You win again, internet.

The only thing pony related I do is whenever I'm bored I look up randomly vids of it or play on the famous Pony tf2 server and spam the soundlist.

Last year or so, I actually watched 2 episodes with my cousin without knowing about the whole internet fandom, and I found it pretty good. So I don't think I can be blamed for watching just because I "succumbed" to the internet fad.

Then I found out about the Brony fandom, and I was like .

i seriously cant believe my little pony has 6 pages dedicate to it and 83.. hang on 84 posts, seriously is it really good enough to justify this much attention, not even the true blood thread had this much interest

I can't make heads or tails of this fad. There must be some type of subliminal messaging keeping these poor people glued to the set.

Then again I haven't watched it yet because I am a self respecting human being.

[quote name='yusuo' post='3911972' date='Oct 1 2011, 01:11 AM']i seriously cant believe my little pony has 6 pages dedicate to it and 83.. hang on 84 posts, seriously is it really good enough to justify this much attention, not even the true blood thread had this much interest[/quote]People like to complain.

Imo, it's more childish to call those who watch it gay, or dumb, or whatever, than those who watch it at all.

As odd as it sounds, this was the one place online where I didn't have to worry about people shoving brightly colored equines in my face, and openly labeling me as intolerant for not thinking it's the best thing to hit the world since "Spacewar!".

This thread ruined that, and I hope you're happy.

[quote name='_Chaz_' post='3912478' date='Oct 1 2011, 09:45 AM']As odd as it sounds, this was the one place online where I didn't have to worry about people shoving brightly colored equines in my face, and openly labeling me as intolerant for not thinking it's the best thing to hit the world since "Spacewar!".

This thread ruined that, and I hope you're happy.[/quote]
Are you serious? Ponies have been in the EoF for a couple months.

[quote name='_Chaz_' post='3912478' date='Oct 1 2011, 08:45 AM']As odd as it sounds, this was the one place online where I didn't have to worry about people shoving brightly colored equines in my face, and openly labeling me as intolerant for not thinking it's the best thing to hit the world since "Spacewar!".

This thread ruined that, and I hope you're happy.[/quote]
Then I guess you don't go on many sites.

Or the EoF.

[quote name='machomuu' post='3912482' date='Oct 1 2011, 09:47 AM'][quote name='_Chaz_' post='3912478' date='Oct 1 2011, 09:45 AM']As odd as it sounds, this was the one place online where I didn't have to worry about people shoving brightly colored equines in my face, and openly labeling me as intolerant for not thinking it's the best thing to hit the world since "Spacewar!".

This thread ruined that, and I hope you're happy.[/quote]
Are you serious? Ponies have been in the EoF for a couple months.
[/quote]
Why would I go in the EoF? I'd sooner join the IRC community.

What am i even doing here? and what did i just read? 0_0

Off-topic: If I can watch 'Jewel Riders' once more and 'My Little Mermaid' (Anime-version, yes there is one. Can explain the reason I got into anime before I started losing interest) I will watching them wasting hours on those precious episodes again.

On-topic: MLP:FIM, I have not heard about it until I saw and abridged version of it. Then to find out what 'Brony' means it got me thinking. Did anyone saw 'True Happiness' when they were young and it only came on for like a few times on ABC on saturdays.

Eh, ponies are quite alright, in my opinion. Sure, I relaunched a pony thread in the EOF, but.... it IS the EOF, so it doesn't matter. It's not like I let my EOF content necesarily spill into the other boards here (maybe possibly my own blogs).

I agree on certain points with the opposers here. Some bronies DO take it too far: while I agree that it there's some worth in having something you can share with others, you know there's something wrong when they want to roleplay as ponies.

Those sorts of people can be considered to be on par with weeaboos, or at least in my eyes. I'm not going to let myself fall into that sort of destructive fandom.

Nonetheless, there some things that you can take to heart from MLP if you give it some thought and don't drone around like the fanboys I described above. For one, it DOES remind us who are a bit older that common decency matters: loyalty, laughter, honesty and the like are integral to the relationships we have to other people. It may not seem like it, but as I've gotten older, I've forgotten these principles a bit. MLP brings this back a bit.

Now, this doesn't mean I constantly restrain myself from posting ponies everywhere obsessively, or show ponies to everyone I know. The fact is that I'm just very lax over it IRL: if my friends find out about, alright. Maybe online, I'm a bit more vocal about it (especially in the EOF, perhaps). The principles I sketched up above are probably the only thing I do absorb properly from the show, anything else is really just fluff for me.

So while a few of you may argue "but you photoshop ponies in the pony thread, Ace!"... I choose to do this because 1) Photoshopping is a skill I've been trying to practice for YEARS now, so this is nothing new, and 2) It's fun to contribute. While the brony community would benefit more from being a simple arts (excluding fan-fic here slightly) fandom rather than leghumping the entire My Little Pony franchise, it's just the way it is.

To some extent, I can sort of understand why something as foreign and overtly (sp?) girly like MLP brings out naysayers. There's a large element of trolls included in it from the fans. But it is important for these people who oppose MLP to look past this provocative function, and instead look at the more positive factors: isn't it GOOD to have more people brought together to something like Bronycon's, in a similar way to the umpteen iterations of anime conventions?

