MLP: Friendship is Magic

[ApologiaPhoenix]

Considering the work Dr. Habermas and I have done on emotional doubt, I thought even he would like this one. It's certainly also a characteristic of mine to think like Twilight did.

[Rayado]

I have to admit that my jaw hit the ground when it appeared that Fluttershy snapped the bear's neck.

[ApologiaPhoenix]

I want to make sure it's not an Aspie thing I'm blind to and I've asked Rayado about this and he assures me it's normal so I want to make sure with the rest of my Bronies.

Do you think it's normal to start shouting and cheering when a new episode starts?

[Leonhard]

Okay I admit it, I'm a Brony. If you start to watch a series a second time (because you want to), then you're definitely a fan of the series in every respect of the word. I'm a Brony and I'm not ashamed of it.

The show is awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome and awesome. I think what really nailed the show for me, other than the amazing animation and the great characters, was Twilight Sparkle. I've seen many nerdy and geeky characters in many cartoons, or even live-action serials (which are supposed to be better at portraying reality) and none of them have really hit it. Just because you attach a book and some big box glasses to a scruffy person and make them spout technobabble (or philobabble, theobable, geobabble, or whatever other babbles we geeks apparently end up in) every few scenes, doesn't mean you portrayed what its like to be a socially awkward geek, who has a hard time connecting to people around them. I can't point to specifics, but the first two episodes really cemented Twilight Sparkle as the kind of character I could identify with. She was alone, stuck in a world of various factoids (about magic in her case) and having hard time dealing with other people. Just watch her first meeting with Fluttershy. For the non-bronies in this scene Twilight Sparkle has literally been ordered to check that the celebration preparations for a festival are properly underway. This was done so that she might be a chance of her meeting friends, but Twilight doesn't really want to befriend anyone, she wants to return to her books urgently. Fluttershy isn't an easy pony to approach, and Twilight's awkward attempts reminds me of the many times I've been forced (or forced myself) to try to make conversation with someone.

I guess I just connect to way Twilight actually ends up making friends through the course of the plot. I wish I had such good friends in high school or in any school in general.

But that's just what sucked me in, and if that was it, I'd have watched the first four episodes and had it be that. But the rest of the characters are just as fleshed out as Twilight, each with their odd kinks (no one is perfect) and all of them with well-written dialogue. Typically with girl shows you had producers who attempted to write what they thought little girls wanted. I think Lauren Faust did the right thing and wrote characters that she, personally, enjoyed. I don't know what many subtle differences are make the show work. The show is girly (or is it?) but it isn't bad. Typically girl shows have been systematically bad. Why it works here I don't know. Good characters, and great plots are one things, better animation another.. eh, what can I say, the shows got a soul. I feel like Socrates trying to find out why its so good, but beyond knowing some parts that I've noticed that I like, I'm not sure what actually makes it good. The characters feel 'real', I can recognize some of their quirks in me and people I've meet. The plots are surprising, but without being random. The humor is good, a lot of slapstick (this is a toon) but without engaging in nothing but slapstick humor. Who else doesn't laugh when Twilight (yes I know I'm obsessed about her) tries to friend off her corrupted friends and read a book to save them "This is my book, and gonna read it"! Guffaw!!!

The morals of each episode are also pretty darn good. Each episode ends up with Twilight Sparkle writing a letter to her mentor Princess Celestia about what she's learned about friendship. Usually attempts at making moral lessons in any show ends up coming off as condescending or preachy or both or worse. Friendship is Magic pulls it off; The moral points are scored indirectly by the actions of the characters and at the end Twilight summarizes them. At no points does this feel forced, but seems precisely like the problems these characters will naturally engage in on occasion. The content of those morals are also genuine (lets save the battle of what is meant by that for the philosophy subforum) and not merely politically correct lessons. I think there's only one or two morals the show did which either came off clumsy, or that I didn't quite agree with. One was in the episode "Feeling Pinkie Keen" which I'll leave for another thread, I think bronies will know what I'm talking about (I think it can be saved by authorial intent), the second is in "The Ticket Master" where Twilight Sparkle only had two tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala, all of her friends wanted to go and her not being able to take them all caused division between them and tension between them and her, so that at the end she decides not to go herself.. and I'm not certain that's a good lesson. But they're minor fly stains on what is basically a show with a solid traditional moral core.

