History WesternAnimation / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic

[[quoteright:346:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/friendship_is_magic_newpageimage_1684.png]]
[[caption-width-right:346:[-[[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.-][[note]]Clockwise from upper-left: [[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]], [[{{Bookworm}} Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].[[/note]]]]

->''"When I took the job, I braced myself for criticism, expecting many people -- [[ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch without even watching the show]] -- to instantly label it girly, stupid, cheap, for babies or an evil corporate commercial. I encourage skeptics like this to watch ''My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'' with an open mind. If I'm doing my job right, I think you'll be surprised."''

-->—'''Creator/LaurenFaust'''

* [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Episode Guide]]

* [[ShoutOut/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Mythology Gags and Shout-Outs]]
* There's even an entry on the franchise's [[DrinkingGame/MyLittlePony drinking game]]

Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/MyLittlePonyFriendshipGardens'', a Gen 2 PC Game. However, there is [[VideoGame/MyLittlePony a video game]] based on the series.

Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/MyLittlePonyFriendshipGardens'', a Gen 2 PC Game. However, there is a game based on the series, ''VideoGame/MyLittlePony''.

''My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'' is the is the latest show in the [[LongRunner long-running]] ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' franchise and the flagship work of the franchise's [[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration4 fourth generation]], incorporating self-aware humor, a more streamlined art style, and strong characterization.

''My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'' is the latest show in the [[LongRunner long-running]] ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' franchise, incorporating self-aware humor, a more streamlined art style and strong characterization.

As of April 2, [[http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/mylittle-pony/ TV Tokyo]] will begin airing the official Japanese dub of this show.

The show starts with a two-parter, in which main character Twilight Sparkle, [[SociallyAwkwardHero an asocial bookworm pony]], comes out of her shell and bonds with five other ponies in order to use ThePowerOfFriendship to overcome a [[PropheciesAreAlwaysRight prophecy of doom]]. After saving the world with the [[TitleDrop magic of friendship]], the show takes on an episodic adventure-of-the-week format, where Twilight relays daily reports to her mentor on how friendship helps her and her friends.

[[quoteright:250:~~WesternAnimation, SaturdayMorningCartoon ~~]]

The first season was helmed by Creator/LaurenFaust, a highly accomplished, Emmy Award-nominated animator -- for example, she was the writer and director of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' and ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''. ''Friendship is Magic'' is her attempt to rescue the genre of girls' cartoons by presenting a clever show with a strong and diverse cast of female characters who aren't pre-occupied with fashion and boys. Her goal was to create an intelligent show for girls that boys and grown-ups could also watch without wanting to shoot themselves. As the substantial PeripheryDemographic can attest, she seems to have succeeded. Following the end of the first season, Faust stepped down as the show's executive producer, but she continued to work with the show as a consulting producer through production of the second season.

Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/MyLittlePonyFriendshipGardens'', a Gen 2 PC Game.

[[caption-width-right:346:[-[[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.-][[note]]Clockwise from upper-left: [[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]], [[SociallyAwkwardHero Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].[[/note]]]]

The first season was helmed by Creator/LaurenFaust, a highly accomplished, Emmy Award-nominated animator -- for example, she was the writer and director of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' and ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''. ''Friendship is Magic'' is her attempt to rescue the genre of girls' cartoons by presenting a clever show with a strong and diverse cast of female characters who aren't pre-occupied with fashion and boys. Her goal was to create an intelligent show for girls that boys and grown-ups could also watch without wanting to shoot themselves. As the substantial PeripheryDemographic can attest, she seems to have succeeded. Following the end of the first season, Faust stepped down as the show's executive producer, but she will continue to work with the show as a [[http://fyre-flye.deviantart.com/journal/40428056/ consulting producer]] through production of the second season.

* MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic/TropesAToG
* MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic/TropesHToP
* MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic/TropesQToZ

''My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'' is the latest show in the [[LongRunner long-running]] ''MyLittlePony'' franchise, incorporating self-aware humor, a more streamlined art style and strong characterization.

The first season was helmed by Creator/LaurenFaust, a highly accomplished, Emmy Award-nominated animator -- for example, she was the writer and director of ''ThePowerpuffGirls'' and ''FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''. ''Friendship is Magic'' is her attempt to rescue the genre of girls' cartoons by presenting a clever show with a strong and diverse cast of female characters who aren't pre-occupied with fashion and boys. Her goal was to create an intelligent show for girls that boys and grown-ups could also watch without wanting to shoot themselves. As the substantial PeripheryDemographic can attest, she seems to have succeeded. Following the end of the first season, Faust stepped down as the show's executive producer, but she will continue to work with the show as a [[http://fyre-flye.deviantart.com/journal/40428056/ consulting producer]] through production of the second season.

