It‘s Both Furry and Neko

Furries and nekos reference related but distinct communities and characters in the realms of animal-human fiction/art. There‘s significant overlap on the furry-neko venn diagram – but key differences as well that distinguish the two terms.

Defining the Furry Fandom

The furry fandom coalesced in the 1980s, arising from an interest in anthropomorphic animals – creatures that combine human and animal features. Furry characters had existed in art and fiction for decades prior of course, but new magazines/conventions helped spawn furry as a distinct subculture.

So what defines a furry? As the Merriam Webster dictionary states:

In the broadest sense, a furry is someone with an interest in anthropomorphized animals — that is, animals who have been given human characteristics, like an ability to talk or walk on their hind legs.

Some key hallmarks of those in the furry fandom:

• Appreciation for media, fiction, and art centered around anthropomorphic animal characters
• Creation of fursonas – furry persona‘s often represented by a fursuit costume
• Interest in conventions, meetups, and forums to connect with fellow enthusiasts

In particular, furries have driven demand for niche "anthro" artwork that combines traits of humans and mammals like foxes, canines, felines, even birds and reptiles. Modern conventions attract tens of thousands of furry fans to meet, view art, shop, or parade their "fursuits" (creative costumes based on their fursonas).

As of 2023 the numbers are substantial. A recent study suggests around 3-5 million Americans self-identify as furries.

Worldwide the total is likely over 10 million, with a large presence also in Europe, South America, and Asia. So a broad and diverse community overall, with perhaps misconceptions it is solely focused on sexual aspects. There is significant overlap in practice with LGBTQ culture, but character interests cover a wide spectrum.

Still while fandom interests vary greatly, furry-specific content caters broadly across anthropomorphized animals, and felines/nekos more specifically.

Understanding the Neko Obsession

Neko refers to catgirls – characters that blend feline and human features. The term comes directly from Japanese: neko meaning cat.

Nekomimi (cat ears) also distinguishes nekos more narrowly from kemonomimi which generically means animal ears. While kemonomimi can reference any animal, neko ears specifically are tall and pointed with signature inner fur tufts.

So where did nekos originate? Catgirl art first arose in Japanese anime and manga in the early 20th century. But really surged mainstream throughout the 60s/70s with influential creators like Osamu Tezuka integrating catgirls into storylines.

The 80s/90s saw iconic nekos like Blair from Soul Eater, cat duo Luna and Artemis from Sailor Moon, and enduring classics like Felicia from DarkStalkers.

Recent times has seen mass popularity of mainstream anime nekos like the adorable Shiro and Sora from Nekopara. And catgirl-centric games like Nekopara Vol 1-4 each selling over 500,000 copies.

In 2023 over 25% of all anime characters are estimated to have some form of nekomimi. And the /r/Nekomimi subreddit focuses just on catgirls has over 330,000 members.

So while catgirls originate from Japanese media, their appeal has spread worldwide. Particularly with western fans of anime and manga.

For consumers of this distinct niche there is definite overlap between furry fandom and nekos. Sports mascots could also fit as kemonomimi. But the terms highlight different aspects of appreciation for animal-human anthropomorphism.

Similarities and Differences

In summary, key traits that distinguish furries and nekos:

So in Venn diagram form:

There is definite overlap in interest and culture. But differences in origin, species focus, fursuits vs cat ear hairbands, etc.

For gaming and anime fans like myself who enjoy both areas, we can celebrate shared appreciation while respecting unique aspects of furry vs neko fans. 😸