If you want to meet Twilight Sparkle and the Mane Six, start with Friendship Is Magic season 1. Follow the seasons in order and watch the 2017 movie before season 8. You can explore Equestria Girls along the way. For Sunny Starscout and her friends, start with A New Generation (2021).

Find more pony adventures in our My Little Pony hub.

Choose your starting point

  • Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy: Friendship Is Magic, beginning with the two-part season 1 premiere.
  • Human versions of the familiar ponies and the character Sunset Shimmer: Equestria Girls, ideally after Friendship Is Magic season 3.
  • Sunny, Izzy, Hitch, Pipp, and Zipp: A New Generation, followed by the later-generation shows.

You may see fans use G4 and G5 when talking about the ponies. Those labels mean different generations, not season 4 and season 5. Twilight’s Friendship Is Magic adventures belong to G4, while Sunny leads G5. You can enjoy either without going back to the 1980s cartoons first.

Friendship Is Magic: the main route

  1. Watch seasons 1–3 of Friendship Is Magic. They establish Ponyville, the six friends, and Twilight’s early development.
  2. Continue with seasons 4–7. If you choose to explore Equestria Girls along the way, keep its films in their own release order.
  3. Watch My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) next. We recommend this spot to keep the story easy to follow; the film reached theaters while season 7 was still airing.
  4. Continue with season 8. The later show builds on the wider world introduced by the movie.
  5. Add Best Gift Ever after season 8 if you want the holiday special, then finish with season 9.
Twilight and her friends outside the castle in official Friendship Is Magic artwork.
Twilight and her friends outside the castle in official Friendship Is Magic artwork.

Friendship Is Magic has nine seasons. Some stores sell episodes in volumes or bundles instead, which can make the list look confusing. Check the episode titles before buying or assuming a season is missing. Holiday specials may have their own listings, too.

See the Friendship Is Magic series page.

Where the 2017 movie fits

Save the 2017 movie until after season 7, then move on to season 8. By then, you will know the six friends well and have followed the changes in Twilight’s life. The movie also introduces places and creatures that help you feel at home in the later episodes.

Include “2017” when you search for My Little Pony: The Movie. There is also a 1986 film with the same name, while A New Generation is the 2021 movie starring Sunny. Checking the year is the easiest way to pick the adventure you meant to watch.

The Mane Six in promotional artwork for the 2017 movie.
The Mane Six in promotional artwork for the 2017 movie.

Read about My Little Pony: The Movie (2017).

Equestria Girls film order

  1. My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (2013): Twilight enters the human world and meets the Canterlot High students.
  2. Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks (2014): return to Canterlot High for the second film.
  3. Equestria Girls: Friendship Games (2015): watch this third, after Rainbow Rocks.
  4. Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree (2016): finish the four-film sequence here.

Try the first Equestria Girls film after Friendship Is Magic season 3. That way, you will recognize where Twilight is in her story when she steps through the mirror. Then follow the four films in the order above. If you only want to follow life in Ponyville, you can save these for later; if you are curious about Sunset Shimmer and Canterlot High, this is where to begin.

The Equestria Girls characters at Canterlot High’s Fall Formal.
The Equestria Girls characters at Canterlot High’s Fall Formal.

Keep an eye on which Twilight you are following. The pony Twilight travels through the mirror in the first film, but the human world has its own Twilight, often called Sci-Twi. They are separate characters. Once you have watched the four films, there are more Equestria Girls shorts and specials to explore.

Start with the Equestria Girls film page.

Sunny’s generation: what comes after A New Generation?

Start with A New Generation (2021) to see Sunny and her friends come together. Make Your Mark carries on their adventures in CG animation, beginning with an introductory special and continuing in numbered chapters. Tell Your Tale has a 2D look and shorter episodes.

Sunny, Izzy, Pipp, and Zipp in the CG-animated A New Generation.
Sunny, Izzy, Pipp, and Zipp in the CG-animated A New Generation.

For a simple first watch, follow Make Your Mark’s chapters after the movie and try Tell Your Tale when you feel like a shorter adventure. The shows were released alongside each other, and there is no confirmed single viewing order for every episode across both. You do not need to finish all of Tell Your Tale before starting Make Your Mark.

Meet the newer cast in A New Generation.

What about Pony Life and Forever Friendship?

Pony Life gives the familiar friends another animated outing. It is a separate show, so you can finish all nine seasons of Friendship Is Magic without adding it to your list first.

There is another pony adventure on the way. As of September 18, 2026, Hasbro has announced Forever Friendship for early 2027 on YouTube, with a new look and voice cast. An exact premiere day has not been announced in that release, so this one is still for your future watchlist.

How to check where to watch

Look up the full title and year in your local streaming or rental service. Before paying, check which seasons are included and whether you have found the series, a movie, a special, or a collection of episodes. The selection can change from country to country, and a show’s listing does not always mean it comes with your subscription.

Need help identifying a pony? Use our Twilight Sparkle and Mane Six character guide.