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Zettadragon

Fursona Woes

by

As some of you may be aware, I have a character, the little pink dragon/cat hybrid, for whom I've been referring to as my fursona. He's gone through countless revisions and I still haven't settled on a version that I'm satisfied with. Now the more I think about it the more I've come to a realization that I've never really... felt like him. Like many other fursonas out there, he's a combination of the kind of person I am irl and an idealized version of myself, and his species is also one that has a lot of personal meaning to me.

But simply put, I've just never quite.. identified as him, felt like he represented myself. His design and concept goes all the way back to when I first discovered and participated in the furry fandom back in 2008. I created him because at the time, I felt like I needed a fursona to join the fandom, or to feel accepted. (But now I know that that's not necessarily true; there are a lot of different types of people here and many don't necessarily have a fursona!)

So right now I wonder if I should toss his entire concept aside and start anew, or if I should just give up on having a fursona altogether. Since my fursona was designed back in '08, I've changed a lot since then, so it might make sense to give him an entire overhaul. But on the other hand, the main appeal of the furry fandom to me has always been solely the artistic aspect. You could say that my heart truly lies within the anime/manga fandom (as I participate in it more actively and hold more interest in it than the furry fandom in general); but on the artistic level, I enjoy drawing and designing animals or anthropomorphic characters more.

I'd be interesting in hearing if you have anything to say about being in the furry fandom and having a character represent yourself as a fursona. I know it's mostly a matter of opinion, but do you think it's better, or even necessary, to have a fursona? And what are your own reasons for having or not having a fursona? How do you feel about it, and do you feel like folks who don't have a fursona are "less" of a furry fan than those who do?
Viewed: 111 times
Added: 9 years, 2 months ago
 
25 Comments on this Journal
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JinxMcKenzie
JinxMcKenzie
9 years, 2 months ago
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It's hard to define if there even is a single fursona, which could describe myself.
I prefer to use many different chars and feel like that specific char.
Having a non specific Fox OC, fits best, I think. Always feeling a little different^^
strangetales
strangetales
9 years, 2 months ago
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I'd say keep that cutie as a mascot. My girl Allison is sort of a cubby version of my feminen side, but dosen't share many irl qualities I do. I do have a main fursona, but Allison is used as my mascot. Fursonas are often just used for icons and badges as a way to identify the person online or at a con. Also many will make a fursona as well if they don't draw or write to still feel like they're contributing to the fandom. Other good examples are
ern
ern
Sloss
Sloss
and
RisingDragon
RisingDragon
who don't have fursonas either, but use their characters rocketgirl, rune and estrid in mascot rolls for their accounts.
johnbrittish
johnbrittish
9 years, 2 months ago
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I was gonna say this, too~

The character could still serve as a mascot for your art and account!
Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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Hmm you know what, I'm really liking the mascot idea! I'll probably still revamp the design a bit, but keeping the character as a mascot takes away the sort of 'responsibility' and uncertainty that I get when I limit myself to thinking of him as a fursona.
SirBrownBear
SirBrownBear
9 years, 2 months ago
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Edited 9 years, 2 months ago by Owner
Personally, I find it a lot easier to just settle with a simple persona. Have a character that largely functions as an avatar, or like an extension of a name you use online. Rather than something that's wholly supposed to be "you", it just represents you, like an mmo character would.

Or like SB suggested, use a mascot instead.
Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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Yee, I think I'll go with the mascot thing instead. Maybe two of them!
SirBrownBear
SirBrownBear
9 years, 2 months ago
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Oh? A second in command? * w*
Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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Yup, I'm kinda thinking that the name "Zetta" is too cool for this chubby pink floofball cat/dragon thing, so my current one will act as a secondary/pet type character to my new one haha
SirBrownBear
SirBrownBear
9 years, 2 months ago
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Sounds intriguing~ Can't wait to see ^ w^
Kiffin
Kiffin
9 years, 2 months ago
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I recent changed Sonas after 12 years with one....   Your know the story but what i would say is i tried so hard to change her to fit....  The new Sona was a wonderful feeling of exploration and confirmation of who i was and who I had become through the years.
Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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Maybe someday I'll find the right fursona for me ^^;;
mobkiller
mobkiller
9 years, 2 months ago
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I kinda split my personality into several characters. Each one represents another part of myself.
Most of myself is represented by my Fursona Tobias and my two cat/dragon hybrid twins Gregory and Jonathan
Zarphus
Zarphus
9 years, 2 months ago
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theres nothing wrong with having more than one character. i have 3.
eeveefan
eeveefan
9 years, 2 months ago
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well... I really like your dragon, its cute, cuddly and really awesome looking. honestly the decision is really up to you. I prefer a sona because it gives a picture of what the person would look like as their furry in addition to their characteristics, personality and whatnot. I wouldn't scrap your sona, I would just keep it and if need be (or if you want to get fancy) make another one. I myself am going to be making a sona as myself as a Zepaline, a bunny and a vampire rabbit or possibly another bun.. haven't decided on the last one. but yeah you had your sona that long I wouldn't scrap it, just keep it and make a new one ^^ though ill always think of you as that cute pink dragon haha ^///^
zyfer
zyfer
9 years, 2 months ago
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Edited 9 years, 2 months ago by Owner
I thought about having a character before a couple times and ultimately decided against it for a number of reasons. For me the benefits don't outweigh the unbenefits or negatives.. or w/e they are called.

While I'm into a variety of fandoms most of the time I don't feel like I belong and usually don't interact with enough people in them to warrant or have any need for a sona/mascot type character. In addition to that some of the fandoms are less important to me then others. I can understand why some people would want them and stuff but I really think it's for people who are really active in those fandom communities such as big authors/narrators/artists and other content creators  especially those who don't like having their face and stuff on the internet.

