Ponysona

A ponysona (/ˌpoʊniˈsoʊnə/ ^ⓘ POH-nee-SOH-nə; a portmanteau of pony and persona) is a personalized pony character created by bronies—fans of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic—as an alter ego. Similar to fursonas in the furry fandom, ponysonas typically incorporate elements of the creator's personality, physical characteristics, or interests translated into My Little Pony form. The practice became popular following the show's premiere in 2010 and the subsequent growth of the brony fandom. Ponysonas are commonly used as profile pictures, in fan art, fanfiction, and role-playing communities across various social media platforms and forums dedicated to the franchise.^{[1][2]: 92–93 [3]}

An example of a blank flank (i.e. having no cutie mark) original character ponysona design

Creation and characteristics

Ponysonas are typically designed following the visual style of the show, often incorporating distinctive coat colors, mane styles, cutie marks, and occasionally wings or horns to represent unicorn or pegasus types. These personalized pony characters frequently reflect aspects of their creator's personality, appearance, or interests, with cutie marks specifically designed to symbolize the creator's talents, passions, or defining traits.

Analysis

The mascot of 15.dev, a pony original character

According to researchers studying the brony fandom in 2016, 39% of bronies have a ponysona.^{[2]: 92 [4]} (In contrast, according to a 2020 survey in The New Science of Narcissism, 95% of furries have a fursona.^[5]: 180) Forty-six percent of bronies reported having an original character, and their ponysona was among the first original characters they created.^{[2]: 92 [4]} Within the community, original character designs that simply recolor existing characters from the show are often criticized for lacking creativity, despite their prevalence.^[4] Unlike fursonas, which often involve elaborate fursuits for physical embodiment at furry conventions, ponysonas tend to be expressed primarily through digital art, roleplay, and online interaction, with cosplay being a less common but still present form of expression. Some bronies describe their ponysonas as idealized versions of themselves, serving as personal avatars within the community that represent how they wish to be perceived.^{[2]: 92–93}

According to a 2018 study on the brony fandom, 49.3% of bronies reported that they either have, or would like to have, a drawing of themselves as a My Little Pony pony character.^[6]

See also

• Furry fandom
• Fursona
• My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fan fiction
• Art of the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fandom
• Original character
• Slang of the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fandom