeal to a wide range of audiences.  Basically speaking it's not her writing skill that makes her shows good it's her writing STYLE.  I agree with you completely on the fact that's shes not the best writer out there.  The episodes she involved in directly are meh compared to later episodes, but you can't deny that if they didn't use her formula the show would just be another run of the mill girly show.

[Avatar tag: shipping 299]

It's hard to pin down an over-arching, all encompassing, one size fits all answer to your question. Like what has already been said, everyone has their own reason for being a brony. Answers like "good animation", "good story", and "good characters" are the closest you are probably going to get. But I think I understand your point: MLP: FiM isn't the only show with those characteristics. Why are we flocking to this show and not others? I can't speak for everyone, but I can speak for myself and let you know why I'm here.

 

You brought up that the show has heavy feminine, borderline feminist, elements and overtones. You implied that it was unusual for adult males today to find that entertaining. (If I'm way off base here, I apologize.) And in most circumstances, you are certainly correct. Feminism usually doesn't float my boat. Regardless if it's a cartoon or live action, most shows that have female leads don't appeal to me. Why? It's not because I'm sexist. It's because they pander to the audience. Example: Every cop show with a female lead. A description for each one could read "She's a tough woman trying to make it in a tough man's world. She won't let any man slow her down." I hate it. And it's why I love FiM. Yes the main characters are female, but they don't portray them as victims. If a pony accomplishes something or does something good, the focus is on their actions not their gender. The femininity of the show is mostly cosmetic, not substantial. At least to me.

 

Another reason I love the show is because of the characters. I know you want more than that, but it's true. I love the mane 6. They are well drawn, they have great personalities, and great voice actors. But it's more the personality than anything. I don't see six crazy colored horses when I watch the show. I see six sides of my own personality. Twilight loves to learn new things, AJ works hard to keep the family business running, Rainbow can be lazy at times, Rarity is artistic, Fluttershy is shy and loves animals, and Pinkie is ADHD in a nutshell. All of those things are part of who I am.

 

But I think the main reason I love the show is because it reduces stress for me. My life is stressful from start to finish. If I'm not stressing out trying to keep my family business afloat, I'm in the back of an ambulance stressing out over the guy with a bullet in his chest dying in front of me. And as all of you know, stress at work doesn't stay there. I needed some way to relieve that stress. All of the other shows I like don't work. They are full of violence, cursing, and jackassery. While funny, those things caused most of my stress in the first place. When I gave FiM a shot this January, I found something completely unlike anything else on TV. It was clean, it was happy, but it was still funny. Maybe it's my mind trying to blank out the evil of the real world with the diabeetus inducing sweetness of a show about magical ponies. Whatever the case may be; Whether it's crappy customers to murders and money issues to cardiac arrests, this show can erase that stress in 22 minutes flat.

 

I should probably stop. I could go on and on about why I like MLP but I think this will give you some understanding of why I like it. I hope this helps.

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

I could go and on about how awesome the music is, how amazing and detailed the animation is(try watching a scene with a lot of movement slowed down some time and look how fluid and well executed the movement is, it's feakin' amazing beyond words, I've never seen anything quite like it), it's great sense of humor, endearing characters, emotional impact, and just plain old nostalgia because it's such a throw back to the kind of shows many of use grew up with.  

 

I've written two blogs on the matter:

 

 

 

After some time on the forums, and thinking about this whole crazy pony thing I got a thought. I think I know why it attracts us. The optimism speaks to a part of us down deep inside, the part of our soul hidden away as we grew up. The part that sees the world in black and white. That looks up to heroes and thinks bad guys never win.

As kids we all saw through the darkness of this world to the light. We were truly happy. Remember how happy we was to go with out moms or dads and get a new game or some cartoons on VHS, or getting some "Yu-Gi-Oh" cards(don't tell me you didn't cry at the shows finale when the pharaoh left)? I remember buying a bag of tapes for $5 at the pawnshop. 

Heck, for me even going to some yard-sales on the weekend was paradise. Life was so simple to us back then. 

Remember elementary school when we knew everyone in our class, and even school was fun?

I think we look at Equestria and see that ideal world we lived in as children and it awakens that part of us. Even dark stories give hope. Grim-dark is a way of facing our own fears and doubts along side heroes we can look up too. Sad stories help us find tears that needed to be shed. I remember when my sister died I didn't cry, but a sad fanfic broke down the wall let me cry for her after over six years. 

It's hard to believe I'm talking about pastel ponies, I can hardly believe myself something simple is making such an profound impact. I guess all I can end this with is thanks, to all the people that gave us Pinkie, Fluttershy, Twilight, Applejack, Dash, and Rarity, you've all done more good then you'll ever know.

 

 

 

It was two years ago that FiM first aired. I wasn't there in the beginning, but I heard it's story not long after I joined the herd. It's hard to believe that one angry news article and the faith and dedication of one woman's fans created all this.

If you were to tell my child self that My Little Pony would be favorite show someday I'd be perplexed, mainly because I didn't even know there was a cartoon, to me they were just those kinda cool colorful little toys you get in Happy Meals. Yes I had them, and yes I liked them. My Parents were never the kind of people that pushed boy and girl toy category's, heck my older sister grew up on TMNT action figures. You should have been there to hear my Dad's "GI Joe is Barbie for boys" speech, it involved the phrases "hair down to her butt" and "packing an M60 machine gun". You never realize how many good memories you have until you really look back do ya?

