The MLP Arena
Pony Talk => Pony Corral => Topic started by: banditpony on July 31, 2019, 09:34:42 AM
-
Kudos for ragamuffin for spotting this.
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
(https://imgbb.com/)
https://mylittlepony.hasbro.com/en-us/characters/retro-ponies
Apparently Hasbro is referring to this inbetweener line as "retro" and has made a page for it along side the main line, Equestria girls, and cutie mark crew.
There's been discussion about this style in the SDCC twilight thread: http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,395743.0.html
And leave a whispers opinion thread: http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,395753.0.html
And I thought there was a thread we discussed the Amazon exclusive.. I'll look for it later...(or maybe it's only hidden in LaW's thread...)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R5PSPS7/
Anyway, I thought we needed a consolidated discussion thread. :)
-
So one thing I noticed is that the new symbols of the ponies directly mimic the pony they were inspired by. Posey has six flowers in a circle, so Fluttershy has six flowers in a circle. Twilight has nine stars, so Twilight Sparkle has nine stars. (I think even in the same positions.)
But my favorite is Rainbow Dash's symbol. Love it.
-
So one thing I noticed is that the new symbols of the ponies directly mimic the pony they were inspired by. Posey has six flowers in a circle, so Fluttershy has six flowers in a circle. Twilight has nine stars, so Twilight Sparkle has nine stars. (I think even in the same positions.)
But my favorite is Rainbow Dash's symbol. Love it.
I love it too- so retro! I'm glad some actual thought went into the symbol design- I'm very keen to see the box art too :D
I'd also love if they released a second set with just the inspiration ponies... (Posy, Firefly, etc.)
-
I love the symbols! If only we had this amount of care in the usual toyline. :P
Inspiration pony set would be great!
-
I'd also love if they released a second set with just the inspiration ponies... (Posy, Firefly, etc.)
Yes!
That would really just tie things in full circle..
If I was a kid is be wondering "who is this surprise.. what does she look like .."
I also really love rainbow dash's new symbol.. feels very classic
-
I'd also love if they released a second set with just the inspiration ponies... (Posy, Firefly, etc.)
Yes!
That would really just tie things in full circle..
If I was a kid is be wondering "who is this surprise.. what does she look like .."
I also really love rainbow dash's new symbol.. feels very classic
And they already have the molds, so why not? (Hopes rise unreasonably and unrealistically)
-
Pinkie's artwork has a pink eyeshine. It's a little creepy o.o
-
I don't think Hasbro can make G1 mold ponies while Basic Fun has the license. Just a guess. But if Hasbro licensed the rights to the appearances of the Mane Six to BF to make a set of G1 mold Mane Six, I would totally snap them up. (BF would use higher quality hair than Hasbro anyway, lol.)
Pinkie's artwork has a pink eyeshine. It's a little creepy o.o
Yeah, I kind of feel like the artwork was "baby's first project" for some intern. :P
-
I don't think Hasbro can make G1 mold ponies while Basic Fun has the license. Just a guess.
That's what I think too.. that's why this is a "twist". Whatever that can do to hop on the retro train...
-
I don't think Hasbro can make G1 mold ponies while Basic Fun has the license. Just a guess. But if Hasbro licensed the rights to the appearances of the Mane Six to BF to make a set of G1 mold Mane Six, I would totally snap them up. (BF would use higher quality hair than Hasbro anyway, lol.)
Pinkie's artwork has a pink eyeshine. It's a little creepy o.o
Yeah, I kind of feel like the artwork was "baby's first project" for some intern. :P
I think the artwork was the result of some marketing copywriter/designer moving around vectors instead of an actual graphic designer... Or maybe a baby graphic designer... She probably had the budget to spend exactly 45 minutes on the project :lol:
-
The one thing that jumped out at me from that page is...
"Inspired by two original ponies, "Glory" and "Sparkler," today's retro-style Rarity is more fabulous than ever!"
