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I've recently subscribed to Netflix and I found a documentary on it about an adult community who are avid My Little Pony cartoon fans. I remembered a thread I had seen on this very site all about this cartoon. Intrigued by the fact that so many adult males seem to be staunch fans of a children's cartoon, I decided to give the documentary a go.

One of the men in the programme was filmed driving to his local Walmart (or some similar shop). He was on his way to pick up a doll of one of his characters, some kind of unicorn. He was hideously excited at getting his hands on this toy, going on to explain how he broke the news to his mum that he had more than a passing interest in toys meant for pre-pubescent girls.

Anyway, I decided to track down one of these cartoons in order to see for myself what the fuss was. I was pretty surprised to discover that the cartoon was just...a cartoon. Nothing special, just a cartoon you'd expect a young child to watch. So what the hell is wrong with these 'men'? What's so special about it, apart from being obscenely odd behavior when a full-grown man watches a cartoon aimed at children, mainly little girls?

Hold on I have to make some popcorn for this one.

I really don't get it either. I've got a friend who's a 'Brony' and he says it's a combination of the good morals, and something about a dark unicorn who wants to blot out the moon.

That said I find the cartoon insufferable. I'd sooner watch Power Rangers in all it's cheesyness

I felt the exact same way. It's just a little girls show. characters story lines and everything else is as underdeveloped and pre-school as you'd expect.
Nothing out of the ordinary.

The reason there's such a following is because the fans have poor social skills and find a false sense of community online. That's it.

My kids like it and it's one of the few shows I don't mind having on in the background. I've sat down and watched it and I find the lessons to be agreeable and a well made cartoon overall.

Though the one with the Southern accent gets on my nerves a little.

Expect this thread to be locked because Bronies are special and need to be protected from bullies, aka "people who don't get it". MLP is trash, yet somehow a [thankfully] small portion of the male population has decided to latch onto it. If you don't understand it...good. Means you're balanced.

Not sure either on my part, IMO there are plenty of other better cartoons that appeal to both adults and children better (Justice League Unlimited, Gravity Falls, Batman the Animated Series). I guess its just because the brony fandom seems to typically be overly more vocal and visually expressive of their interest in MLP compared to others.

You get all kind of crazy, silly, and odd..

To be honest, its more harmless than others, there's worse out there on the internet.

 jhe90 wrote:
You get all kind of crazy, silly, and odd..

To be honest, its more harmless than others, there's worse out there on the internet.

Based on Bronies I've known in real life, I have to respectfully disagree with you there.

I've got young kids, and as far as kids shows go, it's probably the most acceptable to an adult palette.

I've seen them all, at least as much as Netflix has. The show has an overall optimistic outlook, empowering. It has lots of fantasy elements that are fun for me as a long-time dork. The writers / artists for the show include something for adults in most places, and if you read any of the recently released comics there are plenty of "easter eggs" for adults in them.

I enjoy the show. I don't know if that makes me a "Brony", but I enjoy watching the show with my kids, which is much more than I can say of most of the shows they watch.

 greatbigtree wrote:
I've got young kids, and as far as kids shows go, it's probably the most acceptable to an adult palette.

I've seen them all, at least as much as Netflix has. The show has an overall optimistic outlook, empowering. It has lots of fantasy elements that are fun for me as a long-time dork. The writers / artists for the show include something for adults in most places, and if you read any of the recently released comics there are plenty of "easter eggs" for adults in them.

I enjoy the show. I don't know if that makes me a "Brony", but I enjoy watching the show with my kids, which is much more than I can say of most of the shows they watch.

This ^^. Plus the fact the Chaos guy is Q from star trek was fun and not just the way he acted but voiced by John Dr Lancie.

 BrotherGecko wrote:
Hold on I have to make some popcorn for this one.

This is exactly what I said to myself

I had a roommate who was very much into it - pretty sure I judged him more for his overuse of Treemen and Ymgarl 'stealers. He got me to watch an episode in exchange for reading Game of Thrones. It was...well, a cartoon. The characters were expressive and it seemed like the actors were having fun with it, there were background jokes clearly intended for an older audience, there was solid effort, which is always nice to see, but at the end of the day, I'm not all that interested in My Little Pony. Some people are; not sure why, maybe they just like the innocence and simplicity of it. That's cool, whatever floats your boat.

I'd rather watch Batman, though!

The reason there's such a following is because the fans have poor social skills and find a false sense of community online. That's it.

Why would you categorize it as a 'false sense of community'?

Thanks for reminding me to see if my son will watch this. It's gotta be better than Curious George. Anything is better than curious George.

Scooby Doo: Mystery Inc. was the bomb, though. If only it weren't so scary.

If it isn't for you, it isn't for you. I don't get wrestling so I don't watch it, but people do.
Quite franklyq, it was at the beggining of cartoons starting to get good and more then shilling toys.
I have met unhinged bronies, just like I met unhinged 40k fans and really unhinged Anima fans. Judge the person, not the show they watch.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
I
Quite franklyq, it was at the beggining of cartoons starting to get good and more then shilling toys.

