My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

[Deploy]

IMO the best episode is green isn't your color. All characters work perfuctly together, the drama, the comedy, and everything was wonderful

Good episode, but my personal favorite is "Party of One"

[Thu'um]

Good episode, but my personal favorite is "Party of One"

the conflict in that one was beautiful too , i loved how pinkypie's darker side came out, but i think it was much more drimatic with flutter shy(wich is self explanitory

[Deploy]

FiM has epic characters.

[Thu'um]

AGREED :yes:

[Deploy]

AGREED

yay

Some of the best characters in any cartoon of late.

[Xortberg]

Keep in mind, folks, this is the Counter Point. The characters are a great point to bring up, but you should probably do more than just post an image macro and a single line of text. We have a Rec Room topic for that :P

[LoneWolf]

(copy+paste from bronies unite topic)

Alright, now, I've seen the pony craze, and I have a few brony friends, but I still don't get what all the hype is about. I mean, admittedly the animation is good, but with the limited amount I watched, the voices annoyed the crap out of me, and the story seemed... well, not on par with the 90's, as some people said it was.

Another thing, what is this with waving your brony-ness in people's faces? Is it just to get attention? I mean, really, furries do this sort of thing too, but I don't see nearly as much furry material IRL as I do pony material. It's just...well, I don't get it.

Somebody please explain to me what makes this show so amazing.

Also, @ My Little Pony: Alchohol is Magic parties: WhatisthisIdon'teven

[kkstarfox]

This doesn't necessarily pertain to why Ponies is good or bad, but in my personal experience I tend to not like things that are over hyped. More to the point I don't even play the games or watch the series because of the over hyped lore has ruined the series for me because it can never be as good as the hype. Over hyped has ruined FF7, Halo, and Heroes (the tv series) for me. Its not just as good as all the praise. But people certainly like being part of the band wagon, something bigger then themselves. And if their logic fails they can just rely on group support to blot out the voice of hearsay.

[Sabre]

(copy+paste from bronies unite topic)

Alright, now, I've seen the pony craze, and I have a few brony friends, but I still don't get what all the hype is about. I mean, admittedly the animation is good, but with the limited amount I watched, the voices annoyed the crap out of me, and the story seemed... well, not on par with the 90's, as some people said it was.

Another thing, what is this with waving your brony-ness in people's faces? Is it just to get attention? I mean, really, furries do this sort of thing too, but I don't see nearly as much furry material IRL as I do pony material. It's just...well, I don't get it.

Somebody please explain to me what makes this show so amazing.

Also, @ My Little Pony: Alchohol is Magic parties: WhatisthisIdon'teven

You can make alot of cases in favour of MLP, but animation isn't one of them. Yes, they picked a style that looks good for what they had, but it's still pretty bad. It's one of the many cartoons that use flash (or flash like software) to cut costs. Unfortunatly, while I could tell you some examples, the detail is killed by youtube quality, making them appear a bit muddy.

The main thing to consider is the competition. The best cartoons on at the moment other than MLP is Ben 10 and pokemon. Hell, there are repeats of Hilltop Hospital that are canny on at the moment, but that ended in 2001. That's a decade of absolutly nothing, so when something half decent comes along, of course it causes a splash (Although I thought Pitt and Kantrop was good, but that was 2003). After that, it hit 4chan and was blown from "Quite good" to "Most amazingest fing evar!!!1!!"

As for getting it, what's to get? It's a social status thing. They have to demonstrate that are 'cool' and 'hip'.

Its not just as good as all the praise. But people certainly like being part of the band wagon, something bigger then themselves. And if their logic fails they can just rely on group support to blot out the voice of hearsay.

Exactly.

[Vy'drach]

This doesn't necessarily pertain to why Ponies is good or bad, but in my personal experience I tend to not like things that are over hyped. More to the point I don't even play the games or watch the series because of the over hyped lore has ruined the series for me because it can never be as good as the hype. Over hyped has ruined FF7, Halo, and Heroes (the tv series) for me. Its not just as good as all the praise. But people certainly like being part of the band wagon, something bigger then themselves. And if their logic fails they can just rely on group support to blot out the voice of hearsay.

