Twilight Sparkle's Retro Media Library
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From December 2018 to early 2019, a series of eight animated shorts taking place after Season 8 but before Season 9 were released on YouTube.

The first three are based on the Best Gift Ever special, while the last five are just regular animated shorts.

All eight shorts contain the 15-second version of the theme song playing over the end credits, dated October 22, 2018.

Shorts[]

1. Triple Pony Dare Ya (December 11, 2018)

Applejack and Rainbow Dash dare each other to perform impossible tasks that are the opposite of their natures - Dash has to fly slowly, Applejack has to buck down a single apple from a tree, etc. Neither one can accomplish the challenges, but both refuse to stop, even when Pinkie triple pony dares them to - making her the winner of the competition!

2. The Great Escape Room (December 11, 2018)

Pinkie Pie surprises the rest of the Mane Six with an escape room for Hearth's Warming Eve. In typical Pinkie style, she's deliberately forgotten the clues and answers, so she gets to play too. The puzzles are nonsensical and silly, and if the friends can't solve them, something really big and scary will happen! Too bad Pinkie forgot what.

3. Mystery Voice (December 11, 2018)

Different voices making announcements about school activities cancelled by the weather keep interrupting Rarity's teaching. Finally, Rarity can't take it anymore, and she storms to the office with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy to find out what's going on. Turns out, Applejack is behind the announcements - she's been doing different voices to try to distract from the bad news she's giving out. Rarity comes up with a plan to use her talent for entertainment instead.

4. Rarity's Biggest Fan (January 29, 2019)

Rarity is tired of her mane style and vows to copy Celestia's look. But no matter what magic or assistance she tries, nothing makes her mane do what she wants. Finally, Spike provides the solution, fanning Rarity's mane to make it billow out behind her. Now, if he can just keep doing that FOREVER, things will be perfect!

5. Ail-icorn (February 5, 2019)

Twilight Sparkle's spring allergy manifests as a cold in her horn - every time she sneezes, something magical (and odd!) happens. After her uncontrollable horn-spray causes Rainbow Dash to speak in sound effects and nearly freezes Fluttershy, Pinkie arrives with a cure from Zecora - with a tiiiiny side effect.

6. Teacher of the Month (February 12, 2019)

The School of Friendship students keep choosing Fluttershy as Teacher of the Month, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash are desperate to win the honor for themselves at least once. They go to Fluttershy for advice, and she gives them a fool-proof plan to make the students love them. It works - until the students find out Fluttershy is the genius behind it, and they make her Teacher of the Month yet again.

7. Starlight the Hypnotist (February 19, 2019)

When Fluttershy gives the students ladybugs to care for in a school assignment, Twilight freaks out. Afraid of ladybugs since she was a filly, she finally goes to guidance counsellor Starlight for some help getting over her fear. Starlight hypnotizes Twilight, but Pinkie bursts in just as Twilight is receptive to subliminal suggestions - resulting in Twilight gaining a strange impulse to fly ladybug kites and yell at them.

8. Sundae, Sundae, Sundae (February 26, 2019)

Pinkie Pie can't wait to share her new Ice Cream Museum, full of all kinds of flavors and toppings, with the gathered residents of Ponyville. The only problem is, she takes so long describing it, everything inside has melted by the time the doors finally open.

Production timeline[]

Development began on August 8, 2017. Originally, there were 15 animated shorts planned. The seven shorts that were canceled included:

  • Rarity's Bolt of Fabric - Another Rarity-focused short.
  • The Hoof and Hootenanny Games - Another Mane Six-focused short.
  • The Legends of Applejack's Hat - Another Applejack-focused short.
  • Parents' Day - This one would've featured the Mane Six's parents all at once. The concept originated from the only canceled Season 8 episode.
  • Dashed Plans - Another Rainbow Dash-focused short.
  • Ant Problem - Another Fluttershy-focused short.
  • The Mudmarsh Monster - This one was to revolve around the Student Six.

On August 14, 2017, Hasbro only allowed 10 of the 15 shorts to move on in production. Then on September 7, 2017, Hasbro decided to cancel production for another three of the ten remaining shorts: Legends of AJ's Hat, The Mudmarsh Monster, and Sundae in the Park (the working title for "Sundae, Sundae, Sundae"), the latter in trade for development of the proposed Season 9 episode, "Pinkie Pie's Dessert".

Voice recording for all seven remaining shorts was in session on September 28, 2017. Rarity's lines were recorded on October 16.

On November 15, 2017, Hasbro decided to reinstate production of "Sundae, Sundae, Sundae", after scrapping Pinkie Pie's Dessert. The episode was recorded on November 27.

Animatics for all eight shorts were submitted for review on January 18, 2018.

The animated client cuts were submitted for review on July 16, 2018.

Musical score was added on October 10, 2018.

Final revisions were made on October 31, 2018.

Characters[]

01 - Twilight Sparkle
Twilight Sparkle
02 - Pinkie Pie
Pinkie Pie
03 - Fluttershy
Fluttershy
04 - Rainbow Dash
Rainbow Dash
05 - Rarity
Rarity
06 - Applejack
Applejack
07 - Spike
Spike
Triple Pony Dare Ya N Y N Y N Y N
The Great Escape Room Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Mystery Voice N N Y Y Y Y N
Rarity's Biggest Fan Y N N N Y N Y
Ail-icorn Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Teacher of the Month N N Y Y N Y N
Starlight the Hypnotist Y Y N N N N N
Sundae, Sundae, Sundae N Y N N N N N

Home media[]

Currently, the animated shorts are only available on YouTube. Two of the shorts, however, are set to private mode (Triple Pony Dare Ya and Starlight the Hypnotist), and are no longer available at this time.

Screenshots[]

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