My Little Pony: Now 20 percent more awesome

First, forget all your previous notions about My Little Pony. This is not your mother's show. The phrase "never judge a book by its cover" has never been truer for Friendship is Magic.

The show was created Lauren Faust, the wife of the Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends creator and animator. She was denied by countless studios when pitching her Galaxy Girls show for the same reason: girls don't watch cartoons.

When pitching to Hasbro, she was told they wanted her to reboot their My Little Pony series, under the title Magic is Friendship. Faust signed on but said she hated the idea that a show "for girls" would be associated with everything "cute, pink and lame" and would not make a show aimed towards a single age group or gender.

Faust organized a team of veteran animators and started from scratch. This was the perfect recipe; not only was the animation team made up of pioneers in the industry, but there were also talented voice actresses voicing the characters. And yet the show was criticized before its air date. The harshest critique came from Amid Amidi of Cartoon Brew, who claimed the era of creator-driven television was over and said the show was "a white flag-waving moment for the TV animation industry."

However, Magic is Friendship shone through as an exceptional author's work. It would be more accurate to say that this is an original work that just has the unfortunate association with the original Hasbro line.

If it had human characters rather than pastel-colored ponies it would be recognized by many more people. And while it's no Citizen Kane or Clannad it does clearly stand out as one of the better works in today's media. After Amidi's article was published in 2010, many rushed to defend the show, drawing the attention of other critics, animators and the public who were inspired to watch. It was met with glowing reviews.

Among the most avid viewers are the fans known as the brony (combination of bro and pony). Many are teens and college students who grew up in the 90's cartoon renaissance, the invasion of Japanese anime, and the advent of YouTube. My Little Pony can be compared to other cult animated hits like Invader Zim, Spongebob, Phineas and Ferb, Adventure Time, and Lucky Star, wherein the combination of nostalgia for childhood cartoons, use of Japanese anime style visuals, children and adult humor, and the unique character driven plots makes the show a hit with the hipster crowd.

This is one of the few shows with a female cast that do not adhere to stereotypes or use them as a crutch. Fans have embraced it for having well rounded protagonists that encompass non-traditional role models, showing children there is more than one way to be a person.

The main story starts off with the antisocial Twilight Sparkle, who spends her time wrapped up in studying. She ignores the life around her spending it in isolation, much like most Hopkins students on D-Level.

During the course of the first episode she is roped into social interactions with other ponies when sent to Ponyville. There she teams up with other ponies to defeat the villain Nightmare Moon. Afterward Twilight finally realizes how wonderful it is to be with the other ponies. Hearing this, her mentor informs Twilight she should continue her studies in Ponyville with her new friends.

 The plot is driven more by character interactions and storylines that can apply to real life, unlike the cookie cutter Disney-like stories. The ponies act like real people. The comedy comes from their different personalities playing off one another. The visual expressions and witty dialogue harken back to classical cartoons. Many of the ponies have clashing qualities and would not normally interact if it wasn't for their common friends.

At some point every member of the cast goes through a mental break down. They sometimes annoy each other and even get into physical fights, but realize they have a lot in common. The stories dealt with in a believable manner. The characters are never static and once you think you have a favorite, another does something completely different that wins your heart. And like most children's shows there are morals to be learned they are approached in an organic manner and not forced on the viewer.

The show even makes fun its equestrian cast. In one scene, the male Spike enters a dressing room to the disappointment of a female pony before another points out that they don't normally wear clothing. Another scene has Twilight turning mice into horses to pull a carriage only to be met with an awkward expression from the other ponies.

The brony culture is also an interesting aspect of the show. These fans pointed out a crossed eyed pony in the first episode they called Derpy, who Faust has kept around in honor of the fans. Another pony with an hourglass mark was affectionately dubbed Dr. Whooves, in honor of his resemblance to the Time Lord. Lines like "it needs to be about 20% cooler" have made their way into the internet lexicon. The fans are also responsible for money raised in a charity auction for the Japanese earthquake. Four original drawings by Faust made over $15,000 ($3100 extra when including a piece generously given by Faust to a fan who sold her possessions for the bidding).

But for every fan there will be a hater. Yet it appears almost every negative comment made about the show only applies to the older My Little Pony  series, and not its present incarnation.

The reason most hate Friendship is Magic is because they haven't seen it. Despite this animosity, the bronies are respectful; embracing the show's message of love and tolerances.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic won the Best Cartoon of the Year in 2010 and is presently in its second season airing on the Hub Network. If you have not seen this show yet, watch it now. Welcome to the Herd.