My Little Pony: Pony Life Is Lively And Pony-Packed

Greetings, everypony! It has been under a month since we analysed the official trailer and introduction of My Little Pony: Pony Life [53], a brand new Irish-American animated television based on a new line of My Little Pony toys [1] [12] [24] [41]. After seeing some compilations of clips from the brand new cartoon on Hasbro’s official My Little Pony YouTube channel, I am quite impressed with how it somehow manages to capture most of the charm of the iconic 2010s cartoon that it is based on, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic [21]. As fairly ironic yet well-meaning it is how Burger King has temporarily been referred to as “Burger Queer” in Mexico to show support for LGBT rights [5] [15], it is rather a delightful relief that Pony Life has received a fair amount of acclaim so far [6]. However, it has also received some criticism [14] [50]. With a catchy new theme song stuck in the heads of our bronies and pegasisters [35], let us look into plenty of moments from the new cartoon that aired on Treehouse TV in Canada after its schedule for Discovery Family in America was suddenly pulled [41]. Who does not love including at least one emoji in a video title these days?

So this is My Little Pony today. In the year that quoted Darkwing Duck before it began [17]. [41]

Please allow me to further express my views on the new art style of Pony Life [53]. I adore the mesmerising detail on the irises of the ponies’ eyes. I suppose how the appearances of their cutie remarks have been reduced to only one image in the show was to make the progress of animating the chibi-styled ponies slightly easier. Speaking of cutie marks, I can see that Pony Life also takes place in some point after the Cutie Mark Crusaders finally got their cutie marks in the fifth season of Friendship Is Magic due to how the three fillies’ cutie marks can be noticed during Rarity’s magic show [19] [38]. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’s manes are also styled differently, but not as drastically off-putting as Rainbow Dash’s new mane [38]. Despite my slight disapproval of some surreal proportions in the backgrounds [52], my favourite background would be the astrological scene of inside Fluttershy’s mind when she wears Rarity’s potion-infested headband [30]. I think I can be quite used to the new character design of the main characters and the styles of the setting within the reimagining of Friendship Is Magic before the fifth generation is officially established.

Again, see how their cutie remarks are only one image in Pony Life? [34]

Oops! There is a notable animation error that forgets to include Twilight Sparkle’s wings when she demands cleanliness within work stations. Despite an animation error, the animation is still tolerable. [31]

Let us look into some examples of how the Mane Six are portrayed. Fluttershy growing in size when she gets mad is an interesting take on her development [27] [28], quite like how she can successfully confront foes with “the stare” in Friendship Is Magic [26]. It is quite odd to witness Applejack stretch the truth to keep Fluttershy happy since her element is honesty [29], but I suppose it is ultimately for developing a life lesson for a new and younger audience [26]. Reflecting on her fourth-wall break [36], the deed to do so would have been more expected from Pinkie Pie [52]. Nevertheless, I like how she uses her imagination when she drinks some potions to try on:

•        A firefighter helmet [27]
•        A space helmet [27]
•        A pilot’s cap [27]

In addition to the premise of Rarity being inspired to wear a hat like hers [38], I admire how Applejack states that she is independent and is not solely defined by her hate [29]. Pinkie Pie is put in charge of Sugarcube Corner as the series tends to focus on her being the protagonist [39], compared to how Friendship Is Magic’s protagonist was Twilight Sparkle [45]. Nevertheless, there are plenty of premises centring on the other main ponies.

Aye aye, Captain Applejack! [27]

Since Pinkie Pie is now the main character due to how her personality suits the new tone of Pony Life very well, will there eventually be a moment of her driving a brand new car [22]? Other than that, the show could also take place before the finale of Friendship Is Magic as she finally gets to run Sugarcube Corner independently, even though that could ultimately be another sign of the re-imagining being non-canon. [39]

What about the other three main ponies? I found it very sweet and in-character of Twilight Sparkle to offer a storytelling activity in a scenario of a power cut [27]. Rainbow Dash’s competitive nature shown in her promotional video on Hasbro’s YouTube channel was quite concerning to me as it seemed to be taken to the extreme [32], similar to how the reboot of Danger Mouse sometimes portrayed the secret agent’s egoistical attitude to the point where it can be quite obnoxious [7] [8]. Nevertheless, at least there was a sign of the blue pegasus being partially humble when she mentions her friends [32]. It was strangely refreshing to see Rarity wear a cowgirl’s hat that is very similar to Applejack’s, along with how she was hosting a magic show, which would be The Great And Powerful Trixie’s job in Friendship Is Magic [20]. Additionality, she appears to not be fond of camping and nature during the Mane Six’s stroll [27]. Despite a few changes that sacrifice some faithfulness to Friendship Is Magic, I am very pleased to see that the developments of the character have not been greatly downgraded to the very little likeability of how the Teen Titans have been portrayed in Teen Titans Go [51].

