DVD Review: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: “A Dash Of Awesome”

The newest My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic collection, A Dash Of Awesome, contains five episodes all featuring Rainbow Dash, voiced by Ashleigh Ball. I have to admit that Rainbow Dash is not my favorite pony. Of course, in admitting that, I’m also admitting that I do have a favorite pony. (It’s Pinkie Pie, and an earlier DVD release featured Pinkie Pie episodes, Pinkie Pie Party.) There is of course plenty of magic in the episodes collected here, as well as lessons learned. Three of the five episodes on this disc were also included in the Season Two four-disc set.

“May The Best Pet Win!”

In “May The Best Pet Win!,” the other ponies are playing with their pets. Rainbow Dash wasn’t invited because she doesn’t have one. Fluttershy is excited when Rainbow Dash expresses an interesting in getting a pet, and so she sings a song, offering many choices. Rainbow Dash can’t decide, and so holds a contest, the winner of which will become her pet.

“The Mysterious Mare Do Well”

At the beginning of “The Mysterious Mare Do Well,” the official Rainbow Dash fan club holds a meeting about how awesome Rainbow Dash is. It’s odd that the pony with the biggest ego would have a fan club. But then she rescues a pony from a well and performs other heroic feats, drawing a crowd each time and basking in the hero worship that follows. Rainbow Dash hires Spike to be her ghostwriter, leading to my favorite moment of the episode: Pinkie Pie exclaims, “Spike’s a ghost,” and runs away. A mysterious pony shows up to perform heroics, and Rainbow Dash gets upset.

“Read It And Weep”

Rainbow Dash ends up in the hospital after an accident, and gets caught up in a book that Twilight Sparkle lends her (after first saying that she doesn’t care for reading). I appreciate its pro-reading message. And fans of Raiders Of The Lost Ark will enjoy much of this episode.

“Daring Don’t”

This fourth season episode is a follow-up to “Read It And Weep.” It begins with Rainbow Dash sharing her excitement with Fluttershy over the next book in the Daring Do series. When she learns the publishing date has been pushed back, Rainbow Dash thinks helping the author with daily chores will give her time to write and finish the book. There’s a wonderful joke with a red line appearing on a map showing the ponies’ journey to find the author, and then cutting to Pinkie Pie with a red paintbrush in her mouth marking the ground. When they arrive at the house, they find it trashed, and soon the ponies discover a secret about their favorite author. There are more Raiders Of The Lost Ark references. And the author is named A.K. Yearling, obviously a nod to the author of the popular Harry Potter books.

“Rainbow Falls”

In this recent episode, Rainbow Dash leads a team to the trials for the Equestria Games, but then practices with the competition. Pinkie Pie acts as cheerleader, and Rainbow Dash learns that friendship is more important than winning.

Bonus Feature

The DVD includes one bonus feature, a “Find A Pet” sing-along. Yes, you can sing along with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash on this song from this disc’s first episode, as the words are at the bottom of the screen.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: A Dash Of Awesome is scheduled to be released on March 25, 2014 through Shout! Factory.