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Encyclopedia :
M :
MY :
MYL :
My Little Pony |
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My Little PonyMy Little Pony is a line of colorful toy ponies aimed at young girls and is produced by Hasbro. The toys were first introduced in 1983, following the related "My Pretty Pony" toy which was introduced in 1982. They became enormously popular throughout that decade. The original toy line inspired several animated specials, an animated feature length movie, and two animated television series. Redesigned toys have been introduced to the market twice since then, one near the end of 1997 and again in mid-2003. Collectors refer to each line as a "generation."All three My Little Pony lines consist of plastic ponies with brushable manes and tails. They are generally bright-colored and can have multi-colored manes and tails. They have specific symbols on their hips that allow them to be identified. Some ponies have marks that stretch over their backs and sides or can be found on their cheek and forehead. There are Unicorn Ponies, Pegasus Ponies, and Earth Ponies, which were earthbound. There are even Sea Ponies for playing in the bathtub and a special Pony Pals set based on other types of animals (such as camel, zebra, giraffe and lion). My Little Pony was one of the most popular collectible toys of the 1980s and is enjoying a successful comeback on the current market. Due to the brand's recent return to stores, the second hand market for the adorable equines has boomed. However, many of the older Ponies are not worth a large amount, due to the fact that many were manufactured in large numbers and were bought by many people, making them common. There are exceptions to this rule, such as in the case of Mountain Boys (not to be confused with the more common Big Brothers), who were furry-footed male Ponies with weather themes who were only released in the United Kingdom for a short time, making them highly desirable for foreign collectors. GenerationsGeneration One: Dream ValleyThe original line of My Little Ponies (referred to as "Generation One" (G1) or 'Ponyland Ponies') was the jumping point for the My Little Pony line. The ponies lived in a place called the Dream Valley in Ponyland and were ruled by Queen Majesty who lived in Dream Castle. After their original home was destroyed, they relocated to the Paradise Estate. This toy line consisted of all different types of ponies; most ponies were either "earth" ponies with no special marks, pegasi with molded on wings, or unicorns with molded horns. Most unicorns had the power to "wink out" or disappear and were very magical; pegasi could fly but otherwise has no special magical skills. This line served as the foundation for the entire My Little Pony line and later lines to come. Almost every pony came with a molded comb or brush and a ribbon. Two popular animated television series (My Little Pony and Friends and My Little Pony Tales) were aired during this generation. The first focused on Ponies who lived happy, fairly simple lives in Dream Valley. The second was geared towards a rather trendier crowd, with the Ponies living in a town, going to school, fretting about relationships, running businesses, going on vacation and exchanging currency for goods. Each of the ponies -- Shady, Lickety Split, Wind Whistler, Melody etc. -- had its own personality and voice. There was also a movie and several television specials. Merchandise included bed and room decorations, plush toys, puzzles, and books. There were also more unusual and interesting items, such as pomanders and toy sewing machines. All packaging (mostly a bubble attached to a backcard) came with Pony Points. Marked with horseshoes and ranging in value from 1/2 point to 12 points, these could be clipped and used in mail orders. To make an order, a customer could either pay a flat fee or lower the price by sending in Pony Points. Many of the mail orders are hard to find and some are considered rare. One of the rarest, Rapunzel, can go for over $800. Very few Ponies achieve this price. The line ran for ten years, ending in the US in 1992. Oddly, this year was touted as the celebration year of My Little Pony. Pre-My Little Pony: My Pretty PonyFirst sold in 1981, My Pretty Pony was a 3 foot tall plastic horse. It had a lever under it's chin that made the ears wiggle and the eyes blink when pushed backwards. She came with a western hat that was white with red and white gingham band and "ROMPER ROOM" logo printed on band, red blanket, blue grooming brush and comb, and three ribbons: blue, purple, and red. When My Little Pony was introduced, this brown pony was re-released with a baby that would later be known as Butterscotch. Another version of her was