Flash forward to November of 2011, and you have me from not long ago. Fresh out of high-school and taking advantage of my new found "muck about on the internet" time. Now, one one of my hobbies is video game collecting, which incidently helped me find bronydom. I was browsing the RFgeneration forums as usual, checking out the "what are you watching right now thread"(I'm sure you've seen those even on here). Someone mentioned they were watching it and I jokingly said maybe I should give it a shot to see it it's really that good. They actually sincerely recommended it. Well, I kinda put it in the back of my mind and moved with my day.

A little later I joined Digitalpress and found it mentioned there too, I was really getting intrigued by this point so I hit up Tvtropes and did my research. The more I read the more interested I became. I browsed some fanart, and generally tested the currents before diving in the the show. I eventually got a new laptop with a bigger HDD and thought "now is as good a time as any". I downloaded season one of FiM as well as "Army of Darkness"(childhood favorite).

The next night I was getting ready to put pizza on and thought "I'll watch one before I eat". In 22min I was going "not bad". In another 22min I was in the living room "I just watched My Little Pony and it was actually good". I will say I don't know weather to be happy or terrified no one around me finds my newfound love of ponies odd.

Well I dived in because I though the show was cool, I started reading fanfic and doing fanart, I just generally had fun with it. 

Fast-forward to even later and was come to where I realized how much more than just another show and fandom this was. I stumbled upon a sad fic called "A Filly's Final Dream", popped on "Temporary Home" and started reading. I first I only felt a pang of sadness, but it got stronger and stronger until my tears burst out. At first I cried with the story, but them my thoughts drifted to my sister that passed a few years ago. I had never cried for her, but right then as how much I really missed her set in, I cut loose. It felt like a release to let all of it out after all these years. I felt something else too, I felt hope and faith as that part of me was finally let out. It felt like something was telling me it would be okay, that she found her way home. I bet I sound crazy right now saying this about ponies.

All I can say after all this is thanks to all of you that made this show and community possible. These characters and places my not be real, but a part of them exists in every soul that ever brought them to life. 

 

I've also seen some of the most heartwarming things come from the fans, there's just something about it, like the perfect storm of elements came together and created something to bring out the best in us.  

 

In the end, with all that said, there's one universal answer that applies to everyone though, because we like it.

 

As a end note, IMO the show's at it's best with A Canterlot Wedding, Elements of Harmony, The Crystal Empire, Magic Duel, Wonderbold Academy, and Magical Mystery Cure. The comics are awesome as well.  

Edited July 8, 2013 by Shoboni

[Otherwise 3]

Went ahead and added a poll with more common responses for the sake of people unwilling to spend more time here, and because it's going to be more difficult to reply to everything. To my ( extremely limited ) knowledge this kind of topic is still relatively unique enough to warrant existence but we'll try to keep things from becoming too mundane. 
 
Argumedies, Eightbithoof: I'm never going to be objective because I've already formed initial opinions regarding the show, so there's no point in trying to think this discussion will be either. There's also nothing wrong with that, as far as I know. True objectivity would require a much more extensive knowledge of art, cultural development, and philosophy than I will ever possess. Similarly, there is no one answer to my question but it is a question everyone can answer because all of you were positively impacted by the show in some way. It's because I've not discounted the possibility that some of those answers may coincide with what I find valuable in entertainment that I'm here.
 
~HistoricallyInaccurate~: In a nutshell, I enjoy anime because it's as close to a visual representation of living abroad as I will probably get. I'm well aware that life in Japan is not like living in an anime but at the same time the way characters think, interact, and go about their lives ( depending on the individual selection, obviously ) gives glimpses into the way the Japanese do so as well. Because it's so widely available and designed for leisure time it conveys parts of culture that lectures, books, and travel programs likely never could. For me personally this kind of indirect exposure, in conjunction with other reading, helped me gain a surprising perspective regarding historical events, one very different from what I learned in school.
 
For those unafraid of spoilers: it also presented me with some of the most powerful stories I've come across in the form of Clannad: Afterstory, which follows the life of a recent highschool graduate

as he marries his sweetheart, starts to make a life for himself, works to adapt to life with her family, then has a monster of a wrench thrown into his works when his young wife dies in childbirth. After falling into a years-long depression during which he can barely stand to acknowledge that his child exists, he eventually struggles to the conclusion that, despite everything that happened, he wouldn't begin to trade away the time he shared with his wife. The first season of Clannad is a fairly typical "harem" type, with the protagonist going around assisting with others' emotional issues, and all of a sudden he's the one in an emotional hole he can't pull himself out of without the help of the people from whom he would least like it.

 

 

Naturally such a description is very watered down to its basics, but it illustrates the kind of character growth that I hear described and can neither see nor imagine existing in FiM very well.

[longgone 873]

Went ahead and added a poll with more common responses for the sake of people unwilling to spend more time here, and because it's going to be more difficult to reply to everything. To my ( extremely limited ) knowledge this kind of topic is still relatively unique enough to warrant existence but we'll try to keep things from becoming too mundane. 

