Would MLP be as popular if the cast weren't ponies?

[Infusions]

While a lot of the fanbase say they do genuinely like the show, which I don't doubt, do you think the show would have as much of an active fanbase if the cast were not ponies?

I do feel like the activity of many fans (Probably not the ones here) are derived from the fact that some of the fans want to say, "I like ponies." just to have a quick laugh at themselves. While people are laughing with the show, I feel a lot of the time, people are slightly laughing at themselves and at the show BECAUSE it's about ponies.

So if the show was pretty much the same but featured dragons or cats or just an assortment of animals (Retaining the characters and style of writing and etc), would the show be getting as much active response from people?

[TheGunheart]

I think so, to be honest. I think part of the visual appeal is the way the characters are drawn, as opposed to what species they are.

Though I do think it would have to be based on a previous property with a saccharine reputation.

[Monte]

Y'know i do think there is something to it... though maybe not for being ponies, but being my little ponies. I kind of wonder if the series is benefiting from somekind of reverse hype appeal

Normally when we are dealing with hype we are talking about a show/movie/game that gets hyped so great that the audience has high expectations; and when the end product fails to live up to the hype and is only decent, it gets blasted by the audience are labeled terrible. The higher the hype, the higher the expectations, the bigger the disappointment.

But in the case of My Little Pony... there was no expectations. This is a franchise that has always produced bad shows and ones that had enough trouble appeal to its target audience of little girls much less able to appeal to anyone beyond that demographic... Hell the very idea that an adult male might be able to enjoy a my little pony cartoon was laughable. Most everyone going into this show had no expectations; if anything they expected not to like it... So when the series ended up being genuinely great, could it be possible that because of incredibly low expectations the viewers may have elevated the series to "Spectacular"? maybe... its just a theory.

[Antiyonder]

But in the case of My Little Pony... there was no expectations. This is a franchise that has always produced bad shows and ones that had enough trouble appeal to its target audience of little girls much less able to appeal to anyone beyond that demographic... Hell the very idea that an adult male might be able to enjoy a my little pony cartoon was laughable. Most everyone going into this show had no expectations; if anything they expected not to like it... So when the series ended up being genuinely great, could it be possible that because of incredibly low expectations the viewers may have elevated the series to "Spectacular"? maybe... its just a theory.

You're kind of right and wrong on that. Many people who do like it, watched it with low expectations not caring for the MLP franchise, but don't have a hang up about watching a kid/girl targeted show.

However, many people who don't like it had higher expectations due to fans hyping it up to be the best show in existence. Now I prefer many other cartoons over it. It's a decent show, but the best?

[The Huntsman]

However, many people who don't like it had higher expectations due to fans hyping it up to be the best show in existence. Now I prefer many other cartoons over it. It's a decent show, but the best?

I agree with that. Friendship Is Magic is a fun show, but it has been placed on such a ridiculous pedestal. People act like it’s the greatest thing ever, but while it’s great for a My Little Pony series, I don’t see it becoming the next SpongeBob SquarePants anytime soon. It’s popular online, but so was Snakes On A Plane, and that didn’t work out too well for it. I’ve said this before, but so many of the “bronies” made fun of the new Pound Puppies cartoon, acting like Friendship Is Magic was so much better, but it’s really not. They’re more-or-less the same. Friendship Is Magic had better animation, but Pound Puppies is being animated by the same people from episode eight onward and that argument becomes moot. In the grand scheme of things, Friendship Is Magic is just another enjoyable children’s cartoon. No more. No less.

[chdr]

I agree with that. Friendship Is Magic is a fun show, but it has been placed on such a ridiculous pedestal. People act like it’s the greatest thing ever, but while it’s great for a My Little Pony series, I don’t see it becoming the next SpongeBob SquarePants anytime soon. It’s popular online, but so was Snakes On A Plane, and that didn’t work out too well for it. I’ve said this before, but so many of the “bronies” made fun of the new Pound Puppies cartoon, acting like Friendship Is Magic was so much better, but it’s really not. They’re more-or-less the same. Friendship Is Magic had better animation, but Pound Puppies is being animated by the same people from episode eight onward and that argument becomes moot. In the grand scheme of things, Friendship Is Magic is just another enjoyable children’s cartoon. No more. No less.

^ This is pretty much the reason why I don't really like My Little Pony. I've seen several episodes and I think the show is above average at best. I really just don't get the massive hype about this show. The humor, designs, animation, etc. are decent, but it's honestly nothing I haven't seen before.

[TheGunheart]

I think you're going to have to back up that comparison to Pound Puppies. Frankly, while I thought the voice acting was excellent, I found it as a whole to be rather underwhelming. I only really liked one of the main character designs (Lucky), and found the setting and premise to be rather bland.

[The Huntsman]

I think you're going to have to back up that comparison to Pound Puppies. Frankly, while I thought the voice acting was excellent, I found it as a whole to be rather underwhelming. I only really liked one of the main character designs (Lucky), and found the setting and premise to be rather bland.

Pound Puppies was essentially tied in the ratings with Friendship Is Magic. I believe that satisfies your request? The perception of quality is subjective, but kids don’t seem to be favoring one over the other; both shows got picked up for the same number of episodes. Friendship Is Magic didn’t strike some magical formula for perfection. It’s not leagues better than everything else on the network. No matter how much people want to believe that to be the case.

[WitherWing]

If the cast weren't ponies, wouldn't the show just be called K-ON??

If the show was about the magic of friendship in a quasi-magical place still with a Looney Tunes feel, strong sense of dialogue and wordplay, and somewhat feminist feel -- it probably wouldn't be as popular. But for now you can't really recast the characters and pull them out of a show that draws heavily from its own mythology.

