My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

animated television series based on the Hasbro franchise

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is a Canadian-American cartoon that was shown on The Hub/Discovery Family. It was made by Lauren Faust,[d] who also worked on other cartoon shows which are The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. It was put on TV on October 10, 2010. The show's idea comes from the My Little Pony toys, which are made by the big toy company Hasbro.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Genre
Created byLauren Faust
Based onMy Little Pony
by Bonnie Zacherle
Directed by
  • Jayson Thiessen (seasons 1–5)
  • James Wootton (seasons 1–3)
  • Jim Miller (seasons 4–5)
  • Denny Lu (seasons 5–9)
  • Tim Stuby (seasons 6–7)
  • Mike Myhre (seasons 7–9)
Voices of
Theme music composerDaniel Ingram
Opening themeFriendship Is Magic
Ending themeFriendship Is Magic (reprise)
Composers


Country of origin
  • Canada
  • United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons9
No. of episodes221 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Lauren Faust (season 1, "The Return of Harmony")
  • Beth Stevenson (season 1)
  • Stephen Davis
  • Kirsten Newlands
  • Blair Peters (seasons 1–2)
  • Chris Bartleman (seasons 1–3)
  • Meghan McCarthy (seasons 3–5, 8)
  • Jayson Thiessen (seasons 4–5)
  • Sarah Wall (seasons 5–9)
  • Asaph Fipke (seasons 6–7)
  • Nicole Dubuc (seasons 8–9)
Producers
  • Devon Cody (seasons 3–9)
  • Sarah Wall (seasons 1–4)
Running time22 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkUSA

UK

ReleaseOctober 10, 2010 (2010-10-10) –
October 12, 2019 (2019-10-12)
Related
My Little Pony: Pony Life (2020–present)

Characters

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Main Characters

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  • Twilight Sparkle (voiced by Tara Strong, singing voice by Rebecca Shoichet) — A violet unicorn pony with an indigo, purple, and pink mane. She has a six-pointed star surrounded by 5 smaller stars as her cutie mark on her flank. She represents the Element of Magic. She became an alicorn princess in the third season finale, when she finished writing a spell that was started by Star Swirl the Bearded.
  • Applejack (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) — An orange earth pony with a lemon yellow mane. She has three red apples as her cutie Mark. She represents the Element of Honesty. She lives on Sweet Apple Acres with the rest of the Apple family.
  • Rainbow Dash (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) — A sky blue pegasus pony with a rainbow mane. She has a rainbow-colored lightning bolt for her cutie mark. She represents the Element of Loyalty. She loves to fly fast, and is a newer member of the Wonderbolts.
  • Pinkie Pie (voiced by Andrea Libman, singing voice by Shannon Chan-Kent) — A pink pony with a magenta mane and tail. She has yellow and blue balloons as her cutie mark. She represents the Element of Laughter. She is very energetic and loves to throw parties.
  • Fluttershy (voiced by Andrea Libman) — A lemon yellow pegasus pony with a pink mane and tail. She has three butterflies for her cutie mark. She represents the Element of Kindness. She loves spending time with animals and is very quiet.
  • Rarity (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain, singing voice by Kazumi Evans) — A white unicorn pony with a purple mane and tail. She has three blue diamonds as a cutie mark. She represents the Element of Generousity. She loves making dresses at her shop, the carousel boutique.
  • Spike (voiced by Cathy Weseluck) — A male purple and green baby dragon and Twilight Sparkle's best friend and number one assistant. He has been with Twilight since the very beginning.
  • Sweetie Belle (voiced by Claire Corlett, singing voice by Michelle Creber only from seasons 1-3) - A white unicorn pony with a grayish raspberry mane and tail and a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She is Rarity's younger sister.
  • Apple Bloom (voiced by Michelle Creber) — A pale yellow earth pony with a brilliant amaranth mane and tail and is the leader of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She is Applejack's younger sister.
  • Scootaloo (voiced by Madeleine Peters) — A light brilliant amber Pegasus pony with moderate cerise mane and tail and one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She also looks up to Rainbow Dash.
  • Princess Celestia (voiced by Nicole Oliver) - A white alicorn pony, a co-ruler of Equestria alongside her sister Princess Luna, and the adoptive aunt of Princess Cadence. She is also been a teacher/mentor of Twilight Sparkle at different periods of time.
  • Discord (voiced by John de Lancie) - A draconequus (a dragon-like animal with body parts from different animals) and one of Fluttershy's best friends. He represents the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. He has been close friends with Fluttershy since she helped him learn to behave himself.