For me she's always been based on Glory as well as Sparkler. Nice that Hasbro think so too. Because I don't understand how anyone could see anything other than Glory for that colour base, even if the diamonds are Sparkler's symbol.
I am mixed about the artwork (creepy eye seems right for pinkie) and Hasbro's sudden desire to reach back to us. BUT honestly, I like the artwork (even with the issues) better than the ponies they produced.
I still would love actual G1 pose M6. I would buy some of those. We'll never get them though, because these aren't retro G1 inspired M6. They're something Hasbro threw together to keep milking money from the M6 line because Basic Fun ponies are doing well.
Rainbow Dash has too many lightning bolts in funny colours in her symbol to really look like an early G1 pony. I know in another thread it was compared to Lightning, but that's hugely unlikely as a basis because Hasbro US don't pay any attention to international ponies. Even if it was, though, Lightning's symbol is bicolour only and has only 2 bolts I think. Dash is over the top and too much, especially if they want to bring it to firefly.
Better to do 2 lightning bolts in maybe red and yellow and forget about the cloud in my view.
Two other things.
First - CP ponies definitely not the original M6. Never in the animation, not rereleased in every pose and possible gimmick ever. Yeah, the US had them ad nauseum through mail order, but they really don't have the same presence as some of the later sets do (particularly like the SS ponies that dominated the later animation, or even Firefly and AJ's actual sets).
Secondly - what's the point in telling the fans about the inspiration for the M6 and then put an image of 6 completely unrelated ponies on the bottom of the page? Like, this is the original M6 but we based our M6 on six completely different ponies and we're not going to show them to you.
(sigh).
-
Pinkie's artwork just has an error. They forgot to color that eyewhite in.
What the heck at "the original Mane Six"? They were just the first ever set. Sorry, but I rebuke this term when it comes to G1 :lol:
A little sad there is no love for G3 inspiration. RD and Pinkie got their looks from G3 and Rarity got her personality from G3 RD. I also laughed at "Applejack inspired by Applejack".
-
Pinkie's artwork just has an error. They forgot to color that eyewhite in.
What the heck at "the original Mane Six"? They were just the first ever set. Sorry, but I rebuke this term when it comes to G1 :lol:
Totally agree.
G4 terms for G1 equals fail in general. New collectors can be forgiven. The company that invented MLP not so much.
-
Can I just say that I think they look really more beautiful in G1 than G4? :3
-
The one thing that jumped out at me from that page is...
"Inspired by two original ponies, "Glory" and "Sparkler," today's retro-style Rarity is more fabulous than ever!"
For me she's always been based on Glory as well as Sparkler. Nice that Hasbro think so too. Because I don't understand how anyone could see anything other than Glory for that colour base, even if the diamonds are Sparkler's symbol.
Lauren confirmed at least once that there was some inspiration from Glory in the "finalized" Rarity - she posted pictures of her G1 collection that inspired her G4 cast and she showed both Sparkler and Glory for Rarity.
Sparkler was the pony she wanted for her Mane Six, but at some point Glory made her way into Rarity's final design. Maybe Lauren liked her as well, but initially didn't have a place for her in her project, but when it became apparent that the G4 Mane Six would be ponies with G3 names, but a different design she probably decided "Oh, I'll do a Sparkler/Glory thing then..."
-
Two other things.
First - CP ponies definitely not the original M6. Never in the animation, not rereleased in every pose and possible gimmick ever. Yeah, the US had them ad nauseum through mail order, but they really don't have the same presence as some of the later sets do (particularly like the SS ponies that dominated the later animation, or even Firefly and AJ's actual sets).
Secondly - what's the point in telling the fans about the inspiration for the M6 and then put an image of 6 completely unrelated ponies on the bottom of the page? Like, this is the original M6 but we based our M6 on six completely different ponies and we're not going to show them to you.
(sigh).
