TOY SHOW: Hasbro introduces MLP Guardians of Harmony

[Galactica]

I think that these toys are just trying to expand into the action figure market share... I doubt it will have any impact at all on the other market shares (brushable toys, toddler toys, equestria girls). 

I am pretty impressed at how interesting they all look.  I do hope that they really do get made and released in the US.  We SO got burned with the new stuff this last year.

[Rainbowrific Renia]

I think it could be done tho. They added hair to the SSC mini dolls they had. Brushable hair would just open up more customization options. Like I like these but in the future why can't we have a wave that is brushable?

I think kids will like these more than the brushables. What can kids do with those but brush their hair? With these they can act out adventures and use their imaginations.

I honestly don't think they're done with brushables, but I guess we can't really say anything about that until we see more of what they have in store for us this year during the Toy Fair. I'm just glad that they're expanding the brand and giving us a line of toys like these. I really think this broadens the market a bit (more adult collectors, maybe even little boys and girls who aren't a fan of the brushable hair aspect, or people who like the blind bag sized sets but don't like how small they are), and there's nothing wrong with reaching out to new people. I saw a comment from someone saying "I think these look awesome and I never thought I'd say that about MLP!" and I suspect there will be a lot of similar comments like that once more people see these toys.

As far as making this line brushable/customizable, I'd imagine some of you crafty people out there could do something with these, even with their molded hair. Like find a way to remove the hair, add hair, paint them, etc.

[Elisto]

I like them and don't feel articulation makes them any less "MLP" (although I find the Shining Armor/Giant Spike combo weird), but overall I feel uncertain about these.

I preferred action figures to dolls as a kid because I liked the detail and articulation, but I also always preferred brushable hair to molded hair, so I wish these could have combined that.

That aside, what's making me uncertain is more the context of these existing - "My Little Pony has long fostered a female appeal, yet Guardians of Harmony is another way for Hasbro to release products to satisfy its current large and fervent fan base of girls and boys, young and old" Hasbro's admitting they're only making these now because boys are fans too (ie: girls have always been fans, but now that there are boy fans, we need to find another way to sell to them too). Making things for boys too is great, but there's no inherent reason girls wouldn't have liked pose-able action figures as well before, they're just rarely made for girl's properties. That really bothers me.

That said, that quote does also suggest to me that this isn't meant to replace brushables either since they seem to acknowledge they need both, which I like, if not for reasons I agree with.

[Purpleglasses]

I love these! The sculpting is dynamic and I like articulation. As a kid, I know I was more into ponies because they were toy unicorns than because I could brush their hair. Besides, the g4 line has always had the best show and the most one note, dull toys in my opinion. I mean the line has about four different sculpts for all its characters, they're small and they've never quite captured what is fun about the show. I say that as someone who loved MLP as a toy line I made up my own stories about back in g1.

There's an interesting thing going on here with gendered toy marketing too, though. The emphasis on projectiles and shields makes it feel a lot like a "girl" line re-imagined as a "boy" line. I'm all about, to put it kindly, forgetting the gender binary, but I can't help but be reminded of the controversy of Cartoon Network cancelling Teen Titans because girls liked it but were perceived as a weak toy buying market. If Hasbro only wants to put money into making G4 an interesting toy line because boys like it too, that's a bit disheartening. That said, there is nothing (except perhaps confused parents?) stopping kids of all kinds from playing with and enjoying these toys, and this includes the marketing copy Hasbro has released about the line thus far. I think I would have loved them as a kid!

[Kitzka]

Thank you to the OP for posting these. I think they look amazing. I won't get all of them but will get a decent number of them.

Can't wait to see what else comes out of toy fair.

[Dragonflitter]

:\ For me, I'm going to pass on most of them. I really don't like the articulated look, even though these are better than the ones currently out. The cutie mark is in a little better position now, but still it's weird to see it on the upper leg rather than the position where it belongs. I'm not a fan of molded hair at all, and I'm going to miss the brushables, which are obviously going to get less attention from now on. (We always note how rarely we get new brushable characters, so how often do you think we'll see them when all the attention will soon be going to the new line?)

[Wardah]

I think they see what Mattel is doing with the DC Superhero Girls and realizing that girls are into more than just dolls and that's why the Equestria Girls Minis and these are being made. The whole "boys and girls"  is just them trying to ride on the whole "gender neutral" movement.

[Sunset]

Are there even going to be any new brushables at all?

I admire the sculpts and design that went on these but I will also be honest and say that I also bemoan their existence. Don't get me wrong, they're well-designed and it's great that so many like them, but I am just really annoyed at the lack of new characters, brushables, and especially the lack of effort or care they have recently given to those. What got me to buy MLP in the first place is their nice colors, simplistic charm and colorful brushable hair, and their variety despite their simplicity. I got into MLP collecting for the colorful horse dolls and certainly not for the "adult collectible" vinyls or the "SuPeR AwEsOmE xXxeXtReMeXxX!!!" action figures.
Maybe it's because I don't like the FiM show anymore that it's hard for me to appreciate these.