 

Argumedies, Eightbithoof: I'm never going to be objective because I've already formed initial opinions regarding the show, so there's no point in trying to think this discussion will be either. There's also nothing wrong with that, as far as I know. True objectivity would require a much more extensive knowledge of art, cultural development, and philosophy than I will ever possess. Similarly, there is no one answer to my question but it is a question everyone can answer because all of you were positively impacted by the show in some way. It's because I've not discounted the possibility that some of those answers may coincide with what I find valuable in entertainment that I'm here.

 

~HistoricallyInaccurate~: In a nutshell, I enjoy anime because it's as close to a visual representation of living abroad as I will probably get. I'm well aware that life in Japan is not like living in an anime but at the same time the way characters think, interact, and go about their lives ( depending on the individual selection, obviously ) gives glimpses into the way the Japanese do so as well. Because it's so widely available and designed for leisure time it conveys parts of culture that lectures, books, and travel programs likely never could. For me personally this kind of indirect exposure, in conjunction with other reading, helped me gain a surprising perspective regarding historical events, one very different from what I learned in school.

 

For those unafraid of spoilers: it also presented me with some of the most powerful stories I've come across in the form of Clannad: Afterstory, which follows the life of a recent highschool graduate

as he marries his sweetheart, starts to make a life for himself, works to adapt to life with her family, then has a monster of a wrench thrown into his works when his young wife dies in childbirth. After falling into a years-long depression during which he can barely stand to acknowledge that his child exists, he eventually struggles to the conclusion that, despite everything that happened, he wouldn't begin to trade away the time he shared with his wife. The first season of Clannad is a fairly typical "harem" type, with the protagonist going around assisting with others' emotional issues, and all of a sudden he's the one in an emotional hole he can't pull himself out of without the help of the people from whom he would least like it.

 

 

Naturally such a description is very watered down to its basics, but it illustrates the kind of character growth that I hear described and can neither see nor imagine existing in FiM very well.

You said you only watched a bit of the show, yes?

 

 

I have to admit, there are some characters in the show that barely mature, if at all, but there is character growth.

 

Take Twilight for example, if the beginning of Season 1, she was 110% focused on her studies, didn't care about having a social life, and was a huge perfectionist. By the end of Season 3, she is less focused on her studies, very involved with her 5 friends, and has become more relaxed and developed a better go-with-the-flow attitude. 

[eightbithoof 518]

Argumedies, Eightbithoof: I'm never going to be objective because I've already formed initial opinions regarding the show, so there's no point in trying to think this discussion will be either. There's also nothing wrong with that, as far as I know. True objectivity would require a much more extensive knowledge of art, cultural development, and philosophy than I will ever possess. Similarly, there is no one answer to my question but it is a question everyone can answer because all of you were positively impacted by the show in some way. It's because I've not discounted the possibility that some of those answers may coincide with what I find valuable in entertainment that I'm here.

 

How does picking out one word from my post and writing the definition back to me change anything? I have given you a very specific answer to your question. If you've latched on to the word 'objective' to the exclusion of all else, I would request that you reread my response.

[Princess Periwinkle 3,775]

 

 

Went ahead and added a poll with more common responses for the sake of people unwilling to spend more time here, and because it's going to be more difficult to reply to everything.

 

As a side note, I am unable to vote in your poll unless you allow us to vote for multiple options. I can't pick just one of those.

[Otherwise 3]

~HistoricallyInaccurate~: To that, I'd ask if there comes a point where - later in the series - she's forced to make a choice between her friends and her "career" - studies, if applicable - and she's able to make that decision on her own based on her previous experiences. Early on it looks as though such things are resolved for her in the form of "calm down, it's not the end of the world already" by any number of multiple people.

 

Sky Chaser: I know. I'm trying to narrow down the most significant appeal for people. I know how easy it is, in the presence of limitless multiple choice options, to just go "I LOVE EVERYTHING!"

 

Eightbithoof: I'd like to think I didn't gloss over anything. Elaborating on the idea of whether or not my post was trying to create an "objective facade" was me attempting to clarify, albeit perhaps poorly, that any perceived veiled insults were in relation to my impressions of the show and not directed towards anyone who might be replying here.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Otherwise

[longgone 873]

As of yet, no, though I do suspect that they'll probably include something to that effect in the upcoming  season.

 

 

There is a similar experience in S2,E1-2. Discord basically corrupts the Mane 6, making them opposites of themselves (except twilight) and turns Equestria into a land of chaos and exploding glasses of chocolate milk.

 

While trying to keep them from go at each other, she attempts to get them to bear the elements in an attempt to defeat Discord, which fails.

 

Eventually, she gives up hope on her friends and walks back to home, packing her things and is about to leave. This is when she recalls all the previous experiences she had with her friends, and uses those memories to restore her 5 friends and eventually defeat Discord.

[Discount_Flunky 75]

To that, I'd ask if there comes a point where - later in the series - she's forced to make a choice between her friends and her "career" - studies, if applicable - and she's able to make that decision on her own based on her previous experiences. Early on it looks as though such things are resolved for her in the form of "calm down, it's not the end of the world already" by any number of multiple people.