I totally agree with you on both points. It would make more sense to show the ponies that the Mane 6 are based on which I guess would be 7 since Rarity has 2 ponies instead of 1. Also just call the original 6 the original 6. They are not the core cast of G1.
That being said I do like the artwork.
G1 Twilight the unicorn is my army pony so Hasbro did release a Twilight Sparkle with the same number of stars I might get her.
Ponyfan
-
The one thing that jumped out at me from that page is...
"Inspired by two original ponies, "Glory" and "Sparkler," today's retro-style Rarity is more fabulous than ever!"
For me she's always been based on Glory as well as Sparkler. Nice that Hasbro think so too. Because I don't understand how anyone could see anything other than Glory for that colour base, even if the diamonds are Sparkler's symbol.
Lauren confirmed at least once that there was some inspiration from Glory in the "finalized" Rarity - she posted pictures of her G1 collection that inspired her G4 cast and she showed both Sparkler and Glory for Rarity.
Interesting. I've had people tell me numerous times in irritating fashion, "no, she's based on SPARKLER, look at her CUTIE MARK" that seeing that from Hasbro just made me feel validated for sticking to my Glory guns.
I don't like Faust's pony world view particularly for various reasons, but it's pretty obvious that Glory's more of the visual inspiration than Sparkler overall. I am guessing Sparkler for the gem collecting, albeit Rarity's character doesn't reflect either of them so :/
In any case, I bought Rarity in Finland in 2011 because she reminded me of Glory and Glory was a favourite for me as a kid. I never for one moment looked at her and thought of Sparkler :/ And still don't. I mean, Peachy and Snuzzle have the same symbol but it doesn't make them related.
-
Interesting. I've had people tell me numerous times in irritating fashion, "no, she's based on SPARKLER, look at her CUTIE MARK"
I take it the people saying that were mostly bronies :P
Yeah, for the longest time I had the thought that Rarity was technically a mix of:
-G1 Glory: Design
-G1 Sparkler: Symbol
-G3 Rarity: Name
-G3 Rainbow Dash: Personality
Glad to see Hasbro putting both G1 inspos there. Glory deserved credit where it was due.
-
I've changed my mind. I can't buy these. I can't deal with another 5-8 years of this mane suxx tripe, regardless of how horsey it may look.
-
Interesting. I've had people tell me numerous times in irritating fashion, "no, she's based on SPARKLER, look at her CUTIE MARK"
I take it the people saying that were mostly bronies :P
Yes, well, bronies are people too. Even if some of them act like aliens. Though this was actually back at the start of G4 mostly, when I had Rarity and commented on her Gloryness and got told that ACTUALLY she was more based on Sparkler...
I don't remember specifically who.
-
I do like how much effort went into the symbols for these, like RD's Lightning-esque symbol (they're way too close for it to be a coincidence) and how they're overall more G1-styled instead of just being the G4 symbols exactly. I dig stuff like that.
Those vectors though... oof. :p Another reason I prefer hand-drawn art instead of manipulating the same vectors over and over... and what's with those colours they gave the COLLECTOR ponies (I refuse to call them the "original mane 6" >____<)?? They don't have hair streaks like that! Ugh, I feel like they did that just to make them look more like the main sux. Why else would they give Blossom those Twilight Sparkle-esque highlights.
still, it's cool that these have their own page :O I wonder if that means we might see more of these weird little things? It'd be weird to make a whole page and art and such just for ONE set, right? (I know the art of RD, Pinkie etc is probably from the set's box - but they still had to make those vectors of the collector ponies..) Hmmmm. Very interesting.
-
I do like how much effort went into the symbols for these, like RD's Lightning-esque symbol (they're way too close for it to be a coincidence)
I think it's a coincidence, personally. Hasbro US had nothing to do with Lightning. It would be a very odd set of events for them to suddenly notice him and his symbol when they've paid very little attention to G1 at all for years. It's a fairly generic symbol and it has more colours and bolts than Lightning's. I think it just happened that way.
