Explaining generation preferences (mostly toyline)

[Wardah]

Even today I'm in such awe of them that I could never customise a G1 - and I kinda cringe slightly when I see others doing so. To me, they're these amazing treasures.

At least rest easy that most the time when one is customized it was in really really bad shape. After all these were children's toys and not all children treat their toys well. Think of it more like tuning trash into treasure.

[dragonfly]

I feel like G4 is the first generation with a fanbase not rooted in original G1 love.

G3 ponies are coming into their own as collector's items, because the little girls who played with them are now in their late teens to mid-20s and probably have nostalgia for their childhood toys. They had a big following among collectors when they first came out just because they were cuter than G2s and everyone was excited about new ponies coming out.

IDK about G2s. I have never liked them. I have no childhood / sentimentality attached with them and don't think they're particularly cute - never got into them as a collector. I have a few I've picked up at thrift stores just because they're ponies.