# What's the deal with Zootopia and the furry fandom?



## FerretXing (Nov 14, 2016)

I've seen the movie twice and I don't see why there's all this hype about it. Don't get me wrong, the movie is well made but why are people so latched onto this movie and can't let go?


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## Yakamaru (Nov 14, 2016)

Don't ask me.

I just genuinely liked the movie and the message it was trying to give.

Might be because it's one of the bigger "Furry" movies? I don't know.


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## metatem (Nov 14, 2016)

I think most of the reason is just that these were *HIGH QUALITY* furries. Zootopia is also the best thing Disney have put out in ages so... yeah. Plus Zootopia is a pretty good movie as long as you don't think about it too much. Fantastic Mr. Fox has a story that has a similar moral but fixes some issues the moral has based on the world. Because no everyone's not the same and not everyone should be treated the same. If you are a serial killer you're going to be treated a lot different by society and that's just down to brain chemistry or a bad upbringing. The original plot for Zootopia works much better but wouldn't be as suitable for kids. with the preditors being heavily controlled by the prey but Judy learns that she can trust and love a preditor despite their standing as a preditor.


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## BlueWorrior (Nov 14, 2016)

I'll be honest, I was brought to Zootopia because of the furry fandom, but don't I love the movie because of it's furry design... although, the film does look beautiful and I adore the character design.
I think it's a well done story with a good writing , great comedy, memorable moments and a genuine heart-warming message. It's up there with one of my favourite Disney/Pixar movies over the past 10 years, falling just behind my top pick, Inside Out.


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## metatem (Nov 14, 2016)

@BlueWorrior All the recent Disney movies have sort of relied on the message itself to make the movie good and have stuck to like a specific formula and all the interesting stuff is in the art and world design with the characters and stories falling far behind their old stuff. Zootopia is much better than stuff like Frozen, Brave and inside out objectively but come nowhere near stuff like The Incredibles, Up and Wall-e.


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## BlueWorrior (Nov 14, 2016)

I Love Up, Wall-E and The Incredibles, But Zootopia hits a chord with me and I can't articulate why, outside of my previous reasons.
And for what it's worth, Frozen was pretty good. I know it's cool to hate that movie now but I thought I was decent.


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## metatem (Nov 14, 2016)

BlueWorrior said:


> I Love Up, Wall-E and The Incredibles, But Zootopia hits a chord with me and I can't articulate why, outside of my previous reasons.
> And for what it's worth, Frozen was pretty good. I know it's cool to hate that movie now but I thought I was decent.



I only saw positive stuff before watching frozen and thought it was like the worst Pixar movie. The note many people feel with Zootopia is mostly just the fact that the world is one of the best ones of any Disney movie with so much there to explore in fan content. There are quite a few fan comics that are recreating the original plot and I love how dark and moving they are. 

Plus Judy Hopps is fucking hot as shit. 10/10 would pet.


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## FerretXing (Nov 14, 2016)

I watched the movie like 2 months after its release after all the hype skyrocketed, I was probably expecting too much from a movie like that since I saw some people literally obsessed with it.


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## BlueWorrior (Nov 14, 2016)

Super zealous fans can ruin the experience sometimes. Some people haven't played Undertale for that reason alone.


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## FerretXing (Nov 14, 2016)

BlueWorrior said:


> Super zealous fans can ruin the experience sometimes. Some people haven't played Undertale for that reason alone.


actually yeah, I haven't played Undertail for that reason


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## BlueWorrior (Nov 14, 2016)

FerretXing said:


> actually yeah, I haven't played Undertail for that reason


I'll say this much. There's gonna be rule 34 for any popular game. It's an inevitability. either you let it bother you to the point where you skip it and miss out, or you accept it and move on


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## metatem (Nov 14, 2016)

BlueWorrior said:


> Super zealous fans can ruin the experience sometimes. Some people haven't played Undertale for that reason alone.



I was lucky enough to actually be followinng undertale since the kickstarter because I loved OFF and SLHRPG and saw someone share that in that community and some stuff from the Homestuck community.


