G4 Blind Bag Ponies

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Rainbow Dash figurine

G4 Blind Bag Ponies are pony toys that take the form of fully molded figurines that approximately half the size of a Playful Pony figure. Blind bag Ponies tend to more closely resemble the characters from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic due to their molded hair, but as well as the majority of G4 merchandise, they still have only one cuitie mark either on left or right side of the flank.

The term Blind Bag Pony refers to the packaging that the figurine comes in (opaque "surprise" packaging that prevents the user from determining which pony is inside), but related figurines can also be found in Sets, Collections, as part of the games or other MLP merchandise, so in this this article all of them will also be referenced just as "figurines".

All figurines from blind bags (and some others too) comes with matching collector card, featuring the name and artwork of the pony, and a brief description about the pony's personality, almost always - about her/him favorite activity.

Altogether, at the moment of October 2014 there are:

  • 10 different Blind Bags waves released so far (with wave 11 expected at stores in nearest future), 15 Sets, 5 Collections
  • 46 different molds
  • 306 different, distinguished by molds, style, cuitie marks and colors figurines, 66 of which can be found only in Sets or Collections.
  • 174 unique Ponies, one particular Zebra, a gryphon, three Breezies, a few second-plane characters, Smarty Pants doll and of course Derpy ;)

Sources of Figurines

Besides blind bags, figurines have been released as a part of a Miniature Sets, including anywhere from three to six ponies. Most revolve around a specific theme. Those figurines are more likely to have unique, individual molds, rather than being recolors and thus, are more likely to be accurate to the show. Some of the molds used for these figurines have been used in later Blind Bag Waves for re-releases or as recolors for other ponies. Sets does not include collector cards.

Also some of them was released as Miniature Collections, which are similar to Sets, but does not always refering to some general theme. They usually consists of clearly visible through plastic fold 4-12 ponies, many of them tended to not be found in other sources. Such collections was often a targed exclusive toys, for example for Wallmart or Toys 'R Us stores, and some of them are hard to find nowdays. Only Toys 'R Us "Pony Collection Set" includes collector cards so far.

Other sources of figurines includes:

  • Being parts of the games (e.g. Playhouse Puzzle, My Little Pony Chutes and Ladders Game or Regnbågsspelet Game)
  • Individual packs with only one, but visible pony (all Mane 6 was released except for Fluttershy)
  • Four pack with four visible ponies (only one had been released so far with Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash)
  • 2011 Advert calendar (Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle)
  • DVD releases (Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle)
  • Mini Pony Collector's Guide book (Tealove)

None of those figurines had collector cards so far.

About Blind Bags

Every bag always have an unique imprinted code somewhere on the bag. As collectors have discovered, this code can be deciphered to reveal the identity of the pony within the bag. Inside each bag you will find: a pony mini figurine, collector's card, small parts warning sheet and sometimes a colorful pamphlet.

Previous Gens

G4 are not the first My Little Pony blind bags. See Blind Bag Ponies. The scale of G4 blind bag ponies is similar to Ponyville figurines of G3 and G3.5 (so they may be referred to also G4 Ponyville or G4 PV).

International Releases

Blind Bags, released in US and Europe markets have some minor differences:

  • Subtle distinctions in bags cover art
  • US collector cards are monolingual (English only) and tend to feature a longer description of a Pony
  • European collector cards are multilingual (description are done in many EU's languages), and therefore info are somewhat reduced
  • Colorful pamphlets (if they are found in blind bag) are differs in art arrangement, but pony's artwork itself are identical

Distribution

The US distribution of blind bags mostly missed the first two waves. In their place were briefly packaged ponies on cards.

The initial delay spurred collectors to source their ponies from Taobao.

Identification

Two Digit Codes
Early European blind bags have two numerals lightly stamped on the outside of the bag on the top the back seam. These numbers correspond with the pony's number listed below.
Five Digit Codes
Except for the newest Neon set, all American blind bags, and later European blind bags have a five digit code stamped into the flap on the back of the package. The 1st, 3rd, and 5th number is to confuse you. The second and forth numbers tell you which pony is inside. See the charts below.
Two Letter Codes
The Neon set has a two letter code stamped into the bottom flap of the bag. The first letter is A and the second letter tells you which pony is inside. See below for a chart matching ponies to letters.