I tend to be the same way when it comes to not liking something because everyone else does. Fortunately for me, Friendship is Magic was one of the exceptions. Why is it an exception? Because, in my opinion, it is worth the hype, actually. I didn't like the show because it's the "it" thing to do, I liked it because I liked it. The humour, the character personalities, the animation, the music, all that and more is right up my alley.

You can make alot of cases in favour of MLP, but animation isn't one of them. Yes, they picked a style that looks good for what they had, but it's still pretty bad. It's one of the many cartoons that use flash (or flash like software) to cut costs. Unfortunatly, while I could tell you some examples, the detail is killed by youtube quality, making them appear a bit muddy.

The main thing to consider is the competition. The best cartoons on at the moment other than MLP is Ben 10 and pokemon. Hell, there are repeats of Hilltop Hospital that are canny on at the moment, but that ended in 2001. That's a decade of absolutly nothing, so when something half decent comes along, of course it causes a splash (Although I thought Pitt and Kantrop was good, but that was 2003). After that, it hit 4chan and was blown from "Quite good" to "Most amazingest fing evar!!!1!!"

As for getting it, what's to get? It's a social status thing. They have to demonstrate that are 'cool' and 'hip'.

Arrogant as always, eh Sabre? Animation means more than the program or tool used to create it, and not every animation done in Flash is of the same style and quality. By your "logic," someone can draw an amazingly detailed picture with a pencil and pad of paper, then hand-off the same pencil and pad to someone else, who then draws a stick figure, that the pictures, being done using the same media, are of the same quality. I personally don't care if it's done with flash or a flip-book, as long as it looks like that and has the same things I like in the animation, which for me was the subtle little nuances. For example, when Rarity stomps her hooves on the ground when she's whining in "A Dog and Pony Show," cute as hell. Or the way Rainbow Dash does her little leg wiggle when she's picked up after winning the Best Young Fliers Competition, when she's saying, "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh," maximum over-dawww was achieved.

You and others may like other shows better, not like, or outright hate Friendship is Magic. Well, I've got a secret for you,

No offense, and I know that posting images is generally frowned upon here, but I really wanted to emphasize that fact that I honestly do not care if you don't like the show. I do care if you do, as there is another brony to talk to about it, but not if you don't.

It is, however, quite a load for you to assume that every fan of it is in it only due to the meme factor, simply because you don't like the show, you don't find it that entertaining, you think that other shows are better. Guess what, that is your opinion, and others may share it, but that does not mean that it is the only valid one, you silly island monkey you. Stop being like Dermot and assuming that, please.

I've watched Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, and liked it. My favourite character was NOS-4-A2. However, I find Friendship is Magic to be a better show, because it entertains me more and in more ways. I really don't care if you disagree, and/or do not like Friendship is Magic. I really don't. Only thing is, I'm disappointed when someone hates on the show without actually watching it and giving it a chance, but that's different.

Just because you don't like the show doesn't mean everyone likes it just to be part of a band wagon.

[Sabre]

Woah dude. Calm down. What is it with fanboys flipping out recently? You say you don't care about my opinion, then why so angry?

However, before you resorted to memes and trolling, you mentioned the animation thing, which is fair enough so allow me to explain it better.

You're right in that the method of animation doesn't matter. However, and artist is only as good as his tools. Think of it as a builder being as good as his materials. In this case, the builder only has wood. Yes, they built a fine shed, but they can never build a skyscraper because they are limited by the material. However, when you say the shed is the 8th wonder of the world, or at least up there with other great building projects it's kind of weird. It might be one of the best sheds ever built, but that's as good as it can be.

Flash (and programs like it) are used because they are quick, cheap and easy. Like I said, there are various things that are good you can use to defend MLP with, but animation isn't one of them.

