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Catgirl

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This article deals with the Catgirl in popular culture. For information of historical interest on the mythical creature, see Bakeneko.
See Carrie Kelly for the sidekick Catgirl in Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again. For BDSM petplay, see human animal roleplay.
File:Felicia(Darkstalkers).jpg
Felicia, a typical example of a catgirl.

A catgirl is a woman or girl with cat ears, a cat tail, or other feline accoutrements on an otherwise human-shaped body; they are found semi-commonly in anime and manga either as a form of cosplay or actual body parts, as well as in a few video games (Dark Cloud, for example). Catgirls wishing to look especially cute will wear over-sized mittens and shoes that look like paws. "Catgirl" can sometimes be modified to refer to other woman/animal combinations that are sometimes found, usually mammals like bunnygirls, foxgirls and (more rarely) doggirls; see kemonomimi.

Catgirls are typically not considered furry because they most often resemble humans with cat-like embellishments rather than being an anthropomorphic cat, though this is not always the case, as the definition and appearance of catgirls vary from country to country, person to person. Eastern catgirls are usually depicted as having minimal feline characteristics such as slitted eyes, tails, and ears (with different color ear-fur than their hair), while Western catgirls are more often portrayed as more feral, with full body fur and claws being their most prominent aspects. Of course, this is only a very general rule of thumb and not true for all cases. For example, some Japanese examples of catgirls include characters such as Escaflowne's Merle, the Puma Twins from Dominion: Tank Police, or Aisha Clan-Clan from Outlaw Star, who are more feline in mannerisms than they initially appear to be. In some shonen series, however, a (usually villainous) catgirl may be portrayed as the leader of a band of anthropomorphic animals.

Ordinary humans, such as Hikaru Shidou from Magic Knight Rayearth, will sometimes sprout cat ears or a tail in order to illustrate their excitable personalities. This is similar to the phenomenon of becoming chibi and is mostly a stylistic quirk from manga artists. In Japanese, catgirls are usually called nekomimi (猫耳)—literally, "cat ears"—rather than the literal term nekomusume (猫娘). Sometimes characters do not actually feature cat-like ears or such an accessory but their hair sticks out and resembles cat ears.

Characters in anime and manga may momentarily develop a catlike mouth. This is usually used to emphasize mischievous thoughts or comments by a character. Rebellious boys are more often compared to dogs (InuYasha being a popular example) or wolves. The "lone-wolf" characterization is very common for brooding, aggressive, socially isolated males, while comparisons to dogs usually refer to adorably rebellious but ultimately harmless boys. However, in certain anime and manga series, such as Loveless, a boy may be compared to a cat in a similar way catgirls are. In those occasions, they are sometimes referred to as catboys. Understandably, bishōnen catboys are typically associated with shōjo manga and yaoi.

In some circles, catgirl is a disparaging term for a stereotypical hyperactive and obnoxious fangirl, who might wear cat ears as an accessory while at conventions.[citation needed]

File:Dejiko.jpg
Dejiko from Di Gi Charat

Catgirls outside of Anime

Catgirl characters are also found outside of anime, manga, and video games. Often, such catgirls often are more like humanoid cats than their Japanese counterparts. Fantasy games have catgirl characters, such as Magic: The Gathering's Mirri. Some live-action shows and movies, as well as western comics and animation, have featured various cat-like characters. In addition, catgirls make occasional appearances in Western science-fiction, like Cordwainer Smith's cat-derived Underperson C'Mell (who appears in Norstrilia and The Rediscovery of Man).

List of catgirl characters

Catgirls who always have real ears and a tail

Nekomusume

Girls who always have real cat ears

  • Kizna Towryk from Pilot Candidate (she is not actually a catgirl, but has implanted cat ears)
  • Mao from the PlayStation2 game Shining Tears (no tail, but natural cat ears and catlike agility)

Girls who transform into catgirls

Girls who are seen wearing catgirl costumes regularly

File:Tsukuyomi.jpg
Hazuki from Tsukuyomi-Moon Phase

Catboys

Live action catgirls

Webcomic catgirls

Others


See also

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