Now, I am not against changes, and I'm not saying these shouldn't exist, I think these will definitely do well, but I just think non-brushables should not overtake most-almost 50-60% of the toys.
While an MLP toy does not need hair to be an MLP toy, brushable hair was MLP's main thing since its conception, they really shouldn't minimize that or worse, take it away.
Couldn't they at least use the sculpting/detail that went on to these for the brushables too? We still don't even have a proper round-eyed unicorn head mold or an almond eyed pegasus+earth pony mold.

I do like articulation and I would definitely appreciate articulated brushables that have more dynamic sculpts like these. (And NEW characters of course)

sorry for the long rant

I feel the same way.  I do like some of these toys, namely Shining riding a dragon and the Celestia and Nightmare moon.  But I really wish they would put a little more effort in giving us more unique brushables with new poses as well.

And I will say that styling a pony's hair was one of the fun aspects of pony play when I was a child.  I even learned how to braid with my ponies.  I like the new toys but I'm afraid that these push the brushable core of the brand even farther to the side.

[Dragonflitter]

There's an interesting thing going on here with gendered toy marketing too, though. The emphasis on projectiles and shields makes it feel a lot like a "girl" line re-imagined as a "boy" line. I'm all about, to put it kindly, forgetting the gender binary, but I can't help but be reminded of the controversy of Cartoon Network cancelling Teen Titans because girls liked it but were perceived as a weak toy buying market. If Hasbro only wants to put money into making G4 an interesting toy line because boys like it too, that's a bit disheartening.

THIS. Has anyone noticed how much Hasbro has emphasized conflict and fighting with the particular images they've released in this article so far? We don't have a toy set of Twilight with her tree house library, or her owl assistant. We have her fighting a Changeling with an angry expression on her face. We don't have Celestia and Luna as sisters, we have 'Celestia versus Nightmare Moon.' We have Shining Armor wearing gladiator-style armor riding a giant dragon with a jousting lance.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the majority of the show is 'slice of life' episodes, not 'hero versus villain' episodes (those are usually saved for the seasons openers and finales). Rarity designing clothes. Fluttershy getting over her shyness. The CMC dealing with school bullies. But we don't have any fashion playsets or school playsets here. We have the main characters and villains that they can attack and fight.

I'm not saying girls toys HAVE to be about school or fashion or anything like that, but it looks to me like there's nothing in the new line to acknowledge that at all. I think this new line is very obviously trying to grab the boy toy market and not only ignoring the established market of toys aimed at young girls, but ignoring what the majority of the show is about too.

[Violet CLM]

I guess these are an evolution of the jointed, poseable, brushable pony figures that are in stores now.

That said, from the thread name I was expecting a new show, not just a new toyline. Tch.

[JazzMatazz]

:o I want spike

[gabumon]

Yes, Yes and YES!!!!!!!!!

stoked!!!!!
but now i may stop buying the current wave of articulated ponies....

[Wardah]

There's an interesting thing going on here with gendered toy marketing too, though. The emphasis on projectiles and shields makes it feel a lot like a "girl" line re-imagined as a "boy" line. I'm all about, to put it kindly, forgetting the gender binary, but I can't help but be reminded of the controversy of Cartoon Network cancelling Teen Titans because girls liked it but were perceived as a weak toy buying market. If Hasbro only wants to put money into making G4 an interesting toy line because boys like it too, that's a bit disheartening.

THIS. Has anyone noticed how much Hasbro has emphasized conflict and fighting with the particular images they've released in this article so far? We don't have a toy set of Twilight with her tree house library, or her owl assistant. We have her fighting a Changeling with an angry expression on her face. We don't have Celestia and Luna as sisters, we have 'Celestia versus Nightmare Moon.' We have Shining Armor wearing gladiator-style armor riding a giant dragon with a jousting lance.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the majority of the show is 'slice of life' episodes, not 'hero versus villain' episodes (those are usually saved for the seasons openers and finales). Rarity designing clothes. Fluttershy getting over her shyness. The CMC dealing with school bullies. But we don't have any fashion playsets or school playsets here. We have the main characters and villains that they can attack and fight.

I'm not saying girls toys HAVE to be about school or fashion or anything like that, but it looks to me like there's nothing in the new line to acknowledge that at all. I think this new line is very obviously trying to grab the boy toy market and not only ignoring the established market of toys aimed at young girls, but ignoring what the majority of the show is about too.

Actually I think they are just finally realizing that girls are interested in action too. Idk if you noticed, but it seems feminism is really changing the market. First DC Superhero Girls and now this.

[aluke]

Woah, my first thought was that this was some new third party line, but it's actually from Hasbro? 

The necks look weird and too long, and I kind of wish they went the extra mile to articulate the hind legs too, but these are neat. I won't buy any myself, but I'm excited to see owner photos.

[Tulips]

I never expected Hasbro to actually be brave enough to do something like this, I applaud them!

I can't wait to see these in stores, I will definitely be buying a few. Sounds like Shining Armor will be sold separately from Spike, must buy!