And what on Earth (and any other planetoid) is supposed to be gay about any of the above stuff.

[Leonhard]

I want to make sure it's not an Aspie thing I'm blind to and I've asked Rayado about this and he assures me it's normal so I want to make sure with the rest of my Bronies.

Do you think it's normal to start shouting and cheering when a new episode starts?

I don't shout but I descend into snickering, and I knead my toes in joy as I load up the latest episode.. ah... hey what did they do with the theme?!!!

[Meta Knight]

The Rainbow mushroom cloud was about the best thing I've ever seen.

Besides, of course, every time Fluttershy appears onscreen.

[rogue06]

I think all job applications should have the following question on the front page that all males seeking employment should have to answer: "Are you now, or have you ever been, a brony?" That way those doing the hiring can skip over them quickly making it easier for the rest of us as well as simpler for the company as well.

[Chrawnus]

I think all job applications should have the following question on the front page that all males seeking employment should have to answer: "Are you now, or have you ever been, an old fossil?" That way those doing the hiring can skip over them quickly making it easier for the rest of us as well as simpler for the company as well.

fify, nc.

[Raphael]

I want to make sure it's not an Aspie thing I'm blind to and I've asked Rayado about this and he assures me it's normal so I want to make sure with the rest of my Bronies.

Do you think it's normal to start shouting and cheering when a new episode starts?

Speaking as a normal person. No. that is how you should behave when the All Blacks take the field against France on Sunday evening.

The normal reaction when an episode of MLP starts is to either call your daughters over to watch it, or flip the channel

[ApologiaPhoenix]

Speaking as a normal person. No. that is how you should behave when the All Blacks take the field against France on Sunday evening.

The normal reaction when an episode of MLP starts is to either call your daughters over to watch it, or flip the channel

The question was for the awesome people. You know, the Bronies. The rest of you need to be way more than 20% cooler.

[rogue06]

The question was for the awesome people. You know, the Bronies. The rest of you need to be way more than 20% cooler.

Man o man if that's supposed to be the new definition of cool that I pray that I remain uncool

[Andius]

Okay I admit it, I'm a Brony. If you start to watch a series a second time (because you want to), then you're definitely a fan of the series in every respect of the word. I'm a Brony and I'm not ashamed of it.

At last! Enlightenmnet. And yes, 2nd time is always cool, since the show is full of details one may miss the first time.

The show is awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome and awesome. I think what really nailed the show for me, other than the amazing animation and the great characters, was Twilight Sparkle. I've seen many nerdy and geeky characters in many cartoons, or even live-action serials (which are supposed to be better at portraying reality) and none of them have really hit it. Just because you attach a book and some big box glasses to a scruffy person and make them spout technobabble (or philobabble, theobable, geobabble, or whatever other babbles we geeks apparently end up in) every few scenes, doesn't mean you portrayed what its like to be a socially awkward geek, who has a hard time connecting to people around them. I can't point to specifics, but the first two episodes really cemented Twilight Sparkle as the kind of character I could identify with. She was alone, stuck in a world of various factoids (about magic in her case) and having hard time dealing with other people. Just watch her first meeting with Fluttershy. For the non-bronies in this scene Twilight Sparkle has literally been ordered to check that the celebration preparations for a festival are properly underway. This was done so that she might be a chance of her meeting friends, but Twilight doesn't really want to befriend anyone, she wants to return to her books urgently. Fluttershy isn't an easy pony to approach, and Twilight's awkward attempts reminds me of the many times I've been forced (or forced myself) to try to make conversation with someone.

Well, that be the hand of Faustus. Making very three-dimensional characters within a designated theme. And yes, the combined direction of relatable to real life style of the characters (And yes, I am not kidding, I have known my share of fun-loving crazed Pinkie Pie-like people in my life) plus excellent actresses taking the roles, is one of the prime reasons of this show's success and it's now official universal appeal.

I guess I just connect to way Twilight actually ends up making friends through the course of the plot. I wish I had such good friends in high school or in any school in general.

Well, High School be only a section of life, and hope you still retain to the good friends here in TWeb.