made in pink with pink accessories. There is also a rumor of a yellow version, but most sellers and collectors of My Little Pony say it's just a discolored pink one. Years 1-3The line started in 1982 (Year 1) with six Earth ponies: Minty, Snuzzle, Butterscotch, Bluebelle, Cotton Candy, and Blossom. Each pony was a single color with monochrome hair and faced forward like the original Pretty Pony. These six have been referred to as the collector ponies. Originally they came with flat feet, but later issues had concave feet which were slightly indented. Year 2 (1983-1984) released different varieties of ponies: there were four new earth Ponies. Each pony came in a newly designed pose. Two of them, Seashell and Bubbles, came in a sitting pose that was never used again in the line. Unicorns and Pegasi each had a glittery symbol; unicorns had a single strip in their manes. Rainbow Ponies each had hair in pink, yellow, green, and blue stripes and glittery symbols. Sea Ponies looked like seahorses and came with shells; when placed in water, they floated upright. Pony wear, outfits for ponies to dress up in, were released this year. There was also the first release of pony playsets--the Pretty Parlor with Peachy and her cat Twinkles, the Show Stable with Lemon Drop and her dog Brandy, the Waterfall with Sprinkles and her duck Duck Soup, and the Castle with Majesty and the baby dragon, Spike. The first mail order was offered: the first Baby Pony who was later named Ember. Year Three (1984-1985) was a somewhat slow year. More Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi were released. Rainbow Ponies reappeared with a new pattern of melon, pink, aqua, and chartreuse hair. Baby Ponies -- children to some of the older ponies such as Glory and Cotton Candy -- were also released. Megan and Sundance were matched pair of a human girl and an Earth Pony. Megan was the first human in Dream Valley who arrived in the special "Firefly's Adventure", when she was brought to help save the ponies. Sea Ponies were released again along with Baby Sea Ponies, but adults were no longer released after this year. Mail orders included the Birth Flower Ponies and a reissue of the Collector Ponies (who were offered as mail orders until January 31, 1988). This year continues the Pony Wear line, including outfits for mothers and babies to wear together. The only new playset of the year was the Nursery. Some of the best known characters from the movies, books, and shows were released in the first three years. These include but are not limited to Megan and Sundance, Gusty, Applejack, Heart Throb, Glory, and the Sea Ponies. Years 4-5Year 4 (1985-1986) was one of the largest years for ponies and mail orders. Part of this is because of the My Little Pony Movie, which was was shown in theatres the summer of 1986. Many of the new characters and playsets were featured in the movie and later released. The most notable new characters were the Flutter Ponies, thin small ponies with sheer wings. The wings were tabbed to fit in a device on the back; when pressed, the wings would "flutter". Many Flutter ponies had easily breakable wings and it is hard to find a Flutter pony with wings. Beddy Bye Baby Ponies were ponies that had open and closing sleepy eyes, and the Pretty n' Pearly Baby Sea Ponies were baby sea ponies with shimmery coatings on their bodies. So Soft Ponies--ponies with flocking on their bodies--were one of the largest lines of ponies. Many were releases of older ponies such as Gusty and Posey, but many were new and only came in So Soft Editions in the US. Three ponies - Truly, Magic Star, and Skippity Doo - came in rearing poses that included a stand to keep them upright. The other large line of this year were the Twinkle Eyes who had jewels in their eyes; all of them had multicolored hair, which was unique at the time. Megan and Sundance was re-released with the new So Soft Sundance and Megan's little sister Molly was released with Baby Sundance, a Beddy Bye Eye Baby Pony. Pony Wear continued, with baby pony wear and outfits for Megan and Sundance. The two major playsets of the year were the Baby Bonnet School of Dance and Paradise Estate, which was created in the movie to replace the now smoozed Castle. A Party pack was also released; in the US it had an example of every new pony offered that year and accesories to hold a party. The first boy pony was released this year as a mail order: Lucky the Stallion, a baby boy pony who would later be released in a wedding party. Year 5 (1986-1987) extended the So Soft, Flutter, and Twinkle Eye Lines for another year and added new lines. The Big Brother ponies--the first adult male ponies--were larger than female ponies and had hair on their hooves that made them look like Clydesdale