Animation Source Forums

You know, there's something strange.

In 6 years on here, I have rarely seen anyone mentioning furry. This is probably due to me doesn't liking to use that term, because it means everything and nothing, and (to the general public), this means dirty things. But still...

I have never hid it though, since childhood, I have always prefered cartoons and video games with animal characters featuring human personalities. They're more fun, more cute, more original than humans that we see "everywhere". I remember loving the Disney comic books, and prefering games like Crash bandicoot or Starfox over human-based games, even though I wasn't really aware why.
I guess that if you're here (the list of sites on Animation Source is proof enough), that's mean you're a bit in the same case as me, but to which degree?

I personally dislike most of the things created by "furry" fans on the web, because they are either over-exagerated or even sexual. I find sites like VLC to be disgusting, and most of the things we find on the web are like that.

Now that I think about that, that may be inconsciously the reasons why I created my own "community", because I feel that there's more to it than what we usually find on the web, and I also think the reason why most companies don't make anymore cultural products with anthros characters is because all this bad content has given a bad image of this phenomenon.

That's usually the stereotype most people who consider themselves furries fall under. While I might be able to argue that not everyone who goes to this site shares all these particular interests, there's no doubt that an underlying theme evolved throughout the animation source sites, primarily geared towards any and all aspects regarding animals and their personification. As sites like furaffinity, sofurry, and VLC utilize the primary medium of art to express their interests (ahem), there's no denying that art is also the "cool thing" to do and discuss on here as well. These similarities, though seemingly unrelated, share a distinct correlation with each other when you take into account the general population the members of this site fall under.

Personally, I can see why people wouldn't be so eager to label themselves as a furry. But on the other hand, I can also see why other people would. The freedom of expression extends beyond the art sector to personal values; members of sites like furaffinity, sofurry, and VLC can discuss things openly and HONESTLY at a level that that cannot be allowed to reach here. Look around, steet, and see how many people affiliate themselves with being an outcast and have the most boring personalities ever -- contrarily, a general theme within the furry community is diversity, free love, and more importantly, acceptance. Ask anyone who's been to a con; there are random people giving each other hugs and the overall atmosphere, I hear, is generally amiable and very out-going.

I'm not as integrated as some other members might be, but I'd definitely say the subject holds an interest to me. And as vulgar as some of these sites and their content may be, I believe there are aspects about them we could elicit onto animationsource as well.

I think the main reason no one really mentions it is the ruder aspect of furry P:

A lot of people (mistakenly) think furry = ...well, animal art for adults. To be blunt. >>

I consider myself a "clean furry" xD I love the (clean)art side, the idea of going to a furry convention, "fursuits" and the amount of talk about animated animal films or TV shows or games etc.
I'd imagine a fair amount of AS users are furries, I know quite a few already, which isn't surprising seeing as it started (and will likely continue) with animated animal movies/TV shows.

I don't know, am I a furry? I've never really labeled myself as one. I do enjoy films that have to do with Animals with somewhat human features such as Balto (Obviously) and the Disney animated version of Robin Hood and I do enjoy video games with the similar theme such as the Starfox franchise (and really any game with wolf/werewolf type of characters). But I never really got into any of the furry/furdom stuff. Just seemed a little creepy to me, even if it was non sexual. This might sound a little prejudice but I've heard furries are very socially akward. I don't know if it's true, but it's just what I've heard.

Well, a lot of people on site have fursonas which is a furry thing, so I'd consider anyone with a fursona partially a furry.

I wouldn't consider myself a furry much at all.

I know a couple people on here who are hardcore furries.

I am not that way. You might consider me one a LITTLE bit. not a lot.

[quote="HorrorHooligan" But I never really got into any of the furry/furdom stuff. Just seemed a little creepy to me, even if it was non sexual.[/quote]

I kind of agree there. I have never gotten into the Furry stuff like the art and stuff. I see it a lot. I don't really find it CREEPY, but I just am not into it that much. Just me though.

I'm not a furry. Just because you have a character, that doesn't make you one. I'm not much into characters, but it was just at one point I ended up with one. Even at that I draw her once in a blue moon.

I still don't understand why does "furry" sound creepy to you? Just because of having an obsession with animals and drawing them? Or anthros? And liking cartoons or movies with animals in them? Nah, this doesn't sound "creepy" to me.

