My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic facts for kids

Quick facts for kidsMy Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
	The cast of Friendship Is Magic, presented as a poster at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con. Major characters include (mid-front row, starting sixth from left) Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Spike and Rarity. The poster also includes minor characters and those named by the fandom, including Derpy, DJ Pon-3, and Doctor Hooves.
Genre	Adventure fiction; High fantasy; Comedy;
Developed by	Lauren Faust
Directed by	Jayson Thiessen; James Wootton (seasons 1–3); Jim Miller(season 4–present)
Voices of	Tara Strong; Ashleigh Ball; Andrea Libman; Tabitha St. Germain; Cathy Weseluck; Nicole Oliver; Madeleine Peters; Claire Corlett; Michelle Creber
Country of origin	United States; Canada
No. of seasons	9
No. of episodes	222 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Lauren Faust
Running time	22 minutes
Release
Original network	The Hub/Hub Network/Discovery Family (U.S.); Treehouse TV (Canada)
Original release	October 10, 2010 – October 12, 2019

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is a Canadian-American cartoon that was shown on The Hub/Discovery Family. It was made by Lauren Faust, who also worked on other cartoon shows which are The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. It was put on TV on October 10, 2010. The show's idea comes from the My Little Pony toys, which are made by the big toy company Hasbro.

Characters

Main Characters

Twilight Sparkle (voiced by Tara Strong, singing voice by Rebecca Shoichet) — A violet unicorn pony with an indigo, purple, and pink mane. She has a six-pointed star surrounded by 5 smaller stars as her cutie mark on her flank. She represents the Element of Magic. She became an alicorn princess in the third season finale, when she finished writing a spell that was started by Star Swirl the Bearded.
Applejack (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) — An orange earth pony with a lemon yellow mane. She has three red apples as her cutie Mark. She represents the Element of Honesty. She lives on Sweet Apple Acres with the rest of the Apple family.
Rainbow Dash (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) — A sky blue pegasus pony with a multicolored mane and tail. She has a rainbow-colored lightning bolt for her cutie mark. She represents the Element of Loyalty. She loves to fly fast, and is a newer member of the Wonderbolts.
Pinkie Pie (voiced by Andrea Libman, singing voice by Shannon Chan-Kent) — A pink pony with a magenta mane and tail. She has yellow and blue balloons as her cutie mark. She represents the Element of Laughter. She is very energetic and loves to throw parties.
Fluttershy (voiced by Andrea Libman) — A lemon yellow pegasus pony with a pink mane and tail. She has three butterflies for her cutie mark. She represents the Element of Kindness. She loves spending time with animals and is very quiet.
Rarity (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain, singing voice by Kazumi Evans) — A white unicorn pony with an amethyst mane and tail. She has three blue diamonds as a cutie mark. She represents the Element of Generousity. She loves making dresses at her shop, the carousel boutique.
Spike (voiced by Cathy Weseluck) — A male amethyst baby dragon and Twilight Sparkle's best friend and number one assistant. He has been with Twilight since the very beginning.
Sweetie Belle (voiced by Claire Corlett, singing voice by Michelle Creber only from seasons 1-3) - A white unicorn pony with a grayish raspberry mane and tail and the leader of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She is Rarity's younger sister.
Apple Bloom (voiced by Michelle Creber) — A pale yellow earth pony with a brilliant amaranth mane and tail and one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She is Applejack's younger sister.
Scootaloo (voiced by Madeleine Peters) — A light brilliant amber Pegasus pony with moderate cerise mane and tail and one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She also looks up to Rainbow Dash.
Princess Celestia (voiced by Nicole Oliver) - A white alicorn pony, a co-ruler of Equestria alongside her sister Princess Luna, and the adoptive aunt of Princess Cadence. She is also been a teacher/mentor of Twilight Sparkle at different periods of time.
Discord (voiced by John de Lancie) - A draconequus and one of Twilight Sparkle's best friends. He represents the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. He has been close friends with Fluttershy since she helped him learn to behave himself.

Popularity on the internet

Though the show was only going to be for young girls, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic has become popular on the Internet with many fans of the show being males aged 15 to 35. The My Little Pony fans from the Internet are from the cartoon and animation fans on the Internet board 4chan.

In October 2010, shortly after the show started, Web blog Cartoon Brew wrote a blog called "The End of the Creator-Driven Era in TV Animation", which had attacked the show for being supported by a big brand name, saying that "today networks clearly prefer established properties over original ideas, and dislike dealing with individual artists who have a clear creative vision". That means that the writer did not like that the people who put TV shows on TV would put shows on that had a brand name and told older boring stories instead of TV shows that had new or original stories. The people in "/co/", the place in 4chan for cartoons and animations, who hadn't seen the show yet, were interested by the alarmist words in the blog and began watching the show, and liked the show for the story, characters, and animation style. Their reaction soon spread to the general board, "/b/", of 4chan. The reaction from 4chan created many My Little Pony recurring jokes and memes on the site.

