Friendship is Card Games: Free Hugs · 12:24pm May 5th
From the same animator/speech synthesist who brought us The Tax Breaks (Twilight), we have an adaptation of 8686’s Free Hugs! Let’s look at the economic ramifications.
It feels like there are more in-betweens than the previous outing. Nice to see. The Paper Mario-esque turn-arounds have their own charm.
It’s fun to see what the Ponyville Chronicle considers newsworthy. Apparently Rainbow Dash’s love life is front-page news (and a fun follow-up to a background bag in the previous TTS episode.) Must be a slow day.
Ah yes, the juxtaposition of sheep on strike and an expected rise in the price of hugs. It will all make sense in time.
I do appreciate the background Minuette. Keeps the scene from feeling too sterile while minimizing the load on the animator (who, it must be noted, did this solo.) Pinkie overbalancing as she lists the raw materials of a good hug is also a nice flourish.
Love a good bit of alliteration, though the credit there goes to 8686.
Interesting to see that Mr. Cake’s line got moved to Mrs. Cake. She does have more lines, and thus more audio data to work off of.
Curious choice to include Peewee (or another phoenix chick) among the assorted critters she’s looking after.
And here we hit one of the limitations of the medium. The original story goes into great depth about the art of the hug, the sensory experience of specifically hugging Fluttershy, and the subtle message sent by the microexpressions that are part of the gesture. Even in full animation, that kind of nonvisual nuance would be near-impossible to convey, to say nothing of how those subtle messages seem like a weird kind of touch telepathy.
The added “Oh no, I’m tipping over” frames after Pinkie rears up really are great touches.
I haven’t actually watched the show in a while, so hearing those familiar banjo strings over an establishing shot of Sweet Apple Acres was surprisingly nostalgic.
Applejack’s reaction to Pinkie is, no pun intended, honestly fantastic. “Welp, guess we’re doin’ this now. Whatever ‘this’ is.”
There’s a certain bittersweet poignancy in Applejack’s hugs saying “I’ll always be there for you” given how she’s dealt with loss in a way none of her friends have.
Pinkie breaking the cart Applejack was fixing as she insists that runaway hug inflation is nigh is a nice touch as well.
Oof. Audible strain on the synthesizer as it tries to produce a panicking Pinkie.
Applejack insisting that, as the provider of the service, Pinkie would be the one receiving payment for the hugs is a lovely characterization touch. And, of course, Pinkie won’t stand for such a thing.
The tower of hay bales for sale is a great addition to the doomsday scenario. Everything must go!
Yeah, when the argument gets into matters of ambiguous procedure and overreaching bureaucracy, there’s nowhere to go but to the local bookhorse.
Applejack glaring at Dash passing on the hug is a nice touch. Heck, it’ll take less time to humor Pinkie than to keep turning her down. (But, of course, Pinkie interrupted a nap, which bears consideration.)
Oh, this is an interesting choice. Twilight’s throne room is explicitly mentioned in the source story, but here, she’s in Golden Oaks. Maybe the vectors for Namepending Castle weren’t available? Or it could just be personal preference.
Ah. Twilight doesn’t have wings. This is definitely personal preference. (Or Clipper decided the story works better pre-Season 4.)
I get the idea in this imagine spot is to present Twilight as an overbearing, authoritarian dictatrix, but the outfit sends a… different message. :sweetieunsure: And again, the choice to use unicorn Twilight makes Pinkie’s logic feel even more unhinged than in the source.
That said, the “Spork” nameplate is fantastic, to say nothing of the angry Twilight statue and dark star banners.
I do appreciate Spike writing the letter in the background. That dragon knows how to read the room.
Poor Spike. Trying to argue for a balanced equation when Pinkie’s working in fuzzy logic.
Heh. The others looking to Twilight expecting her to have some brilliant solution to this problem is an animatic original. Poor mare never asked for this.
Twilight smacking Spike in the face with another scroll is also an animatic original, and a bit too harsh for my taste.
