Bronies, come answer my questions!

[MintySocks]

Hi everypony! I've had this on my mind for a while, so I figured the only way to get answers is to ask. Maybe I'm clueless, but I got into MLP at the age of 3, and as an adult I'm still in it for the ponies. I love to see those colorful smiles staring back at me. The G4 FiM phenomenon was something I originally chose to ignore, and then I started watching the show with my kids and got sucked in. Happily so. I the show and I G4's now!


I love this community and a HUGE portion of the discussion involves FiM.  I hear the word "Bronies" a LOT. Call me a culturally ignorant bumpkin if you like, but... what's a Brony? I have been able to deduce that they're adults (quite a few of them men) who like MLP. Is that it? Or is there more to it?


Please, for the sake of pure information gathering, don't reply to this thread unless you ARE a brony.


Tell me...
1. How you got into MLP and why you like it.
2. Single? Married? Any dads? Any moms?
3. Do you collect or just watch the show and discuss?
4. Have you developed an interest in the other pony generations?
5. Any other pertinent facts I should know in order to truly understand what bronies are about!


Thanks in advance for helping me out with my curiosity about you all! 

[will2Bfree]

It's a common misconception that the term "brony" refers only to men. That is not so.

It's true the word formed as a mashup of "bro" and "pony", but girls can also be bronies. In short, it's really just any fan of the FiM cartoon. They just decided to give themselves a nickname, like trekkies. However, generally when one refers to bronies, they're referring to someone outside the show's target audience. That can be boys or men of any age or older girls/women as well.

I think there is a much more prominent male community because they initially felt the need to band together for moral support; to know that others really liked the show as well. This is still very new territory for boys, after all.

I won't answer your questions since you only seem interested in the guys' perspective, but I just thought I'd drop some more info for you.

[MintySocks]

Thank you for that, it's all news to me! Up till now I didn't know a girl could be a brony... this just gets more and more interesting, because by that definition, I'm one too!

[DoctorMowinckel]

Not every guy who's into ponies is a 'brony'. I don't need to stand behind a label to make playing with ponies okay. Screw that. I like buying plastic toys and playing with their hair, that's fine with me. If you have a problem with that take your assumptions about gender roles and stick 'em where the sun doesn't shine.

[Scraleos]

Not every guy who's into ponies is a 'brony'. I don't need to stand behind a label to make playing with ponies okay. Screw that. I like buying plastic toys and playing with their hair, that's fine with me. If you have a problem with that take your assumptions about gender roles and stick 'em where the sun doesn't shine.

I don't think MintySocks ever said every guy who's into ponies is a brony. I don't think she has a problem with you buying them either...

Back on topic... I used to be a 'brony' when I first found the show. Back then though, I didn't know most of them didn't like anything besides G4 because I still loved the other gens when I rediscovered MLP. if it helps, most of my guy friend bronies are 17 and under. I think it's just and Internet fad at the moment.

[MintySocks]

Not every guy who's into ponies is a 'brony'. I don't need to stand behind a label to make playing with ponies okay. Screw that. I like buying plastic toys and playing with their hair, that's fine with me. If you have a problem with that take your assumptions about gender roles and stick 'em where the sun doesn't shine.

Whoaa ok! Ouch! I hope you're making a general statement in answer to question #5 and not getting defensive at me personally. My object in asking wasn't to make gender assumptions at all, or label anybody.  Like I said, I have absolutely NO IDEA what bronies are and I just want to learn what other people think they are... I want to hear from people who consider themselves to be that.  If you don't, I accept that gladly, and thank you for pointing out something I hadn't realized...

Not all bronies are guys.
Not all guys are bronies.

Got it.

But can we assume the best of one another and have a pleasant discussion please?

[StarLite]

Not every guy who's into ponies is a 'brony'.

That all depends on your personal interpretation of the word 'brony'. In my opinion, if you like the show FiM, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, etc., etc., you're a 'brony'. And I know several people who would agree.

But onto the topic at hand.

1. How you got into MLP and why you like it.
...Yeah, probably for the best that I don't answer the first question (Suffice to say I have some unusual friends), but I like it because it's cute, genuinely funny, and reminds me of when I wasn't such a cynical, heartless person. Watching FiM makes me happy.
2. Single? Married? Any dads? Any moms?
Single.
3. Do you collect or just watch the show and discuss?
Oh, boy do I collect. I'm quickly running out of room to put them!
4. Have you developed an interest in the other pony generations?
I've watched 'Rescue at Midnight Castle' and enjoyed it, but I just can't get over the 90s graphics, so I can't really get in the other shows. As for the toys, I don't want to start collecting them or I'll go mad trying to get them all!
5. Any other pertinent facts I should know in order to truly understand what bronies are about!
As I said, in my opinion, a brony is someone who likes the show FiM. No more, no less.

[Dragonflitter]

I've been a huge collector of MLP's ever since childhood, I have over 200. Although I think FiM is great too, I'm not as much into the show as I am into the G4 toys. I dunno if that makes me a 'brony' or not lol. Is a brony a regular fan, or a super fan? Haha I'm not sure, myself.

