Mythical hybrids: anthro?

[Cassidy Peterson]

I've come across people who say that anthro is any animal with human traits, including hybrids like centaurs and mermaids. I don't agree with that. In my opinion, if part of the creature is actually human, it's not anthro, because anthros are fully animal in my eyes, regardless of how human they look. It's a matter of shape versus heritage. Anthros look part human, whereas hybrids are part human.

edit: Just to note, this is referring specifically to human-bodied anthros. I know and agree that animals who act human despite keeping their animal bodies can also be considered anthro.  

[Sunegami]

I completely agree. 3nodding  

[[-Erik-]]

Whatever.

Half beast will be half beast in the end.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I've always liked a definition for anthropomorphism along the lines of- Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to non humans such as inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. This means an anthro could potentially be a rock, piece of wood, animal, or some fantasy creature.

People have a tendency to add anthropomorphic traits to creatures because it makes them more relatable. Look at depictions of aliens. They are often given humanish characteristics. We even anthropomorphize real life animals because we often use our own experiences and feelings to describe the behaviors we see in them.

As for hybrids it is a fine line verging on semantics. A hybrid isn't a human. Just like a mule is neither a horse nor a donkey. Thus since a hybrid isn't human it wouldn't bother me to here someone say that their hybrid is anthropomorphic.

What if an anthro cat and human had an offspring? How would you know if the human trait came from the anthro cat or the human?  

[Sunegami]

Krissim Klaw

I've always liked a definition for anthropomorphism along the lines of- Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to non humans such as inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. This means an anthro could potentially be a rock, piece of wood, animal, or some fantasy creature.

[...]

As for hybrids it is a fine line verging on semantics. A hybrid isn't a human. Just like a mule is neither a horse nor a donkey. Thus since a hybrid isn't human it wouldn't bother me to here someone say that their hybrid is anthropomorphic.

Given your definition above, let me ask you a question: would you consider a stereotypical anime cat girl, whose only animal feature is that she has cat ears (and maybe a tail), anthro?  

[Selene Aries]

Well... anthro is taking something non-human and giving it human traits. Something that is part human-part not human is more like a chimera.

There is a whole other definition for characters like neko-girls and the like that are simply humans given a few animal features.  

[Garek Maxwell]

[-Erik-]

Whatever.

Half beast will be half beast in the end.

Halfies are unnatural! gonk

...Unless made the all natural way.  

[CodyDudeTm]

Well, I say that they are anthro, because to me, something furry is something that isn't entirely human, nor entirely animal. If it's a normal furry (Aka, a humanoid animal), or a halfie, like a centaur, lamina, or harpy, then it's a furry :3  

[Shaviv]

I guess the salient part to me is "mythical".  

[L the strawberry lover]

In everyday life, I'd has that no, mermaids and centaurs are not anthro, but I'm not going to tell a furry who's fursona is a mermaid or centaur that they aren't a furry. After all, who are we to say what a person's fursona is? They're idea is just as valid as mine.  

[Selene Aries]

I am still going to stick to saying that it is we, the actual fans, that are the furries, not the characters.

Is Bugs Bunny a furry? No, he is not, but he is an anthropomorphic rabbit.  

[Cassidy Peterson]

Selene Aries

I am still going to stick to saying that it is we, the actual fans, that are the furries, not the characters.

Is Bugs Bunny a furry? No, he is not, but he is an anthropomorphic rabbit.

Aye, thank you. I'm not talking about furries - it's too damn broad a term with too many vague definitions or conflicting specific definitions. I'm talking, specifically, about human mixes.  

[Pom Graines]

Anthropomorphic means 'ascribing human form or attributes to a being or thing not human'. So in such a way centaurs, mermaids,animals that talk and think like humans, half-human half-animal hybrids and any other number of things can be called anthro. The Greek pantheon is often called anthropomorphic even though they are primarily in human form- because they are gods and have human traits assigned to them they are 'anthropomorphic'. Someone talking to their computer or talking about it having 'moods', or a pilot talking about their plane a sailor about their ship and engineer about their engine... it's all anthropomorphicising because it is assigning human traits and characteristics to something that is not human.

So... yes I would say centaurs, mermaids ect are 'anthros'.  

[Sunegami]

Personally, I see mermaids, centaurs, etc. as being human with animal traits; by that definition, they're not "anthro" to me.  

[RyanJakobi]

Of course Bugs Bunny is furry. He's got fur. blaugh