My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

[Skykid]

I think you folks are missing the point. It's not about which was better during what period. I watched three recommended episodes of FIM from the first season, and I couldn't see any indication of the intelligent scriptwriting etc that guys were standing up in classrooms and attempting to give lectures about. It's a mystery to me that people managed to find something in it that appears not to actually be there.

I'm not saying it's not well produced, but I can't see the same boundary crossing appeal of Powerpuff Girls or Samurai Jack, which had genuine adult appeal based on how well directed/executed/written they often were, and their obvious homages and references to pop culture. They were less plain 'kids shows', for lack of a better description, than FIM appeared to be, even though I was expecting it to walk a similar line.

For reasons why I think people bought into it, there are pages 1 through 32 of this thread.

[The Coop]

I know I said something to this effect before, but I just enjoy the show because of the characters, the music, and the hidden touches that the creators stick in there once in a while. It makes me laugh at times, and smile at others. The show has its dud episodes, that's for damn sure, but the overall end product is enjoyable for me. It's not a complex show at all when it comes to stories, but it does occasionally stick in a reference that no kid would get ("The trots," "The punch has been spiked," The Big Lebowski characters, etc.), and the simple tales do allow for fun and funny moments between characters when they're handled right. If others don't see the appeal, that's cool. Opinions and all. I know both sides of the issue go overboard in both bashing it and praising it, and at times, they both also get WAY too wrapped up in their love/hate of it. It can get really annoying for both sides. But I try to stay away from all that and just enjoy the show for what it is; a well produced, entertaining cartoon (IMHO of course) that puts a smile on my face.

Like every other cartoon that's come about, take it, leave it... whatever an individual wants to do is just fine. It won't change my opinion for the better or worse, just like it didn't with the past shows I liked (Beast Wars, Teen Titans, Batman: The Animated Series, Freakazoid, etc.), and the ones I didn't (Powerpuff Girls, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Ed Edd & Eddie, Metalocalypse, etc.). It's just about how the show strikes you personally, and if it clicks with you. MLP:FiM clicked with me. And while I have no problems saying as much when asked, I do try not to bludgeon people over the head about it.

[Edmond Dantes]

Honestly, American animation hasn't been worthwhile since the mid-1990s at best. I think the last worthwhile cartoon was the Mega Man one.

I never really saw much appeal to Powerpuff Girls, to be honest. I found it to be just a juvenile, mean-spirited and shallow show that tries too hard to be hip. I just wish American writers would place story and characters first, rather than try to wow us with showing off.

You'd never get a show like Bubblegum Crisis out of America, is what I'm saying.

[Sly Cherry Chunks]

Should I be taking these comments personally?

[Specineff]

Nah. It's his interpretation, to which he is entitled to. I myself didn't find the appeal with PPG either, but it had its moments. The movie was surprisingly well-written, too.

[Sly Cherry Chunks]

There's an obvious connection between the two shows for me and not just because one art style is blatantly derivative of the other. Literally everything that's been said about bronies was said about adult males watching PPG back in 1999 when it was a thing.
The fandom was largely the same too. Same lonely men suffering from depression until they discovered the show. Same guys taking their plushies on dates. Same horrific porn. Same grumpy old gits who hung on way after it turned to shit.

10 years from now we'll all be watching the new Care Bears or something and there will be a whole new thread of Peter Hitchensesque huffing and puffing about 'kids these days' and it how it just doesn't have the crossover appeal of Friendship is Magic.

[Specineff]

^^^ Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

You'd never get a show like Bubblegum Crisis out of America, is what I'm saying.

Aeon Flux and Spawn say hi.

[evil_ash_xero]

I think you folks are missing the point. It's not about which was better during what period. I watched three recommended episodes of FIM from the first season, and I couldn't see any indication of the intelligent scriptwriting etc that guys were standing up in classrooms and attempting to give lectures about. It's a mystery to me that people managed to find something in it that appears not to actually be there.