If all the aspects I posted above are what you call a "furry" , then I can easily consider myself as one of them xD

I'm not saying the entire furry fanbase is creepy but a lot of furry artwork definitely is, it's almost as if a lot of the characters they create are what I would call "too real"

I am a furry, actually. I actually always did find movies with animals as the main characters more engaging, especially when I was a kid (with the exception of really cheesy movies involving animals). Needless to say, I was really relieved when I found this site back when I was 15 (almost five years ago) I was glad that there was a community of people who also found the film interesting, who were around my age, or in some cases, older than me. I didn't know about the furry fandom back then, but I slowly started to discover it when a few Google searches found Balto fanart on sites like FurAffinity, which lead me to finding other artists who drew fanart of other series involving animals as main characters, and of course, anthro artwork not relating to any movie or TV series. It was a process that took a few years after joining up on this site, but eventually I realized that... maybe my interests aren't solely in the Balto series, but movies depicting anthropomorphic animals in general. Hence, I began to consider myself a furry, and I am extremely content with that, despite a few comments from my parents that went along the lines of "Grow up!" (I remember posting a topic about that long ago... >< not so good memories...)

As to HorrorHooligan's post, well, having met other furries in person, I would say that a good portion would be perceived as socially awkward at first sight, but not really. Though, whether the large presence of other furries (as I have only so far met up with other furries in groups) had any effect to that, I don't know, but it's possible. I myself am not socially awkward (just ask Rusty and Suka) but I would not know if I could say the same for others. Though, if YouTube videos say everything, I would have to say that at the very least the well-known furries amongst the fandom would generally disprove that notion. Though I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "too real" but I think I have an idea. Though, if it is what I think it is, let's not discuss it here, as I don't wish to infringe on this site's rules about that.

Both Balto and The Lion King are the first "furry" themed movies that I recall watching (but my memories of the time when I was watching those movies all the time are kinda blurry... I was like, 5 or so when I was) so... I guess I have them to thank! XP Though, this site also got me to realize that maybe I'm not immature for being as old as I am (19) and still having an interest in the Balto movies, or preferring the Sly Cooper series over the Call of Duty series.

Sorry if I'm going a bit off topic here but this topic reminded me of the CSI episode with the furries and I heard It caused a lot of controversy in the furry community because of the way they were depicted. Has anyone else seen this episode just out of curiosity?

Yes, I have. Actually, I wasn't as offended as I thought I'd be, but it does grossly misrepresent furries in general. A lot of furries stopped watching CSI after the episode aired, and we still refer to it as "That CSI episode" or "The CSI episode." Believe me, having been to a real furry convention, I know that what was shown on that episode was pretty inaccurate.

I will have to agree with SotW on this one, eventhough I am not a furry. 99.9% of furries are normal people that just like to see themselves as an animal, there is nothing wrong with that. It is just what Hollywood has turned furries into as kind of creepy person that you want to keep your kids away from. But as you know with everything Hollywood is wrong, furries are just normal people like you and me, there are plenty of people on here with furries and none of them come accross as weird, sick, or twisted int the head. They just come accross as a normal human being that happens to like to picture themselves as an animal.

I love these kind of threads. Honestly, some of the responses just make me laugh. (no, not to bash any responses here yet)

In a nutshell:

Yes, I am a furry. I own a fursuit. I have been to 18 conventions. I have met many furries. YES, there are some creepy ones out there; I'm not going to lie, but for the most part we as furries are functional. People have their own unique fetishes and how they live their life, that's fine; it doesn't bother me. But to anyone who is like, "Oh ewww.... furries gross." then there is something more wrong with you. I'm being 100% serious. You try to smear our name, you typically don't get anywhere but one step backwards.

[Most] furries are very friendly people. The convention I just came back from literally today, there was no acts of violence (minus silly acts of alcohol), no hate spewed, no serious drama, no PAFCON (except its now coming to Las Vegas for real next year...lol). People who are furries like to be social and have fun, and conventions are their path to happiness. Alas, CSI is not a documentary, therefore, it should not be taken seriously. It was a ploy to make money and smear the name of a misunderstood community on air of a popular television program. (e.g. I'm sure there would be more nerd-rage if CSI pulled that off from a Star-Wars or Star-Trek convention).