Fans of the shows call themselves a "brony", a combination of the words "bro" and "pony". At first it was only meant to be used by male fans but the word is now used to describe any older fan of the show without it describing only one gender. A parody of Katy Perry's "California Gurls" called Equestria Girls was used for an ad by The Hub for the show, which has lyrics that also say the word "brony". Its title was later made into a movie which has human versions of the ponies in the show. Websites like "Equestria Daily" and "Ponychan" have been created to share stories, artwork, and news about the show. The websites get more than 100,000 visits a day. A video made by a high school student named Stephen who was using science to dissect some of the physical impossibilities on My Little Pony as part of a class presentation appeared on many news stations and also appeared on Tosh.0. During a phone interview on NPR's comedy radio show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! in June 2011, past President Bill Clinton correctly answered three questions about the show which led one journalist to jokingly refer to him as a brony.

The creator and executive producer for the show, Lauren Faust, has shown that she likes the older fans of the show through her DeviantArt page. In the first episode, a pegasus pony in the background at one time had crossed eyes, which was a mistake by an animator. The boards on 4chan called the character "Derpy Hooves". Faust listened to the fans, having wanted the character to be named "Ditzy", but let the pony's name stay as Derpy, and the people working on the show have kept the Derpy character with the cross-eyed look, putting her in episodes as a silly background character.

To help people who were in the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, Faust sold some original drawings from the show along with a new picture of Derpy Hooves. The Derpy Hooves picture sold for more than $2000 on eBay.

At the end of Season 1, one of the show's animators said that Derpy would say some lines in Season 2. In the episode "The Last Roundup", which shows Applejack competing for the Equestria Rodeo, Derpy Hooves talked a few times. Rainbow Dash says Derpy's name and Derpy speaks with a young boy's voice. At first, people thought that her voice was done by Brian Drummond, but it was Tabitha St. Germain, who didn't know at first that Derpy was female. Parent groups complained that this was insensitive to people with disabilities, and Hasbro changed the episode by making the pony's voice more girly and making Rainbow Dash not say her name. Another pony character with neon colors in her hair, wearing sunglasses and using a DJ set in one episode, was given the stage name of "DJ P0N-3" in a poll with the other choices being "DJ Clip Clop", "Scratch", "Deadhor5" and "DJ Raverider". DJ P0N-3 was later in the Equestria Girls ad and has been a background character in some other episodes. Derpy and DJ-PON 3 eventually starred in the show's 100th episode, Slice of Life, which focused on the show's background characters as a tribute to the fans.

All episodes are 22 minutes long and the season comprises of 26 episodes, with the exception of the third season, which contains 13 episodes.

Episodes

Season one

The first season and overall series has premiered on October 10, 2010 and last aired on May 15, 2011 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV. It's also the first season of the series to air on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV.

Friendship is Magic (Part 1)
Friendship is Magic (Part 2)
The Ticket Master
Applebuck Season
Griffon the Brush-off
Boast Busters
Dragonshy
Look Before You Sleep
Bridle Gossip
Swarm of the Century
Winter Wrap Up
Call of the Cutie
Fall Weather Friends
Suited for Success
Feeling Pinkie Keen
Sonic Rainboom
Stare Master
Show Stoppers
A Dog and Pony Show
Green Isn't Your Color
Over a Barrel
A Bird in the Hoof
The Cutie Mark Chronicles
Owl's Well That Ends Well
Party of One
The Best Night Ever

Season two

The second season has premiered on September 12, 2011 and last aired on April 16, 2012 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV.

The Return of Harmony (Part 1)
The Return of Harmony (Part 2)
Lesson Zero
Luna Eclipsed
Sisterhooves Social
The Cutie Pox
May the Best Pet Win!
The Mysterious Mare Do Well
Sweet and Elite
Secret of My Excess
Hearth's Warming Eve
Family Appreciation Day
Baby Cakes
The Last Roundup
The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
Read It and Weep
Hearts and Hooves Day
A Friend in Deed
Putting Your Hoof Down
It's About Time
Dragon Quest
Hurricane Fluttershy
Ponyville Confidential
MMMystery on the Friendship Express
A Canterlot Wedding (Part 1)
A Canterlot Wedding (Part 2)

Season three

The third season has premiered on November 5, 2012 and last aired on February 11, 2013 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV.

The Crystal Empire (Part 1)
The Crystal Empire (Part 2)
Too Many Pinkie Pies
One Bad Apple
Magic Duel
Sleepless in Ponyville
Wonderbolts Academy
Apple Family Reunion
Spike at Your Service
Keep Calm and Flutter On
Just for Sidekicks
Games Ponies Play
Magical Mystery Cure

Season four

The fourth season has premiered on November 18, 2013 and last aired on May 5, 2014 on the Hub/Hub Network/Treehouse TV. It's also the last season of the series to air on the Hub/Hub Network.