[TheGunheart]

You're initial post said nothing of the ratings though.

MLP isn't perfect, or the "best", but I'd hardly call it "the same as Pound Puppies, but with better animation".

[The Huntsman]

You're initial post said nothing of the ratings though.

MLP isn't perfect, or the "best", but I'd hardly call it "the same as Pound Puppies, but with better animation".

This is exactly what I’m talking about. It strikes such a nerve amongst the “bronies”. How dare people compare Friendship Is Magic to Pound Puppies? They’re both children’s cartoons based on existing properties and developed by industry professionals with a lot of experience. You may believe that Pound Puppies is far worse, but why are you so certain that your opinion is correct? If you were correct, wouldn’t the ratings show that? But as I’ve pointed out, the ratings are about even as admitted by one of the people who worked on Friendship Is Magic. For every problem you have with Pound Puppies, a problem could be listed with Friendship Is Magic.

[TheGunheart]

So because Pound Puppies gets similar ratings, everyone has to like both?

[The Huntsman]

So because Pound Puppies gets similar ratings, everyone has to like both?

I never said that. I simply said that both shows are more-or-less the same. However, a lot of the “bronies” bashed on Pound Puppies and made fun of it, yet they held Friendship Is Magic on such a high pedestal and acted like it’s the greatest thing ever. That bothers me. People are free to like one more than the other, but as I said, Friendship Is Magic didn’t strike some magical formula for perfection. It’s not fundamentally different than Pound Puppies.

[TheGunheart]

But again, besides ratings, how are they "more or less the same"?

[Desensitized]

Part of the internet popularity probably comes from the irony factor of being a MLP show, but I'm 100% sure I would still like it regardless. Quality is quality.

If the cast weren't ponies, wouldn't the show just be called K-ON??

No, this has quality writing, a plot, and characters that transcend stereotypes.

You're thinking of Azumanga Daioh.

[The Huntsman]

But again, besides ratings, how are they "more or less the same"?

Why are you pushing this issue so hard? Getting that defensive seems to support my point. There is some degree of elitism amongst the “bronies” and they insist that Friendship Is Magic is something completely fresh and original, but it’s not. It relies on the same traditions and tropes as every other children’s cartoon. When I say that Friendship Is Magic is no different than Pound Puppies, I mean at its core; they are naturally different in plot and setting, but watching both back to back doesn’t induce whiplash. The voice acting is great in both shows. The writing as well, although problems exist in both shows. Pound Puppies is limited by having an adoption being the pillar of every episode, but Friendship Is Magic was forced to have several episodes involving annoying kids just so Hasbro could help sell toys, not to mention the shoehorned Letters to Celestia. Nothing is perfect.

Animation was the one area where Friendship Is Magic had a huge advantage, yet if you ask most “bronies”, the two shows aren’t even in the same league. They are in the same league. Hell, they’re on the same team. You don’t have to like both of them, but it’s extremely disingenuous to make fun of one while acting like the other is perfect.

[TheGunheart]

I'm not being "defensive", I'm just curious as to how exactly you're defining things here. If it helps, your posts come off as "bitter" to me, so I guess it goes both ways.

That said, to me, and presumably most who prefer MLP, the big difference is what the setting allows for and some rather creative takes on character sterotypes. For example, I can't really think of many characters with Rarity's personality and occupation that were presented as genuinely likable.

It may not be fresh and original, but what I like is that it can be creative, and this outweighs the bad parts.

I tuned into the Hub premier fully expecting to like Pound Puppies better, but I guess the big problem to me is that it's lacking a hook. As you admitted, it's premise is rather limited. And as petty as this sounds, visuals are an important part of an animated production to me, and the animation here just doesn't do justice to the writing.

I apologize if there's been a misunderstanding in my tone. I know full well how annoying it is when a fanbase makes fun of another work (it happened with me more than a few times), but I'm just saying that you're selling MLP's appeal a bit short on account of grievances with its fans.

[soundmonkey44]

I actually just got into this show because of a reccomendation from a friend online. And I have to say, aside from the animation style. I think another reason the series is big like it is, is well.... The suspension of disbelief (or what not)

I mean if someone told me that a small time toy line aimed at lil girls was going to get a legit cartoon with nice animation and good writing, I would have told them they were an idiot. But here I am finding myself liking a show who's roots are based in somthing i never thought would have any worth or merit outside of entertaining small children.

All I can say is the team behind this show is great, they have proved that with the right direction anything can be watchable, and in this case a downright good and fun show.

Infact I feel abit jealous now that a franchise like MLP gotta a better toon then G.I. Joe & Transformers. (not that prime & renagades are bad, just personally not that appealing to me, but then again im one of the minority that would have rather seen TF: Animated continued.)

But yeah, getting back to the topic at hand... well if the characters wernt horeses it would'nt be MLP would it. Unless you went with my little persons...but that would just sound weird, lol.

Edit: @witherwing: I said the same thing to a friend yesterday, that the show was basically K-ON with horses. (K-ON, cute girls doing cute things cutly, MLP,cute toon horses doing cute things cutely, lol.)

[Daxdiv]

Part of the internet popularity probably comes from the irony factor of being a MLP show, but I'm 100% sure I would still like it regardless. Quality is quality.

I pretty much agree with this. The cast can be magical fruit that can talk and come to life and I would still like this show. Or even things like a pile of lint, a bag of flour, a stack of rocks, etc.

[Jave]

I pretty much agree with this. The cast can be magical fruit that can talk and come to life and I would still like this show. Or even things like a pile of lint, a bag of flour, a stack of rocks, etc.

Same here. I do attribute partially the show's popularity to the Internet, but a good show is still a good show. I'm sure I would have liked it regardless.