History SoYouWantTo / WriteTheNextMyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic

* [[RuleOfCute Cuteness]]: Arguably the most critical part of the show that ties everything together. The show would've never went as far as it did if the characters weren't [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter pleasing]] on the eyes (Let the page image for TheCutie demonstrate). One of the appealing aspects of the show is the simplistic yet wondrous and memorable character designs: the show is downright ''adorable'' to look at, spawning truckloads of character fanart. This dimension has let ''Friendship Is Magic'' stand out on its own compared to its contemporaries: ''Friendship Is Magic'' still knows its a fantasy show about cute little magical ponies and is not afraid to flaunt it without apology. [[BigAnimeEyes Big sparkly eyes]], bright pastel colors, strong line art, hearts and rainbows, go full Lisa Frank on your universe. If you want to have antagonists in the show, try your best to stay away from EvilMakesYouUgly. The show has quite a few cute antagonists like the Parasprites, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, and Cozy Glow, that has allowed them to grab their own share of fans. Or they can be CreepyCute like Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings. While it is tempting to avoid due to causing SweetnessAversion, don't be afraid of the sugar. Endear your characters: be cute and warm the hearts of your audiences. It's also makes [[SugarApocalypse your subversive]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow moments]] stand out that much more, plus it opens up more opportunities for comedy.

Due to being an existing franchise before this iteration, the chosen motif for this show is that most of the main characters are brightly colored magical ponies. Therefore, it is only natural that the setting would be tailor-made for such characters, which for them, is a SugarBowl-esque setting. However, it should be noted that it does not mean that everything in the world should [[TastesLikeDiabetes be diabetes-inducing.]] Elements such as the Everfree Forest and characters like [[GodOfChaos Discord]] offer a sharp contrast to the general cuteness that is often presented. In short, easily mistaken to be aggressively cheerful. Another thing to note is the tongue-in-cheek humor that is applied to the setting. It can be thought of as similar to ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'', but in a MagicalLand fantasy setting rather then a ScienceFiction setting.

* [[RuleOfCute Cuteness]]: Simply put, the show would've never went as far as it did if the characters weren't [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter pleasing]] on the eyes (Let the page image for TheCutie demonstrate). One of the appealing aspects of the show is the simplistic yet wondrous and memorable character designs: the show is downright ''adorable'' to look at, spawning truckloads of character fanart. ''Friendship Is Magic'' still knows its a fantasy show about cute little magical ponies and is not afraid to flaunt it without apology. [[BigAnimeEyes Big sparkly eyes]], bright pastel colors, go full Lisa Frank on your characters. If you want to have antagonists in the show, try your best to stay away from EvilMakesYouUgly. Don't be afraid to make your baddies fun and appealing to look at as well. The show has quite a few cute antagonists like the Parasprites, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, and Cozy Glow. Or they can be CreepyCute like Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings. While it is tempting to avoid due to causing SweetnessAversion, don't be afraid of the sugar. Be cute and warm the hearts of your audiences. It's also makes [[SugarApocalypse your subversive]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow moments]] stand out that much more, plus it opens up more opportunities for comedy.

* [[RuleOfCute Cuteness]]: Simply put, the show would've never went as far as it did if the characters weren't [[TheCutie pleasing]] on the eyes (Let the page image for TheCutie demonstrate). One of the appealing aspects of the show is the simplistic yet wondrous and memorable character designs: the show is downright ''adorable'' to look at, spawning truckloads of character fanart. ''Friendship Is Magic'' still knows its a fantasy show about cute little magical ponies and is not afraid to flaunt it without apology. [[BigAnimeEyes Big sparkly eyes]], bright pastel colors, go full Lisa Frank on your characters. If you want to have antagonists in the show, try your best to stay away from EvilMakesYouUgly. Don't be afraid to make the baddies fun and appealing to look at as well. The show has quite a few cute antagonists like the Parasprites, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, and Cozy Glow. Or they can be CreepyCute like Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings. While it is tempting to avoid due to causing SweetnessAversion, don't be afraid of the sugar. Be cute and warm the hearts of your audiences. It's also makes [[SugarApocalypse your subversive]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow moments]] stand out that much more, plus it opens up more opportunities for comedy.

Due to being an existing franchise before this iteration, the chosen motif for this show is that most of the main characters are brightly colored magical ponies. Therefore, it is only natural that the setting would be tailor-made for such characters, which for them, is a SugarBowl-esque setting. However, it should be noted that it does not mean that everything in the world should [[TastesLikeDiabetes be diabetes-inducing.]] Elements such as [[TheLostWoods The Everfree Forest]] and characters like [[GodOfEvil Discord]] offer a sharp contrast to the general cuteness that is often presented. In short, easily mistaken to be aggressively cheerful. Another thing to note is the tongue-in-cheek humor that is applied to the setting. It can be thought of as similar to ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'', but in a MagicalLand fantasy setting rather then a ScienceFiction setting.

