Anthropomorphic characters (What are some of your favorites?)

[miyabi95_]

Since Sonic the Hedgehog left a mark on the gaming industry, character designers working for many game companies have become open to using anthropomorphism (mostly animal and mechanical features), so I decided to create a thread for any fans of these types of characters.

I shouldn't have to say to keep this SFW, lol. Just don't post any NSFW fanart xD. But I guess if your into adult visual novels and simulators, you can show SFW images of anthro characters from them :>.

I guess I'll start: I recently started playing Star Ocean for the Super Famicom, and while the gameplay isn't as action-RPG as TSR says it is (lol), I do like the animal-like character designs. Millie's probably my favorite so far. (mostly the more recent design for the PSP remake) The slightly-pointed ears and bushy tail completes the look for me, personally.

[psychospacecow]

I really like Ms. Fortune. She's a cat lady. Its also hard to find SFW images of her because the character is also undead and all those markings are break points.

[Koh]

Billy from Chotoonz's relatively new Cat and Keet cartoon webseries. See my avatar. He's cute and relatively simple at the same time. And the cartoon is like a modern Tom and Jerry. So while it's nothing special, it's a nice change of pace from the modern cartoons with the samey looking artstyles, and it's got appealing character designs to boot. Check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oc8hBIAHM8

[Dolphman]

I don't think Millie and Ms. Fortune should be called anthropomorphic characters. They'd be classed more as half human & animal monster girls.

While on the subject. I've always liked Crash Bandicoot. One of the reasons is that he's based on one of the lesser known marsupials in Australia, which people from over seas haven't even heard of them, until Crash came around back in 1996.
The original three PS1 games are enjoyable and fun to play. While Introducing one memorable character after another.

Here we have Crash. Now below is what a bandicoot looks like. 

Sadly, I stopped playing the games after the third one. To me, the series went downhill starting with Crash Team Racing.
Then Crash of the Titans came. That game and it's sequel pretty much killed the franchise, no thanks to Activision's idiocy.

Right now, we've been hearing rumors about Sony and Naughty Dog planning to buy the series back and make a new game.
It be great if that was true, because it's just rotting at Activision who seem to ignore their other brands besides Skylanders and Call of Duty.
Shame it's unlikely they could try and buy Spyro back. He's currently usurped from the spotlight by the rest of the characters in Skylanders.

Nowadays it's hard to find platform games starring funny animals & creatures. Mostly being afraid of getting accused of ripping off Sonic.
But then we have Freedom Planet, which is a cool indie game that's like Sonic, Rocket Knight Adventures, Mega Man and Ristar mixed into one.
And we have another upcoming mascot platformer, Spark the Electric Jester. Which is sort of like Sonic mashed up with Kirby.
Plus it's by the same guy who made those awesome Sonic fan-games (Before the Sequel, After the Sequel, and Chrono Adventure)

[Koh]

Whaaat, Crash Team Racing is one of the best cart racers, lol. It even spawned standards later put in other 3D racing titles, like Diddy Kong Racing and even Super Mario Kart took some notes XD.

But speaking on his design itself, I prefer his classic design. It started to get ridiculous after that one PS2 Crash game that still had classic Crash.

[Jermungandr]

I don't think Millie and Ms. Fortune should be called anthropomorphic characters. They'd be classed more as half human & animal monster girls.

Agreed. Anthropomorphism refers to animals (or any non-human entity really) with human characteristics. Humans (or human-like beings) with animal characteristics would be Zoomorphism.

Though that is honestly kind of a nitpicky detail; the topic could easily be about both.

I mean if we're getting really technical, anthropomorphism is a broader subject than we tend to consider. Most people consider it to just refer to animals that are capable of walking upright and utilizing prehensile forepaws (y'know, hands). But technically even a character like Amaterasu from Okami could be considered anthropomorphic, as even though she looks completely like a normal wolf and even acts like a wolf most of the time, she shows human-levels of cognition in her ability to perfectly understand spoken language and problem solving skills. (Chibiterasu even more so).

Additionally, robots with human characteristics also qualify as anthropomorphic. Mega Man, Robo from Chrono Trigger, et cetera. But at this point I'm just starting to sound like a nitpicky tool. Mayhaps it would be a good idea to lay down some more specific critera for the topic.

[Koopaul]

This is relevant right?

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Ma...pomorphism

[miyabi95_]

I did forget to mention that we can discuss *any* characters on that spectrum that Koop's referring to. Therefore they can be anthropomorphic or zoomorphic. :U

This includes robot-like characters. Basically any character that has a human aspect but isn't necessarily human.

[DarkGrievous7145]

You linked to THE most distracting of websites... lol
I resisted the urge, THIS time

On a more related note, yeah, i'd say that's pretty releveant.

In that case, I'd like to mention
NoLegs and the other kitten warriors from the Epic Battle Fantasy series
No particular reason besides they're cute and the equipment choices are sometimes rather amusing.

the Anubis Warriors from Age of War 2, mainly because of their weapons.
There's also my interest in Egyptian designs and stuff.

Krystal as she appears in Starfox Adventures. I'm kinda partial to the "tribal" character design or whatever it's called.

I honestly don't have any better reasons to explain, hope that's not an issue?

Would any of the pokemon count? a lot of them seem to fit the "anthropomorphic" concept in design, at least.

Another question, does this HAVE to be only video game characters?

[miyabi95_]

Pokemon is like perfect for this, lmao xD. I especially love how Braixen is the "magical girl" of Pokken's roster . I've always had a soft spot for the more anthro Pokemon like Lucario and Weavile and such.

And yeah, you can include characters from other media C:

[DarkGrievous7145]

and Lucario is one of the ones I was going to list.

In particular, the one from Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.
Besides his character design and his power are pretty badass, his character traits, such as loyalty and bravery are pretty nice as well.
In the unlikely event someone doesn't want some plot details spoiled...

Spoiler

Sad his fate, though, besides learning of his master's... and I'm also going to guess fading from existence/dissolving into thin air is not a fun way to go

[Koh]

If we're gonna go into Pokemon territory, Smeargle. Simple, not complicated or ridiculous design, while at the same time, cute and charming.

[Gors]

i dont like anthromorphic characters often because I find the design to be bland. Such as the aforementioned Crash, who is totally NOT like a Bandicoot and has a very visually appealing outfit of... Naked top and blue trousers.

I like it more when it's more creative, that is, it's more than a random animal with human clothing. Thus I like the units in Shining Force (the deer-face girls and centaur knights) and animal inspired characters.

In particular I like Fire Emblem Fates' Kinu/Selkie. She's a fox girl and fox girls in japanese media always come with a lot of mysticism and religion imbued within the character - it's something i really love too

[puggsoy]

I love the anthropomorphic animals in the Dragon Ball series. Characters like Oolong, Captain Yellow, and King Furry (not sure whether Puar and Korin would count as anthro?). Most of them just act, talk and live like humans, and the fact that they're animals rarely has any significance, but I still think it's a neat idea to have them as citizens of Earth.

It's a bit of a shame, in Z you tend to see less animal citizens (apparently due to its more serious tone), despite King Furry still being King of Earth.

[miyabi95_]

Puar and Korin talk like people, so I'd consider that anthro enough .

Felicia (Darkstalkers) and Cham Cham (Samurai Shodown) are by far up there on my list of cutest video game characters. While their pretty similar to each other, they both have unique in-game attributes as well as quirky designs. I'd direct anyone who wants to make a character designed around cats to these two.

(as well as Ms. Fortune)