butt designs
I hope they drop the idea of the cutie mark being some sort of destiny indicator, because along the lines it sort of became a career indicator instead and got way more boring.
I hope they drop the idea of the cutie mark being some sort of destiny indicator, because along the lines it sort of became a career indicator instead and got way more boring.I don't completely agree with that, but I'll have to look at the newer episodes to be sure - I do feel that episodes like that were trying to tell us that it didn't have to decide your career, as the whole idea was that you could be good at many things, and that your cutie mark was what you were best at and possibly the thing you enjoyed doing, but the show made it clear that you could do other things, I thought.
I hope they drop the idea of the cutie mark being some sort of destiny indicator, because along the lines it sort of became a career indicator instead and got way more boring.
I think being tied to a pony's destiny or at least interests is kind of necessary, because it would be weird if symbols were random. Like if a pony got a pear symbol but hated pears. Or a pony with a gluten allergy got a wheat symbol.
I guess they could have the symbols change as the ponies age and their interests change, but . . . personally I don't like that idea. Imagine Night Glider suddenly getting different symbols because she isn't into space anymore. It might be unrealistic to say "She will always have this interest, that will never change", but it's okay for fictional worlds to be unrealistic.
I want to see the demise of the term cutie mark but also don't think it will happen. I just feel that it's so patronising to be "cutie". Cute Mark, well, ok, I could maybe deal with that. But you have to make it cutesy language like you're talking down to someone...I never liked it in G3, and I don't like it in G4...I never saw the term Cutie Mark as talking down to the audience. I guess when you take being called “cutie” rather than “ cute”, it is usually applied to children, but with the cutie mark term, I always thought of it being a parallel to a beauty mark, and “cutie mark” just sound more similar to that than “cute mark”.
The original official name was rump mark or rump marking. I have G1 material from Hasbro that uses that terminology, but I don't see a return to it because that was then and now everything has to be slick, shiny and, apparently, 'cute' when aimed at young girls.
I want to see the demise of the term cutie mark but also don't think it will happen. I just feel that it's so patronising to be "cutie". Cute Mark, well, ok, I could maybe deal with that. But you have to make it cutesy language like you're talking down to someone...I never liked it in G3, and I don't like it in G4...This, so much!!!
The original official name was rump mark or rump marking. I have G1 material from Hasbro that uses that terminology, but I don't see a return to it because that was then and now everything has to be slick, shiny and, apparently, 'cute' when aimed at young girls.
I think being tied to a pony's destiny or at least interests is kind of necessary, because it would be weird if symbols were random. Like if a pony got a pear symbol but hated pears. Or a pony with a gluten allergy got a wheat symbol.
I guess they could have the symbols change as the ponies age and their interests change, but . . . personally I don't like that idea. Imagine Night Glider suddenly getting different symbols because she isn't into space anymore. It might be unrealistic to say "She will always have this interest, that will never change", but it's okay for fictional worlds to be unrealistic.
Why should it be tied to their destiny? Tying it to theme/name/interest is fine, but having it appear when you've finally found your calling in life and being something of a social pariah until you do is dumb. And it was way too late in the game for Hasbro to drop that nonsense into the line.
I think being tied to a pony's destiny or at least interests is kind of necessary, because it would be weird if symbols were random. Like if a pony got a pear symbol but hated pears. Or a pony with a gluten allergy got a wheat symbol.
I guess they could have the symbols change as the ponies age and their interests change, but . . . personally I don't like that idea. Imagine Night Glider suddenly getting different symbols because she isn't into space anymore. It might be unrealistic to say "She will always have this interest, that will never change", but it's okay for fictional worlds to be unrealistic.
Why should it be tied to their destiny? Tying it to theme/name/interest is fine, but having it appear when you've finally found your calling in life and being something of a social pariah until you do is dumb. And it was way too late in the game for Hasbro to drop that nonsense into the line.
But if it's a special interest that your butt knows you'll have for the rest of your life . . . how is that different from "your destiny"?
It just seems inescapable that there's an element of "Yeah, you like this one thing forever" unless a gen did away with symbols altogether or made them change. But also, I don't think most kids are going to read that much into it?
Like in Avatar: The Last Airbender the four nations were split up by element type and you could argue the same thing--that it was saying that you were pre-destined only to be able to do ONE thing, if you were born in the Fire Nation you couldn't become an Air Bender, and that was limiting. But . . . did kids actually interpret it that way? Because I've never heard someone who grew up watching ATLA say that.
(And I am aware that the sequel series, Korra, wasn't like that, but I also know a lot of people who watched ATLA but not Korra.)
I'd love to see more elaborate designs i.e like Twice as Fancy ponies and cascading symbols being commonplace. As long as they all colour co-ordinated well.
Perhaps magic colour changing features too, that somehow matched the ponies magical/practical abilities.
For example, a pony with an open book cutie mark, that under the heat of your thumb would show up text or a picture. This pony's interest would be reading and/or history, something like that :)
Yes, bring back gimmicky symbols! I’d especially like to see more TaFs and gradients. :)
I’m probably completely alone in this... but I remember back when G3 was first announced, and Hasbro first coined the term “cutie mark”. I was SO relieved! XD I was sick of cumbersome terminology like “flank symbol”, and was really happy to have a cute, Hasbro-specific name for it that rolled off the tongue. I don’t love the way cutie marks were so exaggerated in G4 (or most of the goofier elements of G4, for that matter), but I’ll always think of it as a G3 term firstly.
