My Little Pony is a franchise that I was mostly unaware of back in the day. Sure, I’d heard of the name in the past, but I had no real opinions on it. That all changed when Friendship is Magic came out and I finally got to see some clips of the show and read some of the comics. The theme song still isn’t great, but it is very memorable, which is always a good thing I suppose. This art book does a good job of discussing the characters and the paths not taken. Even hardcore MLP fans will learn some new things after reading this title!
There are a few different sections in this book as it tries to cover as many My Little Pony topics as possible. First, we have a long interview with one of the main creators behind the latest iteration as she discussed her reasons for getting involved and how she gets her inspiration. It’s a good interview, but I would have liked to have seen some more of the dynamics of things that she wanted in the show, but Hasbro objected too. The strife and the epic tensions would have made for a nice chapter.
Next up, we got to see the characters as they evolved from the previous shows. Their personalities and designs are discussed and shown. An interesting section was Twilight Sparkle’s as she was originally going to have gray hair and then almost had it with blue streaks instead of red/pinkish. It’s a tough call for me to decide which form is the best as all three options sound pretty good. I’m thinking that gray hair would have made Twilight Sparkle seem a little more powerful, but it wouldn’t affect all that much.
The book also spends a decent amount of time showing off the various locations in My Little Pony world. I liked the futuristic city that they visited in the superhero episode and Manehattan is always a classic location. There have certainly been quite a few epic bases as well and we’ll never forget the times where Ponyville was destroyed or conquered. The show definitely had some darker/intense moments back in the day, but I have to wonder if we’ll ever see epic moments like those again in the show. The time for those may be past at this point.
Side characters and villains were also explored. Tirek was actually deemed to be a little too scary so his design was altered a little. Ironically, the alterations actually made him look cooler so that ended up being a plus for him. He still may not have been as threatening as his G1 incarnation, but this guy could now pack a punch! A lot of the side characters will probably stay as background ponies forever, but a few have made a name for themselves like Derpy so there’s always a chance for a nice comeback.
The end of the book also shows some pieces of fan art that were officially licensed by Hasbro and can now be counted as real pictures. That’s definitely considerate of the company and it shows that they care about their fans. Now they can make more money off of the additional resources while also allowing artists to have their moment of fame and glory. This book is decently long at over 200 pages, but since most of the pages are filled with artwork, it all finishes very quickly. I read the book cover to cover in one sitting since it was a pretty engaging read.
So long as the art is good, I tend to enjoy art books. They may not have a story behind them, but they are like guidebooks that are very illustrative. Another section even listed several episodes where the reader gets to see the storyboards behind them. Then you can appreciate the intricate details like how the facial expressions for each character helps to set the tone and the stage.
I haven’t even seen the show yet, but I’m confident that I know about as much as the average MLP fan thanks to all of these guidebooks and comics. The final page of the book even tries to point out that the show is loved by people of all ages and there’s nothing stopping you from becoming an MLP fan today. You’ve just gotta get past the negative social impact of admitting that you’re a fan of the show and then you’ll have made it in the world.
Overall, This is an artbook that I recommend to all MLP fans. Furthermore, if you haven’t gotten into the series yet, then this is a good way to quickly get caught up to speed. It’s not as detailed as the other guidebook that I read a while back and it’s not as fascinating as that one, but it makes for a good read. It’s a short read, but one that will still satisfy you provided that you didn’t buy it for a very high price. I look forward to seeing what other MLP products come out soon and until then, this’ll probably be my last MLP review for a long while. It’s been fun though!
Overall 7/10
Have you ever had the urge to go outside and buy a My Little Pony video game just because you could? I’ll admit that I was tempted to buy the GBA game, but I haven’t had a chance to put this to the test because most stores don’t sell gameboy games anymore. Still, if I ever see it, you can be sure that I will check it out! The Friendship is Magic franchise has already become an integral part of the My Little Pony multiverse and it’s pretty amazing to see how much it has grown. It has 4 different comic series, a long running show, and it just keeps on coming! This spinoff series isn’t as good as Pony Tales, but I still prefer it to the first volume of the main series.