Blind Bag Waves

Bland Bags released in "waves", usually 2-3 within a calendar year. Each wave consists of 24 unique (for this particular wave) ponies, sharing a common style (e.g. pastel colored ponies in wave 5, bright transparent in wave 8, etc.), but often includes a few "special" ponies, such as glittery versions of Pinkie, Twi and Dashie in wave 1; glow in the dark versions of Rarity, Twilight and Pinkie in wave 3, etc. In some countries (UK for sure) later waves was splitted in two sub-waves (consists of 12 ponies each), distinguishable by slightly different bags and boxes designs.

Although ponies are not repeated inside each wave, some of them can duplicate figurines from earlier waves, sets or other toys. Duplicate rate is around 30% if we count all known ponies from all known releases till October 2014 (and considering different molds, styles and paintings for one pony as different figurines), and is about 11% if we focus only on Blind Bags Waves from I to XI. Mane 6 receives the most of re-releases, as you can guess of course.

Each wave offers it's own, unique design for collector cards (with an exeption for the first two Waves and TRU Pony Collection Set, which shares the same design). So, for example, common Twilight Sparkle figurines from wave 3 and wave 5 will come identical, but have differing cards.

Early Blind Bag waves consisted solely of female ponies and were recolors of the Mane 6. At this point, Unicorns were based off of Twilight Sparkle or Rarity, while Earth Ponies were based off of Pinkie Pie or Applejack. All Pegasus Ponies were recolors of Rainbow Dash, including Fluttershy, one of the Mane 6. Later waves added more variety in molds, including male Earth, Unicorn, and Pegasus Ponies, and Alicorn Ponies. Also, while some early waves featured the Mane 6 and recycled G3 ponies, later waves tend to include more supporting and minor characters from the MLP:FiM.

Wave I

Euro Blind Bag
US Blind Bag
Monolingual mini pamphlet
Identifying Blind Bags Chart[1]
Purple and pink variants of Glittery Twilight Sparkle
Lily Blossom variants
  • The very first set of Ponies
  • Introduced 5 unique molds: Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Twilight and Pegasus pony (used for both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy)
  • Each bag includes a mini pamphlet with 21 out of 24 Pony's pics and names
  • Style: show-accurate painted ponies
  • Specials: transparent glittery versions of Pinkie Pie (#22), Twilight Sparkle (#23), Rainbow Dash (#24)
  • Glittery Twilight Sparkle had pink body color instead of purple in early European releases. While many fans desired the show-accurate purple variant then, now pink version is quite rare and sought by some of the collectors


US Wave I

Pinkie Pie variants - single on left, TRU pack on right

At first in the US/North America only the mane characters were released. Fluttershy at first only appeared in the US with the puzzle house (which is still quite rare), which drove her value up extremely high initially.

They have been packaged:

  • as individually packed singles
  • as a four pack
  • as singles in a cardboard house with a puzzle

See Individually packaged mini ponies

The individual on card ponies have been sold in the US, Canada, and the UK so far.


US Wave I Numbering

US Box of Blind Bags

The first set of blind bags appeared by the box (finally) on hasbrotoyshop.com February 2012, ie officially available in the US.

Very hard to read six-digit id number, 22445 for Glittery Rainbow Dash.

It seems that some/all of the first full run of blind bags released in North America do not have their collector card number punched into the packaging. Secretly however they do. Each of the two-digit numbers have been interspersed with the numbers: 2, 4, and 5. (Single digit numbers written with a zero ie 2 is written as 02). [2]

e.g. 02 + 245 = 20425.

  • 20415 - Pinkie Pie (1)
  • 20425 - Applejack (2)
  • 20435 - Rainbow Dash (3)
  • 20445 - Rarity (4)
  • 20455 - Twilight Sparkle (5)
  • 20465 - Fluttershy (6)
  • 20475 - Sugar Grape (7)
  • 20485 - Lily Blossom (8)
  • 20495 - Minty (9)
  • 21405 - Bumblesweet (10)
  • 21415 - Fizzypop (11)
  • 21425 - Flower Wishes (12)
  • 21435 - Roseluck (13)
  • 21445 - Sweetie Blue (14)
  • 21455 - Pepperdance (15)
  • 21465 - Lemon Hearts (16)
  • 21475 - Cherry Spices (17)
  • 21485 - Sweetie Swirl (18)
  • 21495 - Lucky Swirl (19)
  • 22405 - Sweetcream Scoops (20)
  • 22415 - Firecracker Burst (21)
  • 22425 - Pinkie Pie (Glittery) (22)
  • 22435 - Twilight Sparkle (Glittery) (23)
  • 22445 - Rainbow Dash (Glittery) (24)


