I'm doing a sociology project and I need your help

[Heartstrong 12]

So yeah, just like the title says, I'm taking a sociology course and I'm supposed to present a case study in a couple of weeks. I decided to do it about adults and teens who like things meant for kids, and why they like them. I'm going to be focusing on things like Pokemon, Disney movies, and of course, the brony community. I need to gather data, so I was hoping that some of you lovely people could help me out and answer these questions? 

 

1) When did you start watching mlp?

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

 

 

Thanks!

Edited March 6, 2014 by Heartstrong

[Concerto Dusk 240]

im actually helping my brother with the same thing ironically so if you like id be willing to help

[LunarWave 106]

1. 25th october 2011

2. no, had no idea it even exists

3. since 25th october 2011

4. It is a hard question, animation, writing, characters - everything is just perfect, and without it, show would be lacking  in quality like most do nowadays. . A little because of.. well it did gave me a little perspective on life. 

[Concerto Dusk 240]

1: season 2 premier

 

2: no, not quite as nice

 

3: august 30th 2013 i became a fan and actually liked the show

 

4: it helped me through some issues and helped me see a world where people are actually nice to everyone, not like our world 

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

Aight, we do this.

 

1) Spring of 2012, which was midway through Season 2.

 

2) Nope.

 

3) It would be roughly two years as of now.

 

4) I honestly cannot tell you, as it's really nothing that special of a show. I think the characters just popped out for me, for whatever reason. And after that, the sheer hilarity that is the fandom captured me for good.

[Blackened 512]

1) Late 2011-early 2012

 

2) I did not. I hated MLP before I became a brony.

 

3) I would say since around June 2011.

 

4) I like the show because I feel that it's well written, has good animation, voice actors, and an amazing fanbase.

[Guardian Braveheart 23]

1. July 2013

2. Nope.

3. Every since I finished the first season. which is July 2013

4.Continuity, Animations, voicing, all spot on. Learning that Lauren Faust is the creator, and being a fan of Foster's, kinda made me happy. A stress reliever for all the bad days being bullied and the like. Also, the fandom is awesome and caring compared to others I know.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

Sure I'll chip in.

 

#1: Hmm... Aughust 2011.

 

#2: Nope. All I remembered about MLP before FiM was a commercial for the toys.

 

#3: Since September 2011 -- two and a half years.

 

#4: As a whole, I find it to be an enjoyable show but one very important thing is that the show manages to be light-hearted without being vapid.

[PinkiePieJr 122]

1.) In the start of S3 I saw my first episode

 

2.) No owned past generation merchandise available (I do have some now though)

 

3.) Basically since a week after seeing my first episode. So over a year now.

 

4.) It's unique and entertaining. You can't find a lot of good showes now adays. I gave something a chance and enjoyed it. Animation is awesome, voice acting is superbe, stories are far to entertaining, and everything about it is just great! Plus the fandom behind it is a place that I can call my home

[Bronyette 835]

1) When did you start watching mlp?

 

About when season 2 ended

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

 

No. I never ever did, I hated ponies with a burning passion as a young girl. Anything considered girly, really.

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

 

Around season two ended. It didn't take long for me to like it.

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

 

Because it's easy and fun to watch after a hard day of work. And I can identify with a good amount of the characters.

 

Also, unlike most bronies I won't cite Lauren Faust. I did like Powerpuff girls and Fosters, but honestly it didn't help me make the decision that I liked it. It was mostly the nice designs of the characters (physically and mentally) that pulled me in. I like shows with a wide range of personalities, so this fit perfectly.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Bronyette

[Khaoios 1,970]

1) When did you start watching mlp?

    I started watching MLP:FIM, back in December of 2012

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

    I do not watch or own any merchandise from prev. gens of MLP. 

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

   Pretty much 2 weeks after watching the show, and the day I confirmed it was the day I saw "Read it or Weep It".

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

     Storyline, Voice Actresses, Characters, Music, Setting.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Promethean Alicorn

[mars 4,862]

1. I began watching June 2011.

2. Yeah! I had a lot of toys of G3, and I saw a few episodes or movies of G3.

3. As soon as I saw the first episode. I was like, "Yep. A new fandom."

4. I like the storyline, likable characters, animation, music- just everything really!

 

(Also, I grew up with pokemon and disney, so I can never outgrow them. They were the main factors of my childhood. )

[Shanks 10,816]

1. September 2012

 

2. I have watched G1 and liked it mostly for its villains like Tirek and Grogar though not nearly as much as G4 but do not own any previous gen merch.

 

3. I would say sometime around October 2012, I considered myself just a fan albeit an enthusiastic fan at first and then I said "screw it you think about it all the time you pretty much are one."

 

4. Strong, relatable characters, positive messages without being too preachy at least most of the time. And Good animation and story telling.

[Zyla Fae 5,402]

Since I like all three of the things, feel free to send me a questionnaire for the others

 

 

1) When did you start watching mlp?

Sometime in January

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

No, I might have heard of them, but I didn't really pay much attention 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

Less than a month actually

4) Why do you like the show in general?

Well, there's the humor, the songs, I also find it fun to see how close my predictions to what's going to happen are to what really happens (They're often practically the same)

[Frostgage 7,975]

1. October 2013, I think it was.

 

2. No, although I was aware of them. I thought of them as over-the-top girly things, and honestly, my opinion hasn't really changed since I started watching FiM.

 

3. A few days after I started watching. I didn't really have anything to do one day so I watched almost all of season 1 in a row, and since then I've considered myself a full-fledged fan.

 

4. Most of all, it's really easy and enjoyable to connect with the characters. The whole thing is just incredibly well done, such as the writing, plot, art, voice acting, songs, everything just makes for a really enjoyable show.

