retro MLP toys and media

[Wardah]

Yeah, if they release common characters again in the same poses, then what's the point?  I could see giving them to children, but that's about it.  Especially if they aren't as good of quality as the originals, that was a lot of folks' complaint about the previous re-releases.  Now if they released interesting poses, new characters, or re-releases of rare ponies, then I would be excited about them even if the quality wasn't quite the same.  Re-released Lady Bird anyone?

I don't get the idea of wanting new characters in the G1 style for a retro rerelease. Isn't the point of a retro rerelease a chance to reconnect with the iconic characters you remember and give newer generations a chance to get to know them? Like I don't think the SSC retro rereleases would be as popular if they released "Pomegranate Smoothie" instead of Strawberry herself. That said I can kinda understand wanting the original characters in new poses because it's still the same character.

Because for many of us, it isn't about emotional attachment to a specific character, per se.  It's about collecting all the pretty ponies.  And most of the primary characters from the cartoons are common enough that must of us already own one or two.  And at any rate, even if I don't  own it, I can still buy most of them for the same price as buying something new in the store.  Having a new character in an old mold gives us something new while still preserving the nostalgia.  But I think this would only work if it were actual brushable toys.

If they do figurines, it would probably be better to use the original characters.

The original SSC dolls aren't too hard to find either but the rereleases are doing well. Even if you can get an original on ebay there's something magical about being able to get one brand new in stores.

[Al-1701]

The quality of a media adaptation is what would worry me.  The thought of making Wind Whistler just a copy of Twilight Sparkle or Fizzy a copy of Pinkie Pie because they have the most superficial similarities.  No thank you.

I guess if they could find people who worked on the original show to serve as consultants, it could work.  Or give them the writer's guide from the original series and flesh out its ideas more.

[Leave a Whisper]

The quality of a media adaptation is what would worry me.  The thought of making Wind Whistler just a copy of Twilight Sparkle or Fizzy a copy of Pinkie Pie because they have the most superficial similarities.  No thank you.

I guess if they could find people who worked on the original show to serve as consultants, it could work.  Or give them the writer's guide from the original series and flesh out its ideas more.

As if they would even with guidance.

[Taffeta]

I don't know that a lot of G1 collectors really want new G1 media content.  It's discussed a lot, but always in the context of this perfect thing that 'could be'.  I don't know that MLP collectors are prepared to handle the reality that a G1 reboot could be mediocre, lackluster, and majorly change / overhaul the old characters (if they were even used).  So I think that is something to think about before clamoring for G1 content.   Will we accept it if it is not very good?

Agree with this. Two words to sum that idea up:

Jem movie.

Nuff said.

And in the case of Jem, the original writer/creator is around, would have been involved and was not consulted.

[Wardah]

I don't know that a lot of G1 collectors really want new G1 media content.  It's discussed a lot, but always in the context of this perfect thing that 'could be'.  I don't know that MLP collectors are prepared to handle the reality that a G1 reboot could be mediocre, lackluster, and majorly change / overhaul the old characters (if they were even used).  So I think that is something to think about before clamoring for G1 content.   Will we accept it if it is not very good?

Agree with this. Two words to sum that idea up:

Jem movie.

Nuff said.

And in the case of Jem, the original writer/creator is around, would have been involved and was not consulted.

Another two words.

Jem Comic.

I dunno why but it seems the comics do a better job with retro properties than anything else does.

[Taffeta]

Another two words.

Jem Comic.

I dunno why but it seems the comics do a better job with retro properties than anything else does.

For me you can add that to Jem Movie as a reason not to touch it. Another example of fanfiction winning over canon without the remotest explanation of why or how. Admittedly, it's better than the movie fiasco, but, rather like Al said, distorting original stuff is a problem for a lot of fans. I'm not okay with things in the comic that have zero basis in the original series, thus I won't read it. And with what LM said, the same happened with TF. The risk to MLP in this world of G4 and the saccharin world of FIM is a ponyland that really doesn't resonate with what we remember.