-
I disagree, IMO they're almost identical (of course it has multiple colours/bolts, it's Rainbow Dash!). Hasbro US didn't have anything to do with the Mountain Boys, sure, but I don't see that there's anything stopping a random Hasbro worker from googling "G1 ponies with lightning symbols" and finding him that way...?
-
I disagree, IMO they're almost identical (of course it has multiple colours/bolts, it's Rainbow Dash!). Hasbro US didn't have anything to do with the Mountain Boys, sure, but I don't see that there's anything stopping a random Hasbro worker from googling "G1 ponies with lightning symbols" and finding him that way...?
I suppose so, but if that's the depths of knowledge and research they've descended to, it doesn't say much for their team. In any case, Dash isn't based off Lightning, but Firefly. It would have made more sense to use her bolts, rather than Lightning's cloud. So for me it's either a grandiose coincidence or they messed up the message of "Firefly with lightning bolts" and ended up with Lightning.
I personally don't think it's same enough to be directly taken from him. I think it's more likely an attempt to merge Firefly's bolts with the fact Dash has a cloud already, and three colours (I think?) in her lightning bolt. They've made it more G1ish, but it's not the same as Lightning for me. Too many bolts and too much colour overall.
But we're all speculating. We really don't know for sure.
Just that it's an unnatural symbol to choose except that Dash has a cloud and lightning already, and they wanted to incorporate that.
-
No one's saying RD was based on Lightning?
Yeah, it probably would've made more sense to give her Firefly-esque bolts, but.. RD's symbol is a tricoloured lightning bolt coming from a cloud. Lightning's symbol is a cloud with lightning bolts in it. This set is meant to have G1-esque versions of the G4 symbols. So basing RD's symbol off the closest G1 equivalent makes sense to me.
I suppose so, but if that's the depths of knowledge and research they've descended to, it doesn't say much for their team.
Yeah, but it's Hasbro we're talking about, here ;)
-
No one's saying RD was based on Lightning?
No, I know, but I mean that Hasbro went to the trouble of saying on their website that she was inspired by Firefly but then gave her a symbol you guys think looks more like Lightning's. Which I see your point, even if I don't agree, but which overall doesn't make a lot of sense unless it was (as you say) a google fluke or a mix up over the names/symbols somewhere along the line.
Yeah, it probably would've made more sense to give her Firefly-esque bolts, but.. RD's symbol is a tricoloured lightning bolt coming from a cloud. Lightning's symbol is a cloud with lightning bolts in it. This set is meant to have G1-esque versions of the G4 symbols. So basing RD's symbol off the closest G1 equivalent makes sense to me.
But to do that would have meant them googling or using the MLP Wiki and honestly, I would like to think Hasbro are more professional than that (I want to believe it. >.> I really want to believe it). Hasbro Inc have pretty much zero claim or connection to anything sold over here, so I think, honestly, it was just a reframing of the Dash symbol to make it look more G1ish.
The Lightning connection would only stand out to G1 collectors/fans. Hasbro aren't G1 collectors or fans. The website kind of proves that from the CP ponies being the M6.
I mean, in the end...this might be the case:
I suppose so, but if that's the depths of knowledge and research they've descended to, it doesn't say much for their team.
Yeah, but it's Hasbro we're talking about, here ;)
BUT I really want to hope there's more professionalism involved than just googling for a G1 pony that had lightning and a cloud for a symbol.
When it comes to it, Thundercloud also has lightning and a cloud for a symbol, albeit one bolt and rain.
-
Eh.
I think it's coincidence.
They needed to keep the cloud. There's only so much you can do with bolts and clouds.
-
Eh.
I think it's coincidence.
They needed to keep the cloud. There's only so much you can do with bolts and clouds.
G3 Dash also has rainbow and clouds so keeping both those elements was maybe more important, given that.
-
Is it common to depict a thundercloud like that though? With the lightning bolts sticking out of the cloud from both sides?
