THE PLOT THUS FAR
She may be the smartest unicorn in Equestria, but Twilight Sparkle gets an incomplete in friendship. There’s more to life than learning magic, after all: so Princess Celestia sends her pupil to Ponyville, where she meets five special ponies who take her on exciting adventures and teach her the most powerful magic of all . . . the magic of friendship!
WHAT WE THOUGHT
This enchanting animated show follows the adventures of Twilight Sparkle, a unicorn pony sent by Princess Celestia to Ponyville, where she and her pals Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash learn all about being true friends. The series continues on with the Mane Six going about their everyday lives and reporting to Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria, about their findings on the magic of friendship! I know that sounds like the typical modern kid crap that floats around the air. However, the levels of revamp onscreen here haven’t been felt since Ronald Moore revamped Battlestar Galactica.
Out of the episodes included, I’m kind of surprised to see that they listed one that hasn’t been aired yet. So, I guess that’s a nice treat for fans. However, I have to applaud Lauren Faust’s ability to get blood from a stone with this seemingly dead franchise. It’s the Powerpuff Girls if directed by a zombie Chuck Jones. I know that it’s easy to write off the series due to the rise of the Brony, but there’s a reason for that new section of fandom. Girl-friendly animation has been on an upswing recently and this show marks the first time that female-centric animation approaches heroic adventure and makes it all-ages friendly material.
The DVD comes with a sing along, coloring sheets, featurette and a bonus episode of the new Pound Puppies series. The A/V Quality is strong for standard definition and supported by a Dolby 2.0 Surround track. While the release won’t be for everyone, give it a chance. Rent the disc from Netflix or Blockbuster and let it soak in. If you can appreciate the antics, you’ll be hooked and will want to watch the rest of the series. Color me shocked, as I’m now a fan by doing just that. I’d recommend a purchase to the Pony converted.
RELEASE DATE: 02/28/2012
