What the fuck is a brony?

Dude its not about my little pony. Its about the show friendship is magic. Its so surprisingly good when it has no right to be, thats its really hooked alot of people. The toys came after that and personally I would’nt be caught dead holding one. I just enjoy the show. Trust me when I heard about it I was just as confused as you. Then I watched an episode to see what all the fuss was about and it was a real mindfuck.

Dude its not about my little pony. Its about the show friendship is magic. Its so surprisingly good when it has no right to be, thats its really hooked alot of people. The toys came after that and personally I would’nt be caught dead holding one. I just enjoy the show. Trust me when I heard about it I was just as confused as you. Then I watched an episode to see what all the fuss was about and it was a real mindfuck.

Haters gonna hate I guess.

I guess while we’re having fun and enjoying ourselves (Which is all that really matters anyway), you can continue being angry.
Honestly, it’s a great fandom, and if it makes me happy, why should I care what anyone says about it?

Still love ya bro, but try to look beyond a judgmental view with some things.

And I do assure you, most of us do not fall under any of the categories you tried classifying the entire fandom as.

Haters gonna hate I guess.

I guess while we’re having fun and enjoying ourselves (Which is all that really matters anyway), you can continue being angry.
Honestly, it’s a great fandom, and if it makes me happy, why should I care what anyone says about it?

Still love ya bro, but try to look beyond a judgmental view with some things.

And I do assure you, most of us do not fall under any of the categories you tried classifying the entire fandom as.

At first I thought this was for real but it looks like you just rant at new things for the lolz as they say. I like the show cause it kicks flank! Best cartoon out right now!

Perhaps you should’ve tried watching what you were reporting on before making this article? Because if you did, you would know it’s a good fucking show. Also, it’s spelled brony. As in bro + pony.

Call it a shift in power. Now that Michael Bay is bleeding out all the credibility of Transformers and the GI Joe movie turned into a mindless sh*tfest, all the quality is being routed to the other major Hasbro line.

I can see this is satire :U

If you are genuinely interested in why we like it though… just go watch the show! It’s well animated, has good voice acting, has intelligent jokes, etc.

There’s even an X-men reference I spotted in the origin story episode.

I can see this is satire :U

If you are genuinely interested in why we like it though… just go watch the show! It’s well animated, has good voice acting, has intelligent jokes, etc.

There’s even an X-men reference I spotted in the origin story episode.

If you want to know why people have latched onto the latest television incarnation of the biggest peice of girliest shit ever produced, ask yourself this:
Can you honestly say anything about the personalities of the characters in Transformers that can’t also be said about atleast two others?

I mean, MAYBE, Optimus Prime, but there’s no really distinction between them. Two films in (haven’t seen the third), and I still don’t really have a reason to give a shit about the individual characters. I can’t tell one from another, and that just makes it boring in a way that all the action in the world can’t seem to make up for.

And that’s the thing. Just when Transformers have lost their soul, MLP seems to have gained theirs with “Friendship is Magic”. The central character is a shut-in nerdy book worm who, at the start of the series, has little idea about normal social interaction. I think the answer as to why nerdy 16+ males latch on to it is right there.

Straight away, they have a character to relate to, and the other characters have enough of their own personality that you can give a shit about them, and want to know what crazy shit they’re getting into and how they’re going to get out of it.

And then there’s the fan created content. So much amazing talent is congregating around the most unlikely of inspiration that the main reason a lot of people stick around is because there’s always something exciting and new going on, whether official or unofficial.

And just to clarify, old MLP is still gay. The toys – still for little girls, the original TV show – shittest thing on the planet, the old movies – god awful. It is “Friendship is Magic”, and “Friendship is Magic” ALONE that deserves anyone’s attention beyond a disgusted sideways glance.

If you want to know why people have latched onto the latest television incarnation of the biggest peice of girliest shit ever produced, ask yourself this:
Can you honestly say anything about the personalities of the characters in Transformers that can’t also be said about atleast two others?

I mean, MAYBE, Optimus Prime, but there’s no really distinction between them. Two films in (haven’t seen the third), and I still don’t really have a reason to give a shit about the individual characters. I can’t tell one from another, and that just makes it boring in a way that all the action in the world can’t seem to make up for.

And that’s the thing. Just when Transformers have lost their soul, MLP seems to have gained theirs with “Friendship is Magic”. The central character is a shut-in nerdy book worm who, at the start of the series, has little idea about normal social interaction. I think the answer as to why nerdy 16+ males latch on to it is right there.

