Nonhuman vs Furry?

[CountVanBadger]

I mentioned a while ago that I wanted to write a story with a nonhuman/monster main character. I was thinking about that lately, and it occurred to me that while I still want to do that, I don't want people to think it's a furry fic.

Where do you think the line is drawn between having a monster mc, and it being a furry story?

 

[Bartun]

I'm writing a non-human protagonist too, and I like to think I pulled it off quite well, but even I don't know where that line is drawn.

 

[Lmae]

Furries are going to show up wherever a likeable anthro character is involved.

There is no line. The fandom began as an appreciation for anthropomorphic characters found in media like Disney movies, certain anime, and games.

Disney and Nintendo were not made to cater to furries, but characters like Robin Hood and Kystral are favorites among them.

Do whatever you want to do.

 

[E.Z.KAI]

I mentioned a while ago that I wanted to write a story with a nonhuman/monster main character. I was thinking about that lately, and it occurred to me that while I still want to do that, I don't want people to think it's a furry fic.

Where do you think the line is drawn between having a monster mc, and it being a furry story?

In times like this i always think about Tropic Thunder.
If you do a (mentally challenged) furry character, never go full (retard) furry.
As long as being non human isn’t his Main trait you should be fine!

 

[CountVanBadger]

As long as being non human isn’t his Main trait you should be fine!

I mean, it's an isekai story and he gets turned into his monster form when he gets isekaid, and then he has to get used to being in his new body. So I don't know if it will be his main character trait, but it will definitely be an important one.

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

Beastfolk Rabbitwoman

Furry

If it's covered in fur (scales, whatever), it's probably a furry. If it looks mostly human and is mostly covered in skin like a person, it probably fits the nonhuman category.

 

[CountVanBadger]

I was imagining an entire world made up of branches on a gigantic, continent-sized tree, and all the different races are anthropomorphic versions of various types of flying mythical creatures. Gryphons, harpies, pegasi. Ever heard of a peryton?

...this probably doesn't help my "I don't want to write furry fic" stance, does it?

 

[Arkus86]

Furry are anthropomorphic bipedal animals, I guess taurs too, and possibly humans with extensive animal features. Monster are... well, monsters. Actual mythological monsters, non-humanoid monsters... I would say the two are not mutually exclusive, too. Non-human is even broader.

I was imagining an entire world made up of branches on a gigantic, continent-sized tree, and all the different races are anthropomorphic versions of various types of flying mythical creatures. Gryphons, harpies, pegasi. Ever heard of a peryton?
View attachment 48889
...this probably doesn't help my "I don't want to write furry fic" stance, does it?

Yeah, that example would certainly fall under furry.

 

[CountVanBadger]

Yeah, that example would certainly fall under furry.

 

[Lysander_Works]

Maybe give your monster less fur?

 

[CountVanBadger]

Maybe give your monster less fur?

A bald deer? You nasty.

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

 

[MFontana]

I mentioned a while ago that I wanted to write a story with a nonhuman/monster main character. I was thinking about that lately, and it occurred to me that while I still want to do that, I don't want people to think it's a furry fic.

Where do you think the line is drawn between having a monster mc, and it being a furry story?

As far as where the line is drawn, this is based on my limited understanding of the subject matter, and could be entirely wrong.
Furry = Anthropomorphic Animal Character (with fur) - Krystal, Robin Hood Movie entire cast (Disney), Nyanta (Log Horizon), Rowan (Duskfall), Jacky (Duskfall). There are plenty of other examples as well.
Scalie = Anthropomorphic Animal Character (reptilian) - Basically any Draconian, Dragonborn, Lizardfolk, some Yuan-Ti in D&D/Pathfinder, and so on.

You don't have to intentionally write the characters to cater to the 'furry' crowd for them to be considered such, so I'd say just write the character, and story, however you want to. That's what I'm doing with Duskfall as well.
Specifically, though it would depend entirely on what kind of monster you're talking about, but I wouldn't call it a "furry story" regardless, unless you're going out of your way to build the story around that as a primary narrative focus.

 

[Hal82]

Honestly—once you have anthropomorphic characters in your stories, some people will inevitably put you in that box. Like E.Z. Kai said, just try not to make the anthropomorphic aspect the defining feature. I always try (or at least make an effort) to give my anthro characters fully developed personalities as well—strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and a past that shaped them into who they are during the story. Pen-and-paper character sheets have worked well for me.
In short—create the person, not the outward appearance.