Cyclopaedia 5: Anthropomorphism

Welcome to Cyclopaedia 5: Anthropomorphism. Cyclopaedia is a monthly article on the InnRoads Ministries website. This month’s article was inspired by my recent proofreading work on Mutant: Genlab Alpha from Free League Publishing and Modiphius. Working on this book brought back fond memories of running the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG in high school and college. I have always enjoyed stories with anthropomorphic animals from reading books like the Chronicles of Narnia and watching Looney Tunes as a kid. Disney’s Robin Hood was a favorite movie of mine growing up. As a child of the 80s, I fell in love with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon and the later movies. Now, I enjoy playing Mice & Mystics with my family and reading Mouse Guard. Now grab a slice of pizza with me and let’s dive in…Cowabunga!

If you have questions about this article or topics you would like me to consider researching for future Cyclopaedia articles, please leave a comment below.

---

Overview

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics onto another object or being, in this article we are focusing on the anthropomorphism of animals which is so prevalent in our myths, fables, literature, cinema, and games. Even further, this article focuses on animals who act fully human, talk, use items and often wear clothing. Throughout history, humankind has tried to understand the animal kingdom by attributing human emotions and thoughts to the actions of the animals. We have also tried to understand ourselves by using animals as allegorical replacements for us to discuss difficult and controversial topics. Along the way, we have found these anthropomorphic animals entertaining.

Anthropomorphic Edge

At the edges of anthropomorphism of animals lurks a lot of animal-like beings that are not covered in this article. These creatures do show human qualities and animal characteristics, but are so unique they have their own classifications outside the boundaries of focus for this article.

• Celestial beings such as the Egyptian gods with the heads of animals like Anubis or Hindu gods with animal shapes like Ganesha.
• Lycanthropes that can shapeshift into animals such as Werewolves.
• Magical creatures that are intelligent animals such as Dragons and Kitsune.
• Mythical creatures which are half human and half animal such as Centaurs, Mermaids, and Satyrs.

Following are sources of information pertaining to Anthropomorphism to assist prospective game masters, game designers, writers, and storytellers in knowing where to start their research.

ARTICLES

The Anthropomorphic Lens : Anthropomorphism, Microcosmism, and Analogy In Early Modern Thought and Visual Arts
By Melion, Walter
Source: Leiden, Netherlands : Brill, 2015.

Beyond Anecdotes: An Empirical Study of “Anthropomorphism”
By Morris, Paul
Source: Society and Animals, 8, no. 2 (2000): 151-165

Dickinson’s Animals and Anthropomorphism
By Shackelford, Aaron
Source: The Emily Dickinson Journal, 19, no. 2 (2010): 47-66

Examining the How and Why of Anthropomorphism
By Gonnerman, Chad
Source: Metascience, v17 n3 (200811): 419-423 

Furries from A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)
By Gerbasi, Kathleen
Source: Society and Animals, 16, no. 3 (2008): 197-222

The Rabbit in Drag: Camp and Gender Construction in the American Animated Cartoon
By Abel, Sam
Source: The Journal of Popular Culture, v29 n3 (Winter 1995): 183-202

Responses to Animal Anthropomorphism in Advertising Based on Character Similarity to Humans
By Connell, P.M.
Source: Advances in consumer research. 38, (2012): 617

BOOKS

Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters – comic series
By Chin, Don

Aesop’s Fables
By Aesop

Albedo Anthropomorphics
By Various

Alice in Wonderland
By Carroll, Lewis

Animal Farm
By Orwell, George

Anthropomorphism, Anecdotes, and Animals
By Mitchell, Robert W

Bloom County – comic series
By Breathed, Berkeley

Bunnicula
By Howe, James

The Cat in the Hat
By Dr. Seuss

Chronicles of Narnia
By Lewis, C.S.

Fantastic Mr. Fox
By Dahl, Roald

Frog and Toad
By Lobel, Arnold

Furries: A Guide to Anthropomorphism
By Overstreet, C.D.

Grim’s Fairy Tales
By Grimm, Jacob and Grimm, Wilhelm

Guardians of Ga’hoole
By Lasky, Kathryn

Hamster Vice – comic series
By Ferguson, Dwayne

Howard the Duck – comic series
By Marvel Comics

The Island of Doctor Moreau
By Wells, H.G.