Straight away, they have a character to relate to, and the other characters have enough of their own personality that you can give a shit about them, and want to know what crazy shit they’re getting into and how they’re going to get out of it.

And then there’s the fan created content. So much amazing talent is congregating around the most unlikely of inspiration that the main reason a lot of people stick around is because there’s always something exciting and new going on, whether official or unofficial.

And just to clarify, old MLP is still gay. The toys – still for little girls, the original TV show – shittest thing on the planet, the old movies – god awful. It is “Friendship is Magic”, and “Friendship is Magic” ALONE that deserves anyone’s attention beyond a disgusted sideways glance.

AddictedArtist is the only one so far that has put up a half decent argument. 

I put a new poll up on the sidebar, get your votes in.

The picture says it all….

My question, along with many other people, is why is there a void in a bronies life that is being so easily filled with a little girls cartoon? Is there honestly nothing else out there that would suffice? Game of Thrones? Breaking Bad?

I think I’ll be the first in the so-called “Brony Community” to get somethings out of the way. First, no matter how satirical, any “anti-brony” article draws in a few ignorant people who cannot take a joke. This is partially because their have been several media outlets that are downright distasteful portraying, and or mocking, the community. It’s certainly something that can be easily mocked, however; no denying that.
As for the “void in a (brony’s) life”, it’s really about the fact that there isn’t much else like it out there that has good talent, big names and happens to be enjoyable. Add to the fact that there is a lack of modern cartoons with this kind of style/appeal. By “style”, I do not at all mean ponies or a bright color palette. I’m talking more about the presentation and narrative. This show really feels like it came from the 90s, writing wise, and doesn’t rely on pop culture (overtly) or surreal and or crude humor. Any plug or cultural reference is not only thought out but meshes into place without obstructing the plot (yes, as weird as it is, there is plot). It’s also not as if they aren’t watching anything else, it’s more that this just catches their interest.
…And then there is the community. Yes, they are a tad (read: overly) obsessive (I mean really, self made conventions already?!) but a really dedicated and often fun group of people. A shit ton of music  parodies/covers and original works just scratches the surface. Fanart, given that the show has some basic templates to work with, is insurmountable in measurement for such a small amount of time. There is almost ALWAYS something happening or being released, so there is never a break for some people (those who try to stay up-to-date, that is).
Now— Is it the best show ever? Hell no- not even close. Is it the most addicting show ever? That… Is a lot more probable, outside of anime. It’s truly astonishing how 26 small episodes have changed so much in so many lives. Then the community is, in it of itself, addicting to the core- with new content and what not being added almost hourly. AND THEN, there is Hasbro, gleefully taking advantage of this new addiction, pandering to the bronies with small updates, and hilariously thought out marketing schemes (except maybe the “Bridlemaids” Bridesmaids billboard. But I love that one all the same.) Of course, Hasbro is not at all new to an unintended outside demographic, but My Little Pony, for the most part, is. This also seems to be the motto of The Hub; the diverse demographic, that is.
Not to mention, thanks to media coverage and fan music/art/games, tons of people are discovering places (and forms of art) they might of otherwise would of never visited (or tried) (Me: here, for instance). It’s a truly weird phenomena, I’ll give it that.

I think I’ll be the first in the so-called “Brony Community” to get somethings out of the way. First, no matter how satirical, any “anti-brony” article draws in a few ignorant people who cannot take a joke. This is partially because their have been several media outlets that are downright distasteful portraying, and or mocking, the community. It’s certainly something that can be easily mocked, however; no denying that.
As for the “void in a (brony’s) life”, it’s really about the fact that there isn’t much else like it out there that has good talent, big names and happens to be enjoyable. Add to the fact that there is a lack of modern cartoons with this kind of style/appeal. By “style”, I do not at all mean ponies or a bright color palette. I’m talking more about the presentation and narrative. This show really feels like it came from the 90s, writing wise, and doesn’t rely on pop culture (overtly) or surreal and or crude humor. Any plug or cultural reference is not only thought out but meshes into place without obstructing the plot (yes, as weird as it is, there is plot). It’s also not as if they aren’t watching anything else, it’s more that this just catches their interest.
…And then there is the community. Yes, they are a tad (read: overly) obsessive (I mean really, self made conventions already?!) but a really dedicated and often fun group of people. A shit ton of music  parodies/covers and original works just scratches the surface. Fanart, given that the show has some basic templates to work with, is insurmountable in measurement for such a small amount of time. There is almost ALWAYS something happening or being released, so there is never a break for some people (those who try to stay up-to-date, that is).
Now— Is it the best show ever? Hell no- not even close. Is it the most addicting show ever? That… Is a lot more probable, outside of anime. It’s truly astonishing how 26 small episodes have changed so much in so many lives. Then the community is, in it of itself, addicting to the core- with new content and what not being added almost hourly. AND THEN, there is Hasbro, gleefully taking advantage of this new addiction, pandering to the bronies with small updates, and hilariously thought out marketing schemes (except maybe the “Bridlemaids” Bridesmaids billboard. But I love that one all the same.) Of course, Hasbro is not at all new to an unintended outside demographic, but My Little Pony, for the most part, is. This also seems to be the motto of The Hub; the diverse demographic, that is.
Not to mention, thanks to media coverage and fan music/art/games, tons of people are discovering places (and forms of art) they might of otherwise would of never visited (or tried) (Me: here, for instance). It’s a truly weird phenomena, I’ll give it that.