Yes, bring back gimmicky symbols! I’d especially like to see more TaFs and gradients. :)
I’m probably completely alone in this... but I remember back when G3 was first announced, and Hasbro first coined the term “cutie mark”. I was SO relieved! XD I was sick of cumbersome terminology like “flank symbol”, and was really happy to have a cute, Hasbro-specific name for it that rolled off the tongue. I don’t love the way cutie marks were so exaggerated in G4 (or most of the goofier elements of G4, for that matter), but I’ll always think of it as a G3 term firstly.
Afaik they didn't start using the term Cutie Mark until G3 focused on the Core 7.
No, they started using it almost immediately. And for years MLP collectors mistakenly thought "cutie mark" meant the hoof heart (that indicated the foot where the magnet was), so you would see sale listings like "good symbol, slight scuff on cutie mark." :P
Edit: This pony is from the 2nd year of G3, but I thiiiink they used the term even earlier than that--like in promotional announcements and stuff. Not positive, though.
No, they started using it almost immediately. And for years MLP collectors mistakenly thought "cutie mark" meant the hoof heart (that indicated the foot where the magnet was), so you would see sale listings like "good symbol, slight scuff on cutie mark." :P
Edit: This pony is from the 2nd year of G3, but I thiiiink they used the term even earlier than that--like in promotional announcements and stuff. Not positive, though.
First I heard about Cutie Marks as a kid was either in the "Meet the Ponies" book or the "How to Draw" book, which had to have been 2003. I think they're mentioned in both but it comes down to which one I owned first. XD
Dismissing “girly” interests in a toyline/show aimed at young girls is as harmful as dismissing any other interests or pursuits. In both cases, we’re telling girls and women that they shouldn’t like or partake in something because of their gender.
...It's all very well saying girls can be empowered by fashion, and it's absolutely true. But then again, why are they choosing to empower Rarity with fashion? Is it because she's a girl, and that's 'something girls like'?
...It's all very well saying girls can be empowered by fashion, and it's absolutely true. But then again, why are they choosing to empower Rarity with fashion? Is it because she's a girl, and that's 'something girls like'?
Really? I never thought about it like that at all. I always saw G4 Rarity as creative and artistic. Making fashions like Rarity does is a rather high-skill level thing, and personally I thought FiM really celebrated that. Yes, it's "girly", and they could have literally make her good at anything else, but at the same time - why not? I truly get your issue with that idea though, but I don't think everyone looks at it trough the same lens (I think that's an English proverb, but I could be mixing languages up, sorry in advance).
Hip mark or hip decor or hip print might be good options, except what do you call it on TAF ponies, hmm...
or for copyright status, maybe Pony Print (yay for alliteration)? Print makes sense for them as toys but not really for them to call it within their own universe.
What would we call it if people had something like that? Maybe hip mark, like we have birth marks?
...It's all very well saying girls can be empowered by fashion, and it's absolutely true. But then again, why are they choosing to empower Rarity with fashion? Is it because she's a girl, and that's 'something girls like'?
Really? I never thought about it like that at all. I always saw G4 Rarity as creative and artistic. Making fashions like Rarity does is a rather high-skill level thing, and personally I thought FiM really celebrated that. Yes, it's "girly", and they could have literally make her good at anything else, but at the same time - why not? I truly get your issue with that idea though, but I don't think everyone looks at it trough the same lens (I think that's an English proverb, but I could be mixing languages up, sorry in advance).
In any case, I’m sorry if something I said offended you, or if I missed another point you were making (it was late when I posted). I just get a bit defensive of my pink and glitter. There are groups and individuals that are on this anti-girly kick, and berating parents about what they should or shouldn’t allow their daughters to play with. Not to mention all the negativity that brands like Disney Princess get from self-proclaimed “progressive” women.
“Girls who play with Barbie will grow up to believe they’re lesser than men—give them a Mrs. Potato Head instead!” (Real suggestion from researchers.) Umm... right. I’m definitely going to be thrilled with a potato when I asked for a glamorous fashion doll for my birthday. :/ Nothing wrong with the Potato Heads, mind you (I loved mine as a kid), but I played with them in a totally different way. They were not Barbie substitutes.
I've always wondered how the parents in FiM were able to so accurately name their children when their gluteal tats hadn't shown up yet to tell the world just who/what they were. :silly:
Like, what if Rainbow Dash's tat had been a bee with a flower? Would she have applied for a name change or just been okay with it?
But this is now off topic, so let's drop it and get back to symbols.
gluteal tats
They better be on both sides!Could
They better be on both sides!Could
Not
Agree
MORE!!!
They better be on both sides!Could
Not
Agree
MORE!!!
Now, what if they were born with one marking (in order to give their parents an idea of what to name them) but then they magically earned a second marking on the other side depicting their skills/talents? That might make for new mix-em-up that hasn't been done yet.
They better be on both sides!
They better be on both sides!Could
Not
Agree
MORE!!!
Now, what if they were born with one marking (in order to give their parents an idea of what to name them) but then they magically earned a second marking on the other side depicting their skills/talents? That might make for new mix-em-up that hasn't been done yet.
I guess I also want G5 to be a lot more of a magical realm and a lot less of a slice of life thing though. And that is also probably worth taking into consideration when thinking what symbols may be going forward.
(Also no to any kind of heat sensitive/changing symbol - Magic Message ponies are a good enough lesson why that's a problematic toy concept)
(Also no to any kind of heat sensitive/changing symbol - Magic Message ponies are a good enough lesson why that's a problematic toy concept)
I think that toy technology has come a long way since then. There have been much more successful implementations of color changing since.