[OptimisticNeighsayer 471]

I'm always ready to support a fellow amateur academic.

 

1) When did you start watching mlp?

The first episode I watched was around mid February of 2012.  However, I did not start watching the show in earnest until July 7th of that year.

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

No, however my sister owned a couple of ponies of previous generations.  (Either that or they were knock-offs, I really can't tell as I don't have access to them anymore.)

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

I proudly call myself a brony, and have been one since mid-July of 2012.  That being said, I took an interest in the show almost since its inception (so around mid-November 2010) during which I viewed fan art and studied it on TV Tropes.

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

The characters and its universe are appealing and engaging in both design and personality, the plots usually very enjoyable, the writing usually coherent, and the morals usually fairly complex and nicely developed out of the plot.   But most of all, it's honest.  It has no pretensions of trying to be "cool" in either its premise or content, even in its weaker episodes, it just is because of all of its good qualities.  And it's funny, but you never get the feeling that it's the only trick up its sleeve to keep the audience entertained.

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

1) When did you start watching mlp?     

Mid 2011.....seriously, pony stuff was spamming the internet and I had look into it.

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

No, avoided anything girly with a vehement passion

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

Mid 2011.....after marathoning the show, I was hooked.  I was a brony before I knew bronies existed

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

It defies girly stereotypes (for the most part).  It is one of the best, all age friendly shows out there in this day and age. It is well written and performed. It does not rely on stupid humor to carry the show (like spongebob, adventure time, regular show, etc)

[Totally Ducklett 181]

1. Since about the start of season 3.

2. Nope!

3. About a year.

 

4. Because of the fantastic writing, animation, and, of course, fandom!

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

1) When did you start watching mlp?

 

Hmm, I don't remember the exact time I started watching, but I remember that very soon after I watched through the episodes I'd missed, I saw that the episode Cutie Mark Chronicles was coming out. That was in the spring of 2011.

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

 

I had lots of horse toys as a little girl, but I didn't care if they were MLP or not. I think a lot of them were actually Barbie horse toys, but there might have been a couple MLP toys in there. I didn't care about the cartoon at all.

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

 

I consider myself a pegasister. And I guess I've been one since I learned about the pegasister term.

I believe that was in 2011 as well.

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

 

I like the art and the lovely character designs, especially Celestia. I love the fact that it's a cute, wholesome show that ANYONE can enjoy, since I think media is overrun with dark, depressing stuff. I love that fact that other adults like it, especially guys. I've loved "boy stuff" since I was a little girl, and it didn't take away my status as a woman. So I think it's fair that guys can watch something feminine and it doesn't take away their status as a man.

I like that it's a cutie "girl's show" where the characters have lives, and dreams, and ambitions. The most "girly" character, Rarity, loves fashion. But she's not just a fashion slave that spends all her money on clothes. She MAKES clothes, designing and sewing them all by herself, and as an artist I really admire that talent.

And lastly, I LOVE that the creators of the show actually care about the adults in the audience, and know how to throw sneaky or subtle things into the cartoon that only we'll understand, but while still entertaining the kids.

[PrymeStriker 408]

1) When did you start watching mlp?

 

I started thoroughly watching the show in August of 2012. Though, while channel surfing, I had seen both "Stare Master" and "A Friend in Deed" way before I heard of the name Lauren Faust. 

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

 

Ha-ha. No. 

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

 

Technically, August of 2012. I didn't start interacting with the community until I came here in January of 2013, however. 

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

 

Because it's always something to laugh at for its crappy characters and terrible writing.

 

Because its intriguing to analyze its fantastic characters and exceptional writing.

[Denim&Venöm 18,684]

1) When did you start watching mlp?

 

Summer of 2012

 

2) Did you watch or own merchandise of the previous generations of mlp?

 

Yes, but after I got into FiM proper. I own 2 G3 VHS & a DVD, and my parents got me some old G1/G2(?) dolls as a joke. 

 

3) How long have you been a brony (or if you don't consider yourself a brony, just a member of the fandom in general)?

 

April of 2012

 

4) Why do you like the show in general?

 

The fantasy setting. It differs itself from the rest of TV and therefore, the rest of the world. It's good escapism. It differs itself from the issues of this world and the same tired settings and problems associated with it. Yet it keeps relatible characters, a driven story, exceptional voice acting and animation and morals that relate to my age group. But I'd probably say that the community and all the art, stories, videos, music, and just the respectful and welcoming nature of the people are what really hooked me. 

 

 

This actually reminds me of my brothers sociology project and how I helped him ask questions at an anime convention. Rather enlightening experience. After your done with this, I'd recommend attending one of the Brony conventions and expanding upon your study. You might learn quite a bit. 

Edited March 8, 2014 by Denim&Venom

[Total Lunar Eclipse 516]

1) Back in the first generation when I was little, although my mom didn't allow it much.

 

2) As a kid, yes. My collection of pony tpys, Beanie Babies, and Breyer horses were all I ever played with (literally).

 

3) Since MLP came out. I'm not a full fledged dedicated brony but follow the fandom and draw for it.

 

4) It's cute and well written.

[Something Floaty 1,334]

1) A little over a month ago

 

2) No

 

3) A little over a month

 

4) So many cartoons are predictable and repetitive...I like that MLP doesn't rely on all the tropes that the others do. I also enjoy the references to events in previous episodes. Continuity is missing from so much television, and not just cartoons. When something major happens, or even something minor but notable, it's nice to have it mentioned months later instead of hitting the reset button at the end of every episode and never mentioning it again. I think a lot of what makes me a Trekkie is actually what has drawn me to MLP.