<P> My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is an animated television series based on the My Little Pony toyline, created by American toy and game manufacturer Hasbro . It features characters and settings developed by Lauren Faust, who sought to create more in - depth characters than the stereotypical "girly" icons used in previous iterations of the franchise . The series began airing on October 10, 2010 in the United States on the Hub Network cable channel, which was re-branded as Discovery Family in October 2014 . </P> <P> The show follows a studious unicorn pony named Twilight Sparkle as her mentor Princess Celestia guides her to learn about friendship in the town of Ponyville . Twilight becomes best friends with five other ponies: earth ponies Applejack and Pinkie Pie, pegasus ponies Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, and unicorn Rarity . Each represents a different facet of friendship, and Twilight discovers herself to be a key part of the magical artifacts, the Elements of Harmony . The six ponies--collectively known as the "Mane Six"--share adventures and help out other residents of Ponyville, while working out the troublesome moments in their own friendships, eventually leading to Twilight's ascension as a winged unicorn known as an alicorn . </P>

What are the my little pony characters names