Will the next generation attempt to defeminize the franchise?

[Yes-Man 597]

Is it even possible at this point?

And if so, how would you react.?

I'm not saying they'll start plastering gritty war heroes and the color blue all over it, just that they'll stop with the overtly girly themes. (And don't even act like you don't know what I'm talking about.)

One one hoof, they've experienced success with a much broader audience in recent years, and they may attempt to take it a step further. So it'll either go really good or really bad.

On the other, they already have a lot of success with the little girl market. If it's not broke, don't fix it, right?

Unfortunately, the risk of a dip in quality for G5 is higher.

So what do you think?

[The Awesome One 1,315]

Maybe the next generation will be made from the start to appeal to us Bronies as well as the original target audience but I don't think they will change it and that's good because we like the show the way it is. I don't want it to become more manly. I like it just the way it is.

[Fire_Fly 499]

I think this generation already does a pretty good job of that, actually. If you compare it to the earlier generations, it seems much more like a general cartoon and less like a show geared specifically toward one age and gender group. From references the show makes to the show's subtle nods to the brony fandom (even if they may be revised or removed later *cough* Derpy *cough*), FIM is already a huge leap from the other generations in terms of a target audience, and I can only imagine it'll take even further leaps with new generations. 

[Yes-Man 597]

I think this generation already does a pretty good job of that, actually. If you compare it to the earlier generations, it seems much more like a general cartoon and less like a show geared specifically toward one age and gender group. From references the show makes to the show's subtle nods to the brony fandom (even if they may be revised or removed later *cough* Derpy *cough*), FIM is already a huge leap from the other generations in terms of a target audience, and I can only imagine it'll take even further leaps with new generations. 

It is, yes. But it is still very girly.

That's not a bad thing, but it's still girly enough to deter most audiences.

Just looking at this, you'll see what I mean.

A cast made up almost entirely of females doesn't help either. (Don't get me wrong, I love the cast.)

[Fire_Fly 499]

It is, yes. But it is still very girly.

That's not a bad thing, but it's still girly enough to deter most audiences.

Just looking at this, you'll see what I mean.

image.jpg

A cast made up almost entirely of females doesn't help either. (Don't get me wrong, I love the cast.)

 

Point taken. Although, I can't say I see the logo ever being tailored to general audiences. I'm not too educated on the older generations, but I'd imagine it's gone through its fair share of changes in those, too. I'd figure they were also made intentionally girly, but that's the show's background, no matter how much it changes, so I could understand the logo staying that way even if the show doesn't. I could also see how having an all female main cast would take the image further, but I guess that's just an association issue. If I were helping to develop a show that was originally intended for one gender, it'd probably bias the design of the main characters, too. That, and male characters learning about the magic of friendship is a nice idea, but most would probably consider it too bold and unheard of to work. 

[dekutree64 713]

I think they could, but the Hasbro execs are probably smart enough not to. The current state of the franchise as a whole is pretty precarious at the moment, I think. If you read up on Garfield, Jim Davis is actually quite smart about it, carefully controlling the popularity to prevent it from reaching craze status and burning itself out. MLP, on the other hand, has recently gone from a stable and long-living girls' toy line, to a worldwide, all-ages, all-genders craze. Who knows what will become of it after the Age of Bronies comes to an end.

 

If they know anything about mass human behavior, they won't try to specifically target bronies with G5. For one thing, it risks alienating the original audience. And for another, a large portion of bronies will move on to other things, or at least stick with G4 and not continue following the new and different G5. A portion will remain (hopefully including myself), and they'll most likely be happiest if Hasbro keeps it like Lauren Faust's vision... mostly girly, but just plain good storytelling and deep characters so anyone can appreciate it.

