My Little Pony: L'amicizia è magica

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

What this show has, that this world lacks is an emphasis on on friendship. Yes, magic is mixed in and it can be unrealistic, but don't focus on that. Focus on the friendship aspect. It's so nice to see so much of that and "people" working together and nice things happening for a change.

If you possess the maturity to look past this show's girly exterior, what you will find inside is a show which is both very entertaining and somewhat educational. The show's main moral is friendship and its importance. This is a moral that everyone, not only little girls, could learn more about.

This show does not portray friendship as all things perfect, just as in the real world. Conflicts between friends is common in this show, as in real life. But at the end of the day, everything ends up well, just like what should happen in the real world between true friends, and a lesson about friendship is learned by the show's main character and, hopefully, by the viewers too. This show teaches morals. Not only does it teach them, but it does so in an extremely fun, light-hearted and enjoyable way.

The show is built upon 7 main characters, 6 female ponies and a male baby dragon who serves as the main character's assistant and best friend. Every single one of these characters is unique. They all have very personifying characteristics which are explored deeply as more episodes are watched. Not only are the front-faced personalities of the ponies explored, but also the flip-sides. Fluttershy is a very kind and timid pony. Not so much though, in the last episode of season one, where she displays a psychotic rage. Not every cartoon can explore personalities this deeply and this successfully. This one can, and it delivers.

The humour in this show is very prominent. The show is laden with puns and one-liners which only serve to give everyone a laugh, not just the intended viewing audience. This show is genuinely funny, and this only makes it better.

The animation is very well done. It's done in Flash, which is becoming increasingly popular for animators. This leads to common minor animation errors, but they don't matter. The styling, including the overall design and colour palette, is brilliantly done.

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic is a show that anyone can enjoy. It is definitely a show aimed at the younger generation. But who cares. This show is by far one of the best cartoons on TV at the moment, and just because its girly and made for younger children doesn't mean it's bad. Give it a shot. You'll find it's worth it.

The episode does a great job of introducing the Mane 6, and the villain (from the little we see in this part) is intriguing as she's intimidating. I don't have a lot to say about this one.