I'm not saying it's not well produced, but I can't see the same boundary crossing appeal of Powerpuff Girls or Samurai Jack, which had genuine adult appeal based on how well directed/executed/written they often were, and their obvious homages and references to pop culture. They were less plain 'kids shows', for lack of a better description, than FIM appeared to be, even though I was expecting it to walk a similar line.

For reasons why I think people bought into it, there are pages 1 through 32 of this thread.

I feel the same way. I'm a fan of Samurai Jack(and even Dexter's Lab), and have at least appreciated PPG. But I did check out some episodes of FIM, just because of all the talk. It's just a kid's show. I mean, I'm not seeing anything that would appeal to older viewers. The Flash animation looks cheap as well. The opening almost had me expecting something more, but once the show started, it was pretty obvious the demographic this was aimed at. I was actually expecting it to be like PPG.

Some fans say that they like something that takes them back to youth or something. I dunno...when I feel that way, I just watch The Muppets. Another "kid's show" that appeals to older viewers as well. Unlike FIM.

Well, I hesitate to say that, because it obviously DOES appeal to a segment of older viewers. I just don't understand it.

I also don't understand why they want to shout it to the rooftops. "I love a little girl's show!!!".

[drauch]

You'd never get a show like Bubblegum Crisis out of America, is what I'm saying.

Aeon Flux and Spawn say hi.

Not getting in on the Pony hate, but...

Dude... not quite, and even so, two shows is hardly a comparison. And probably not the best example from Dantes, although it's still quite true.

You'd never get a show like Fist of the North Star, Space Adventure Cobra, or even something a bit more "friendly" like Galaxy Express 999 or MS Gundam out of America. Big fan of American animation as well, but we've never touched the surface, both thematically or content wise with a series, and hardly and rarely with animated film.

And it's a real shame, too. The Golden Age of American animation (early Hanna Barbera, Warner, Disney, etc.) is still some of the nicest hand drawn work in existence, but we've totally failed as a country in producing serious animation with adult themes or content. There has certainly been a rise in the last ten years or so with very lazy, humorous shows for young adults (adult swim,) but I'm afraid that's all we're ever going to get. Animation has been doomed in America for some time, and will most likely always be. Not insinuating that liking any of it is bad, because I do some myself, but current American animation is designed either for kids, or a comedy for young adults.

[Stormwatch]

two shows is hardly a comparison.

One more, then: The Maxx.

For some less extreme examples, there's Avatar and Batman TAS.

[drauch]

Never gave The Maxx a shot. Always hated the design. :/

[evil_ash_xero]

The Maxx isn't a kid's show. It's definitely teen and up. Also quite dark.

[drauch]

Yeah, I don't think he was implying it was. I think the discussion is starting to lean towards good American animation that tackles more adult themes, which there aren't many of.

[Sly Cherry Chunks]

Meanwhile, animation in Canada goes from strength to strength.

What's this Korra thing? I never bothered with it but I hear it's good. Not the kind of thing I'm interested in.

[drunkninja24]

Meanwhile, animation in Canada goes from strength to strength.

What's this Korra thing? I never bothered with it but I hear it's good. Not the kind of thing I'm interested in.

It's the second series from the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender

quite good as well imo

[The Coop]

I also don't understand why they want to shout it to the rooftops. "I love a little girl's show!!!".

Neither do I. Like I said, I enjoy the show. But dressing up as the characters, going to conventions and meet ups, wearing T-shirts with the characters on them... that kind of thing's never appealed to me, regardless of what it's centered around (movies, video games, TV shows, etc.). Not because I think I'm too cool or something douche baggery like that, but just because I don't do it. It's not my thing.

That said, wearing a T-shirt, carrying around a brushable/PVC figure, talking about it when the subject comes up; all that's fine, and I don't think reasonable people would have any real issues with it. It's when a subject's fan just won't shut up about it, forces it into conversations about other things, and just generally shoves it in peoples' faces, that it gets on peoples' nerves and becomes "going overboard" (again, regardless of the show/movie/game/etc.).

[KennyMan666]

Should I be taking these comments personally?

Yes. Always take everything everyone says on the internet personally. It gets more interesting that way.

Okay so.

