1988
Magic Message Ponies
(Shh. It's a secret!)
Magic Message Ponies
Magic Message Ponies
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"I'm like a My Little Pony Mummy to my pony
family
My Magic Message Pony has secrets just for me
My Magic Message Pony says she loves me and it's true
These messages are Pony's way of saying "I love you."
~Magic Message Ponies Commercial, UK 1988 (Hasbro)
The Magic Message ponies appeared on the earlier insert for 1988, suggesting that they were released quite early in the year. Their cards in the UK were styled in a similar format to other sets on sale at the same time, such as Party Ponies and Adventure Boy Ponies. The Magic Message ponies had an orange border on their cards, and unlike the previously mentioned sets, they were sold under the same name here as in North America.
It is normal these days for collectors of G1 to refer to the
markings on each pony as 'symbols'. This is not an official
term, however, just something generic that collectors have
adopted over the years. (The term "cutie mark" was not
introduced until Generation 3, in around 2003, and it is not
used by older generation fans and collectors for any pony from
G1 or G2.) The correct G1 name was actually "rump marking" or
"rump design"! This has sometimes been disputed, but the Magic
Message ponies, with their heat-sensitive markings, actually
give us the best evidence.
Instead of hair braiding instructions, the Magic Message set
had instructions on how to activate the 'magic' symbols. These
symbols were notoriously delicate. Second hand ponies often
have scratched or incomplete symbols. They may not function
after so many years, and may be stuck either with the messages
visible or invisible. It is not unknown for the whole symbol
to come off in one piece if you clean to vigorously. Handle
with care.
One anomaly with the release of this set in the UK does exist.
While all six ponies were likely sold on cards and in stores,
Magical Breeze had a later release through mail order, where she
was offered for horseshoe points. Why only Magical Breeze and
not the rest of the set is unclear. This offer came in around
1990 (the offer closed in February 1991). It is unlikely that
they only had excess stock of Magical Breeze and not the rest,
but the others were never offered. It is possible that some
manufacturing issue delayed production of Magical Breeze,
leading to her not being sold here until later. We have no
evidence right now to prove it either way, but she was
definitely available here through the below offer.
What kind of release the Magic Message Ponies had in Europe is
less clear. I cannot find them pictured on the inserts for 1988
or 1989 in France, or in German speaking countries. It is
possible that, like other sets from 1988, they were released in
the Benelux countries through import, on North American cards. I
have not managed to find Mint on Card images with the yellow
import labels on either, however, so I am unsure about this.
Their early removal from the UK insert in 1988 suggests they may
have had a short-lived release over here, before being replaced
by the Sundae
Best, but this is speculation.