Oh. And could the newest Rainbow Dash secretly adore painting her “nails” and eventually dress in style [9] [21] [55]? [32]

Even though I previously stated that Pony Life seems to take place after Twilight Sparkle’s conversion to being an alicorn and the Cutie Mark Crusaders receiving their cutie marks [53], the way Rarity is seen as a magician like Trixie Lulamoon and Applejack is heard breaking the fourth wall like Pinkie Pie can lead to some of us believing that it is not canon [36] [38]. [39]

Are there any supporting and other main characters portrayed faithfully? Well, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are seen applauding during Rarity’s magic show. Aside from how Princess Celestia seemed to be interested in television in the trailer [36], she appears to be quite critical when it came to Pinkie Pie’s failed attempt at baking in a far less messy way [34]. I guess not witnessing extremely messy cooking could be essential for being royalty, but that should ultimately not overshadow her kind and wise traits from Friendship Is Magic [13]. Let us not forget about Spike, Twilight Sparkle’s assistant who is ironically voiced by two voice actresses and still crushing on Rarity [44]. As for Fancy Pants, it was assuming how he sounded like he did not any potion from her but then exclaimed that he would love some [38]. Apart from the reimagining’s heavier focus on comedy and slice-of-life premises [24] [41], it sure is nice to see some of the characters outside of the Mane Six from Friendship Is Magic again and I would be curious to possibly see how some more of them will be portrayed in a few more episodes of Pony Life before an animated series based on Generation 5 begins.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders in the front row of the Great and Powerful Rarity’s audience. [38]

“You’re fired. [2]” [31]

What about any brand new characters who have appeared exclusively in Pony Life? Bubbles, a new character who is an adorable but inconsiderate cat is the definition of “don’t judge a book by its cover” [28] [34], much like those darn critters from that episode of the fifth season of The Powerpuff Girls [48]. Aside from his rudeness to the Mane Six, I chuckled when I saw that Bubbles’ best friend was a clone of Fluttershy who looks like a hipster named “Buttershy” [28]. Perhaps there ought to be a Buttershy in the second wave of Pony Life figurines before the beginning of Generation 5 [1] [12]. There is also a new male pony named “Dishwater Slog” who is designed quite differently with brown fur, a cutie mark that resembles a slice of pizza and casual but unclean attire to increase the diversity in Pony Life’s interpretation of Ponyville [40]. However, he is the one partly responsible for Rainbow Dash’s competitiveness being taken a bit too far with his rather questionable attitude [37]. Brand new characters making their debut in a new show can at least be refreshing and the immoralities of some of them can be useful for establishing life lessons.

Buttershy. One of the coolest hipsters since Hipster Ariel [16]. And what a jerk Bubbles turned out to be. [28]

As for the other jerk who challenged Rainbow Dash, I think the moral of his debut would be not to manipulate anyone into being “worse than you” just to feel great about yourself, despite how Dishwater Slog takes pride in being a lazy and ignorant slob [40]. [37]

Another sign of Pony Life being a potentially non-canon reimagining of Friendship Is Magic is the use of modern touchscreen technology [27] [30] [33]. I honestly do not mind seeing the ponies use smartphones and tablets in Pony Life, despite how illogical it would be for a horse to do in real life. After all, the current interpretations of the lovable cast were firstly established in the first few seasons of Friendship Is Magic back in the early 2010s [21], the time the use of smartphones and tablets become increasingly common. Strangely enough, the moment Rainbow Dash spends too long trying to get a new high score on a mobile app that kind of reminds me of Flappy Bird reminds me of a joke reflecting on mobile game addiction from a webisode of the Bratz stop-motion series from 2015 [4] [10]. Moments like Fluttershy peeping “Selfie!” as she holds her smartphone would be more ridiculous if she and the other main six remained like they were in the previous generations that were established during the times when our current touch-screen technology was not there yet [21] [54]. To me, use of today’s touchscreen technology works much better for cartoon characters who were firstly established in the 2010s.

I understand that parodying addiction to mobile games and showing characters taking selfies or recharging their mobile devices can reduce creativity to a degree, but at least they are done by the interpretations of My Little Pony characters that caused their popularity to rapidly increase in the 2010s [3] [21]. [33]

At least the way Applejack placed her smartphone in a mixing bowl for providing light source is quite clever. [27]

Overall, I would say that Pony Life is a mixture of the slice of life genre of My Little Pony Tales [49], the character designs from the Generation 3.5 series and the humour and portrayal of iconic characters from Friendship Is Magic [11] [46] [52]. What an interesting recipe indeed. To be fair, I can say Pony Life is highly likely to not be considered “canon” to the bronies and pegasisters out there, but its heavier focus on comedy can ultimately be a sign of it aiming to also appeal to the unexpected adult male fanbase of Friendship Is Magic [3]. My Little Pony has come a long way since the My Pretty Pony toy back in the early 1980s [47]. For even more filler between Generation 4 and Generation 5, I suppose there can also be an extension of the spin-off based on the Equestria Girls series since there were human versions of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna within the Pony Life toy line [1] [21] [23]. I need to go and write a letter to the current reincarnation of Princess Celestia, informing her that I have learned to bake a delicious cake without making too much mess. Until then, everypony!

Spaghetti and lollipops anyone? [37]

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