I dug up my old Tumblr post on this subject . . . here we go!

Do you know why we call pony generations G1, G2, etc?  The term didn’t originate from Hasbro--except it also sort of did.

We must first look not at ponies, but at robots.

The first Transformers line ran from 1984 to 1991.

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Then in 1993 Hasbro released Transformers Generation 2, a toyline so advanced that the logo was being sucked sideways by some preternatural force.

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The truth was most of the G2 Transformers were previous Transformers in new color schemes . . .

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But the point is that if THIS toyline was Generation 2, aka G2, it implied that the 1984 - 1991 Transformers were Generation 1, or G1.  Thus the terms G1 and G2 were born in the Transformers fandom.

Let’s go back to ponies.

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The original line of MLPs ran from 1982 to 1992 in the US, and a few years more in select other countries.

MLP then lay dormant until it was rebooted in 1997:

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Collectors did not call the new ponies G2s.  They called them “the ’97 ponies” (even the ones made in 1998, 1999, etc) or “the new ponies”.

The original ponies were called “the 80s ponies” (even the ones made from 1990 to 1992) or “the old ponies”.

Then in 2003, My Little Pony was rebooted again:

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Suddenly two labels were not enough, because what were THESE ponies supposed to be called?  “The new-new ponies”?  No, the community needed a more clearcut way to describe these three generations iterations of MLP.

And so discussions began on the then-central hub of MLP collecting, the My Little Pony Trading Post. Suggestions included calling the new ponies “the 2003 ponies”, or referring to each generation by their location (Dream Valley, Friendship Garden, and Ponyville).

Then a MLP collector who also collected Transformers remembered the “Generation 2″ robots.  She suggested the ponies be called G1, G2, and G3.  Not only were the terms clear, but they were short--an important consideration when collectors were buying, selling, and trading on forums with limited subject-line space.

There was no “aha” moment or immediate consensus; for a while each collector called the ponies whatever they preferred.  But gradually the G1 / G2 / G3 labels gained favor and became universally accepted.

As for the pony collector who made the suggestion . . .

It was me. 

The Gx term is still mostly fanon, you don’t see it used in official merchandise much.  But when Basic Fun released their retro G3 ponies . . .

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Well, it made me smile.

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Monster High has also started using G1, G2, and G3 . . . I asked a Monster High collector when this started and she said it really kicked off when the third generation was released.  Which I found really interesting.

Hi guys, I made a little video about the MLP 'n Friends books I found on Taobao (when I was searching for the Chinese translation of "anime colt", ha ha!  I like to put random horse related word combos in the Taobao search because sometimes I find unique fakies or MLP merch from it.)  They were published in 2007 and seem to have been licensed, as they advertise G3 merchandise in the back.

I think maybe MLP 'n Friends was brought over and shown on TV around that time.

Anyway, here's the video!  I love the covers, the art style is so . . . unique.  Watch the video and learn which pony had persimmons on her butt. 

>>>LINK<<<

So, I want to recreate curls like Heart Throb or Sparkler would have had (that sort of loose, permed look, not tight straw curls).  Anyone have any curler recommendations?   

Hey guys,

So I know that MLP 'n Friends originally aired with two segments, one being a MLP segment and other being a different Hasbro property (Moondreamers, Potato Head Kids, or Glo Friends.)

I'm trying to figure out how the theme songs fit into this.

Here's the MLP 'n Friends theme song with the usual MLP jingle ("My Little Pony, My Little Pony, what will today's adventure be"):

>>>LINK<<<


And HERE's a song featuring MLP + a "friend" (in this case Moondreamers, but there were also versions with video clips of Potato Head Kids or Glo Friends) that starts "Come to where the magic is...":

>>>LINK<<<

Then on top of that Potato Head Kids, Moondreamers, and Glo Friends had their own theme songs.  Here's the Potato Head Kids one:

>>>LINK<<<

So, did each 30 minute episode have three theme songs?  Like, the "Come to where the magic is" one to start with, the "My Little Pony, My Little Pony" one before the MLP segment, and the Potato/Moondreamer/Glo specific one in front of the "Friend" segment?  Does anyone know?

I just got Izzy's mini set ($5 on Target.com)!  So, the pieces are held down by pegs so you can move them about and there's a sort of horseshoe-shaped clip that holds the pony in place.  I thought she came with a pink plushie pony but it's actually an armadillo friend, like the ones who helped Alphabittle in the movie.

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I got Izzy first because I love her sitting pose.  Her horn is painted over, but I'm going to try to carefully "unpaint it" with acetone.

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Size comparison!  She's so cute.

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So previously Hasbro China had that deal with Wan Accessory for purses, well now they've got licensed shirts from a fashion brand called Bronze Lucia.  (Hasbro China actually announced the deal on their social media so I know they aren't bootlegs.)

I've seen one G4 shirt, one G5 shirt, and the rest are retro G1.

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They also have a Blythe shirt!

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Such a cute style, really suits G1 ponies well.

I'm updating the MLP wiki and I'm not sure whether to put him in 2021 or 2022.  This would be the Crystal Adventures one that came with the tiny seagull and crab.

Thanks guys!