Issues with 35th Anniversary Ponies

[Leave a Whisper]

I really don't think we'll have anymore probs. Aside from white ponies, but that can strike any toy, old or new.

The plastic is sturdy, the ponies, playset and accessories are great, the hair is thick and silky-shiny and the boxes are so dreamy that I have to keep one of each.

Good points about older ponies. Imagine my surprise when someone showed me a lavender Windy.  I've never known my childhood Windy being any color other then white, and lots of Windys on eBay are white too.

[Taffeta]

G1 when I was growing up I never had any major flaws show up within a year or two.  That's out of hundreds of ponies. 

Eh. Some ponies had regrind early on, Maybe not within 1-2 years... but I can remember it from 3-4 years. (It could of been earlier then that, since it was a friend's pony and not mine). Come to think of it, I remember discoloration on one of the Big Brothers too when I met her (I dunno if it was Chief or Trucker).

And flutters had an obvious flaw.

And any kid who left a saddle on their pony too long would have stains from the saddle. So. That's similar to the bows discoloring ponies.

If we're going down that line, curls washed out, sea ponies got water inside and went mouldy and pale pink hair faded in the sun.

Bottom line is that G1 did have flaws sometimes really early on. The thing is what we notice as kids and what we look for as adult collectors is probably different. When I think about it, my Baby Blossom also faded really quickly as I had her in 1985. Like Windy, she started off as lavender because my mother also chose her for her colour and I have a photo of her in 1986 when she is clearly not her proper colour. So that's a year..?

With G1, some folk have already done some research on how different batches of certain ponies behave differently (Pinwheel for example) depending on the batch. We know not all rainbow ponies thus far are discolouring but some are doing it right in box on store shelves. So it is indeed a matter of how many ponies are affected...and whether it is going to be the huge problem later on or not. We really don't know yet. This is why I commented on people complaining but not necessarily praising. We need more data on how many ponies this affects, rather than just panic and assumption that it will affect all of them. I mean, G1 scented ponies - Cherry Treats, for example - sometimes discolours and sometimes doesn't. I've never seen a discoloured one in person so I can't really comment on how long that process takes, but I remember in 1998 there were rumours that she had a tan variant. It was only later that proper research proved that she didn't, but it was discolouration. The thing about that was that for people not to remember their ponies discolouring, it suggests it was something that often happened in childhood and so they didn't remember her being white. Otherwise someone would've dispelled the rumour sooner. But to the same token, some stayed white, because otherwise everyone would just assume she was meant to be tan.

As for the ponies that come next...I want wave 3 here first. I don't trust anything really, since it's taken 11 months for the collector ponies to get mainstream release here since the US release last January. But if that goes smoothly and all sets that are made happen here (playsets excepted) then I am hoping for ponies released in the US in the early years that didn't make it to the UK. 2nd year sea ponies? Bring it on Also 2nd year rainbows, year 3 unicorn and pegasus (though less fussed about Gusty tbh as we had her) and the early baby ponies. It would be nice to have others, but I really want to fill those gaps. Hasbro promised us them so long ago and never delivered. I'm really hoping this will be an opportunity to put that right, which is why I'm going to save my negativity about the line in general until the retro project is over.

By the way, I had a thought about the CP ponies flaw the OP mentioned. Since I've not seen anyone else mention it, and considering where it is on the ponies, I wonder if it's to do with the product they use on the pony hair?

[Leave a Whisper]

Hair Product? 

[Taffeta]

Hair Product? 

In the package, there's something in the manes of the ponies, to keep the forelock together or whatever, I don't relaly know why. It combs out or it seems to, but I just wondered whether if the conditions were right it might have an adverse effect, given that the marks are around the head.

[Leave a Whisper]

Hair Product? 

In the package, there's something in the manes of the ponies, to keep the forelock together or whatever, I don't relaly know why. It combs out or it seems to, but I just wondered whether if the conditions were right it might have an adverse effect, given that the marks are around the head.

Hmm. I didn't notice that with her CPs? Interesting.

[Taffeta]

Hair Product? 

In the package, there's something in the manes of the ponies, to keep the forelock together or whatever, I don't relaly know why. It combs out or it seems to, but I just wondered whether if the conditions were right it might have an adverse effect, given that the marks are around the head.

Hmm. I didn't notice that with her CPs? Interesting.

Maybe it's just the ones with the turning head. The Snuzzle you sent me is from the earliest release I think and her head doesn't turn, she also I don't think has stuff in her hair. But the Rainbows we have definitely had something, and Butterscotch and Minty have turning heads...I can see it just still on Butterscotch though they've been well combed. In fact, maybe there's some relation with that and the rainbow discolouration, if there's something in the product reacting with the plastic and the scent while the ponies are in package. I don't know yet, it's too early to say really - but there is a theory that it affects boxed ponies worse than ones out of box...

