My Little Pony - where did this phenomenon come from?

Adults remember them from childhood, and today their children love them. They found a place not only on toy shelves, but also on the shelves of adult collectors. Ponies, because we are talking about them, an indisputable phenomenon in the world of fairy tales and toys.

You sit down with your child in front of the TV to watch a fairy tale together. It falls on the familiar-sounding name My Little Pony. Multi-colored ponies from a magical land appear on the screen, and you return to childhood with memories. Since the 80s, ponies have been one of the most popular toys, and in the meantime they have become the heroes of TV series and animated films, originally viewed on videotapes. Until today, a lot has happened in the fantasy world of ponies over the years. New characters of My Little Pony appeared, and the "old" ones took on a new look several times. Currently, ponies delight children and ... adults. As it turned out, the group of fans among people over 20 years old is quite large. How did it happen that fairy tales and toys got the name of phenomenal, moreover, for such different age categories?

Little ponies with a lot of experience

Almost every 30-year-old today remembers the colorful ponies from their childhood. The MLP brand, owned by the well-known toy company Hasbro, dates back to 1983. Then the American designer Bonnie Zacherle developed characteristic pony figures. Each of them received unique symbols that became their hallmarks. Toys are produced continuously to this day, most often in close connection with fairy tales, which also regularly appear on screens.

Ponies, pegasi and unicorns, the main characters of "My Little Pony"

My little pony world it certainly belongs to the fantasy category. Characters have miraculous powers and, as is often the case in this type of universe, they can be divided into good and bad. So some heroes fight each other, and groups of others unite. This is a classic fairy tale script for children, as well as adult-oriented animation. The most important characters are ponies, among which are pegasus who can fly, unicorns with magical abilities and marshmallows - cute little pegasus with antennae and fairy wings. The main character is Rainbow Dash. She has been a part of this iconic series since the very beginning. This is a female blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail. As you might guess, her calling card is a rainbow. It is worth noting that in the first series of the 80s animated series, the ponies were accompanied by three children, and the whole group went through fantastic adventures together.

pony pony on screen

Animated pony madness began in 1984 with 10-minute episodes of an American TV series called My Little Pony, which inspired a new toy line. Then both fairy tales and toys were aimed at children, mostly girls, at the earliest school age. Today, pony pony is a topic that is eagerly discussed in fan groups for an adult audience.

The first series ran until 1987, and two special episodes were released with it. In 1986, the feature film My Little Pony: The Movie appeared, and in 1992, Pony Pony could be seen on TVN. There have also been numerous animated films on VHS and DVD, as well as computer and mobile games.

The cult series “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”, broadcast in 2010-2019 (in Poland, the broadcast began in 2011) contributed to the popularization of ponies among adults as well. The film was produced by The Powerpuff Girls and Mrs. Foster's House of Imaginary Friends animator Lauren Faust. It is her talent that animation owes its unique character, recognizable by fans. Based on the series, the animated film My Little Pony: Equestria Girls was created in 2013.

Lovely ponies perfect for kids

The little ones love ponies for their magical, fabulous character. Each character, and the whole world, is filled with bright colors. Pegasus Rainbow Dash (Polish: Rushing Rainbow) delights with its rainbow mane, pony Cotton Candy (Polish: Cotton Candy) is sweet pink, and Sparkler (Polish: Brylancik) is a silver unicorn. And these are just three of the many characters! The ponies are decorated with bows and cute badges. It can be enjoyed, especially by little girls. In a word, colorful ponies attract children's attention. By the way, the tale conveys valuable, universal values, such as friendship and respect for everyone, and also indicates the important role played in life by the family and strong ties with loved ones.

The MLP fandom is an adult phenomenon.

How about adults? How is it that the biggest fans of the Magic Pony series ended up in the 20 to 35 age group? Moreover, there is no shortage of men in the fan group! They call themselves you defend, from words bro (brat) i pony (pony). Female counterparts of this group Pegasisters (Pegasis). Although in the case of women, their fan group focuses primarily on the world of Equestria from the movie My Little Pony: Equestria Girls.

Big fans of little ponies point to the many elements of the My Little Pony series that prove that this world is suitable for adults too. This is especially true of the 2010-2019 animated series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Fans love the universal values ​​conveyed by the fairy tale and colorful characters with a variety of personalities. Many people point to references to nerdy and geeky hobbies, such as the cult series Doctor Who. One of the ponies with the meaningful name Dr. Huvs resembles the protagonist of the TV show with his behavior and appearance. Some people include "Friendship is Magic" in the anime genre. As such, there is no shortage of topics to discuss in the growing number of MLP fandoms.

Toy world “My little pony”

It's undeniable that while pony ponies are loved by adults, their primary audience is children. It is with them in mind that new toys and numerous licensed products are constantly being created, including clothing, school supplies and gadgets. "My little pony" as toys are mostly popular pony figurines, for example in the form of a surprise. There are also entire sets that let you play creatively. There are also books, coloring books and soft toys. Interestingly, many of the figurines are used by adult fans of the series as collectors.

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As you can see, the history and offerings of My Little Pony are extremely extensive and seem to have no end. Perhaps this is the secret to the success of little ponies - their uninterrupted presence over the years and the ability to strike the hearts of everyone, not just children.

Check out more articles from The Passion of a Child magazine.

Cover: Frame from "My Little Pony" | Canterlot wedding.