Something just occurred to me...A reason MLP may be so popular with a particular crowd may be because it could be considered a magical girl harem show, without the typical male protagonist and girls all falling over themselves for a single guy. I was just sort of thinking about some older harem shows, and frequently they'll have a collection of girls with specific characteristics; sporty and aggressive, shy and quiet, bookish and smart, etc., etc. In the case of MLP you have the character tropes, but with a lack of inter-character relationships. Now, obviously this isn't the only appeal of the show, but it might explain some of the attraction of anime and moe fans. What do you guys think?
A reason MLP may be so popular with a particular crowd may be because it could be considered a magical girl harem show
So... you're saying that... you want to... date... the ponies?
Rule 34. No exceptions.
On a slightly more serious note, I don't think MacRoss' argument works, because most shows for young girls have the dynamic of a variety of characters, together making up the viewer. It's like Maxx and the Wild Things. However, MLP is the only one to catch on. If your argument was correct, then Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends should have caught on, but instead none of you watched it so it got canceled (I hate people).
@Shadow Foster's didn't feature a predominantly female cast, nor is it really a 'harem' show (though it was awesome). I think having the female tropes is something that appeals to a bigger audience. Now, that's not to say it's the ONLY thing that makes MLP good. The main cast isn't annoying or overly babyish, and are multi-faceted. I think one of the reasons I dislike basic harem shows is that the characters often lack any nuance, PARTICULARLY ones based on adult games. While the haremy-tropes in the show are certainly not all it has, it may serve as a factor to attract certain kids of fans.
Oh come on, Rainbow Dash is eminently datable. ;^)
Really? Cuz she's kind of shallow and boring, compared to all the other ponies.
I can't believe I'm actually saying this, and it shows I give far too much thought to the show: The only pony I could conceive of dating Dash would be an almost identical male counterpart. (I know, I know, but you 'Dash is teh gay' goons can just have a seat). It'd have to be someone who enjoyed doing almost everything she did with the same amount of enthusiasm. She'd probably just get bored of someone lower key, or they'd get annoyed at her constant energy. Also, Rym, SHES AN ANIMAL. YOU CAN NOT DATE AN ANIMAL.
Oh come on, Rainbow Dash is eminently datable. ;^)
Furry.
Rainbow Dash is the best, but as far as dating it's all Twilight Sparkle.
Double Furry.
I like that it doesn't have prominent male characters. Totally passes the Bechdel test, and teaches little kids that it isn't all about men. I like that even the fashion pony is less about fashion to make you attractive to the opposite sex, and more about fashion as a career and art-form.
So, I had my English final today, and part way through I got "Winter Wrapup" (what few lines I know) stuck in my head. I started thinking about ponies in the back of my head while taking the test, and I realized this: the Summer Sun Celebration was the Summer Solstice. Normally this wouldn't be important, just a borrowed holiday, except that it means that Equestria has varying day length. This doesn't match well with a geo-centric universe. I haven't really thought about possible explanations and implications, but I'm grabbing a pen and paper and will post my thoughts.
Sorry for the double post, but: The sun could move around Equestria in an elliptical orbit, with Equestria as a focus. The other focus would revolve around Equestria once a year. The Summer Solstice would be when the second focus is directly above your location, when the sun moves slowest and travels the greatest distance. The problem with this is that during the summer the sun would be farthest from Equestria, so it would be coldest. If instead Celestia moves the sun at varying speeds throughout the day, while keeping the sun at a constant distance, that problem would be solved. Actually, how would this work if you're not on the equator? I need to figure that out.
Also, in the first episode, the moon is in a crescent. I think I can do a lot with this once I get a screencap. If the crescent is small, then the sun should still be far from rising, right? If I can draw a line from the moon to Twilight, then I can use that to approximate its position in the sky. I can use the crescent to get some information on the positions of the sun, moon, and Equestria. I'm not exactly sure what I can do with all this, but I need something to fill my time.
One last thing: it seems strange that there's a prophecy that Luna will be free on the longest day of the 1000th year, when Celestia controls the days and ponies change the seasons. This seems to follow the "machine set in motion" theory.
Actually, I just thought of something: presumably, different towns change seasons at different times. Ponyville was running low on food when they changed to spring, and they were running late. Do towns with greater food stores change at different times? Also, who changes the seasons in rural areas? Do they remain a constant season? Are there workers who take care of it? Are towns all surrounded by areas like the Everfree Forest, with air travel the only way to get from one place to another (remember that Twilight flew in to Ponyville, though there's probably something in the show that will prove me wrong)?
