Anthro vs Furry??

[SevenArms]

Hi everyone! I don’t know if there’s a thread about this already, but I have this doubt and I want to see the opinion of the rest of the world.

Recently I have seen a lot of discussions of people complaining that his/her character is an anthro not a furry. Is there’s a difference? It really matters??

I’m really curious about it, because to me, and to my friends, it’s almost the same. Maybe the only difference (or at least the only one we came to) will be, well, the fur.

I like characters from humans to ferals, pasing by furries, anthros or monsters. I’m mean, if your character/sona have a great background, or a good design, or simply makes you happy, I personally don’t care if it’s a cherry tree with fussy tentacles and bat wings.

What do you think about it?

 

[PlusThirtyOne]

Anthro refers to anthropomorphing a non-human thing to have human-like qualities. Not necessarily limitted to animals or even living things. Take for instance the Brave Little Toaster.
Furries are anthrofied animals that are...well...furry.
The terms vary from person to person. The word "furry" also might carry extra meaning and baggage that an artists might not like whether their character is furry or not. Lizards and scalie characters can also be called furries but again, the terms are subjective.

Me, i don't care one way or the other. i use "furry" across the board in reference to all animal characters, biped or feral, but that's just me.

 

[SevenArms]

Yes, I also understand an anthropomorphic character is any character with human traits, like you say, the Brave Toaster or Thomas the train or Potato Pete. It’s wrong (at least to me) to say that a potato is a furry.

But, for example, I have seen people that draw, let’s say, an anthro tiger lady in a couch. And then someone try to add the image to a furry group and the creator makes a tantrum that his character is not a furry.

It’s curious and confusing to me that this happens, I know it’s something really subjective but I didn’t know that it was a sensitive theme. n_ñ

 

[drawain]

I see a lot of anthros at university, because the mix of human and animal is an interesting subject to paint. Did not make me think the illustrators were furries though. I think the difference is, wether the art shall be seen as contribution to our subculture or not. There may also be artists that deny their furry self.

 

[Sergei Nóhomo]

Furry and anthro are interchangeable at this point

 

[DravenDonovan]

Here's what I gathered from it, and how I view them as being 'different' (but I won't get all hissy at anyone for not believing the same)

A Furry is someone's Fursona that happens to be an Anthromorphic animal of some sort. Yes, typically they are the animal ones with fur, so there are Scalies and such, too. From which they call themselves, Scalies? Scalsonas of themself.

Where as if someone just calls their Anthro animal just a plan ol' Anthro, than it is because they aren't really considering themselves a Furry and their characters aren't Fursona representations of themselves, or anyone else at that.

So.. It is possible to have a Furry character, which is your Fursona, and other characters that don't represent you that you just call Anthros.

Some will argue that the difference is the design of the body, too. How Furry's have a more Human Aspect to their design, while an Anthro will have more of the animal to their design.
I personally think it's just all in how it is your Fursona, so it can look either way xD
But
It is a perspective thing.

 

[SniperCoon2882]

I'd say that it has to meet some criteria that you establish for being "furry" (anthro animal with fur for example) before you could call it furry, though this is somewhat subjective.

Anthropomorphic can apply to anything whereas furry applies to anthro animals specifically. Whether or not u consider it to be anthro or furry is up to the discretion of the viewer imho.

 

[DravenDonovan]

I'd say that it has to meet some criteria that you establish for being "furry" (anthro animal with fur for example) before you could call it furry, though this is somewhat subjective.

Anthropomorphic can apply to anything whereas furry applies to anthro animals specifically. Whether or not u consider it to be anthro or furry is up to the discretion of the viewer imho.

Aye, I agree. Though it needs to make some sense, too.

What do I mean?

I mean if you want to say that all Anthromorphs with fur are Furry's, but yet we call ourselves Furry's, though we don't actually think we, ourselves, are Anthromorphic animals, but people who like to dress like them, than it can get a little.. Confusing? How can we be Furry's, but claim not to be Furry's?
So that is why I thought that Furry's are people who like to dress up like Anthromorphic, cartoony, animals and our suits or characters are Fursonas, and it's ok to call them Furry's, but not every Anthro animals are Furry's. They are just Furry.

 

[SevenArms]

Mmm I think I'm starting to understand it, but still it's a little confusing hehe

 

[DravenDonovan]

Basically Furry is a made up word created by Fursuiters for themselves and their Anthromorphic Personas.
They have a pashion for Anthro Animals, originally gotten from the cartoony Anthro Animals, like Looney Toons.
Of course some people got into the fandom for just their pure love of Anthro Animals, or because they're into the darker side of the Fandom.

However..