horses. Twice as Fancy Ponies were ponies who instead of having the standard symbol on both hips had it decorated across their sides and backs and a small one on either their forehead or under one eye. Princess Ponies has raised three dimensional symbols, tinsel rooted in their hair, and came with princess hats and Bushwoolies. Baby ponies came in two forms: the maturing First Tooth Ponies who had a little tooth showing, and Newborn Twins, who were younger, smaller and came in pairs. Baby Seas ponies reappeared as Sea Sparkle Baby Ponies, and the Party pack returned as a Slumber Party. The Pony Friends were not actually ponies but different animals with hair: the first four were a camel, zebra, giraffe and lion. Soft Sleepy Newborns were three large baby ponies in bonnets and diapers who had closing eyes. The last Pony Wear outfits were released as well as the Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe, the Perm Shoppe, and a board game that used actual ponies as playing pieces. Years 6-8 Year 6 (1987-1988) continued the Twice as Fancy, Big Brother, Pony Friends (a dinosaur, moose, elephant, and llama), Newborn Twins and Princess Pony lines. (The new Princess ponies varied from the previous year as they now had had a forelock of tinsel, crown shaped clips, and came with no Bushwoolies.) Sundae Best ponies had molded raised symbols and were the first scented ponies, along with the Sweetberry Ponies (who had flat symbols). Summer Wing Ponies, a smaller version of the Flutter ponies, had fastened wings on their backs and long hair. Many of the new ponies had working mechanisms that made them do "tricks" like the Beddy Bye Eye Babies. Happy Tails ponies had tails that would spin when their bodies were gently squeezed. Magic Message ponies had syblos that would reveal different pictures when gently rubbed. The Brush 'N Grow Ponies came with long hair and jointed heads; when their head was turned, the tail would retract and could be pulled back out. Watercolor Baby Sea Ponies changed body and hair color when placed in warm water. Peek-a-Boo Baby Ponies were the first ponies that could turn their heads left and right; this line also released two baby boy ponies with hairy legs like the Big Brothers, Baby Ribbs and Baby Whirly Twirly. There was no Pony wear, but there were Pretty Ups which came with barrettes and extensions to decorate a pony's hair. The two playsets were the Poof 'n Puff Perfume Palace and Brush Me Beautiful Boutique (which was the Pretty Parlor in new colors); they came with no ponies. Mommy Charms were small charms to be worn on bracelets; they were unique ponies. Mail orders were varied and released many different ponies. There was the baby boy Clipper, who sailed to find Glitter Island and the Sparkle Ponies with tinsel in their hair and glittery translucent bodies. Years 7-8Year 7 (1988-1989) was a year with no exactly continued lines, with the exception of the store release of the Sparkle ponies. There were a few that resembled previous lines, however. The Princess Brush and Grow ponies were a blend of the Princess and Brush and Grow ponies; Windy Wing Ponies were a variation of Summer Wing ponies; and Newborn babies came out without twin counterparts. The Playtime Baby Brothers were an extention of the Peek a Boo Babies, all of them were male. Baby Fancy Pants Ponies had printed on diapers with symbols all over them. Merry Go Round Ponies had molded on capes that made them look like carousel ponies. Candy Cane Ponies were scented with long curls that looked like candy canes. Sunshine Ponies had a streak of hair that would change color in the sunlight; this was also a trait of the last Megan and Sundance pair (who also had Twice as Fancy Symbols on her body and came in a new pose). Perfume Puff Ponies had poofy hair and smelled like perfume. The Loving Family ponies, a set of three ponies together, were the only US sets that had both a mother and father pair for the children. The mother and father had different Twice as Fancy Symbols that were combined on the baby, either male or female. In the UK both male and female babies were released, but the set was not sold together in one box. Dance and Prance ponies had knobs on the front of their bodies that when wound, would twirl the tail and make the pony "dance". The Sweetheart sisters were a new mold of ponies based on teenagers, with slim bodies and faces. Baby Ponies and Pretty Pals were pairings of baby ponies and other baby animals with matching symbols. Playsets and acessories included Pony Makeup, Rock-A-Bye Bed, Sweet Dreams Crib, Scrub-a-Dub Tub, and reissues of the Castle and Show Stable. The mail orders had some re-releases but included new lines; many of these later lines are hard to find. Pretty Mane Ponies were in