DHX hit with major data breach (beware of spoilers)

[Taffeta]

The ponies (aside from Majesty with her extensive library of forbidden knowledge) do not know too much about the world beyond Dream Valley because they are an enclave that mostly keeps to themselves, so when they encounter these different species their ignorance of them is more understandable.

Not true for the,most part in the comic. I am unsure the term Dream Valley is even used but ponies live in many separate named locations and often have special friends among other species than ponies. They also interact with residents from these areas. Ponyland is essentially a small country alongside others as ponies frequently come to live in Ponyland but it is not always clear where from. Some, like the MGR ponies and TEs are bewitched or enslaved. Others arrive from other lands. Mountain boys just always live in Misty Mountain with a Wizard. I think we have a complex network of small lands and ponies are not always originally from Ponyland.

[Zapper]

I think the most interesting to look at is the e-mail one of the staff sent to the person who did the art.

I really REALLY want a different AJ. They mentioned various new character paths for her like "bad girl", a tough urban girl, etc. All of which sound more interesting than "I'm locked down on this here farm I will inherit and slave away for the rest of my life". It is possible to be family oriented, hard working and honest without a location the character is tied to (and creepy lesser livestock animals).

Characters like Rarity didn't need to stay in Ponyville and got to travel to other cities to expand their work and open up new ways to tell their stories. For AJ it was always "sell ma apples, fix that thang, get er done" - it got stale.

Also, outside of the US, people viewed AJ more like a cowgirl and not a "hick". Cowboys are cool and get into fights (as is the movie stereotype). Making AJ more of a bad girl would fit that like a glove without making her a literal colonist (what I hated THE MOST about the first season).

I think it's funny she was always considered the least popular of the 6 and now that they want to chabge her the hyper fans are clutching their pearls and say her boringness made her special.

I say: make AJ like Rogue from the 90s X-Men cartoon - a tough as nails southern belle with a dark-ish past so there is lots of room to grow!

[Al-1701]

She's the least popular, but her fans are the most militant.

And bronies in general are change adverse.  Remember the collective temper tantrum they threw for Twilycorn and Equestria Girls?

[Zapper]

She's the least popular, but her fans are the most militant.

And bronies in general are change adverse.  Remember the collective temper tantrum they threw for Twilycorn and Equestria Girls?

I always thought the RD ones are the most militant with how much they defend her like she was a real person
AJ is my second favorite after Rarity. It's about the personality. I wouldn't care if Rarity was solely a gem miner instead of a fashion designer because what I find so endearing about them is their business sense and work ethic. I found that refreshing for a kids show about sparkly ponies. Especially since it led to some episodes about especially Rarity showing how it's sometimes tough to make money without sacrificing your integrity. It was different from other girl shows because most of the time the protagonists are high schoolers and not young adults like the ponies are.

Keeping the essence of the characters would be important to me. It's like how Optimus Prime is always the wise leader no matter how he looks like. Or Bumblebee is always young and hangs with the humans. Make the M6 legacy characters if you have to use them again and mix some new ponies in based on the Transformers model.

[Leave a Whisper]

I think the most interesting to look at is the e-mail one of the staff sent to the person who did the art.

I really REALLY want a different AJ. They mentioned various new character paths for her like "bad girl", a tough urban girl, etc. All of which sound more interesting than "I'm locked down on this here farm I will inherit and slave away for the rest of my life". It is possible to be family oriented, hard working and honest without a location the character is tied to (and creepy lesser livestock animals).

Characters like Rarity didn't need to stay in Ponyville and got to travel to other cities to expand their work and open up new ways to tell their stories. For AJ it was always "sell ma apples, fix that thang, get er done" - it got stale.

Also, outside of the US, people viewed AJ more like a cowgirl and not a "hick". Cowboys are cool and get into fights (as is the movie stereotype). Making AJ more of a bad girl would fit that like a glove without making her a literal colonist (what I hated THE MOST about the first season).

I think it's funny she was always considered the least popular of the 6 and now that they want to chabge her the hyper fans are clutching their pearls and say her boringness made her special.