This collection brings 4 issues inside. The theme of the series seems to be to pair up 2 characters for a team up of sorts. It’s a way to see how everypony interacts with one another on a one to one basis. After all, they can all be pretty tough when in a group, but can Twilight Sparkle really get along with Applejack if they are thrown into a dangerous situation? That doesn’t happen, but it’s an example of what to expect in these issues.
One of the comics features a team up with Pinkie Pie and Princess Luna. Princess Luna is sad because the ponies don’t find her funny. This means that she is going to get stomped by Princess Celestia in the annual laughathon. (Close enough to the actual name) She asks Twilight Sparkle for help and the heroic pony quickly refers her to Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie is skeptical at first, but agrees to teach Luna how to have fun and be a good pony.
Well, this was a Pinkie Pie story, which meant that it should have been super special awesome, but it actually wasn’t as good as it could have been. I thought that Pinkie Pie was really out of character for the first scenes as she was a little mean to Princess Luna. By the end, the two of them are able to bond and Pinkie Pie’s advice pays off. The ending is happy for the heroes, but you still have to wonder who ended up winning. I don’t believe in draws anymore.
Rainbow Dash got to team up with Trixie in another story. One day, Rainbow Dash gets a letter stating that a kingdom wishes for her presence so that she can perform some neat acrobatics. Rainbow Dash has never been a pony to leave her fans hanging so she heads on over. To her dismay, Rainbow Dash finds out that a kingdom of dogs sent the request and their new queen is Trixie. Trixie was coerced into taking the position once the dogs found out about her skills as a gem creator (Hmmmmm…) and she realized that this deception has put her in a bind. Can Rainbow Dash help her escape the land?
Rainbow Dash would just fly her out of there, but the dogs foresaw this and put an enchanted crown on Trixie. The only way to get away is to make the dogs not want her to be their queen anymore. This was probably the second best story behind the Rarity team up. Rainbow Dash still proves herself to be a tough pony as her super speed feats are always impressive. She’s also more direct than the other ponies as she even asks Trixie why the hero should help. Trixie reminds her about friendship power and all, but it’s nice that Rainbow Dash had to ask. The solution to get out of this bind is a good one and Rainbow Dash got to prove her speed once again. We also got a nice moral about why deceit is never the best option.
Fluttershy teams up with Zecora in their adventure. Fluttershy wakes up one morning to discover that a Squirrel can talk. As she heads outside, the pony realizes that she can understand all of the animals. She realizes that this could be the work of some dark magic and asks Zecora to help. Zecora must now run some tests to see if this magic is reversible or if Fluttershy is simply losing her mind! Either way, this has certainly shaken up the city!
Well, this story was interesting, but I have to question Fluttershy’s distress at the animals learning how to talk. Given how friendly she is with them, I would have expected her to have been thrilled about this happening. I’d assume that she would just have enjoyed it no questions asked, but she seemed pretty alarmed at first. I suppose that it did happen suddenly, but it still didn’t feel like her usual self. As for Zecora…boy am I glad that she’s not part of the Mane 6. I have to admit that I’m not a fan of her. The rhymes are clever since it must be tough to think of rhymes for every sentence, but she couldn’t help Fluttershy at all. It makes you wonder why she was in this story. In all of the other team ups…there was a team up. In this issue, Zecora seemed to just be in it for the Wow factor. The twist of how the animals can now talk makes a lot of sense even if I didn’t guess it before hand. After all, there aren’t many beings who could achieve such a feat right?
By leaps and bounds, the best story is the team up with Applejack and Rarity. Given the two personalities of these ponies, you can be sure that their adventure should be a lot of fun. Applejack has to head to the West (Or was it East….!) coast to finalize a deal for some apples. Rarity decides to tag along because she loves road trips that result in great sight seeing detours. Applejack is glad to have the company at first, but Rarity’s passion for fashion starts to derail Applejack’s plans. Can the two ponies find a way to put aside their differences to get the apple contract signed or should Applejack have left this job to Big Mac!