My Little Pony is decidedly not a claustrophobic series. While [[SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextHarryPotter Harry Potter]] casts a magnifying glass on a single school, with a few other places elaborated on as needed just to make sure you don't forget that there's a whole world out there, My Little Pony gives a bird's eye view of an entire country ([[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 or even beyond it]]), with occasional details as needed just to makes sure you don't forget that there's people living in all those different buildings.

[[GhibliHills Ponyville]], [[ShiningCity Canterlot]], [[BigApplesauce Manehattan]], [[FloatingContinent Cloudsdale,]] [[CrapsackWorld Griffinstone]], [[TheWildWest Appleoosa]], and the [[TheLostWoods Everfree Forest]] all look different, and have plot-relevant differences between them. They have different biomes, different architectural styles, different demographics, and the characters are shown taking long train trips and flights between them. Making a setting look big is ... a lot easier when you just have to draw it than when you have to fly your acting crew all over the place. Probably use a lot of matte painting backgrounds, like Star Trek, if you want to do it in live action.

In an animated show, you can of course create anything you need by drawing it, so this is more about the general level of technology that exists in your world. ''Friendship'' was roughly mediaeval but according to WordOfGod there was a lot of 'wiggle room' to make storytelling easier - if a story could be told better by having the ponies have cameras, they would have cameras. This could lead to anomalies of course - one memorable sequence shows several ponies pulling a ''steam locomotive'' for example.

* [[HeelFaceTurn Redeemed Villains]]: One of the staples of Friendship Is Magic is the tendency for villains to be swayed to the magic of friendship (Chrysalis even lampshades it by calling it "a disease"). Some of the most beloved characters in the franchise fall under this category like Princess Luna, Discord, Sunset Shimmer, etc. Not only is it cathartic for former villains to create bonds meaningful with the heroes, it makes the show interesting to watch as we watch their journey to learning the concept of friendship.

Also note that in Equestria, [[TitleDrop friendship]] ''[[TitleDrop is]]'' [[TitleDrop magic]]. ThePowerOfFriendship proves capable of [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu defeating Nightmare Moon]]. Now, having love and friendship as an actual magical force has worked well here, and in [[Franchise/SailorMoon other stories]]...but it also possible to write ThePowerOfFriendship as an entirely mundane yet powerful force, whether or not the setting has magic in it.

!!'''The Epic Fails'''
* The G3-3.5 DirectToDVD ''WesternAnimation/{{My Little Pony|G3}}''.
* ''Fanfic/MyBravePonyStarfleetMagic''.

* [[RuleOfCute Cuteness]]: Simply put, the show would've never went as far as it did if the characters weren't [[TheCutie pleasing]] on the eyes. One of the appealing aspects of the show is the simplistic yet wondrous and memorable character designs: the show is downright ''adorable'' to look at, spawning truckloads of character fanart. ''Friendship Is Magic'' still knows its a fantasy show about cute little magical ponies and is not afraid to flaunt it without apology. [[BigAnimeEyes Big sparkly eyes]], bright pastel colors, go full Lisa Frank on your characters. If you want to have antagonists in the show, try your best to stay away from EvilMakesYouUgly. Don't be afraid to make the baddies fun and appealing to look at as well. The show has quite a few cute antagonists like the Parasprites, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, and Cozy Glow. Or they can be CreepyCute like Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings. While it is tempting to avoid due to causing SweetnessAversion, don't be afraid of the sugar. Be cute and warm the hearts of your audiences. It's also makes [[SugarApocalypse your subversive]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow moments]] stand out that much more, plus it opens up more opportunities for comedy.

* [[RuleOfCute Cuteness]]: Simply put, the characters must be pleasing on the eyes. One of the most appealing aspects of the show is the simplistic yet wondrous character designs: the show is downright ''adorable'' to look at, spawning truckloads of character fanart. ''Friendship Is Magic'' still knows its a fantasy show about cute little ponies and is not afraid to flaunt it without apology. If you want to have antagonists in the show, try your best to stay away from EvilMakesYouUgly. Don't be afraid to make the baddies fun and appealing to look at as as well. The show has quite a few cute antagonists like the Parasprites, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, and Cozy Glow. Or they can be CreepyCute like Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings. While it is tempting to avoid due to causing SweetnessAversion, you can't be afraid of the sugar. Be cute and warm the hearts of your audiences. It's also makes [[SugarApocalypse your subversive]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow moments]] stand out that much more, plus it opens up more opportunities for comedy.