[Yes-Man 597]

Point taken. Although, I can't say I see the logo ever being tailored to general audiences. I'm not too educated on the older generations, but I'd imagine it's gone through its fair share of changes in those, too. I'd figure they were also made intentionally girly, but that's the show's background, no matter how much it changes, so I could understand the logo staying that way even if the show doesn't. I could also see how having an all female main cast would take the image further, but I guess that's just an association issue. If I were helping to develop a show that was originally intended for one gender, it'd probably bias the design of the main characters, too. That, and male characters learning about the magic of friendship is a nice idea, but most would probably consider it too bold and unheard of to work. 

The most I could see for the logo is more colors. Less girly, at the most.

Also, the writers have pulled off other, "impossible things"

So I don't see why they couldn't pull off males learning about friendship.

Also, Arthur sort of does that, and it goes great.

[Fire_Fly 499]

The most I could see for the logo is more colors. Less girly, at the most.

Also, the writers have pulled off other, "impossible things"

So I don't see why they couldn't pull off males learning about friendship.

Also, Arthur sort of does that, and it goes great.

 

I think I'd enjoy seeing what the writers could do in that regard, but I think the show would lose some of its luster if it were changed too much to reduce the "girly" factor. I feel like part of the show's draw is the fact that the quality and effort that go into it are able to attract a diverse audience, instead of just the audience it was originally intended for. 

[Sparkle 4]

The way it is right now is perfect. They shouldn't defeminize it and they shouldn't feminize it further either. Its got a good balance between being "girly" and appealing to young adult males(i dont even know why it appeals to me, it just does). It's one of the reasons the show is doing so well right now so i don't see a reason to change anything in my opinion. They should just keep it the way it has been like in this generation, but yeah the chances of the next generation being as good as this one is extremely low i would think. Things like this don't come around very often and sometimes its not necessarily all about how much work the writers put into the show. Its based off luck to some extent and how well things fit together which again, doesn't happen often, even with professionals. If it DOES improve in the next generation, then i would be extremely impressed and happy as well because MORE PONIES 

Edited August 15, 2013 by Sparkle

[Silver Letter 1,832]

I think they can do that if they want the next generation to be the last. There is no reason to change the formula so radically. They would alienate their mane audience and even would change the makeup of their brony fans. I think they would only do that to kill their own franchise out of spite against bronies. But they would have to be near crazy to even contemplate such a move. I only voted that they can't from a business perspective. They could do it though and probably lead to its cancellation.

[akalink 163]

Maybe, the main cast might later have male characters instead of an all female cast. Have them all do things together, even go into a spa together (I've done it, men need to take care of their nails too). But because of that we have a chance to cause imbalance (think of the shipping too). Maybe an all female cast with occasional spin off episodes male characters like how the CMC have spin off episodes.

[Yes-Man 597]

I think I'd enjoy seeing what the writers could do in that regard, but I think the show would lose some of its luster if it were changed too much to reduce the "girly" factor. I feel like part of the show's draw is the fact that the quality and effort that go into it are able to attract a diverse audience, instead of just the audience it was originally intended for. 

It would be interesting, yes. And you are correct.

 

What I think would be a good way to pull this off is to have some male characters while still having a majority female. (A 3:2, 5-4 ratio.)

Then again, the male characters might be dismissed as stupid LI's.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

 

 

Maybe an all female cast with occasional spin off episodes male characters like how the CMC have spin off episodes.

I think that would be a terrible idea and would defeat the mane atmospheric qualities of the show. Males should be in the background only.

[DiscordAnarchy 770]

I think that would be a terrible idea and would defeat the mane atmospheric qualities of the show. Males should be in the background only.

 

 

Why? While the show is supposed to appeal to girls there is nothing wrong with having a male character be centered in an episode or two.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

Why? While the show is supposed to appeal to fillies there is nothing wrong with having a male character be centered in an episode or two.

Having them as the mane focus may be too much. I think a strong background role such as the ones played by Big Macintosh and Shining Armor can work well. I can't even think of a topic episode that would require a male as the main focus.

[DiscordAnarchy 770]

Having them as the mane focus may be too much. I think a strong background role such as the ones played by Big Macintosh and Shining Armor can work well. I can't even think of a topic episode that would require a male as the main focus.

