My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

[Specineff]

Specineff,

MLP is a cartoon and its a subjective matter if one over the age of 12 likes it or not.

But you have to admit linking these cartoons with persuasive comments to get others to watch them is a bit much. My response to that link was one of disbelief and then the subject matter gets pushed and justified making me out to be the one thats not normal.

That's the thing. DrunkNinja only posted links to the show and said why it's funny. He never said "Watch this or you suck". I respect your not liking it, and you won't see me or any others pushing or trying to make you a fan of it, as far as I can see. It's cool. (I like the show, but I'm not an ardent fan of it. My current signature is just a nod to its memes)

Anyone who gets off on that subject matter at that age has clearly got a problem. There are millions and millions of other things they could be doing instead of that.

True. Anybody who gets off on cartoon ponies has a problem. *IF* they are actually getting off on cartoon ponies. I could have a picture in my computer of Seven of Nine in a sexually-appealing manner (but not provocative) and anyone could assume (without having facts) that I get off at the character because of that picture. But that's an assumption, not fact. (It wouldn't make it any less of a problem if I did, though.)

I'll let out a little secret of my own. I enjoy photography and video and my subject matter is steam trains. You don't see me pushing that on people here because I don't expect the return will be a positive nature. Do you get my meaning?

Totally agreed. By the same token, all I've seen so far is comments about why fans shouldn't like it, and negative labels applied as a result of them liking what others don't. I have no right to judge you because you like something I don't, if I had a dislike or fear of steam trains or pics of them. Kind of what Ghegs said in his "lighten up" post. (Not that you have called anyone names or anything, AFAIK)

I wouldn't mind it if you posted your pics, especially if they are good ones, btw.

[renardqueenston]

It's a shame if people are reluctant to talk about a harmless thing they enjoy just because they're afraid other people on the internet won't approve of it.

agreed in any situation. people not being themselves just because they're afraid of backlash is extremely depressing.

[ryu]

you guys will love this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COBYkaSg ... dded#at=48

it's one thing enjoying a children's show, but it seems to me there's way too many people in that niche crossing the line that makes them manchildren.

[AliceMargatroid]

you guys will love this

I don't understand

[Obiwanshinobi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd2Gzkkwe9Q

[renardqueenston]

you guys will love this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COBYkaSg ... dded#at=48

good god save me now

as with any fandom you seem to get the people that just go a little too far hahahaha

WHATEVER KEEPS Y'HAPPY I GUESS?

[AliceMargatroid]

you guys will love this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COBYkaSg ... dded#at=48

good god save me now

as with any fandom you seem to get the people that just go a little too far hahahaha

WHATEVER KEEPS Y'HAPPY I GUESS?

That is just too far. This is the point where even I have no idea why they should do that. There could be much better things to do.

(Off Topic): Are you really Renard? It feels weird to see you in this forum.

[renardqueenston]

(Off Topic): Are you really Renard? It feels weird to see you in this forum.

yes i am, just PM me if you wanna chat or somethin'; no point de-railing the topic moreso, hahaha!

[Skykid]

OK people, I understand that you don't like MLP, but do you really need to make an entirely new thread so that you can requote my post and again generalize my person and other fans of the show as perverts and furries?

I started the thread because despite suggesting dropping it in the other, folks kept on resurfacing with the topic. Hence, relocation of topic.

Coming from people whose affection for modern shmups with benefit of the inventory has been ridiculed with all wit and subtlety internet can muster, picking on adult MLP fans can be easily considered a case of throwing shit back in direction where it's most likely to land on somebody who gives a fuck. Why's that so? Because dealing with people more akin to you than you'd like to admit, it's easier to strike them where it hurts. Touhou bashing is wearing thin as Touhou games are about as naughty as mainstream shoujou manga (as far as I can tell). But hey, that's when people with MLP avatars come in handy. You're not gonna try that shit with Modern Warfare followers after all since this whole puny forum doesn't have enough power to raise their blood pressure for even a split second. They just don't give a damn whether you are into shmups for the gameplay or the artwork.

Assuming that criticising MLP lovers is only done so because they're an easy target is a cop-out. I don't spend all day criticising Touhou fans either. In fact, I've played some of Zun's game's and they're perfectly okay, some nice patterns and fun for a while. What fucks me off about Touhou are wet weeaboo fan followers who pray to the shrine of his shitty artwork and jack off over ten minute intermissions filled with trite 'storytelling'.
Strip that away and I'm fine with the rest.