Because of this, I find it harder and harder everyday to separate "cartoon" fans from anime fans, because the general fandom is so similar. I'm not saying I lump them all together, because that'd lead to this becoming another massive flame war. But I do want to say that the communities hold similarities, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

I know a lot of you here are likely thinking that most bronies are 15 year old little shits, running around on chan boards and fapping to anything vaguely feminine showing skin. While there ARE quite a bit of these sorts of bronies, most of the ones I do know here in Sweden (through Facebook) are generally older than 23. Many already have families of their own, or at the least a university education. I'm not saying that it's like this all over the world, but doesn't this suggest an older fanbase than just teens? Maybe the people who were teens during the days of Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo, Johnny Quest, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel, Ed Edd 'n Eddy, Powerpuff Girls, etc?

I'm not writing this wall of text up to tell you how to think. I'm doing this because I myself haven't put these thoughts to words since I first saw the show. It's first now that I know what I want to say about this and how I want say it. Please, excuse me if I come off as patronizing: I'm trying to be as clear as possible with my thoughts.

Now, unlike a Rayder-length post ( ), I'll go ahead and TL;DR this:

• It's okay for anyone to like MLP: no one should have to tell you what to like or believe.
  
• Yes, some bronies CAN be compared to weeaboos in their level of destructive-obsessive fandom.
  
• There are good things to take from the show, namely the importance of friendship and principles of general decency.
  
• Anyone who watches it is in control of what they take in from it: you don't instantly turn into a "weeabrony" from watching it.
  
• In my eyes, the brony community looks better if it's not leghumping the MLP franchise with brony conventions.
  
• The fandom is comparable to anime fandom: there's conventions, merchandise, cosplaying, etc.
  
• Bronies aren't always necesarily 15 y/o's with too much angst and confusion: check those numbers up.

EDIT: Alright, nice type-up and formatting finished. Time to rest my fingers a bit.

*rereads thread*

Dear God... what have I done? I had an opinion, and not even on GBAtemp it's welcome without open hostility from the haters...

What have I created...?

Oh yeah, a mudslinging war. Oops...

(but thanks Ace, I appreciate the logic nuke...)

[quote name='Warrior522' post='3912542' date='Oct 1 2011, 04:57 PM']*rereads thread*

Dear God... what have I done? I had an opinion, and not even on GBAtemp it's welcome without open hostility from the haters...

What have I created...?

Oh yeah, a mudslinging war. Oops...[/quote]

It's okay. You gave me a good spot to voice my opinion at least. Also, glad to hear you enjoy the show, too.

[quote name='Ace Faith' post='3912546' date='Oct 1 2011, 11:00 AM'][quote name='Warrior522' post='3912542' date='Oct 1 2011, 04:57 PM']*rereads thread*

Dear God... what have I done? I had an opinion, and not even on GBAtemp it's welcome without open hostility from the haters...

What have I created...?

Oh yeah, a mudslinging war. Oops...[/quote]

It's okay. You gave me a good spot to voice my opinion at least. Also, glad to hear you enjoy the show, too.
[/quote]

*fistbump*

Respect from Ace = God tier. This is a pretty kickass week... Looks like I'll be blogging again... Eventually...

Ok, I just read the critical reception part of the show in wikipedia and I watch a part of it. I will NEVER understand the show. O.O

[quote name='Guild McCommunist' post='3911808' date='Sep 30 2011, 07:21 PM'][quote name='machomuu' post='3911805' date='Oct 1 2011, 01:20 AM']Well in that case it's just crap.[/quote]

That's been the point the entire time.

MLP is probably the worst meme to ever grace 4chan. And that's saying something.
[/quote]

cbb to read anymore and can't believe I read as much as I did...

but Guild ninja-ing machomuu's edit made the wasted time worth it


But really? My Little Ponies? There is a cult of teenage men boys who watches this? WTF?

[quote name='riposte' post='3912604' date='Oct 1 2011, 11:35 AM'][quote name='Guild McCommunist' post='3911808' date='Sep 30 2011, 07:21 PM'][quote name='machomuu' post='3911805' date='Oct 1 2011, 01:20 AM']Well in that case it's just crap.[/quote]

That's been the point the entire time.

MLP is probably the worst meme to ever grace 4chan. And that's saying something.
[/quote]

cbb to read anymore and can't believe I read as much as I did...

but Guild ninja-ing machomuu's edit made the wasted time worth it


But really? My Little Ponies? There is a cult of teenage men boys who watches this? WTF?
[/quote]
Somehow I knew you'd post. I really don't see what you find so wrong with edits. If one shows the original after the edit than the content is pretty much false. No point in typing "EDIT:". And, oh look, I'm editing right now.

[quote name='Warrior522' post='3912570' date='Oct 1 2011, 05:16 PM']*fistbump*

Respect from Ace = God tier. This is a pretty kickass week... Looks like I'll be blogging again... Eventually...[/quote]

*Giggle*

Thanks. I was afraid I'd get shot down for being the maintainer of the pony thread over at the EOF.

@riposte: Yup. Boys like ponies too. I agree, it's quite weird, even though I indulge in it myself. But let's not forget almost all weird things happen on the Internets now anyways.