I should also note, that this article made me laugh… A lot. Not much done, that hasn’t been done before, but still done well. It’s even more hilarious when you consider this is a joke/satirical article that happens to be much less offensive than articles that were genuinely serious or even somewhat serious. That’s…. Actually been something of a (rather small) trend I’ve noticed. C’mon, step your game up and get really offensive!

I should also note, that this article made me laugh… A lot. Not much done, that hasn’t been done before, but still done well. It’s even more hilarious when you consider this is a joke/satirical article that happens to be much less offensive than articles that were genuinely serious or even somewhat serious. That’s…. Actually been something of a (rather small) trend I’ve noticed. C’mon, step your game up and get really offensive!

Kudos Mike.  
Thanks for clarifying that your opinion is uneducated. Thanks for generating more curiosity about the show and potentially broadening the audience to gonch launchers.
Thanks for being so bittertastic! James ‘Wootie’ WoottonDirector & Brony (with a “y”, Mike)MyLittlePony

PS

Kudos Mike.  
Thanks for clarifying that your opinion is uneducated. Thanks for generating more curiosity about the show and potentially broadening the audience to gonch launchers.
Thanks for being so bittertastic! James ‘Wootie’ WoottonDirector & Brony (with a “y”, Mike)MyLittlePony

PS

Thanks for the honest, well constructed comments guys. It certainly helps shine some light on this latest fad amongst men. Who knows, maybe this is the start of something new, a world without borders where everyone lives in peace and asexual harmony.

The only part I can’t wrap my head around is…well it’s My Little Pony. Everything else is crystal clear. If I see a nice looking dress in a store window, I’m not going to buy it and wear it around the house no matter how nice it is. I’ll go out and find a pair of jeans that will do that trick.

I can see your reasons for thinking like this. While I am not a brony, I have watched, and enjoyed, the show, and heard all the jokes that even bronies make about how ridiculous it seems. All I can say, is that the show is of a surprisingly high quality, and it stands out amongst other new shows. The characters are well written. Character development actually exists. The plot, admittedly, is rudimentary, but that is common among first seasons, and the makers of the series have confirmed that they will be building on what already exists. Also, surprisingly enough, the humor is legitimately funny!

In addition, the animators put enough care into their work for even background ponies to have caught the fan imagination. Looking at another fandom, how many trekkies watch the show, point to a red shirt, and ask about their story?

There’s also the fact that the show creators are in communication with the bronies, encouraging them and accepting their feedback with open arms. I wonder about this craze, but I don’t wonder how it could grow so rapidly. It’s a perfect storm.

Come on mike , Dont give up . Everythings is Good in the life , u just need to not abuse , They seem to really abuse on this show .  Never saw one in Real life , only on the internet .

Come on mike , Dont give up . Everythings is Good in the life , u just need to not abuse , They seem to really abuse on this show .  Never saw one in Real life , only on the internet .

You never saw what in real life, a pair of boobs?

all that has to be said has been said already on the comments
i just want to add musical artist’s fanart, it is freaking awesome, you gotta listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf0tYs5U5RI&list=PLB0CC6BDA683149AE&index=34

By Brony cult logic if i enjoy PPGZ or Panty and Stockings with Gaterbelt (which btw are superior in everything) then i should go crazy about it and “convert” people.

