"Isn't that show made for little girls?"

Talking about high quality children's media on Thursday was awesome for me. I've always been one to enjoy a kids tv show or movie if it is well made. I don't care if I'm not the target audience, I don't care if it's got a little kid's lesson in it, I want to support and enjoy well crafted art.

One show in that category of high quality children's media that I enjoy is My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

I know how some of you are going to react…

Come on, guys, just give me a chance to explain! ;O;

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (which I'll start referring to as MLP in the interest of typing and reading time) is a kids show that airs on Hub Network. It is the 4th generation of the franchise as a whole and its rework is the brainchild of Laura Faust, animator on The Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Wander Over Yonder (all works of Craig McCracken, her husband). 

This show's target audience started as 4-11 year old girls, but has transformed due to the wide variety of people that enjoy the show's wit and quality animation. 

The show has extremely well written songs, complex characters and development, and interesting and original plots. Faust took part in the creation of the show to show that "cartoons for girls don't have to be a puddle of smooshy, cutesy-wootsy, goody-two-shoeness." (A quote of Faust's from the wikipedia page about the show.)

So what did Faust and Hasbro receive for striving for diversity and quality in a "little girl's tv show?" They got a huge and unexpected audience, excited to support something they enjoyed and something that they thought was a positive creation. This fan base is often referred to as the "brony" community, made up of adult men and women who really enjoy the show.

A lot of people think that its super weird that adults (especially guys) love the show. I know a lot of people in this room think that its weird. But when did it become so "gross" or "messed up" for people to support something that they think is well made and awesome? If you've ever watched the show, you have to admit there's something there. If you haven't watched the show, I'll tell you a good episode to start with and please, give it a try. If only to appreciate the work of a group of really talented, dedicated artists.

Though I don't expect you to be quite this excited about it.

Yes, there is a lot of weird stuff in the fan base too. I'm not saying that stuff is okay, but please, don't judge the show or anyone who loves it based on 1. the radical outliers that make it seem messed up, 2. the "target demographic" of the show or 3. anything you know about the old MLP franchise.

This is real art we're talking about here. And this art is acting and reacting with society in a very real way. And that's important.