the shape of flutter ponies but didn't have wings; the pair had horozontal streaks in their hair. Pearly Baby Ponies were pearly versions of the first six baby ponies. The Baby Sister Ponies were a pair consisting of a Newborn Baby pony and a Peek a Boo baby. Also Satin and Lace's groom Tux and Tails (also Coat and Tails) and five of the playset ponies were released as mail orders. Year 8 (1989-1990) had all new lines, though most body shapes were traditional. The number in a set lowered from six to four. Instead of individual back card stories, all the ponies in a set shared a story together. Tropical Ponies were bright neon ponies with two-tone eyeshadow. Baby Drink and Wet ponies could be fed water and then would "wet" their diapers. Rainbow Curl ponies combined the curls of the Candy Cane Ponies with the color variation of rainbow ponies; each pony had a unique pattern, but each had long sausage curls. The Sweet Steps Ballerinas were fully jointed adult ponies in leotards who could be posed to dance. The Sweetheart Sister designs continued with the Glittery Sweetheart Sisters, who had shimmering symbols covering their bodies and tinsel in their hair, and the Prom Queen Sweetheart Sister Ponies who were dressed up for prom dates. Baby Sparkle Ponies had translucent glittery bodies like the Sparkle ponies, but no tinsel in their hair. Finally, there were two unique ponies released: Merrt Treat the Christmas Pony and the Pony Bride, a new mold who was dressed up for her wedding day. The mail orders introduced this year are now some of the hardest to find: the two Birthday Baby Ponies, Baby Sugarcake and Baby Gametime; Sweet Scoops who came with a special charm that looked like her; Goldilocks, a Sweetheart Sister mold with golden sausage curls, and the Twice as Fancy Baby Ponies, who were the children of the Year 5 Twice as Fancy ponies. There was an offer through Current, a stationary company, for two Valentine's Day Twins; they have no official names. A Chuck E. Cheese baby pony was offered at their restaurants. Years 9-10Year Nine (1990-1991) continued the lower number of ponies per set and the grouped backcard stories as well as the unique line designs. Rockin' Beat Ponies were "rock star" ponies with neon colors, heavy eyeshadow, oddly shaped symbols, and brushes shaped like guitars that could hang around their necks. Secret Surprise Ponies were large large earth ponies with decorative capes and keys; when the key was turned in the lock on their neck, the cape openes to reveal a compartment holding a piece of toy jewelry. Rainbow Baby Ponies, unlike their older counterparts, only had three rainbow colors in their hair. Teeny Tiny Ponies were baby ponies even younger than newborns. Precious Pocket Ponies had raised symbols on only one side and small matching charms on metallic cords; the charms fit in the pockets of the symbol. Pretty ponies were monochrome ponies in Sweetheart Sister molds billed as ponies that led girls along on their first time in Ponyland (new collectors). Glow n' Show Ponies had translucent bodies interspersed with glowing symbols and glowed when exposed to sunlight or under a black light. Baby Ballerinas were like the Sweetsteps Ballerinas, but came with no tutus or symbols. Two Princess ponies with long eyelashes were released with no official names and are identified by their color and symbol. Firefly, one of the first pegasi, was re-released in a new pose with a video of Firefly's Adventure. Pamphlet mail orders were few and generally reissued older ponies. The few unique ponies were the Mommy and Baby pair (a mother and Fancy Pants baby with coordinating symbols) and Rapunzel, a long and tinsel-haired pony. There was an offer through Rice Krispies cereal for a baby Christmas pony; she has no official name, though collectors have called her Baby Stockings to match the older release. Year Ten (1991-1992) was a dual year for My Little Pony; while it was billed as the anniversary year on all packages and touted as a celebrational year, it was the last year for the line. The line went out with a bang and various unique ponies were released. These were released in smaller amounts; each line had only three ponies and many had only two. The Sweet Talkin' ponies said three different lines when squeezed: "Comb my hair", "I love you," and "I'm pretty." (They were not named in the US, but received the names in the UK.) Colorswirl Ponies were covered in zebra like stripes. Sippin' Soda Ponies came with ice cream sodas and straws that fit into a hold near their mouths and when squeezed would inhale the beads in the straw to look as though she was "drinking" the soda. Sweet Kisses Ponies were Sweetheart Sisters with lipstick tubes that had felt tips. When cold water was applied to their