Wave II

Bb-wave2.jpg
Multilingual mini pamphlet
G4-blind-wave2.jpg
Blind-ident-wave2.jpg
Left Wave 2 Cheerilee; Right later Pony Lesson Set Cheerilee
  • Re-releases the Mane 6, and now includes the glitter versions of the rest of the Mane 6 (ie Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy). The set is about 1/3 characters that have been released as G4 full sized toys, 1/3 mane cast and 1/3 entirely new characters, but there are no new molds.
  • First ever release of Cheerilee (which was later re-released in Pinkie Pie's mold in Pony Lesson Set)
  • Each bag includes mini pamphlet with 21 out of 24 Pony's pics and names
  • Style: show-accurate painted ponies
  • Specials: transparent glittery versions of Rarity (#22), Applejack (#23), Fluttershy (#24)
  • This wave was never released in USA, making 17 new figurines (including 10 completely unique Ponies, 3 Ponies shared with Friendship Celebration Collection, which are rare too, and Cheerilee in Applejack's mold) are rather tricky to find nowdays. Only Tealove can be quite easily obtained with Mini Pony Collector's Guide book today.

Wave III

Bb-wave3.jpg
Euro-w3.jpg
Euro box
  • The set is the first G4 merchandise to feature male ponies [3] or anything glow-in-the-dark
  • First ever release of Big Mac and Lyra (listed as Heartstrings), eeyup!
  • Introduced stallion mold (Goldengrape, Big McIntosh, Meadow Song and Noteworthy)
  • Style: show-accurate painted ponies
  • Specials: glow-in-the-dark versions of Pinkie Pie (#6), Twilight Sparkle (#12), Rarity (#18)

Wave IV

Bb-wave4.jpg
Blue-blind-bags.jpg
L to R: Wave 2, Pony Rainbow Collection, Wave 4
L to R: Pony Rainbow Collection, Wave 2, Wave 4
  • Fifth Set of Ponies (24 Pieces)
  • Blue Bag


The secret ID number on some packaging may have five digits rather than two digit. (Single digit numbers written with a zero ie 2 is written as 02.) The two-digit numbers have been interspersed with the numbers: 5, 4, and 2. [4]

So 02 + 542 = 50422.

Stock photos from Equestria Daily.


Wave V

  • 24 Pieces
Bb-wave5.jpg
Left Wave 3 Heartstrings; Right Wave 5 Lyra Heartstrings

Stock photos from Equestria Daily.


Wave VI

US Wave VI packaging
Euro Wave VI packaging
Wave 1 (left) and Wave 6 (right) Roseluck comparison
  • 24 Pieces
  • Purple/Blue Bag

This wave consists of regular versions of the glitter toys from wave IV, some of them with tridimensional cutie marks, Cherry Spices and Trixie Lulamoon with Twilight Sparkle's mold rather than the usual Rarity mold and Roseluck with new colors. The only new pony in this wave was #20 Magnet Bolt

Photos from Strawberry Reef.


Wave VII

Bb-wave7.jpg
Wave 7 box side
Wave 7 bag identifying Soarin and Spitfire
  • translucent ponies
  • Gray/Aqua Bag
  • 24 pieces

This wave introduced the translucent pony miniatures. It featured three of the Wonderbolts, two of which were pictured in the packaging. Spitfire and Soarin had their names and descriptions switched on their collector cards, though they were named correctly in the packaging.

White background photos from 123toyuk.


Wave VIII

Wave8BlindBagCode.jpg
Close-up of the letter code
  • Neon Bright Blind Bag Ponies
  • Black/Dark Purple Bag

The bags for this wave were changed so that there was no longer a center flap for the codes to be imprinted on. Instead, letters were imprinted along the bottom edge of the bags. The numbers for the ponies were changed to the corresponding letter of the alphabet skipping the letters "J" and "Q" and adding an additional A at the beginning. That made #1 Applejack's code "AA," #2 Big McIntosh's code "AB" and so on through "AZ" for #24 Twilight Sparkle.

The ponies that are repeats from the seventh wave are brighter in the neon wave.

  • Comparisons

  • L to R: Wave 7, Wave 8

  • L to R: Wave 7, Wave 8

  • L to R: Wave 7, Wave 8

  • L to R: Wave 7, Wave 8

  • L to R: Wave 7, Wave 8

  • L to R: Wave 7, Wave 8


Wave IX

Bb-wave9.jpg
Sea Swirl Comparison L: Wave 3, R: Wave 9




Wave X

Bb-wave10.jpg
Glittery Snipsy Snap
Glittery Peachy Sweet


Wave XI

Bb-wave-XI.jpg
  • Breezies!