First what great animation if it’s made in flash. 2nd the characters are the same but with different colors and all are girly and intended to appeal to teenager girls the differences are cliché just as much as pokemon characters or something… and finally the serie does not have humor power, the pop culture jokes are not it’s strong unlike fairly odd parents or billy and mandy or etc.

My first tough about this weird stuff was that it was an intelligence practice by anonymous to create fake hype about something just to try but then i realized it was just 2 big. Then i went for the “furfag” or furry theory that says that guys with a fetishe towards animal human like characters goes crazy with this crap well maybe that explains it but, i think there’s a third explanation and that’s subliminal messages in the series made to experiment social control, the japanese animes are full of these this is a fact known for quite a time the japanese have been doing it for a long time (heard of kids convulsing and vomiting after a pokemon episode years ago?) tengen toppa gurren laggan last fight scene is one of the most bizarre full of subliminal messages crap i have ever seen. I think this is the same. Remember we live under the NWO.

I found this article a few months ago and wanted to post my two cents worth.  Take it or leave it, and flame me if you like.

I discovered My Little Pony thanks to cracked.com.
They had an article discussing the four fads way outside target
demographics.  One of them just happened to be My Little Pony.  They
stated that for some reason this show had a major attraction for males
ages 16 to 30. 

(I have a few thoughts on this below.)

Now I, for one, have been
no stranger to girly shows in the past. (And am a lover of a good
cartoon) I have at one time been a huge fan of both sailor moon and
powerpuff girls.  Being the inquisitive and curious person I am I
decided to do some research about this show.  In my research I learned
that Laurent Faust, the wife of Craig McCracken (whom is the creator of
powerpuff girls) was the creative lead behind my little pony, so I
decided to give it a go. I have to admit  what I discovered surprised
me.  After watching the first episode (which was a two parter) I
actually WANTED to watch the next one! 

I will admit I went through some acceptance issues at first.  The
feeling could be compared to figuring out that you enjoy collecting
barbie figurines, or crocheting.  Not that there is anything inherently
wrong with it, but it is deemed “socially inappropriate”.  So now I had
to figure out why I liked it so much.

So why do I like it?  I have several reasons.  From an unbiased
technical aspect, It is well written, often referencing pop
culture(Chocolate Rain, Big Lebowski, Trainspotting, just to name a few)
and it makes me genuinely laugh and smile without the need for crude
childish humor (a feat in itself in my opinion). The show is created
entirely in Adobe flash.  This is a pretty impressive feat.  Especially
when you see how much detail goes in the scenery, in the characters, and
even little details like swaying leaves and the like.  Yes it can be a
bit pastel at times, but for me this just adds to the charm.  The songs
are very catchy.  Listen to winter wrap-up or cutie mark crusaders and
tell me you aren’t humming them for days.

Now  what about the rabid fandom?  What is it about a little girls
show that draws this audience?  For myself personally I think it fills a
void I didn’t know I had.  (Maybe this is true of others as well.)  I’m
not ashamed to admit I wasn’t exactly mister popularity in school.  I
knew a lot of people, and people liked me, but I didn’t have a lot of
social interaction. Even to this day at nearly 30 years old, I spend
most of my time glued to a computer on facebook and other sites rather
than having a so called “social life”.  Now the entire premise of this
show is friendship and helping each other, being there for your
friends.  I think that the lessons presented in this show would have
helped me greatly when I was growing up.  Every episode presents real
world situations disguised in a pony-esque way that would be easy for a
child to digest.

The message of each episode is so positive and uplifting that even
if I am in a terrible mood I will be grinning from ear to ear at the
end. There aren’t a lot of choices for positive uplifting Tv shows other
than veggietales, and if you aren’t a Christian then that show will
have nearly zero appeal.

As if a positive, life lesson teaching show wasn’t enough, then you
have the ponies themselves.  The character development on these
characters is excellent.  There are 6 main(mane) cast that each have
distinct personalities.

Twilight sparkle is a socially awkward bookworm who doesn’t always
know how to react to situations. She is very smart and always turns to
books (and her friends) for guidance. (I associate with her issues
sometimes, personally)

Rainbow Dash, a girl who is just one of the guys.  She is a little
brash, outspoken, a bit rude at times, but is always there when you need
her, loyal to a fault.

Fluttershy is a soft spoken quiet girl,
has difficulty with social situations, but would give her life for her
friends if needed. (I have also associated with her issues of shyness
and social anxiety)

Applejack is a country girl, strong willed and athletic, and
stubborn at times.  She is a great and dependable friend who always
thinks of others before herself.

