Anime/Cartoons Review: My Little Pony FIM

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Review

Yes, this is a blog review about MLP (my little pony) and yes, I do like the show. I have watched it from start to current, including the movies. My age doesn't matter, and if that came to your mind, you should re-evaluate your way of thinking and wonder why you automatically shun something that could be entertaining, just because society says "you're too old to enjoy this."

As with ALL forms of entertainment and characters... yes, there is a creepy underground movement that likes to sexualize these characters. Look up anything you like (Mario, X-Files, Rugrats) and you'll find this disturbing trend. It is not just MLP that has this, and just because a fan is called a "brony" doesn't mean they fall into this creepy category.

The term Brony, "brother pony" or "bro pony", was created by fans as a way to find one another in a world that immediately throws hate at them. Yes, men like this show. So what? As you'll see later in this article, gender has nothing to do with appreciating what this show has to offer everyone. There is NOTHING wrong with a man liking MLP, or calling themselves a Brony. By the way, for the ladies out there, if you weren't aware... the female equivalent of Brony is called "Pegasister" (Pegasus Sister.)

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, lets move on to the reasons why this show is absolutely amazing.

The Art

The art style is done in a very 'cutesy' way, and yet if you look closer you can see SO much detail in all that vibrant color. There are also several characters made to look like famous stars who either get a voice part in the show or are fans of it. (Weird Al for example) I am a big fan of the endless amount of color in this show and the fact that no matter what scene I'm watching, there is something interesting to look at. The characters are all very unique as well, with the color combinations and "cutie marks" making each one different. I love this, and feel that it embraces the ideal of no matter our differences... we can still get along.

The Music

This is probably my favorite part of this show, but it might not be for everyone. There are several times throughout the series where the characters break out in song, similar to Disney or Musicals. Its mostly 'pop' style songs, but you'll get your alternatives in there sometimes too (Rap, Polka, Blues) and I adore it. I cannot speak anymore highly of the music than I'm writing right here, and I recommend people give the show a try even if only to hear some amazing songs.

The Story

The concept of this version of MLP is obviously focused around "friendship." Throughout the series, we get to see both the struggles and enlightenment of the characters as they are challenged with the obstacles of friendship. Sometimes, its not easy to make or even keep a friend. This show provides endless amounts of moral teachings in an entertaining way about friendship. I even learned a few things watching it, and was able to relate to several of the characters and their struggles. For example, the main character Twilight, starts out in the show as a hermit and literally has panic attacks at the very idea of having friends. She preferred her solitude and the safety it gave. I was like this as well in my younger years, and watching Twilight break out of her shell and find the value of having friends brought me to tears because her struggle was my struggle. This show might be mostly quirky and cute... but it really does have some very deep moments that will make you think and feel.

The Characters

This blog would run on endlessly if I were to talk about all the characters in this show. There are at least a hundred unique ones throughout the series. So instead, I'll touch on some of my own personal favorites in the series. Be warned, discussing some of these characters could be a spoiler for you if you have not yet reached that point in the series.

Fluttershy

(Voice: Andrea Libman) 

*also voices Pinkie Pie

This is my favorite character in the show. I relate to her on a personal level in many ways. She is a shy, timid pony who doesn't like to speak up or interrupt others even if she has something important to say. Her struggles are based around finding her inner courage and the self-confidence to speak up when she has something to say. Her 'character' is also the personification of 'Kindness' and she is always treating people how she would want to be treated, no matter who they are. This later connects with another favorite character of mine 'Discord.' She also loves and takes care of animals as her job and hobby.

Twilight Sparkle

(Voices: Tara Strong, Rebecca Shoichet)

This is the "main" character in the series. Mind you, the group of ponies are actually all the main characters, but at the start of the series the show focuses on following Twilight as she gets to Ponyville and learns to make friends. She was relatable for me in the way I already described above. It doesn't hurt that my favorite color is purple either, hehe. Twilight is a scholar and a student of Queen Celestia. She has a baby dragon companion named Spike who aids her in her journies. She starts out friendless, too focused on studies and work to make time to try to have friends. We then get to see her grow as she learns lessons about having friends and the struggles and values that come along with keeping them.

Princess Luna

This is possibly the most tragic character in the series. She broke my heart several times and I often found myself relating to her struggles and her way of thinking. We get to see a few different transformations from her, good and bad. I can't say too much about her here without giving away spoilers, which I don't wish to do. Easily however, Luna could have been my favorite character in place of Fluttershy... but Fluttershy won me out.

Discord

(Voice: John de Lancie)

Love him or hate him, this is a character that will never get boring. He starts out in the show as a villian, but you get to see a bit more about him later on in the series. This character makes me laugh more than any other and I personally love his personality. He only gets better and better as the show goes on, and I often find that my favorite episodes tend to include him.

The other main characters in the series are:

Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Queen Celestia, Spike.

Pinkie Pie was one of my least favorite characters in the show, because I found her a bit too high energy and never taking anything serious. However, she grew on me over time as I got to learn more about her past and her family. Rarity is an interesting character that I often go back and forth on if I like her. She's definitely one of the prettiest of the characters to me however. Applejack is fun and quirky... even though I find her to be a bit TOO honest sometimes (which is noted to be a flaw at times in the show.) Rainbow Dash is another character I couldn't relate to very much, but she always makes me laugh. I adore her quest for coolness and the fact that she represents loyalty, which is important to me. Queen Celestia is the ruler of the land, and an absolute beauty art wise. We don't get to know too much about her until a special that goes over the story of her and her sister Luna. Spike is a 'side kick' type character and mostly there for comic relief, but I adore the fact that we get to see his growth sometimes when he has to face his fears, or embrace who he is. And his crush on Rarity is absolutely adorable.

So there you have a brief (haha... yes, brief) overview of some of the characters in the show. That is by far no where near all of them. As the show goes on, new "main" characters show up as well. We also get several episodes with guest celebrity appearances which are always amazing (such as Wierd Al, William Shatner and Felicia Day for example.) There is a character in this show for everyone. A fan favorite is "Derpy Hooves" (named by fans on the Internet) who was seen in an early episode with a slightly 'off' eye. Fans fell in love with her and she became a permanent addition to the show even though she'd been intended to just be background in the start.

I highly recommend this show. Don't be close minded. If you HAVE to... just watch it in secret and don't let anyone know. Appreciate it for the magic that it is. I can't speak any higher of this show than I already have, and I'm very happy to have it in my life. Thank you for reading my blog, and I hope you enjoyed it!