In this issue, it’s easy to feel bad for Rarity. She loves fashion design, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that she has the most business experience from all of the ponies in Equestria. Applejack doesn’t want to acknowledge this for most of the issue and I feel like she was in the wrong for most of the disagreements. It was Applejack who got on the wrong train after all and likewise, it was she who didn’t think up a proper business strategy. Even the very first time something went wrong, Applejack was asleep. Don’t think that she was the sole reason why things went south, but Applejack certainly played a big role. In contrast, Rarity was very well behaved and continued to help Applejack even when the latter was being rather petty. (Spraying mud on Rarity and calling her names) Rarity showed that true friendship can stay strong through disputes and she knows how to put her friend’s needs before her own. Through her actions, Rarity got Applejack to remember what being a real friend is all about. The ending is happy and I gained a lot of respect for Rarity.
From the Mane 6, Pinkie Pie is still my favorite. I think it’s safe to say that Rainbow Dash is still second with Twilight Sparkle in third. That being said, Rarity has jumped over Applejack for 4th and I don’t see her dropping below that anytime soon. She can be a little over dramatic at times and her venture into romance holds her back, but through and through, she is one of the nicer ponies and certainly the most professional one.
The art is decent although I definitely think it could be better. Some scenes like the one where Fluttershy yells in surprise at the squirrel talking can be a bit exaggerated to say the least. Still, on the whole it will definitely remind you of the classic MLP style. The colors are vibrant and none of the pages are ever too packed so you always know what’s going on. It makes the collection that much easier to just pick up and start reading.
Overall, Friends Forever is another successful spinoff to add to Friendship is Magic’s resume. As with Pony Tales, each issue is a stand alone story so how much you like each one will determine how good the collection is. At 4 issues, the collection is very small so you will likely breeze through it. If you’re a Rarity fan, you’ll be very happy with her portrayal in the comic. You can certainly tell that the author appreciates the well rounded nature of the pony. I definitely recommend checking this out if you’re a fan of the main series or the show. If you’re on the fence about starting the infamous/legendary/controversial series, this is a good place to start. You’ll get to meet some of the Main 6 and get introduced to the universe in general. The comics are just a lot of fun as well, which is likely why the series got so large so fast. Whether or not you’re a big fan of the franchise, you can’t deny that it is an uplifting title to read and it leaves you feeling content. Also, be sure to be on the lookout for Derpy’s cameo. That pony is always around somewhere and you just have to be on the lookout for her! Hopefully the library gets more volumes of the series so that I can review some more soon. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the main Friendship is Magic title.
Overall 6/10
It’s time to look at one of the My Little Pony spinoff comics. It’s been a while since I read a comic for this franchise and you may remember that I wasn’t thrilled with the first one. It had some animal violence and that wasn’t cool. Luckily, this one holds true to the show and it feels like it’s higher quality than the last trade paperback. Each story is a stand alone for a different pony, which is typically not my favorite format. It can work though as long as each story is interesting. Let’s see if the stories worked!
One story is about Applejack and her family is preparing for a nice feast. A holiday is coming up so now they can enjoy their food and bond as a family. The problem is that a monster is stealing their food. Applejack decides that she must stop him and she wants to do it by herself so that her family won’t need to worry. Can she really handle this task on her own?
The moral for this story is about letting others help out because sometimes it is for the best. It’s never good to deal with every task by yourself since everyone needs help once in a while. It’s a pretty fun story although it’s certainly weaker than the other stories. Applejack seems like a nice pony and her goal was pretty noble so I don’t necessarily disagree with her decision. Of course, accepting help was the right thing to do, but she wasn’t mean to the others when declining their help either, which is a nice change of pace from what would have typically happened in this situation.
Rainbow Dash’s story saw her go up against some mysterious beings who feed on negative energy. Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Boom seems to have no effect on their fortress of wind and they damage her wing. Her confidence is shaken and the villagers are starting to get riled up. A sense of dread and sadness fills the village and Rainbow Dash is the only one who can stop the villains. Can she get over her fear to do this?
The moral is a classic one about facing your fears and not getting too overconfident. That’s not even the exact moral as it was a little more complex than that. This was a fun story and we actually got some new villains, which was pretty neat. Rainbow Dash may be nervous for most of the comic, but it doesn’t feel too out of character since it’s handled pretty well. I think that the other ponies could have certainly been a little nicer about the whole thing, but not every pony in Equestria is nice. Only the ones who really count. It can be frustrating to see the villains crushing Rainbow Dash’s attempts, but the stakes are certainly higher than usual. This was a fun story.
