Or Pinkie just has a cool door?

Come to think of it, I thin poor Twilight is the only one without any shipping subtext among the group. Though I suppose she may have some with Rarity, though I think that's a bit of a stretch.

He says, in regards to lesbian shipping on a kids show about horses.

That's because she's a nerdy shut-in. And she's already in a relationship with "Predictions and Prophecies".

Speaking of Madoka Homura really needs the magic of friendship

edited 2nd Sep '11 9:03:39 AM by FallenLegend

I don't think there is any shipping context with any of them. They love each other but as friends (phileal ) not as lovers (eros)

edited 2nd Sep '11 9:07:23 AM by FallenLegend

True, whatever romantic subtext fans see between any of the Mane 6 is mostly of the "reading too much into it" variety. Pinkie, for example, probably is the kind of pony to have a heart on her door (and everything). But does that stop the Internet? I think not!

I consider them all bisexual (pansexual in the case of pinkie) and leave it at that. Everyone's happy then right?

edited 2nd Sep '11 9:34:23 AM by gingerninja666

Does...does that mean she makes out with baked goods, too?

And should I worry about anything I buy from her that has creamy filling?

Well... this IS Pinkie Pie we're talking about.

but she's a girl, I don't know what the creamy filling you had in mind entails.

edited 2nd Sep '11 9:40:28 AM by gingerninja666

I consider them all heterosexual (even Lyra and Steven Magnet) and ignore anything where words ship or shiping isn't used in literal way.

I just consider them bi for the sake of the fandom (less complaining that way)

Twi does have a really cute nuzzling moment with Applejack after being saved from becoming unicorn pancake in Dragonshy, which is something I'm surprised the fandom didn't pursue a bit more (granted it's a really short animation, but this fandom is known for basing fanon on a really small set of frames of animation, so...).

I agree with Calnos, though. I think all that perceived subtext is overthinking as well, since most examples could easily be coincidental and those that can't be explained that way are fairly weak because they seem more friendshippy.

I think basically the only ship that you can really have any evidence for in fanon is Lyra/Bon Bon, and that's solely the fact that they're usually seen with each other. But even then, it's all up to interpretation. I bet that the writers deliberately left out any romantic subtext because the primary audience probably wouldn't care.

I wonder how many fans are honestly serious about shipping? Are there people who really believe that the show's creators would throw subtle homosexual romantic subtext into a programme geared towards 6 year olds?

@Lyra/Bon Bon: So friends don't hang out with each other?

edited 2nd Sep '11 10:02:02 AM by gingerninja666

/SocialJusticeMode

Completely aside from the question of whether Lyra and Bonbon in particular have subtext...

People have no problem whatsoever with subtle heterosexual romantic subtext in children's cartoons, so I fail to see the problem with subtle homosexual romantic subtext. I realize that there's no real point in giving explicit sexual orientations to every background character, even in shows that are age-appropriate to discuss sexual matters at all, and that assuming someone is the same as yourself (in this case, for a majority of people, heterosexual) is a good way to save oneself time and effort. I'm not debating either of those. But still, there's really no reason to assume anyone, cartoon or not, to be straight until proven gay. Just don't assume at all. =)

...Sorry, I took a social justice class last year.

^It's also, of course, entirely possible for straight folks and gay folks to have close friends that match their orientation. The greater fiction fandom seems to ignore that nowadays, especially in anime/manga.

edited 2nd Sep '11 10:33:23 AM by RedSavant

I honestly wouldn't mind if some of the cast were gay, or if the hints were actually there, it's just that (as I remember discussing with you months ago) Hasbro would never allow it due to Moral Guardians.

I assume that most fans should be smart enough to realize this, so I consider it weird when they get serious about shipping

edited 2nd Sep '11 10:37:15 AM by gingerninja666

I think that it comes from the fact that many fans treat it as more real a world than Hasbro allows it to be - we respect the fact that the creators have gone to such lengths to create a real-feeling world, despite the fact that Hasbro is never goin to allow certain things to come up. I remember all the discussions about politics, economics, and genetics, stuff that's never going to realistically come up in the show. So, the fans treat it as if it were a real world. Which inevitably means people are going to have relationships, heterosexual or otherwise. Relationships are a big part of lots of peoples lives, so it's where their minds go first when forging a realistic world.

that makes sense, fictional relationships really don't interest me much, so I guess I just don't "get" it

I remember Greg Weisman once said that Lexington was gay, but he would never be able to state it outright on TV so he didn't even bother trying to get it greenlit.

edited 2nd Sep '11 11:46:22 AM by WillKeaton

Well, I'm not really much of a shipper, but here's my take on it:

Do I think the subtext is actually there/intentional? Not really. But I still think it's cute to picture Rainbow and Pinkie as a couple. More or less.

I don't mind shipping unless it turns into serious business.

Although I like to imagine that Pinkie could lay EVERYPONY in Equestria

Even Nightmare Moon?

I have one very important question. Why do so many grown ass men seem to love a show about girly magic talking ponies. What is the appeal, o.k. some of those American Shoujo cartoons were actually interesting or funny;but common on they're cutesy girly magiccy talking ponies! That show can't be BR Osher.

Especially Nightmare Moon

Watch a few eps and judge for yourself.

Shipping is boring.