Not to be confused with ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipGardens'', a Gen 2 PC Game.

-->—'''LaurenFaust'''

The first season was helmed by LaurenFaust, a highly accomplished, Emmy Award-nominated animator -- for example, she was the writer and director of ''ThePowerpuffGirls'' and ''FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''. ''Friendship is Magic'' is her attempt to rescue the genre of girls' cartoons by presenting a clever show with a strong and diverse cast of female characters who aren't pre-occupied with fashion and boys. Her goal was to create an intelligent show for girls that boys and grown-ups could also watch without wanting to shoot themselves. As the substantial PeripheryDemographic can attest, she seems to have succeeded. Following the end of the first season, Faust stepped down as the show's executive producer, but she will continue to work with the show as a [[http://fyre-flye.deviantart.com/journal/40428056/ consulting producer]] through production of the second season.

[-[[caption-width-right:346: [[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.[[note]]Clockwise from upper-left: [[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]], [[SociallyAwkwardHero Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].[[/note]]]]-]

[[caption-width-right:346: [[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.[[note]]Clockwise from upper-left: [[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]], [[SociallyAwkwardHero Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].[[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:346: [[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.[[note]]Clockwise from upper-left:[[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]], [[SociallyAwkwardHero Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].[[/note]]]]

[-[[caption-width-right:346: [[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.[[hottip:*:Clockwise from upper-left: [[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]], [[SociallyAwkwardHero Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].]]-]

[-[[caption-width-right:346: [[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.[[hottip:*:Clockwise from upper-left: [[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]], [[SociallyAwkwardHero Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].]]]]-]

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!!Partial TropeNamer for:
* TwentyPercentMoreAwesome — as in, ''"TV Tropes is now 20% more awesome."''
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!!Inspiration for:
* JustToyingWithThem[[hottip:*:Kind of. Several other works could be credited with the inspiration as well, but this one most clearly.]]
* WrongContextMagic
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[[quoteright:346:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MLPFIMpagepic_3674.jpg]]

[[quoteright:346:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/my-little-ponies_4520.jpg]]

''My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'', the latest show in the [[LongRunner long-running]] ''MyLittlePony'' franchise, is a rare example of how to update a retro cartoon the right way: with clever, self-aware humor, a more streamlined art style, and strong characterization.

The first season was helmed by LaurenFaust, a highly accomplished, Emmy Award-nominated animator -- for example, she was the writer and director of ''ThePowerpuffGirls'' and ''FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''. ''Friendship is Magic'' is her attempt to rescue the genre of girls' cartoons by presenting a clever show with a strong and diverse cast of female characters who aren't pre-occupied with fashion and boys. Her goal was to create an intelligent show for girls that boys and grown-ups could also watch without wanting to shoot themselves. By all accounts, she has done an admirable job of reaching that goal. Following the end of the first season, Faust stepped down as the show's executive producer, but she will continue to work with the show as a [[http://fyre-flye.deviantart.com/journal/40428056/ consulting producer]] through production of the second season.

The show proved an overnight sensation on the internet, and even before the first season was over, it had spawned {{image macro}}s and countless forum threads full of speculation and discussion; it also led to [[PeripheryDemographic lots of males]] having existential crises about enjoying a "girl's cartoon" so much. It also provides one of the best examples of TroperCriticalMass in action: one season of a show ostensibly for little girls contains hundreds upon hundreds of tropes, a Characters page, fanfics, and legitimate fanbases for every character under the sun.

[-[[caption-width-right:346: [[PeripheryDemographic It's OK, lads]]. You're allowed to like the cute ponies.[[hottip:*:Clockwise from upper-left: [[FunPersonified Pinkie Pie]], [[SociallyAwkwardHero Twilight Sparkle]], [[{{Tomboy}} Rainbow Dash]], [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]], [[TheWorkaholic Applejack]], [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]], [[TheOneGuy Spike]], and [[TheFashionista Rarity]].]]]]-]

In addition, ''[[FanNickname MLP: FiM]]'' has spawned a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t38DPnkDjTM variety]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inlhwCRS4fQ of music]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf0tYs5U5RI compositions]] and enormous quantities of fan art, enough to flood most of the {{image boards}} on the 'net throughout 2011 (starting with cartoons, but swiftly spreading to message boards devoted to topics as diverse as violent video games, wrestling, and heavy metal, with ''TeamFortress'' in particular becoming seen as a fortress of '''''brony'''''-dom.)

