Anthros: A Breakdown, Because it was asked for.

Anthros: A Breakdown

Anthros. We all know what they are, or we think we do. Catgirls, kitsunes, dragons that walk on their hind legs, all of these can be considered anthropomorphic. But there are many types and degrees of anthroism, some of which yours truly here will discuss in detail. I’ve been meaning to post this for a couple of days, but I’ve had to do my research. (Read: Sit on my ass and be lazy…) But I hope that this will come in handy for the next time you’re confused.

Example No. 1: The Catgirl

The woman sits alone in the café, her large, luminous green eyes catching the headlights of the occasional passing car. Long, glossy auburn hair falls to the small of her back, loose and flowing. It shimmers like dew on a blade of grass as she moves, each highlight seeming to shift with her. She glances at you, a small smile curving about her lips as she sips a cup of hot milk and reads the newspaper. You realize she has small, furry ears, colored in black and white, and a long feline tail curls about her feet, also black with a white tip. She’s wearing a short green skirt and a white blouse that shows off her gently curving figure. An interesting bit of clothing, a green collar with little silver studs and a shiny silver bell, adorns her neck. As you start to sit down, she motions you over to her table and invites you to sit. She smiles and runs a saucy, bare foot up the inside of your calf before murmuring with a low throaty purr, “Got any catnip?”

This is the first type of anthro, the Catgirl. It may not be a cat, or a girl for that matter, but almost all anthros of this particular variety tend to fall under the same category. Almost completely human, these anthros have very few animalistic characteristics, mainly notable things such as different ears and/or a tail. That’s it, pretty vanilla.

Example No. 2: The Furry (Part One)

After you hastily assure the Catgirl that you don’t have any catnip on you (“Aww, just a little? Please?”), you stand up, looking for another table. You notice another female, this one a female fox. She sits easily in the booth, nibbling on an éclair with humanlike hands. She glances at you with stunning violet eyes, and invites you to sit across from her, licking at the pastry daintily with an extremely long vulpine tongue. You draw your attention away from her mouth long enough to notice her body. Her entire body is that of a fox, with some vaguely human features about her. You can tell she’s definitely female, from the soft curves of her body to the delicate way she seats herself. She’s not wearing any clothing, but her silky soft fur covers anything offensive. Seriously, she has fur all over her body, thick and warm. It’s a russet color, with black markings along her ears and her feet and hands. Her foot paws are long and well formed, and seem to carry the strain of walking on her hind legs well. In fact, she seems most suited for this. A long bushy tail curls to the floor, moving occasionally with her whims. She smiles at you, her canines long and sharp, and suggests the two of you get out of the café for a little fun. As she wraps her tongue around the éclair once more, she suddenly gulps it into her mouth and bites it in half, then quickly scarfs the other half. She holds out a leather collar, smiling at you. You hastily tell her you’re not in to the whole bondage scene and scamper to another table.

This type of anthro is a rather uncommon one, the furry. They are most commonly found outside the normal circles, aloof and normally in small groups. They might be rare, but they are not as rare as they once were. These beings walk on their hind legs and have opposable thumbs, sometimes a full head of hair, but in all other respects they are all animal. They have animal instincts, and their players normally roleplay them as having the supernatural hearing, smell, etc. that their fursona, i.e., their character or avatar in the furry world, would actually have. Treat them as if they were actually that furson, and you will be welcome in their group, so long as you Rp well. For more info on that, see Roleplaying Basics, also in this forum.

Final Example: The Furry (Part Two)

Wandering amongst the mostly empty tables at the café, you see a small form sitting atop the counter. You walk over and see a lynx, long limbed and spotted, lounging on the counter, licking her paws. She looks almost bored as she notices you, looking up at you with intelligent amber eyes. She stands and stretches, her claws peeking from their sheathes and scratching a small furrow on the wooden counter. Walking across the counter, she brushes herself up against you, her luxuriant spotted fur raising goose bumps along your arms. She leans against you, purring, and licks your cheek with a long, rough tongue. You wrap an arm about her and scratch the scruff of her neck, enjoying the company.

This is the last example of an anthro I know of, the full animal. It’s only classified as an anthro because they sometimes do human-like things; technically, it isn’t an anthro at all. They have all the characteristics of the animals they look like. The word furry is a general term, meaning anything like an anthro. There are also names to denote reptilians (scalies), and birds (avians).

I hope this guide has helped you, and I hope to see your fursona around! <waves a paw and finishes her éclair> ;)

...Not exactly the response I would have given to this, but it suits the purpose nicely.

Other than that one little, insignificant, complaint this was a very good review, definately going to help me set up my anthro, which I shall beginning thinking up as soon as I finish this post.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the last comment, doesn't surprise me at all, I was actually half-expecting it.

Couldn't have said it better myself, Silver. Me likes. Maybe I'll get around to RPing on here eventually? * shrugs * Till next time, your lovable Kitsune, Katan!

Quick question I had when trying to create my fursona... Would it be possible for him to be able to change between being a full animal (furry part 2 explaination) into being a more humanoid furry (part 1 explanation)?

I've heard of it done before, and I've also had characters that do it. I think it all depends on the tastes and the abilities of the characters and the ones that RP them. <_< Or either I be a |\|3\/\/|3. Mwuahahah.

It's actually based on the whims of the player. That, and/or the person running the rp. Silver happens to have several forms. She has her fox form (example 3), her furry form (Example 2), and her most common form, her actual anthro form (Example 1).

It's all your choice.

Hmmm.... Dunno... What would... This be? ....


(( AKA: My Avatar ))

<looks at the Avvie> Hmm, seems to me like we have an almost clear case of example No. 2 right there. Not much human, if he's covered in fur, but the distinction lines are thin when it comes to classifying anthros.

Ohhh... Yeaahh... I rock! Look at that! If I were a kitty... I would look liek that...

<--- My anthro char when he's ready to rip out someone's throat.

Normally he isn't that angry, and is a humanoid form, disposable thumbs are a very big bonus instead of just having paws all the time.

...Now I just need to think of an environment to introduce him into.

Dear, don't you mean opposable? Seems to me that you got a tad confused. <smiles> It's all right, we all could use disposable thumbs, every now and then. Like when I'm tempted to jam my thumbs into people's eyesockets. Just to stop them from talking to me. <_<

<blink> ...Wow, that was pretty bad. <pops his thumbs off and throws them away> It would be nice for those people who play so many video games and blister their thumbs to crap, they just pop on a new pair and keep going.

Roger to the blistered thumbs.