I say: make AJ like Rogue from the 90s X-Men cartoon - a tough as nails southern belle with a dark-ish past so there is lots of room to grow!

Rogue is one of my favorite X-Men. Second only to the awesome Storm.

[Al-1701]

I really don't want these ponies to be the legacy characters though.  They're not what I would want to slap on the face of the brand and say this is its identity for all time.  Especially Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash.  I can't stand them now.

[Wardah]

I really don't want these ponies to be the legacy characters though.  They're not what I would want to slap on the face of the brand and say this is its identity for all time.  Especially Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash.  I can't stand them now.

Pinkie already is tho. I'd say Rainbow Dash is too but G3 RD is a lot different from G4.

[Al-1701]

But Pinkie is the color of stomach medicine.  Seriously, there are so many pleasant shades of pink and you make your flagship pony the one I think of when my digestive system has declared war on the rest of my body?

I actually had an idea with regards to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.  Don't make them main character, but prevalent supporting characters.  Like Pinkie Pie is similar to the good mayor in Paw Patrol, a good-hearted but half-wit figure head of government (but more active than Mayor Mare).

[Wardah]

But Pinkie is the color of stomach medicine.  Seriously, there are so many pleasant shades of pink and you make your flagship pony the one I think of when my digestive system has declared war on the rest of my body?

I actually had an idea with regards to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.  Don't make them main character, but prevalent supporting characters.  Like Pinkie Pie is similar to the good mayor in Paw Patrol, a good-hearted but half-wit figure head of government (but more active than Mayor Mare).

She wasn't always pepto pink. In G3 she was more of a pastel pink. Honestly if I had a chance to redesign her I'd give her yellow and blue hair to match her cutie mark. We already have Fluttershy with pink hair we don't need 2.

[DazzleKitty]

I just saw the concept art and I love it. I hope G5 helps cater to collectors a little bit. I'd like to see some new character brushables.

[Mami Tomoe]

Spoiler

wow those g5 concept arts look nice, they look like a mix of g2 and g4.
Not sure of why they are keeping some of the mane 6 if they are changing their races. Aj especially is surprising but looks cool. Just not sure about the personality they talked about for her. Also I'm kinda enjoying the brony fandom imploding in a sadistic way. 

same here but i wish g5 was its own thing [/spoiler]

[Mami Tomoe]

If those are the style we'll get for G5, cautiously optimistic. 
I do hope it's a whole new cast and setting though - otherwise it'll just be Brony-Fandom 2.0.

you said it

[Mami Tomoe]

Spoiler

Super exciting! Let's hope Hasbro improves their toy quality for G5...

Watching the brony community flip out over this is hilarious. I like FiM too guys, but obviously it can't last forever and we had to have a new generation eventually! The butthurt coming from them is outstanding.

Someone get a bag of popcorn.

I can't see the concept art. Do they look like horses again?

sadly no

[Sunset]

Hmmm, just saw some news about Equestria Girls and suddenly had an idea.  What if Hasbro used EG to keep the mane 6 characters current and relevant but allowed the MLP main line to develop a new cast.  Then Hasbro could have their cake and eat it, too.

[Mami Tomoe]

Spoiler

It's not that they want to kill AJ because she's too hard to write for, they want to kill her because of her association with anything "country, farm or hick" (taken from the email...) I don't think Hasbro cares in any meaningful capacity that the writers have more of a challenge accommodating a story around her character. My guess is they don't feel a farm pony is appealing anymore, especially since they're throwing around the idea of turning her into a scrappy, tough urban girl who has to act harder because she's small. It feels like they're trying to respond to the current climate, and they want a champion of the underdog-type. AJ is my favorite, so it makes me sad that apparently she's too farm-y and horsey, which is silly. But the idea of her being a tough city pony is interesting, it's just hard to see at this point. Interested to see where she goes...

I wonder if their aversion has anything to do with the tendency of some bronies to put her with the confederate flag.

wait what