People who are non-Furry, or perhaps really don't like the ideas behind Furry (or what they think those ideas are), and also love Anthro Animals, usually don't like to be Associated with the term 'Furry' and therefore actually get a little huffy when their Anthro characters (OC's that aren't in any association with themselves; not their Fursona, and would rather not have one).

There isn't anything wrong if you choose to say Furry's are just another word for Anthromorphic Animals. Though the fact is the word is the Fandoms made up name for them, and it is ok if non-Furry's don't want to call them that.

 

[ChapterAquila92]

If we're going to be clinical about this:

Anthro: (n) A being that is anthropomorphic; (adj) Short form for ANTHROPOMORPHIC.

Furry: (n) An individual with an interest in anthropomorphic entities (esp. animals).

At the rate that both terms are used interchangeably within the Furry Fandom however, as mentioned before, this is a somewhat moot point in common speech where its value is intrinsic.

I do prefer the more neutral Anthro moniker if I can help it (perhaps with a -fan suffix to denote the interest), but Furry is simple and straightforward enough to use in common verbiage without skipping a beat.

 

[Fallowfox]

In short 'anthro not furry' is the mantra of a furry who doesn't want to admit they're a furry.

 

[ChapterAquila92]

If we're going to be clinical about this:

Anthro: (n) A being that is anthropomorphic; (adj) Short form for ANTHROPOMORPHIC.

Furry: (n) An individual with an interest in anthropomorphic entities (esp. animals).

At the rate that both terms are used interchangeably within the Furry Fandom however, as mentioned before, this is a somewhat moot point in common speech where its value is intrinsic.

I do prefer the more neutral Anthro moniker if I can help it (perhaps with a -fan suffix to denote the interest), but Furry is simple and straightforward enough to use in common verbiage without skipping a beat.

On another note, defining something as being "furry" can be equivocally interpreted as something being hairy and all that the descriptor could mean. This ambiguity works well for puns, but not so much for serious discussion.

 

[Ziplone]

While toasters are sexy, I still good old fashioned animals are where it is at!

 

[KuraSilwood]

Far as I know if you honestly put Anthros and Furries out in the wild together figuratively they'd still do it like animals as they say.
Honestly many artists can be overly sensitive more than the subject about furry foxes of the "norms" are.

It's up to that artist to either find himself, or just plain out deal with it. By the end of the night Anthros and Furries are coexisting things
"ART" made by billions of people, and art shouldn't be shunned just because of memes, norms, or he-said-she-saids about the art community.

Overall everyone has a goal with their passion, some to strike big and rich, some to get notoriety and fame, others games & company deals,
so really as long as you work hard and love whatcha do, shouldn't matter whether its Furry, Anthro, Scalies, Anime, Realism, or even Alienism.

 

[Sl0shy]

In short 'anthro not furry' is the mantra of a furry who doesn't want to admit they're a furry.

if someone likes anthro creatures but doesn't particularly care for anthro creatures based on animals with fur, they're not exactly a furry, are they?

 

[Fallowfox]

if someone likes anthro creatures but doesn't particularly care for anthro creatures based on animals with fur, they're not exactly a furry, are they?

Nobody who likes anthropomorphic rocks goes around calling themselves an 'anthro' if we're honest.

 

[DravenDonovan]

People who prefer the term 'Anthro' and doesn't want to accociate with 'Furries' don't necessarily call themselves 'Anthros' either

 

[Sl0shy]

Nobody who likes anthropomorphic rocks goes around calling themselves an 'anthro' if we're honest.

that still doesn't necessarily mean anyone who identify themselves as 'anthro not furry' is a furry in denial. you're still wrong if we're honest.

 

[Very Hairy Larry]

While toasters are sexy, I still good old fashioned animals are where it is at!

 

[Fallowfox]

that still doesn't necessarily mean anyone who identify themselves as 'anthro not furry' is a furry in denial. you're still wrong if we're honest.

Almost everybody who does is though, if you're honest.

 

[Sl0shy]

Almost everybody who does is though, if you're honest.

in that case, you're /almost/ not wrong. still wrong

 

[Shadowblackwolf]

I was unaware there was a difference

 

[DravenDonovan]

You're only a Furry if you call yourself a Furry. You can like furry Anthros without being a Furry, for Furry is just a title one chooses to use. Or chooses not too.
Just like you can have sexual relations with someone, but not be in a relationship. You can like them, but not in the sense you want to be with just them.

 

[Nataku]

Frankly any anthro art is also furry art. Was Looney Tunes originally created as 'furry'? No, but that's what we all view it as. The artist that doesn't want their anthro art recognized as also being furry is really just not fond of the association's they think the name brings. But as is the nature of any art you post publicly, you aren't the only one who gets to decide. And at this stage of the game, if you posted anthro art, it's gonna get called furry eventually too.