Fursona
From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia.
A fursona (pl. fursonas), is a furspeech portmanteau of the terms furry and persona (or in the case of the alternative term furson, person) and refers to a character or identity assumed by a person or player normally associated with the furry fandom.
Many fursonas are based on 'typical' animal species, such as cats and wolves, but are often only limited by the imaginations of their player, and can include more extraordinary types of creatures such as aliens, angels, demons, vampires, and mythological creatures (a popular offshoot of mythological creatures is to have a hexapedal, taur-based fursona). Hybrid fursonas are also popular; furries who like characteristics of more than one animal will combine them into one creature, such as a cat/fox or wolf/raccoon cross. Some give these hybrids portmanteau names, such as "drynx" for a dragon/lynx, or "hedgefox" for a hedgehog/fox.
Fursonas are an integral part of the furry fandom; many people within the fandom have at least one fursona, and demand for artwork of these people's fursonas (along with conbadges, fursuits, and other commissions) is a driving force within the furry art market, providing a near-limitless array of characters for artists to draw, and likewise, providing an endless source of paraphernalia for more exuberant fans to demand, as possibilities are only limited by the offerings of artists and the wallet of the fan in question.
Contents |
[edit] Elements of a Fursona
Depending on the level of personal identification the description of a fursona typically consists of the following elements:
[edit] Appearance
A visual, kinesthetic, or textual realization of the player's mental impression of their fursona. The most common form of realization being an illustration or textual description which may be described by the term furry art.
[edit] Attire
Since many fursonas have complex fur patterns or other interesting anatomical details, not all fursonas are necessarily clothed or always illustrated with clothing on. As such, there will often be several details about the appearance of a fursona; first, its physical body, and secondly, whatever clothes and accessories are worn over such a body.
[edit] Behavior
Depending on personal preference the behavior of a fursona can range from that of a typical human being zoomorphic only in appearance to behavior which is identical to that of the animal represented by the fursona. These general behaviors usually form a framework inside of which a player may mold their character's behavior to their liking. As fursonas are typically a furry representation of the player the fursona often inherits many of the player's character traits.
[edit] History
Fursonas are often used to roleplay or in other story-based mediums, and as such, often have some sort of history, whether it is merely the history of the player behind the fursona, a backstory within a world of another person's design, or a story within a world of the person's own design.
[edit] Levels of personal identification
An individual may identify with a particular character in a variety of ways and with varying degrees of closeness.
[edit] Avatar
An avatar is typically a character created by a player as an alias. Typically this alias is used by the player as a trademark or symbol of their role playing identity. Hence, players typically do not associate themselves with their avatar outside of that specific realm of experience. A single player typically has many avatars; however, some players may prefer one character over others.
[edit] Personal furry
A personal furry is a fursona that a person or player identifies with on an intimate level.
[edit] Personal Furry vs. Avatar
The description of a personal furry typically possesses all the hallmarks of a complete fictional character. This may include the physical description of a furry, the character's beliefs, moods, and temperaments, and all stories that support and expand the understanding of the furry character. Drawings of the character are very common, and personal furries are often used online to role-play with other characters, sometimes with the aid of an avatar.
While a person may play several characters and have several fursonas, the personal furry often has greater significance — it will often be a better representation of the person's "real" personality, if only because they tend to use it more often. Many individuals with a personal furry will primarily use that character to represent themselves online and within the fandom, and may actually go by that character's name as their primary nickname or handle, both on and even offline.
[edit] Fursona as Metaphor
A personal furry often reflects elements of their player's real-life appearance or dress, or what they would like to wear. Also, there may be clues within the personal furry as to how that player sees themselves; to have a cat furry may symbolize a thirst for independence, and likewise a fox furry may symbolize percieved wit.
[edit] Relationship to other furry concepts/practices
While a personal furry is often seen as a natural fit for lifestylers, it's important to note that ideas such as the furry lifestyle and animal totemism are not intrinsically linked to the concept.
It is generally considered to be bad taste for others to depict a personal furry (and to a lesser extent, any character) participating in activities (such as Yiffing) that they or their player would not normally be involved in.
[edit] See Also
- How To Be a Furry, a satirical article about Fursonas and the Furry Fandom.
