Video: After the Fact: Fantastic Fluttershy by Silver Quill

( Text link )

Self-explanatory. And self-evident.

It's Fluttershy Day!

Fluttershy by Camellia. Dec 2015. (CC by-nc-nd 3.0)

Yay! Have a happy Best Pony day, everyone! After all, if you don't, you might make Fluttershy sad – and who'd want to do that? (Also, it's disgracefully long since I got to use the "Fluttershy" tag around here.)

Pony Music Library 2: "A Pony Like Me"

Since there was no episode last Saturday, there was also no Text Review Roundup yesterday. That leaves a bit of a space – which I'll fill with the second edition of Pony Music Library!

( Text link )

What? "A Pony Like Me"

Who? Replacer

Which? Original song

When? February 2012

Why? Because its ethereal sounds and gorgeous harmonies make it the closest thing I've ever found in this fandom to a classic Beach Boys sound from the Pet Sounds era. It may be more than four years old now, but in this particular respect it's never really been matched. The lyrics are well chosen, too.

On "The Cutie Map"'s Hugo nomination

Note: horizon wrote an excellent piece about this on his Fimfiction blog. That's the place to go if you want detail. This is just me adding a few thoughts of my own.

Some unexpected news emerged on Tuesday: the Hugo Awards, a big name of the science fiction and fantasy world, announced their 2016 finalists. In the "Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form" category, there were a total of five shows: Doctor Who, Grimm, Jessica Jones, Supernatural... and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Specifically, the Season Five premiere, "The Cutie Map".

On the face of it, this is a remarkable honour. Although MLP has been nominated for Daytime Emmys before, I doubt many of us would have imagined that a Hugo nomination was in the offing. It's true that "The Cutie Map", with its unusually dark (for this show) and dystopian theme, was a very good episode – I gave it four stars – and perhaps the most interesting, although "Amending Fences" was better.

But here's the problem. The shortlists for Hugo categories are decided by voting, and for the last couple of years there has been a determined effort by certain conservative groups to try to get works which align with that philosophy nominated. This episode's "Our Town", with its perversion of equality and removal of individuality, was seen by some of these people as representing communism.

If so, the joke may be on them. Most fans don't see the episode in those terms, preferring instead to read Starlight Glimmer's role as akin to a cult leader. "The Cutie Map" is genuinely one of the most interesting stories that MLP has told, and if I had to nominate one of the show's episodes for a Hugo, I might choose this one, too. It probably shouldn't win – but it isn't the joke nomination some may believe.

So, what should we as fans do? Simple. Enjoy the moment and have fun telling people who sneer at MLP that our show got Hugo-nominated. (As long as they're not into SF-and-fantasy stuff enough to know about the political angle, that is!) I know, fandom = drama on many occasions, but if we can pull together on this one and not rise to the bait, we'll be the winners whatever the outcome.

Ponyfic Roundup 104: Why Me?

The whole Jeremy Whitley FlutterDash thing? I'd prefer not to have any pairings involving the Mane Six, regardless of the gender of their partners. Even Trenderhoof annoyed me; it's refreshing to have a show starring young-adult characters which isn't romantically focused. My headcanon is that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash have a romantic friendship, and that this suits them both very well. New/background pairings? Sure, knock yourself out. But not the Mane Six, please. Right:

Twilight, There's a Ghost in your Basement by KitsuneRisu
This Side of the Mirror by Baal Bunny
Alone With Dark Thoughts by Snakes
S̼̹̫̟͇̱͖͌ͩ̇̅͐̕h̸̬͚̗̿u͓͖̮͐̉̅ͧͪ͟b̰͡-̡̣̈́̈͂C̺̜ͥ̉ͮ̇͡a̱̾ͩ̒ͧ̚͠d͔͕̣̙͗͒̊̎̍ͬ̕u͙̻̪̤̰͖͗͆ͧͤ̕r̴̥̤̩̺̹͍̂͒ͩ̈̒̇̚ͅa̺̳̖̥̦̱͚͐t͍̻̼ͧ̀ͅh̬̭̪͍͙̞̜ͯ̈ͧ̋ͦ̀ by PresentPerfect
When Life Gives You Lemons . . . by trombrony98
Super Trampoline and BABSCon Authors Write Ponies by Super Trampoline et al

★: 2 | ★★: 1 | ★★★: 2 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0

Pony Music Library 1: "Helping Twilight Win the Crown (Aviators Remix)"

This is a new series, which will be fitted in when I've got time rather than being at a set time each week like Ponyfic Roundup. In it, I'll be showcasing my favourite pony tracks, be they show songs, remixes or original works. The main criterion is that they must be MLP-related – so, for example, Aviators' FNAF songs would not be eligible. There won't be much rhyme or reason to the order; this is not a top 20 countdown or the like. Right; here's the first entry into the Hall of Dubious Fame.

( Text link )

What? "Helping Twilight Win the Crown (Aviators remix)"

Who? Aviators

Which? Movie song remix

When? July 2013

Why? Because it's absurdly catchy. Daniel Ingram's original version of this song, officially (and boringly) known as "Cafeteria Song", was easily the highlight of the somewhat variable first Equestria Girls film. Aviators puts his own stamp on the track in a very satisfying way: it's not distorted into oblivion, and the essential sense of fun is retained, but it's recognisable from the first few notes. A fine version of a fine song.

If this is a Season Six spoiler, things really are going to be interesting...

I dug out my old copy of Rally Trophy yesterday afternoon. I loved that game back in the early 2000s, and it still plays quite nicely today. Dated graphics of course, but it supports 1920x1080 resolution, which isn't bad going for a 2001 game! Anyway, on to pony. Technically this is Europe-specific, but close enough. I'm afraid it's rather on the Nightmare Fuel side, though: this is a photo from the current edition of the official MLP magazine. Why does the Royal Guard behind Shining Armor look so concerned? Count the legs...