Here's Bubblegum Crisis 2040, an anime TV show from 1999, over a decade ago, edited and in crappy youtube-o-vision. Despite all that this is how it looks (ignore the crappy music)

You are going to seriously try and put forward a case that MLP is better in terms of animation than this? That's simply in TV show level. If you try to hold it up to the great animated films like Secret of Nimh, Akira or Spirted Away (a film I don't like but it looks great) you would seriously try to put this

in with this?

[Deploy]

Woah dude. Calm down. What is it with fanboys flipping out recently? You say you don't care about my opinion, then why so angry?

However, before you resorted to memes and trolling, you mentioned the animation thing, which is fair enough so allow me to explain it better.

Um... Vydrach never even sounded angry in the slightest. It seems like you're the one who needs to calm down.

And as far as animation goes, no, it's not as excellent as say the animation of say Animaniacs or Invader Zim. Why? Because they put millions upon millions into the animation of those shows. Yes, FiM is a show made with flash, but it looks great for a show done in flash, so that's excellence as far as I'm concerned.

And there are many little details that I notice when watching it that do impress me, and it may be the best animation I've ever seen in flash.

[Thu'um]

Sabre in my belifes the animation in spirted away and other shows infirior in the fact that it could be better for the shows yet MLP animation can not be improved for the show. MlP animation is perfest at were it is and doesn't need one little thign changed as the other shows above could always have improved animation.

[Sabre]

Um... Vydrach never even sounded angry in the slightest. It seems like you're the one who needs to calm down.

And as far as animation goes, no, it's not as excellent as say the animation of say Animaniacs or Invader Zim. Why? Because they put millions upon millions into the animation of those shows. Yes, FiM is a show made with flash, but it looks great for a show done in flash, so that's excellence as far as I'm concerned.

And there are many little details that I notice when watching it that do impress me, and it may be the best animation I've ever seen in flash.

I don't know where you are getting me being angry from. I'm not the one using swears and personal attacks.

That's my point exactly. It's the best in flash, but it's still flash. The mini cooper might be the best small car, but it's not the 'fastest car in the world' or even the smallest, rather it's the best car of it's class.

Sabre in my belifes the animation in spirted away and other shows infirior in the fact that it could be better for the shows yet MLP animation can not be improved for the show. MlP animation is perfest at were it is and doesn't need one little thign changed as the other shows above could always have improved animation.

I don't understand what you are saying. Something about improvment?

[Steve]

Wow wait, animation in FiM is indeed good, and pretty basic that does the job, but I'm not sure if you can put it against stuff like Akira or spirited away? I'm sorry but I have to take sabre's side on this, there's no way you can compare MiF to detailed stuff like the examples said on his last post.

I just feel that the detail on FiM is just really basic, but heck, it doesn't need more. I praise the show for it's random comical moments and the well performed animation (for flash), but for details and art style in general (compared to other things at least), I'm not sure.

I guess it depends on tastes but still, mayhaps we need to try to cut the biased opinions.

[Thu'um]

i ment to say, yes animation in shows like spirted away is better, but do you not agree that the animation in these shows could always be better? but with MLP the animation couldn't get any better for the show. so MLP is at its full potentul were as the animation in these other shows could always be improved

[kkstarfox]

I guess i can understand how these guys like My Little Pony though, cuz i still watch Dragon Ball Z! Lol so you never grow too old for cartoons i guess.

[Rogue Fox]

One of the things I like abour MLP: FIM is the fact that it is a smart cartoon. By smart I mean it has a well developed plot, well developed crharacters with different personalities, and a message to tell people.

I have seen this smart cartoon done in the 90s where every episode of a cartoon series is like a chapter of a book: it is riveting in of itself, it ties in with past episodes, and it leaver the viewer interested in what happens next show.

I am happy that this smart cartooning is seen again, which is what makes me want to watch it.

Now I have heard people criticize the animation, saying it is too basic. Consider the following:

A cartoon series will never be as good animation wise as an animated movie. For a movie, animators can take their sweet time making the scenes drip with animated wonder. With series, there needs to be more stock animation.