These, though...these are fightin' words.

See 'Batman', above.

I mean recently. You can't deny between justice league, and now we had bad cartoons.

My Little Pony offers a valid ethical structure for modern times, plus cosplay...

]

 Spinner wrote:

 BrotherGecko wrote:
Hold on I have to make some popcorn for this one.

This is exactly what I said to myself

I had a roommate who was very much into it - pretty sure I judged him more for his overuse of Treemen and Ymgarl 'stealers. He got me to watch an episode in exchange for reading Game of Thrones. It was...well, a cartoon. The characters were expressive and it seemed like the actors were having fun with it, there were background jokes clearly intended for an older audience, there was solid effort, which is always nice to see, but at the end of the day, I'm not all that interested in My Little Pony. Some people are; not sure why, maybe they just like the innocence and simplicity of it. That's cool, whatever floats your boat.

I'd rather watch Batman, though!

The reason there's such a following is because the fans have poor social skills and find a false sense of community online. That's it.

Why would you categorize it as a 'false sense of community'?

I'm talking from experience here so I'm slightly biased, but I've known several people that became Bronies, One in particular who became got so obssessed with the community that he became introverted to the point he abandoned almost all human contact outside of his facebook accounts where he pretends to be the characters. You may say that's a rare occurance adn happens in all communities, and I'd normally agree, but the other Bronies I knew and the forums he hangs out on encouraged him to act like this.

Perhaps false sense of community is the wrong phrase, but its certainly an unhealthy community.

same with the sonic fsndom, or when I played wow I saw that too.
When I was a brony I had a active social life. Movies, friends, 40k all that stuff.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
same with the sonic fsndom, or when I played wow I saw that too.
When I was a brony I had a active social life. Movies, friends, 40k all that stuff.

And I agree. I've seen some stuff from the Sonic fandom that I'd sooner forget, far worse than anything I've seen from the Brony community. But this topic isn't about them.

Adult males obsessing over a show made for 10 year old Girls.

Not creepy at all.

Riiiiiiiihhgt.

My point is all Fandom have their dark spots of people you don't want to associate with.
Trust me, let me show you some weirdos of 40k players.
Like the guy with a soul grinder with a giant adult toy for a cannon.

First one of my friends became a "furry". Now he became a "brony". Where will this end?
I don't get it either. A sense of community? You can get that from everything that has a community. Why little girl's cartoons?


There is also the fact that there (in my experience) seem to be a lot of bronies (and furries too) that are completely obsessed by with their hobby. Now it is true that you see that in every community (the plastic pile in my room bears witness to that), but with these people it seems to happen much more.
I also have to admit it completely creeps me out, and I don't know if that is a good thing or not.

Remember, it's important to judge others on this forum dedicated to moving around tiny plastic and metal men.

 toasteroven wrote:
Remember, it's important to judge others on this forum dedicated to moving around tiny plastic and metal men.

True, on some Brony forum this exact same post has probably gone on.
things are fine in moderation applies, except krokodil, that's just well bad for you any dose.

 Iron_Captain wrote:
I don't know if that is a good thing or not.

Honestly if they don't bother other people it's nothing to worry about.

They can perform whatever sex acts involving pony dolls with themselves they want*, just don't do it in public thanks.

*This being the extreme end of Brony stuff.

If they're not hurting anyone I don't understand the fuss. Sure there must be a few weirdos as all fandomd tend to gather. But to tar all adult fans of the show with the same brush is the same as those who see some stinking slob in a game store and tar all gamers the same way. Which does happen and gamers bleat about the unfairness of it.

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
If they're not hurting anyone I don't understand the fuss. Sure there must be a few weirdos as all fandomd tend to gather. But to tar all adult fans of the show with the same brush is the same as those who see some stinking slob in a game store and tar all gamers the same way. Which does happen and gamers bleat about the unfairness of it.

But passing judgment is so fun! And hypocrisy is always fun too!

Except when you are making fun of MY hobbies and fandoms, then it is you being mean!

 curran12 wrote:

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
If they're not hurting anyone I don't understand the fuss. Sure there must be a few weirdos as all fandomd tend to gather. But to tar all adult fans of the show with the same brush is the same as those who see some stinking slob in a game store and tar all gamers the same way. Which does happen and gamers bleat about the unfairness of it.

But passing judgment is so fun! And hypocrisy is always fun too!

Except when you are making fun of MY hobbies and fandoms, then it is you being mean!

Remember, if you are making fun of other fandoms, its because they deserve it, if you are being made fun of "They just dont get it"
Like me, Im ALWAYS gonna pick on the sonic fandom.

I honestly don't get it at all. (actually, I can't stand it) But to each his own. I'm sure I got a lot of things I like that others would scorn. Do your thing.