Jungle Book
By Kipling, Rudyard

Le Chat Botté (Puss in Boots)
By Perrault, Charles

Maus – graphic novel
By Spiegelman, Art

Mouse Guard – graphic novel
By Peterson, David

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
By O’Brien, Robert

Nnewts
By TenNapel, Doug

Paddington Bear
By Bond, Michael

Redwall
By Jacques, Brian

Stuart Little
By White, E.B.

Tales of Beatrix Potter
By Potter, Beatrix

Tales of Mother Goose
By Unknown

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Comics
By Eastman, Kevin and Laird, Peter

Thinking with Animals: New Perspectives on Anthropomorphism
By Daston, Lorraine and Mitman, Gregg

Usagi Yojimbo – comic series
By Sakai, Stan

Warriors
By Hunter, Erin

Watership Down
By Adams, Richard

Wicked
By Maguire, Gregory

The Wind in the Willows
By Grahame, Kenneth

Winnie-the-Pooh
By Milne, A.A.

GAMES

After the Bomb – RPG
Albedo – RPG
Book of Cairn – RPG
Bullfrogs – Tabletop Game
Bunnies & Burrows – RPG
City of Iron – Tabletop Game
Crash Bandicoot – Computer Game
Fur vs Scale – Tabletop Game
Gamma World – RPG
GURPS Uplift– RPG
The Hare & The Tortoise – Tabletop Game
Ironclaw – RPG
Jadeclaw – RPG
Kung Fu Panda – Tabletop Game
Mice & Mystics – Tabletop Game
Mouse Guard – RPG
Mutant: Genlab Alpha – RPG
Ninja Camp – Tabletop Game
Nyet! – Tabletop Game
Palladium Fantasy – RPG
Ratchet & Clank – Computer Game
Rhino Hero – Tabletop Game
Sam & Max – Computer Game
Sonic the Hedgehog – Computer Game
Star Fox – Computer Game
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Computer Game, RPG, and Tabletop Game
TOON – RPG
Usagi Yojimbo – RPG
Wizards of the Wild – Tabletop Game

CINEMA

Alvin and the Chipmunks
An American Tale
Animaniacs – Cartoon
Authur – Cartoon
Berenstain Bears – Cartoon
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
A Bugs Life
Antz
Aristocats
Care Bears- Cartoon and Movie
Biker Mice from Mars – Cartoon
Chicken Run
Darkwing Duck – Cartoon
Disney Characters (Mickey Mouse, etc)
Disney’s Robin Hood
Earthworm Jim
Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas
Fantasia
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Great Mouse Detective
Guardians of the Galaxy (Rocket Raccoon)
Hoodwinked
The Island of Dr. Moreau
Jungle Book
Kung Fu Panda
Legend of the Guardians
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Looney Tunes – Cartoon
Muppets – Movie and TV
Over the Hedge
Planet of the Apes
Puss ’n’ Boots
The Rescuers
Rocky and Bullwinkle Show – Cartoon
Sam & Max – Cartoon
The Secret of NIMH
Sesame Street – TV
Shark Tale
Space Jam
Stuart Little
Tale of Despereaux
TaleSpin – Cartoon
Tank Girl
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Cartoon and Movie
Thundercats – Cartoon
Tom & Jerry – Cartoon
Underdog – Cartoon
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Wicked – Musical
Yogi Bear – Cartoon
Zootopia

LOCATIONS

Anthrocon
http://www.anthrocon.org/

Ashdown Forest/Hundred Acre Wood
http://www.ashdownforest.org/winnie-the-pooh/pooh.php

GRIMM WORLD Kassel
http://www.kassel.de/englisch/culture/museums/02136/index.html

The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction
http://www.hop-skip-jump.com/

PEOPLE

Aesop
Tex Avery
Joseph Barbera
Mel Blanc
Walt Disney
Brothers Grim
William Hanna
Chuck Jones
C.S. Lewis

---

I hope you find these resources informative and inspiring for your adventures, storytelling, or game design.

Stay Creative!

T.R. Knight

( If you would like to save this list of resources as a convenient PDF for later reference, you can find that HERE )

WHO IS T.R. KNIGHT?
He is a freelance editor, proofreader, and writer in the game industry. He is also a Husband and Caregiver to his wife Angie, Father of Twins Emily and Rachel, Gardner and Hobby Chef, and Director of Academic Technology and User Services at Taylor University. You can learn more about T.R. at his blog http://www.thomasrknight.com.