My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games facts for kids
Quick facts for kids My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games |
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Region 1 DVD cover
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| Directed by | Ishi Rudell |
| Produced by | Devon Cody |
| Written by | Josh Haber |
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| Music by | William Anderson |
| Editing by | Rachel Kenzie |
| Distributed by | Shout! Factory (United States and Canada home media) |
| Release date(s) | September 17, 2015 (Angelika Film Center) September 26, 2015 (Discovery Family and Family Channel) |
| Running time | 72 minutes (DVD/Blu-ray) |
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| Language | English |
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games, or simply known as Friendship Games, is a 2015 Canadian–American flash animated musical sports fantasy television film sequel to 2014's My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks, written by Josh Haber and directed by Ishi Rudell. It was produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, Canada for Hasbro Studios in the United States, as part of Hasbro's Equestria Girls toy line and media franchise, itself a spin-off of the 2010 relaunch of My Little Pony. The film received a television network premiere on Discovery Family, a joint venture between Discovery Communications and Hasbro, on September 26, 2015, with a home media release on October 13 that year; it also had a limited theatrical run in the United Kingdom and Australia beginning in late October 2015.
Like the first two Equestria Girls films, Friendship Games re-envisions the main characters of parent franchise, normally ponies, as teenage human characters in a high school setting. The film's story centers around a sports competition between the students of Canterlot High School and their rivals at Crystal Prep Academy, one of whom is Twilight's human counterpart, who has been investigating the magical activity around Canterlot High.
A fourth Equestria Girls film, subtitled Legend of Everfree, was released on Netflix on October 1, 2016.
Plot
The students of Canterlot High School prepare for the Friendship Games, an academic and sporting competition held every four years between their school's team, the Wondercolts, and the undefeated Shadowbolts from Crystal Prep Academy. Sunset Shimmer, who has been observing her friends' magical ability to "pony up" – grow pony-like ears, tails, and wings – whenever they play musical instruments, becomes concerned when Rainbow Dash transforms during a pep rally, seemingly at random. Tasked with finding the cause of this development, Sunset attempts to contact Twilight for advice, but receives no response.
Meanwhile, one of Crystal Prep's students, Twilight's human counterpart, investigates the magical activity surrounding Canterlot High. Twilight builds a locket-like device with which to detect and contain the magic for further study, hoping this will secure her application for Everton, a coveted independent study program. However, Principal Cinch threatens to revoke the application to blackmail Twilight into participating in the Friendship Games and maintain Crystal Prep's victory record.
Upon Twilight's arrival at Canterlot High, her device detects Sunset and her friends' magic and leads Twilight to them; as she approaches, the device inadvertently drains Rarity's magic when she "ponies up" after making uniforms for her friends. Sunset, initially mistaking Twilight for her pony counterpart, quickly realizes the misunderstanding and considers consulting Twilight in person. When Crystal Prep's Twilight follows her to the portal to Equestria, the device absorbs the portal's magic and seals it off. The device similarly affects Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy when they attempt to befriend Twilight, creating dimensional rifts to Equestria and giving Twilight's dog Spike the ability to speak.
Following Twilight's victory in the games' academic decathlon, the games continue with a "tricross relay", a relay race between archery, speed skating and motocross. Applejack transforms after advising Twilight in the race, causing the device to steal Applejack's magic and create a rift that summons monstrous plants. Rainbow Dash "ponies up" to save the other competitors before losing her own magic, allowing Canterlot High to win the event, but causing Cinch to accuse Canterlot High of cheating due to their perceived magical advantage.
Before the final event, Cinch and the Shadowbolts pressure Twilight into releasing the magic within her device to harness it against the Wondercolts. The magic instead corrupts Twilight, turning her into a winged monster who proceeds to destroy the statue portal and open more rifts that threaten to destroy the parallel world. As the Wondercolts and Shadowbolts work together to save their classmates, Sunset notices her friends' magical auras and realizes that their magic manifests when they exhibit the same traits as the Elements of Harmony. Gathering their magic with the device, Sunset assumes an angelic form resembling Princess Celestia, closes the rifts, and returns Twilight to normal.
Refusing to relent for manipulating Twilight, Cinch threatens to report the incident to the school board. When taunted that no one would believe her account of the magical incidents, however, she concedes to a tie that is celebrated by both teams. Reconsidering her Everton application, Twilight realizes she is happier at Canterlot High and transfers there, where Sunset and the other students welcome her as a new friend.
In a pre-credits scene, the Twilight from Equestria emerges from the portal with the counterparts of her friends gathered around it. She apologizes for her absence, explaining that she has just escaped from a time travel loop, before gawking at the sight of her own counterpart.
Cast
- Rebecca Shoichet as Sunset Shimmer, a Canterlot High School student and Wondercolt who hails as a unicorn from Equestria. Shoichet also performs Twilight Sparkle's singing voice.
- Tara Strong as Twilight Sparkle, the socially awkward prized student of Crystal Prep Academy and a member of the Shadowbolts. Strong also voices her counterpart from Equestria in a pre-credits scene.
- Ashleigh Ball as Rainbow Dash, a competitive athlete and Wondercolt; and Applejack, an honest country girl and Wondercolt.
- Andrea Libman as Pinkie Pie, a cheerful, party-obsessed Wondercolt; Fluttershy, a kindhearted Wondercolt and animal lover; and Sweetie Drops, a Wondercolt.
- Tabitha St. Germain as Rarity, a dressmaker Wondercolt with a generous spirit; and Vice Principal Luna, Celestia's younger sister. Kazumi Evans performs Rarity's singing voice.
- Cathy Weseluck as Spike, Twilight's pet dog who gains the ability to speak after exposure to Equestrian magic.
- Iris Quinn as Principal Abacus Cinch, the reputation-obsessed head of Crystal Prep Academy.
- Sharon Alexander as Sour Sweet, a Shadowbolt who alternates between an obnoxiously nice and ill-tempered personality.
- Sienna Bohn as Sugarcoat, a Shadowbolt who bluntly speaks her mind.
- Kelly Sheridan as Indigo Zap, a hypercompetitive Shadowbolt.
- Britt Irvin as Sunny Flare, a disdainful Shadowbolt.
- Shannon Chan-Kent as Lemon Zest, a Shadowbolt and rock music enthusiast. Chan-Kent also performs Pinkie Pie's singing voice.
- Nicole Oliver as Principal Celestia, the head of Canterlot High School.
- Britt McKillip as Dean Cadance, the friendly dean of Crystal Prep Academy.
- Vincent Tong as Flash Sentry, a Wondercolt who is enamored with Twilight's counterpart in Equestria; and an unnamed Crystal Prep bus driver.
- Andrew Francis as Shining Armor, a Crystal Prep alumnus and Twilight's older brother.
See also
In Spanish: My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Los juegos de la amistad para niños