I thought originally that brony referred to the male demographic that are fans of the show. In fact, I was constantly looking for the female version of the word brony so I could call myself that! lol. (I have since heard it's 'pegasisters' however I don't see it used much in the cartoon or toy collecting communities.)

Well, I recently went to a video game convention in Washington DC and chose to wear my Rainbow Dash T-shirt one day and I was completely surprised by the amount of total strangers (mostly guys, some girls) who would walk up to me and refer to me as a brony! I was like "Uh thanks but I'm a girl...?" Haha. One guy even asked me for a bro-hoof. I felt very hip. *chuckle*

Anyway, now I know it's a gender-neutral term, though I was quite confused at the time.

[gravitationaltim]

I think will2Bfree said it best. In essence, 'brony' is a term that some fans take on, much like 'trekkies', but some people find it offensive/don't want to be associated with it because it is often associated with people who are weird or perverted about the ponies. Sometimes girls who watch the new show call themselves pegasisters or bronies. Really it's up to each person on whether they want to refer to themselves as bronies or not, some think it denotes their association with the fandom as a whole, some think it make them a member of a large community of males who enjoy happy cartoons, and other bunches of interpretations. It doesn't really mean one solid thing, people fight over the definition a lot, it's best to just assume that if someone says they are a brony, it means they are in some way a fan of MLP, and probably safe to assume they got into it because of Friendship is Magic. Myself:
1. How you got into MLP and why you like it.
One of my friends was really into ponies and got me into it, this was RIGHT before the show started, and I got into it more as the show went on.
2. I'm in a relationship, I'm gonna be 22 soon
3. I collect, I liked unicorn toys before I liked MLP, so it seemed natural to start collecting. I was pretty casual before, but after buying about 14 at a pony con, I started to collect more regularly
4. Yes, like I said I started before the new show started. My first pony was G1 Glory that I got for my birthday. I mostly only collect G1 and G4, but I have a few G3 as well.

I hope that helps! I think DoctorMowinckel became offended not by you, but by the idea that some people hide behind the title of brony to defend their masculinity by taking cover in a community of like-minded people, whereas he thinks you shouldn't have to be ashamed of liking ponies and being a man. I agree in general, while I fit the bill, I don't really like being called a brony very much.

[RAMChYLD]

Not every guy who's into ponies is a 'brony'. I don't need to stand behind a label to make playing with ponies okay. Screw that. I like buying plastic toys and playing with their hair, that's fine with me. If you have a problem with that take your assumptions about gender roles and stick 'em where the sun doesn't shine.

QFT. Not every one of us likes to be associated with the "brony" movement. Particularly after run-in with the not-so-well-behaved ones.

My answers:
1. Long time ago. MLP&Friends was one of the shows in my childhood. It had meaning to me because one of my earliest childhood crushes was Megan. Then came Tales, and I got a crush on Sweetheart and the Slice of Life format (Tales started airing here after a slice of life show I loved, Arthur, got pulled, and I started looking for shows with a similar format). I skipped G3 and 3.5 mostly, but went into G4 upon falling in love with some of the toys, finding out that various VAs I love is on the show, and then getting hooked full after listening to Winter Wrap Up.
2. Single
3. I collect. Though it must be said that I did not have much interests in MLP toys before G4 came along.
4. As stated before, my interest in ponies started long before G4, and prettty much blossomed first time round with Tales. G4 just rekindled my love for the franchise.
5. No answer. I think it's pretty diverse. Most are good. Some are obnoxious. I don't really understand them myself.

[Evening_Moonstone]

1. How you got into MLP and why you like it.
My best friend recommended it to me, as we both grew up loving G1 ponies.

2. Single? Married? Any dads? Any moms?
Married.  No kids yet but perhaps by next year.

3. Do you collect or just watch the show and discuss?
Started with the show, collect ponies that are in the show and/or I like them.  So far I have only show-oriented ponies except for Lily Blossom and Dewdrop Dazzle.  I have all the mane 6 (some duplicates, because of the bangs in the hair), the CMCs, and the Royal Castle Friends.  Plus a bunch of blind bags.

4. Have you developed an interest in the other pony generations?
I was a G1 pony fan back in the 80s, and I've picked up some "bait lots" of G1s for customizing and restoring.  So far I have a handful of cleaned, restored G1s for keeping, and a bunch of baits for customs (although I have yet to complete a full custom yet).
I also have 2 G3s - Minty and Marshmallow Coco - which are being used as Christmas decorations.  Got to love the Target exclusives!

5. Any other pertinent facts I should know in order to truly understand what bronies are about!
I'm not really a brony, just a fan of G4. It rekindled my interest in ponies which I haven't had since I was very little.

[tehrin]

I've become a pretty hardcore G1 collector, LOL! But I wouldn't be if it weren't for FiM. So I'll consider myself a Brony, or rather Pegasister!

Keep in mind, that when I say FiM, I am talking about the animated aspect of the G4 ponies. Not lumping all the toys in with it.