Basic =/= bland. MLP has basic animation, yet the series is not about the animation as it is the smart cartooning, the telling of the story. I would rather have a show that is basic but wonderful to see than a half hour CGI seizure fest that leaves me wondering what I just saw.

[Vy'drach]

Woah dude. Calm down. What is it with fanboys flipping out recently? You say you don't care about my opinion, then why so angry?

However, before you resorted to memes and trolling, you mentioned the animation thing, which is fair enough so allow me to explain it better.

You're right in that the method of animation doesn't matter. However, and artist is only as good as his tools. Think of it as a builder being as good as his materials. In this case, the builder only has wood. Yes, they built a fine shed, but they can never build a skyscraper because they are limited by the material. However, when you say the shed is the 8th wonder of the world, or at least up there with other great building projects it's kind of weird. It might be one of the best sheds ever built, but that's as good as it can be.

Flash (and programs like it) are used because they are quick, cheap and easy. Like I said, there are various things that are good you can use to defend MLP with, but animation isn't one of them.

Here's Bubblegum Crisis 2040, an anime TV show from 1999, over a decade ago, edited and in crappy youtube-o-vision. Despite all that this is how it looks (ignore the crappy music)

You are going to seriously try and put forward a case that MLP is better in terms of animation than this? That's simply in TV show level. If you try to hold it up to the great animated films like Secret of Nimh, Akira or Spirted Away (a film I don't like but it looks great) you would seriously try to put this

in with this?

First off, I wasn't actually upset. Maybe mildly annoyed at Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D, and that might of made me a bit abrupt, but wasn't actually "flipping out." Also, trolling, me?

You've tried to insult and misquote me in discussions I wasn't even a part of, so let's not go down that road now, shall we? And if you're talking about me calling you an Island Monkey, I just like calling British people that. It amuses me. I heard it from a friend who heard it when he asked his British friend what his favourite thing he's ever been called was, and that was the term, and I damn near fell out of my chair laughing at it. I didn't use it to try and insult you, as I honestly don't even know how that term could be found offensive. Instead, I was saying it just to say it. Only swearing I saw that I did was with the picture, because I haven't seen a version that says, "This here is all the care that I have."

And I won't deny that frame for frame those shows are better, here's the opening to one of my favourite animated endeavours, Gundam Wing. The show was almost entirely hand drawn, with computers done only for effects such as explosions and all, iirc. Anyway, notice the backgrounds and such, all hand-drawn.

However, that does not mean I want to see Friendship is Magic done like that, or in that high of a quality.

Here's a picture of Rainbow Dash's face, done with similar proportions and all to the show, but with higher "quality" graphics.

Probably one of the creepiest damned things I've ever seen. Easily.

There is, however, something called "style." Minecraft is very popular, yet it's... what, 32 bit? I forgot the amount. Anyway, far from high quality graphics, but that's part of the charm. That's part of what makes Minecraft, Minecraft. if it had been done with high quality graphics, one, it would be unplayable, and two, if it was, it most likely wouldn't of been as popular.

Same with Friendship is Magic, it's the style and quality it should be, that it needs to be. Any less, and it doesn't have any charm to it and is just low quality. Any more, and it, once again, loses its charm. I used to watch "Making Fiends," and still do if I catch it on, another show done using Flash, and the quality was lower than Friendship is Magic, yet it was the style that matched the show. I wouldn't of wanted to see it higher or lower, because it would not of been as good.

Also there's more to animation than the quality of it, but what they do with it. Remember how I mentioned the subtle nuances that the show does, well here's two examples.

Notice her mane, tail, and bow sway when she tilts her head, the watery eyes quivering, and how her lower lip quivers as well?

Here's another example, even more subtle.

Notice the subtle movement in her hair, how the edge of her lip curls back more as she inhales, and how her pupils dilate as she inhales?

Do you realize how much of a difference that makes, and how often such little details are overlooked?

