Calling all "Bronies"...

[Melon Hunter]

Before anyone posts a 'Oh look, it's this thread again' image, there have been dozens of threads asking this same question before. Look 'em up. I think 'Why Little Pony?' was a pretty common title.

However, as for why people like the show, I'd say all three reasons you've postulated in your last paragraph are all valid. That and the astounding size of the creative community surrounding it. The episodes are up on YouTube if you want to see for yourself.

You know a subject has been done to death when complaining about how it's been done to death has also been done to death. I've only been here since late November, and I've already seen a dozen variations of this topic come and go.

What is it about My Little Pony fandom that confuses so many people anyway? I don't remember anyone making this big a deal about adults being fans of the Powerpuff Girls.

I know, right? That damn Team Rocket reaction image has been shown far more than any pony-themed one on this site. If you're going to insult someone for a repeat topic, do something a bit more original.

As for the confusion over the fandom, it's probably down to its rate of growth. This time last year, the show was only a few episodes into the first season, and the fanbase was practically non-existent outside of /co/. In the space of a year, it's absolutely ballooned in size, far quicker than most fandoms. Also, the Powerpuff Girls were perceived as less... well, girly. Let's face it; until FiM, MLP was notorious for just how much it reveled in diabetes-inducing cuteness and rainbow-drenched fashion (citation needed?).

On the other hand, the Powerpuff Girls beat the snot out of the villain of the week pretty much every episode. The main characters were girls, but it wasn't a show exclusively for girls. Also, people watched it, but I doubt there was ever a particularly large creative community around it, seeing as the Internet was a much smaller place when the Powerpuff Girls aired.

 

[AdamRBi]

I'm fairly new to the escapist (just broke 200 posts!) and am not a huge internet presence in the form of monitoring every forum and website of repute; I'm not on Facebook, I don't "tweet," etc, so forgive me in advance for my ignorance, but please understand it is my genuine curiosity and not a passing of judgement:

What is the deal with the My Little Pony thing?

When I first got here, I saw several of the MLP avatars, saw the groups, saw the word "Bronie" thrown about; I thought it was a select few being ironic. But as I began to realize the phenomenon was a bit more prolific than innocent fun, I did a little searching to discover that indeed, there is a near cult following of adults, in particular males, for this apparently "girly" kids' show. No, I've never seen the show, but what I uncovered in my admittedly limited time spent snooping the interwebz, the show was intended for kids, girls in fact, as a re-imagining of the classic and iconic line of toys.

So how did guys end up as "Bronies?"

I can't stress it enough, I'M NOT JUDGING. I'll clarify further with some theories I've posited: is it like a Spongebob thing wherein the writing is litered with inuendo and occasional humor slightly above a child's reasoning? Are there people involved with the show and its production who have vested interest or stake in industries outside of children's television and the online community is showing support? Or is the show truly that genuinely GOOD and intriguing that it garners the attention of the exactly opposite intended demographic?

Cartoons have this stigma of being immature and just-for-kids, and that goes extra for shows who's demographic are little girls. In this sense, much of the jobs animators and animation studios get are for safe shows that cater to this, green lit by executives and analysts who have numbers telling them it'll work on a no-risk level.

Any show that, despite all of this, breaks the idea that adults shouldn't be able to enjoy these cartoons let alone be fans of anything they didn't grow up on not only will gather a fanbase, but should.

The newest MLP cartoon is an example of this, simply put everything from the writing to the sound and animation were made to not only be enjoyed by the kids but the parents as well. Maybe even more so the parents. The lead of the project, Lauren Faust, actually cares about what the show'll mean to girls that grow up with it. The effort really shows.

The actual term came from Bro-Ponies, so that's just a blanket term for the male fans.

That's just the quick version. If you can, find the first season episodes on Youtube and watch it with an open mind.

 

[Sandytimeman]

snip

Would kindly remind you to please use the search bar as we see this topic very very often. Just a helpful suggestion.

Also Educate yourself here:

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic

Shortened video version here:

 

[Neverhoodian]

This article explains it pretty well:

http://icrontic.com/article/why-grown-ass-men-love-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-so-much

As for myself, I just really like the show. The animation is quite impressive for Flash, the main characters are well-developed with their own distinct personalities, the songs are catchy as hell, and it generally has an all-ages appeal rather than pandering to younger viewers only. It has a good balance of being innocent and child-friendly while also throwing in sly pop culture and internet meme references for older viewers:

Spoiler

Of course you could always watch an episode or two if you're curious. I won't guarantee that you'll like it, but at least you can claim that you gave it a shot.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

Basically it's a group of people with a mutual liking of the show Friendship is Magic. As with a lot of things on the internet the community has done so much more than the actual creators, with Music videos and whole epic sagas based on ponies. They basically like the show because well, they like animation. FiM is actually a good kids show in this age of crap kids shows, and most grown people just want a light hearted kids show to watch and MLP gives that to them.