Definite OC on the right as Pinkie gallops back to Dash’s napping cloud. I’m just not sure whose. And I have several questions about why the Samuel L. Jackson Pulp Fiction pony seems to be following her.
Yeah, “luxurious” was not the word to use in this context.
I do appreciate how the most business-oriented members of the cast are trying to approach this economically.
“I produce only the finest dresses and gowns,” Rarity says while pacing in front of a pantsuit.
I had not expected to see literal supply and demand curves. Pinkie interacting with them was genuinely delightful… though her being exposed to basic microeconomics is more than a little concerning, and not just because of her attempt to manipulate the market by flooding it with hugs.
Ah, there was a diegetic chart. Good to know.
I’m not sure what’s funnier, Scootaloo trying to escape the Mad Hugger, or Octavia getting hugged so tight her eyes are bugging out.
Interesting choice to have Minuette be mildly horrified by the hug when she’s the one who most reciprocates in the original text.
Best Pony got a speaking role. 10/10 best episode, fanmade or otherwise. 
Oof, mangled “ridiculous” out of Dash. I can only assume the synthesizer wouldn’t cooperate there.
I’m a bit said to see the digression on the quantifiability of love get cut, but it’s hardly necessary to the plot.
This is an issue with the source story, but Twilight could’ve mentioned that there’s no official policy to charge for hugs at any time.
The synthesizer doesn’t handle anguished screams very well.
The design of the Pinkie piggie bank is delightful.
Ah, one more reason to do a story where Dash is largely uninvolved comes to light: Minimal necessary wingflaps to animate.
There we go. The problem with dealing with something you know on an intrinsic level is that you can forget to mention that to people who don’t know it at all.
I feel like Vinyl’s current jam session would work better with different equipment.
Heh. Now Pinkie made the headlines. Or at least Ponyville Mare did. What’s especially impressive is that the Chronicle got a picture of a hug that didn’t even happen.
The closing song was a lovely touch, and the whole thing was a delight. A reminder that not everything that comes out of 4chan is a horrible blight on humanity.
Just most of it. 
In any case, here are this week’s cards, free of charge. (And I have no plans on starting a Patreon.)
Cuddle Smuggler 2W
Creature — Pony Rebel
Soulbond
Revolt — At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent was put into your graveyard this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Cuddle Smuggler. If it’s paired with a creature, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
2/2
Draconian Dictum 2W
Kindred Enchantment — Dragon
Each player can’t cast more than one non-Dragon spell each turn.
“That’s not what that… Well, it’s not entirely inaccurate, but still.”
—Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of Magic
Comforting Hug 2W
Instant
Choose target creature. You gain life equal to the total power of creatures chosen this way.
Overload 5WW (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of “target” with “each.”)
Ponyville isn’t for the standoffish.
Minister of Affection 3W
Creature — Unicorn Advisor
No more than two creatures can attack each combat.
No more than two creatures can block each combat.
When Twilight took the throne, some ponies feared how many facets of life would now require notarized forms.
2/5
Devalue 1U
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X, where X is 2 plus the number of cards in that player’s graveyard with the same name as that spell.
“That was novel at first. Now it’s just annoying.”
—Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of Magic
Borrowed Imagination 2U
Sorcery
Target opponent draws a card. Scry X, where X is the number of cards in that player’s hand, then draw two cards.
“Mind if I poke your brain for a second?”
Peculiar Preponderance 3UU
Enchantment
Whenever you cast an alliterative spell, copy it. You may choose new targets for the copy. (Anything with two or more capitalized words in its name that begin with the same letter is alliterative. A copy of permanent spell becomes a token.)
Populous plosives provide plentiful potency.
Napping Cloud 5U
Creature — Elemental
This spell costs 1 less to cast for each creature with flying your opponents control.
Flying, vigilance
When Napping Cloud enters the battlefield, tap target creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step for as long as you control Napping Cloud.