I just recently realized one thing. When, in Twilights flashback, we see Celestia rise the sun on Summer Sun Celebration and we see her horn glow, a usual sign of unicorn magic. But normally we don't see her horn glowing, even though it should glow always while sun is up, at least if she really is moving sun all the time. So my theory is this. Celestia doesn't move the sun all the time, but just raises it every morning and after that the Sun does it's own thing moving along the sky.
I just recently realized one thing. When, in Twilights flashback, we see Celestia rise the sun on Summer Sun Celebration and we see her horn glow, a usual sign of unicorn magic. But normally we don't see her horn glowing, even though it should glow always while sun is up, at least if she really is moving sun all the time. So my theory is this. Celestia doesn't move the sun all the time, but just raises it every morning and after that the Sun does it's own thing moving along the sky.
Sort of like Jump-starting a car, then? Give it a kick so that it'll run on it's own? Not a bad idea, actually.
Comments
In the case of MLP you have the character tropes, but with a lack of inter-character relationships. Now, obviously this isn't the only appeal of the show, but it might explain some of the attraction of anime and moe fans.
What do you guys think?
On a slightly more serious note, I don't think MacRoss' argument works, because most shows for young girls have the dynamic of a variety of characters, together making up the viewer. It's like Maxx and the Wild Things. However, MLP is the only one to catch on. If your argument was correct, then Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends should have caught on, but instead none of you watched it so it got canceled (I hate people).
Foster's didn't feature a predominantly female cast, nor is it really a 'harem' show (though it was awesome). I think having the female tropes is something that appeals to a bigger audience. Now, that's not to say it's the ONLY thing that makes MLP good. The main cast isn't annoying or overly babyish, and are multi-faceted. I think one of the reasons I dislike basic harem shows is that the characters often lack any nuance, PARTICULARLY ones based on adult games. While the haremy-tropes in the show are certainly not all it has, it may serve as a factor to attract certain kids of fans.
Also, Rym, SHES AN ANIMAL. YOU CAN NOT DATE AN ANIMAL.
I like that it doesn't have prominent male characters. Totally passes the Bechdel test, and teaches little kids that it isn't all about men. I like that even the fashion pony is less about fashion to make you attractive to the opposite sex, and more about fashion as a career and art-form.
Also: Passion? Fluttershy gets certifiable.
Sort of related, I finally got around to watching the entire thing last week.
I'm not completely delusional, am I?
No regrets. NONE.
The sun could move around Equestria in an elliptical orbit, with Equestria as a focus. The other focus would revolve around Equestria once a year. The Summer Solstice would be when the second focus is directly above your location, when the sun moves slowest and travels the greatest distance. The problem with this is that during the summer the sun would be farthest from Equestria, so it would be coldest. If instead Celestia moves the sun at varying speeds throughout the day, while keeping the sun at a constant distance, that problem would be solved. Actually, how would this work if you're not on the equator? I need to figure that out.
Also, in the first episode, the moon is in a crescent. I think I can do a lot with this once I get a screencap. If the crescent is small, then the sun should still be far from rising, right? If I can draw a line from the moon to Twilight, then I can use that to approximate its position in the sky. I can use the crescent to get some information on the positions of the sun, moon, and Equestria. I'm not exactly sure what I can do with all this, but I need something to fill my time.
One last thing: it seems strange that there's a prophecy that Luna will be free on the longest day of the 1000th year, when Celestia controls the days and ponies change the seasons. This seems to follow the "machine set in motion" theory.
Actually, I just thought of something: presumably, different towns change seasons at different times. Ponyville was running low on food when they changed to spring, and they were running late. Do towns with greater food stores change at different times? Also, who changes the seasons in rural areas? Do they remain a constant season? Are there workers who take care of it? Are towns all surrounded by areas like the Everfree Forest, with air travel the only way to get from one place to another (remember that Twilight flew in to Ponyville, though there's probably something in the show that will prove me wrong)?
TL;DR BIG FUCKING NERD
I just recently realized one thing. When, in Twilights flashback, we see Celestia rise the sun on Summer Sun Celebration and we see her horn glow, a usual sign of unicorn magic. But normally we don't see her horn glowing, even though it should glow always while sun is up, at least if she really is moving sun all the time. So my theory is this. Celestia doesn't move the sun all the time, but just raises it every morning and after that the Sun does it's own thing moving along the sky.