Origin unknown

This image was compiled originally by VioletCLM on mlparena.com

Sunset Shimmer • DJ Pon-3 (plain version?)• Suri Polomare • Big Wig • Spitfire • Purple Wave • Emerald Ray (plain version?) • Flash Sentry • Rising Star • Apple Munchies • Lightning Dust • Pinprick • Violet Velvet • pale blue earth pony with magenta hair • dark pink stallion with light blue hair • lavender earth pony with dark pink hair • yellow earth pony with pink hair and purse cutie mark[5]



Collection Sets

Collection Sets are (all?) exclusive to North America. Each set is exclusive to a particular store. Stores such as Target and Toys 'R Us.

Collection Set I

Third Set of Ponies (12 Pieces)

  • US Toys 'R US exclusive (US Wave II)
  • released between Blind Bag waves II and III
stock photo
TRUBlindBagSet.jpg
stock photo
Pinkie Pie variants - single on left, TRU set on right

The Toys 'R Us Exclusive 12-pack contains the mane six and six new G4 characters (different from Euro blind wave II), that are all G3 up-cycles.


Collection Set II

  • Friendship Celebration Collection
Mip-friendship-collection.jpg
Taobao MIP Friendship Celebration Collection
  • Toys 'R Us exclusive set containing re-releases of figures from the first two waves. As well as a few accessories.
  • released between blind bag waves VI and VII


Collection Set III

  • Pony Rainbow Collection
Rainbow Collection.jpg
Rainbow Collection MIB.jpg
stock photo
stock photo
  • Target Exclusive
  • 7 piece set
  • released between blind bag waves VI and VII


The Pony Rainbow Collection versions of Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity are almost exact matches to the Wave 4 versions. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are darker than their Wave 1 versions. Twilight Sparkle is a brighter purple than Wave 1 as well. Fluttershy is darker than Wave 4 and slightly lighter but still close in color to her Wave 2 counterpart. Applejack is darker than in both Wave 4 and Wave 2. Rarity is more opaque than her Wave 2 version. With the exception of Emerald Ray, the Rainbow Collection does not have the black numbers stamped on the bottoms of their hooves differentiating them from the other waves.

  • Comparisons

  • L to R: Wave 2, Pony Rainbow Collection, Wave 4

  • L to R: Pony Rainbow Collection, Wave 2, Wave 4

  • L to R: Wave 1 pink, Wave 1 purple, Pony Rainbow Collection

  • L to R: Wave 1, Pony Rainbow Collection

  • L to R: Wave 1, Pony Rainbow Collection

  • L to R: Wave 2, Pony Rainbow Collection


Collection Set IV

  • Pinkie Pie and Friends Mini Collection
Pinkie Pie & Friends
Mini Collection™


  • Walmart Exclusive
  • 12 piece set
  • released between blind bag waves VI and VII

The Applejack included in this set did not have her hair ties painted.


Miniature Sets

For more details on mini sets, see G4 Mini Ponies and Sets.

Wave I




Wave II


Wave III




Wave IV






Wave V

  • Rainbow Pony Favorite Set

  • Rarity

  • Dr. Hooves

  • Applejack

  • DJ Pon-3

  • Princess Twilight Sparkle


  • Daring Pony Story Set

  • Daring Do Dazzle

  • Rainbow Dash

  • Princess Twilight Sparkle


  • Soaring Pegasus Set

  • Thunderlane

  • Fluttershy

  • Derpy


  • Ponyville Newsmaker Set

  • Snailsquirm

  • Snipsy Snap

  • Pinkie Pie


Funny facts

Ponie's cuitie marks can rarely undergo minor appearance changes in re-releases. [here be pictures]

A few not vastly involved in MLP:FiM ponies had even managed to change their race due to mistakes in later waves:

  • Berryshine: Unicorn (Wave 3) -> Earth Pony (Wave 9)
  • Lily Valley: Earth Pony (Wave 7) -> Pegasus (Wave 9)

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/blind-bags-are-identifiable.html
  2. ↑ http://www.toyreviewdaily.com/2012/01/17/code-number-list-my-little-pony-blind-bags-us-series-1-kiosk-ponies-2012-hasbro/
  3. ↑ http://www.bronycon.org/images/blindbags/wave3/
  4. ↑ http://mylittleponymadness.weebly.com/1/post/2012/05/wave-4-blind-bag-identification.html
  5. ↑ http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,349768.0.html
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