Crap, dosn't look like I'm buying MLPIT. I was already mad about the fact that they made you use strategy in the first one.
Come on already Nintendo! Make a Mario RPG that is an actual RPG!!! Enough silly side crap, just make one like Final Fantasy for the casual gamers!
Anyway, just keep trying, if it's anything like the first it is going to take forever to get it right unless you are good at strategy games.