Supporting Characters

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  • Zecora (voiced by Brenda Crichlow) - A light gray and dark gray blue-eyed zebra with a white and gray mane.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Cake (voiced by Brian Drummond and Tabitha St. Germain) - Yellow and blue green-eyed and pink-eyed earth ponies with orange and pink manes.
  • Maud Pie (voiced by Ingrid Nelson) - Pinkie Pie's gray turquoise-eyed sister with a purple mane.
  • Little Strongheart (voiced by Erin Mathews) - An orange buffalo with light orange curly hair, she is an Indian.

Popularity on the internet

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Though the show was only going to be for young girls, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic has become popular on the Internet with many fans of the show being males aged 15 to 35.

The My Little Pony fans from the Internet are from the cartoon and animation fans on the Internet board 4chan.

In October 2010, shortly after the show started, Web blog Cartoon Brew wrote a blog called "The End of the Creator-Driven Era in TV Animation", which had attacked the show for being supported by a big brand name, saying that "today networks clearly prefer established properties over original ideas, and dislike dealing with individual artists who have a clear creative vision".[4] That means that the writer did not like that the people who put TV shows on TV would put shows on that had a brand name and told older boring stories instead of TV shows that had new or original stories. The people in "/co/", the place in 4chan for cartoons and animations, who hadn't seen the show yet, were interested by the alarmist words in the blog and began watching the show, and liked the show for the story, characters, and animation style. Their reaction soon spread to the general board, "/b/", of 4chan. The reaction from 4chan created many My Little Pony recurring jokes and memes on the site.

Fans of the shows call themselves a "brony", a combination of the words "bro" and "pony". At first it was only meant to be used by male fans but the word is now used to describe any older fan of the show without it describing only one gender. A parody of Katy Perry's "California Gurls" called Equestria Girls was used for an ad by The Hub for the show, which has lyrics that also say the word "brony". Its title was later made into a movie which has human versions of the ponies in the show. Websites like "Equestria Daily" and "Ponychan" have been created to share stories, artwork, and news about the show. The websites get more than 100,000 visits a day. A video made by a high school student named Stephen who was using science to study some of the physical impossibilities on My Little Pony as part of a class presentation appeared on many news stations and also appeared on Tosh.0. During a phone interview on NPR's comedy radio show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! in June 2011, past President Bill Clinton correctly answered three questions about the show which led one journalist to jokingly refer to him as a brony.

Creator's response

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The creator and executive producer for the show, Lauren Faust, has shown that she likes the older fans of the show through her DeviantArt page. In the first episode, a pegasus pony in the background at one time had crossed eyes, which was a mistake by an animator. The boards on 4chan called the character "Derpy Hooves". Faust listened to the fans, having wanted the character to be named "Ditzy", but let the pony's name stay as Derpy, and the people working on the show have kept the Derpy character with the cross-eyed look, putting her in episodes as a silly background character.

To help people who were in the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, Faust sold some original drawings from the show along with a new picture of Derpy Hooves. The Derpy Hooves picture sold for more than $2000 on eBay.[5]

After season 1

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At the end of Season 1, one of the show's animators said that Derpy would say some lines in Season 2. In the episode "The Last Roundup", which shows Applejack competing for the Equestria Rodeo, Derpy Hooves talked a few times. Rainbow Dash says Derpy's name and Derpy speaks with a young boy's voice. At first, people thought that her voice was done by Brian Drummond, but it was Tabitha St. Germain, who didn't know at first that Derpy was female. Parent groups complained that this was insensitive to people with disabilities, and Hasbro changed the episode by making the pony's voice more girly and making Rainbow Dash not say her name. Another pony character with neon colors in her hair, wearing sunglasses and using a DJ set in one episode, was given the stage name of "DJ P0N-3" in a poll with the other choices being "DJ Clip Clop", "Scratch", "Deadhor5" and "DJ Raverider".[6] DJ P0N-3 was later in the Equestria Girls ad and has been a background character in some other episodes. Derpy and DJ-PON 3 eventually starred in the show's 100th episode, Slice of Life, which focused on the show's background characters as a tribute to the fans.

All episodes are 22 minutes long and the season comprises of 26 episodes, with the exception of the third season, which contains 13 episodes.

Episodes

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Season 1 (2010-2011)

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The first season and overall series has premiered on October 4, 2010 and last aired on May 2, 2011 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV. It's also the first season of the series to air on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV.

  1. Friendship is Magic (Part 1)
  2. Friendship is Magic (Part 2)
  3. The Ticket Master
  4. Applebuck Season
  5. Griffon the Brush-off
  6. Boast Busters
  7. Dragonshy
  8. Look Before You Sleep
  9. Bridle Gossip
  10. Swarm of the Century
  11. Winter Wrap Up
  12. Call of the Cutie
  13. Fall Weather Friends
  14. Suited for Success
  15. Feeling Pinkie Keen
  16. Sonic Rainboom
  17. Stare Master
  18. Show Stoppers
  19. A Dog and Pony Show
  20. Green Isn't Your Color/"Green Isn't Your Colour" (outside the USA)
  21. Over a Barrel
  22. A Bird in the Hoof
  23. The Cutie Mark Chronicles
  24. Owl's Well That Ends Well
  25. Party of One
  26. The Best Night Ever

Season 2 (2011-2012)

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The second season has premiered on September 12, 2011 and last aired on April 16, 2012 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV.