 

 

Too much how? I am not quite understanding how an episode about them would be considered crossing that line?

 

Topic episodes?

 

• AJ gets sick and Big Mac needs to fill in for her
• Day at the Wonderbolts - get to see all of them play a bigger role including the males as main characters for the episode
• Featherweight tries to ask one of the CMC out on a date
• A day in the life of a guard: See what Shining Armor's life is like.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

 

 

Too much how? I am not quite understanding how an episode about them would be considered crossing that line?

So far, the only times they are included at all are when they are convenient to the writers with a few exceptions like Shining Armor and even he wasn’t present until the wedding episodes. They are simply not the mane focus of the show. To make even one episode with a mane male character would represent a significant change. I'm not sure that there can be any convincing reasons to change the formula like that and I like the formula the way it is now.

 

In regards to those ideas, I personally see the first as the same as “Applebuck Season”.  I think an episode about the Wonderbolts wouldn’t necessarily be about the male members but they would be improved secondary characters. I think even the last idea about Shining Armor would require a focus on Twilight Sparkle to visit him.

[DiscordAnarchy 770]

So far, the only times they are included at all are when they are convenient to the writers with a few exceptions like Shining Armor and even he wasn’t present until the wedding episodes. They are simply not the mane focus of the show. To make even one episode with a mane male character would represent a significant change. I'm not sure that there can be any convincing reasons to change the formula like that and I like the formula the way it is now.

 

In regards to those ideas, I personally see the first as the same as “Applebuck Season”.  I think an episode about the Wonderbolts wouldn’t necessarily be about the male members but they would be improved secondary characters. I think even the last idea about Shining Armor would require a focus on Twilight Sparkle to visit him.

 

 

Praytell, how would it represent a significant change? It would be no different than the random episodes that star the CMC.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

 

 

It would be no different than the random episodes that star the CMC.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders are still fillies. Having male characters as the mane focus would be significantly different as if they were no longer making the same sort of show. How would they be able to keep an episode feeling the same with the focus on a male character? What sort of behaviors would that character exhibit? They would have to keep the feeling of the show intact and not "defeminize" it as this seed talks about.

[DiscordAnarchy 770]

The Cutie Mark Crusaders are still fillies. Having male characters as the mane focus would be significantly different as if they were no longer making the same sort of show. How would they be able to keep an episode feeling the same with the focus on a male character? What sort of behaviors would that character exhibit? They would have to keep the feeling of the show intact and not "defeminize" it as this seed talks about.

 

Me thinks you are not giving the writers enough credit and that a single episode about male characters would somehow damage the entire integrity of the show which I cannot fathom.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

 

 

Me thinks you are not giving the writers enough credit and that a single episode about male characters would somehow damage the entire integrity of the show which I cannot fathom.

 

I think ponies would have questions about why they were doing that. Ponies may actually think they were trying to "defeminize" the franchise.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I don't see the next generation to try to defeminize the franchise but at the same time I'm pretty unsure about what will happen. It could happen but, sometimes predicting the future could actually happen. But still, not sure.

[Modphase 1,273]

 

 

 

 

 

It's going to be pretty hard to predict the future without one of these, so my only guess is that if MLP has already had 4 generations targeted for young girls, then they're going to keep that tradition. But who knows? Maybe Hasbro will realize their success with older males, and make a show which is targeted even more for all audiences. Not sure how popular that will be, but it could happen.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Modphazon

[Planty 1,053]

Maybe the next generation will be made from the start to appeal to us Bronies as well as the original target audience but I don't think they will change it and that's good because we like the show the way it is. I don't want it to become more manly. I like it just the way it is.

 

To be fair, I think they ahve already done that. S3 felt a lot more "brony aimed" they the previous 2 (and I think this is why some of the older fans have been turned off it a bit lately and don't feel like is was as good as s21 and s2!

[Untitled Goose Q 5,138]

I think it certainly is possible, however I do not think it will happen, as Hasbro want to keep the viewing figures up, and why change something that has been shown to work?