If you want to actually check the show out then I personally would reccomend two episodes.
The first being "Party of One", where the pony who loves parties has one that none of her friends want to go to for a reason shown later. Halfway through the episode the pony basically has a mental breakdown because of her social anxiety and starts talking to inanimate objects like she's schizophrenic.
The second is a season 2 episode titled "Lesson Zero", which is basically about the sort of nerdy pony who is also the shows main character is nearly late for a piece of work that up until then she wrote to the leader of the land every week. She goes around town trying to find a friendship problem to write about but when she can't find one she breaks down and basically hypnotizes all the ponies in town to start fighting over a little doll. This is another mental breakdown episode, a thing this show likes to do from time to time.

That second episode also includes the innocent weak pony "Fluttershy" breaking a bears neck and making a f'ing bear cry!

So I hope that awnsered your questions.

Also it seems actually quite peaceful in here, I guess the haters have just forgotten about us or don't care anymore. Which is good, I really don't like arguments especially when it means someone else gets banned or suspended because I was arguing with them

 

[Muspelheim]

While I wouldn't really think myself interested enough to really be a brony, I must say that I can really understand why it'd be so popular. When I finally gave the show a watch, I was honestly very surprised. It's actually good, people have done their best at this. Somehow, that charm overcomes the massive gap of being a show ment for little girls.

It's just exceptionally charming, and the creative effort really shines through. Again, very odd concidering it's a spin-off of My Little Pony of all bleedin' things. It's an unlikely place for quality and effort, but hey, there it is. This show really does deserve the affection it gets.

About my only grievance with the herd is that it does bugs me quite a bit that so many bronies still takes full "yiff in hell, furfags!"-priviligies. I mean... It's an internet-thing and all, but... I'm sorry that I have to be the one to say it, but it's like kettles and pots by this point. Just don't do it, and enjoy your show.

 

[Loop Stricken]

About my only grievance with the herd is that it does bugs me quite a bit that so many bronies still takes full "yiff in hell, furfags!"-priviligies. I mean... It's an internet-thing and all, but... I'm sorry that I have to be the one to say it, but it's like kettles and pots by this point. Just don't do it, and enjoy your show.

Err... Well. They're not the same thing, after all, and as we all know, furries are the whipping boys of the Internet.

 

[Muspelheim]

Err... Well. They're not the same thing, after all, and as we all know, furries are the whipping boys of the Internet.

Well, true, not exactly the same thing, but close enough to come off as exceptionally silly when they pull the Y.I.H.F.-card, if you see what I mean. :3
It's just irritating, since it's fairly similar. I mean, about the only thing that keeps the little ponies (somewhat) off the furry-chart is the fact that they walk on four limbs. But then again, it's an internet-thing, it never made sense in the first place.

 

[VeneratedWulfen93]

Saw my 5 year old brother watching it about 5 months ago. I sat down and watched and then wrestled with the wierd sensation of there being a good cartoon on boomerang (I live in the UK). Came onto the internet made a stop at memebase and saw the tab labled "Bronies"

Now I watch it religiously, have filled my phone with the likes of: Alex S, Eurobeatbrony, TheLivingtombstone and mic the microhpone to name a few and read a few fan fics.

Its nice amd a world so bleak and dark to have some colour thrust into it, that and I feel it balances my karma after playing ultra violent video games.

 

[Instant K4rma]

Why do people like House?

Why do people like Criminal Minds?

Why do people like the Simpsons?

The list could go on. It's a TV show, and people tend to watch TV shows. This jus thappens to be one that's getting attention more so than others.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Err... Well. They're not the same thing, after all, and as we all know, furries are the whipping boys of the Internet.

Well, true, not exactly the same thing, but close enough to come off as exceptionally silly when they pull the Y.I.H.F.-card, if you see what I mean. :3
It's just irritating, since it's fairly similar. I mean, about the only thing that keeps the little ponies (somewhat) off the furry-chart is the fact that they walk on four limbs. But then again, it's an internet-thing, it never made sense in the first place.

We-ell, that's the thing really isn't it? Furries are into anthros and yiffing and making their own damned fursonas (oh I'm a half-dragon half werewolf with heterochromia and silver hair and and and...) and Bronies are clopping to foals, bro. It's basically cartoon bestiality.
Well, some bronies.

The furries can yiff in hell, the bronies can clop in hell, those freaks who like feet can... I don't want to know what... in hell, and so on and so forth.

Good job Hell has all the good music, the place must be packed.

 

[Muspelheim]

We-ell, that's the thing really isn't it? Furries are into anthros and yiffing and making their own damned fursonas (oh I'm a half-dragon half werewolf with heterochromia and silver hair and and and...) and Bronies are clopping to foals, bro. It's basically cartoon bestiality.
Well, some bronies.

The furries can yiff in hell, the bronies can clop in hell, those freaks who like feet can... I don't want to know what... in hell, and so on and so forth.

Good job Hell has all the good music, the place must be packed.

Aye, good point, good point... We'll all be pretty much alike when we're on fire. Or rather, casually strolling around doing our regular business on fire. I mean, hell is eternal. Sooner or later, you're bound to just get used to the whole thing.

Again, just bugs me like, I don't know, someone who is throwing up in the gutter with the rest of us condemning our drinking habits, but hey, you're right, doesn't really matter. Yiff, clop, troll, lawl, be forever alone and copy pastas in peace, comrades of the internet.

And of course, there's degrees of everything, and the vast majority of any particular phalanx won't be nearly as creepy/idiotic as advertised, but it's a waltz noone wants to dance anyway.