I still vote that we should let sleeping ponies lie. The past is what it was, it was beautiful, let's not tarnish it by forcing it into the present.

[Al-1701]

Some changes need to be made to bring something back.  I would like an augmentation rather than a distortion.  My Little Pony and Friends provided the possibility of a very open world.  It had everything from house-stealing wizards to tech-obsessed primates.  And that was just the show.  There was the book where Glory was the victim of grand theft horn.  The comics introduced us to even more zany enemies and allies like Wantall and the Weather Witch.  It's not as restrictive as Jem would be for new ideas.

The important thing would be getting the ponies right.  That is where the biggest problem lies as you need to flesh out their characters more than the show was able to do, but keep the spirit of their character intact.

I honestly don't know what happened with the Jem movie.  Actually I do know.  They handed it to the guy who made two (TWO mind you) Justin Bieber documentaries.  Why do we need a Justin Bieber documentary let alone TWO of them?  And a man who made TWO Justin Bieber documentaries made Jem into a viral video sensation because an heiress creating an alternate persona with holograms to head a band apparently doesn't bring people to the theaters.

[Lilja]

Another two words.

Jem Comic.

I dunno why but it seems the comics do a better job with retro properties than anything else does.

If they were to do a G1 comic series that's even half as good as the Jem comic I'm so there! Of course, Jem was already a pretty well-written show for being what it was. The G1 MLP show I would say for the most part... was not (but it was what you would expect from an '80s cartoon that only existed to sell toys). But I'd love to see something in the style of Rescue at Midnight Castle, but with more fleshed out characters and stories. Maybe with some of the fantastical elements (with sometimes slightly creepy implications) that you see in the old UK comics and backcard stories. I like the FiM comic fine, but if we were to have a G1 series running alongside it it needs to differentiate itself somehow.

[Strawberry Swirl]

Honestly? The idea of a G1 reboot is neat. The idea of one.

The actual execution of such a thing I can tell you right now will be disastrous, regardless of the actual quality of the product we get. The first generation has such a solid foundation to it, and the majority of people here grew up their entire lives with that foundation. Even one tiny little mistake will ruin that image to the fans of the first gen, whether or not they actually grew up during G1.

Additionally, even if no mistakes are made and the reboot is as faithful to the original run as it should be, it won't be the same. It would be sort of close, but think about it; people in the 80's couldn't predict what was coming next with the toys. In 1987, they couldn't tell you if there'd be another set of so-soft's. You couldn't talk to them about Sunshine ponies or Perfume Puffs because such things literally didn't exist. This creates an air of surprise, you can never know what's coming next or if anything is even in the horizon.

Today, the Internet is how people do pretty much everything. It's now a basic life skill to be able to open up your browser of choice, go to your search engine of choice, and start surfing. Everybody knows what Facebook is and has an email address. Technology is different and improved, and using it we can do pretty much everything.

Including predict what would come next in the ~new and improved~ G1.
Right now, our knowledge of G4 is at least a year before the actual releases in stores because sites like MLP Merch keep us up-to-date on all of Hasbro's equine shenanigans. It'd be the same exact deal with a G1 reboot. Even if you avoided using such tools, G1 already happened in its entirety. We'd know what sets would come out when and which ponies would be more sought after than others because experience with the "real" G1 already tells us this. It'd be a totally new experience.

Which is something that has the potential to be fun for many fans! However since the amount of collectors I've seen prefer their childhood G1 to the idea of a newly minted G1 that just feels different, I predict that a G1 reboot would flop harder than a pancake dropped onto the floor.

And yes, as many people stated, the animated characters would be affected hard as well. Keeping characterizations intact is a difficult thing to do, and it gets harder when fan favorites such as Wind Whistler and Firefly have such advanced depth for their time. To ruin a character just by slipping up one thing is a very easy to do.