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## metatem (Nov 14, 2016)

FerretXing said:


> actually yeah, I haven't played Undertail for that reason


Undertale is worth playing and for me was the best game that year. It's not like the best RPG ever but it's clear in every part of the game how much love went into it. In terms of indie RPGs I'd say OFF and SLHRPG are better or at least on par and are both free to play and my favorite one Mother 3 is basically abandonware at the moment even though it's a beloved Nintendo game and the translation for it is top notch.


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## PlusThirtyOne (Nov 16, 2016)

Meh~ i actually didn't like it that much. i mean, it was cute and all but like Big Hero 6, the environments and set designs were the best part of the movie for me. The character designs were cute too but not to my...taste. The story's allegorical message was poorly thought through despite its intentions because you can't draw a parallel between animals' species and human races. All around i didn't think it was all that great. Not terrible, but OK. 7.5/10


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## Starbeak (Nov 17, 2016)

Pixar and Dreamworks Animation dominate the animated movie scene. Seeing Zootopia made by Disney Animated Pictures really showed that they can still perform good animation with a great story-line reminiscent of their renaissance era. It it a nice change of pace because the juggernauts that are Dreamworks Animations and Pixar didn't make Zootopia and some might have doubted Disney can not perform without them.


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## Alpine (Nov 19, 2016)

After seeing the movie well after the hype train has departed (and trying to keep all the rule34 out of my head  when I was watching it), I found the movie pretty well done in terms of showing some of the faults of today's society in a child-friendly manner. I was quite shocked by the use of casual racism throughout the movie, some of which I have seen or experienced first hand IRL.


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## Egon1982 (Nov 29, 2016)

What about Kung Fu Panda? it's also a hit series with us furries


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## Inpw (Nov 29, 2016)

It got hyped in the fandom since the befur teaser. I liked it, there where some cringe stuff i would've removed (including the stupid song from shakira and shakira altogether, but that's only me.) but it brought a bit of everyday human stuff into these characters like never before seen. 

Furries will like that for obvious reasons. No lore, no magic, just a simple fantasy world where mammals are evolved to walk up right and are intelligent.


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## Xaroin (Dec 22, 2016)

because Disney marketed it to the furry fandom and tried to make it into a cash grab for them. It's as simple as that.


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## Cercis Lycalopex (Dec 23, 2016)

Xaroin said:


> because Disney marketed it to the furry fandom and tried to make it into a cash grab for them. It's as simple as that.


Their teaser for it a year prior to release started off with the line "...Animals in Zootopia are ANTHROPOMORPHIC. This is a fancy word that means they walk around on two feet..."


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## Cercis Lycalopex (Dec 23, 2016)

Cercis Lycalopex said:


> Their teaser for it a year prior to release started off with the line "...Animals in Zootopia are ANTHROPOMORPHIC. This is a fancy word that means they walk around on two feet..."


Emphasis on anthro.


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## Casey Fluffbat (Dec 23, 2016)

I watched the movie yesterday, it was quite good, would watch again. Though there were moments I could immediately say to myself: "Yeah, someones going to make a shitty fetish out of this and ruin my image of it". I tried my best to disregard the existence of the furry fandom while watching the movie, which actually helped to no ones surprise.


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## SSJ3Mewtwo (Dec 23, 2016)

FerretXing said:


> I've seen the movie twice and I don't see why there's all this hype about it. Don't get me wrong, the movie is well made but why are people so latched onto this movie and can't let go?



To skip all the subtleties and nuances:

It's a movie about anthropomorphic characters, and it's greatly enjoyed by a community that is geared towards anthropomorphic characters who enjoy the movie's concept, plot, and attention to detail.

I don't get why that's either surprising or confusing.


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## nerdbat (Dec 29, 2016)

I digress


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## um_pineapplez (Dec 29, 2016)

I love the movie for what it is without the furry overtones. It's a really clever movie that's surprisingly mature for a kids' film, and actually deserves the praise it gets.

























plus Nick Wilde is the sexiest creature in the history of anything.


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## Cercis Lycalopex (Dec 30, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> plus Nick Wilde is the sexiest creature in the history of anything.


Agreed. He is my waifu!


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## Very Hairy Larry (Dec 30, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> plus Nick Wilde is the sexiest creature in the history of anything.