One of the biggest mis-conceptions and easy counter arguments to any adverse flak is to label those pointing the finger as 'closed-minded' and simply seeking gratification by belittling others. That's a falsehood. Those pointing the fingers are objecting to the concept and behaviour of its followers by way of outside observation, but perhaps outside observation is the reason criticism is perfectly acceptable?

A wake up call is never overdue, and Jesus, do these guys need one:

you guys will love this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COBYkaSg ... dded#at=48

it's one thing enjoying a children's show, but it seems to me there's way too many people in that niche crossing the line that makes them manchildren.

Obviously there's nothing to say here, the video speaks for itself entirely. In fact, it's exactly the reason this thread exists, pretty much.

[KennyMan666]

This is a very silly little thread.

I like the show, because I find it to be a cute, funny, legitimately good show with interesting characters. This shouldn't be any weirder than the fact that I like, say, Azumanga Daioh because I think it's a cute, funny, legitimately good show with interesting characters.

The primary demographic may be meant to be six-year old girls, but they've said that they pretty much always considered grownups a secondary demographic. Sure - this secondary demographic was intended to be the parents of the primary demographic, so that they could watch it together with their kids and still get enjoyment on a different level. And this, thus, spawned the teritary demographic, grownups who enjoy it without having the excuse of watching it with any kids. 95% of the FiM fans you'll find on the internet are, of course, from this teritary demographic. So those are the ones you'll run into.

And that's fine. Let them enjoy what they want to enjoy. Invariably, people who haven't seen it will question the mental capacity and sexual orientation of the ones that watch it, but in my experience, most people who have then given it a fair chance just to see what all the hubbub is about has come to realize it's not bad. But I've seen exceptions.

I've kind of approached it as such: Step one is accepting the inherent ridiculouness of that you're actually watching My Little Pony. Step two is realizing you don't care because it's great anyway.

That sing-along is nothing compared to what I've seen and heard in all the years I've been working as karaoke staff on various cons over here... let's just say that singing Touhou crossplayers isn't really the high point of the day. Or the Hetalia crossplayers singing If You Were Gay.

tl; dr FUCK YO' SHIT, I GOT PONIES

[Vamos]

I like how nearly every male in that brny meet up is a walking overweight pedo nerd stereotype.

[nem]

So wait, dolls are OK, video games made for children are OK, animu is OK, but you drawn the line on a cartoon about ponies?

Right

[Specineff]

you guys will love this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COBYkaSg ... dded#at=48

it's one thing enjoying a children's show, but it seems to me there's way too many people in that niche crossing the line that makes them manchildren.

Ugh. There are not enough facepalm emoticons on the Interweb to convey my reaction.

Good thing that is only an extreme aspect of the fandom, and not representative of the whole community. (I hope) Just like we have regular Trekkies who know the full name of every captain of each series, and those who like to exchange marriage vows in Klingon, in full garb.

[renardqueenston]

That sing-along is nothing compared to what I've seen and heard in all the years I've been working as karaoke staff on various cons over here...

please tell me you have videos

[Obiwanshinobi]

Is something else than singing along what I assume to be a song from the show (which fits my idea of activities people attending such conventions engage in on a regular basis like a glove) happening in that vid? I seem to be missing what makes it remarkable.

[Skykid]

So wait, dolls are OK, video games made for children are OK, animu is OK, but you drawn the line on a cartoon about ponies?

In a nutshell: yes.

(And Contra 4 ain't no kids game neither. )

[Skykid]

Edit: (half a repost )

Is something else than singing along what I assume to be a song from the show (which fits my idea of activities people attending such conventions engage in on a regular basis like a glove) happening in that vid? I seem to be missing what makes it remarkable.

If the activity in that video is perfectly normal to you, any further discussion is totally pointless.

That sing-along is nothing compared to what I've seen and heard in all the years I've been working as karaoke staff on various cons over here...

please tell me you have videos

Hands up for the crossplay Touhou singers!

[maxlords]

Best thread ever

And that being said, I'd say yes, the open fandom of the "Bronies" is definitely over the line of reason IMO. That video really does say it all. It's one thing to be trapped on the couch on Saturday morning with a young daughter and maybe enjoy a line or two of dialogue, and another thing to be singing the songs at meets and hanging out with a group of guys discussing the nuances of said show. It's just not socially acceptable. Period.

I enjoy Touhou games....for the gameplay. I can take or leave the content. I haven't watched MLP:FIM, but I'm sure if I was trapped watching it, I'd probably get a few of the references and I wouldn't suffer. Either way I'm not dressing up like Touhou characters or singing songs from a children's cartoon with a bunch of grown men. There are limits to where fandom should go. Honestly...even some anime isn't really ok these days

As for some of the counter-arguments....like watching Disney movies and such...well...I don't even do THAT. Even though they're intended for an adult subsidiary audience. I like Kirby...but Kirby is pretty damned neutral if you ask me. MLP is a pretty far step from Toy Story or Yoshi's Story.