 

You say you have watched some episodes and haven't really seen what all the fuse is about.  That is very normal.  I didn't even like the show tell after I watched ep 3, and I still thought it was meh.  In fact I didn't really get what the fuse was about tell I got half way through season one, and even after that it took a while to fully embrace it.  MLP is a well made show that appeals to a wide audience but it still has a lot of aspects that take getting used to in order to enjoy thoroughly if your an average male.  You can't just watch a few random episodes and understand why it's good.  It quite frankly takes commitment in the beginning.  It's like Breaking Bad.  You can't start at season four and start feeling for the characters, you got to start at the beginning and understand Jesse's and Walter's struggle to see why the show is so good. (Plus you won't know what's going on, which also gets in the way.)   I know that ending up liking the show is not your goal here, but maybe if your so interested in the reasons why people like it you should give it a try yourself.  A REAL try that is.  seriously if you feel up to it give it a marathon watch, I think you might be surprised once you get farther into it.  I know I was.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Discount_Flunky

[Yellow Diamond 7,574]

As the conversation has developed so far, it may be helpful to step back and assess what exactly this discussion is intended to achieve. Are you asking us why we personally find MLP: FIM appealing, or why you should find MLP: FIM appealing? Those are too related yet still distinct exercises, I think. I'm fairly certain most everyone participating here so far could share their personal assessments of the show and why they like it until they were blue in the face; however, whether or not that would actually have any bearing on your position is another issue entirely. It is not uncommon nowadays for someone to say, "Convince me why X is true/appealing"; then it becomes the work of the person providing the explanation to discover what would actually serve as a sufficient argument in the eyes of the inquirer.

 

I suppose it comes down to this, then: if you are asking us to produce a compelling argument for MLP's appeal - an argument which would presumably be directed toward what you may find appealing - what list of criteria would exist in a hypothetical scenario where you were indeed convinced? Would you be satisfied by consistent character development, strong animation, a good script, a dynamic cast, etc.? I rather think this would serve to give the conversation focus. I otherwise suspect we will be in for a long string of "yes, but..." responses to the variety of answers provided.

[Mikestar 346]

Ok I've finally read all that!

 

*pants like  dog*

 

So to answer this honestly, I have to start by saying that every Brony is a brony for different reasons.

 

Mine is mainly... that the show, and the other bronies inspire me. I'm a creative type. I like to write, role play, draw, create everything and anything! The worse thing any artist can experience is a dry patch... where you feel dead inside! Nothing inspires you, nothing kick starts your creative side. It's the most hollow and empty experience you can have!

 

I was going through one of those when I discovered MLP FiM. Sure I had friends who were bronies, and like you, I did not get why. Did I become a brony just because I watched the show and went wow? No... actually I'm a bit of a backwards Brony. I saw the artwork first. My friends drawings, vids on youtube they e mailed me, the Dr Whooves and assistant series... (I'd seen a few episodes of MLP by then though). I saw how Bronies collaborated their talents and shared their creativity to make great works, great music combined with great art, animations and singing. Sharing it far and wide so that others could enjoy.

 

I saw a community that stuck together against adversary and they all "get' each other (for the most part. you cant' get along with everypony). They understood each other like kindred spirits in a world the did not "get" them. They dared to defy and dared to be different. They didn't listen to societies moral concepts of what a guy should be, or what their age group should like. They stood out and stood up. True inner strength, daring to be sensitive, emotional, and non stereotypical. 

 

So I guess you are also asking what do I like about the show itself. It makes me think... So I can question myself about the morals of friendship and the many other lessons in life that the show also teaches. (I also like Star Trek for these same reasons) but with MLP it's explored in a fun, light hearted way that feels non threatening, yet hits home. The show makes me laugh:  at the ponies, at myself... at life in general. Life... taken way too seriously sometimes. So much pressure to be this or do that, to achieve, often beyond your abilities to reach the goals that everyone else lays upon you. So you end up running in circles trying to please everyone but yourself and end up pleasing no one at all.

 

I've been through a depressed phase, Kind of like you explained above where Pinkie threw her own pity party. I could relate to those feelings! My pity part almost ended in disaster because I tried to take my own life. I think being a survivor of suicide changes you permanently and makes you a much wiser person (not that I recommend it) I came out of that realizing the importance of laughter! A wise pastor told me to always find something to laugh at! Because it feeds the spirit and the soul... and heals the broken heart.

 

MLP makes me laugh. I love Pinkie's expressions, and Fluttershy's Yay's. I love seeing Rainbow shoot across the sky, and looking for Derpy Hooves and Dr Whooves hidden in the background. I enjoy Twilight's letters and Rarities fashions. Heck I even enjoy Applejacks accent! The cutie Mark Crusaders Rock! They stand against bullies and seek their destinies. 

 

I think that no matter how old you get, there is always a little kid inside and often we neglect them. So this sad little boy sits quietly in the dark, wishing some one would play with him because when his body was as young as he was, no one seemed to notice him or care. When I let my inner child out.... he's finally free to be everything that he is and everything that he wished he could have been when the body was as young as him.

 

Great cartoonists and voice actors know how to get in touch with that inner child and that is why they can produce great shows like MLP They make a living out of liking things that are directed at a younger audience, and perhaps one of the opposite gender to theirs. How else could they relate to that audience? I'd love to be a part of such a team. That's my dream! May never get there, It's probably a Pinke Pie in the sky, but as long as I can dream, imagine, create, and laugh,  I know that life is truly worth living.

 

Peace out.

 

Mikestar proud to be a Brony.