Wouldn't be the first time Mountain Boy stuff weirdly ended up in G1 retro stuff. :biggrin:
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
-
Is it common to depict a thundercloud like that though? With the lightning bolts sticking out of the cloud from both sides?
Not common... but I've seen it.
That's why I said there's only so many ways to draw a cloud and bolt.
-
Is it common to depict a thundercloud like that though? With the lightning bolts sticking out of the cloud from both sides?
Wouldn't be the first time Mountain Boy stuff weirdly ended up in G1 retro stuff. :biggrin:
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
That image amuses me so much but asks so many questions xD.
However that is licensed stuff, not hasbro themselves, so it's a bit different. We had shirts here with Windy with pink glittery hair and Princess Amethyst with rainbow hair so *shrug*.
-
However that is licensed stuff, not hasbro themselves, so it's a bit different. We had shirts here with Windy with pink glittery hair and Princess Amethyst with rainbow hair so *shrug*.
Hasbro dictates what can be done with the MLP license. they aren't going to approve something that they believe poorly reflects on the brand.
:3 That said, that is a cute lil pony.
-
However that is licensed stuff, not hasbro themselves, so it's a bit different. We had shirts here with Windy with pink glittery hair and Princess Amethyst with rainbow hair so *shrug*.
Hasbro dictates what can be done with the MLP license. they aren't going to approve something that they believe poorly reflects on the brand.
:3 That said, that is a cute lil pony.
Yeah, but they're not going to care if the pony is not quite accurate to 30 years ago.
Or if they do, someone didn't get the memo, because we also had white Moonstone on shirts here >.>
-
However that is licensed stuff, not hasbro themselves, so it's a bit different. We had shirts here with Windy with pink glittery hair and Princess Amethyst with rainbow hair so *shrug*.
Hasbro dictates what can be done with the MLP license. they aren't going to approve something that they believe poorly reflects on the brand.
:3 That said, that is a cute lil pony.
Yeah, but they're not going to care if the pony is not quite accurate to 30 years ago.
Or if they do, someone didn't get the memo, because we also had white Moonstone on shirts here >.>
Oh I agree. And they don't care (and I personally don't either, variations are cool to me).
-
Interesting. I've had people tell me numerous times in irritating fashion, "no, she's based on SPARKLER, look at her CUTIE MARK"
I take it the people saying that were mostly bronies :P
Yeah, for the longest time I had the thought that Rarity was technically a mix of:
-G1 Glory: Design
-G1 Sparkler: Symbol
-G3 Rarity: Name
-G3 Rainbow Dash: Personality
Glad to see Hasbro putting both G1 inspos there. Glory deserved credit where it was due.
Maybe that's why I love G4 Rarity so much. She is such a perfect mix :lol: I'll pretend she also got some of G2 Ivy in her with her love of salons, spas and her mane.
-
-shrug- It just seems too specific to be a coincidence, to me. I mean, the bolts are the exact same shape and size, from the looks of things, plus like Lilja said it's sort of unusual to have the bolts sticking out from *both* sides?
The symbols are G1 styled, so I really don't see the argument against Hasbro researching G1 ponies with symbols containing those elements (cloud + thunderbolt) and patterning her after that. It makes perfect sense to me that they'd do that - plus I've heard of professional companies checking facts on fan wikis and such before, it's not unheard of.
But whatever.
I've never seen that Thundercloud art before, how cute :lovey: He makes a nice girl.
-
Perhaps one of the designers had Thundercloud as a childhood pony.
-
IMO the lightning bolts are inspired by Firefly's symbol. Some of her toys had thinner lightning bolts than others and Rainbow Dash's reminds me of the "thin lightning" ones. If you think about how long Firefly's lightning bolts are, the bolts on Rainbow Dash are about the same length--with a cloud over the middle part.