lips (with or without the lipstick tube) "lipstick" appeared on their mouths. This could be removed with either warm water or a kiss. Teeny Pony Twins were matched pairs of the Teeny Tiny Ponies. Paradise Babies were like their adult counterparts and came in the last traditional baby pony poses (two had first teeth showing). Flower Fantasy Ponies had symbols on their hips and covering their entire bodies; they are also unique in that they were the last line in traditional adult bodies. Sundazzle Ponies were like Sunshine Ponies, but came in Sweetheart Sister molds with neon colors and crimped hair. Fancy Mermaid ponies were young ponies in the design of hippocampi (half horse/half fish beasts in Greek mythology). The Bridal Beauty was much like the Pony Bride only with a change in symbol. Finally, the Birthday Pony was a unique pony with stars, hearts, streamers, and confetti covering her body, tinsel in her mane, and streamers in her tail and came with a charm inside a gift box. No mail order ponies were offered this year. International Ponies Information forthcoming. Related Lines
Generation Two: Friendship Garden The second line of My Little Ponies (referred to as "Generation Two" (G2) or 'Friendship Garden Ponies') lived in Friendship Garden, and were almost entirely limited to Earth Ponies, although a few Pegasus and Unicorn Ponies were made. They were fairly small, and in slim, long-legged poses. This line was largely popular in Europe, where it continued for several years after it had been discontinued in the United States due to a lack of popularity. There were no television spin-offs for the G2 Ponies. Generation Three: Ponyville The current line of My Little Ponies is referred to as "Generation Three" (G3) by collectors. This has been attributed to it being the third release of ponies, which started in 2003. The G3 line is very similar to the G1 line in construction and design, although they are smaller. They have been almost exclusively earth ponies, but a few Pegasus ponies are also in the line. The ponies live in Ponyville in the shadow of the Celebration Castle. There appears to be no distinct ruler like in the G1 line. Most ponies in the G3 line have shiny or pearly bodies and matte symbols on one side, now referred to as "Cutie Marks". G3 Ponies also have a magnet in one hoof that is used to activate playset items. These magnets are fairly strong and can ruin computer equipment and TVs if prolonged contact is made. The foot where the magnet is found is marked with a small symbol, often a heart. In some early ponies, the heart and magnet were mismatched and the heart was on the wrong foot; this has since been corrected. 2003 Year of the CelebrationThe first year was the "Year of The Celebration", heralding the return of the My Little Pony Line. Packages were shaped like plastic purses with white cords at the top, and the background was of Ponyville's meadows. Each pony came with a shiny cord called a "Friendship Ribbon" and a small pony shaped charm that matched the pony's body color; these were phased out by the next year. Also, each package came with Pony Points that were later used for exclusive mail orders. Unlike the G1 line, the pony points had to be sent in to order; a customer could not just pay a flat fee and add points to it to lower the price. Single ponies were of two main types. Rainbow Ponies had hair that had three or more colors in their mane or tail. The first four were Wysteria, Sunny Daze, Sweetberry, and Rainbow Dash. Glitter ponies has one or two colors in their manes or tails, which was interlaced with iridescent tinsel. The first four were Kimono, Pinkie Pie, Minty, and Sparkleworks. Many collectors do not like the way the tinsel can become ragged and crinkled with play and have clipped the tinsel from the hair; this is called "detinsling." Sparkleworks, Pinkie Pie, Sunny Daze, and Rainbow Dash have since become the trademarks of the line, having been re-released in different poses and/or outfits at least three times each. Later in the year two new Glitter and Rainbow ponies were released, and the four were released in new poses. Playset ponies and accessory ponies failed to adhere to these guidelines; while some had rainbow hair others did not and none of them had tinsel. The first baby pony was also released: Baby Pink Sunsparkle, who came with the Celebration Castle. (The Celebration Castle has since become a Toys 'R Us exclusive and now may come with Baby Romperooni as well.) The first mail order offers consisted of a beaded bracelet for 4 points, the video "A Charming Birthday for 8 points (it was later packaged as a bonus with some single ponies), a play mat for 12 points, and Dazzle Surprise for 16 points. Dazzle Surprise was the first pony to embody both