[Fhaolan 4,484]

 

EDIT - "I like it for the fandom", fan-based productions: Thank you both for bringing that up. The question of Pony fan productions seems to be an area entirely its own, as it is practically another subject completely. Fan productions are of such widely varied material that it's nearly impossible to compare them to the original content, apart from visually. It's safe to say that the pony craze has spawned a disturbingly large amount of creativity - easy exchange of media and formation of communities via the internet are probably to blame. The video that Circadian provided pre-edit is a good example: it was well assembled, well edited, and well presented. This says little for FiM itself, however, and more to the credit of the two artists unassociated with the show whose efforts replaced nearly all but the fancy animation of the show proper.

 

Fascinating. What do you find so disturbing about the volume of creativity? Does the idea that something you don't like inspiring large numbers of people create a mental conflict of some kind for you? Since it doesn't inspire you, how can it inspire others, perhaps?

 

---

 

As for my own answers: I've been a fan of animation for a long time. I've also been a fan of fantasy worldbuilding, and of anthropomorphized animals as representatives of human tropes. That puts MLP:FiM firmly into my wheelhouse. The show had been out for a bit before I noticed the creative outpourings of the fanbase, which made me curious enough to do a bit of research. I had watched Powerpuff Girls, and Samurai Jack previously, and many of the people involved in those shows were involved with this one, so I gave it a watch.

 

I remember watching the original MLP featurette 'Rescue at Midnight Castle' back in the 80's (when I was already too old for the target demographic), and was amused at how dark that movie was that was supporting a supposedly 'girly' toy line. However I had been disappointed in the other shows that were spawned from it as they didn't really continue to themes I had seen, falling prey to the standard 80's cartoon drek. The first pair of episodes of this new show had a lot in common with that first featurette, enough to have me continue to watch, to see where it went. While those themes didn't show up very often, there were flashes of it throughout this new series and far more showing up in fan-produced content showing me that I wasn't the only one noticing it.

 

A lot of fans seem to be here for the characters. They all seem to have a favourite; a 'best pony'. That's not really me, though. As much as I might say Luna is 'best pony', my reasons are completely different from the normal fan.

 

What hooked me was the possibilities that the show implied. Unlike many of the shows on TV this was a world on it's own, with little or no reliance on the modern day human world. There are historical parallels, puns, and pop-culture references, but 'Equestria' as such stands on it's own. Therefore every bit of implied history or implied cultural bias has the possibility of building an entire framework on which this show supposedly would stand. That's why Luna is the most interesting character for me. Her backstory, which is rarely elaborated on, holds the promise of an elaborate history with serious conflicts.

 

I doubt the writers themselves are conscious of this because that's not their mandate, but worlds build on 'random walk' processes are fascinating in and of themselves to watch develop. Good examples of this are the first several books of the collaborative 'Thieves World' series. That specific example goes downhill after a bit when a couple of the writers took over completely and the collaborative nature of the series faltered, but the principle holds.

 

---

 

I've been in fandoms build around this kind of thing before. Star Trek, Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings, etc. But those fandoms are older than even I, although not by much I admit. This is the first time I've gotten to watch a fandom like this being built from the beginning while I was an adult and able to understand the process, and it's fascinating the parallels to the older fandoms. Accelerated, due to the nature of communication now-a-days, but still parallels.

[Zygen 6,066]

Oh many many many reasons, hard to really pin to one.

 

The fandom is a big one, I love all the people i've met here, they're very caring and have helped me to have faith in humanity in times of doubt. Not to mention all the awesome things the fan base produces, from music to art to animations to well everything really. Its truly astounding the creativity possed in this fan base.

 

Also the innocent feeling of the show, and how it never fails to cheer me up magically. 

 

Not to mention I actually like the fact its enjoyable even if its meant for little girls, it shows that being a girl isn't just makeovers and dressup and dolls and stuff. Its actually cool, and plus I freaking hate male stereotypes anyways. So i'm happy to break it.

 

The animation is very well done, especially for flash, i've watched some cartoons where you can tell not as much effort is in the animation, but the animation is well done in MLP.

 

The characters are highly relatable, they're very deserve and cover a wide range of personalities, which are also interesting to see develop and interact with each other. Plus i can relate myself and many others to one or more of the characters in the show. They feel like actual people in the show, who are interesting to see interact And go through challenges.

 

I find the show to be humorous to, there are plenty of times that make me laugh. 

 

The world is quite interesting, i've analyzed stuff in episodes before and its quite interesting to do, mostly within these forums and the fanbase really.

 

Also the writing is great, I enjoy the random hints and stuff they throw around, and all the writing feels very natural and still hilarious at times.

 

The music is also great, Daniel Ingram does a amazing job, I find basically all of the shows made for the show to be catchy or beautiful or something, they're just great.

 

Also Ponies are quite adorable, Don't care what you say they are .

 

Overall MLP is a good show I think, and the fan base is good, so I figure why not ?

[Stellafera 3,836]

Character growth, at its basest level, requires that individuals learn from past experiences. Here's a simple example: when Pinkie Pie finds out that none of her friends want to attend her party, she has a depressive-psychotic episode and rather literally has a pity party, only to find out later that her friends were turning her down in favor of throwing a party for her. Putting aside the question of whether a character with something like actual depth might have simply learned that not every day is a party, she has presumably gained understanding that her friends' actions should not be met with extreme reactions and paranoiac distrust - certainly a word to the wise - but is there growth? Does FiM give her an opportunity to remember past events and avoid previous mistakes? If Thunder Dash's description of everyone abandoning Twilight Sparkle sometime later is any indication, the initial answer is "apparently not".