3/3
Black Sheep Negotiator 1B
Creature — Sheep Advisor
Whenever an opponent casts an artifact or enchantment spell, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Species who provide raw materials always have a strong bargaining position. The question is how well they use it.
1/3
Market Manipulation 2B
Sorcery
Each opponent loses X life and you gain X life, where X is 2 plus the amount of mana from Treasures spent to cast this spell.
“It’s easy to see how the laypony can confuse economics and dark magic.”
—Filthy Rich, business-stallion
Rarinomics 2B
Enchantment
Whenever a nonmodified creature you control deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it. (Equipment, Auras you control, and counters are modifications.)
Whenever a modifed creature you control deals combat damage to a player, create a Treasure token. (It’s an artifact with “T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”)
Doomsday Scenario 3BB
Enchantment
When Doomsday Scenario enters the battlefield, each player may search their library for five cards, exile the rest, and put the chosen cards on top of their library in any order.
When Doomsday Scenario leaves the battlefield, each player shuffles all cards they own exiled with it into their library.
Aggressive Petitioner 1R
Creature — Pony Warrior
Menace
Dethrone (Whenever this creature attacks the player with the most life or tied for most life, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
“I may not have an appointment, but that’s not my problem.”
1/1
Sweetfeather Phoenix 3R
Creature — Phoenix
Flying, haste
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if three or more non-Phoenix creatures entered the battlefield under your control this turn, return Sweetfeather Phoenix from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Philomena’s egg was equal parts thanks and apology to a favored playmate.
3/2
Negotiable Affection 4R
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste and provoke until end of turn. (Whenever it attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.)
It’s a poor escort who can’t even attract somepony’s attention.
Pinkie’s Command XRR
Sorcery
Choose two. X can’t be greater than the number of creatures in your party.
• Discard your hand, then draw X cards.
• Create X tapped Treasure tokens.
• Creature you control get +X/+0 until end of turn.
• Pinkie’s Command deals X damage to each opponent and each planeswalker they control.
Apple Family Economist 1G
Creature — Pony Advisor
When Apple Family Economist enters the battlefield, if an opponent controls an artifact, create a Treasure token.
The family has representatives in every discipline that might ever involve apples.
2/2
Immaterial Shortage 1G
Sorcery
Bargain, bargain (You may sacrifice up to two artifacts, enchantments, and/or tokens as you cast this spell.)
Each opponent sacrifices an artifact or enchantment. If this spell was bargained, each opponent sacrifices an artifact and an enchantment instead. If this spell was bargained twice, destroy all artifacts and enchantments your opponents control.
Assemble the Revelers 3GG
Sorcery
Draw X cards, where X is the number of creatures in your party. Then fill your party with 2/2 green Ponies. (Your party consists of up to one each of each of Cleric, Rogue, Warrior, and Wizard. To fill your party, for each of those types, if your party doesn’t have a creature of that type, create a creature token of that type and the listed characteristics.)
Spilled Bounty 3GGG
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control dies, distribute X +1/+1 counters among creatures you control, where X is that creature’s power.
One untimely shout turned a week’s worth of animal feed into a feast of legend.
Pinkie Bank 2
Artifact
Alliance — Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a coin counter on Pinkie Bank.
T: Add C. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell.
T, Remove a coin counter from Pinkie Bank: Add one mana of any color.
Regulator’s Statue 4
Artifact
Spells cast from anywhere other than a player’s hand cost 2 more to cast.
Whenever a player casts a spell from anywhere other than their hand, that player loses 2 life.
“Anything that’s ‘for your own good’ rarely is.”
—Ditzy Doo
Commoditize 1WB
Instant
Destroy target permanent. That permanent’s controller creates two Treasure tokens.
There are some things money can’t buy, but it can certainly ruin them.
Party Pony’s Embrace 2RG
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and is a Cleric Rogue Warrior Wizard in addition to its other types.
At the beginning of combat on your turn, choose a party from among creatures you control. That party gains trample and haste until end of turn.