1. How you got into MLP and why you like it.
I had lots of ponies during my childhood in the 80's and early 90's and loved them! They were some of my favorite toys. But honestly, once I became a teenager, like many things I loved, I sort of discarded those interests for more "normal" things, like celebrities, clothes, makeup, movies, going to the mall... yadda yadda. In 2000's I considered getting some G3's early on, but I didn't. I didn't even know the G2's existed, except that a friend bought me the little computer game for my 19th birthday and I thought they looked a little funny. I just had a thing for 80's stuff really!

It wasn't until FiM came out, and my friend (you know her has Rayechu) started talking to me about ponies that I caved in. Not to mention, half the people on my facebook had changed their profile pictures to a pony. I went to Toys R Us and bought Rainbow Dash. Then I started watching. I was hooked. I started buying G1's too, first starting with my childhood favorites!

I think that many people who consider themselves bronies ONLY like G4. But G1s have always had a soft spot. Before I began collecting, I'd see them and feel all warm and fuzzy! They're so lovely! On the other hand, I have friends who loved ponies during childhood who wonder "WTF was wrong with me!?" when they look back at previous gens, and don't really consider collecting/hunting for their childhood ponies. I have one friend like this, but it's funny because about 6 months ago, she wasn't even into MLP at all, and now she's a total brony! <3

2. Single? Married? Any dads? Any moms?
I'm married! No children yet though! I was engaged when I got into the show last year, but got married in May.

3. Do you collect or just watch the show and discuss?
I collect, I also watch the show. But I don't really do a lot of discussing. I just appreciate. :3

4. Have you developed an interest in the other pony generations?
Definately! I have ponies of all gens, minus 3.5. I'll probably get a couple of them though, because they have grown on me. G1's are my favorite though, not only for the nostalgia, but the quality is much higher, and there's so many to collect. While I wait for more G4's to be distributed, I grab up lots of G1s!

5. Any other pertinent facts I should know in order to truly understand what bronies are about!
I like to think of Bronies, whether they are male or female as being teenage-adult fans of FiM, meaning the animation. Whether they collect G4 toys, or toys of previous generations is sort of irrelevant. It really comes down to really loving the show and the characters, and coming together because of it!

The pony toys and merchandise are simply a means for us to show that we like it. A lot of us come from the anime/gaming crowd, so it's pretty common for us to have anime/game figures and merchandise from our favorite stuff! So buying a pony toy for most bronies is pretty common. :3

Though if you're like me, you've amassed so much pony that you have to put your anime/game figures away to display your ponies.  I just have my Xenosaga figures out because I love that series as much as ponies (plus, they're small!)

[kCherry]

As these threads tend to veer over to the "Collectors vs. Bronies" subject this is an early warning to all. Keep it strictly on topic and without hostilities or we will be forced to lock it.  ~Cherry

  Now that's that's done, I iz a brony.

1. How you got into MLP and why you like it. I collected G1s as a child and started customizing in 2007
2. Married with two teen sons. They all think that I'm ponycrazy.
3. Do you collect or just watch the show and discuss? All of the above, although I just watch FiM, I don't try to analyze it.
4. Have you developed an interest in the other pony generations? I love All gens. Even the 3.5s!
5. Too much pony politics!

[ZennaBug]

I know you asked for only bronies, but I'm just going to leave a tidbit here:

That all depends on your personal interpretation of the word 'brony'. In my opinion, if you like the show FiM, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, etc., etc., you're a 'brony'. And I know several people who would agree.

I love both FiM and the G4 ponies and I am certainly not a brony.  It's not that I have a problem with them, but I was a collector before bronies existed and liking FiM was a natural thing for me, as a pony fan.  The main reason I don't call myself a brony is because I don't associate with the fandom at all, since there are some sketchy bits that I don't care for at all.

[Kitkumi]

1. How you got into MLP and why you like it.
I can't remember how i got in to it originally. I remember seeing the movie with the Smooze (spelling?) and being hooked from there. I got out of it for -years- until FIM came out. I happened to see a video of it set to Starcraft I think it was, and Nightmare Moon looked awesome so I went and watched the first episode. I was hooked at once.

2. Single? Married? Any dads? Any moms?
I'm in a relationship thats going in to its fifth year, and I'm about to turn twenty four. I got my boyfriend to watch the first couple episodes of FIM and after some eye rolling and cringing, he was hooked.

3. Do you collect or just watch the show and discuss?
I collect to customize, and thats about it on that front. The only ponies I collect to keep are Luna, and a Rarity brushable that I got for my birthday. I watch it every week but don't really discuss it that much.

4. Have you developed an interest in the other pony generations?
The G2 generation! I remember having a few as a kid and then donated them to a used toy drive when I got older DX Looking back I wish I had kept them, lol. My interest in the G2 generation has been rekindled, and I've started to develop an interest in the G1 stuff the longer I've been around here, lol.

5. Any other pertinent facts I should know in order to truly understand what bronies are about!
The term brony doesn't just refer to just the guys, which I think has been covered already, but just as an example I'm a girl and still they call me a brony. A brony can be of any age too; it doesn't have to just be the guys or girls that are twenty and up. They can be younger. Ironically enough, I don't often hear people refer to the age group that this show is supposed to be aimed at (girls ages six to ten or somewhere around there) being called bronies