Hasbro's Most Baffling MLP Decisions

[Carrehz]

I'm not sure if they ever did any more different-in-the-UK naming after G2 Sundance/sparkle. I know G4 Cupcake was also released as Sugarcup  and some have said that's a UK thing (i.e. US name Cupcake / UK name Sugarcup), I'm not sure if that's true though. I feel like it was a running change in the US and it's just that the UK only got the Sugarcup edition? Anyone know for sure?

Aside from maybe that, I think everything has been more-or-less consistent/standardized across the board after G2. The example that immediately comes to mind is the G4 Flim Flam Bros playset... that was called "Super Speedy Squeezy 6000" in all regions - renamed from the cartoon because the original name (Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000) wouldn't have flown over here. If that'd been in G1 then it probably would've only been renamed for the UK release (like the Perfume Palace... ).

I guess the UK name thing doesn't seem like a big deal or mystery to me cause it happens/happened in other toy lines. Like Tomy's Sylvanian Families - there's quite a few that have different names between the US and UK. I.e. US Sybil Hoppinset vs Christabel Corntop. I mean, I couldn't tell you why they did that, but my point is that it definitely isn't something that only Hasbro did.

[Mami Tomoe]

Mine are the large pony baby dolls I get baby dolls have there fans but the pony baby dolls have been in almost all generations so there must be some popularity.

[Carrehz]

I guess I can kind of understand the G3/G4 "baby doll" ponies. They're more baby doll-y so I can see how they'd appeal to kids that liked baby dolls *and* ponies (I'm assuming they sell well with kids? Collectors usually seem uninterested in them, but like you said, they obviously sell well enough if they keep making them...). They're not my thing but I can just about see the logic/appeal there.

But the Soft Sleepy Newborns in G1... who the heck were THOSE aimed at?!?! And why did they call them that?? They're not soft! They're just terrifying!!!

[BlackCurtains]

I'd love to have one of those things just because they're so freaky.

[Ponybookworm]

I guess I can kind of understand the G3/G4 "baby doll" ponies. They're more baby doll-y so I can see how they'd appeal to kids that liked baby dolls *and* ponies (I'm assuming they sell well with kids? Collectors usually seem uninterested in them, but like you said, they obviously sell well enough if they keep making them...). They're not my thing but I can just about see the logic/appeal there.

But the Soft Sleepy Newborns in G1... who the heck were THOSE aimed at?!?! And why did they call them that?? They're not soft! They're just terrifying!!!

NOT making Newborn-sized Soft Sleepy Newborns!!! (still seeking white Newborn blank ideally in Dangles pose for my Custom Hushabye)

RE: the G3 Soft Newborns: I customised Newborn Cuties of each one I have, so all but the bath ones & Good Morning Sunshine

Edit: who is Dingles??? I meant Dangles

[Taffeta]

@Carrehz, that sounds like a standard 'blame it on the UK' myth. I'd be surprised given how standard all the stuff is in G4 for one name to be different here for any reason. G4 is also full of fan names which still have currency even if they are not on the pony package, so maybe an excuse to try and 'legitimise' a fan name...? Not sure but it would be odd if they did it just for one pony.

It's true that other companies did change names as well, but the lack of pattern/consistency in how MLP is done means that it's difficult to just assume it as one of those things. Sylvanian Families aren't even Sylvanian Families in all locations, iirc.

Perfume Puff Palace...yeah. Well. Right.

They still showed the G4 episode where AJ and co are making lotsa cider though over here. Whoops. I did see that one and I may have laughed all the way through it.

Baby dolls...are there baby dolls in G4? I thought they were a weird G3 only thing.

(Not so) Soft Sleepy Newborns are more just what would happen if your baby pony stumbled onto the set of Honey I Blew Up The Kids...I don't really see them as baby dolls as such. I suppose they could be...? But yeah. I'm still stuck on the name. I only have Hushabye but I guarantee she is anything but soft.

I think she could probably be used as a cannonball, honestly. She'd do damage.

[Leave a Whisper]

@Carrehz, that sounds like a standard 'blame it on the UK' myth. I'd be surprised given how standard all the stuff is in G4 for one name to be different here for any reason. G4 is also full of fan names which still have currency even if they are not on the pony package, so maybe an excuse to try and 'legitimise' a fan name...? Not sure but it would be odd if they did it just for one pony.

It's true that other companies did change names as well, but the lack of pattern/consistency in how MLP is done means that it's difficult to just assume it as one of those things. Sylvanian Families aren't even Sylvanian Families in all locations, iirc.

Perfume Puff Palace...yeah. Well. Right.

