MLP is real
is an Ask a Pony Tumblr blog run by Sayer 09, along with a DeviantArt account where he always posts the contents of his Tumblr. It stars the main characters of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and a human Self-Insert as he tries to live with them, while the ponies learn some things about humans.
It started as a Tumblr about photographs edited by adding vectors of My Little Pony and having a simple plot as “Ponies learning about the human world”. The artist then shifted the theme of the Tumblr and started to draw comics about the opposite: A human trying to adapt himself in Equestria; it’s considered the best course of action, as he admitted that the comics started because he was running out of ideas for the photographs and didn’t want to close the Tumblr.
The photographs are from his house or the city he lives, later edited by adding vectors of ponies and some shadows to make them look more natural. On the other hand, the comics are drawn by him and using vectors for the background (He recently started to draw the backgrounds and stopped to use vectors).
The Tumblr uses the same style to the original cartoons with the ponies and other characters, while the main character seems to be done in manga style. Although lots of people would turn it down for being a self insert, it manages to avoid most of the clichés and tropes that always show up in this kind of stories.
This blog has examples of:
- The Alcoholic: Averted. Adrian only drinks horchata and Spike drinks something that looks like chocolate (He’s a kid, after all).
- April Fools' Day: Averted, as his first strip was uploaded in April’s Fools. The description also said that it wasn’t a joke.
- Art Evolution: A slightly evolution, but it’s easily noticed when you compare the old strips with the new ones, as the ponies are now better proportioned. We also have backgrounds made by him instead of using vectors to save time.
- Art Shift: The ponies look the same whether they’re in Equestria or Earth. The only one who follows this rule is Adrian, as he appears as a cartoon character in the comics but then turns into a “real” person when he goes back to Earth.
- This also counts towards anything not belonging to Equestria, as it has a black outline instead of the multi colored ones seen on anything and anypony belonging to Equestria.
- Ascended Extra: Adrian, the main character. He only appeared in one photograph (Justified, as he was the one taking them and it would be too weird to appear in all of them). He then appeared in the first comic, and since then he’s been turned into the main character.
- Big Bad: Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen and (possibly) Discord.
- Break the Cutie: Rainbow Dash and Adrian. It’s a strange example, as they’re his favorite pony and himself, respectively.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Justified, as the main character it’s a real human who started the Tumblr in the first place before being able to visit Equestria. The other characters can notice the questions sent by the fans too.
- The Cameo: We have Molestia, Discord and even two users who appeared as a pony and a dragon in this strip.
- Cerebus Syndrome: It started as another Tumblr with funny moments, and then it drifted into the romantic/drama category in just a few questions. Some strips contained a bit of humor, but overall they still focus on the romance.
- Character Blog: Well, it’s a Tumblr after all…
- Character Development: Most stories about Humans in Equestria try to avoid the romances with one of the main characters . In this Tumblr not only is addressed, but it’s done in a very realistic way, opening a path to reflexion.
- There’s also the conversation between Adrian and Rainbow Dash about if they should be a couple or not; in the end, they both agree that it would only bring conflict. Besides, it would be too unrealistic to have them stay together so easily after knowing all the problems they would have to face. Yeah, I’m looking at you, stupid book .
- The Comically Serious: Adrian. The best example would be his first appearance: He walks behind Twilight while eating a toast and dressed in his pajamas like if it was his usual routine (Even though it’s first day in Equestria)
- Curbstomp Battle: Delivered by Adrian against Chrysalis. We don’t see the beating itself, but we get a gory discretion shot of her wings being snapped.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Adrian. He was bullied his whole life, didn’t have any real friends until he was thirteen and had thoughts about committing suicide since he was six years old. And you know what? It’s all real; he didn’t make anything up. It’s still a miracle he survived this long or didn’t commit a massacre.
- Easily Forgiven: Adrian, to an extent; he’s treated like a hero for defeating Chrysalis. He tries to justify that he didn’t act for justice, but for revenge, and that he doesn’t deserve to be called a hero.
