The MLP Arena
Pony Talk => Pony Corral => Topic started by: Leopard_Print_Unicorn on September 04, 2012, 06:52:42 PM
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Ok, I started out as a G1 only girl. Got my first Cotton Candy when I was in pre-school, and when I started collecting again, I was gonna stick to just G1's. We all know how that goes....
Then I started on G3's. I noticed that their symbol/cutie mark had gone from being on both sides to being on only one side. The same continues with G4.
Finally, almost running out of ponies to collect (at least those that are easy to find), I have become obsessed with G2. The ones that I have so far are the early 1997-98 ones that were released in the US and Europe. These, like G1's, have symbols on both flanks.
So when and why did Hasbro change it? Is it really that much cheaper to just put it on one side, or was there an aesthetic reason? Do you prefer one over the other? I personally like them on both sides, maybe because G1 was my first love, or maybe just because it makes them a little bit more ornate, and easier to identify from either side.
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I like when it's on both sides, but I don't really know why... I guess I like how it's displayed on both sides. I also really like how both sides are different, like G2 Ivy!
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I like when it's on both sides, but I don't really know why... I guess I like how it's displayed on both sides. I also really like how both sides are different, like G2 Ivy!
OMG I haven't noticed that yet, I'm gonna have to go look! I just got my first G2's from e-bay in the mail a few days ago.
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I like when it's on both sides, but I don't really know why... I guess I like how it's displayed on both sides. I also really like how both sides are different, like G2 Ivy!
OMG I haven't noticed that yet, I'm gonna have to go look! I just got my first G2's from e-bay in the mail a few days ago.
I got my first G2 from eBay recently too. I saw it and I was really surprised! :3
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both sides DEFINITELY hands down, it was disappointing of hasbro to do that, with G3's it became restrictive to how they could be displayed but i guess with the g4 variety in poses went out the window so i guess it didn't matter they had them on one side though i still wish they did.
its cheap ..... real cheap i reckon, like the saying goes, "they just don't make things like they use to" :huh:
btw just checked all my G2 they all have the same symbol on both sides, doh. just notice my Mcdonalds G2 has symbol on one side ah-ha thats when it started :P
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The trend definitely started with the G3's. And both the G3 and G4 animations show the ponies with cutie marks on both sides, which is the biggest indicator to me that Hasbro is just cheap and wants to save money, so they only print the toys with cutie marks on one side. I never thought about it much when I was collecting G3's back a few years ago (maybe because I told myself you can only see one side of the pony when it's on display!) but now that I have a large G4 collection it's becoming more noticeable to me. (Their heads turn so you could in theory display them in any direction, but with the cutie mark only on one side, you're stuck keeping them facing 'display side' only!)
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I was seriously disappointed when I bought my first G4 and there was only symbols on one side. I started arguing with myself "No, I swear they used to have symbols on both sides" :lol:
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I really don't see how it would cost Hasbro that much more money -.- I find it hard to believe that companies are having harder times than in the 80s and 90s.
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The saddest part for me was that the G3s heads could move, yet their symbols were only on one side, so you couldn't display them any other way anyway. From a collecting point of view, as well as for play, I would prefer symbols on both sides.
Also, OMG, I never noticed that G2s have different symbols on each side! I don't even have any anymore, so I can't check, lol.
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The novelty-sized ponies, like petites and McDonalds and such, always had one-sided symbols too. I guess the petites were the first to do it? Or the Mommy Charms? *shrug*
Another vote for two both sides being better, but it isn't a big deal for me. We just have to use our imaginations more.
And wait, G3s can move their heads? None of mine can...
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And wait, G3s can move their heads? None of mine can...
The later ones can, it was a marketing thing.. a big sticker on the packaging, 'pony now moves it's head!' or something...
definitely Both sides... it's just silly having it on one!
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I wonder if it's a manufacturing thing. Like, if they have to flip the pony over to put the symbol on the other side, and it takes too much time, so they discontinued it. That actually wouldn't surprise me considering I used to work a manufacturing job :/
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I wonder if it's a manufacturing thing. Like, if they have to flip the pony over to put the symbol on the other side, and it takes too much time, so they discontinued it. That actually wouldn't surprise me considering I used to work a manufacturing job :/
^This - its going to be a manufacturing thing. Simply down to time scales of production, cost, operational logistics or a combination of the aforementioned. Its not "too expensive" in as using too much ink, it will be "too expensive" as in whether a pony needs to pass through production twice, takes longer to finish or physically putting in place equipment to stamp impress both sides and keep production times down is too costly.