[Leave a Whisper]

Hair Product? 

In the package, there's something in the manes of the ponies, to keep the forelock together or whatever, I don't relaly know why. It combs out or it seems to, but I just wondered whether if the conditions were right it might have an adverse effect, given that the marks are around the head.

Hmm. I didn't notice that with her CPs? Interesting.

Maybe it's just the ones with the turning head. The Snuzzle you sent me is from the earliest release I think and her head doesn't turn, she also I don't think has stuff in her hair. But the Rainbows we have definitely had something, and Butterscotch and Minty have turning heads...I can see it just still on Butterscotch though they've been well combed. In fact, maybe there's some relation with that and the rainbow discolouration, if there's something in the product reacting with the plastic and the scent while the ponies are in package. I don't know yet, it's too early to say really - but there is a theory that it affects boxed ponies worse than ones out of box...

Ahhh.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

G1 when I was growing up I never had any major flaws show up within a year or two.  That's out of hundreds of ponies. 

Eh. Some ponies had regrind early on, Maybe not within 1-2 years... but I can remember it from 3-4 years. (It could of been earlier then that, since it was a friend's pony and not mine). Come to think of it, I remember discoloration on one of the Big Brothers too when I met her (I dunno if it was Chief or Trucker).

And flutters had an obvious flaw.

And any kid who left a saddle on their pony too long would have stains from the saddle. So. That's similar to the bows discoloring ponies.

My bought-from-TRU-in-the-80's Cloud Puff started getting regrind within a very short time of purchase.  I remember being very surprised she was changing colors, thought it was the Gimmick on my Flutter Pony and that she was MAGIC.  Took me years to learn what regrind was!

I think a lot of people had flaws in their G1s, they either just don't remember or don't have those ponies anymore.  Look how many colour variations there are for Cotton Candy and Blossom! 

[CinnamonOnions]

I'm not saying that the discolouration isn't an issue, it obviously is. But it doesn't affect all batches of the ponies as present.

As for the prices, I'm in Europe too, so I also have to pay more for them than the US pricing. I used the US pricing deliberately because it's a US product. We pay extra because of all the import export stuff going on. That doesn't change the fact that it is a $10 item as far as the toy producers are concerned. I can understand the frustration of a higher price and flawed ponies, I am absolutely not condoning that - but I don't want it to be the case that problems in the minority of products ultimately end up bringing down the whole of the line.

(I think Rainbows here are about equivalent $18, and Collectors $14).

I want to see retro products and this is better than what Hasbro managed 10 years ago. It's not perfect. I'm not a perfectionist. It's not a collector item, it's a toy that's sort of aimed to snare us as well. I feel like if Mattel can get away with goophaired MH dolls for most of the franchise with a higher price point, there's not a lot to be done about this except deal with it and move on.

I want wave 3 to come to Europe. For that to happen wave 2 has to sell in Europe. For me this is the bigger picture. It's fine if you happen to live in a country where the wave 3 characters were sold but there are a lot of people in the UK who never had that opportunity 30 years ago, and don't now without importation hassles and currency issues. To get that set onto shelves here for me is enough. I can deal with it if the symbols are a bit squint or the hair a bit crinky or the hooves squashed at the base a little or whatever the problem might be. I just want them to come out here. And I absolutely get the frustrations everyone has. But for me this is a "bigger picture" problem. Yes, the issues should not be there, in a perfect world. BUT the choice is retro ponies with a percentage that have flaws or no retro ponies. And I like seeing them on the shelf.

I think that the percentage of CP with flaws is also extremely minimal. At least I've seen them in three different store chains here now and I've yet to see any with problems. (Though I've also seen plenty of Rainbows as well and have only seen three, total, with any problems - only one of which was severe).

Time will tell, of course, how well they hold up. But I really feel frustrated that we've been given this unexpected bonus in getting G1 back in stores and yet it's all negative and complaining. To be blunt, the QC on the retros is better than it's been for most G4 products for the past x number of years...

Incidentally, have the CP ponies made it to Europe?

I myself see severe discoloration in about every batch. Yesterday I for the first time saw more than one Moonstone without the severe discoloration issue. Nice to hear though that atleast someone mainly has seen normal looking ponies.

Even though it's a 10$ item quality wise, it feels annoying to have to pay double the price or more for ponies that have notable discoloration in every batch in atleast three or four ponies.

I'd love for the third wave to come to Europe, but I just feel like it's highly unlikely. For me my country DID have year two unicorn and pegasi set, they're just hard as heck to find here - not to mention our Moondancer is yellow. So I as well would love for them to be sold here.
 I agree with the minor flaws part, I don't care either as long as they don't have errors you can see from a mile away like the discoloration.