Princess Twilight Sparkle (Part 1)
Princess Twilight Sparkle (Part 2)
Castle-Mania
Daring Don't
Flight to the Finish
Power Ponies
Bats!
Rarity Takes Manehattan
Pinkie Apple Pie
Rainbow Falls
Three's a Crowd
Pinkie Pride
Simple Ways
Filli Vanilli
Twilight Time
It Ain't Easy Being Breezies
Somepony to Watch Over Me
Maud Pie
For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
Leap of Faith
Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3
Trade Ya
Inspiration Manifestation
Equestria Games
Twilight's Kingdom (Part 1)
Twilight's Kingdom (Part 2)

Season five

The fifth season has premiered on March 30, 2015 and last aired on November 23, 2015 on Discovery Family/Treehouse TV. It is also the first season of the series to air on Discovery Family. This includes the 100th episode overall in the series.

The Cutie Map (Part 1)
The Cutie Map (Part 2)
Castle Sweet Castle
Bloom and Gloom
Tanks for the Memories
Appleoosa's Most Wanted
Make New Friends but Keep Discord
The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
Slice of Life (100th episode overall)
Princess Spike
Party Pooped
Amending Fences
Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?
Canterlot Boutique
Rarity Investigates!
Made in Manehattan
Brotherhooves Social
Crusaders of the Lost Mark
The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows
Hearthbreakers
Scare Master
What About Discord?
The Hooffields and McColts
The Mane Attraction
The Cutie Re-Mark (Part 1)
The Cutie Re-Mark (Part 2)

Season six

The sixth season has premiered on March 21, 2016 and last aired on October 17, 2016 on Discovery Family/Treehouse TV.

The Crystalling (Part 1)
The Crystalling (Part 2)
The Gift of the Maud Pie
On Your Marks
Gauntlet of Fire
No Second Prances
Newbie Dash
A Hearth's Warming Tail
The Saddle Row Review
Applejack's "Day" Off
Flutter Brutter
Spice Up Your Life
Stranger Than Fan Fiction
The Cart Before the Ponies
28 Pranks Later
The Times They Are a Changeling
Dungeons and Discords
Buckball Season
The Fault in Our Cutie Marks
Viva Las Pegasus
Every Little Thing She Does
P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View)
Where the Apple Lies
Top Bolt
To Where and Back Again (Part 1)
To Where and Back Again (Part 2)

Season seven

The seventh season has premiered on April 10, 2017 and last aired on October 23, 2017 on Discovery Family/Treehouse TV. This is the first season in the series with the first two episodes that is not a 2-part premiere.

Celestial Advice
All Bottled Up
A Flurry of Emotions
Rock Solid Friendship
Fluttershy Leans In
Forever Filly
Parental Glideance
Hard to Say Anything
Honest Apple
A Royal Problem
Not Asking for Trouble
Discordant Harmony
The Perfect Pear
Fame and Misfortune
Triple Threat
Campfire Tales
To Change a Changeling
Daring Done?
It Isn't the Mane Thing About You
A Health of Information
Marks and Recreation
Once Upon a Zeppelin
Secrets and Pies
Uncommon Bond
Shadow Play (Part 1)
Shadow Play (Part 2)

Season eight

The eighth season has premiered on March 19, 2018 and last aired on October 13, 2018 on Discovery Family.

School Daze (Part 1)
School Daze (Part 2)
The Maud Couple
Fake It Til You Make It
Grannies Gone Wild
Surf and/or Turf
Horse Play
The Parent Map
Non-Complete Clause
The Break Up Break Down
Molt Down
Marks for Effort
The Mean 6
A Matter of Principals
The Hearth's Warming Club
Friendship University
The End in Friend
Yakity-Sax
Road to Friendship
The Washouts
A Rockhoof and a Hard Place
What Lies Beneath
Sounds of Silence
Father Knows Beast
School Raze (Part 1)
School Raze (Part 2)

Holiday Special (2018)

Best Gift Ever counted as an episode throughout the series from their confirmation, the 196th episode overall.

My Little Pony: Best Gift Ever

Season nine

The ninth season was announced on February 17, 2018 at Hasbro's Entertainment Brand Preview Media Event at the New York Toy Fair. It premiered on April 6, 2019. This includes the 200th episode overall in the series. This is the final season in the series.

The Beginning of the End (Part 1)
The Beginning of the End (Part 2)
Uprooted
Sparkle's Seven (200th episode overall)
The Point of No Return
Common Ground
She's All Yak
Frenemies
Sweet and Smoky
Going to Seed
Student Counsel
The Last Crusade
Between Dark and Dawn
The Last Laugh
2, 4, 6, Greaaat
A Trivial Pursuit
The Summer Sun Setback
She Talks to Angel
Dragon Dropped
A Horse Shoe-In
Daring Doubt
Growing Up is Hard to Do
The Big Mac Question
The Ending of the End (Part 1)
The Ending of the End (Part 2)
The Last Problem