They still showed the G4 episode where AJ and co are making lotsa cider though over here. Whoops. I did see that one and I may have laughed all the way through it.

Baby dolls...are there baby dolls in G4? I thought they were a weird G3 only thing.

(Not so) Soft Sleepy Newborns are more just what would happen if your baby pony stumbled onto the set of Honey I Blew Up The Kids...I don't really see them as baby dolls as such. I suppose they could be...? But yeah. I'm still stuck on the name. I only have Hushabye but I guarantee she is anything but soft.

I think she could probably be used as a cannonball, honestly. She'd do damage.

They were the gross lala loopsie faced dolls.

[Carrehz]

Taffeta - Cupcake/Sugarcup wasn't a fan nickname. I don't think she was even in the cartoon. She was legitimately released with both names but I don't know the exact details, just that early releases were called "Cupcake" and later releases were called "Sugarcup".
(but, yeah, I do think it was a universal change and it just happened to be spotted in the UK first. Heck, I think that happened with one of the G4 blind bags too. Things in general seem so much more unified and consistent these days, I don't think they'd randomly change a name unless there was like some region-specific trademark issue or whatever)

re: Sylvanians, they were Sylvanians in all regions during the Tomy years - when things were more unified - that's why I specified that era. Didn't seem to be much of a pattern or consistency there, either, just names changed at random.
my point was that I think _in general_ back in the day - not just for toylines, for most stuff - there was less focus on creating one Unified Brand for things, it was more... everyone doing their own thing, each market doing their own version and presenting it the way that made sense to them.
(edit: I realized I'm erring by focusing on just the UK... My point was that ALL markets were changing stuff back in the day. Like how the USA had Gusty with glittery symbols or flocking, we had her with painted symbols, Italy had Gustavo, etc etc. [just picking on Gusty cause she's the first to come to mind ] It wasn't a UK specific/exclusive thing and it's not a MLP specific thing either.)

I thought the cider ep was never aired over here...? I know they did eventually catch on in the US and switched to calling it just "apple juice" in later eps, I remember there being a thread about it on here.

and yeah there were G4 baby dolls too!
http://mylittlewiki.org/wiki/G4_Plush_Ponies#So_Soft
I never saw them though so not sure if they made it out of the US. I know they did some more baby-type things near the end of G4 too... can't remember if it was the Movie or G4.5 line though.
I'm still annoyed they made more of these than the brushable G4 babies

(Not so) Soft Sleepy Newborns are more just what would happen if your baby pony stumbled onto the set of Honey I Blew Up The Kids...

[Taffeta]

I watched the cider episode on TV here when I was living in north London, so sometime between 2016 and 2018. I only had freeview, so pretty sure it was on Tiny Pop. I was a bit surprised, let me tell you. Amused, but surprised. I had never heard about it beforehand. So yes, it aired over here.

Oh, those doll things are horrible o.O.

Something like that with the names happened in G2 with a couple of ponies, I always assumed it was translation related. Trying to remember which. Wing Song might be one of them. I feel like Light Heart might have been one too, but since I have a bunch I only remember the French names for (as we got them in Paris) I might be wrong.

Region specific naming hasn't been a thing since G2 though. I am still putting this down to if in doubt, blame the UK. LOL

You're right about the regional diversity in earlier lines though. One of the things I love about G1 is that there are these quirky differences (little things like for example Tuneful is actually written as Tunefull in the US, so everyone is using her UK name, LOL).

[lalalei2001]

I will never get why these cartoon-exclusive G3 Pegasus and Unicorn ponies were...cartoon-exclusive and not 'real'. :<

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[Leave a Whisper]

I will never get why these cartoon-exclusive G3 Pegasus and Unicorn ponies were...cartoon-exclusive and not 'real'. :<

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I would love to have had them

[Ponybookworm]

I will never get why these cartoon-exclusive G3 Pegasus and Unicorn ponies were...cartoon-exclusive and not 'real'. :<

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I'm working my way through the G3 unicorns. I've included one baby size & one Dance-Around size in them, but I still have a few to go. I might make the pegasi pegacorns...

[TheClassCalico]

I will never get why these cartoon-exclusive G3 Pegasus and Unicorn ponies were...cartoon-exclusive and not 'real'. :<

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I am very sad about this. G3 didn't have many unicorns or pegasi compared to earth ponies, and some of these designs are lovely. I love all of those pegasi, and I only recognise one, which is Island Delight.

I'd love to have the yellow, purple and blue and pink and blue pegasus especially.

[lalalei2001]

There were more toyless background G3 ponies too!

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I think that last one inspired Sunny from G5, though.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I want Bubbles the Pegasus!!!!