I finally got around to watching Equestria Girls, since I figured I should watch that before starting on season four. And it ended up as a resounding meh. It had its moments, but the premise was both ridiculous and wasted. The school setting was utterly superfluous, since Twilight never tried actually going to school, only learned how to be human, which was the most entertaining segment of the movie - then the plot got in the way. Uh, pun unintended. Human Pinkie Pie was best characters, but the human counterparts were woefully underused. Twilight was made out to be too much of a savior. The tie-in comic, which doesn't feature Twilight at all but the five others (prequel to the movie) does a much better job with the setting than the movie ever manages. And I was shaking my head throughout the entire climax of the movie. So that's that.

(seriously read the comics. Anything by Cook, Price & Beckel is amazing and oftentimes tops the show, especially these days. Issues 11 and 12 tell the story of how Shining Armor and Cadance met and, no big surprise, it deals with that relationship a whole lot better than the show has ever done. If nothing else, at least read the Rarity micro-series because it's imo among the best pieces of FiM media ever made)

So, season four opening... well. I can only agree with that Discord was, by far and wide, the best part of it, and that alone made it a decent enough palate cleanser after the complete ass that was the season three finisher. I'm not going to reach for the superlatives yet as some people have done, though. Giving the season three or so more episodes to get started, and I'm currently thinking that the episodes that have a minimum of Twilight will be the better ones.

Episode two also debunked one of my pet theories except for a minor part of it, but oh well.

[drunkninja24]

So the new episode leaked, seems to be available in the usual places

Not gonna spoil anything, but I enjoyed it.

[heisenbergman]

I also don't understand why they want to shout it to the rooftops. "I love a little girl's show!!!".

Why does it have to be specifically classified as "a little girl's show" when one could simply see it as guys loving a show just like any other show?

There are lots of people who profess their love for watching Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who and many others, so I think one doing the same for MLP shouldn't be seen any differently.

[trap15]

Except that those shows are made for adults. MLP is kind of explicitly made for little girls. So uhh. Yeah.

[Edmond Dantes]

Just pointing out: Doctor Who started out as a children's show.

[Specineff]

And today's episode was... decent. It could have been weak, but for some reason it wasn't. Felt a bit of an homage to Scooby-Doo, minus the doors and hallway sequence.

[drunkninja24]

And today's episode was... decent. It could have been weak, but for some reason it wasn't. Felt a bit of an homage to Scooby-Doo, minus the doors and hallway sequence.

I thought it was good too. Perhaps a bit predictable in some aspects, but overall a quality episode.

[Lord Satori]

Was there a new villain this time around? I haven't seen the latest ones.

[Edmond Dantes]

Yeah, there was a new villain. It was epic! He walked out into a crowd, and shouted "I am a Pulse la'Cie! and I'm here to kill you all!"

[Lord Satori]

lol, I love FFXIII.

Seriously, though...

[drunkninja24]

No new villain in S4 so far, though there are hints of something going on.

[drunkninja24]

Gotta say, I enjoyed the newest episode quite a bit.

I'm sure it opens up some new questions for those who want to analyze every aspect of the series' world and such, but it was a fun adventure and a fun twist on the story I can't say I expected with the information known before the episode aired.

[KennyMan666]

With only four episodes in the season so far it's not saying much but this was easily the worst episode of season 4 so far and probably the worst Rainbow Dash episode in the series yet. I didn't really manage to care about it much. Everything after the party was more like Rainbow Dash's fanfiction or something.

Pinkie actually drawing the red line was a good gag, though.

In other news entirely, I recently found and have been playing a lot of Mega Pony. It's exactly what it sounds like - Mega Man + ponies. Not only is it the best pony fangame I've come across, it's also one of the more solid Mega Man fangames I've played. Everything feels spot on, except for a small physics change that has to do with entering a body of water, but it's not a bad change. The main six are the robot masters, and when you've beaten the game once you unlock the ability to play with them too. Really good. Play it.

[Edmond Dantes]

There's an MLP/Mega Man game? Fuck. Yes.

Also.... I.... actually really liked Daring Don't

Yeah, I can't believe it either.