* [[RuleOfCute Cuteness]]: Simply put, the characters must be pleasing on the eyes. One of the most appealing aspects of the show is the simplistic yet wondrous character designs: the show is downright ''adorable'' to look at, spawning truckloads of character fanart. ''Friendship Is Magic'' still knows its a show about cute little ponies and is not afraid to flaunt it without apology. If you want to have antagonists in the show, try your best to stay away from EvilMakesYouUgly. Don't be afraid to make the baddies appealing to look at as as well. The show has quite a few cute antagonists like the Parasprites, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, and Cozy Glow. Or they can be UglyCute like the Changelings. While it is tempting to avoid due to causing SweetnessAversion, you can't be afraid of the sugar. Be cute and warm the hearts of your audiences. It's also makes [[SugarApocalypse your darker]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow moments]] stand out that much more, plus it opens up opportunities for comedy.

* [[RuleOfCute Cuteness]]: Simply put, the characters must be pleasing on the eyes. One of the most appealing aspects of the show is the simplistic yet wondrous character designs: the show is downright ''adorable'' to look at, spawning truckloads of character fanart. ''Friendship Is Magic'' still knows its a show about cute little ponies and is not afraid to flaunt it without apology. If you want to have antagonists in the show, try your best to stay away from EvilMakesYouUgly. Don't be afraid to make the baddies appealing to look at as as well. The show has quite a few cute antagonists like the Parasprites, Trixie, Starlight Glimmer, and Cozy Glow. Or they can be UglyCute like the Changelings. Bottom Line, you have to be cute. It's make [[SugarApocalypse your darker]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow moments]] stand out that much more.

* [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTVSpecials The original]] [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986 G1]] [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends continuity]] has all of the {{Camp}}iness of TheEighties, and most characters don't have enough screentime to develop a fully fleshed-out personality (a pitfall for any MerchandiseDriven show with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters). However, it does showcase some surprisingly dark and occasionally mature stories and has some of the same story elements that helped made ''Friendship is Magic'' so well-received.

However, when making your own version, your own characters may not even need to be ponies in particular. What is stopping you from making a show where the characters are say... monkeys? penguins? turtles? actual people (as the Equestria Games proved so well)? the possibilities are actually endless.

Another important motif to consider is the constant use of {{Furry Reminder}}s. What sets this show, and the franchise as a whole, apart from other girl's toys is that they really are ponies, not human beings in pony costumes. This was probably one of the biggest faults of G3 and G3.5 since Hasbro was practically ignoring what made MyLittlePony unique as a toyline. Thus, it is made very clear that the pony characters are ponies by the fact that they remain quadrupedal while walking and often use their mouths as hands since their forelegs are occupied by being... well, legs. However, this is forgone if it becomes awkward for a character to be speaking while holding something, so this particular rule can be ignored if necessary.

* The G3-3.5 DirectToDVD ''MyLittlePony''.
* ''FanFic/MyBravePonyStarfleetMagic''.

Again, in an animated show you can depict (within reason) anything you like - the choice you'll have to make is what level of action and/or violence you show. This is a balancing act, especially if you want to repeat ''Friendship'''s almost unprecedented PeripheryDemographic size. If you make the show too dark, violent and gritty you may put off your core audience, or even get your show rejected before it even begins, but if it's too light and sanitised you may find your show stuck in the AnimationAgeGhetto. A show marketed towards preteen girls isn't the place for {{Gore}} or TorturePorn, but if there's no meaningful conflict or villains, and everything is resolved by talking it out, that will make your show a boring snoozefest.

Aesops: Try to subvert the morals you set up, and make them something unexpected from the norm. For example, in the episode Griffon The Brush Off, the moral seems to be set up as "a prank is only funny when everyone's laughing", but goes an inch further into a more general aesop, "a good friend will help you grow; recognize a bad friend and let go of people who only bring you down." So, if you were making a "face your fears" aesop, you could go an inch further into the friendship territory and say "even if you're scared, your friends will help you overcome them, and encourage you to face them on your own."

* ''Franchise/{{Jewelpet}}'' similarly has a cast of [[RoundedCharacter three-dimensional]] {{Ridiculously Cute Critter}}s who appeal to both genders and all age groups and can turn love and friendship into actual magic forces, mix slice-of-life and action, and defeat various foes of darkness. JP also offers lots of free reign for their fans to make whatever they want, and both [=FiM=] and JP have a bookworm who represents Friendship, a villain capable of turning virtues 180 (Dian shares this trait with his sister Diana, who also shares her [[TheDragon Dragon]] status, lightning casting, and powerful kicks with [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 Tempest Shadow]]), and a winged unicorn voiced by Creator/MiyukiSawashiro.

