Are you talking about sport fencing? Because while I don't have 10 years of experience, I have some familiarity with actual Medieval fencing, and it's at least 50% grappling and wrestling with your opponent, and you use every part of your sword, including the pommel, to get a hit on the enemy. I'd say that "messy"…

True but Jedi's couldn't seem to understand that politicians were evil.

Ugh. Blitzball. I'd rather do exactly 20 Wind Waker Triforce shard hunts than play one game of Blitzball.

I don't know about anyone else, but I do find a distinct beauty in truly effective (and functional) martial technique.

I'm the mother of a six-year-old daughter obsessed with this show. I suppose you could call me a Brony, too, since I do enjoy watching it with her. My husband likes it because it's not as "girlie" as the old MLP was. Quite the contrary, actually if you ever looked up Lauren Faust and read anything she's said about the…

Over the years, though, the ability to adore something that much and that fearlessly has become lost to me. Maybe it's just a sacrifice of maturing, but I can't help but feel desperately sad about it as I watch the bronies—the ones who somehow managed to hang on to that unadulterated excitement as they've gotten…

Someone is looking for a bump up the "best boss ever" ladder.

Nope, for most fans it's not sexual at all.

and some wear color-coded badges — available to anyone who wants one — that alert others to the wearer's social comfort level. A green badge indicates that you're happy to socialize with strangers, yellow means you only want to talk with people you already know and red tells everyone that you'd rather be left…

You can expense the ears.

Good for your daughter! Especially at that age, it's so cool that she was able to stay focused on her goal for two years.

Agreed. My experience at cons is vastly different when I go alone versus when I go with other people. I remember the most fun I had at New York Comic Con was when I went with someone who is a rabid comic book fan. His non-judgmental enthusiasm and knowledge helped me navigate a lot of what was going on around me to…

Oh my god. Shut up.

Is this a tampon skull and crossbones because that is wonderful.

I feel anxious, I feel irritated, I feel exhausted, but never am I worried for my own safety

"But the truth is that MLPis just a really good show. The characters are good, the art is good and the stories are good and that's why we like it."

I have a big space in my heart for this fan base 1) because, as a spectrum-y gal myself, I'm down with any community that lets people get weird about a shared obsession together, 2) the way they subvert heteronormativity, and 3) that the whole thing it is a great example of "radical self-acceptance," a deeply-held…

IN MY MIND'S EYE

I was dragged to a Brony con several months ago by a friend from High School who was taking his son. I've seen the show and liked it well enough, but mostly I went to the con out of morbid curiosity.

I am simply astounded that this wasn't Shrayber's by-line. I'm glad, but astounded.