Mutations or Birth Defects?

[Flippers]

Okay, you got people who are realistic animals... wolves, dogs, leopards...

You got the furries, who are people with pawed feet, tails, and an animal head with cartoony eyes...

Then you got the hybrids, who are people with animal ears sticking out of their heads and tails...

The nekko are cat hybrids with anime AO's...

Okay now let's find out some things:

What's with the people with two fox tails? Is this a status thing? It looks like a birth defect, unless they're hiding two of something you'd need poseballs to use.

What's with the people with four ears? If they're going to have cat ears or rabbit ears growing out of their heads, why do they have human ears too? That's messed up. I mean with the exception of hybrid Klingons, they don't have any visible ears at all. Why are these mutants running around with both?

There's some sort of status for furries and hybrids to mimick animal haunches. Other than that giant statue of the furry at SL5B, I haven't seen one that didn't look like a genetic mistake. Done right, the thigh would be shorter and curved back, and the knee bent backwards. These avs have a normal thigh, a normal knee, then the haunch below the knee. To coin a phrase: You can't have your thighs and haunches too. It's not very attractive to walk around like an anatomical error. Someone competent with poser who knows what that SL5B statue maker knows should set these people straight.

 

[NikiKing]

I'm not always fond of the animal types. I know quite a few cats a really like, but they are fully cats not some half cat half human thing lol. Last night I met what Piers Anthony would call a Naga, half human half snake. That was pretty cool. What freaks me out is the spiders. I mean ewww why would anyone want to be a giant spider. Thats just creepy. I love the monkeys. Saw a really cool centaur once.

I know a guy whos a wolf furry. He takes the whole furry prejudice thing personally. He gets seriously offended when people make fun of him.

I see what your saying about the hybrids, I guess if I was gonna go animalistic I would go all the way. I have to admit I never noticed the ears. Thats a good point.

What does eveyone think of the tinies? Are they all child avis? I find that a little creepy too in an adult game. Some mature lots wont let them in!

 

[Flippers]

What does eveyone think of the tinies? Are they all child avis? I find that a little creepy too in an adult game. Some mature lots wont let them in!

They are two different things.

Tinies are small avatars, often animals or toys, sometimes little people or kids. It's a status to that subculture because - unlike a regular av with sliders - the mesh is scripted to fold up the body to achieve the extreme change in anatomy and volume.

This shot has tinies modeling fashion. They reach the average SL shin.

What do I think? Eh. I dont like the egoes for most of the ones I've met. LOL
I have met some nice ones though. Snurky ran into one looking for freebies on a help island: a cat in a superman suit.

Child avs are just that, and usually made with regular avatar sliders. Most of the ones I know follow a code of conduct, such as no cybering with a child av. They usually pursue G rated things like scout projects, fundraising, building contests, etc. Some are adopted by SL couples.

Here's a shot of some kid avs in the crowd from a party they threw on the 4th of July:

As for the monkeys, I've only seen someone who looks like they're wearing a gorilla suit at North Lummerland Show n Tell.

Back to children. I dont think it's appropriate for them to be in mature places. They have chosen their role and should follow through. I also dont like the ones who act like toontown snerts LOL. When they are over the top like some drag queen - like one I saw at 7Seas HQ - oversized kid fishing in a frilly dress a la shirley temple with a pacifier in her mouth and playing bogus baby sounds, I'm sorry that just crosses the line into fetish in a bad way. And when they post with written baby spelling in the SL forum I cringe because by 4 I knew how to talk and someone looking like 10 has no excuse. But they're not all like that, and they do a lot of nice things in and for SL.

 

[Kiminality]

On the fox tails, I'd imagine you need look no further than Japanese folklore.
The Wiki page on Kitsune is reasonable, which gives me a good excuse to keep it short, and go to bed like any reasonable person has done by 5am.

In essence, kitsune (foxes, in Japan) can have up to 9 tails.
The number of tails is representative of power, and in many cases, age.
So, your multiple fox tails are likely fans of kitsune, in some way/shape/form.

 

[Flippers]

In essence, kitsune (foxes, in Japan) can have up to 9 tails.
The number of tails is representative of power, and in many cases, age.
So, your multiple fox tails are likely fans of kitsune, in some way/shape/form.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

It's a cultural thing - an anime thing. Thanks for pointing that out.

The up late explains why the Teahouse Fox starts stargazing at midnight for me.

 

[Kiminality]

The up late explains why the Teahouse Fox starts stargazing at midnight for me.

iGoogle?
that fox

 

[Flippers]

iGoogle?
that fox

OT: oh yes. He and the Tezuka ones are my favorites. I have four tabs...

Have you seen the ghosts?

 

[Katheryne]

Neko, and proud of it!

Actually, the more appropriate term for female nekos would be nekomusume (猫娘), which literally means "cat-girl" or "cat-daughter". However, if you want to be completely strict about it, the Japanese term for girls with cat ears, tail, and other feline traits on an otherwise human body would be nekomimi (猫耳) - literally meaning "cat-ears".

The nekomimi would explain the "genetically-mutated" hybrid appearance that neko have.

 

[Flippers]

So why do your ilk still have human ears rather than hiding that part with your hair and not having indication of two sets?

Is this by design like the multi kitsune tails?

 

[Katheryne]

It's difficult to tell whether or not nekomusume have human ears, as all the images I've seen of them have long hair covering where human ears would be. As there are varying degrees of neko, human ears are possible. However, as you pointed out, this can be visually awkward, so I generally wear hairstyles that adequately cover my human ears when I'm in neko garb.

 

[Kiminality]

OT: oh yes. He and the Tezuka ones are my favorites. I have four tabs...

Have you seen the ghosts?

Yes!
But, only once

 

[Flippers]

Yes!
But, only once

OT some more:

In that same minute -- they only appear for one minute -- in another tab where a ladybug and a frog have turned in by a campfire, a giant monster with a cart of tiny monsters places one beside each. The next minute they're sleeping with them like teddybears. Awwwwwwwwww

The one with the ladybug and frog is cool too: drinking coffee together, practicing martial arts... at night they toast marshmallows before unrolling their sleeping bags.

They changed the Tezuka ones for his anniversary, but at night for one shot his father observed a video screen of son Atom/Astroboy sleeping. They USED to show other Tezuka characters on the monitor throughout the day, such as Michikochan, Leo/Kimba, Black Jack, Princess Knight... and at night for the one minute, Magma would be looking into the darkened lab through the windows.

Here's an old Tezuka shot:

---

Katheryne: Not everyone bothers to hide the human ears, which doesn't work if you know what I mean ;P

 

[Katheryne]

Katheryne: Not everyone bothers to hide the human ears, which doesn't work if you know what I mean ;P

True. But, just as with any other role-played avatar type (furries, tinies, vampires, etc.), this attention to detail could be one thing that sets true nekos apart from the rest.