Virtual Neko in Second Life

Working Late in Rainy Town

•November 24, 2008 • 6 Comments

I should have known. Being the newest kitty at the record store, I was the one who got stuck doing inventory. There wasn’t much more I could do but turn up the tunes and get to work. Long after midnight, when every last lovely disc of vinyl was accounted for, this Neko was more than ready to put her tired little body to bed.

Getting home was another story however. The vaporetto had apparently decided to call it an early night. My only choices at that hour were either walking home, or taking a taxi. Whatever prompted me to move to the rainiest corner of the country? After thirty miserable minutes waiting for a cab, it dawned on me: sheer stupidity.

At least the taxi was warm. By the time I got home, my teeth had finally stopped chattering (if only the taxi driver would have).

Meager though it was, I was infinitely happy to close the door behind me. (Yes, I know what you’re thinking. But I’m just starting out… I don’t need much space… the girl in the room next door is hardly ever home, and, well… it’s really affordable. The best perq? I’m just upstairs from a gelato store.)

I dove under the comforter and focused what little attention I had left on choosing a good book for my night’s company. A little Emily Bronte? Ray Bradury’s The Long Rain? Chapter One: It was a hard rain, a perpetual rain, a sweating and steaming rain; it was a rain to drown all rains and the memory of rain. Egads…

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Who…. at this hour…..?! A familiar voice brought a warm smile to my face: “How about some hot soup from the little 24 hour Chinese joint down the street?” Mm… it wasn’t going to be such a lonely night after all…

Affordable Neko Fashion

A Neko girl on a record store salary has to watch her pennies. That’s why I love this outfit from Ladybird: it comes with two camisoles (red or grey), two pairs of thigh-high socks, a skirt, and a warm hoodie jacket with prim cuffs, all for the amazing price of… $60L. Yes, you heard that right. Pair it with a set of good rubber boots for only $10L, tintable tights for $25L, and an adorable sushi necklace and bracelet which are currently half off when you buy an Atomic Kitty store card by November 27, and you’ve got Neko fashion that fits any girl’s budget.

(L) Atomic’s I ❤ Sushi necklace; (M) Rebel -X-‘s Ghost Princess outfit’s umbrella; (R) Curious Kitties’ Beige Wub plaid bracelet

Neko Outfits for Free

On an extra tight budget? In the right column of this blog, under “Other Neko Posts and Blogs,” you’ll find links to four other blogs with all sorts of free outfits and cheap goodies for Nekos. Complete your outfit by visiting my page of Neko skins (where you’ll find two freebies and one dollarbie), and find free tails and ears on this page.

All Photos Taken at the Fabulous Rainy Town (Creamshop’s sim):
http://slurl.com/secondlife/CREAMSHOP/214/150/21

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

=^..^=

Posted in Casual, Explore, Fashion
Tags: affordable, boots, cat girl, catgirl, cheap, Clothes, Fashion, free, freebie, freebies, inexpensive, low-cost, neko, nekos, outfit, rainy town, second life, secondlife, SL, umbrella, virtual

50% Off Neko Goodies

•November 18, 2008 • 5 Comments

What a generous heart Ivy Graves has, holding a 50% off sale to thank her Neko customers, all in honor of Thanksgiving! That’s right kitties, everything in the Atomic Kitty store is HALF price — Neko tails, Neko ears, Neko accessories, hair, skins, clothing and more — but ONLY if you buy them using a Store Card, and only between now and Thursday November 27, 2008.

Here’s How it Works:

– When you arrive at the store, come inside and look around for a Store Card shelf (like the one shown above). Cards are marked with their dollar amount, but when you mouse over them, you’ll see their half price cost.

That means for a limited time, if you buy a $500L store card, you only pay $250L but you’ll be able to buy $500L worth of goodies from Atomic. I love Neko math! (Cards come in increments of $500L, $1000L, $1500L, $2000L, and $5000L).

– Once you get your card, open up your inventory and search for “Atomic Kitty” or “Store Card” to locate the card. Right click to wear it.

– And then it’s time to shop: when you right click on an item to purchase it, DON’T click on “buy” or “pay.” Instead, choose the “card” option from the very top of the pie chart menu to pay with your card.