qualities of the Celebration line--tinsel and rainbow hair. Demand was high, however, and supplies were depleted quickly. While the line was simultaneously released in the US and Europe there have been only two non-US ponies, Winter Snow and Sweet Summertime. (Sweet Summertime has since been released in a playset for Butterfly Island, but there has been no news on a Winter Snow release.) Other European ponies made their way over here. Three ponies--Butterscotch, Star Swirl, and Autumn Skye--were released with bonus packs; these bonus ponies did not have brushes or charms like their european counterparts. Butterscotch and Star Swirl were later re-released in Dress Up Sets; Autumn Skye came in a bonus playset. Spring Fever was released in a KayBee Toys exclusive with Applejack. The US had its own exclusives: Target released three Winter ponies that came with accessories and backcards that showed a snow-covered pony land. One of the rarest G3 ponies so far was released this year unintentionally. A Pinkie Pie with "2003 Licensing Show" integrated into her symbol was used to promote My Little Pony at the 2003 spring Licensing Show. Only three hundred were supposed to be given out at the show alone, but due to packaging error a few were packaged as regular ponies and sold in stores. Because of this, she has quickly risen in value and can go for as much as $400. 2004 Friendship BallThe second year was the "Year of the Friendship Ball". Ponies in this line had purple cords at the top of the package and "Friendship Ball" on their packaging; the background shows scenes from the Friendship Ball. The specialties of this line were the Jewel Ponies with embedded jewels in their Cutie Marks, Sparkle Ponies who had glitter overlays on their Cutie Marks and forehead, Ballet and Ice Skating Ponies who had glowing crowns and came on stands that made them dance, and Eveningwear Ponies, who came dressed up in costumes. (Two of the Eveningwear Ponies were reissues of Sparkleworks and Sunny Daze.) The large playset of the year was the Twinkle Twirl Dance Studio, which came with Twinkle Twirl. The Studio was featured in the video "Dancing in the Clouds", which came packaged with the G3 line's first pegasus--Star Catcher. Super Long Haired ponies were released; the first four released were packaged with baby ponies as a bonus. So Soft Ponies were different from their G1 counterparts, now as oversized baby ponies that cooed and talked when played with. Pretty Pony Fashions were also released, which dressed up new and old ponies in outfits. Target had holiday exclusives again; three Spring Ponies who each had hats and came on egg-shaped cards, and three new Winter Ponies with outfits. For a while Toys R Us sold a very unique pony, Star Shimmer. $1 of each purchase would go to the Starlight Children's Foundation. The Glitter Ponies and Rainbow Ponies merged into the "Perfectly Pony" lines; Perfectly Ponies continued to have white cords and the original backgrounds. For a brief time during the summer and autumn of 2004, a set of ponies was temporarily rare. Cupcake, Sweetsong, Shenanigans, and Cherry Blossom were the last Glitter and Rainbow Ponies and came with older ponies as the previous releases had. Many stores either never got a shipment of the four or ordered the newly released Perfectly Ponies instead. One theory has been that since these four came with older ponies that were still on the shelves, stores overlooked the entire set rather than have an overstock of ponies that would not sell as fast. Hasbro later re-released them in both three packs at Wal-Mart and individually at select stores and they have since become easier to find. Disney theme parks released the first four Glitter ponies with capes and hats, each with a different Disney princess theme which could only be picked up at the parks or through catalogs. Later these outfits, the second edition Perfectly Ponies, and various other accessories would be released at Walt Disney World's Build-A-Pony. Hasbro's handling of the points program continues to have some problems; Sunshimmer (who was originally used as a replacement for Dazzle Surprise backorders) was made avaiable for order for 16 points. They soon ran out of her as well. Love Wishes was sent out as replacement for Sunshimmer and late in the year she was also added to the site for order, but this time in exchange for 24 points. An offer for a three foot plush Frilly Frocks pony was also put up in exchange for 150 points and 2.50 in shipping. 