Becoming A Brony Because Of The Fandom And Not The Show

[Rainboom Dash 1,056]

I owe getting into the show seeing heaps of pony stuff everywhere and wondering what the big deal was.

[The Mint Pone 2,294]

I first got into mlp by watching brony music and parody videos but when I started watching the show I really loved the show for what it is not what fans had made about it. That said I still love what the fandom does.

[GXPBlast 597]

I owe getting into the show seeing heaps of pony stuff everywhere and wondering what the big deal was.

 

 

Not saying the show does not have any value to it. I do enjoy quite a few episodes. The show planted the seeds to what is now the brony community. Thus the brony community created fan made works that may have not been included into the show with more appeal to it to some people. Again this is solely based on personal opinion as there is something for everyone.

[Invincible 2,092]

Technically speaking, i wouldn't have given the show a chance if i wasn't exposed to any materials from the fandom, first. Specifically, a well-written fanfiction that captivated me impelled to watch the show as i am unable to read derivative works without understanding the context behind them. 

 

I don't regret watching the show. I like it! But i wouldn't have if the fandom didn't whet my curiosity. 

 

Does that count?

[Denim&Venöm 20,428]

Pretty much how I got into MLP. The fandom made stuff really impressed me and made me think that maybe there's more to this show. And while I did enjoy the show, at times I did feel a little let down because my expectations were raised from the fan content. Even today I hardly watch the show. I usually just chat on forums, watch vids & read fanfics. 

[Celli 4,349]

>Fan of the fandom

 

 

But seriously, you don't have to like the show to be involved in this awesome community. Sure, we have a few vocal bad eggs, but I'm glad to see you ignore those parts.

 

On another note, I think for both me, and a LOT of other bronies, sexual themes, heavy drama, realism(I'm guessing you mean death, and blood/violence), and extreme relationships, would ruin the reason we like the show, it's innocent, and colorful, and a form of escapism. Most of us are tired of those types of tropes/aspects of different media that are over-saturated with violence, blood, and sex jokes(which are stupid and completely pointless, and a shallow form of humour, which drags down some "adult" cartoons. You might be looking at it a different way, though, and that's fine, but just keep in mind, we're trying to get away from such shallow forms of entertainment(for the most part, anyway).

I would also note that I love rewatching old episodes. 

[VitalSpark 1,830]

I think to be a brony, you don't need to be a fan of MLP:FIM, but you do need to be a fan of the ponies.

 

Whether you get your pony fix from MLP:FIM itself, from fan fiction, or other fan-made works, or just like the merchandise, doesn't really matter. You just need to love ponies.