-
IMO the lightning bolts are inspired by Firefly's symbol. Some of her toys had thinner lightning bolts than others and Rainbow Dash's reminds me of the "thin lightning" ones. If you think about how long Firefly's lightning bolts are, the bolts on Rainbow Dash are about the same length--with a cloud over the middle part.
That makes sense to me too. The cloud seems weird given the Firefly association but as it's a constant in Dash;s symbol in G3 and G4 it does make sense to keep it. So logically stick them in the cloud. But it doesn't really matter if they did or didn't use Lightning for inspiration. It's not going to change the fact Lightning is a long dead G1 pony Hasbro aren't interested in and thus he won't ever get mentioned.
...That said it does intrigue me that G4 has a character called Sunburst. Is that a coincidence I wonder...
-
Love the art, so pretty! It makes me want to customize... :art:
-
Pinkie's artwork just has an error. They forgot to color that eyewhite in.
What the heck at "the original Mane Six"? They were just the first ever set. Sorry, but I rebuke this term when it comes to G1 :lol:
A little sad there is no love for G3 inspiration. RD and Pinkie got their looks from G3 and Rarity got her personality from G3 RD. I also laughed at "Applejack inspired by Applejack".
I felt the same way! WHen I saw "Applejack inspired by Applejack" I fully expected to see "Pinkie Pie inspired by Pinkie Pie." But ... Surprise? G4 Pinkie's personality might have come from Surprise, but her looks were totally inspired by G3 Pinkie. There's no reason to erase G3 inspiration, they are already are putting out G3 toys they claim as "retro." :P
-
Pinkie's artwork just has an error. They forgot to color that eyewhite in.
What the heck at "the original Mane Six"? They were just the first ever set. Sorry, but I rebuke this term when it comes to G1 :lol:
A little sad there is no love for G3 inspiration. RD and Pinkie got their looks from G3 and Rarity got her personality from G3 RD. I also laughed at "Applejack inspired by Applejack".
I felt the same way! WHen I saw "Applejack inspired by Applejack" I fully expected to see "Pinkie Pie inspired by Pinkie Pie." But ... Surprise? G4 Pinkie's personality might have come from Surprise, but her looks were totally inspired by G3 Pinkie. There's no reason to erase G3 inspiration, they are already are putting out G3 toys they claim as "retro." :P
To be fair, Pinkie Pie's character is also nothing like Surprise's. We don't see a lot of animated Surprise, and I admit being influenced by comic renditions as well, but from Surprise being bubbly to Pinkie Pie being random and crazy and completely unfunny comic relief is a big jump for me. They're not the same species either, and as you say, the look is from G3...to me the only link is balloons. :/
THough I actually find the character links between G4 and G1 mostly nonexistent so I guess it probably doesn't matter. I think it's more one single thread from each G1 character was taken and exploded into the entirety of the G4 pony's personality, thus there's something of a disconnect between them overall. (Except AJ whose character is the polar opposite, basically, of G1 AJ).
The retro G3 thing makes me wonder what Hasbro's stance is on G3 right now. The retro M6 set are very G3 influenced in the body at least...and if the retro G3 are Hasbro then it suggests they may not have discarded the line after all - but then, as you say, why not mention the influence from G3?
It makes me feel like this page is meant for brony fans/fans of G4 who might get into G1 and G3 is notoriously unpopular in that fandom. I'm not talking about the crazy brony fans, I'm talking about the general G4 fans. The use of M6 for the first six ponies also suggests it's for brony purposes. It's not for kids...most kids don't care what old thing their toy was inspired by.
-
The thing that needs to be taken into account when talking about which G1 pony inspired which Mane Six (and a couple of others) G4 pony is that they aren't just inspired by G1, they are inspired by Lauren's interpretation of G1 (i.e. how she personally played with those ponies.)
