Catgirl
Encyclopedia
A catgirl is a female character with cat
traits, such as cat ears, a cat tail, or other feline characteristics on an otherwise human body. Catgirls are found in various fiction genres, and in particular Japanese anime
and manga
where they are more commonly referred to as Neko (猫, literally cat) or Nekomimi (猫耳, literally cat ear(s)), in cosplay
activities both in Japan and around the world, in video games, and in online virtual world communities such as the Nekos of Second Life
.
among catgirls is that, when talking, they habitually end their speech lines with the catchphrase , the Japanese onomatopoeia for a cat's meow.
Regular human girls in anime
and manga
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 derived from manga
. They may momentarily develop a catlike mouth to emphasize mischievous thoughts or comments by a character.
In certain anime and manga series, a boy may be compared to a cat in a similar way that catgirls are. These characters are referred to as catboys.
Catgirl or catgirl-like characters are also found outside Japanese anime, manga, and video games. Examples include Catwoman
from DC comics
(dating back to 1940), "The Cat Girl" in issue 9 (1960) of the US comic "Adventures of The Fly, Josie and the Pussycats
in the early 1970s, and characters from the Broadway musical Cats
. Other less humanoid
catgirls include Cheetara from ThunderCats
, and the Khajiit from The Elder Scrolls
series. Fantasy games catgirl characters include Magic: The Gathering
s Mirri and Purraj, and the cat girl monster in the d20 Munchkin Monster Manual. Western television examples include Teenage Catgirls in Heat
, and Cordwainer Smith
's cat-derived Underperson C'Mell (who appears in Norstrilia
and The Rediscovery of Man
). The British science fiction series Doctor Who
features a religious sect called the Sisters of Plenitude, who somewhat resemble Cheetara from Thundercats, but are distinctly more feline than human. See Cat People for more information. Hepzibah
, of the Marvel Comics
super-team the Starjammers
and, later, the Uncanny X-Men
, is a cat humanoid alien (although she was originally more skunk-like, that aspect has been dropped).
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
traits, such as cat ears, a cat tail, or other feline characteristics on an otherwise human body. Catgirls are found in various fiction genres, and in particular Japanese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
where they are more commonly referred to as Neko (猫, literally cat) or Nekomimi (猫耳, literally cat ear(s)), in cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
activities both in Japan and around the world, in video games, and in online virtual world communities such as the Nekos of Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
.
Personality traits
Catgirls in character typically exhibit a more cat-like attitude, and may sometimes include cat gestures or sounds in written or verbal communications. A frequent running gagRunning gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
among catgirls is that, when talking, they habitually end their speech lines with the catchphrase , the Japanese onomatopoeia for a cat's meow.
Regular human girls in anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
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 derived from manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
. They may momentarily develop a catlike mouth to emphasize mischievous thoughts or comments by a character.
In certain anime and manga series, a boy may be compared to a cat in a similar way that catgirls are. These characters are referred to as catboys.
In Western cultures
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
from DC comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
(dating back to 1940), "The Cat Girl" in issue 9 (1960) of the US comic "Adventures of The Fly, Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats (TV series)
Josie and the Pussycats is an American animated television series, based upon the Archie Comics comic book series of the same name created by Dan DeCarlo....
in the early 1970s, and characters from the Broadway musical Cats
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. Other less humanoid
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
catgirls include Cheetara from ThunderCats
ThunderCats
ThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1984, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens...
, and the Khajiit from The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls is a role-playing video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.-History:...
series. Fantasy games catgirl characters include Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
s Mirri and Purraj, and the cat girl monster in the d20 Munchkin Monster Manual. Western television examples include Teenage Catgirls in Heat
Teenage Catgirls in Heat
Teenage Catgirls in Heat is a 1993 comedy film co-written and directed by Scott Perry and distributed by Troma Entertainment.-Plot:...
, and Cordwainer Smith
Cordwainer Smith
Cordwainer Smith – pronounced CORDwainer – was the pseudonym used by American author Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger for his science fiction works. Linebarger was a noted East Asia scholar and expert in psychological warfare...
's cat-derived Underperson C'Mell (who appears in Norstrilia
Norstrilia
Norstrilia is the only novel published by Paul Linebarger under the pseudonym Cordwainer Smith, which he used for his science-fiction works...
and The Rediscovery of Man
The Rediscovery of Man
The Rediscovery of Man: The Complete Short Science Fiction of Cordwainer Smith is a 1993 book containing the complete collected short fiction of science fiction author Cordwainer Smith. It was edited by James A...
). The British science fiction series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
features a religious sect called the Sisters of Plenitude, who somewhat resemble Cheetara from Thundercats, but are distinctly more feline than human. See Cat People for more information. Hepzibah
Hepzibah (comics)
Hepzibah is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She is a member of the intergalactic enforcers known as the Starjammers and currently a member of the Uncanny X-Men. She first appeared in X-Men #107 and was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.-Origin:Hepzibah was born on...
, of the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
super-team the Starjammers
Starjammers
The Starjammers are a fictional team of space pirates from the pages of the X-Men comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Starjammers first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #107 and were created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum...
and, later, the Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
, is a cat humanoid alien (although she was originally more skunk-like, that aspect has been dropped).
External links
- The Catgirl Research Foundation Catgirl info center - art, fiction reference, science, mythology, discussion forum, links database.
- Catgirl Community & Lifestyle Information
- http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CatGirlCat Girl at TV TropesTV TropesTV Tropes is a wiki which collects and expands on various conventions and devices found within creative works. Since its establishment in 2004, the site has gone from covering only television and film tropes to also covering those in a number of other media such as literature, comics, video-games,...
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