Comic Page for Friday, June 6th 2014

[Tendo]

Kemonomimi. The term you are looking for is kemonomimi, meaning "animal ears." Though, even that isn't entirely correct in this case.

While I have no problem with that word, probably a bit too obscure/Japanese for the non-anime crowd. (Then again, everyone is using "neko" in it's place, and apparently now using it even for non-feline characters. "Kemonomini" is probably too long to catch on (and confusing to pronounce for some) compared to "neko" though).

And yes, I know it literally means "animal ears" but most "catgirls" tend to have at least a tail if not other feline features, yet the term "Nekomimi" is used for them anyway.

.... I need to start using less quotes before I start to turn into Dr. Evil or something....

And on that note:

I would propose to use the term "hanbunookami", "hanbunningen" or "ookamionna". "Hanbun" means "half", "ookami" means wolf and "ningen" means human (and I know that the word "Hanbunningen" exists and means half-human, so I think it's legit). "Ookamionna" would mean "Wolf-woman".

I think that would just push what I mentioned about Kemonomimi being confusing for some even further. It's the reason I didn't suggest Okamimimi as I was trying to think of a generic word for a half-animal/half-human instead of a separate one for cat, wolf, fox, etc.

Agreed. It really appears to be the most stable state, that one she can accomplish without focusing either way. That would still leave the question why she unwillingly transformed into her wolf form if this in-between form is the most stable one? My assumption would be that when her cuffs broke, the suppression spell stopped working and she realized she transformed... she just panicked. Like, when someone tells you to not think about an elephant and you do think about one immediately, she just pictured herself turning into a keidran and thus she herself was the reason for the full-transformation.

Honestly, I think it's just as simple as the cuffs were allowing her to become fully human up until they broke. In a way, they were training wheels. Most people their first time riding a bike with no wheels would just fall wouldn't they? They were probably just overriding her natural ability to change and doing it for her, now she has to learn to do it on her own.

So how about we settle on calling her a werewolf?

Ha ha ha, technically she does fit the definition.

Anyone notice Sythe's ears while Raine tries to transform the rest of her body back to human form? Nice little detail there ^^

Yeah, and that actually kinda surprised me. Since he clearly prefers she stay a wolf, I would have thought he would be more confused or happier instead of depressed she wasn't able to fully change back into a human form.

[Chris]

So how about we settle on calling her a werewolf?

Ha ha ha, technically she does fit the definition.

She would agree that it's not that far off.

Too much negative implication under that label. Her personality doesn't seem to change any with her different forms, just her willingness to beany of the fuzzy ones ("I'm human!").

Interestingly, her character bio does say she can 'lose herself to the wild nature of her other form' and 'her bestial side becomes increasingly restless from years of suppression'. But yeah, up to now I haven't really seen much of a change in her personality or behavior when shifted.

[aitaituo]

The proper Japanese for "half wolf person" would be hanroujin (hawn-row-jean) or hanrou(sho)jo for "half wolf (young) woman".

Anyway, I am pretty sure this new development was caused by Tom watching No Game No Life. Maybe Raine will start ending every sentence with desu.

[AndreRhineDavis]

Words evolve and acquire different senses over time. An etymology isn't the same as a meaning. It doesn't matter where the word comes from, what matters is what it actually *means* to speakers of a language.

I would argue that "neko" for English speakers has a connotation distinct from Japanese "neko", which purely means "cat". We use "neko" to mean "catgirl" and the sorts of features catgirls have, and the fact that for so many of you calling Raine here "neko" *felt* appropriate shows that perhaps the connotation of the word has extended from purely feline features to other similar features (i.e. cat-like ears, paws, tail, sharp teeth) resembling other similar animals portrayed in the same "cute" fashion.

Similarly, although werewolf literally meant "man-wolf" in Old English, and the "dictionary definition" says that a werewolf is just a being who transforms between human and wolf states, the word and the concept have many associations and connotations. The various myths and literature which depict werewolves have established some common traits that "werewolves" are supposed to have, and these traits become associated with the concept itself. So sure, according to one definition, you could call Raine a werewolf. But the concept of "werewolf" usually implies quite a few things which don't apply to Raine at all.

[TinyVoices]

stroke a cat.

A squirrel is fine too.


Those three panels where Raine is waiting for the rest of the transformation to occur are kind of neat. Just ever so slight differences between the three. Spot the differences game, go!

[Sage Asuka]

Kemonomimi. The term you are looking for is kemonomimi, meaning "animal ears." Though, even that isn't entirely correct in this case.