I myself have seen more people complaining about the severe issues (discoloration, big stains) than the small issues (sticky manes, small stains, slightly misplaced symbols), but it's true in general especialy the rainbow set has had a lot of negative attention.

Also I feel like the rainbow ponies are doing well even in countries where they cost over double the amount of basic G4s, I once saw nothing but Skydancers and discolored Moonstones at a store. All others had sold out from that batch.

[KottonKandy]

I'm sorry, but no amount of complaining is going to make these problems cease to exist. Discoloration is/has happened. Collectors are aware. The end.
Honestly, I'd think collectors of the old gen would be thankful for these things being released at all, and thankful they have expendable funds to potentially buy these.
It's just frustrating at this point watching adults argue over toys that they don't have to buy and are privileged enough to have access to them. Especially considering what day it is.
/end rant

[Taffeta]

I'm sorry, but no amount of complaining is going to make these problems cease to exist. Discoloration is/has happened. Collectors are aware. The end.
Honestly, I'd think collectors of the old gen would be thankful for these things being released at all, and thankful they have expendable funds to potentially buy these.
It's just frustrating at this point watching adults argue over toys that they don't have to buy and are privileged enough to have access to them. Especially considering what day it is.
/end rant

As the thread demonstrates, people have already made similar points
Happy Thanksgiving

[Leave a Whisper]

I'm sorry, but no amount of complaining is going to make these problems cease to exist. Discoloration is/has happened. Collectors are aware. The end.
Honestly, I'd think collectors of the old gen would be thankful for these things being released at all, and thankful they have expendable funds to potentially buy these.
It's just frustrating at this point watching adults argue over toys that they don't have to buy and are privileged enough to have access to them. Especially considering what day it is.
/end rant

We are on this thing. This thing is called a Toy Forum. This may surprise you, but people discuss toys on a toy forum.

Part of that discussion includes complaining about poor quality control.  You will find that other toy forums have similar conversations to ours.

As consumers it is our right to be irritated at faulty stuff we have already spent money on, and to let fellow consumers know what to watch out for. A better informed decision isn't a bad thing when your buying stuff.

G4s are already made, but that doesn't stop people complaining about bad hair, weird greasy residue and misplaced eyeballs.

Sometimes constructive feedback even helps people who make products aware of problems, that they can use to fix or avoid next time.

[ThePoneZone]

I got mine back in September, so far I haven't noticed any issues aside from a few stray marks on Windy's head and a slightly botched symbol on Moonstone (i scraped most of it off but you can see a mark next to the planet)

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I did have to take them out of the box to brush the stray glitter off that got knocked loose in transit, but so far they're fine. Crossing my fingers that they stay that way. They don't sell these in my area and I paid way more than I'd have like to for this set.

[Ponyfan]

I think discussing the problems with the anniversary ponies is good so we can make an informed descion. When I bought my Rainbows I don’t think the discoloring issue had really been dissussed yet.

I can see both sides. Flaws will happen even with new toys but if Basic Fun/stores see a lot of ponies being returned then any future waves (if there are any) might be cancelled.

I’m still missing 3 Rainbows and 3 unicorns/pegasus ponies. I worry that my Target might not restock Wave 3 since they’re overstocked on Collector Ponies.


Ponyfan

[Taffeta]

I can see both sides. Flaws will happen even with new toys but if Basic Fun/stores see a lot of ponies being returned then any future waves (if there are any) might be cancelled.

Ponyfan

This is my concern too, since I know that Basic Fun rootled around in Collector information and stuff before this line even happened, they have said so a few times. And I have no idea if they are reading, but what I don't want to happenif they are is that they get a warped impression that everyone hates the Rainbows and they're all discolouring. They're not and we don't. It's all a matter of perspective. And we don't have wave 3 yet in the UK. Our getting it rather depends, as I said before, on sales of previous, as well as product feedback. And every time someone centres a thread JUST on the problems, it worries me.

A more balanced approach to the subject, in essence The first post in the thread implies that all the retros have major flaws which is not the case at all. It's not about denying the flaws exist, but putting it all into context.

For the record, I love the retro CP set more than the original set. I guess that's treason or something but it's true. I never much liked the original 6 ponies but I have been won over by Snuzzle, Butterscotch and Minty completely xD.

For me also, the weirdest aspect of the Rainbow Ponies is the colour of Windy, because, well, as I said...my childhood one is graduated shades of beige O.O.

If the retros ultimately have problems then they do. But I am willing to wait until the whole project ends before getting into the nitpicking. Right now if a pony doesn't look right I might not buy it - but I'd rather have a few flawed ponies than no retros, so I guess that's where I stand on this right now.