Welp. We're boned. · 11:38pm Jan 29th, 2013
Sorry if this post comes off as rambling, but I've got a bone to pick.
First, let's start this off with a bit of positive news. The good: There is a 4th season of MLP in the works. I know because I've been brought in to work on it. I'd prefer to keep specifics out of it, as I'm fairly certain some of what I'm about to say could get me fired. Daniel Ingram is back, all the VAs are back, most of the writers/animators and such are back.
However, Hasbro has started to take more control in the development of My Little Pony, and have made some, frankly, terrible decisions. We're all still optimistic about the show and are working to bring you a great show, but it's hard to work with some of the stuff they're forcing on us.
This brings me to the bad: Twilight Sparkle becomes an alicorn princess in the S3 finale. This was not something we had any control over. This was purely a move by Hasbro to sell more toys. Some of you may have seen images from Hasbro's overseas offices with alicorn Twilight, these are in fact accurate. We have tried to do our best to weave this into the plot of S3, but this is still something that probably should never have happened. However, this pales into something that came down from above regarding S4.
The ugly: "Derpy Hooves" has been canned totally. As of Season 4, we are expressly forbidden to put her anywhere in a shot. After controversy last season, they attempted to pull her entirely, but due to fan backlash, decided "phasing the character out" would be a more effective way to get rid of her. You may have noticed her greatly reduced appearances in S3. This is in part because of that decision.
The one thing I ask is that you don't blame us for what we have to do. The animators, composers, and script writers had nothing to do with this decision. there is nothing we can do. Short of an overwhelming response from the fanbase, I fear nothing can be done. At least I can say I tried to fix this.
We all know that Hasbro has to file trademarks for character and toy line names, and the newest filing is no different. Hasbro filed on December 17 and 18 two trademarks, each for the phrase “Equestria Girls.”
This is the same name as a music video that came out over a year ago, where a parody cover of Katy Perry’s “California Girls” was sung in commercials, featuring the ponies and pony puns.
The earlier of the two filings states that the name will be used for toy ponies and accessories, which is to be expected. The later filing, though, states that the term “Equestria Girls” will be used for “dolls, doll clothes and doll accessories.”
Because of these two filings, a distinction is made between “doll” and “toy ponies.” Dolls generally have the likeness of a human, while toy ponies means that they’re obviously ponies.
This could mean that Hasbro will release MLP dolls of some sort. G1 MLP featured Megan and Molly dolls, human girls that interacted with the ponies and lived in Paradise Valley with the little ponies. We’ve yet to see any direct sign of humans in FiM, so human character doll seem a tad unlikely. The dolls could be human versions of popular characters such as Twilight Sparkle or Princess Celestia, or doll could refer to So Soft Newborn “dolls,” such as Princess Skyla or Apple Sprout. Unfortunately we don’t know what exactly Hasbro is using to define “doll” and what makes a doll different form a toy pony.
Considering that the trademark was filed not even a week ago, it will be some time before we see prototypes coming out of China/Taobao. Hasbro can take this line in many different ways, and it will be months before we get any idea what or when to expect these new toys.
In summary, no more Derpy, alicorn princess Twilight and humans in Equestria.
Seriously, it's like they're TRYING to shaft their fanbase.
....no more Derpy?
769152 That's a negative, ghost rider.
Wow........um.........huh.........well that's unexpected or expected depending on what you think of has or, but I'm sure you guys are doing everything you can, and who knows maybe once you guys get more control alien you guys can fix the changes but, but all I half to say is keep fighting solider until victory is done hope you guy well with the new season.
Hey me agien I just have one question since Twilight is imortal dosen't that mean she'l have to watch her freinds die while she lives on
you don't have to answer if its something you can't talk about but I hope you guys will take that into consdieration.
Tell me why the first quotation is to be trusted, please. I doubt Hasbro would force the decisions on Twilight and Derpy down the throats of the so-unwilling show producers as described.
So I logged on tonight and wow. Blog explosion. Can we...maybe wait till the episode actually comes out before passing judgment? I would like to say, "what an exciting and fresh direction for the show" but my gut response was more like "um...no please."
The whole Derpy thing is sad but if I were Hasbro I might do the same thing. Would you really want to open yourself up to getting sued over Derpy? At $5 a pop you would have to sell alot of Derpy toys to cover a multi-million $$ lawsuit from "Alcoholic Mothers of Retarded Children."