2005 Butterfly IslandThe third year has been given the theme "Butterfly Island." Packages now have orange cords, a special butterflies design, and backcard scenes from the beach. The points on the package have been redesigned in a larger, rectangular shape with an image of Frilly Frocks and a prompt to the Frilly Frocks Boutique on the website: www.mylittlepony.com. The specialties so far have been: Dazzle Bright Ponies who have "shimmery" or shiny Cutie Marks; Shimmer Ponies who have metallic, colored tinsel in their hair; Beachwear Ponies who are wearing swimsuits; Wing Wishes Ponies who have fabric wings and antennae headbands; the Pony And Me Sets that include an older pony with accesories, and Scootin' Along Ponies who come with their very own scooters that "drive" when pulled back and released on a flat surface. Avon released four exclusive ponies through their representatives, two adults and two babies. Target released another holiday exclusive set, the Valentine's Day ponies. Several of the older characters have been reissued in these new sets. Toys 'R Us has released twelve exclusive Birthstone Ponies, referred to as Jewel Birthday ponies, which have special jewel symbols that correspond to the month. The next two lines consist of the Sunny Scents Ponies, ponies who will have varying scents, and Dream Design Ponies, which have three dimensional or raised symbols. More Pegasus ponies will be featured in the line this year as regular ponies interspersed into other lines, including an exclusive baby pegasus pony named Honolu-Loo in the Butterfly Island Adventure playset. The shipping cost for the 3' foot Frilly Frocks ended up being an error and was corrected early in the year to the correct amount of $25, but by then the demand had outgrown the supply and the stock was quickly depleted. The plush was removed from the site to prevent additional orders. The current situation is that those who have ordered the plush before January 18th will have their honors honored; any after will have their points returned. Most customers received a postcard in the mail detailing the understock situation and prompting a toll free call to the Young America Company. A customer can agree to wait and have a plush sent later (but no later than July 15, 2005) Those who either decline the wait or do not call will have their orders cancelled and the points returned. Other Items A lot of licensed merchandise has been released for the newest generation. The main characters can be found on items ranging from bedding and home decor to clothing and dishware and school supplies. Some of the main characters were released as large pillow buddies and other assorted plush that are available for sale at most stores. Plush ponies have also been given away as theme park prizes and used in crane machines. The most noted of the plush is probably the 3' plush pony which was first available for sale in Australia (characters including Rainbow Dash, Minty, Sweetberry, and the special Kimono, which was used as a prize by Red Rooster Restaurants and Target). In the US/CAN, a 3' Frilly Frocks was offered in the points program as a redeemable item and a special Star Shimmer was used by the Starlight Foundation to help special children and their families celebrate the magic of My Little Pony. McDonald's has also featured ponies in its happy meal. Eight characters were used in the US promotion, while other countries had only four. My Little Pony Cartoons
Rescue at Midnight Castle Escape from Katrina
In 2004, Season 1 ('86 MLP & Friends minus the friends) was released on DVD. Its appearance is a little misleading because it features Generation 2 artwork on the cover. The set includes the pilot movie "Rescue at Midnight Castle" and the TV special "Escape From Katrina". Both are the versions that were shortened for syndication. The episode "The Glass Princess" is also the shortened version. Look for the "lost" episode. Mish Mash Melee is included, but not listed. Escape from CatrinaEscape from Catrina was the second My Little Pony special, and differed greatly from Rescue at Midnight Castle. The characters from Rescue at Midnight Castle were gone, and replaced with Ponies from newer lines. The animation style was also vastly different. In this special, the Bushwoolies were introduced. This special suffers from poor colouring, and as a result, some of the Pony characters do not match their toys. There are also some Pony characters that don't exist as toys, such as the dark blue unicorn Pony that appears a couple of times. Characters (in order of appearance)=The Ponies (currently incomplete)=Skydancer: Skydancer is a yellow pegasus Pony with rainbow coloured hair. Heart Throb: Heart Throb is a pink pegasus Pony with darker pink hair. Whitecap: Whitecap is a white Sea Pony with purple and blue hair. Sea Mist (?): Sea Mist is a white Sea Pony with orange and red hair. Posey: Posey is a yellow earth Pony with pink hair. Sundance: Sundance is a white Pony with pink hair. Baby Moondancer: Baby Moondancer is a white