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Back in the ‘80s, any little girl who was anybody collected My Little Pony figures. We had My Little Pony-themed parties with My Little Pony birthday cakes, and we toted our ponies to our friends’ houses in plastic pony carriers. Now, it seems as though everything ‘80s is hip again—from Transformers to Strawberry Shortcake. So it’s no big surprise that My Little Pony would see its own resurgence in popularity, complete with a new animated series—five episodes of which are included in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Royal Pony Wedding.
The focus of the release is the two-part season finale—which, while clearly inspired by the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, takes a much darker turn. When magical unicorn Twilight and her friends are asked to help plan an upcoming royal wedding, they’re all thrilled—until Twilight discovers that her big brother, Shining Armor, is the groom. She’s hurt that Shining Armor didn’t tell her sooner—until she learns that the bride is Princess Cadence, her beloved childhood foal-sitter.
Cadence, however, isn’t the sweet, loving pony that Twilight remembers. She barely acknowledges Twilight, and she’s mean to everyone who’s planning the wedding. Twilight suspects that something’s wrong, but everyone else is too caught up in the wedding plans to notice.
While the original My Little Pony toys—and the various animated adaptations that they inspired—were strictly for little girls, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic seems to have built quite an impressive cult following among audiences of all ages (and genders). Maybe that’s because it’s more than just another fluffy, girly cartoon. The writing is often surprisingly smart, with clever storylines, lots of fun songs, and plenty of pony puns.
The characters, meanwhile, have strong, unique personalities—from magical Twilight to vain Rarity and party-loving Pinkie Pie. But they’re not just the same old pretty ponies. Though they’re cute and playful (and they spend a lot of time talking about dresses and parties and that “special some-pony”), they’re also strong and determined—and they won’t hesitate to stand up and fight for their friends if the need arises.
Another highlight is the bright, bold animation. The simple, blocky style and expressive characters give the series an anime-like feel—and the vivid color palette looks like it was inspired by a trip to the candy store.
The focal point of this collection is, of course, the royal wedding episode, which boasts a surprisingly sophisticated mix of magic, romance, and dark suspense. But the disc also includes three additional episodes, which offer more romance, more humor, more pretty pony dresses, and more valuable lessons to be learned in the end.
If Royal Pony Wedding is your introduction to the all-new My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic series (as it was for me), it’s sure to have you searching your TV listings for more episodes. It may not be as smart and sophisticated as Disney’s Phineas and Ferb, but it’s a lovable animated series that little girls and their moms can enjoy together.