What To Buy?

In one of my past blog posts covering Neko Skin Stores, you’ll find photos of Atomic’s female skin called Hope. Adjacent to the skin section of the store are four great tattoos. Continue towards the front of the store and you’ll see an adorable Neko hat with hair (which yours truly just happens to own; photo at the top of this page).

In the center of the store are men’s t-shirts, women’s clothes, collars, hats, shoes and legwamers. A little foyer contains Neko eyes. The front of the store is where all the Neko tails and ears are found (see a photo of Atomic’s Neko Tails and Ears here), along with a few cat toys, some furniture and more collars by the front door.

Important Safety Tip:

Again, you must purchase and use an Atomic Kitty Store Card to receive this special Thanksgiving half-price discount. This is because all store items remain marked at regular price — only the Store Card prices have changed which is how you get double your money paid. Atomic won’t give you any refund, exchange, or additional discounts if you don’t follow these instructions.

Ivy, thank YOU! And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Click here to teleport to Atomic Kitty’s sale…

=^..^=

Posted in Fashion
Tags: atomic, ears, Fashion, kitty, neko, nekos, sale, second life, secondlife, SL, tails

Ears’ a Tail for You, Neko

•November 14, 2008 • 1 Comment

Ears and tails at the store >(O.o)< by Fa Nyak

Okay, I heard ya. What good is an exhaustive list of Neko skins if you don’t know where to find Neko ears and tails? No problem, I can fix that!

But holy cats… if I thought creating my list of Second Life skin stores was a challenge, I had no idea what I was in for with a list of Neko ears and tail stores.

Photo at left: Steampunk tails at PrimtroniCS

Never fear, no task is too great for you, my lovely blog kitties. Categorized and complete with SLURLS for easy shopping, here’s your very own list of Neko Ears and Tails.

Categorically Speaking

To help you wade through the volumes of info I collected, I used the following categories so you can quickly compare all the options available at each store:

– Sold: Whether the store sold ears, tails, or both, and whether they were sold individually or as a set
– HUD: Whether the designer included a menu to control or select specific functions
– Tail Fur: Fluffy or shorthair/smooth
– Colors: I never knew kitties came in so many…
– Accessories: A list (and sometimes a description where the details warranted it) of all the cute bells, bows, wraps, spikes, cyberpunk, steampunk, and other unique adornments I found on Neko tails and ears.

Photo at right: Urban Dare’s shorthair tail (live version on display in the store) showing the various textures that come inside the HUD, and one of the cute tail accessories (kitty cat).

Hybrid’s “Elite” ear — Neko ears on steroids!

Last but not least, for those of you still feeling tentative about coming out of the Neko closet, I found a couple free ears and tail sets to try on without remorse. For those of you on a budget, I located some scripted sets for cheap. Still others who are just entering kittenhood will be overjoyed to see the list of stores that offer ears and tails sized just for Neko kids.

Atomic’s elegant HUD design (lower middle of photo) and various color choices

Have I Missed Anything?

Probably yes. Just like my skins resource page, I’m sure I missed a store or three… but that’s where I rely on you readers to help me fill in the gaps. Send me an email (contact information can be found on my “About This Kitteh” page) along with an SLURL to the store, and I’ll check it out personally.

Time to Shop…

Click this link to see the full list of Ears and Tails to be found in Second Life:
Take me to the Virtual Neko Ears and Tails List!

Below photo: Cyberpunk Nekos will love the “Cyberia” tails at Hocico:

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

=^..^=

Posted in Fashion, Neko How To, People
Tags: cat girl, catgirl, ear, ears, ears and tails, neko, neko ears, neko tail, nekos, second life, second life neko ears, second life neko tails, secondlife, SL, tail, tails, tails and ears

Little Geisha Kitty

•November 9, 2008 • 8 Comments

Earlier this Summer, I spent a whole afternoon kimono shopping, Japanese garden wandering, and enjoying a lovely Geisha performance at Getsuei Okiya — a sight that has remained in my mind’s eye long after the final tea ceremony was over.

