Well, here's something I don't think anybody ever expected to take over the internet. But amazingly enough, it has become probably the current biggest memetic trend on the net.
I mean, this is the franchise that WASN'T cool back in the 80s, in the glory days of 30-minute toy-commercial cartoons. So why is this show so special?
It was only a while ago that I finally gave into the hype and gave the show a watch. Here's my general review on the show (POTENTIAL SPOLIER ALERT!):
Needless to say, it completely defied all expectations. This show has pretty much everything that previous incarnations of the brightly-coloured equines never had:
1. Decent stories. The first 2 episodes are a 2-parter pilot episode in which we are introduced to our mane characters. The story itself is pretty entertaining, with action, coherency, backstor, and an impressive twist at the climax. It serves well to suck the viewer in and keep them watching the series. After the 2-parter pilot, the series falls into standalone slice-of-life episodes. But these smaller plots are genuinely very entertaining and fun to watch. They are a relatively even mix of big dramatic fantasy episodes, and more down-to-earth, almost sitcom-episodes. And at the end of each of these episodes, one or more of the characters will muse on what they have learnt from the events of the episode, giving the audience a little moral guidance on the subject of friendship. A cliche indeed, to have a little morality lesson at the end of an episode (Having been done to death by previous cartoons), but for some reason in this case, it just seems to work.
2. Appealing characters with genuine personality. Each of the mane characters is different and appealing in their own way, from the quirky and random party animal, Pinky Pie, to the softspoken, timid Fluttershy, to the proud, tomboyish Rainbow Dash. They all have their own little traits, and throughout the series they have all had some very fun moments (Including Fluttershy beating a basilisk in a staring-contest, Pink Pie going crazy and holding a party for a group of inanimate objects, and Rainbow Dash's crowning glory, when she flies fast enough to generate a rainbow-coloured explosion and a sonic boom at the same time!). The voice actors are superb too.
3. Gorgeous animation. The older series suffered from the 80s-style animation, with rather stiff movement, cheap studios and occasional flaws. This series has moved no to Flash animation, but is done expertly, with fluid movement, flawless animation (Except for the famous Derpy-Hooves, where one of the background characters was drawn cross-eyed) and eye-catching visuals. The characters themselves are heavily stylised compared to their previous incarnations, but honestly its a big improvement.
4. Catchy music. Given the relatively low budget of the show, all the music is computer-made, but expertly so. The background music is a pleasent mix of country-western, orchestral, and rock music. It matches the style of the show well. As for the occasional musical numbers, they are a delight. Catchy as heck, with great singers, great beat, and once again proving once and for all that the keyboard can be as mighty as the rock band/orchestra.
5. Humour that is actually funny. Very often, 80s cartoons suffered from very weak and very dated humour. However, given that this show was produced by the same person who worked with Powerpuff Girls, Codename Kids Next Door, and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, the jokes work, and work well. A general mix of classic cartoon humour, with visual gags, slapstick humour and even the occasional media reference.
6. A lack of excessive girliness. No question, the show is pretty girly looking at first glance. All these bright-coloured ponies with big shiny eyes, in a world covered with flowers and cute animals. But that's about where the girliness ends. The characters aren't overly girly, they don't obsess over boys or cry at the slightest provocation or have "girl-talk" (and any time they do, it's usually as part of a joke). The humour and stories are accessable to boys and girls, which may help account for the predominantly male fanbase.
But above all, it acts like it is a genuine cartoon, and not a glorified toy commercial! It's produced as a proper show, with the intention of entertaining the audience, rather than to conince them to buy the toys. In fact, I think that if someone watched it, and was unaware of the previous cartoons and merchandise, they would never know that it was based on a toy line. Come to think of it, the show itself is probably much more popular than the toyline itself!
So, all in all, it's a great show that has rekindled my respect for modern, Flash-based cartoons, and has given me a new interest for me to keep a secret from my friends.
Thank you for listening, and I hope you'll forgive me for prattling on. I've just been meaning to put out a review for this show somewhere. Long story short: I'm Fimoman, and I am a Brony.
Any other fans of the show on here?
Author
Topic: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Read 4761 times)