As a G1 girl, the lack of a second symbol does drive me batty but I got used to it with G3 so it doesnt annoy me as much anymore :)
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I very much prefer that ponies have symbols on both sides. I was disapointed with the G3's only having it on one side and my disapointment continues with the G4's that only have it on one side aswell.
A pony should have cutiemarks on both flanks, even their own TV-shows sais so! :P
But Hasbro is without a doubt lazy and just simply can't be bothered to flip the darn pony over to give them a cutiemark on the other side aswell >.<
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I think it came down to the "quantity" and not the "quality" of toys. This is not just limited to my little ponies. The toys I grew up with more care and thought was put into making them. Unlike the toys of today. Although it does not bother me that G3s-4s have just one symbol on one side. I think its sad. :/
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It's definitely a time-in-production cost-cutting measure. Grrr it irritates me as I would like to pick which side my pony can be displayed facing. Especially if they have wonky hair or stains on one side...
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What I've begun to wonder about is, if the flank marks are "canonically" still two-sided due to cartoon artwork and later releases of the same character allowing the symbol to show on either side, what about G3's hoof marks? You know, the ones that are usually a heart with a smaller heart of another color wedged on top. I know they are meant to denote the magnetic foot, but what do they mean "in-story" to the ponies? If hoof symbols had been made in an earlier era of My Little Pony, would they have been on both forelegs too? Eye symbols are in both eyes, right?
I saw some comic book scans where the same pony's hoof heart kept switching sides throughout the same story, but it was never seen on both sides at the same time, even when both hooves were clearly visible. Maybe they really do have magnet magic to be able to hold things, but they can only channel it through one leg at a time, and that's what the heart means?
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I think thats an interesting idea Bag of Magic Food - I love that people can look for the extra dimension in the cartoon and the toys this way. The heart on the hoof doesnt always indicate where the magnet is - Hasbro liked to mix it up sometimes :)
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I think most of us ..prolly like... 99%- 100% of us .. much prefer the symbol/cutie mark on both sides.
Maybe Hasbro will listen and get the message eventually?... :awake:
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The mark only on one side makes the poor pony unbalanced and is poor design in my eyes - that's why I'll stick with collecting my G1's thank you!
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I wonder if it's a manufacturing thing. Like, if they have to flip the pony over to put the symbol on the other side, and it takes too much time, so they discontinued it. That actually wouldn't surprise me considering I used to work a manufacturing job :/
I don't think they actually have to flip the pony around to do both sides--I am pretty sure all the ponies go through the machinery in the same "direction" (whether that's head-first or butt-first or whatever) and then something swoops in to stamp them from either the left or the right.
Most of the G4s are in the same pose, yet some have symbols on the left and some on the right. (Ditto with some G3 poses, like the donkey pose.) IMO this indicates Hasbro's machinery has the capability of doing either side, or both sides. They are definitely not going to have separate machines, one for left-symboled ponies and one for right-symboled ponies!
Also, the G3 art ponies have shown that Hasbro can do very intricate symbols if they feel like it.
I think it comes down to "Kids can't see the other side in the packaging, so why bother?" (Wasn't this actually one of the answers from Pony Fair?) Lax.
Incidentally, didn't some of the very last G2 have symbols on only one side, like the one with the teddy bear costume?
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Hooray! I'm glad I'm not alone. I never really thought about it in terms of display, probably because with the limited space I've had to display ponies, you couldn't see many of the symbols anyway because the ponies were all lined up, facing out. I think it was more that I grew up during G1, when I first started collecting as an adult it was only G1, and then when I bought my first G3 and saw that the cutie mark was only on one side, it was kinda like "Huh? What happened?"
As a G1 collector, I always preferred "symbol" to "cutie mark," but as I understand it, symbols refers to the older gens, like 1-2, and cutie mark came about in gen 3 and continues in 4. So that's how I phrase it, to avoid confusion.
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As a G1 collector, I always preferred "symbol" to "cutie mark," but as I understand it, symbols refers to the older gens, like 1-2, and cutie mark came about in gen 3 and continues in 4. So that's how I phrase it, to avoid confusion.
lol this is true, Hasbro trademarked the phrase 'cutie mark' back when they unveiled the G3 line and probably saw no reason to give up the trademark when the G4's came along, so they got it too.
I guess this means technically cutie marks have -always- been on one side! lol.
........... *smacks self in forehead* I just realized it's probably meant be a play on the phrase 'beauty mark'! Oh man can't believe that never hit me before...