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## Cercis Lycalopex (Dec 30, 2016)

Very Hairy Larry said:


>


Problem?


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## Very Hairy Larry (Dec 30, 2016)

Cercis Lycalopex said:


> Problem?


Gawd dayum, tf are you being all defensive for??? All I did post a reaction gif. Chill.


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## Cercis Lycalopex (Dec 30, 2016)

Very Hairy Larry said:


> Gawd dayum, tf are you being all defensive for??? All I did post a reaction gif. Chill.


Are you takin the piss, bruv?


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## Very Hairy Larry (Dec 30, 2016)

Cercis Lycalopex said:


> Are you takin the piss, bruv?


wtf???


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## Cercis Lycalopex (Dec 30, 2016)

Very Hairy Larry said:


> wtf???


Im jokin lol have a heart


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## Very Hairy Larry (Dec 30, 2016)

Cercis Lycalopex said:


> Im jokin lol have a heart


Aaaaand another case of the "I don't know what to do now so I'm just gonna say I was joking." Holy fuck, that shit is spreading like wild fire.

But seriously though, was that gif "offensive"???


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## Cercis Lycalopex (Dec 30, 2016)

No, i honestly was joking. From the very beginning.


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## Very Hairy Larry (Dec 30, 2016)

Cercis Lycalopex said:


> No, i honestly was joking. From the very beginning.


Man, what a great joke. Nothing but "Problem?"


I don't mean to sound like an asshole, but that has got to be the most descriptive joke I have ever heard.








Damn, a lot of people just "joking" for some reason lately.


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## redfox7777 (Jan 1, 2017)

I LOVE THIS MOVIE. Not because of the furry thing. I've always liked animals or anthropomorphic animals in animation movies. I like all the detail and the expressions of the characters. It's one of my all time favourite movies and I watch all kind of movies ^_^


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## Chups (Jan 1, 2017)

Zootopia is terrific ! Disney did a really good work with this one 
Plus, it will have a sequel !


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## ExtinguishedHope (Jan 1, 2017)

Chups said:


> Zootopia is terrific ! Disney did a really good work for this one
> Plus, it will have a sequel !


Oooh I didn't know it'd have a sequel. I'm looking forward to that. 

But Zootopia was a good film, and I'm sure some of the hype about it in the fandom could be because it brought in new people wanting to be furries.


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## Chups (Jan 1, 2017)

> I'm sure some of the hype about it in the fandom could be because it brought in new people wanting to be furries.



Hahaha you're right !!


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## AdelynBlair (Jan 31, 2017)

Does no one remember Disney's Robin Hood or even Aristocats? I don't see the issue. I loved Zootopia for the story, it shouldn't matter that they are animals. The theme was really about social stigmas regarding to race.


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## Arwing Ace (Feb 1, 2017)

It was obvious that Disney was marketing it with a furry audience in mind. And if you make a major motion picture with a bunch of talking, bipedal animal characters, it's pretty much a given that it's going to attract furries like a swarm of Alaska mosquitoes to bare flesh.


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## Ieatcrackersandjumpcliffs (Feb 1, 2017)

Shane McNair said:


> It was obvious that Disney was marketing it with a furry audience in mind. And if you make a major motion picture with a bunch of talking, bipedal animal characters, it's pretty much a given that it's going to attract furries like a swarm of Alaska mosquitoes to bare flesh.



There are not enough furries out there to make it to, let alone pass, the billion dollar mark. This pervasive idea that these some of these animal people films are geared toward us, uh, I mean them is ridiculous.


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## Arwing Ace (Feb 1, 2017)

Ieatcrackersandjumpcliffs said:


> There are not enough furries out there to make it to, let alone pass, the billion dollar mark. This pervasive idea that these some of these animal people films are geared toward us, uh, I mean them is ridiculous.