In fact I’ve been daydreaming ever since… imagining myself sitting at the edge of a lake in a silken kimono, the early morning light casting a glow on the gilt surface of an ancient temple, herons fishing at the water’s edge, the air filled with the delicate notes of my shamisen…. ahhhh….

So what the heck was I waiting for? Geisha school, get ready for this Neko girl!

Well okay, I wouldn’t be the first Neko Geisha in Second Life (or so I’m told), but I was determined to be the most… um… memorable…

Geishas in Second Life

For those who didn’t know, Second Life is home to quite an active Geisha community, with more than a dozen okiyas (Geisha houses) at last count: Amatsu, Arakawa Hanamachi, Blue Lotus, Getsuei, Kami no, Karyukai (SL’s first), Maneki Neko, Nakamura, Pleasure Mountain, Pontocho, Sumire, Tombstone (in the historic Arizona sim), Yorokeikoku, Satoharu, and Little Yoshiwara.

This week in particular marks a very special time for Geishas: it’s the first-ever “Geisha Week” in Second Life, with all sorts of special performances by Karyukai, Yoshiwara, Amatsu, and Blue Lotus Okiyas. The coordinator behind this is the GRO (Geisha Registry Office) which is run by the Okasan of the Karyukai Teahouse, Miss April Cordeaux.

Events thus far have included a Thursday night performance of the story “Golden Hair Pin” at the lovely Karyukai Tea House (where you’ll find a free kimono and other lovely gifts on the front porch); Saturday morning the Geisha of Little Yoshiwara performed at Osho Meditation Island, and will perform again this coming Tuesday November 11, from 7 to 8pm SLT at Little Yoshiwara Teahouse. If you’ve not seen Geishas in Second Life before, I’d urge you to pay a visit.

Why Geisha in Second Life?

To put it in the words of the lovely Kitty Pidgeon (photo at right), a long-time Geisha who just opened her very own Pontocho Okiya and Tea House, “it is really for your own self improvement.”

Hmm… okay… well, maybe all those barbed wire cuffs and bloody bandages in my inventory aren’t entirely necessary… I’ll have to think about this…

Miss Pidgeon spoke softly, while pouring me a cup of tea one afternoon. “Being a lady of grace is not easy, it takes a lot of discipline. However, through being graceful like these women, I have learned how to control my anger, be kinder to people, and never fight.”

I can certainly roll up my grungy kitty sleeves, dive into a kimono, and start dancing with the best of them…

She continued with a gentle smile, “The greatest part of this lifestyle is connecting with others who share your ideals and interests — which are usually your okiya sisters. You bond with them and support them as you would in a real-world situation, which makes the entire experience much more meaningful. Putting your okiya forward and serving a loving okasan is what any girl who trains to be Geisha would want to accomplish, whether in first or second life.”

Okay, sign me up. Heck I’m a cat, I already know how to move gracefully, and came naturally gifted with a talent for entertaining kitties of the opposite gender, so hey, what do I have to learn? A little flower arranging, a few chords on the shamisen…? Easy!

Mmm… not so much. While the commitment isn’t as long as in real life — in which it can take a young Maiko (apprentice Geisha) a full six years to learn the arts — most Second Life okiyas expect their virtual Geishas to undergo training for at least several months, if not up to a full year…!

For a lazy cat like me, this definitely posed somewhat of a problem. But my biggest discovery was yet to come…

At the end of my first week, I was told that becoming a full-fledged Geisha would require me to “leave my Neko ears and tail in my room.” What? Couldn’t I just decorate my ears with lovely flowers and wrap the kimono around my tail during dances? Nope. They take this stuff seriously here.