[Randorama]

Objection. A show that has referenced Doctor Who, Benny Hill, Lewis Carroll, the Road Runner cartoons, booze, metrosexuality and Metal Gear Solid cannot be aimed to that kind of demographic only.

Also, keep in mind that some of these grown men enjoying a cartoon right now, may end up being fathers of little boys and girls who'll request them to watch those and other shows with them as they are growing up. Boys and girls that need to know that growing up doesn't necessarily mean becoming a boring person.

My two cents, given this information...

It's a show for girls, and their moms and daddies. Moms and daddies will be fine to buy the toys, eventually, if they enjoy a show which is also for them. Marketing can't be just about girls, they don't fork the money for the toys.


Also, the whole "it's not socially acceptable thing". Can someone prove it by showing that weirdos enjoying this show for creepy reasons are committing a crime? Because not socially acceptable behaviors are really the ones warranting the intervention of authorities, not the ones raising the eye-brows of random people. There's an amount of chest-beating going on in this thread which is off-place.

[KennyMan666]

And that being said, I'd say yes, the open fandom of the "Bronies" is definitely over the line of reason IMO. That video really does say it all. It's one thing to be trapped on the couch on Saturday morning with a young daughter and maybe enjoy a line or two of dialogue, and another thing to be singing the songs at meets and hanging out with a group of guys discussing the nuances of said show. It's just not socially acceptable. Period.

Eh.

So it's a group of people at a geek con hanging out together, singing a song from a show they happen to enjoy.

And this is somehow not socially acceptable, and "proof" that the fandom is at a level that shouldn't exist ever.

I'm sorry, I just don't get it. Singing a song from the show is a very, very mild thing. If you want something that really shouldn't exist, it's all the porn that has been produced. That is just wrong. And sick.

[maxlords]

And where, one asks, does that porn come from? It's not being generated by 6 year old girls.....

I'm not saying that ALL of the fans are creepy freaks, but I bet at least a few out of every group of adult male fans of the show are. Unless we want to start putting tattoos on their wrists.....I'd say it's in general, rather inappropriate. And I'm ok with saying that. I'm not saying it SHOULDN'T EXIST EVER. I'm saying it's not socially acceptable. There's a subtle disctinction.

[renardqueenston]

I'm not saying that ALL of the fans are creepy freaks, but I bet at least a few out of every group of adult male fans of the show are.

the same can be said for literally any fandom - people creep over or sexualize everything at this point. like you said though, it's not that they shouldn't, it's that it shouldn't be flaunted in most fandoms the way it is. anime conventions gross / creep me out for similar reasons. seeing the booths with the body pillows and lewd prints and the con attendees gawking over them is a sight to behold

still waiting on touhou karaoke videos! considering starting touhoucon if they don't surface just to capture them myself.

maxlords, i love your icon by the way. space gun rules!

[Skykid]

And where, one asks, does that porn come from? It's not being generated by 6 year old girls.....

It is in Japan.

[KennyMan666]

Well, here's one, but the Yukari crossplayer isn't actually a bad singer, so it's not quite an example of what I mentioned earlier... but those usually don't partake in the karaoke contests, and those are what's likely to actually be recorded, so I don't think I have any videos of that.

Which is probably for the best.

[renardqueenston]

that is certainly a bit more awkward than a group of people belting out a tune together and all being in on it

welp, i got what i asked for, i can't blame anybody but myself for how i currently feel

[Skykid]

Bloody hell, it was amusing for about 20 seconds before pity started setting in.

"This is mass madness you maniacs!"

[renardqueenston]

pity

is that what this third-person sadness is called?

[Skykid]

pity

is that what this third-person sadness is called?

I think it's a mixture of sadness, compassion and despair actually.

[Vyxx]

...singing the songs at meets and hanging out with a group of guys discussing the nuances of said show. It's just not socially acceptable. Period.

This. You guys still collect Pokemon cards right??

[njiska]

Figures (not dolls, lol) are aimed at adults.

Different cultures say different things. I've gotten scoffed at by many adults and I only have a few figures. Making the argument that they are aimed at adults usually results in the exact same debate that is going on in this thread over ponies.

And I will say this, I have been watch MLP since this discussion started and the only real complaint I have is, god damn that theme song is gay. It doesn't even really fit with the tone of the show.