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Shady (NSS + Brazil Nirvana)

  • Writer: Caden Dickinson
    Caden Dickinson
  • May 25
  • 4 min read

Updated: Aug 1

CHARACTER(S): Shady

YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 1986

PLACE OF PRODUCTION: Hong Kong (Euro version), Brazil (Brazilian version)

MANUFACTURING COMPANY: Hasbro (Euro version) or Estrela (Brazilian version)

TYPICAL PRICE ONLINE: $30 - $40 (Euro version), $150 - 250 USD (Brazilian version)

OTHER COMMENTS/INFO:

  • Despite being a major character in the G1 TV show, Shady's only standard release was as a So Soft Pony in 1985 (Year 4)

  • She has a Euro NSS version, as well as a Brazilian Nirvana that resembles the NSS version close enough that I've decided to combine their posts

Comparisons, from Toy Sisters

#1: Deflocked So-Soft Shady; #2 Euro NSS Shady; #3 Brazilian Nirvana NSS Shady

Media: Shady appears in the G1 MLP Movie and TV Show. She is a prominent character

  • She is also featured in the UK G1 Comics

Personality: In animated media, Shady is depicted as self-loathing, insecure, depressed, and at times grumpy.

Her US Backcard Reads: Mr. Sun was shining brightly as Shady took a walk in the cool summer's breeze. "It's so sunny!" Shady said, putting on her new sunglasses. Everything looked very pink through the colorful frames. Before long, she wandered into Posey's sweet smelling garden. She saw daisies dancing, sunflowers somersaulting and roses romping all around her. "Come join us," they called. Shady happily pranced over and danced with all the pretty flowers. They sang and played until Shady's sunglasses fell off. Suddenly, all the flowers were gone! When she put them back on, the flowers reappeared! "These sunglasses are magical!" Shady laughed, and danced with the flowers in the garden for the rest of the day.

Euro Shady (NSS Shady)

  • Shady was released in the US in Year Four (1984-1985) as a So Soft Pony

    • This was the first set of So Soft Ponies, in Year 4. This was a very large set, consisting of 15 ponies (most sets had 6 ponies per wave)

  • Some countries outside of the US did not get So Soft Ponies, instead selling unflocked versions of them - These are nicknamed NSS ponies

    • NSS is primarily associated with the UK, but other countries did get NSS ponies

  • NSS refers specifically to unflocked officially-sold versions of So Soft Ponies, not just any pony without flocking. For ponies who had both flocked and unflocked standard releases, you can tell which one is NSS by their darker-toned cutie merks

    • Shady never got an unflocked release in the USA

  • In Euro countries, NSS ponies from Year 4 were all either sold in the "Pony Friends" set, or in an unlabeled set (distinguished by a different backcard) generally referred to as "Movie Star" Ponies, because it was focused on ponies from My Little Pony: The Movie, and because in some countries they actually gave it a tagline in that vein - i.e., France (Cine-Stars)

    • The Movie Star and Pony Friends sets are often treated by fans as originating in the UK and being translated to be sold in other countries, but I'm unsure if this is proven or just an assumption based on the UK being an English-Speaking country, same as the USA, where the standard releases are from.

  • Shady was sold in both sets - Pony Friends and the movie themed set!

  • Euro Shady came with a blue ribbon and purple brush, same as So Soft Shady

  • She is a bright, flamboyant shade of pink - very different from her toned-down pink in the Movie and TV Show

  • She appears to have shorter, curlier hair than SS Shady

South Africa & Scandinavia

  • In South Africa and Scandinavia, NSS Shady was sold as part of a set titled "Pony Friends"

  • The backcard art here is taken from the art used for the set that sold the UK exclusive ponies Hopscotch, Honeycomb, Snowflake, & G*psy, along with Posey & Cherries Jubilee. Posey and Cherries Jubilee got to stay, but the other ponies have been replaced with NSS ponies

    • Shady is drawn over where Snowflake was on the original version

  • This NSS Shady appears to be the same Hong Kong NSS Shady sold in the UK

Image sources:

Brazilian Shady

  • Brazilian Shady is not a So Soft Pony

  • She is in the same pose as the original Shady, and the main difference between her and Euro NSS Shady is simply that she is marked 'Made in Brazil'

    • She does have warmer-toned hair than both the standard So Soft and the European NSS Shady brushables (I think it looks much nicer)

    • She seems to be a slightly lighter, pinker (less red/more orangey) color

    • Her eyes do appear to be a bit different than standard/NSS Shady as well

    • I feel like she looks a bit scrawnier?

    • Otherwise she's not too different from the Euro NSS version / Deflocked So Soft

  • She is part of Brazil's version of the Pony Friends ("Not So Soft/NSS") series

    • This ponies in this series came out in 1986 and 1987, even though the original So Soft Ponies came out in 1985 and 1986

    • (Most of the first wave of So Soft ponies came out in 1995; 6 of them came out in 1986. Unsure what the case is for the Brazil NSS ponies)

  • She comes with a dark blue ribbon. The ribbon for her US release is light green

  • Shady's Brazilian name is Óculos-de-Sol

  • She is made by Estrela, as is most G1 MLP Merch from Brazil

Image sources:


Comments

This website is purely for educational/archival purposes. I do not own the rights to My Little Pony, and most photos on this site are not my own. I provide image sources if the source is still available online, but there are far too many photos for me to ask each person for permission - The whole point of the site is collecting as many photos as possible. I try to ask permission on social media or forums that I'm active on, especially if I'm using a lot of photos from one person. If you own one of the photos on this site and do not want it here, message me and I will remove it. This isn't meant to take credit from or upset anyone; It is just for fun and to help record the existence of these toys. If you are made uncomfortable by me using your photos, I will remove them for you.

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