I gazed longingly at my shamisen, touched a tentative finger to my beautifully Geisha-quaffed hair, and beat kitty feet out the door into an early dawn mist. At least I came away with a cool new geisha outfit…

| Skin | Frick: Geisha – Sakura (store closed in April 2011)
| Hair | Orchid Dreams: Dusk II in ebony (this store has also closed; but check out the unique hairs at LittleGirl…)
| Kimono | GB / GiornoBrando: Plum snow
| Hair Ornaments | Fukuneko: Hanakan W – Hana Kansazhi (flowers)
| Shoes | GB / GiornoBrando (came with kimono)
| Shamisen instrument | Rumi’s Musical Instruments: Rumi Shamisen ver 2.0 (Note: Although the store is still here, the Shamisen is not currently in stock. Excellent alternative can be found at Satoko’s store, along with a variety of other geisha-friendly musical instruments)

My Extensive List of Second Life Kimono Stores:
https://virtualneko.com/second-life-kimono-stores/

Neko Geisha wannabe? Visit Maneki Neko Okiya – SL’s first Neko Geisha School
(I probably could have kept my beloved ears and tail had I gone here first!)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Penghu/221/89/22

Video of Geishas dancing in Second Life at the Gion Project
http://artesiab.blogspot.com/2008/04/gion-project-cherry-blossom-dance.html

Interactive Fan Dance for Geishas from Abranimations
http://shop.onrez.com/item/542105

Learn More About Geishas in RL
http://people.howstuffworks.com/geisha2.htm

Geisha Silkscreen photo by the artistic Bobby Yoshikawa-san <3***

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

=^..^=

Posted in Explore, Fashion, Kimono, Neko How To, People
Tags: becoming a geisha in second life, cat girl, catgirl, geisha, geishas, neko, nekos, okiya, second life, secondlife, SL, virtual

Happy NekoWeen!

•October 31, 2008 • 9 Comments

Like so many others in Second Life, Halloween is one of my most favorite holidays. Take Mexico’s “Dia de Los Muertos” and combine it with the masked anonymity and esprit of a New Orleans Mardi Gras, and you’ve got one of the best nights of the entire year — particularly for us Nekos.

How Did Halloween Get Started?

We’ve got the lovely Irish to thank. October 31 was one of their ancient Celtic holidays celebrating the end of the harvest season and… a little bit more:

On this same night, it was believed that the dead could escape the confines of the underworld and wreak havoc among the living, in the form of sickness, tricks, or misfortune. All sorts of efforts had to be made to avoid these vengeful spirits, including bonfires to frighten them, sacrifices to placate them, and costumes and masks to confuse them.

No surprise then that Americans (and our retailers) embraced the “spooky” aspects of this holiday with glee. Adults throw costume parties, decorate their yards, and go “haunted house hopping” together. Children threaten their neighbors with “tricks” in exchange for armfuls of “treats” (thus helping to bridge the sugar gap between chocolate Easter eggs and Christmas cookies). >O.o< Pumpkins are carved into “Jack-O’-Lanterns” with scary or funny faces, filled with candles, and set out on front porches to presumably frighten away the evil spirits on Halloween night.

Dark Dharma Haunted Manor in Second Life’s Benten region

Second Life seems especially taken with Halloween spirit, with the same plethora of costume parties, ghoulish decorations, candy accessories, scary gifts, virtual haunted houses to explore, and outrageous Halloween costumes. (For those of you humans wondering what this Neko thing is all about, maybe it’s time to try dressing up Neko for Halloween, mm…? After all, Sn@tch has all their “Kitteh Parts” marked at 50% off until midnight SLT!)

My Fond Kitten-weenie Memories…

Halloween brings back a lot of special memories to this Neko girl. Growing up in a small town surrounded by rustling cornfields certainly added to the experience, not to mention sparking my youthful imagination. I remember assiduously attempting to convince my parents that I had, indeed, seen a broom-riding Neko witch pass over the golden harvest moon. They just smiled, of course…

This Octoberville scarecrow reminds me of a dance partner I had once…

Still another memory was of a dark and stormy Halloween night, in which I began my foray as a Neko princess wrapped in yards of lace. After three hours of trick-or-treating in the rain, I was magically transformed into a soaked and sorry-looking Neko mummy. Need I remind you how much we cats hate water?

My most favorite Halloween memory however was the year my parents deemed me a mature enough kitteh to oversee my younger brother’s door-to-door sugar begging. Nothing beats a big Sis-Cat willing to carry you on her back to all of the outlying neighborhoods, thereby ensuring you come home with record-breaking piles of candy. Now that’s kitty love.