unicorn baby Pony with pink and purple hair. She has a crescent and star as her symbol. She differs greatly from her mother. Sparkler: Sparkler is a pale purple unicorn Pony with purple and red hair. Her symbol is of blue diamonds. Lickety Split: Lickety Split is a pink earth Pony with orange hair. She has ice cream cones as her symbol. Powder: Powder is a dark purple unicorn Pony with white and red hair. Her symbol is of silver snowflakes. Surprise: Surprise is a white pegasus Pony with green hair. Baby Glory: Baby Glory is a white unicorn baby Pony with purple and blue hair. Baby Surprise: Baby Surprise is a white pegasus baby Pony with bright yellowish-green hair. Baby Cotton Candy: Baby Cotton Candy is a pink earth baby Pony. =Other Characters=Spike: Spike is a baby dragon. He is purple with green spines. The Bushwoolies: The Bushwoolies are small furry creatures that were Catrina's slaves. Rep: Rep is a shape-shifting reptillian character and servant to Catrina. He is dark green with a pale green mouth. He wears a gold and black helmet with a small spike on top and a green collar. He also wears a small flash of Catrina's Witchweed potion. Before Catrina turned evil, it appeared that Rep and Catrina were dating. Catrina: Catrina is the main villain in the film. She is a tall, cat-like character with long orange hair. She wears gold bracelets and purple robes. She needs the Witchweed potion to retain her powers, but it is steadily running out. Megan: Megan is the Ponies' heroine. She always seems to know what to do. She has long blonde hair. She wears and orange shirt and red trousers. My Little Pony: The MovieDuring the first generation of My Little Pony (referred to as G1) in 1986, a movie was released. Simply titled "My Little Pony: The Movie", it was a fairly poorly animated romp through Dream Valley as the Ponies triumphed over evil with their Barbie-esque friend Megan. The movie was re-released on video in 1990. The colours in the film are fairly washed out and do not resemble the toys accurately. For example, Gusty (a white unicorn) has a pink streak in her hair in the movie, whereas her toy has a red streak. The movie suffers from various mistakes, such as Ponies appearing randomly in one shot and then disappearing in the next, then showing up in a completely different place. There are also colour mix-ups, with Ponies briefly swapping colour schemes. More information forthcoming. Characters (in order of appearance):The Ponies:
Megan: Megan is the oldest of the three humans in the film. She has blonde hair tied back with a pink bow. She wears pale blue frilly overalls with a pink long-sleeved shirt underneath and pink shoes. She is the one who comes to the Ponies' aid when they need her. She has possession of the Rainbow of Light, a sparkly, magical rainbow that overcomes evil and darkness. Danny: Danny is Megan's brother and is the second oldest. He has ginger hair and freckles. He wears a blue, red and white baseball cap with a 'B' on it, blue jeans and a blue shirt. He has red sneakers. The WitchesDraggle: Draggle is a tall, lanky witch with red hair. She wears patchy overalls, a pale purple bow with blue dots and a pale blue shirt. Reeka: Reeka is a short, stout witch with black hair. She enjoys eating a lot. She wears a metal cooking pot on her head and a red and orange dress. Hydia: Hydia is a short, stout witch and mother to Reeka and Draggle (although she hates being called 'Mama'!). She has red hair and a hat with horns on it. She has large, gold crescent necklace and purple robes. Other CharactersSpike: Spike is a purple baby dragon with green spines. He befriends Baby Lickety Split. The Bushwoolies: The Bushwoolies are small furry creatures who live in Ponyland. They used to be slaves under Katrina (See "My Little Pony: Escape from Katrina"). The Smooze: The Smooze is living purple ooze that the witches summon to destroy Ponyland. The Moochik: The Moochik is a little old wizard with a poor memory who lives in The Mushrump. He has a white beard and wears a large green cap. Habbit: Habbit is a rabbit/hare and The Moochik's assistant. He doesn't say much. The Grundle King: The Grundle King is leader of the Grundles. He and the Grundles used to live in Grundleland before it was smoozed. He has pale grey skin and wears a blue locket on a gold chain and a red jacket. He has a pointy, floppy green hat with a small yellow ball on the tip. He has a yellow bow on his tail. The Grundles: The Grundles are a small race of creatures ruled by The Grundle King. They used to live in Grundleland before it was smoozed, and are now living underground in a cave. Ahhg: Ahhg is a giant, hairy spider who is the witches 'pet'. TriviaAnimated features
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