My Little Love of Ponies

Today, if it does not behoove you, I will be talking about magic and ponies. Picture courtesy of HubWorld.com

I was born in the ’80s. I was brought up by the miracle of ’90s era-parenting: television.

I was a fan of “Cow and Chicken“ and “The Rugrats;” I wanted to be a part of the “Round House“ and “All That“ casts; and, damn it, I really hated Barney, Barbies and My Little Pony because it’s so dumb (especially Barney).

Well, not anymore. OK, I still think Barney is horrendously scary, but marginally better than *shudder* the Teletubbies. And I think Barbies are really bad too. I’ve changed my mind about ponies though.

My good friend Kyle told me about this fantastic new reboot of the My Little Pony franchise called My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. To understand the premise of the show, you only have to understand two things: ponies can talk; friendship is magic. Supplementary, what’s good to know is that the show is developed by Lauren Faust.

If magical ponies aren’t enough to convince you (it was for me), I should tell you a bit about Faust. She is the wife of Craig McCrackin creator of the “Powerpuff Girls“ and “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” and the pair worked together to write and direct the shows. Her work and style of humor from “Fosters” and “Powerpuff Girls” is carried into “My Little Pony,” where the show isn’t necessarily a pile of saccharine sweet scenes of rainbow ponies acting really girly (OK, most of it is).

What’s important to note here is: The show is something parents can watch with their pony-obsessed children. It has wit, and the style has captured its demographic of 20-something men who write a bunch of stuff on Internet forums (Warning: strong language and rainbows).

There’s a point to all of this.

I'm sorry, I'm not a horribly creepy person. Please don't hurt me. Also please don't hurt me for blatantly stealing this picture from Know Your Meme, which I then shooped so that it's in English.

What’s important to note is that a good show can be entertaining to watch, no matter who’s watching it. So I can kind of relate to all the people who are so enamored with Pretty Cure and Card Captor Sakura (actually no, those CCS fanboys are still freaking creepy). I go back to talking about “Rocko’s Modern Life” being the pinnacle of fine children’s entertainment, but it’s true. Good writing invites an audience of many while manufactured “targeted toy merchandising” disguised as entertainment is generally seen as really shoddy work.

So perhaps those 30-something otaku in Japan who really like anime about cute little girls and magic aren’t that creepy after all. K-On! is about four girls that like to play in a band in high school. Sailor Moon is about nine young girls that fight against aliens for good. Magical Witch Punie-chan is about a girl that must fight for her right as the heir to a magical kingdom. Strike Witches is about 11 young girls that like to be military aircraft to defend the earth — OK, no, it’s still really creepy. You’re still 20-something. You’re still fawning over a children’s TV show. It’s one thing to watch with your son or daughter, but it’s another to unironically like a show that’s for little kids.

But here’s my point. If you really like the show, you like the show. Whether you’re male or female; an otaku or not; 28 years-old or 8; sexually attracted to the characters or not, you like the show. You have the right to wear your heart on your sleeve and if people bother you over it, then punch back. You’re allowed to have an inordinate love of fictional characters, even if society will look at you oddly upon it.

Anyway, I’m off to play with my new birthday gift.

Sometimes, people take your Facebook status messages literally and will buy you a My Little Pony figure for your birthday. I personally like Fluttershy more, but Rarity is certainly good. As long as I didn't get Rainbow Dash. I really don't like Rainbow Dash — she's way too hyper. She needs to calm down. You know? I really do like how this thing comes with its own comb and everything though. I'm going to have hours of fun, no doubt.