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I watched the show before collecting any figures and I much prefer ponies with symbols on both sides. For one, they can be displayed if one side has a damaged/rubbed cutie mark. For two, cutie marks are found on both sides of the flank on the ponies in the show. I can see that it cuts costs a bit, but I would pay a little extra to have the cutie mark on both sides.
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It never bothered me much about the cutie only being on one side, but it might be because I was a G3 collector before I was a G1 collector. I've heard fellow G1 collectors complain about this fact before tho * looks over at FarDreamer, among others*
Besides the manufaturing issues others mentioned, I'm also betting it is partly logistics when it comes to 3D symbols. I think there are a lot more of the 3d Symbols in G3 than G1, and I can see why they would also blame that not only on cost but manufactturing...I know G1 Princesses would be the exception/arguement to this rule, but still, the 3D symbols on G3s are bit more ornate and harder to put through manufacturing twice, AND position the same exact way on certain poses, etc
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I definately prefer the body markings to be on both sides!!!!!!! I was so dissapointed when they started putting them only on one side and I still am!!! :( I really, really wish Hasbro will put their act together and start putting them on both sides again!!! It is so cheap not to!!! :mad:
About the "G2" ponies: they have the same marking on both sides; the only ones to have different markings on each side are the Sunny Garden Friends - 4 ponies in all. There are a few of the babies that only have the marking on one side - Sweet Snowflake and the 2nd series of Twin Baby Ponies. With the twins it makes sense because it makes it easier to remember who is who.
Actually I don't think Hasbro has ever referred to the markings as symbols; I have only seen them refer to them as body markings (in the 80s) and Cutie Marks (this millenium).
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........... *smacks self in forehead* I just realized it's probably meant be a play on the phrase 'beauty mark'! Oh man can't believe that never hit me before...
When it comes to My Little Pony anymore, you have to always suspect that "cutie" is a pun on "beauty".
Unless it's a pun on "booty".
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I grew up with g3's, so I've always thought that MLP's were SUPPOSED to have only one symbol.
When I was little I never really noticed that in the show the g3's had two symbols. I also remember looking at the old g1's that used to be in my grandma's basement and thinking it was weird that they had two symbols.
It took me a while to realize that the ponies in FiM have their cutie marks on BOTH sides. I thought they did that because the animators were just lazy. I guess it's hasbro that's lazy now. Lol. I think g3's are fine with one cutie mark (because of their poses) but g4's definatly need cutie marks on both sides!
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It never bothered me much about the cutie only being on one side, but it might be because I was a G3 collector before I was a G1 collector. I've heard fellow G1 collectors complain about this fact before tho * looks over at FarDreamer, among others*
Besides the manufaturing issues others mentioned, I'm also betting it is partly logistics when it comes to 3D symbols. I think there are a lot more of the 3d Symbols in G3 than G1, and I can see why they would also blame that not only on cost but manufactturing...I know G1 Princesses would be the exception/arguement to this rule, but still, the 3D symbols on G3s are bit more ornate and harder to put through manufacturing twice, AND position the same exact way on certain poses, etc
I'm not sure, because I wasn't the one paying for my ponies back then, but I'm betting that the Princesses, with the fancy symbols, Bushwoolies, and the accessories, cost more than a regular MLP at the time, too. They could have definitely factored the ornate symbol into the pricing. That's probably also why I never had one :)
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Both sides! When I started collecting G3s, all my G1s were in the attic. I kept telling my sister, "I just know G1s had symbols on both sides, but these don't..." She disagreed :P I got my ponies down from the attic and I was right, hehe. While it still annoys me, not as much as it did when I first started collecting G3s. Kinda used to it now :P
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Can you imagine how silly a TAF would look only done on one side? :cry:
Both sides for me.
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I wonder if it's a manufacturing thing. Like, if they have to flip the pony over to put the symbol on the other side, and it takes too much time, so they discontinued it. That actually wouldn't surprise me considering I used to work a manufacturing job :/
I don't think they actually have to flip the pony around to do both sides--I am pretty sure all the ponies go through the machinery in the same "direction" (whether that's head-first or butt-first or whatever) and then something swoops in to stamp them from either the left or the right.
Most of the G4s are in the same pose, yet some have symbols on the left and some on the right. (Ditto with some G3 poses, like the donkey pose.) IMO this indicates Hasbro's machinery has the capability of doing either side, or both sides. They are definitely not going to have separate machines, one for left-symboled ponies and one for right-symboled ponies!
Also, the G3 art ponies have shown that Hasbro can do very intricate symbols if they feel like it.
I think it comes down to "Kids can't see the other side in the packaging, so why bother?" (Wasn't this actually one of the answers from Pony Fair?) Lax.