It has even spawned an unofficial [[BetterThanItSounds fighting game]] currently in production, ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR9qtgIi3Rw#t=1m45s My Little Pony: Fighting Is Magic]]'', which is [[http://gamerescape.com/2011/10/03/gamer-escape-exclusive-interview-fighting-is-magic-devteam/ making waves in the industry]].

Other spinoffs produced by the fan community include a [[LightningBruiser Rainbow Dash]]-mod of the AdultSwim game ''RobotUnicornAttack'', which preceded ponies by a few short months, helping to establish the [[MemeticMutation inherent manliness of all things]] [[TastesLikeDiabetes rainbows and unicorns]].

Despite such ironic remarks, the show was cited by Wired as an example of "the new sincerity" in 2010's culture, with adult fans honestly defending the assertion that it took self-confidence to appreciate the show on its own merits as a celebration of innocence, friendship and tolerance. Others [[IReadItForTheArticles watch it for the plot]].

This video from KnowYourMeme [[http://knowyourmeme.com/videos/13130-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic explains this evolution in better detail]].

Friendship Is Magic did not penetrate the mainstream consciousness until Summer 2011 when Fox News issued a series of critiques of the ''"bronies"'' phenomenon, with William Kristol declaring it to be "worse than terrorism!" (the other people on the Fox panel were supportive of the trend), and other commentators comparing it to the adult fanbase of ''SpongebobSquarepants'', another cartoon known for its good writing that appeals to [[ParentalBonus children and adults]]. Of course, America has a long and storied history of [[AnimationAgeGhetto producing and marketing animation exclusively for kids]]. The resulting fan response led to a series of {{Shout Out}}s by other media figures, including StephenColbert (who gave a [[HandshakeSubstitute brohoof]] "to all my bronies!")

Much like ''[[StarTrek Trek]]'' or ''DoctorWho'', the MLP fandom has spawned [[CultClassic its own cult]] with distinctive lingo and code phrases.[[hottip:+:[[Memes/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic MAGNETO IS BEST PONY]].]] The writers even [[ShoutOut/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic make references]] to these fandoms and AscendedFanon, such as [[AscendedExtra Derpy Hooves]]. While the phrase "brony" originally referred to the male audience, it has since come to mean any adult fan of the show -- male or female -- to a certain extent.

The high-profile fansite ''[[http://www.equestriadaily.com Equestria Daily]]'', which went online on January, 19, 2011, [[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtBsjalBjasedG54eGNySHFnX0FLYWhRZmdFVExVbXc&hl=en_US#gid=1 has visibly shown the surprisingly quick growth of the fanbase.]] To compare, it took 57 days for the site to reach 1 million hits. [[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtBsjalBjasedG54eGNySHFnX0FLYWhRZmdFVExVbXc&hl=en_US#gid=0 Now the site racks up a million hits every 2 days.]]

The episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E26TheBestNightEver The Best Night Ever]]" can be viewed [[http://www.hasbro.com/mylittlepony/en_US/play/details.cfm?guid=69B52D0A-5056-900B-10B8-D4904CDD7CFC on Hasbro's official site]], and other episodes can be viewed [[http://www.hubworld.com/my-little-pony/shows/friendship-is-magic on the Hub's official site]] in the US. All of the first season's episodes, as well as all of the second season's episodes that have already aired, can be bought on [=iTunes=] if you're lucky enough to live somewhere in the one-third of the world where iTunes sells videos, and viewed through [[YouTube other (less official) sources]]. [[AndTheFandomRejoiced On July 4th, the show began airing in the UK on Boomerang]], and premiered on Boomerang worldwide soon after. The show's second season premiered on September 17th, 2011, with [[http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/26-episodes-clarification-from-daniel.html 26 new episodes]] scheduled for the run.

Fortunately for its prospects, the show has proven very successful with its target audience as well.

Ironically, some have cited an [[CriticalDissonance initial wave of harsh criticism]] for the show's kids-commercialization aspect with [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity sparking interest in the show]], starting with CartoonBrew's article "The End of the Creator-Driven Era" which sparked initial interest in the show; and more recently with ''Ms. Magazine'' writing an article[[hottip:*:[[PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad "My Racist, Homophobic, Smart-Shaming Pony"]].]] which generated hundreds of responses -- including the show's creator, Lauren Faust, a feminist.