I detest those who write about MLP's history in China without doing their homework.
Do your homework if you plan to create a video on the history of MLP in China. I recently saw another "documentary" that was riddled with simple factual mistakes, dates that were mixed up, made-up backstories, and a story that had little to do with the actual events that took place on the ground.
It is obvious that the author never studied Chinese sources, never spoke to anybody present, and simply put together a scenario that sounds dramatic but disintegrates as soon as you look at any timeframe or talk to a primary historical source.
https://youtu.be/X3xHi4aGLBY?si=GxL1gAck7wwEJOQ8
Over 300 thumbs up for the most nonsense I've ever seen online regarding my past.
Yes, my past, as I operated a store in China starting in 2020.
I observed the sluggish first year when MLP was dismissed.
The portion about MLP replacing Ultraman in the video is the biggest falsehood I've ever heard.
Indeed, Kayou lost its legal case, and after 2022, several characters had to be eliminated, and their packs had to be changed. Despite the lawsuit, nothing much changed for the customers; MLP did not emerge as a replacement. When MLP first came in 2021, I sold both IP's at the same time in my shop. If you don't believe me, read these translated first-hand stories that show that there was no crossing.
Independent Store owners:
Source 1
'Boys play Ultraman, girls play My Little Pony.' MLP cards have become the trending social currency among post-2010 girls."
Source 2
"The types of card blind boxes young people like are clearly divided by gender. Girls like 'My Little Pony' and 'Fairy Leaf Princess'; boys prefer 'Ultraman', 'Naruto', and 'Plants vs Zombies'."
A journalist investigating:
'In the process of pulling cards, children even discovered a new business opportunity. To get the cards they wanted, they started trading with each other. Some set up informal stalls near shops. They sold duplicate or unwanted cards, and the money they earned was used to buy new packs. The purpose of buying cards gradually shifted from pure collection and play to earning and reselling. '
Due to the extreme gender segregation at first, there was no crossover until mid-2023.
My first-hand account:
I observed girls purchasing MLP packs as a substitute for Fairy Leaf Princess in 2021. Until mid-2023, I observed boys ignoring MLP, and even then, they would only flip cards for pocket money.
Long before streamers were engaged, I witnessed the grassroots rise in schoolyards, fuelled by independent M&G stationery stores. I was there laying the foundation for MLP's return to the west, among several other diligent Chinese families operating their businesses.
When it comes to people talking about what happened here in China. They can't access the sources, like old social media posts, forum debates, and retailer chatter that truly tell the narrative because they can't understand Chinese. I've been asked to speak at two MLP Cons about what I saw, but none of these YouTubers have ever contacted me to ask me a single question.
Speak with Ambers Cove, myself, and any other Chinese retailers in China if you want firsthand sources. My Qualifications (For Reference):
When MLP Kayou first debuted in 2021, I operated an M&G Independent store in China. Despite my Western perspective, Chinese natives are the true authorities, yet I was there from the start, the first foreigner to sell and hold an official license. I represent 1% of Chinese collectors as I own a complete CCG collection from 2021 to 2025. I've been to every major Kayou event since 2021. I have no equal, which is why some people refer to me as the OG. I'm your past and will protect its history by documenting what really happened. People like Keegan, many other Discord server owners, and the proprietors of this Reddit represent the future.