While I have no problem with that word, probably a bit too obscure/Japanese for the non-anime crowd. (Then again, everyone is using "neko" in it's place, and apparently now using it even for non-feline characters. "Kemonomini" is probably too long to catch on (and confusing to pronounce for some) compared to "neko" though).

And yes, I know it literally means "animal ears" but most "catgirls" tend to have at least a tail if not other feline features, yet the term "Nekomimi" is used for them anyway.

Apparently I've been in the anime side of the internet too long. I've heard kemonomimi used for ages to describe mostly humanoid characters with animal features. That or gijinka, which I have seen used outside the anime crowd frequently. But that one isn't applicable here.

The word tends to sound rather playful and friendly imo so I enjoy using it.

And schro was referring to how kemonomimi usually just have animal ears and maybe a tail I think? Raine here still has wolf legs and arms. She's pushing the boundaries a bit of a traditional kemonomimi design. I'd still use kemonomimi to describe her though since her face and torso are human with only 'extremities' being of the fluffy sort opo

I'll figure a way to sneak her in my signature maybe because GAH Raine is just all sorts of adorable with those ears and the tail and the paws QvQ

I get the feeling I'll need to make an "Asuka x Raine" fanbar soon.

Oh hush you XP

[Him]

I think I prefer her as a keirdan, in all honesty. How she is now... it's a trap. She's not quite as adorable now.

[AmigaDragon]

Werewolf, from the Old English werwulf literally meaning "man-wolf." She fits by the above definition. What negative implication are you speaking of?

What we get from most werewolf stories, uncontrllable violent killers in wolf form.

[BlackWind]

Huh. Maybe it's just me, but her human breasts look smaller than her Keidran ones.

Am I the only person that's consciously going through the reasons why Tom picked only the torso and head to turn back?

Well, we can't quite see all of her torso. I'm left wondering just where the fur stops.

maybe the thick puffy fur made them look bigger? then again who knows as we haven't seen much of Raine in a while
and IMO she looks sexy there

[Him]

Werewolf, from the Old English werwulf literally meaning "man-wolf." She fits by the above definition. What negative implication are you speaking of?

What we get from most werewolf stories, uncontrllable violent killers in wolf form.

Well that's obviously not the case.Raine is a human that transforms into a keidran. Too bad for her though, she is human. Yes, that is often how it works. Werewolves are the bad guys, right? The negative implication comes from us, so shouldn't we disregard it for its lack of admissibility? It's how we perceive it, so we can change our perception of it, and go with the actual definition.

[kellade]

Huh. Maybe it's just me, but her human breasts look smaller than her Keidran ones.

Am I the only person that's consciously going through the reasons why Tom picked only the torso and head to turn back?

Well, we can't quite see all of her torso. I'm left wondering just where the fur stops.

maybe the thick puffy fur made them look bigger? then again who knows as we haven't seen much of Raine in a while
and IMO she looks sexy there

Her top also seems a lot looser after her transformation, so I support the fur theory.

[BlackWind]

Huh. Maybe it's just me, but her human breasts look smaller than her Keidran ones.

Am I the only person that's consciously going through the reasons why Tom picked only the torso and head to turn back?

Well, we can't quite see all of her torso. I'm left wondering just where the fur stops.

maybe the thick puffy fur made them look bigger? then again who knows as we haven't seen much of Raine in a while
and IMO she looks sexy there

Her top also seems a lot looser after her transformation, so I support the fur theory.

thank you very much because I suspected the fur may have stretched her clothes material some

[jacobc62]

Huh. Maybe it's just me, but her human breasts look smaller than her Keidran ones.

Am I the only person that's consciously going through the reasons why Tom picked only the torso and head to turn back?

Well, we can't quite see all of her torso. I'm left wondering just where the fur stops.

maybe the thick puffy fur made them look bigger? then again who knows as we haven't seen much of Raine in a while
and IMO she looks sexy there

Her top also seems a lot looser after her transformation, so I support the fur theory.

thank you very much because I suspected the fur may have stretched her clothes material some

That's what I said!

[AmigaDragon]

If Raine is still stuck like this when Karen and Maren are revived, it'll help to ease them into her condition. Karen will be thrilled. Maren will at least see a human face and Karen's condition will also help ease her into acceptance of Raine's condition.

[CLA]

2. Maybe she is able to use her whole magical potential in this form, now that the suppression spell isn't obstructing her abilities anymore or
3. Maybe she can use magic in this form, but it would be a weaker form of magic.
The overall problem would still be that she was never trained to use magic.

With the shackles, she did accidentally do a group teleport, albeit a short distance. Doing that under suppression tells me she has some significant power.

If I remember correctly, she herself said, that because of the suppression spell she was just not able to control the magic, but it was never said that it would weaken her abilities... or am I wrong?