Everything Must Go 2WBG
Sorcery
Choose artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker. Destroy all permanents of the chosen type. For each permanent you controlled that was destroyed this way, create a Treasure token.
Barren Orchard
Land
Barren Orchard enters the battlefield tapped with two depletion counters on it.
T, Remove a depletion counter from Barren Orchard: Add BG. If there are no depletion counters on Barren Orchard, sacrifice it.
Life and death offer one last effort before dust claims them both.
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: Peculiar Preponderance is acorn/silver-border, as it would otherwise have to go specifically off of the English name of the card no matter what language the physical card is in. See "Archfiend" in Yugioh for more information.
Inside Baseball Alert: Doomsday Scenario is a symmetrical variant of Doomsday because of course it is. The original didn't have the means of returning your exiled cards because it only inherently put yourself on that clock (you normally automatically lose if you try to draw from an empty library, although anyone who has this happen with Doomsday is either doing something wrong or facing a mill deck).
Inside Baseball Alert: The official card for Pinkie Pie (Gatherer doesn't have it) completely changes the "party" mechanic into her kind of party instead of the D&D kind (not that she doesn't canonically indulge in the latter, which is probably the subtlest thing the show ever did with her). Obviously, her Command is at its strongest under those circumstances. Likewise Party Pony's Embrace, although Assemble the Revelers might be a sidegrade if it prevents you from getting the tokens (stuff like this is why her card was silver-border).
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: Even if you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost", you still have to pay additional costs such as Regulator Statue's. That said, not everything that puts a creature card onto the battlefield is technically casting it. Undead Tax Exemption strikes again!
Interestingly, your link to the adaption is to an earlier, unlisted version; the uploader has a version from a week or two later which is identical except for some swearing at the end (presumably to avoid the Made For Kids hammer). Evidently you'd saved that link to this one before it got the hammer and Clipper reuploaded it!
I've read this fic, and it's a good candidate for this kind of treatment. Like a lot of these kind of fan animations, the pacing is a lot slower than it should be – this has maybe a 22-minute episode's worth of content, not a 37-min one – and while some of that is excusable due to the simple tweens in place of animations of the Flash models not being suited to that kind of speed, and the voice samples not being easily controllable in terms of speed, it's still noticeable. And, yes, the non-visual aspects of the story don't translate well: the story is undeniably sweet, but a bit more in a surface-level way here when the feeling of a hug is just a line of voiceover from every giver and recipient.
On the other hand, changing it to be not only pre-Castle, but pre-Wings too, is pretty indisputably an improvement, whether it was or wasn't a personal choice. 8686's stories are very much in the mode of the cozy early seasons slice of life, and many of them are softened in immersion by having Twilight with wings or her castle (or Ponyville being more bustling) as background elements.
I can forgive that a little for something like Winning, and Why, given 2014/15 was an exciting time for the new directions of the property for most, and the older seasons weren't yet retro enough yet for setting there to feel anything but defiant. That fic is half flashback and all the present-day scenes are around Fluttershy's cottage or Sweet Apple Acres, so the more bustling feel of Ponyville doesn't intrude. But this fic doesn't feel the year of its publication, 2018, at all, and trying to pretend it is, or even that it's 2014-onward, just doesn't fly. In any case, Pinkie's suspicions of Twilight is done funnily enough with the vision of her as a dictator that the marginal bump of her suspecting Twilight of this when she doesn't have political power doesn't register one bit – I literally would not have thought of it were it not brought up here.
So yeah, that's a big improvement, and the various visual gags and such are nice additions too. And the voice samples have been very carefully crafted such that, while there is a little monotone-ness at times, for the most part it's not distracting at all. I really enjoyed this!
Not that it's exactly relevant to this blog, but as it's your more recent one and I think you'll appreciate it anyway, this is the best thing ever!
https://www.deviantart.com/meplushyou/art/Derpy-plush-with-Twilight-costume-1049849672