What is Neko?

Some are, either way.

according to anime
dogs are kemonomimi...kemono being a mammal that walks on 4 legs... mimi being ears...
furry things with ears.. includes rabbits, monkeys, etc
neko are nekomimi.. all on their own..
why? who knows.

Only if you disregard anthropomorphic animal stories from countries other than those in Europe. Such stories are very common, but they feature creatures that the listeners would know about, so each is different. Europe's feature mostly wolves, though I have also heard stories with talking cats, horses, and at least one donkey. Japan's feature cats (nekomata, for instance), raccoon dogs, and foxes. Then there's more recent history - Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, anyone?

And now you've done it...You've strayed too close to one of my pet peeves, so now I have to talk about it. Listen up all you "otaku": きつね ("kitsune" does NOT mean "fox spirit"! What the crap!! It means "fox", especially the red fox, Vulpes vulpes. Much like "neko" it can have a new meaning in English of course, I have no problem with that. But I twitch every time I see a profile that says "I'm a kitsune, which is the Japanese word for fox spirit." IT'S NOT.

Oh, and "otaku" is not a good thing to call one's self.

Because we're in a class all our own, obviously.

When I played UO, they had a fox spirit called "Bake Kitsune". Would that be the correct name, I wonder?

hahahahaha
I never ever understand the akogare to be an otaku...


same as with yelling COSPLAY on a street corner in Japan... hehe
yell OTAKU .. and this is what pops up in most ppls minds

Yes, because bake (or bakemono) means ghost or monster. So its name was literally "fox spirit". You can stick words together in Japanese just like in English, although the possessive particle is often put between them. I taught my brother how to call someone "Princess Fish-head" once, for instance.

Well, awesome. Now I know.

Hahaha...I only know that little tidbit from a friend of mine who went to visit Okinawa with another friend of ours, and somehow ended up being told what otaku means. I don't know if he called himself that, but he seemed a bit embarrassed either way.

Maya, you are my hero.
The kitsune thing has bugged me for YEARS.


And "What?" to the furries being canines. I think you may be confusing terms or somesuch. Furry = anthropomorphic animal, or one who is a fan of said anthros.

In Japanese Folklore, the Tanuki (raccoon dog like thingie) and the Kitune had powers to change or BAKERU into other things in order to play tricks on human beings.

edit
PS.. aside to Maya's post..cuz she is right too Bakeru as opposed to Henshin (change the body ie superman ultraman.. kamenrider..)
both mean to change into something else.. but the bakeru is more associated with monsters.. hence bakemono... things monsterized...

Ohhhh, I see. I was thinking they took "bake" from "bakemono". I guess that shows how limited my vocabulary is. Thanks for adding a few new words to my studies eku. Oh and the English name for tanuki is "raccoon dog". Not a very appropriate name, but that's what it is.

As for the "furries are dogs" thing, most furry characters are indeed canine (there are more foxes than anything else, for instance) but the term does apply to any anthropomorphic animal.

To Kira, thanks. I usually don't say anything about it because you never know when a person is going to be fanatical and argue over stuff. It is in one of my in-world profile picks, under "silly pet peeves". Most of my picks are for laughs, but that one may educate someone some day.

same same really .. Bakemono are things that Baketa.. =^^=

i still cant equate tanuki with racoons tho... i mean just look at the 金玉

Neko's = Staple Diet of SL Vampires *evil grin* Yum, yum!!!

Lolwut?

Furries: humanoid animals. Beatrix-Potter / Looney-Tunes "western" style animal-people.
Nekos: humans with cat-like characteristics. Japanese animation "eastern" style animal-people.

*hisses*

Don't start with me, missy, or I'll set my Malkavians on you!

There may be one at Extrovirtual. If not... Wynx has been known to listen to suggestions. Though she hasn't yet made a Luwak Tiny (complete with cup of coffee).

Muhahahah! You'd be top of any vampire's nomming list! You are just going to have to make yourself look less edible VV

Pfft. Malks, they cannot even agree on what day it is let alone get organise to fight off an attack from sane vamps hehehe

/me giggles.

Blame it on people that saw a tanuki's masked face and thought it looked like a raccoon. I made tanuki avatars recently (they were to raise money for a friend of mine with cancer, who is learning Japanese, so I thought it fit) and I kept having to explain to people that they were based on a real animal, and they weren't related to raccoons. I also had a couple of smart-alecs point out the lack of "きんたま" (I only do "PG" avatars )

Even then, consider Peter Rabbit. Squirrel Nutkin. Poor Tom Kitten and those nasty rats. Hunca Munca the mouse. Mr Tod the Fox.

Or that other fox, Reynard...
You tell 'em, Maya. That's one of my gripes too.

In Japanese stories about shapechanging foxes this kind of thing is something ALL foxes can learn to do. Just like all male Tanuki can... um.. let's not go there...

Sure it wasn't Baka Kitsune?

well.. all over japan .. the 金玉　are proudly on display.. in fact the larger tanuki statues are mostly rather worn down in that general area.. same same as rubbing a buddhas round tummy .. ppl find it hard to resist those sumptuous orbs.

note the difference between the older and newer tanuki hehe.

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I sure would like to see some links to these "furry history books" moo keeps talking about.

Ghosty- I know that- I think if u had a llama - mini or other wise, Elora wd have- uhm, stumbled upon it.... (I'm working on it!)



See? The plan is working, now hush... (sing quietly to self, "I want a mini llama for Christmas..){Insert appropriate holiday here}