Next up, we have Twilight Sparkle as she is sent to help out at a library/book place. Unfortunately, her temporary boss is pretty grouchy. Twilight Sparkle does her best to still remain very polite and do her work. The icy feelings between these two ponies start to thaw a little, but then Twilight Sparkle finds out a secret that could change everything. What has she done!?
I admit that it was probably a little out of character for Twilight Sparkle to look through the door into the lady’s secret room after being told not too. Sparkle doesn’t seem like the type of pony who can’t control her curiosity after all. I can’t say that with 100% certainty though so maybe I’m slightly off the mark here. This was a fun comic though and it reminds me why Twilight Sparkle is my second favorite pony. She is certainly very reasonable and a lot nicer than the other members of the Mane 6 beyond Pinkie Pie. (Pinkie Pie is always the best at everything after all) This may have been the best story in the collection.
Pinkie Pie may be my favorite pony, but she doesn’t get my favorite story. A clown has been helping many ponies laugh and smile through the years, but he is now retiring. Pinkie Pie must get him to see why being a clown was so much fun again, but is it really right to try and stop him from retiring?
In the end, Pinkie Pie see that it is a little selfish to try to stop someone from leaving their work when they have finally had enough. That being said, she also helps the clown realize that he can always help the industry out in other ways and Pinkie Pie gets better at being a clown through this experience. She is certainly good at cheering people up already so you may wonder just how much cooler she can get from here right? She didn’t act quite as crazy/insane as usual, but she doesn’t need to always be like that to be a fun character. She still has a lot of personality.
Rarity’s story naturally revolves around a fashion show that she is setting up. Her friends decide that she can use a little rest so they send her to a new spa that has opened up. Rarity is thrilled to go there until she finds out that it isn’t much of a spa. The mud baths are pretty literal and the food is all healthy to the point where it is barely edible. Can she really make the best of this?
I felt pretty bad for Rarity here since this is a case where she is really the victim of the moral. The moral is naturally to give things a chance and trying out new experiences isn’t bad, but…the spa went pretty far. The owners do have a good reason for this though and there are many emotional plot twists. It’s good that Rarity was able to help out, but it still would have been nice if she had gotten an actual vacation. This story certainly didn’t help her pass the other ponies, but she has her moments I suppose. Deep down, she’s as nice as the others.
Finally, we have Fluttershy’s story. It’s really a coincidence that she was last as I was mainly writing down the summaries from memory and hers I happened to remember last. (I had to double check for Rarity’s so at least Fluttershy’s was more memorable) Fluttershy has made a painting, but she is nervous and believes that it didn’t look very good. So, she enters it in an art exhibit, but she makes sure to be in disguise. Will the officials like this?
First of all, I have to say that this is where it comes in handy to be friends with Celestia’s protoge and with an expert in the form of Rarity. The officials naturally say that they can’t stand the painting and try to make Fluttershy feel bad (Along with all of the other painters) but then Rarity walks in and announces that it is quite good. The rest of the Mane 6 agree and they even managed to bring in Princess Celestia who announces that it is amazing. It all works out and Fluttershy decides to be more confident in herself. Her lack of confidence is why she isn’t one of my favorite ponies, but I do like the fact that she has a strong bond with animals so that helps to balance it out a little. You will definitely feel bad for her here. This was another good story and it’s probably second behind Twilight Sparkle’s.
The art is very good here even if the cover isn’t great. Yes…I think the cover could hurt sales and I seriously wonder why it was chosen! Well, mistakes happen I suppose. Still, the artwork inside of the graphic novel is consistent and all of the characters look accurate. This helps you fast blast through the comics pretty quickly even if the text can be a bit on the small side.
Overall, This was the My Little Pony comic that I had been expecting when I read the first graphic novel a while back. The short stories were all pretty good or interesting and this was a nice way to see if each of the ponies could hold their own story without relying on the others. I’d say that they succeeded in that area and the comic is a lot of fun to read from start to finish. It certainly never drags on or gets boring. There may not be a lot of action, but the writing is very good so that doesn’t end up being a problem. If you are on the fence about starting the franchise, this is a good way to get into it. I also recommend it for fans of the TV show as it isn’t a quick money grab. They did put in a good amount of effort here and I look forward to reading the next volume. It may be a while, but I do have another one of the spinoffs to review coming soon….