* ''VideoGame/KantaiCollection''. It's just gotten started, but it's already a contender for ''Touhou'' in Japan for every trait listed above except original characters. That being said, ''Touhou'' and ''Kantai Collection'' are coexisting and not competing.

* [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTVSpecials The original]] [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986 G1]] [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends continuity]] has all of the [[{{Camp}} campiness]] of TheEighties, and most characters don't have enough screentime to develop a fully fleshed-out personality (a pitfall for any MerchandiseDriven show with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters). However, it does showcase some surprisingly dark and occasionally mature stories and has some of the same story elements that helped made ''Friendship is Magic'' so well-received.

* ''Franchise/{{Jewelpet}}'' similarly has a cast of [[RoundedCharacter three-dimensional]] {{Ridiculously Cute Critter}}s who appeal to both genders and all age groups and can turn love and friendship into actual magic forces, mix slice-of-life and action, and defeat various foes of darkness. JP also offers lots of free reign for their fans to make whatever they want, and both [=FiM=] and JP have a bookworm who represents Friendship, a villain capable of turning virtues 180 (Dian shares this trait with his sister Diana, who also shares her [[Dragon TheDragon]] status, lightning casting, and powerful kicks with [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 Tempest Shadow]]), and a winged unicorn voiced by Creator/MiyukiSawashiro.

* ''Franchise/{{Jewelpet}}'' similarly has a cast of [[RoundedCharacter three-dimensional]] {{Ridiculously Cute Critter}}s who appeal to both genders and all age groups and can turn love and friendship into actual magic forces, mix slice-of-life and action, and defeat various foes of darkness. JP also offers lots of free reign for their fans to make whatever they want, and both [=FiM=] and JP have a bookworm who represents Friendship and a winged unicorn voiced by Creator/MiyukiSawashiro.

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' is also comparable in the size of its fanbase in Japan, the cute characters appealing to males, the absurd amount of fan material and fanmade characters, being a major convention presence, and the unexpectedness of its sheer popularity. Both franchises give more or less free reign for their fans to make whatever they wish, and the fans' sheer numbers and intense devotion to ''Touhou'' and ''Friendship Is Magic'' are thanks directly to that. As the years go by and ''Touhou'' starts feeling old, the torch will most likely pass down to...

[[GhibliHills Ponyville]], [[ShiningCity Canterlot]], [[BigApplesauce Manehattan]], [[CrapsackWorld Griffinstone]], [[TheWildWest Appleoosa]], and the [[TheLostWoods Everfree Forest]] all look different, and have plot-relevant differences between them. They have different biomes, different architectural styles, different demographics, and the characters are shown taking long train trips and flights between them. Making a setting look big is ... a lot easier when you just have to draw it than when you have to fly your acting crew all over the place. Probably use a lot of matte painting backgrounds, like Star Trek, if you want to do it in live action.

Due to being an existing franchise before this iteration, the chosen motif for this show is that most of the main characters are brightly colored magical ponies. Therefore, it is only natural that the setting would be tailor-made for such characters, which for them, is a SugarBowl-esque setting. However, it should be noted that it does not mean that everything in the world should be diabetes-inducing. Elements such as [[TheLostWoods The Everfree Forest]] and characters like [[GodOfEvil Discord]] offer a sharp contrast to the general cuteness that is often presented. In short, easily mistaken to be aggressively cheerful. Another thing to note is the tongue-in-cheek humor that is applied to the setting. It can be thought of as similar to ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'', but in a MagicalLand fantasy setting rather then a ScienceFiction setting.

The popularity of Creator/LaurenFaust's ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has taken the Internet by surprise - with a huge PeripheryDemographic and a very active community, it is, after only one season, already one of the most successful shows in WesternAnimation in recent years. Not bad, especially given that the previous incarnation of the ponies could have easily been a FranchiseKiller. Even better: eight years in and far from done!

* [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTVSpecials The original]] [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie G1]] [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends continuity]] has all of the [[{{Camp}} campiness]] of TheEighties, and most characters don't have enough screentime to develop a fully fleshed-out personality (a pitfall for any MerchandiseDriven show with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters). However, it does showcase some surprisingly dark and occasionally mature stories and has some of the same story elements that helped made ''Friendship is Magic'' so well-received.

* ''FanFic/MyLittleUnicorn''.