My Little Ponies

Another fandom that I didn’t ask for but was forcibly introduced to. My friends, Princess Bob and J-chan had watched the new version of My Little Ponies and thought I would like it. They knew I had watched Fruit Baskets and thought it had the same cuteness. I didn’t agree. But mostly because I didn’t remember the original series from my childhood. I remember playing with them but not any sort of obsession.

So, one night we were having a girls night and decided to pull it up on my Netflix. I was reluctant but soon got pulled into the storyline. There was something about the intense introverted nature of Twilight Sparkle that I identified with. Or maybe it was that the story lines felt really true to life. Or perhaps it was just to cute.

I remember having that moment when I was a kid dropped off at camp or as a young adult at college thinking, “I have to make friends? How? Why me? Can’t I hide here till it’s over?”  But as I watched the show more I felt much more affection for Pinkie Pie mostly because I love being the crazy one among my friends.  However, there are moments where we all feel like the each of the characters.  Shopping we can all be come a little Rarity.  At work we have a little bit of Apple Jack.  Camping a little Fluttershy.  Playing a game totally Rainbow Dash and obviously Pinkie Pie is the party animal.  While Twilight Sparkle tends to be the mother-like figure that brings everyone together.

I noticed with time that I got excited every time I saw My Little Ponies stuff.  Plushies, figurines, even cupcakes.  I just added a t-shirt to my wish list from Steve Jackson Games’ Munchkin Apocalypse.  I didn’t want it because I like the Apocalypse version of Munchkin but because I love the Four Horsies of the Apocalypse resembling My Little Ponies.  Two of my great geekdoms in one shirt.  I actually skwee’d when I saw it!

Later Princess Bob, J-chan and I went to the trouble of seeing the My Little Ponies movie in theatres.  It wasn’t showing many places but we were lucky it was close.  So, yes we went to see it in the afternoon on opening weekend.  We also enjoyed every minute of it.

Recently I even created a Demon Hunters character that had a trait where he treated My Little Ponies like a religion.  He also has a signature shirt that is always some sort of My Little Ponies shirt.  Finally, the campaign ended up taking place in the middle of a My Little Ponies convention.  It is an amazing game.  The character is also a former solider so it makes it more fun for me to be manly and love My Little Poneis and friendship while the rest of the Demon Hunters crew is very cynical.

I also played a great game at GameStorm where someone had turned figurines from the show into characters for a miniatures game of Fallout.  He called it Fallout Equestria.  It was amazing.  It was post apocalyptic and just as deadly as any other miniatures game I’ve seen.  However, being my first miniatures game I did die pretty fast but that won’t stop me from trying again I guess.

So, I guess you could say that My Little Ponies is like a cup of coffee.  It is a small pick me up after a long hard or stressful day.  I really think people should treat it more like watching old Disney movies because there are really jokes for adults and not just kids all the time.

What childish think did you give a try?  Do you have a guilty pleasure in Young Adult books or Saturday Morning Cartoons?  I would love to hear about it in the comments.