Then like you there is the whole creation process problem. Do you want it to represent yourself, or to represent your ideal self/what you want to become. Or just some random character. If you want your mascot character to stand out it can't really be uber generic but then if you have trouble describing yourself as is how are you going to make them stand out? If you are in a majority of fandoms do you try to combine diffferent elements or make a new character for each fandom?

Then you also have to feed/water, clean, and care for them. While some people are good at remembering about these important things I am not. I learned my lesson when I was young.

Since you already have a fursona, I would suggest use him/her. If you feel like you don't really want/need him but don't really wanta scrap him you could always try changing a few things with a story. Something kind of like self narration or something like that. "Oh my character was a human but then was kidnapped by nekololis from space! They biologically mutated the human into a larger dragon hybrid with a huge dick to help with breeding." would be an example. That would cause him to be used, create content, and not scare him from the thought of scraping him.

Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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That makes sense and I can understand your viewpoint on the subject. I did create this character and labelled it as a fursona but I've never felt the desire or need to draw them or roleplay as them. I guess a mascot doesn't particularly need a backstory though, so I'll likely stick with that idea.
LemmyNiscuit
LemmyNiscuit
9 years, 2 months ago
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I do not have a particular fursona. I go by the name Lemmy Niscuit in other places, and so my "fursona" is that I am a lemon biscuit. Or a polar function.

It depends on how you want to participate in the community. Fursonas, to me, are for role-playing as yourself. But I like to keep myself "separate" in a way, so I take on the mantle of one of my characters. Technically my fursona is Ket, since he is most like me in personality (or at least how I was when I was his age), but I don't jump into his character any more or less than any other character.

I don't know how it differs between an artist and a writer, and there may not actually be any, but I'm happy not really having a specific fursona. In a way, it's more interesting to see how other people identify me... Which is as a lemon biscuit.
Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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Yeah, thinking about it it seems like the predominant reason for creating a fursona is for roleplay purposes. Some people may create a sona for art but even in that case it still has a sort of connection back to the roleplay aspect. As I do not find much appeal in roleplaying that's probably a reason why I never felt a strong 'connection' with the character I designed to be my fursona.
HighVoltage
HighVoltage
9 years, 2 months ago
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heh, I was going to comment on this, but I could not say anything that all of these wonderful people have not already covered....heh, needless to say, I think everything has been covered and covered well...just because you do or dont consider yourself a furry, or even a member of this community, does not matter, what matters is how you feel on your end, you can be a member of the community and not be a furry, or you can be a furry and not be a member of the community, the beauty of this whole fandom is that everything is left up to the individual, and the community as a whole, one can partake as much or as little as they like, and they can do or feel what ever they desire, because thats the sheer beauty of this.  its such an open and accepting community that there is no one true norm or main thing to it.  all of it, all of it in total, is left up to the choices of its collective whole, and that is one thing I love.  we have scalies, furries, bronies, you name it, it exists in this collective fandom as a whole, and its all open and accepting.  so in the end, I say do what ever you like zetta, as its all up to you and what you want to do, and everyone else will do the same.  there is no one singular right or wrong thing to do, its just what you want to do yourself.
Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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Your comment makes a lot of sense and you're right, I shouldn't stress out about the whole having-or-not-having-a-fursona thing. One of the reasons I enjoy the furry community so much is that it's so accepting, no matter what kind of person you are. Rarely do I see any judgmental folks around here and it's nice that so many can be true to themselves. So thank you, for reminding me about this, I often worry too much about the smallest things and it's probably not that healthy for me, haha.
HighVoltage
HighVoltage
9 years, 2 months ago
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trust me I'm right there with ya on the worrying about things...due to my nearly 20 years on the internet, I have learned to be paranoid, and sadly that carries over to my real life offline....so trust me, I feel ya there bud.
LavenderImp
LavenderImp
9 years, 2 months ago
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Edited 9 years, 2 months ago by Owner
I kinda feel similar, but I do still want a fursona. I just need to make some major modifications to them. TBH, it's mainly because my current fursona fits in too well with the furry fandom. I need someone that could more easily fit in all the fandoms/cultures/ect I love. Changing from a cat/bat hybrid to a furry gargoyle. Furry, fantasy, gothic, bla bla bla it just fits me better without worrying how furries see it.
They'll still have the same name, but "NekoVeil" will just be more of a username than a fursona name.

I guess what I'm trying to say as advice is this: When making your fursona/persona, don't think about one particular fandom from him/her to belong in, think of ALL you fandoms, interests, loves, hobbies and make him/her a universal, fantastical you!
Zettadragon
Zettadragon
9 years, 2 months ago
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This is an interesting insight, the idea of making an anime (humanoid) version of my character too for the anime community has crossed my mind before but I wasn't sure about the idea.
LavenderImp
LavenderImp
9 years, 2 months ago
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Like an anime styled anthro dragon, or a human with dragon features? With dragon teeth, dragon tail, burning dragon fire, a real live wire! :P
Either way, it's a cool idea to combine furry(scallie) and anime. Maybe make him a dragon knight or wear a kimono with a dragon print on it?
Sukanar
Sukanar
9 years, 2 months ago
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you dont have to have a fursona to be a furry. and if you dont connect with your character anymore, or at all, but still enjoy it, just use them as a muse. you dont have to them represent you. if youre wanting a fursona, take your time to find it, or like some ppl do, have several. i do. XD do what you want and feel like you need/want.
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