The TV Tropes Furry Club

I like anthro characters.

I like lizardfolk. Especially Argonians in Oblivion.

I tend to have an anthropomorphic animal bias and may be interested in learning to draw them. They've always seemed fairly attractive and interesting to me. I blame Cyber Connect 2 with Tail Concerto and all the furry characters in Dot Hack (Mia, Gabi, Sirius). I'm a terrible artist though, and don't really associate myself with any part of the fandom. Don't really have a fursona or any weird animal association stuff (Reggae's just kinda there. I don't think I'm a Reggae). I guess it says a lot when Solarobo is my most anticipated game of the year.

So Yeah, you can call me a sympathiser if you want. I think they're interesting since I've always liked animals and stuff; different ways of living, new perspective, environments, adapting, etc.

I'm just somewhat dissapointed in the wasted potential in furry works. I mean, you can do some real deep, "Man or beast" scenarios with furry characters. In fact I'm sure someone has to have had a shot at that at some point.

A bit of a tangent but yes I like Cyber Connect 2, did you notice?

Okay question for furpers - What exactly differentiates a fursona from any other Author Avatar or Self-Insert? Besides you know, being an anthropomorphic animal.

Unless a fursona is being used in a fanfic or something, I'd say it's no different than an original character.

^ Yeah, that's exactly the way I see it.

I'm currently thinking about making a fursona, but I can't decide on an animal. It probably doesn't shock people much, but I'm most attuned to dogs and wolves, but those are so overdone.

PS. The TV Tropes article for Furry Fandom got vandalised. Oh nose.

^ If you pick a plain fox/wolf/cat you're generic. If you pick anything else you suffer from Special Snowflake Syndrome. Either way you lose.

Pick whatever you associate yourself easiest with, that tends to work the best.

edited 30th May '10 12:07:57 PM by NiftyLostKite

I picked what I associate with most, a spider monkey. Specifically a male one.

For me this spider monkey is a part of me and how I view myself at times. I don't believe that I am meant to be one or that I physically am one. I just...kind of feel like one and picture myself as one at times? I do this with my gender too.

^^ Good point.

^ Really, I like the concept of totemism. It's cool and gives food for thought.

He also lacks a name. He's just kinda me...? I guess if he had a name it'd be Samuel.

Eeeeh, just pick whatever feels natural to you (obviously cats and dogs are going to be the most common choice because humans deal with them a lot), then do something creative with that. Most people use plain old humans as characters and there's still plenty of ways for them to be made unique. Don't let yourself be defined by species  ^*

Hmm...I should also mention that I have phantom limb sensations in regards to a spider monkey tail. And those neat monkey feet. I can also do this when viewing myself as a guy.

Come to think of it I seem to have a few of these...

• Trollish monkey boy
• Goofy and hyperactive, but innocent boy
• Easily affected young girl
• Perverted troll of a teenage guy
• The "I am just me" person

Oh well...back to furry stuffs...

^^ Another excellent point. Thanks for the support, guys and gals.

Also, I'm inclined to say "race" instead of "species" for the same reason as in fantasy. They are more analogous to real-life peoples than to real-life species.

edited 30th May '10 1:10:58 PM by Kerrah

I've never really considered myself a true Furry as I don't participate in the community.

I mainly just appreciate well-made furry artwork. Both for kink and cuteness purposes.

Though... I did go through a phase in my teens where I wished I could be a lycanthrope. Does that count?

edited 10th May '12 5:59:09 AM by Meeble

See I think my not participating in the community is part of why I find it hard to identify as one.

Maybe we both should take a page from a recent episode of United States Of Tara. Just replace "gay" with "furry".

Marshall: I don't get it, why do I have to be called gay?

Ted: How so?

Marshall: Sure, I love men... but I love old foreign movies just as much!

Ted: I'm pretty sure that still means you're gay.

edited 30th May '10 5:43:08 PM by Meeble

Ok then...LET US TAKE UP OUR NEW LABELS WITH PRIDE MY MOUSEY FRIEND.

Also...Slade is really hot.

That sounds like a plan! Then can I add Anthropomorphilia to my Equal Opportunity Pervert status?

And you are quite right on Slade... I pretty obviously have a great deal of If It's You, It's Okay for him.

Actually I wonder how much Shining Force played into my appreciation of Anthros at a young age. They had Slade, were-wolves, Bird-men, cutie Centaur ladies...

edited 30th May '10 5:55:02 PM by Meeble

Did you play Breath Of Fire as well? I played both quite a bit.

Yep, a bit... I did play some of it in ROM form, and really enjoyed what I played. It also was good for having loads and loads of anthro characters, from what I remember.

Shining Force, though, was my big introduction into video game RPGs. I was a Sega Genesis kid, and just thought these games were the best thing ever. I would play them every weekend when I went to my Dad's house. So I have Nostalgia Filter in a big way for that series.

edited 30th May '10 6:03:34 PM by Meeble

I was more of a SNES kid though I loved our Genesis.

Shh, the other SNES kids might hear you!

I think the first time that I really started to... appreciate anthro characters was Gadget from Chip And Dales Rescue Rangers. Followed shortly thereafter by Minerva Mink.

My early-ish teens is when I got into the whole Lycanthropy mythology in a big way. The Wolf Man and The Howling series piqued my interest, but when I read up on them and found out that there were myths and legends for humans that could shape-shift into animals other than wolves is when it really captured my imagination.

So then I ended up being about the only kid in South Carolina to play Werewolf The Apocalypse by White Wolf. And by "play" I mean "buy the books and supplements and stat up a bunch of characters since no one else was into it." I also was the only one out of my group of friends that bought Rage (card game based on Werewolf The Apocalypse) instead of Magic The Gathering. I don't know, the idea of being able to be a human and lead a human life, while being able to shift into a more primal, more in tune with nature form really resonated with me.

After that phase, I discovered Furry fanart on the internet. And the rest, as they say, is history.

edited 30th May '10 10:47:58 PM by Meeble

I have to confess to the whole furry thingy. Can't really say I remember how it happened; I just seem to recall stumbling on furaffinity, and here I am.

...rah.

I still don't see what so special about Minerva Mink. Even today, I just scratch my head at her obvious fanservice.

v source needed