That, and I'd rather dig out my eyeballs with a melon baller than have to face the possibility of one of the ponies parroting popular Internet sayings. (RE: The new Powerpuff Girls where Bubbles(my favorite in childhood) straight up says "OMG, Yaasss!!! I can't even!" My soul died that day.)

[Al-1701]

I would like to see some logical expansions to the G1 lines.  As I've said so many times, Big Brother unicorns and pegasi would make so much sense.  Maybe bring in prototypes that never made it to production.

Remolding old favorites in different poses would be an interesting twist.  Mimic pose Gusty.  Dancing Buttlerlies pose Wind Whistler.

[SummerSkye]

I would love more mini retros like that little Glory. As long as they are done well I would be all over it.

[Broken Irishwoman]

If they would release new characters as actual G1 ponies, with exactly the same quality and style, I would die. Seriously, it would be like the old days again! Going to the toy store and being super excited over which ponies they might have... 

BUT! They'd have to be exactly the same, like there was no gap between the last G1 ponies and now. No tweaks and no "updates" to attract today's buyers.

[Leave a Whisper]

I don't know that a lot of G1 collectors really want new G1 media content.  It's discussed a lot, but always in the context of this perfect thing that 'could be'.  I don't know that MLP collectors are prepared to handle the reality that a G1 reboot could be mediocre, lackluster, and majorly change / overhaul the old characters (if they were even used).  So I think that is something to think about before clamoring for G1 content.   Will we accept it if it is not very good?

Agree with this. Two words to sum that idea up:

Jem movie.

Nuff said.

And in the case of Jem, the original writer/creator is around, would have been involved and was not consulted.

Shh Taffeta, it's alright. The Jem movie was nothing more then a strange nightmare.




In all seriousness though, why do they almost always screw up the girls franchises?

Look at what they did to Care Bears with the first moden reboot. Lifeless, creepy CGI.

Or the awfulness of Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brute.

Compare it to the relatively popular  reboots of TMNT, and the sadly short-lived and totally awesome Thundercats.

I'll just be happy with good quality retro toys thanks. Both old ponies and brand spanking new ones in the G1 style.

[Wardah]

I don't know that a lot of G1 collectors really want new G1 media content.  It's discussed a lot, but always in the context of this perfect thing that 'could be'.  I don't know that MLP collectors are prepared to handle the reality that a G1 reboot could be mediocre, lackluster, and majorly change / overhaul the old characters (if they were even used).  So I think that is something to think about before clamoring for G1 content.   Will we accept it if it is not very good?

Agree with this. Two words to sum that idea up:

Jem movie.

Nuff said.

And in the case of Jem, the original writer/creator is around, would have been involved and was not consulted.

Shh Taffeta, it's alright. The Jem movie was nothing more then a strange nightmare.




In all seriousness though, why do they almost always screw up the girls franchises?

Look at what they did to Care Bears with the first moden reboot. Lifeless, creepy CGI.

Or the awfulness of Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brute.

Compare it to the relatively popular  reboots of TMNT, and the sadly short-lived and totally awesome Thundercats.

I'll just be happy with good quality retro toys thanks. Both old ponies and brand spanking new ones in the G1 style.

Wasn't Care Bears for kids of any gender, albeit very young ones?

As for Strawberry Shortcake the newer ones weren't too bad. The target age group liked the show anyways. Rainbow Brite depends which reboot you are talking about. The first one was just awful quality, which was a shame because the concept seemed interesting and the second one was limited to a subscription service few have which was too bad because the preview episode seemed cute enough. I was actually hopeful for merch based on the new designs tho the only merch we got was based on the retro versions.

But really I think we already have a great MLP series (especially the first few seasons). Let any retro release just be the toys and maybe remastered and enhanced versions of the original show.

[Sunset]

Or RAMC uncut on DVD.  I would buy that.