Have you even watched the first trailer for it? It was most certainly marketed with furries in mind. That doesn't mean that they weren't also marketing it to the broader audience of kids and their families, but we were most certainly a factor in their marketing strategy. A Disney executive (or an agency working on behalf of Disney) even asked furries to help them promote it.

www.oregonlive.com: Disney's 'Zootopia' and furries: a match made in marketing heaven?
gizmodo.com: Disney Is Marketing Zootopia to Furries, Which Is Genius


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## Ieatcrackersandjumpcliffs (Feb 1, 2017)

They obviously had no clue that the fandom does not have that kind of power. Unless someone higher up hated the project and tried to tank it.


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## RileyTheOtter (Feb 2, 2017)

Shane McNair said:


> Have you even watched the first trailer for it? It was most certainly marketed with furries in mind. That doesn't mean that they weren't also marketing it to the broader audience of kids and their families, but we were most certainly a factor in their marketing strategy. A Disney executive (or an agency working on behalf of Disney) even asked furries to help them promote it.
> 
> www.oregonlive.com: Disney's 'Zootopia' and furries: a match made in marketing heaven?
> gizmodo.com: Disney Is Marketing Zootopia to Furries, Which Is Genius


you realize both of those articles more or less heavily focus on the fetish side of the fandom?


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## Arwing Ace (Feb 2, 2017)

Abyssalrider said:


> you realize both of those articles more or less heavily focus on the fetish side of the fandom?



So? That's completely beside the point.


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## RileyTheOtter (Feb 2, 2017)

both articles basically imply the fandom is entirely sexual in nature, and that's the reason Disney reached out. I highly doubt that was why, and I doubt their jounralistic integrity as well by showing a refusal to do proper research when writing an article.


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## Zaddict16 (Feb 26, 2017)

FerretXing said:


> I've seen the movie twice and I don't see why there's all this hype about it. Don't get me wrong, the movie is well made but why are people so latched onto this movie and can't let go?


Now I kinda got obsessed with the movie and watching it 61 times, it definetly showed it. Lol


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## Honey Lavender; (Feb 26, 2017)

Honestly, I couldn't get invested in it. A good break from the mainstream, but I didn't see anything special in Zootopia (maybe I'm a little too much of a movie critic? I know my Tech Theater class ruined plays for me, but... IDK).


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## Troj (Mar 11, 2017)

I thought Zootopia was thought-provoking and fun, and that the world-building was excellent, but I actually like Moana better.


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## KageSakuraclown (Mar 16, 2017)

I think part of why its so will love is coz it's the first anthropomorphic animal in awhile and it's a good movie


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## CCTakato (Mar 20, 2017)

For me I love Zootopia because I enjoy the story and the characters and I love the message of the film and the gorgeous animation.  I also love that the movie took a darker turn in the second half and I thought they had a very clever plot twist in the film.   I enjoyed Zootopia so much  that I even saw it twice in theaters and I almost never do that and it was my favorite movie of 2016 though Moana was in a close second.  I'm also just a big fan of Disney animation in general.


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## sbm1990 (Mar 31, 2017)

I feel like the movie has a good message in that not all members of a certain species(hint hint, race) are the same. There's good and bad in every species in the movie/race IRL.

Plus, Judy Hopps is a cutie.  =3


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## Ravofox (Mar 31, 2017)

I also think the broader point wasn't just about race. It was about prejudice in general. That just because you're something something doesn't mean you're bad or incompetent. Of course this apples to 'racial' and religious groups, but also to gender, sexual orientation, class origin, etc. I think this general message struck a chord with many, many people - including the furry fandom due to the anthropomorphic animals _and _the frequent feeling of alienation present in many members of the community (that was certainly why I loved it at least)


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## Mandragoras (Mar 31, 2017)

It also has a pretty stark message about how illiberal demagogues seize power by playing the majority against a vulnerable minority and framing events to make their assigned "enemies" seem at once dangerous and outnumbered. Which is surprisingly subversive and heavy for a Disney movie.


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## Joshua Kaleb (Feb 26, 2018)

I honestly never cared for Zootopia. I like the animation the designs for both the setting and characters but I thought it’s message was preachy as hell, the characters were fine but nothing too special, and there were cliches in here that took me out of the film at times. I can see why people would like it but I personally have seen its message and characters done way better in other films.


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## SSJ3Mewtwo (Feb 26, 2018)

Locking this due to it having been dead for nearly a year then getting necro'd by a spam-bot.


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