My Little Pony in the 1980s

My Little Pony started very small. From a first set of six characters in the same mould, with a tendency to topple over if not stood correctly, however, the 1980s saw the line evolve and blossom into a very diverse range of children's toys.

You might think it odd that I have chosen to split the G1 line into 1980s and 1990s, and in some ways it is disingenuous. Not least because some ponies were sold over the decade divide. But if there's one reason to split them, it is that as decades, they can be characterised in very different ways. The 1980s was a time of multiple production sites, multiple competing regional lines, package styles and accessories. While the 1990s would see exclusive ponies and variation, most of this diversity can be traced back to the 1980s.

While the 1990s had some of the wilder gimmicks, too, the 1980s was generally a more ambitious decade overall. Hasbro experimented with ideas, some of which worked and some of which, perhaps, did not. The notoriously delicate but beautiful Flutter Pony sets were a good example of this experimental innovation. The 1980s saw the widest range of different types of pony, from those who swam in the sea to those who were designed to fly, based on insects or mythical creatures like the pegasus. Some of these varieties would not make it into the next decade.

It may be obvious from the tone of this page, but for me, My Little Pony was at its best in the 1980s. This section covers the releases around the world, and explores some of their gimmicks, packages, variations and curiosities.

The 1990s would be a lot more streamlined from the start, and you can find more about those releases in the 1990s section.