Because there is controversy and misconceptions surrounding "furries", we decided to answer a few frequently-asked-questions to hopefully clear up some of the negative stereotypes that people may have regarding furries.
Q. What are "furries" ?
A. Quite simply, furries are anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and/or characteristics. In reference to conventions, furries would be cosplayers with fur costumes. While some furries may be dressed in complete mascot-style fur suits, some may only wear partial fur suits covering the legs, arms, and head of the costumer while he/she is wearing normal clothes.
Q. Is Anime Kaigi a "furry convention" ?
A. No. However, we would go as far as saying that we are a "furry-friendly convention". This is primarily because Anime Kaigi 2012 will be held in November at an elevation of over 7000ft, meaning that the climate will be very cold. One common problem with fur suits is the high temperatures that are prevalent at most summer-time conventions. One of our guests also plan to host a few panels that are in direct relation to furries and quad-suits.
Q. I thought furries were for adults? Isn't Anime Kaigi a family-oriented convention?
A. Unfortunately, this is the largest misconception about furries, creating controversy among anime fans and the general public alike. Mostly in thanks to the CSI episode "Fur and Loathing", the common public perception is that furry conventions are places for people to dress up as animals and perform sexual acts with each other. Other TV shows and articles have also jumped on this bandwagon, smearing the furry name even more. To be clear, these are only rumors and lies, and Anime Kaigi is most definitely a family-oriented convention.
Q. If Anime Kaigi is not a furry-con, then why are there furries on this flyer?
A. Each year, we select a theme for our two mascots. We have "Kai", the tassle-eared squirrel, and "Gi" the samoyed dog. This year the theme is Furries, due to some of the panels that we'll have that we mentioned earlier. In the past, these two mascots have been drawn as animals, humans, and now as furries. On future flyers, we'll be sure to include some humans or anime characters alongside these two, just to clear up any confusion.
Q. Is it okay for me to bring my children or to let my teenagers attend?
A. Definitely! We encourage parents to bring their children to Anime Kaigi. In fact, for our 2012 event we are allowing children ages 10 and under in free with paying adult. We are striving to offer content that is specifically oriented towards children. In fact, the presence of furries will likely improve the experience for your children, as they will likely see them as giant stuffed animals that move.
Q. But what about these "18+" panels I see in the programming schedule?
A. While we may allow a small amount of "adult-oriented" content, these panels will be held later in the night, and we will be checking IDs for any of these "18+" panels. Some panels are labeled "18+" because they may contain subject matter that is not appropriate for children or may contain mature language. Don't worry, we have strict policies regarding all forms of nudity, so there won't be anything like that in these panels.
Still have questions or concerns? Please feel free to email the convention chair at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
