Über fans are an easily mocked bunch. Whether it's sci-fi (Dr. Who, Trek etc) or sports, there is always a group that crosses from fan to fanatic and thankfully, almost all those groups have a documentary giving the uninitiated a sneak peek on the scene.
Enter, Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony.
Yup, the show that started in the 1980s to sell little girls pony figurines has been rebooted into My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Cartoons used to be for children; now boys and girls have to be separated for marketing purposes and this leaves a gap. Girls can watch boy shows, but boys liking girl shows? Well, historically speaking, most societies have been pretty violent toward that sort of behaviour. Even so, this show has found an unexpected fan base in young guys and hipsters. Go figure.
When most people hear about Bronies, immediately the weirdo/deviant factor is assumed. And to be fair, it's the Internet age, so there are freaky-deaky forms of everything online from Lego to Matlock.
This documentary, however, focuses on the positive influences of the show, which makes sense, since it was funded by Bronies who raised more than $300K with a kick-starter campaign.
The movie goes around the world following different fans (one being a young man with Asperger's) and how this show and its community has changed their lives for the better and how their friends, family, and town react to their interest. A great line was one boy saying he didn't want to tell his dad he liked the show because there was no violence in it. From there, the film follows everyone as they join thousands of others at a Bronie Convention.
While it's not the greatest documentary and there are certainly better kid shows out there (I would definitely go to an Adventure Time convention), it is certainly an interesting glimpse into a little-seen fandom. Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony is currently streaming on Netflix enjoy.