Overall 7/10
That’s a mouthful isn’t it? I probably could have used a shorter version of the title, but this is the way that Barnes & Nobles titled the book so I may as well do it as well. I am a pretty big My Little Pony fan, but I have yet to see the TV show. What better way to really get into the universe than with a guide book right? This one is pretty detailed and a must read for all MLP fans out there. Pinkie Pie gets the respect that she deserves!
Even for a guide book, Elements of Harmony is very well organized. There are 10 chapters and each one corresponds to a different section. Some are much longer than others of course so you should still be prepared to be reading it for a while. It took me 3 batches to finish it, but you can probably shorten that depending on how much time you have.
The opening sections are really about the layout of the land and all of the Ponies/other characters who appear in the series. Seriously, if a pony appears for part of an episode or for a few minutes, she shall be there. I don’t think that all of the Apple family members made it in, but they really could have. The Mane 6 naturally get bigger write ups than the other characters and it is certainly deserved. This book really cements the fact that Pinkie Pie is my favorite member of the Mane 6. It’s not even close to be honest because she is just so awesome. As it stands, 2nd = Twilight Sparkle 3rd = Rainbow Dash 4th = Applejack 5th = Rarity and 6th = Fluttershy. I’ll admit that Fluttershy being in 6th is a bit of a sad coincidence….but someone has to be there right? We also can’t forget the epicness of Derpy or the mysterious Nightmare Moon. The series certainly has a pretty great cast and the only area that is probably lacking is the villains section. There just aren’t many of them by the end of season 3 and the few that are left aren’t much of a threat.
Aside from the characters section, we get an in depth look at the episodes for the first three seasons. Have you ever looked up an episode for a show on Wikipedia or on the individual wikis? It’s like that as the section will cover each episode from start to finish. It’s almost like watching the actual episodes, which is why I say that this is a good way to catch up to the series very quickly. (Although it would probably be more fun to just marathon them online) The book stops after the final episode of season 3, but that’s still a lot of data and it’s easily the longest chapter in the book as it takes up almost half of it. That’s pretty impressive eh? It’s certainly the most enjoyable part to read.
After that, we also get a chapter that contains every song that was ever sung in the episodes. To fans who have already seen the episodes, you’ll likely remember the tunes. For new fans, you’ll just have to guess and it’s best to just read them all with the MLP theme song stuck in your head. The songs were pleasant enough. After that, the book basically just ends with talking about how MLP has redefined the current world and a short afterword. There aren’t really any big mentions of bronies or the ponies influence on the video game industry, but I suppose it’s good not to get too off topic.
It sounds like the main writer was leaving after these three seasons as we get a big farewell interview. I wonder if the series can manage to stay true to its high level of quality with new writers on board. Only time will tell and so far it seems like the show has held its own since the next season has already aired by now. Soon we’ll be in season 5, which is very impressive. Even if it does not get a 6th season, it’ll be a show that will have cracked 100 episodes and it shall not be forgotten anytime soon.
The book is hardcover, which is great since it won’t wrinkle very easily. The font size is reader friendly and it really hits all the notes for how a guide book should be. There’s not a whole lot more to say about it since I have already discussed what is inside. I definitely hope that they release a new guidebook once season 5 or 6 is done to help fans who haven’t seen the show stay caught up with the franchise. Of course, there won’t be many of those, but it’s also a good thing to read for fans who have seen the show. You’ll get to read about insider information that you may not even be aware of.
Overall, The Elements of Harmony is the perfect guide book to start you off on the franchise. I think all franchises could use a guide book like this one. It’s clear, concise, and to the point while still being very detailed. None of the sections drag on and every part of the book is interesting. I highly recommend checking it out. I probably won’t be watching the show in its entirety anytime soon, but I’ll be keeping up with the franchise through its other outlets. Speaking of which, I have another pony related review coming up later today. So, stick around to see if it holds up a little better than my very first pony review.
Overall 8/10
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