g4 fandom paranoia. THE END IS NIGH!

[Strawberrysweets]

I always fed my pony green apples to test the game's limit. Well, i concluded that whatever you do, you pony won't die. It's a thing, I suppose.
I never sent my pony to the castle ever again when I realized you'd loose it. That was so heartbreaking, I thought there would be more stuff out there, or the possibility to get your pony, but no, it was gone forever, game over. That was so sad to me.
I think I was a very weird kid. '-' Kind of cruel. Thankfully I'm not like that anymore.

I sent my pony the first time after starting. I must have looked terrifeid as my mom asked if I killed the pony.

[scifipony]

I've grown to love all gens individually (except 3.5 because... bah!) and Starlight Glimmer has replaced Rarity as my fave pony on the show. But it's been around since 2010, in development when G3s were still in stores.
This is just how MLP works and I am super excited to see the next gen!

I hope it will bring in less internet trolls and more kids.

I agree 100% with this. As much as I love FiM, I'm really excited for G5 and can't wait for it to come out. And hopefully I'll still be around to see the next few gens as well. 

[Zapper]

Out of the fandom, it's even funnier. 

Hahaha! Same. Also, while I do love MLP as an adult and look back with a smile to my childhood ponies, I poke fun at the franchise and its lore and myself liking it all the time. As with all my other fandoms.
In kind of a Mel Brooks way, good parody comes from a place of admiration. I saw how many fans took that literal pony show way too seriously and built a way of life around it, which just weirded me out.

I watched Bronies make fun of previous pony gens shows and movies while taking FiM as the gospel. So I know I will take a lot of pleasure in seeing new fans come in with G5 and calling G4 trash Will give the serious business "G4 is my religion" types something to think about.

[KarentheUnicorn]

The End of the World - a Parody of the Carpenters song

Why does the sun go on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?
Don't they know it's the end of G4
'Cause Hasbro don't love me anymore...

Why do the birds go on singing?
Why do the stars glow above?
Don't they know it's the end of G4
It ended when they kept selling same ponies over and over againnnn.

I wake up in the morning and I wonder
Why everything's the same as it was
I can't understand, no, I can't understand
How life goes on the way it does!

Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of G4?
It ended when Discord became a bore...

Don't they know it's the end of G4?
It ended when Starlight Glimmer became Twilight Sparkleeeeeeeee...

(Dedicated to all the MLPNewbies out there filled with de dramas - and sadly they probably don't even know who the carpenters are.)

Lol  Although, I feel the need to point out that I do know who the Carpenters are despite being a Gen Z (or late millennial, depending on where you count the cut-off between those generations).

The carpenters are sorta before my time but I have a very wide-ranging taste in music it spans many many generations.  For the parody to have impact you really have to hear the song, pretty sure it's on youtube if you search carpenters end of the world.

[SaraMari]

I only know this song from Fallout 4 haha, my fiance used to play it all the time so I'd have to hear the background songs over and over

As for this paranoia, probably those crying about the most will be the ones to leave first? Totally fine with me, I prefer not to associate with bronies so if their ranks shrunk that's ok with me. As others mentioned it likely has to do with how tied to the show it is, and the demographic of bronies. Maybe they feel frightened by the thought they have to keep fanning FiM with no new episodes or have to move on to G5?

[WaterDraw]

I don't know if anyone's said this yet, but I will.
No, not ALL of g4 will die. HOWEVER, the fandom has been slowly lessening since around 2015. Most of the fans of g4 are only there for the show, and once content stops flowing, they'll most likely leave. It doesn't matter how much of a "true fan" they are, sometimes you just stay for one thing and that's it. In that person's opinion, they could just not like the other generations or the newer ones and with a lack of content (some people only like official content, IE the TV Show) and with people slowly getting out of the fandom, then they'll probably just leave. IMO you are still a true fan if that is the case.
Honestly the term "true fan" seems kind of stupid to me. It's almost like just because you left the fandom at season [insert number here], you are considered not a real fan. The reason does not matter, you are just not a true fan. You could have a really negative experience in the fandom, but if you didn't stay until the end you are not a real fan. If you didn't stay in the fandom after the show ended because you had no real interest in stuff not pertaining to the show that was canon, then you're just a fake fan.
I don't think we should be calling people fake fans is what I'm saying basically. No ill-will meant to people who used the term.
Anyway, I think the paranoia is actually granted. Sure there can be a lot of it, but for people like me who have been slowly watch the fandom die, it seems totally likely it happened. No fandom can ever truly die, but they can start to fade into obscurity and become forgotten. I remember in g4s hayday when it was EVERYWHERE, but now the only place I see it is in discount bins in stores.
A lot of people are probably taking their paranoia from past shows that faded into obscurity fan-base wise as soon as either big changes were made or the show stopped running. It's a completely logical conclusion to make, especially if you've never been in a fandom before.

