Well hi there! *Waves*
So for full and for disclosure, I joined the My Little Pony fan community with generation four. However, I also don’t identify as a brony. because I’m not a adult male fan of G4, and because, well, I’ve been working in MLP fandom spaces as a organiser of events for almost a decade now. If you can think of something? I’ve probably seen it! A lot of my friends ID as bronies and only watch Gen 4 and that’s fine. As you said, ponies are ponies after all!
However, I love Gen 5. I really, really do. With G5 I’ve managed to be here from its very inception! There’s something so exciting about being here from the very start! Watching the generation grow! I’m a huge Gen 5 defender. Pipp Petals has become a character I’ve related too and had a personal connection with that’s been stronger than, well anyone. Real or fictional! She’s fantastic, I love her characterisation in the comics as well. Which if you haven’t read? I hugely recommend! It’s brought me to tears more than once now I’m happy to admit.
G5 has adapted to the modern age really well, I think Pipp is handled in a really mature way when we are living in the age of social media influencers. She displays a lot of, humanity for lack of a better term. She’s flawed and struggles but genuinely cares about the well being of her followers and fans and does her best to be a positive role model and protect them. Even when that means she needs to open up and be honest about the person behind her ‘brand’.
It’s insanely refreshing to see that. I’m someone who has a large TikTok following myself of, let’s be honest! A lot of children. I am very passionate about being serious about the responsibility that comes with a large and impressionable audience like that. I feel like, when I see, read about Pipp? I feel like she’s saying my own thoughts back to me. There’s a reason Pipp was the first character I ever felt compelled to cosplay. I’m communications and social media lead for the longest running my little pony convention, and largest in the UK. So I really am in many ways, a irl Pipp Petals! Which I revel in a lot hah!
But it’s more than just Pipp obviously! I just love any excuse to gush about her! Misty overcoming her trauma and standing up to her abuser? Gods that’s so powerful. It’s going to stay with me for the rest of my life I think. As well as the variety in body types, hair textures, designs, gradients, markings and colours. G5 is so diverse and beautiful! It really shows how jumping into a 3D space from 2D flash cartoons can really allow you to develop really amazing designs!
I also feel like the fluffy fetlocks and separate hoof feet, feels so beautifully Gen 2! A lot of the body style of G5 feels like it draws inspiration from G2! Which is so fine by me because that’s another totally under rated generation!
To be totally upfront? The main way I engage with and enjoy G4 now is via the equestria girls movies. I watch G5 and G3 all the time and those are really the only two gens I actively collect toys from as well! I have almost every release of Pipp Petals now!
I’m also a fan artist and I draw Gen 5 all the time! The detail they put into the wings is genuinely astounding! I love how they are layered, it’s so much fun to emulate and draw! Having eyebrows for giving the characters more expressions - as well as how much they emote with ears! It’s all such a massive step up!
I also love the swirls on the unicorn horns vs the normal swirl. It makes My Little Pony stand out among generic unicorn art pieces! What I’m getting at here is.
You are NOT alone! There’s folks out here who adore Gen 5! You can and will find your people and I HUGELY suggest attending and going to non brony conventions. Find My Little Pony cons which started before Gen 4! The change in atmosphere is such a shift and it’s a very welcome one!
. I appreciate that even though it’s funny and cute at times, it shows respect for itself, (if that makes sense in context to the other series. I almost felt at times that G4 was self deprecating.). 