Rarity is a bit of a diva, prim
and proper, always on the cutting edge of fashion and must always look
her best.  She is very generous and would drive herself into the ground
just to keep her friends happy.

Last but not least, my personal favorite is Pinkie Pie.  This pony
is playful, never angry or hostile.  She loves to smile and laugh.  She
has no shame, and will do whatver it takes to make her friends smile
with her.

I don’t know what it is about these ponies but one of them will
burrow their way into your heart if you are a fan of the show.  (From a
psychological standpoint I would almost say it is the personality type
of the opposite gender that you would be most compatabile with, or
attracted to.)  Most everyone in the community has a favorite.  There is
much good natured ribbing in the community over who is “best pony”. 
Though unlike many other fandoms it rarely ends in flame wars or
trolling.

This brings me to another point.  The community.  This community of
fans is simply amazing.  A recent survey showed over 9000(pun not
intended) “bronies” (gender neutral term for fans of the show) spread
all across the globe.  Bronies are typically good natured, fun loving,
people who like to follow the mantra of “love and tolorate” that is so
present in the show.  They are (usually) pleasent to have discussions
with.  They are also a talented bunch.  The arts, crafts, music, and fan
fiction they create are of a very (almost professional at times) high
calibre.  Song remixes, original compositions, songs (with lyrics),
games, Ive seen it myself, and it is simply amazing.

While there are many sites for the fans of this show to “graze” the
most popular is one called Equestria Daily.  It recently hit 100,000,000
pageviews in about a year.  This site has helped keep the fandom fire
burning strong, as a sort of hub for all the art, music, and etc that is
posted daily.   (There are typically anywhere from 3 to 6 updates a day
every single day!) 

One of the most impressive things in my opinion is the influence of
the fandom over the shows creative staff.  Rather than being repulsed by
the eccentric fanbase (as they maybe should have been), they choose
listen to their suggestions with open minds. 

As an example a “DJ” unicorn featured for only a brief moment in one
episode became a fan favorite and was featured in a commercial spot on
the hub network playing a song remix called equestria girls (a spoof of
Katy perry’s California gurls). At the end of the video a shout out is
given to DJ PON3 (PONTHREE) a name given to her by the fanbase.  An
extended version of this music video was created just for equestria
daily in which the ponies shout out to all their bronies.

An even better example than this was a little background Pegasus.  As a
joke, she was given a lazy eye as the camera pans past.  Fans noticed
this.  Before long they had developed a personality and backstory for
the character, lovingly calling her Derpy Hooves.  The creative team not
only acknowledged this name on the Hub website, but regularly features
her, crazy eyes and all, appearing several times each episode!

Now, I’m not going to deny that there are people who do not have
their shortcomings who watch this show.  There are the Rule 34 crowd,
but honestly, what fandom doesn’t have these folks, you take the good
with the bad!  I think there are some misconceptions about your typical
brony though.  For one, the most common reaction (FAG!) is a little
silly.  From what I’ve seen, most bronies are heterosexual!  There was a
segment  Fox news did on Bronies, that can be found on youtube.  They
compared them to “infantilists” saying that they are quitting their jobs
and drawing welfare to support their “habit”.  Now I personally work a
40 hour a week job, have a wife, and a kid.  I kind of resent the
discrimination based on one or two possible bad apples.  If you look
hard enough, I’m sure you could find these same bad apples in any fandom
of any type in the world, but the few bad ones should not represen the
group as a whole. 

Getting back to the original point though, I’m sure you are still
thinking, “Who cares, tl;dr.  This is still a little girls cartoon.” 
I’m ok with that.  For me, this show is an outlet (and may be for others
as well.).  I personally was encouraged, growing up, to be sensitive,
understanding, caring, and in touch with my feminine side.  I was
allowed to play with barbies and baby dolls.  I know that many males do
not have this option.  Today’s status quo tends to say a man is a man. 
He has to work hard, bring home the money, drink beer, watch sports, get
dirty, and he better as hell know a thing or two about cars.   If he
doesn’t, he’s gay.  No questions.  (I know people who have this mind
set, it drives me insane!)  This show lets you release that pent up
feminine side that I’m willing to be many males have, even if only for a
22 minute episode at a time.  For me, when I watch the show, it’s like
glimpsing paradise if paradise were run by candy colored ponies!

*Sorry, found this article a few days ago. My mistake.