So, the way G4 Pinkie Pie acts in early seasons is likely the character Lauren gave Surprise when she was younger, rather than how any canon version of Surprise acted. Some of the "Concept Six" kind of fit who they became, but it could be coincidence if Lauren only focused on the toyline when she was younger, but yeah if they don't fit the personality of the G1 characters they were inspired by, it's because it didn't come from any of the canon versions of them, but one person's personal playtime with them.
It would be nice if the G3 side of things were acknowledged, even if it wasn't part of the original creation plan, since the G1s themselves have a loose connection based on what I said. The G3s inspired them only in name, appearance, or both depending on what pony we're looking at, but if they had allowed Lauren to use the G1 ponies she wanted, it would have been exactly the same - the inspiration would been name and appearance and that's it.
-
Can someone post the pictures from that hasbro.com page? It insists on redirecting me to the Norwegian version of the page, which uh, doesn't exist :rolleyes:
-
Can someone post the pictures from that hasbro.com page? It insists on redirecting me to the Norwegian version of the page, which uh, doesn't exist :rolleyes:
Here we go :D Let me know if you still have problems seeing them
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
-
yeah, I get where the Surprise thing came from but it's still weird to see it explained like that. If it had been me I probably would've put "inspired by Surprise and Pinkie Pie" or something.
-
Can someone post the pictures from that hasbro.com page? It insists on redirecting me to the Norwegian version of the page, which uh, doesn't exist :rolleyes:
I wonder if you can redirect if you can find that little region thing on the top right of any page. It's just going to the MLP page, then the retro squad.
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
-
Can someone post the pictures from that hasbro.com page? It insists on redirecting me to the Norwegian version of the page, which uh, doesn't exist :rolleyes:
Here we go :D Let me know if you still have problems seeing them
Thank you! The redesigned symbols are really nice - they could've easily gotten away with less effort, but decided to go the extra mile for once. I hope all this recent retro hype is an indication for what G5 is going to be like.
Or maybe they'll acknowledge G2 instead hahaha who am I kidding
-
yeah, I get where the Surprise thing came from but it's still weird to see it explained like that. If it had been me I probably would've put "inspired by Surprise and Pinkie Pie" or something.
The Faust input is actually really important. They're not inspired by the G1 ponies, they're constructed by a fan of the G1 ponies in the way she saw them. That's not invalid, but it's different from what Hasbro's written on their site. That's telling whoever that site is aimed at (and it isn't us) that that was how it was in G1. It wasn't. It's also forcing the idea of a single canon in which characters were a certain way - rather than celebrating the imagination behind giving your own characters to ponies - which is what G1's biggest strength was, with it's multiple canons. Everyone could create ponyland, nobody would be 'wrong', because there wasn't a 'rule'.
So they're not based on the appearances (except AJ, and maybe Glory for Rarity) and they're not based on the G1 personalities. And Hasbro clearly don't want to credit 'the imagination of Lauren Faust' for whatever reasons. So yeah.
It's semantic but it's something I have a problem with in G4 vs G1 in general. We just take the multiple canons plus our own headcanons for granted, but then you see conversations in which "Majesty WAS x in G1" and so on, and yeah, in some places, she was. But in some places, she wasn't. And in some kids' heads she was something else. (Mine was mad and senile and ran riot round the castle while Sapphire tried to keep order as regent, but that's another matter). The point is these were toys not tied to a single 'interpretation' and the cartoon, comic, cards etc were meant as a spark point for kids to create from, if they wanted, not a 'canon' to enslave them to.
But the fact they call the original 6 ponies mane 6 kind of proves they don't care about detail.
Weird that it doesn't load in Norway...I can load it here in the UK fine.
-
It makes me feel like this page is meant for brony fans/fans of G4 who might get into G1 and G3 is notoriously unpopular in that fandom. I'm not talking about the crazy brony fans, I'm talking about the general G4 fans.