Sorry, but, "I'M AS SUBTLE AS A BRICK WALL, BUT DAMN DON'T I LOOK GOOD!?" Isn't my cup of tea. And as I said, the animation they did for FiM is, to me, the perfect animation. I don't want it in a higher quality, because then it loses it's charm and stops being good animation.

But oh wait, I remember nooooooow. You value graphical quality even if it's a hindrance rather than asset. Thaaaaaaat's right. I remember. So this would be a rather moot point, wouldn't it.

[Dr. Orange]

I Would need to go with Vydrach on this one.

For even though the Graphics are "Basic" It's all they need to make Kids and seemingly Adults to watch for half an hour of Ponies discuss about friendship.

For Graphics, they're ok. Yet the Minor Details make a Major Difference.

One Example:

The details of the presence of Wind, Rainbow Dash Flying upward, and the way the Wings move all add up.

But it's not only the Graphics that make the show good. It's how they used them.

Some of the show is so Funny that I need to walk out of a room to catch my breath.

I know that Images/humor are usually not good for here.

But I guess a Haters gonna Hate

so just...

[Vy'drach]

I Would need to go with Vydrach on this one.

For even though the Graphics are "Basic" It's all they need to make Kids and seemingly Adults to watch for half an hour of Ponies discuss about friendship.

For Graphics, they're ok. Yet the Minor Details make a Major Difference.

One Example:

The details of the presence of Wind, Rainbow Dash Flying upward, and the way the Wings move all add up.

But it's not only the Graphics that make the show good. It's how they used them.

Some of the show is so Funny that I need to walk out of a room to catch my breath.

I know that Images/humor are usually not good for here.

But I guess a Haters gonna Hate

so just...

Doh, and I have plenty of "Haters gonna hate" (and one "Gators gonna gate") pictures. How did I miss the opportunity.

And exactly, Executor. It's those little, often over-looked things that make the animation great.

[Drasiana]

Okay first off, comparing the animation of a television show with a feature film is rediculous. I know it's easy enough to SAY "why can't EVERYTHING look as pretty as Secret of NIMH?" but that reason mostly lies in the $7 mil budget that film had. Or the $19 million used by Spirited Away. Also, do you have ANY idea how long it would take to churn out a season's worth of half-hour episodes animated at that level? They'd have to seriously multiply the number of drawings per second, costing more time and more money, something the show does not have. However, if you get such a conniption over the fact that a children's television animation doesn't have the same standard as multimillion blockbuster films, just keep in mind that all this popularity may help that, because everything they sell will likely help them out financially...thus allowing for more expensive animation methods.

Not that it's required. Make some comparisons to other cartoons on the air right now and *then* we'll talk.

The character designs are sleek and efficient, which isn't really a problem, especially considering they're goddamn technicolour ponies and ultra-detailed lifelike animation isn't exactly a necessity here. Uncanny Valley, ho!

That out of the way, Vydrach pretty much said it. How many people do you think secretly despise MLP but are only "on the bandwagon" to be popular? Yes, it's rather mematic but anything of its degree of popularity will be. So what? Complaining about "the bandwagon" is just a way of whining over the fact that someone likes a series that you don't. Cry me a river. You aren't being personally injured because some dude on the internet likes doodling ponies. It's not exactly some kind of 4chan-manufactured WMD. It's a show about ponies that some people like.

[Sabre]

How many people do you think secretly despise MLP but are only "on the bandwagon" to be popular?

Quite alot. I remind you the reaction I got here and in RL when I first mentioned it was a very negative one. "A cartoon for gay little girls" was one thing someone said iirc. Now almost everyone talks as if it's the best thing ever. It's also telling that the few I know who liked it before the meme are also the few who don't quote the show, constantly use image macros and don't use it like a meme.

Yes, it's rather mematic but anything of its degree of popularity will be.

No. You are wrong. No one posts 24 macros, shouts Halo quotes all the time, or turns almost every conversation into something Call of Duty related.