I will say, however, that this is the end of an era. An era where the MLP show has been one of, if not the highest quality. This show pushed boundries showing that you didn't have to be a seven year old girl to enjoy the adventures of multicolored ponies. I know bronies get a bad rep around here, but honestly they aren't that bad. The bad ones are just the vocal minority of the fandom. It's a lot like the Sonic fandom. Yeah there's a lot of really toxic people in that community, but not even close to half of the fandom like that. Bronies get a negative stigma and I don't think they deserve that. If only there was another name to call the bronies who were actually bad.
This era of MLP has been a breakthrough. No more do people think of it as the show where all the ponies are basically the same character with slightly different personality traits. And if not that, they were walking stereotypes. MLP FiM has set new standards for the series. People can say whatever they want about Rarity being a stereotypical girly girl, but the truth is there are girls in the world who act like her. Lauren thought it was important to represent all kids of girls in this show, and girls who have Rarity's personality are most commonly shown as snooty or stupid. Rarity has tested those bounds and proven that just because you like fashion, does not mean you are an air-head who is mean to everyone around her. She also shows you have to work hard to get where you want to go; not everyone is just handed the opportunity to do something.
As much as I love the G1 cartoon, you have to admit that it wasn't the best thing ever. The characters were basically re-colors of each other with a sometimes different hairstyle (Firefly, Glory) and building on character wasn't a big theme. The show was meant to sell the toys. Sure they went on adventures, but they never grew from that experience. G4 was made to sell toys as well and it showed you could do so while also making great toys...even if that did result in millions upon millions of mane six toys...

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that while members of the g4 fandom are either leaving or staying, this is still an end to an era. Hopefully G5 is good and they won't shove as much mane six in our faces.

[Taffeta]

@WaterDraw - I agree with you that not all bronies are bad. I tend to distinguish the ones that are as crazy bronies, but the term itself has become tainted and some very dark things have come out of the community which have had implications for other completely innocent collectors or fans.

I don't think the G1 and the G4 animation need comparing because the G1 animation isn't the core of G1 the way G4 is. Doing that misrepresents what G1 is about and the richness of the collectable and its many different canons. If that makes sense. It's comparing it by G4's rules which is no better than holding G4 to G1 standards on toy production (which admittedly happens too).

I don't personally think this era has been a breakthrough, nor do I think that the G4 animation is as groundbreaking as it gets reported. I have issues with a lot of the messages it puts out, such as Rainbow Dash's abuse of animals and the imposition of friendship by ponies on other species portrayed in a lesser/superior relationship (now with the school) to the ponies which isn't necessary. It has got a lot of attention but that is pretty much all. I think it's disrespectful to the generations that came before to suggest G4 was some kind of epiphany. It really wasn't. It was just a different approach to the same concept in a way designed for the twenty-first century, rather than the twentieth.

[Leave a Whisper]

I wouldn't call this gen the highest quality MLP has ever been. The toys are the crappiest I've ever seen, the animation is cookie cutter, sterile and deformed and the cartoon is average fare.

[Taffeta]

I wouldn't call this gen the highest quality MLP has ever been. The toys are the crappiest I've ever seen, the animation is cookie cutter, sterile and deformed and the cartoon is average fare.

I think the toy quality varies, but the oversaturation of mane 6 doesn't help.

[Leave a Whisper]

I wouldn't call this gen the highest quality MLP has ever been. The toys are the crappiest I've ever seen, the animation is cookie cutter, sterile and deformed and the cartoon is average fare.

I think the toy quality varies, but the oversaturation of mane 6 doesn't help.

Well considering the last g4 toy I bought for myself has unmanageable hair and 1 1/2 tail holes...

[Sunset]

I feel like a lot of the angst may be coming from the part of the fandom that is more fans of the fandom than of the ponies, if that makes sense.  And it *is* true that the fad is dying down.  Hot Topic and Funko have moved on from ponies.  There generally seems to be less merch aimed at adults.  It's been 8 years and people will naturally move on.  Those who where in highschool are now in college or beyond.  Those who where in college are now in the workforce and are possibly starting their own families.  Some of those people may cycle back in eventually. 

As someone else said, here we have the act of collecting the toys to keep us engaged long after a particular gen ends.  But in the case of G4, the fans who are not inclined to collect will have to find some other way to stay engaged.  That could look like creating stories, animations, artwork etc.  Those fans who aren't inclined to be artsy, they will find little to keep them involved once the show ends.  But that happens with every fandom.

I personally am looking forward to G5 though I'm trying to resign myself to the idea that we may be stuck with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, at minimum, for the rest of eternity.

Re: the Carpenters.  Love it!  They were a little before my time, too, but my mom had a cassette tape lying around and they totally spoke to my angsty preteen soul.

[Taffeta]

I would be so happy if we got rid of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash forever. I loved G3 RD but G4 tainted her for me with her really obnoxious characterisation.

I also...this is probably unpopular, but I refuse to call it G5 if it's not new characters. It's G4.5, because it;s the same as G4 but with different poses/canon. Like G3.5 to G3.

G5 requires creative input that I suspect Hasbro probably don't intent to give. They've made a lot from repeating the same stuff over and over. Why change that formula?