  1. The Return of Harmony (Part 1)
  2. The Return of Harmony (Part 2)
  3. Lesson Zero
  4. Luna Eclipsed
  5. Sisterhooves Social
  6. The Cutie Pox
  7. May the Best Pet Win!
  8. The Mysterious Mare Do Well
  9. Sweet and Elite
  10. Secret of My Excess
  11. Hearth's Warming Eve
  12. Family Appreciation Day
  13. Baby Cakes
  14. The Last Roundup
  15. The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
  16. Read It and Weep
  17. Hearts and Hooves Day
  18. A Friend in Deed
  19. Putting Your Hoof Down
  20. It's About Time
  21. Dragon Quest
  22. Hurricane Fluttershy
  23. Ponyville Confidential
  24. MMMystery on the Friendship Express
  25. A Canterlot Wedding (Part 1)
  26. A Canterlot Wedding (Part 2)

Season 3 (2012-2013)

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The third season has premiered on November 5, 2012 and last aired on February 11, 2013 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV.

  1. The Crystal Empire (Part 1)
  2. The Crystal Empire (Part 2)
  3. Too Many Pinkie Pies
  4. One Bad Apple
  5. Magic Duel
  6. Sleepless in Ponyville
  7. Wonderbolts Academy
  8. Apple Family Reunion
  9. Spike at Your Service
  10. Keep Calm and Flutter On
  11. Just for Sidekicks
  12. Games Ponies Play
  13. Magical Mystery Cure

Season 4 (2013-2014)

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The fourth season has premiered on November 18, 2013 and last aired on May 5, 2014 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV. It's also the last season of the series to air on the Hub/Hub Network.

  1. Princess Twilight Sparkle (Part 1)
  2. Princess Twilight Sparkle (Part 2)
  3. Castle-Mania
  4. Daring Don't
  5. Flight to the Finish
  6. Power Ponies
  7. Bats!
  8. Rarity Takes Manehattan
  9. Pinkie Apple Pie
  10. Rainbow Falls
  11. Three's a Crowd
  12. Pinkie Pride
  13. Simple Ways
  14. Filli Vanilli
  15. Twilight Time
  16. It Ain't Easy Being Breezies
  17. Somepony to Watch Over Me
  18. Maud Pie
  19. For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
  20. Leap of Faith
  21. Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3
  22. Trade Ya
  23. Inspiration Manifestation
  24. Equestria Games
  25. Twilight's Kingdom (Part 1)
  26. Twilight's Kingdom (Part 2)

Season 5 (2015)

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The fifth season has premiered on March 30, 2015 and last aired on November 23, 2015 on Discovery Family/Treehouse TV. It is also the first season of the series to air on Discovery Family. This includes the 100th episode overall in the series.

  1. The Cutie Map (Part 1)
  2. The Cutie Map (Part 2)
  3. Castle Sweet Castle
  4. Bloom and Gloom
  5. Tanks for the Memories
  6. Appleoosa's Most Wanted
  7. Make New Friends but Keep Discord
  8. The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
  9. Slice of Life (100th episode overall)
  10. Princess Spike
  11. Party Pooped
  12. Amending Fences
  13. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?
  14. Canterlot Boutique
  15. Rarity Investigates!
  16. Made in Manehattan
  17. Brotherhooves Social
  18. Crusaders of the Lost Mark
  19. The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows
  20. Hearthbreakers
  21. Scare Master
  22. What About Discord?
  23. The Hooffields and McColts
  24. The Mane Attraction
  25. The Cutie Re-Mark (Part 1)
  26. The Cutie Re-Mark (Part 2)

Season 6 (2016)

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The sixth season has premiered on March 21, 2016 and last aired on October 17, 2016 on Discovery Family/Treehouse TV.