Complaining about "the bandwagon" is just a way of whining over the fact that someone likes a series that you don't. Cry me a river. You aren't being personally injured because some dude on the internet likes doodling ponies. It's not exactly some kind of 4chan-manufactured WMD. It's a show about ponies that some people like.

Again, I don't know where you are getting this from. If people like it, I have no problem. It's you people who are getting upset.

[Vy'drach]

Quite alot. I remind you the reaction I got here and in RL when I first mentioned it was a very negative one. "A cartoon for gay little girls" was one thing someone said iirc. Now almost everyone talks as if it's the best thing ever. It's also telling that the few I know who liked it before the meme are also the few who don't quote the show, constantly use image macros and don't use it like a meme.

If I was one of the ones who said something negative, then it'd be for the same reason that I imagine most everyone who said something negative about it did so. Because they were thinking it was like the 80's My Little Pony, the one that's all rainbows, and sunshine, and gum drops. There's a reason I don't call this show "My Little Pony," I call it "Frienship is Magic," or I say the whole title. Point is, I make it a point to differentiate it from the older My Little Ponies, as I did, and still do, hate those with a passion that burns with an intensity greater than a thousand suns.

No. You are wrong. No one posts 24 macros, shouts Halo quotes all the time, or turns almost every conversation into something Call of Duty related.

I've seen plenty of 24 based pictures in my time, didn't save any of them as I never got into 24, HALO has no quotes to even use, because any memorable quote is so bland and un-unique that even if you did quote it, no one would make the connection, and any unique quotes at all are so situational that they very rarely, if ever, come up, and Call of Duty is also so bland, since all it has is shooting people and quotes from other sources, that again, any memorable quote is either from another source, or un-unique to the point that no one would recognize it as a Call of Duty quote.

Again, I don't know where you are getting this from. If people like it, I have no problem. It's you people who are getting upset.

I call bullshit on that, given that when someone says they like it, you claim, "Lies. You can't like that show, it isn't good enough. You just say you like it to be cool."

But y'know what, you're just gonna sit in your corner and go, "Nuh-uh!" like you usually do, and I really don't care. It doesn't affect me in the slightest whether or not you like the show, or whether or not you think I like it for a different reason. I'll still collect my figures, when they make some new ones that are decent, I'll still watch the show, and I'll still collect my pictures that I can go through when I need a laugh.

I will, however, say this one final thing. You essentially claim everyone is going around posting pictures everywhere to talk, and I doubt that. I haven't noticed anyone else really doing that except me. Haven't seen anyone else really go through the trouble to save the picture in their folders or bookmark it, upload the image to a website, then embed it into a conversation rather than just saying what's on the image. That tends to be just me. Not saying people won't post funny pictures, but that's different. And guess what, I did the same thing before I knew about Friendship is Magic. Fancy that.

In other news,

[Drasiana]

Quite alot. I remind you the reaction I got here and in RL when I first mentioned it was a very negative one. "A cartoon for gay little girls" was one thing someone said iirc. Now almost everyone talks as if it's the best thing ever. It's also telling that the few I know who liked it before the meme are also the few who don't quote the show, constantly use image macros and don't use it like a meme.

"A cartoon for gay little girls" is what a lot of people said before they actually watched the show. Again, you're using anecdotes about people you know to base your entire opinion on, rather than considering the development of a fanbase as a whole.

No. You are wrong. No one posts 24 macros, shouts Halo quotes all the time, or turns almost every conversation into something Call of Duty related.

Wow, where have you been? I'd link you to knowyourmeme but you'd probably spontaneously combust. I'm sure, however, you won't help but notice the existence of CSI Miami and Team Fortress 2.

Again, I don't know where you are getting this from. If people like it, I have no problem. It's you people who are getting upset.

No one's upset, just perplexed as to your massive, throbbing boner of hatred for a kid's show that happens to have a big fanbase simply because of your residual hatred of 4chan that seems to seep into every debate about anything on the internet. If you really don't care, what are you doing constantly going on about how the only reason anyone likes it is because we're all "sheeple"?