 

Verrrrry different situations. In A Canterlot Wedding, Twilight Sparkle spent the episode basically being hyper-paranoid and didn't even bother to state her (correct!) conclusions in a way that looked sane. Twilight has a history of getting worked up over small things, so this is actually a case of continuity. 

 

Pinkie Pie is one of the characters who doesn't change much, though. Rainbow Dash is a better example of character development. Season 2 has a LOT of episodes directly addressing the character's many flaws, and she is seen learning from them throughout the show.

 

For instance, she initially doesn't want to read books in fear of it ruining her reputation. This is a logical conclusion from Sonic Rainboom, May The Best Pet Win, and The Mysterious Mare Do Well, all of which established her as an image-oriented character that uses a veneer of arrogance to hide her insecurity. The moral of the episode, of course, is "reading is cool". Not only is she frequently shown reading afterwards, she's even working on a novel in Season 3!

 

There is also the more general trend towards learning humility and kindness. In Season 3, she is frequently placed in situations where her flaws would have likely come into play if it weren't for the lessons that she had learned in Season 2. In Mare Do Well (Season 2), the conflict of the episode was derived from her bragging and intense jealousy of somebody being better than her. In Wonderbolt Academy (Season 3), she displays humility and maturity throughout. 

 

Another pony? Applejack directly references her character development between Applebuck Season and The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. In the former, she learns a lesson in letting others help her. In the latter and in all future episodes, she is perfectly willing to have others assist her. In place of the typical moral, she writes in Super Speedy Cider Squeezy:

 

 

Sure I could tell you I learned something about how my friends are always there to help me, and I can count on them no matter what, but truth is, I knew that already too.

 

So, yeah. I love this show for all the likeable characters (mostly Rainbow Dash and Applejack) and all of the great episodes (mostly concerning Rainbow Dash and Applejack). 

[hawkflame 3,310]

For me, it's three things:  The writing, the characters, and the world they inhabit.  And I think I like the three of them for the same reasons.  There's a general sense of everything being a little bit nicer, a little bit more pleasant, a little bit brighter than things in our world, but not a total saccharine sweet utopia, and this is reflected in the writing and the characters too.  The show has a mix of personalities that you don't see very much, and i think that's refreshing.  You see the tomboy and the fashionista friendship done in a very believable way- they get along, but they do butt heads from personality conflicts from time to time. 

I like that the writing is done with a knowing wink and nod to the audience.  For one thing, this is a world where sarcasm actually exists.  When characters act creepy or strange, they're called out on it-  it's the show's way of saying, yeah, this is weird, but let's go along with it, huh?  One of my favorite moments from the premiere is when Pinkie Pie is about to burst into song, and Twilight reacts with, "Tell me she's not..."

 

And the characters do show a fair amount of depth.  My favorite example to use here is Rarity.  In other shows, the fasionista character would either be an evil bitch, or an airhead.  Here she's neither.  Instead she's portrayed as an artist and a businesswoman who is very hardworking and generous, but also rather vain and capable of great self absorption.  That's not a combination of personality traits that you would think would work, but they do.  She wants the best for herself, but she also wants the best for her friends too. 

 

Frankly I think that an understanding or appreciation of why the series is so loved is not going to be apparent from just watching an episode here or there.  I don't think that most of us were instantly hooked with the first episode we saw, but merely liked it at first and then gained a greater appreciation over time. 

[skysweep 541]

hello Otherwise.

I can understand your curious nature in the craze that is the brony fandom. It is indeed a very intriguing society, one i myself am yet to fully comprehend. but here is what i think about the fandom.

 

firstly, i think it is seen by a few people as an escape, a place to release the tension of work in the day. everyone has to have a release, and the reminder of childhood can be relieving. It is also calming to see problems personified and defeated, as it gives people an image of how things should be dealt with. It also gives an otherwise invisible problem form, which makes it less scary to deal with.

 

secondly, the "enemy of my enemy is my friend." when people drive into this fandom, indiscriminately targeting anyone and everyone, it drives bronies into a strong defensive position. unity is strength. thus people will be more dedicated into the fandom and the show, as people have lasted through a time where everything is against them, just like soldiers bonding with buddies in an warzone. This makes them more protective of any threat made to a group of people in general.

 

finally, the perception of the show's quality is all about relativity. In comparison to the original expectations of people, it is a big difference form their initial expectations, and humanity as a whole tends to over-value that. an example is the comparison between a person who wanted $20 a day and got $25 a day, and the person who wanted $10 a day and got $25. it is the same end amount, but the person who had lower expectation would see it as a bigger and more impressive leap in wage.

 

Thus, your arguments and questions are reasonably and logically sound. but one thing you have to keep in mind, as did i, is that humans are not perfectly logical beings. we as a species are flawed. therefore you cannot use a standard of perfect logic to attempt to comprehend people. but that does not mean people are predictable. they are, just not in a logical way.

 

If you have any more queries, fell free to PM me. I am always happy to answer any question you might have on the show or fandom. I am very analytical and curious myself, perhaps we can work to find a solution to your ...queries.

