Japanese g1 Takara pony- exploring the lore

[Mana Minori]

I have long been enamored with these cute little beans. And while they have a few character blurbs that hint at their personality and world, I have often   continued to wondered about and it’s lore and nature of their world that isn’t offered in product packaging. Why are they all earth ponies? Why do they lack symbols/ cutie marks? What significance does that Lily of the Valley flower on their packaging have?

For a while, I have begun seen the Takara ponies as sort of living in a real paradise, having to care for the earth and nature while the ponies who have symbols and flaunt their powers were far removed and seeking out their own paradise estate and have become nomads-  sort of like a garden of Eden type situation, I suppose. And The Lily of the valley flower that is seen featured with the Takaras, I have felt is a reminder from the marked ponies to return to their roots and be earth caretakers with them, finding the happiness they seek out.

I definitely want to learn more about the Takara ponies, and I wonder what you guys think of their canon characters and lore (with what little I do we are provided through translations of product packaging). What sort of lore and characters would you give the Takaras? Would you adapt what has already been provided, or create your own?

[Mewtwofan1]

I love them too! Personally, I think they live in a tiny smurf village type of thing. Nice cute plant themed houses/shops, a quiet town where life is a peaceful paradise. The only real upsets to this would be pinky, milky, and friends adventures within the town. A sort of fantasy pony tales sort of thing. No big world saving adventures, just peaceful investigating and adventuring within the town.

[banditpony]

I know there was a short comic in a magazine, so I imagine that might of touched on their world.

[Mana Minori]

I know there was a short comic in a magazine, so I imagine that might of touched on their world.

i know the comic you speak of. I asked a long time ago on in outside community for translation assistance, and it didn’t really provide much that wasn’t already on the box scanlations.
http://aminoapps.com/p/w3h9v6

[banditpony]

I know there was a short comic in a magazine, so I imagine that might of touched on their world.

i know the comic you speak of. I asked a long time ago on in outside community for translation assistance, and it didn’t really provide much that wasn’t already on the box scanlations.
http://aminoapps.com/p/w3h9v6

Ah, ok.
I knew it was short, but I had never seen it.

[pinkkittywinks]

Ahhh

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I own Milky, she is quite bossy when it comes to picking clothes to wear and DEMANDS her dress maker (me) make things when she sees the perfect fabric. However, Milky is always right when picking fabric, so it is best not to argue.

Milky lives in my craft room and hangs out on the craft table where she keeps an eye on what I am doing "Is that another outfit for me?" "I don't think that trim is right, try this one" she runs and hides when I get the airbrush out for fear she might get blown away.

She is currently making eyeballs at me as she wants a bow to go with the dungarees she is wearing and a pair of dungarees or a dress to go with the bow she is wearing. She on me for not having everything mathcing.

Actually she is very sweet and I love her a lot

I never quite "got" the love for Takara ponies, until I spent time with one. I think it was because they aren't like "traditional" ponies, so I wasn't sure quite what to make of one.

It is perfect timing that you made this thread as I am currently working on the Takara section of the all new Nirvana Gallery. I have a few translations of boxes I need to add

Love pkw xxx

[Mana Minori]

Ahhh

visitors can't see pics , please register or login


I own Milky, she is quite bossy when it comes to picking clothes to wear and DEMANDS her dress maker (me) make things when she sees the perfect fabric. However, Milky is always right when picking fabric, so it is best not to argue.

Milky lives in my craft room and hangs out on the craft table where she keeps an eye on what I am doing "Is that another outfit for me?" "I don't think that trim is right, try this one" she runs and hides when I get the airbrush out for fear she might get blown away.

She is currently making eyeballs at me as she wants a bow to go with the dungarees she is wearing and a pair of dungarees or a dress to go with the bow she is wearing. She on me for not having everything mathcing.