Ah yes that's true! The page really looks like they're trying to pull current fans into liking the older gen, and then market that older gen to them. Hmm... I wonder if this 'retro' line will become G5? That would be very weird but nothing Hasbro does anymore would surprise me. :P
It's semantic but it's something I have a problem with in G4 vs G1 in general. We just take the multiple canons plus our own headcanons for granted, but then you see conversations in which "Majesty WAS x in G1" and so on, and yeah, in some places, she was. But in some places, she wasn't. And in some kids' heads she was something else. (Mine was mad and senile and ran riot round the castle while Sapphire tried to keep order as regent, but that's another matter). The point is these were toys not tied to a single 'interpretation' and the cartoon, comic, cards etc were meant as a spark point for kids to create from, if they wanted, not a 'canon' to enslave them to.
I think that's just how kids franchises are represented these days, it's not really 'G1 versus G4' it's more 'modern marketing versus older marketing'. Most toys these days that are trying to be a franchise are introducing the kids to the world and the characters, so they can feel included and feel like they know the things going on in that franchise.
I remember before that new Disney cartoon Vampirina even aired, I already saw toys on the shelves. And the commercials that advertised it as "coming soon" were like a little "introduction" to the show with a 'meet the characters' kind of thing. Kids get really excited when they can tell you about all the things they know from their favorite show.
-
I think with ponies it is G1 v G4 (I don't mean that in a confrontational sense, more a comparative style sense). In the eighties you had Jem, which was centred around the cartoon (that unfortunately for Hasbro was much more successful and cult than the doll line, but which was designed as the glue to that doll line). We don't know with Jem what would've happened beyond the third year projected, and we only know from prototype info what year 3 would've contained, but there was a much stronger show/toy relationship there. Maybe because it's humanoid? I dunno.
Then you had SheRa, which did a similar kind of thing to G4 except forgot to release some of the core characters xD. By which I mean the show circled around mostly the same characters on good and bad side, plus imports from the bad side of MOTU (Hordak etc), but then had a bunch of toys who maybe got one ep (like fringe G4 characters) before never appearing again (Perfuma, Mermista, Netossa, etc).
What neither Jem nor SheRa did was fall into the trap of only releasing the exact same stuff. Even the projected stuff for 1988 for Jem ditched the Misfits bar Pizzazz (boo hiss xD) and included the Stingers (introduced in Stingers Hit Town), Regine and Astral (each had 1 episode) alongside a couple of new Jem herself dolls (unavoidable if annoying). I forget what else because I can't remember where Graphix came in, I think she was scrapped earlier. (Jem of course also had fashions). SheRa did have a few releases of SheRa and Catra but forgot to release Madame Razz, Broom...Cowl? Did he get released? And Shadow Weaver...all core to the animation plot.
With MLP it seems like they did the TV show, realised they didn't need it to sell the toys so stopped and then kind of forgot about it, sold ponies with backcards and the occasional book (over here comics but I'm thinking in terms of all angles, including the US) then came back to TV for MLP Tales for whatever reason (see other thread xD). So instead of trying to guide the canon through a connected show, you had the backcards. Totally different from both Jem and SheRa. The humanoid aspect may be the biggest part of that, but I think it's a striking difference WITHIN MLP itself to go from that scattered canon of multiple possibilities to a static canon of one possibility and multiple variations on the same theme.
In short, I'm saying it's not rare or unusual to have a core cast even in the eighties, or to hang the toyline off it. It just wasn't usual for MLP then and is now.
Let's not forget Monster High had its TV specials, and its shorts, but also had the diaries in the boxes (though in Europe those were quite useless thanks to multiple languages truncating the content) so the kids could construct their own canon, rather like G1 MLP. The show DVDs were there but MH never aired as a TV series. I've seen specials on TV here, but it's a DVD release thing, so not something you'll accidentally skip onto. True, the YT shorts maybe counteract that, but it's still interesting as MH is not on netflix (even when EAH and EQG are). At least not here.
Then on the flipside you have Miraculous Ladybug which is great with the show...terrible at connecting the merchandise and products xd.