[Galen 1,354]

Correct me if I'm wrong but OP seems to have come here claiming he's curious about why we like the show only to illustrate that our reasoning makes no sense despite the fact anyone likes any form of entertainment for any particular reason, be it rather superficial or having a deeper meaning behind said fondness. Personally, I'm not sure if I feel obliged to answer why I personally like the show given the apparent motives behind the creation of this thread since I find the OP's here to be a contrarian despite liking anime for very similar reasons as we like MLP (and as you can prolly tell from my avatar, I like anime as well). I could be wrong but I sense some counterproductive intentions behind the OP.

 

But what the heck, I'll answer the question anyways.

 

What initially attracted to me about MLP and what still attracts me is the fact that each episode presents new wisdom in the form of morals which are directly appliccable to real life. Within the context of this being a kids' show, what it appears to strive to achieve is teaching children that love and tolerance for other people is the greatest strength anyone could have as a person. That's what I really appreciate about the show, and the best part is even adults can learn things from watching MLP: FiM. At first glance, one might think this show is very fru fru and girly, which is partially true only because its main characters are female. But to me, that is only secondary to what seems to be the purpose behind the show.

I also like it because of the ideal society it presents, which in itself suggests what we should all strive for is a society founded on the basic principles of tolerance and love, tho sometimes I think the fandom itself needs to recap that particular lesson. It's very similar to Star Trek, in a sense, because MLP presents a society were morals, ethics and the pursuit of self-identity are considered very important as opposed to the pursuit of self-interest which people irl often do mistake with self-identity. That is also something I really appreciate.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Freedan

[Kitty Cat Moonshire 629]

I don't mean to be that guy, but....

 

Did you really go to all this work to hyper-analyse a show, and then, after discovering you didn't like it, create an account, and type out something that could rival obama-care in word count, just to try and understand why some people like a television show (which is designed for nothing other than entertainment)?

 

I'm not going to lie, this baffles me just as much as bronies confuse you.

 

To answer your question, I shall give a simple answer. It's a good show. No show is for everyone, and if you don't like it, you simply do not like it. 

 

The characters are very developed, showing multiple sides to their personalities. They have the characteristics of real emotions and fears, even silly ones (such as attention-whoring, or rarity's fear of dirt).

 

I love any show that can make me laugh, and I quite enjoy the sense of humor that this show has. Hidden references, quirky puns, cartoon antics and good old-fashioned wit, as well as some funny one liners and circumstantial humor, this show has me rolling on the floor in laughter.

 

One last thing. It's entertaining. Unlike other shows targeted at kids, it actually has well developed plot lines (Har dee har har. Grow up.) that convey morals in clever and interesting ways.

 

However, none of this will seem reasonable, unless you actually enjoy the show, which you clearly do not.

 

My advice (as the asshole of these forums)? 

 

Don't waste your time trying to understand preference. You'd have to be inside someones mind to do that.

 

Now buy me lunch.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Nighmawe Woon

[Otherwise 3]

Thereisnospoon303: The simple answer to your questions regarding my intentions is "yes". Bronies I know personally rarely provided any discussion material beyond "It makes me feel good" when I asked them about this sort of thing, and their recommended viewings largely failed to do anything but rub me the wrong way. I decided I'd rather approach a larger group of involved people about it rather than simply go "Nope, not for me." It's as much finding out why you guys like the show as it is seeing if there are bits I'd find worth looking into.

 

Good writing is a must for me. I can't claim to be anything close to a literary critic but an engaging story with reasonable progression and witty dialogue mean a whole lot more than music and animation. Relateable characters? Not such a big deal. Environments that make me happy don't mean much to me. Comprehensive, painstakingly-built fantasy worlds? That I can get behind, though from the sound of it that sort of material is more forthcoming than present. It might be worth keeping an eye out for.

 

Pop-cultural references are a bit of a different category. To me there's a pretty distinct difference between "pop-culture reference" and "pop-culture inferral". "Doctor Hooves", I understand, is a name that fans created after they saw similarities to the British sci-fi and not his given name. It's possible to draw references from pretty much anything anywhere, but in my opinion only those intended in the scripts could be categorized as qualities of the show. Other people might see differently.

 

Nighmawe Woon: Wha'eva! Wha'eva! I doowat I want!

 

Freedan: Your bringing up morals and ethics seems an interesting point. To me, a devotion to morals and ethics, particularly the latter, is mostly brought into the spotlight when it is put to the test. Basically a moral or ethical standard stands out when, without it, people are inclined to act against it. Equestrian society doesn't strike me as the kind of example where this is the case - in a world painted as ideally as people here have thus far led me to believe, doing the "right thing" morally seems less of a choice than a given, and moral or ethical dilemmas unlikely or impossible. Thoughts?

 

Fhaolan: PMVs - "Pony Music Videos", whether or not music's actually involved - in particular have struck me as being every bit as unusual as the community that spawns them. Biggest reason, I'd say, is that this is the first series I've encountered whose fan-made material averages as being far more entertaining than its original content or, for that matter, its average counterparts from other genres. Part if this is probably due to the amount of aptly-termed "fru fru" being removed as a result of the material changing hands and the sort of wry humor that often goes into such mini-productions, but you don't generally find the same degree of quality in similar videos made from other movies or television shows. AMVs - "Anime Music Videos" - are especially bad; although there are stellar exceptions, the majority of anime-based fan creations are repetitive, boring things with little apparent effort or thought involved that very often revolve around a universal theme: "Kickass song plus kickass fight scene means DOUBLE KICKASS!"