But that's just what sucked me in, and if that was it, I'd have watched the first four episodes and had it be that. But the rest of the characters are just as fleshed out as Twilight, each with their odd kinks (no one is perfect) and all of them with well-written dialogue. Typically with girl shows you had producers who attempted to write what they thought little girls wanted. I think Lauren Faust did the right thing and wrote characters that she, personally, enjoyed. I don't know what many subtle differences are make the show work. The show is girly (or is it?) but it isn't bad. Typically girl shows have been systematically bad. Why it works here I don't know. Good characters, and great plots are one things, better animation another.. eh, what can I say, the shows got a soul. I feel like Socrates trying to find out why its so good, but beyond knowing some parts that I've noticed that I like, I'm not sure what actually makes it good. The characters feel 'real', I can recognize some of their quirks in me and people I've meet. The plots are surprising, but without being random. The humor is good, a lot of slapstick (this is a toon) but without engaging in nothing but slapstick humor. Who else doesn't laugh when Twilight (yes I know I'm obsessed about her) tries to friend off her corrupted friends and read a book to save them "This is my book, and gonna read it"! Guffaw!!!

Superficially, it appears girly. But like I stated above, they are relatable characters. And you affirming the many experiences of Twilight being related to your own experiences, shows how Lauren Faust, made the universe of the cartoon extremely relatable. Being a fantasy genre, but still relatable to our world, makes for a great story. And yes, the healthy amount of slapstick is grade A awesome (you forgot mention Spike's ability to fend off the pony's with a scroll, THAT had me roaring with laughter).

The morals of each episode are also pretty darn good. Each episode ends up with Twilight Sparkle writing a letter to her mentor Princess Celestia about what she's learned about friendship. Usually attempts at making moral lessons in any show ends up coming off as condescending or preachy or both or worse. Friendship is Magic pulls it off; The moral points are scored indirectly by the actions of the characters and at the end Twilight summarizes them. At no points does this feel forced, but seems precisely like the problems these characters will naturally engage in on occasion. The content of those morals are also genuine (lets save the battle of what is meant by that for the philosophy subforum) and not merely politically correct lessons. I think there's only one or two morals the show did which either came off clumsy, or that I didn't quite agree with. One was in the episode "Feeling Pinkie Keen" which I'll leave for another thread, I think bronies will know what I'm talking about (I think it can be saved by authorial intent), the second is in "The Ticket Master" where Twilight Sparkle only had two tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala, all of her friends wanted to go and her not being able to take them all caused division between them and tension between them and her, so that at the end she decides not to go herself.. and I'm not certain that's a good lesson. But they're minor fly stains on what is basically a show with a solid traditional moral core.

Right spot on. The show is very masterful in delivering it's lessons. In many ways, it actually reminded me how large and vast the lessons of ethos that exist.

I haven't seen Feeling Pinkie Keen episode yet, but I seeing Ticket Master, I actually disagree with your posture on the lesson of that episode and Twilight's decision of not going. If you'de like, id love to discuss that matter in a separate thread. :)

And what on Earth (and any other planetoid) is supposed to be gay about any of the above stuff.

Eh, it comes to show you how secure or insecure of one is of one's masculinity (or feminity in the case of the ladies ). Take Rogue06 for example, he is as insecure as they come, heeheehee.


Righto Leonhard, in the same fashion that we Christians expect newly converts to baptize themselves in water to validate their faith, we Tweb bronies expect newly converts to baptize their avatars or sigs with something pony related (and don't worry, it doesn't have to be permanent). Do that and your journey towards the pony side will be complete!

EDIT:

I don't shout but I descend into snickering, and I knead my toes in joy as I load up the latest episode.. ah... hey what did they do with the theme?!!!

Made it 20% cooler of course. Ponyville is apparently growing.

[Andius]

I want to make sure it's not an Aspie thing I'm blind to and I've asked Rayado about this and he assures me it's normal so I want to make sure with the rest of my Bronies.

Do you think it's normal to start shouting and cheering when a new episode starts?

It is to be the expected reaction comrade.

If not externally, then at least internally.

Which in my case, the internal me is identical to how Pinkie Pie reacted when she first walked in the Galloping Gala. My inner me simply goes, GOTTA DANCE

[rogue06]

Take Rogue06 for example, he is as insecure as they come, heeheehee.

Yeah that's it. I guess you caught me.

[ApologiaPhoenix]

Yeah that's it. I guess you caught me.

Admitting the problem is the first step to recovery.