- Emotion Eater: Chrysalis and her changelings.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The Tumblr is called “MLP is real” because the characters aren’t just from a cartoon series; they’re real creatures from another dimension. Even the artist said it’s not a great name, but it serves its purpose.
- Fourth-Wall Mail Slot: This photograph certainly counts.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Adrian turns into this when he tries to get revenge on Chrysalis. It later backfires, as Rainbow Dash witnessed everything and it ultimately destroys their friendship.
- Humans Are the Real Monsters: Averted, as the main character is a nice guy and tries to have a good relationship with the ponies. Then justified when he attacks Chrysalis, showing how evil he can really be if he’s pushed too far, but since he delivers this to another monster it could count as an anti hero.
- Informed Flaw: Adrian is a normal human without any kind of powers. That itself is his biggest flaw.
- Limited Wardrobe: The ponies are always nude, and Adrian’s wardrobe seems to consist on lots of Heavy Metal shirts, blue and black jeans and boots, while his alternate outfit was some kind of Ghost Rider cosplay (Leather jacket, skull pattern balaclava, skeleton hands gloves, black jeans and boots). His recent appearance was with a jacket, so it could be that those are his favorite clothes (You can’t expect a guy who loves Heavy Metal to wear lots of fashioned clothes).
- Lotus-Eater Machine: The entire first chapter, where he’s turned into a pony was just a dream made by Chrysalis to keep him in one of her cocoons.
- The Multiverse: More like the “Tumblrponyverse”, as there have been cameos of characters from other blogs but don’t count as a crossover.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Invoked by Adrian after defeating Chrysalis. He turned into a monster fueled by rage and hate, costing his friendship with Rainbow Dash.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Defeating Chrysalis managed to bring some peace to the kingdom and a path to a peaceful relationship with the dragons, but at the cost of losing his friendship with Rainbow Dash and her faith that not all humans are monsters.
- Open Secret: The love between Rainbow Dash and Adrian. They both didn’t notice that the other had feelings for them, but the rest of the mane six noticed it right away by the way they acted.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivered by Adrian to Queen Chrysalis about why he managed to defeat her.Adrian: You thought that I would be depressed for “breaking up” with her? It may work with ponies, but in case that you didn’t notice; I'M A HUMAN! I suffered worst things than this! I got bullied my whole life, I wanted to commit suicide since I was only six, I didn't have friends until I was thirteen and I've never been loved in my whole life! I bet that you thought that my life would be ruined, right...? Oh, no... You didn't ruin my life... you just PISSED ME OFF!
- Running Gag: The Tumblr got a surprise visit from a Pinkie Pie Chubby.
- Shout-Out: There are some scattered through the Tumblr.
- In a strip, he and Rainbow Dash dream that they have adventures dressed as Nathan Drake and Daring Do, respectively.
- The title of one strip is called No, Adrian. You are the monsters.
- The name of the channel in a TV used by Discord to watch everything is named Hideo.
- Shown Their Work: The artist tries to make each character personality like the cartoon series, and he also tries to show a real relationship with them and how it could work (Including good and bad moments, something that most fan fiction about Humans In Equestria try to avoid).
- Slasher Smile: His Ghost Rider disguise has a balaclava with a skull pattern that always smiles.
- Take That!: It’s never addressed, but you can notice as 99% of self inserts are always Mary Sues; this is the other 1%. This one is about a normal guy without any kind of powers, and as for now, his friendship with Rainbow Dash seems like it’s been totally destroyed (Did we mention that Rainbow Dash is his favorite pony?).
- Time Skip: It’s never shown how much time passes between each comic, but it can be noticed by the shirts the main character is wearing, as they usually change from one comic to another (Unless he changes shirts every moment). There’s only one instance where he mentions that it’s been a week since he came back home.
- Wham Line:Rainbow Dash: Adrian… What are you doing?.
