This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Harpie Siren: Before anybody accuses me of re-treading Talking Animal, let me just say this: A Funny Animal is a Talking Animal, but a Talking Animal isn't nessarrily a Funny Animal. Compare the cast of the Lion King to Mickey and Co. This is specifically about characters in the Mickey Mouse/Bugs Bunny vein.
There's even an entire subgenre of fandom/somewhat oversexualized cult based on these creatures, though really, they're just slightly more psychotic and creepy than any other fandom (*cough*Trekkies*cough*Wannabe Jedi*cough*).
...wow. Yes, let's not only refer to furry fandom as an "oversexualized cult", but then insult all fans of everything in the same breath.
Filby: I think that in this context he means "cult" as in "a cult film," not a fringe religious group, and also to only the extremists in all said groups. Not all furries are clandestine perverts, but on the whole furry fandom (like all fandom) sticks to itself, and frequently deals more openly with sexuality than most fandoms.
That said, does "furry" necessarily cover all funny animals? I don't believe the two terms are synonymous. It seems to me that most characters produced by furry fandom are created consciously and deliberately as part of said fandom and have their own set of tropes (whatever they may be), whereas funny animals are only created as animals to elicit a laugh. I hesitate to call Donald Duck a furry, for instance.
Zeta: What filby said. Generally, the deciding line between a Funny Animal and a Furry is that Funny Animals are usually Chaste Toons used for humor or adventure and Comedic Sociopathy. While Furry characters are either sexualized or used in dramatic, more angsty-situations and are supposed to be sympathetic or wish-fulfillment author avatars. Or at least that's how the dividing line appears to me.
- I know note is made of it, in the article, but wouldn't "Happy Feet" fit better under 'talking animals?'
furbearingbrick: I changed the example image to a generic (and adorable!) one to prevent a possible Edit War. It worked for Human Popsicle, after all...
Tricksterson: Filby, you say "clandestine perverts" like it was a bad thing. ;)
Tricksterson: So Where is the line drawn between Funny Animal and Petting-Zoo People ? Especially in comics/anime/western animation?
Meta Four: Petting-Zoo People are basically the equivalent of Rubber-Forehead Aliens: Other than a few features like ears and tails, their appearance is indistinguishable from humans. A Funny Animal's behavior may be the same as a human's, but they look different because they're covered in fur and have an animal's face.
ZeldaTheSwordsman: I believe most of the cast of Sonic The Hedgehog deserves mention.
Calbeck: Removed "Older" from the phrase "Older fans", as it's both ambiguous and incorrect. Older than what? Furry fandom has members ranging from pre-teen to retirement ages.