Incidentally, didn't some of the very last G2 have symbols on only one side, like the one with the teddy bear costume?
Something like this will use an impress system - so on a cheaper production process it is actually possible for only one side to be "printed" and for the machinery to only have a single printing process in place...the reason that symbols are on alternate sides is simply that the product can pass through production in differing directions.
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Definitely prefer both sides! Especially now that ponies' heads turn!
If there's any chance Hasbro is reading this - If you release G4 ponies with symbols on both sides in the future, I will buy them. I already have the mane six, but I would replace them like that. The reason? Display value! I have my mane six ponies on display, each standing on a step on the Wedding Castle stairs, and because of symbols being on opposite sides, some ponies have their cutie marks showing and some don't. And that really bugs me. I want to display the whole pony, not have some of it hidden away, not looking at it's best.
And I know I could turn some around but then Rainbow Dash would have her butt facing Cadance and Shining Armor T_T And it's their wedding day!~ :yikes:
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I'm not sure, because I wasn't the one paying for my ponies back then, but I'm betting that the Princesses, with the fancy symbols, Bushwoolies, and the accessories, cost more than a regular MLP at the time, too. They could have definitely factored the ornate symbol into the pricing. That's probably also why I never had one :)
Oh thats a good point! I wonder if anyoone knows/remembers for sure, on the cost
one other thing folks might be forgetting in terms of my theory, PRECIOUS POCKETS ponies, only have their "symbol" on one side
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As to the newer generations have symbols on both sides in the cartoons, I bet they do that to make it easier for folks to know which pony is which.
I like the both the single and double sided symbols, makes each generation special.
Another reason to change to a single side is if they had issue with rubs from packaging. Also what Cat has said in regards to production and cost effectiveness.
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Besides the manufaturing issues others mentioned, I'm also betting it is partly logistics when it comes to 3D symbols. I think there are a lot more of the 3d Symbols in G3 than G1, and I can see why they would also blame that not only on cost but manufactturing...I know G1 Princesses would be the exception/arguement to this rule, but still, the 3D symbols on G3s are bit more ornate and harder to put through manufacturing twice, AND position the same exact way on certain poses, etc
I disagree. 3-D symbols are probably even easier to do than "regular" symbols.
Regular symbols: usually several different colors of paint, which all have to be aligned properly on the pony's body. (Imagine if the white cloud of G4 Rainbow Dash's symbol wasn't in alignment--you'd immediately notice that the cloud has "floated away" from the rest of her symbol!)
3-D symbols: paint the symbol BEFORE inserting it into the pony (or in the case of the princess ponies, assemble the little gems, etc, ahead of time) and then jab the whole thing into the pony's flank.
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Also, G1 actually had a lot of 3-D symbols--not just the Princesses and the Sundae Best ponies, but also the Merry-Go-Round ponies. G1 ponies with 3-D symbols had the symbols actually molded onto their bodies (not stuck in with a peg like G3s), and then the paint was added. So you can imagine how important it was that the paint be aligned.
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It just seems . . . borderline disrespectful that they don't bother to do both sides anymore. :/
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^ Yeah, MLPs are in a cheap price range, but that Transformer has more paint on it than any G4 pony, has MOVING PARTS, and costs $3.99, less than a basic MLP. Like, why does MLP always take the hit? You know? They would never make an Autobot that had half of its car-mode painted.
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http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/Files_Main/7CE91BA35056900B100160274A2B54EE.jpg[/img]
^ Yeah, MLPs are in a cheap price range, but that Transformer has more paint on it than any G4 pony, has MOVING PARTS, and costs $3.99, less than a basic MLP. Like, why does MLP always take the hit? You know? They would never make an Autobot that had half of its car-mode painted.
They're making Transformers again too? No way! Mine were cooler :p
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LadyMoondancer, you are my hero! I was going to bring up Transformers for comparison in the thread about mismatched heads, but I chickened out and deleted it!
But to the topic, both sides should have a mark. Whenever we see ponies overhead, they have it on both sides. Faust was a fan of G1, so it's not a matter of having the symbol visible at all times in the cartoon; they really are just on both sides. Maybe that applied to the g3 animations, but that's certainly not the case in FIM.
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First, Happy Birthday ponyRN!
Second,I prefer it on both sides as well, I kinda consider it laziness on Hasbro's part not to put it on both sides.
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First, Happy Birthday ponyRN!
Second,I prefer it on both sides as well, I kinda consider it laziness on Hasbro's part not to put it on both sides.