 

Actual reasons behind this apparent trend I don't have, whether they involve comparisons in average age groups of followers or merely a difference in fan base size. It would be interesting to see how FiM's numbers compare to, say, Shonen Jump's "Big Three" - One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

As a bit of extra discussion material, and since Zygen conveniently if briefly broached the topic, I'll be posting a video link to one guy's brief thoughts on Bronies and masculinity. A brony friend of mine showed it to me yesterday saying that he plays it for people who ask about his preferences for FiM. According to him it gets them to stop asking, but he admit that it wasn't really related to why he or anyone he knew was fond of the show; to me, it seems more like a possible symptom of larger cultural changes or something Bronies might point to if they can't pin down a specific reason for their passion for themselves. I'm aware I'm getting dangerously close to opening a whole new can of worms but given responses so far I think we'd be able to keep ourselves reasonably on topic and I'd like to hear your opinions.

 

Are Bronies Changing the Definition of Masculinity?

Edited July 8, 2013 by Otherwise

[Dr. Eggnog 203]

I'll start by throwing you a bone.  Yes, it's a simple show for little girls that is often cutesy and pandering.  But sometimes even that can be good if it's done well.  All of the main six are likable in their own way and have their pros and cons, the animation is colorful and pleasant, and the slice of life-ness of it keeps it all feeling grounded and usually not too silly (I tend to like the less wacky episodes better).  There are also moments of genuine adventure in the two parters that keep things mixed up well.  I do think sometimes people overrate the writing quality or the songs, but when there comes one of those really sweet moments that makes me feel really happy at the end of an episode, or there's a genuinely interesting conflict that isn't godawful predictable like a lot of kids shows, I know I'm watching something special.  Really though, I just like that it keeps the focus on the characters, and doesn't feel like it has to be joke after joke or trying too hard to be disturbing and edgy.

 

But anyway, if you're more about writing quality than characters, then MLP: FiM isn't for you.  It's about the characters, as well as the general look and feel.  For deep writing in an animated series, I'd suggest Noein or Serial Experiments: Lain.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Dr. Eggnog

[Fhaolan 4,484]

 

Fhaolan: PMVs - "Pony Music Videos", whether or not music's actually involved - in particular have struck me as being every bit as unusual as the community that spawns them. Biggest reason, I'd say, is that this is the first series I've encountered whose fan-made material averages as being far more entertaining than its original content or, for that matter, its average counterparts from other genres. Part if this is probably due to the amount of aptly-termed "fru fru" being removed as a result of the material changing hands and the sort of wry humor that often goes into such mini-productions, but you don't generally find the same degree of quality in similar videos made from other movies or television shows. AMVs - "Anime Music Videos" - are especially bad; although there are stellar exceptions, the majority of anime-based fan creations are repetitive, boring things with little apparent effort or thought involved that very often revolve around a universal theme: "Kickass song plus kickass fight scene means DOUBLE KICKASS!"

 

Actual reasons behind this apparent trend I don't have, whether they involve comparisons in average age groups of followers or merely a difference in fan base size. It would be interesting to see how FiM's numbers compare to, say, Shonen Jump's "Big Three" - One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach.

 

Here's one thing you may need to examine: Not what in MLP is so good, but what in Anime discourages creative-types from participating.

 

Most AMVs are made in Europe and North America. Take a look at what's making that transition to Western audiences, and out of them what is being promoted.

 

Most Anime making that transition are... well, the best way to put it is that they are heavily weighted to combat scenes. As you say, 'Kickass'. Even when the series is character-driven, a large chunk will be taken up with fight scenes of one kind or another. I know that there are Anime that aren't this way, but they rarely get dubbed or subbed, and so don't get the Western audience. The few that do get swamped by the number of 'combat Animes' on the market. Fight scenes, especially Anime fight scenes, don't lend themselves to video editing due to their relatively static images interrupted by frantically jumpy flow. They're hard to modify, other than putting a different soundtrack on it.

 

Even if you take all the combat Anime out of the picture, the majority of what's left that's being brought over, are overly grim, ridiculously dark, or so heavily fetishized, to the point that only German Death Metal makes sense for the soundtracks. And there's only so much being alternately screamed and growled at in a foreign language for five minutes or more will do for the popularity of those videos.

 

MLP isn't built that way. It has little to no combat, while it does have conflict. In anime terms it's far more like Fruits Basket, Princess Tutu, or Yakitate!! Japan. Anime that haven't either haven't translated well, were poorly promoted, or haven't even attempted to make the transition. To pull one out of those three; far more people have watched Princess Tutu now because of a single AMV (http://youtu.be/9197GTl1ASg), than would have normally due to lack of promotion. For another, I am aware of a couple of fan-projects for Fruits Basket, as many of the fan-VAs for those Brony videos are also involved in those. For the last, I'm surprised whenever I run into someone even aware of Yakitate!! Japan, as it's never been subbed *or* dubbed. I believe that if more interesting non-grim, low-combat, minimal obvious fanservice, fantasy-slice-of-life Anime were brought to Western shores, you would see far more AMVs of similar quality and quantity as PMVs.