Neko (term)
|
This article does not provide enough context. Please fix the article if you are familiar with the subject. Articles without enough context to be cleaned up or expanded may be deleted. For specifics, check the edit history and talk page. Consult the Furry Book of Style for editing help. |
Neko (猫, ねこ) is the Japanese word for a domestic cat.
Contents
Mythology[edit]
In Japanese mythology and folklore, Bakeneko (化け猫) are cat yōkai, spirits with supernatural abilities akin to those of the kitsune or tanuki — specifically a type of obake, yokai who are shapeshifters or have shapeshifted. A cat may become a bakeneko in a number of ways: it may reach a certain age, be kept for a certain number of years, grow to a certain size, or be allowed to keep a long tail.
Nekomata (猫又) are another type of cat yōkai, whose tails split in two. They are sometimes considered a kind of bakeneko, and sometimes separate from it; as the word obake has became synonymous with yōkai in common usage.
Nekomimi[edit]
Nekomimi (猫耳, literally cat ear[s]), also known as Nekomusume (猫娘 "cat daughter"), or more commonly as catgirls, are human female characters with cat traits, such as cat ears, tails or other feline characteristics; they are a kind of kemonomimi (human characters with animal traits). Nekomimi are prevalent in the anime fandom, either in anime and/or manga media, or portrayed in cosplay.
Neko and furry[edit]
As characters, cats (and nekomimi) are not considered furry per se, all though they can be also found in furry art, fursuiting, and as a basis for role play characters or fursonas.
See also[edit]
 This stub about a term could be expanded.
|