  1. The Crystalling (Part 1)
  2. The Crystalling (Part 2)
  3. The Gift of the Maud Pie
  4. On Your Marks
  5. Gauntlet of Fire
  6. No Second Prances
  7. Newbie Dash
  8. A Hearth's Warming Tail
  9. The Saddle Row Review
  10. Applejack's "Day" Off
  11. Flutter Brutter
  12. Spice Up Your Life
  13. Stranger Than Fan Fiction
  14. The Cart Before the Ponies
  15. 28 Pranks Later
  16. The Times They Are a Changeling
  17. Dungeons and Discords
  18. Buckball Season
  19. The Fault in Our Cutie Marks
  20. Viva Las Pegasus
  21. Every Little Thing She Does
  22. P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View)
  23. Where the Apple Lies
  24. Top Bolt
  25. To Where and Back Again (Part 1)
  26. To Where and Back Again (Part 2)

Season 7 (2017)

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The seventh season has premiered on April 10, 2017 and last aired on October 23, 2017 on Discovery Family/Treehouse TV. This is the first season in the series with the first two episodes that is not a 2-part premiere.

  1. Celestial Advice
  2. All Bottled Up
  3. A Flurry of Emotions
  4. Rock Solid Friendship
  5. Fluttershy Leans In
  6. Forever Filly
  7. Parental Glideance
  8. Hard to Say Anything
  9. Honest Apple
  10. A Royal Problem
  11. Not Asking for Trouble
  12. Discordant Harmony
  13. The Perfect Pear
  14. Fame and Misfortune
  15. Triple Threat
  16. Campfire Tales
  17. To Change a Changeling
  18. Daring Done?
  19. It Isn't the Mane Thing About You
  20. A Health of Information
  21. Marks and Recreation
  22. Once Upon a Zeppelin
  23. Secrets and Pies
  24. Uncommon Bond
  25. Shadow Play (Part 1)
  26. Shadow Play (Part 2)

Season 8 (2018)

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The eighth season has premiered on March 19, 2018 and last aired on October 8, 2018 on Discovery Family.

  1. School Daze (Part 1)
  2. School Daze (Part 2)
  3. The Maud Couple
  4. Fake It Til You Make It
  5. Grannies Gone Wild
  6. Surf and/or Turf
  7. Horse Play
  8. The Parent Map
  9. Non-Complete Clause
  10. The Break Up Break Down
  11. Molt Down
  12. Marks for Effort
  13. The Mean 6
  14. A Matter of Principals
  15. The Hearth's Warming Club
  16. Friendship University
  17. The End in Friend
  18. Yakity-Sax
  19. Road to Friendship
  20. The Washouts
  21. A Rockhoof and a Hard Place
  22. What Lies Beneath
  23. Sounds of Silence
  24. Father Knows Beast
  25. School Raze (Part 1)
  26. School Raze (Part 2)

Holiday Special (2018)

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Best Gift Ever counted as an episode throughout the series from their confirmation.

  1. My Little Pony: Best Gift Ever

Season 9 (2019)

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The ninth season was announced on February 17, 2018 at Hasbro's Entertainment Brand Preview Media Event at the New York Toy Fair. It premiered on April 1, 2019 and ended on October 7, 2019. This includes the 200th episode overall in the series. This is the final season in the series.

  1. The Beginning of the End (Part 1)
  2. The Beginning of the End (Part 2)
  3. Uprooted
  4. Sparkle's Seven
  5. The Point of No Return (200th episode overall)
  6. Common Ground
  7. She's All Yak
  8. Frenemies
  9. Sweet and Smoky
  10. Going to Seed
  11. Student Counsel
  12. The Last Crusade
  13. Between Dark and Dawn
  14. The Last Laugh
  15. 2, 4, 6, Greaaat
  16. A Trivial Pursuit
  17. The Summer Sun Setback
  18. She Talks to Angel
  19. Dragon Dropped
  20. A Horse Shoe-In
  21. Daring Doubt
  22. Growing Up is Hard to Do
  23. The Big Mac Question
  24. The Ending of the End (Part 1)
  25. The Ending of the End (Part 2)
  26. The Last Problem

Cancellation

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On 25 October 2019, Hasbro renewed the series for a tenth season, but there wasn't any plans for a tenth season of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.

Special (2019)

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  1. "Rainbow Roadtrip"

References

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  1. Crouse, Megan (October 20, 2014). "Why My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is 'Serious' Fantasy". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  2. Stone, Sam (August 2, 2019). "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Finale Trailer Heralds the Last Battle". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  3. "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (DFC)". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  4. "The End of the Creator-Driven Era in TV Animation".
  5. "buy original MLP art and help Japan".
  6. "Poll Results: What is the Pony DJ's Name?".
Notes
  1. Main composer for the episodes "Magical Mystery Cure" in season 3, "Pinkie Pride" in season 4, "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" in season 5, and "A Hearth's Warming Tail" in season 6
  2. Main composer for the episodes "Magical Mystery Cure" in season 3 and "Pinkie Pride" in season 4
  3. Previously known as Hasbro Studios from season 1 through the first three quarters of season 8
  4. Lauren Faust stopped working on the show after the second season due to disagreements with Hasbro. Despite this, she is still credited as the show's creator in following seasons.

Other websites

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