Animated shorts

Pinkie Spy
Character(s)	Pinkie Pie ; Rainbow Dash
Staff	Natasha Levinger (writer)
Music by	William Anderson
Length	2:13

The Science of Magic
Character(s)	Sunset Shimmer
Staff	Natasha Levinger (writer)
Music by	William Anderson
Length	2:07

Friendship Games animated shorts
	;
Directed by	Jayson Thiessen ; Ishi Rudell (co-director)
Produced by	Devon Cody
Written by	Brian Lenard ; Natasha Levinger (#1-2) ; Ishi Rudell (#4) ; Jayson Thiessen (#4)
Music by	William Anderson (#1-5)
See also
	transcript • gallery • allusions; animation errors • statistics
Chronology
Previous; My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks	Next; My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games

Coinciding with the release of My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games, Hasbro released five animated shorts separate from the film.^[1] The shorts were first announced at the 2015 New York Toy Fair. On July 31, 2015, the My Little Pony Facebook page posted some instructions for playing in the "Friendship Games Fantasy League" indicating that the shorts will be released every Saturday throughout August 2015.^[2]

The European Spanish versions of the shorts were leaked onto the My Little Pony Equestria Girls YouTube channel on August 6, 2015. They were made private later that same day.

The first four shorts premiered on Discovery Family on August 29, 2015 in the following order: Pinkie Spy, All's Fair in Love & Friendship Games, Photo Finished, and The Science of Magic.

The Science of Magic[]

The Science of Magic is the first animated short released as a tie-in to My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games. It is the first to be published on the My Little Pony Facebook page, on August 1, 2015; the first to be published by the Hasbro Studios Shorts YouTube channel, on August 3, 2015; and the first to be published overall. The animation primarily focuses on Sunset Shimmer.

Summary[]

The Rainbooms gather in a Canterlot High School classroom for band practice and find Sunset Shimmer using lab equipment. Sunset wants to figure out how magic in the human world works and why her friends grow pony ears, wings, and tails whenever they play.

One by one, Sunset hooks her friends up to the lab equipment and records scientific data as they play their instruments. However, as each of the Rainbooms play, the magical surges blow up in Sunset's face. In the end, Sunset concludes that she has no idea how magic in the human world works.

Transcript[]

The Rainbooms: [conversing] Huh?

Rainbow Dash: Uh, I thought we were rehearsing.

Sunset Shimmer: Well, you are. Sort of. Back when I was Princess Celestia's student, I learned best by going out into the field and actually doing something. Studying ancient books is fine for some people, but I like to solve magical mysteries by rolling up my sleeves and getting my hooves... uh, hands dirty.

[glove snaps]

Applejack: I can relate to workin' hard outdoors, but what the hay does that have to do with us playin' music?

Sunset Shimmer: I'm trying to figure out how magic works here. Why you grow ears, tails, and wings when you pony up and what your instruments have to do with it.

Fluttershy: Um, are you sure we need to figure it out?

Sunset Shimmer: It'll be fun. Just start playing. You won't even know I'm here.

[Background singers]