My Little Pony: L'amicizia è magica

Hasbro has captured lightning in a bottle with a cartoon revelation so pure and enchanting, it has captured the attention of even guys who wouldn't normally like My Little Pony. The pilot episode became one of the biggest animation related events since the release of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Lauren Faust has taken her unique character design style and warm-hearted characterizations and breathed new life into My Little Pony. The result is a new spin on the franchise that's super cute but not saccharine with just enough added snark and outrageous humor.

But it should not be looked at as another My Little Pony cartoon. Instead, it should be looked at as a good show that just happens to have characters from the franchise. But instead of being girly or cheesy, the show has winning humor and wonderful characters. The kingdom feels like it has real places with real neighborhoods. The families have brothers and sisters and older ponies. Magic returns to the ponies and feels real instead of tacked on. There are not too many villains in this show but there are a couple monsters. However the real conflict and drive of the show, and what makes it so interesting, is in seeing how different and varied the personalities of the characters are and how they often act like real friends, complete with disagreements. This is the most educational version of My Little Pony yet. However, unlike preschool cartoons, the lessons don't feel forced or pandering.

This is one of the most remarkable cartoons yet. Truly it is a great achievement.

It's supposed to be a show for little girls! This is actually what the fans of the show say, who find themselves enraptured with whatever episode they decide to make their first. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is aimed for a target demographic of young girls 5 to 10, yet an older male demographic (who call themselves "bronies") are also finding themselves heavily invested with everything going on in the new series. News of "bronies" following the show has met with both positive and negative feedback. But I like to take the optimistic side - quality is quality. Transformers has always meant to be a show for young boys yet costume shops sell Transformers costumes meant for women every year.

The anime; Sailor Moon was also another show meant for younger girls, yet it's unprecedented popularity saw it receive mention from bands like The Bare Naked Ladies and get covers done by the Osaka Popstar's

I don't think I even need to get into how SpongeBob Squarepants dominated the first decade of the newest century. Odds are five people you know can finish the sentence, "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?".

Friendship is Magic is like discovering Looney Tunes for the first time or laughing at the family dynamics of The Simpsons. Think those are some lofty comparisons? Tough, get off your high horse *snicker* because this show has honestly earned it. I hope to see several more seasons, I hope to see a movie one day on the big screen, I want to see the Japanese create a new opening theme, and see what other memes the fandom can create that will become part of the show's canon. So much more I can't even fit in this box is possible. Some cartoons are good, fewer still are even great, but it's rare ones like these that are actually magic.

I have to take a guess why this has so many views from adults is because of its originality. The same originality from the cartoons we grew up watching. There are the same characters, different plots per episode, and eye-easy animation. I started watching the series after just one episode, and it takes a good, well written series to pull a viewer in from just one episode. All of the characters have their own image and personality, even the background characters. The writers are clearly professional and know what their fans want. The franchise has become so powerful it has a cult following, a powerful fan base and fan sites, along with soundtracks to please any music lover. This is absolutely a great series I believe anyone should enjoy. It has great morals on friendship and becomes very addicting.

We've watched this since about 2015, although not recently at all in the past year (writing in 12/2020). Sienna suggested a 7-star rating, but that doesn't reflect the era of its greatest draw for her: a few years ago, both kiddos were so into it that we were worried when it was uncertain if Netflix would renew the series. Along with Sofia, this is the first show that both kiddos enjoyed watching together. Also, they watched it almost exclusively in Spanish for a long time. Sebastian loved the dragon sidekick Spike. For me, it was interesting to see another reboot from the 1980s, in this case a "girls" franchise that had passed me by (a bit like "Shee-ra," but in this case there was no "boys" equivalent), but not so heavily marked for gender, at least officially, in its reincarnation.

I am not afraid to admit as an 18 year old female that I have a soft spot for My Little Pony, as I do with all my childhood favourites. I watched this show, not expecting much at all, and was really surprised at how much I loved it. When I first heard of My Little Pony:Friendship is Magic, I was a little worried of who it would appeal to, thinking of the conception that it was for little girls and pre-schoolers and little else, but I was wrong. Sure that may be the main target audience, but there may be adults who might admire how much My Little Pony:Friendship is Magic accomplishes.

Several reasons make this show appeal to me. There are the life lessons. This is a very educational show I feel which I think parents will appreciate, and the life and moral lessons are important ones and aren't delivered in an overly-didactic and convoluted fashion. There is the humour. I agree that My Little Pony:Friendship is Magic is very winning in its humour, there are many times where I was amused by the situations and writing. Not all of it is funny though, the show manages to convey some poignancy as well without being too schmaltzy.

There is also the characters. Other than the lessons and the humour, the characters and the way they interact are what make the show work. All the characters are genuinely cute and engaging without leaving a bad taste in the mouth, and they are simple yet interact so well with each other and they also have unique personalities. The story lines are also simple but well paced and quite clever, and the writing is cute, funny and poignant. I also liked the animation, the colours are bright and breezy, the backgrounds are ethereal-looking and the character designs are adorable, and the music is lovely complete with an infectious theme tune.

Overall, a huge surprise and if given a chance without prejudice well worth watching. 10/10 Bethany Cox