Actually she is very sweet and I love her a lot

I never quite "got" the love for Takara ponies, until I spent time with one. I think it was because they aren't like "traditional" ponies, so I wasn't sure quite what to make of one.

It is perfect timing that you made this thread as I am currently working on the Takara section of the all new Nirvana Gallery. I have a few translations of boxes I need to add

Love pkw xxx

suuuuuuuupwr jealous you own a real Takara! (How did you get her, May I ask?)
And- I don’t hate to say it, but Milky is 100% in the right. She IS a fashion designer, and has the utmost standards to go by. I’d listen to her, if I were you. only the best.
(I would also make her a slapping stick just to hit you with, when you don’t do things her way) Ponies are boss.

I’m so glad you got to find joy in Takaras by spending time with them. And hope that all come to see the joy in their uniqueness. Let me know when you finish with the new section! Would love to check it out!

[pinkkittywinks]

I bought her of my friend and fellow collector PandaBearChan as she got an upgrade I think I was lucky as I never thought I would have the chance to own one.

Hahaha I am glad that Milky lives up to your expectations She is currently very pleased with herself as she now has a FULL matching outfit, complete with tiny tote bag and hair bow. I still need to do her photoshoot

I completed the section this weekend

https://pinkkittywinks.wixsite.com/mlparenagallery/japan

I have had a thought about your comments on the meaning of the Lily of the Valley flowers shown in the logo and throughout the art work. Flowers are often used in symbolism throughtout many cultures. Some quick research told me that Lily of the Valley is used in Hanakotoba (the language of flowers) to convey or carry the meaning of "sweetness" or "being sweet" and is favoured by those who are pure and modest.

Love pkw xxx

[Taffeta]

I was going to say that about flowers, especially in Japan where there are a lot of poetic nuances for a lot of natural things like flowers.

If so, this is what I came up with for the hanakotoba (lit. flower words) for Lily of the valley (鈴蘭 suzuran, lit. bell orchid).
(Note here that the Japanese word for 'word' itself is made up of the characters for speech and leaf, and there's a lot made historically/in poetry about that connection, which may also explain why flowers are so symbolic).


「再び幸せが訪れる」
Returning happiness

「純粋」
Purity

「謙遜」
Humility

清らかな愛
A pure love

幸福
Good fortune

甘味
Sweet tasting/perhaps in this context just sweetness?

繊細
Delicate

So pretty much on the same lines as PKW.

On the subject of translating, I figure you already got that one done, but if you'd asked here I'd have done it for you. It wouldn't have taken very long I know I'm also not the only Japanese speaker on the forum, so you needn't go outside the community to find answers.

I've done Takara boxes before but not the comic I don't think.

This is the only Takara item I own:
http://www.etherella.com/scrapbook2/takara_japan.jpg

(Colour Wedding outfit).

Not sure if the box gives any more clues or details, haven't found my original images yet and not sure if the package is reachable on my shelf. Can check if it mentions suzuran though, if you want me to?

[pinkkittywinks]

Aaaaah thank you so much for posting Taffeta and expanding on on my post. You will know a lot about this sort of thing with your studies, the language of flowers has been used for centuries in many cultures.

I think with the Takara ponies there will be a lot of "culturally specific" things about them that we might not get or understand.

I am dying to know more but I am afraid of not understanding it.

Love pkw xxx

[Taffeta]

I'll be honest, my knowledge is more intertwined with warriors, war tales and the like, but sometimes these things butt in (and symbolism is something I look at). But with flowers and stuff it is often in the poetry - the waka, rengu, and haiku/haikai and so on -  I am not a big fan of waka poetry because it's so complex to untangle. I think probably in terms of the Lily otv, those concepts probably underpin why it was used on the logo without any deeper nuances, at least for Takara ponies. I did try and find a waka that involved suzuran but google wasn't helpful.

The only other thing I'd add on that is that in the ancient poetic culture people communicated via poetry a lot and often sent flowers with the poems as a kind of a message as well.