Thanks! I (think) I got a job for my birthday. And we all know what that means: MORE PONIES :) :) :)
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I have to agree with what everyone has said here. I prefer the symbols on both sides. Because that way its -easier- to identify the pony, specially considering some ponies can be the same colours. Not only that, you can display them facing -either way-
With the symbols now being on on side only, its kinda forces you to keep them on -just one- side. Putting them on the side without the symbol it just looks weird and blank to me.
I also agree that it could be due to time & money, that Hasbro are only putting the symbols on one side. They can put symbols on both sides in the cartoon's, but not the toy's? I understand that cartoons and toys are different but -both- take -time- to make, if you're able to put a symbol on both sides in the cartoon then, that should apply to the toys too in my opinion.
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Besides the manufaturing issues others mentioned, I'm also betting it is partly logistics when it comes to 3D symbols. I think there are a lot more of the 3d Symbols in G3 than G1, and I can see why they would also blame that not only on cost but manufactturing...I know G1 Princesses would be the exception/arguement to this rule, but still, the 3D symbols on G3s are bit more ornate and harder to put through manufacturing twice, AND position the same exact way on certain poses, etc
I disagree. 3-D symbols are probably even easier to do than "regular" symbols.
Regular symbols: usually several different colors of paint, which all have to be aligned properly on the pony's body. (Imagine if the white cloud of G4 Rainbow Dash's symbol wasn't in alignment--you'd immediately notice that the cloud has "floated away" from the rest of her symbol!)
3-D symbols: paint the symbol BEFORE inserting it into the pony (or in the case of the princess ponies, assemble the little gems, etc, ahead of time) and then jab the whole thing into the pony's flank.
Actually 3 D symbols are much more complicated as they involve a brand new mould - just look at how new moulds had to be created for some of the 3 D symbol ponies - outside the first run of Princesses all further 3 D ponies are new moulds based on old moulds [hence the minor differences in moulds like Bow Tie to Taffeta]. Creating a mould is incredibly expensive and in some ways its impressive that Hasbro went to the bother of doing this. They are not created and then stamped or placed on a pony, the 3 D symbol [such as with MGR or Sundae Best] or the "hole" for the symbol [such as with the Princesses] is actually a part of the mould.
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If you release G4 ponies with symbols on both sides in the future, I will buy them. I already have the mane six, but I would replace them like that.
I've been meaning to ask, are there tutorials for how to paint custom cutie marks that look just as good as the official ones? Then you could fix all the G3-G4 toys yourself. But they'd have to be done really well, since it would only take flipping the toy around to check the accuracy of your faked mark.
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Oh yes, they created new molds for the 3-D symboled G1 ponies, but I was referring to the more recent generations (G3 and G4) with the "stick it in the rump" part. As far as I know, all the G3 3-D ponies were "stuck on", not molded on.
Although you are right, now that I think about it, the G3 3-D ponies did have new molds that had a "hole" molded into them where the 3-D symbol was stuck in. I think they did use the molds multiple times, though. For example, a Jewel pony would have the same mold as a 3-D pony (like Cloud Catcher), just with a different object stuck in the hole.
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As a G1 collector, I always preferred "symbol" to "cutie mark," but as I understand it, symbols refers to the older gens, like 1-2, and cutie mark came about in gen 3 and continues in 4. So that's how I phrase it, to avoid confusion.
lol this is true, Hasbro trademarked the phrase 'cutie mark' back when they unveiled the G3 line and probably saw no reason to give up the trademark when the G4's came along, so they got it too.
I guess this means technically cutie marks have -always- been on one side! lol.
........... *smacks self in forehead* I just realized it's probably meant be a play on the phrase 'beauty mark'! Oh man can't believe that never hit me before...
Oh wow, don't feel bad. I never realized that either. o_O I still hate the term 'cutie mark' though. =P
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It's just cheaper. It's also annoying, since they're SUPPOSED to be on both sides in-canon.
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Definitely prefer both sides! Especially now that ponies' heads turn!
If there's any chance Hasbro is reading this - If you release G4 ponies with symbols on both sides in the future, I will buy them. I already have the mane six, but I would replace them like that. The reason? Display value! I have my mane six ponies on display, each standing on a step on the Wedding Castle stairs, and because of symbols being on opposite sides, some ponies have their cutie marks showing and some don't. And that really bugs me. I want to display the whole pony, not have some of it hidden away, not looking at it's best.
And I know I could turn some around but then Rainbow Dash would have her butt facing Cadance and Shining Armor T_T And it's their wedding day!~ :yikes:
Just about every mane 6 has a release with their cutie mark on either side of their flank, I don't believe that normal Fluttershy does, but still.