Here Come The Bronies: No Pony Pushover

While in Seattle last month I stayed at the Marriott and stumbled on one of the most interesting conventions I've seen for a long time.  We knew something was up when we entered an elevator with a twenty-something man with a "My Little Pony" shopping bag.  But, as he and my ten-year-old compared notes, it became clear that this isn't the same little pony at all.  That is, Pinkie Pie, hasn't been killed, off, and Rarity is still the jazziest pony this side of Unicornia.  But the new ponies no longer spend their days planning picnics and finding the perfect gift for each  birthday party. This is my daughter's favorite, Pinkie Pie  (c. 2006) and a My Little Pony storybook featuring her:



Suddenly, however, Rarity has been channeling her inner Bruce Lee and Pinky Pie seems to have revealed a diabolical side to her personality.  Indeed, a quick web search revealed that this is a recent transformation. Hasbro's My Little Pony franchise was changed from bottom up by Lauren Faust.  She helped change and develop the Powerpuff Girls, another gender-crossing TV show. Now she's helped "reboot" the equestrian series as "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic."  Little wonder that it is now attracting an adult male, and occasionally female audience (which calls itself "bronies," as in "bro" + "pony").  The change is intriguing in design terms. This is the new Pinkie Pie:
  



Big eyes, big teeth, and fluffy sculpted hair. . . And a major course in assertiveness training ("we little ponies. . . are noooo pony pushovers").  . .