I guess I feel G4 (not the concept, the execution) killed MLP rather than defined it or was a breakthrough. If there's a lack of creativity in the toy line it's saying MLP has basically become a tv show and a bunch of memes. And that's not what I signed up for, so I won't be sorry if it goes away.

[Ponyfan]

I also agree that G4 is coming to an end. I’ve noticed that there haven’t been any new FIM albums on iTunes since the MLP movie one. I think the MLP the movie Funko Pops were the last MLP Funko items. The pony aisle in my area is getting smaller and smaller. Ponies now share a tiny section of the aisle with Hello Kitty,  Shopkins and other toys.


I’m also surprised that FIM has lasted for 8 seasons so far. FIM has always been hit or miss for me. One of my least favorite episodes was the one that  made it clear that FIM was starting to pay more attention to what some bronies wanted to instead of making something for the target audience that adults could enjoy too. 

I agree that those that were the target audience when the show began have probably moved on.

I want to see new characters in the next generation of MLP not Twilight Sparkle the earth pony and Fluttershy the unicorn.

Ponyfan

[WaterDraw]

@WaterDraw - I agree with you that not all bronies are bad. I tend to distinguish the ones that are as crazy bronies, but the term itself has become tainted and some very dark things have come out of the community which have had implications for other completely innocent collectors or fans.

I don't think the G1 and the G4 animation need comparing because the G1 animation isn't the core of G1 the way G4 is. Doing that misrepresents what G1 is about and the richness of the collectable and its many different canons. If that makes sense. It's comparing it by G4's rules which is no better than holding G4 to G1 standards on toy production (which admittedly happens too).

I don't personally think this era has been a breakthrough, nor do I think that the G4 animation is as groundbreaking as it gets reported. I have issues with a lot of the messages it puts out, such as Rainbow Dash's abuse of animals and the imposition of friendship by ponies on other species portrayed in a lesser/superior relationship (now with the school) to the ponies which isn't necessary. It has got a lot of attention but that is pretty much all. I think it's disrespectful to the generations that came before to suggest G4 was some kind of epiphany. It really wasn't. It was just a different approach to the same concept in a way designed for the twenty-first century, rather than the twentieth.

I will admit this generation has been overhyped. I didn't mean to come off as this generation has no flaws, because it does. I feel Fluttershy isn't very kind and is either a pushover or some weird passive aggressive personality for laughs. I feel Applejack should've got more screen time. However, it's important not to overlook what it has done for the series. I feel like it has made some breakthroughs, but if you don't think so that is totally fine.


Off topic just a bit, but I feel like G4 gets a lot of undeserved hate here. Yes, the over saturation of the mane 6 is annoying. Yes, the toyline kind of sucks, especially after the reboot. But this generation gets almost no love anymore. If you don't like G4, that is fine. You don't HAVE to like a generation. But I don't think people should be hating on it over and over. Saying stuff on how they wish the mane six would disappear forever is really disheartening.
Like Taffeta said, G1's cartoon wasn't the core of the series. We mostly base our opinion on G1 as a whole based on the toyline. G4's cartoon IS the core of the series. Therefore, it makes sense that the mane six are marketed over and over again. No, I don't agree with it, but think of it this way: If you were a little girl wouldn't you rather have a character you know the personality of and like personally than just some rando pony? Ever wonder why Firefly is one of the most popular/common g1s? I'm willing to bet a lot of kids saw the movie and wanted a Firefly of their own since they liked her so much.
The mane 6 is marketed too much, yes, but complaining about it over and over isn't going to help anything. I'm pretty sure a lot of little girls would be heartbroken if they only had a couple chances to get, say, Twilight Sparkle for example. MLP is a business afterall and the bottom line is what makes the most money. Taking the mane six off the shelves for say a whole entire season and only having background characters is not a smart business move. How many of you know who Shoeshine is (without looking it up) and what her personality is? How many of you know who Princess Cadence is and her personality without looking it up?
All I'm saying is that while we don't like what Hasbro is doing with the toyline, there really is not much we can do. The only reason we get figures of characters like Soren or Lyra is because they are fan favorites and are marketable.
Sometimes it feels like people are hating on the show just because it's popular.

I want to make this clear that I am not targeting anyone in particular when I say this, but just the people I see on here in general. So if I said something eerily similar to something someone else said, then sorry it's just coincidence.

[Mana Minori]

I wouldn't call this gen the highest quality MLP has ever been. The toys are the crappiest I've ever seen, the animation is cookie cutter, sterile and deformed and the cartoon is average fare.

I think the toy quality varies, but the oversaturation of mane 6 doesn't help.

Well considering the last g4 toy I bought for myself has unmanageable hair and 1 1/2 tail holes...

what in the name of Celestia? Pics please?

also,  100% agreed on much oversaturation of the Mane 6. It's sickening. We don't even have the Pillars or any of the School 6, yet (not that I want them, if they're going to be made in that weird g4.5 style. Even if they weren't, they're not all that interesting as characters, to me. (except maybe Silverstream. Her adorableness is growing on me)) What gives?