Trick or Treat?

These days, Second Life supplies me with all the kitty-lovin’ virtual treats my little Neko heart could ever desire:

| Skin | Tuli: Elizabeth Gothic Halloween ’08 (with web tattoo) – available for sale or FREE via a generous group gift (if you haven’t paid the $250L to join Tuli’s group yet, it is WELL worth your lindens and group loyalty… Tuli is one of the most talented and generous designers in Second Life).
| Ears | Sweet Leonard + Needful Things: Trick or Treat Ears in auburn (also check out the adorable matching tail for these ears, as well as Halloween legwarmers and a spider shoulder gift)
| Tail | Atomic: Trick or Treat tail (this was a special holiday issue; it’s no longer available)
| Hair | Damselfly: Verena in Cinnamon Warm
| Hat | Glamurena Studio (part of the Halloween Pumpkin outfit; see below)
| Shoulder Kitty | CatNip: Cheshire cat (have I said how much I heart Akasha?)
| Jewelry | EarthStones: Eww Spider! necklace and ring (also available: matching facial piercings, earrings, and belly ring)
| Outfit | Glamurena Studio: Halloween Pumpkin set (includes the shirt with prim puffed shoulders, optional black bodice, flexi skirt, striped stockings with garter belt and prim ankle puffs, and a cute witch’s hat)
| Legwarmers | Riddle: Halloween Sculpted legwarmers with candies – FREE!
| Boots | Bax Coen Designs: Ankle Boot in black patent (these tres sexy boots feature color change soles, laces, heels, boot tips, and lacy ankle “cuffs”)
| Broom | CatNip: Witchy Broom (photo at top)

Left: EarthStones’ Eww Spider! Necklace; Top L: Sweet Leonard Trick-or-Treat Ears’ Top R: CatNip’s Cheshire Cat; Bottom L: EarthStones’ Eww Spider! Ring; Bottom R: Atomic’s Trick-or-Treat Tail; Right: Riddle’s Halloween legwarmers and Bax Coen’s Ankle Boots. (Click photo to enlarge)

Other Cool Halloween Stuff:

I hate making decisions… with so many incredible Halloween goodies for Nekos in Second Life, it took me a while to select my outfit. Here are a few others (and more freebies) that you should also check out:

Acid & Mala: H-ween outfit and two FREE shoulder pets
Adam & Eve: Sorceress / Sorcerer outfit
Bare Rose: Black Majo Witch Outfit
Kumin Kumin (by Kumin Kohime): Spider Cat outfit
G(P)ND / Gothic (Passionate) Neko Dreams: Saur Holt has one of the most extensive collections of Halloween costumes on the grid
Kitty Scraps: FREE halloween lollipop and cute candycorn lollipop earrings (items not currently available)
AMH / AnnaMayaHouse: In addition to several cute accessory items for Nekos, this store has a cute FREE accessory named “Wicked Witch Wendy” that comes in three options… a scarf with the witch attached, a witch shoulder pet, or a witch that flies around you on her little broom, emitting colorful particle effects.
AURA Fashion: There’s a really great “Witch’s Broom” for sale here that looks great and comes with a few cute flying/hanging poses

Top Favorite Halloween Haunts to Visit in Second Life:

– DarkDharma Haunted Manor at Benten: by DarkDharma Daguerre
– Octoberville: by Nathan Oddfellow, Master Kaos, Cherub Spectre, and Shylie Wilson
– Ave Maria / House Cyr: by Alex Bader
– Deviant’s Asylum and Haunted Woods: by Riann Maltese (keep climbing the hill…)
– SiniStyle’s Store: by Krius Misfit (creepy farmhouse below; haunted store above)
– Trick or Treat Halloween Costume Fair

Warning: Ave Maria may scare the tail off you…

Flying witch and fashion photo by the frightfully fantastic Bobby Yoshikawa <3***

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

=^..^=

Posted in Explore, Fashion, Neko How To
Tags: broom, candy, cat, cat girl, catgirl, costume, costumes, halloween, hat, neko, nekos, second life, SL, virtual, voodoo, witch

Of Cosplay and Death Notes

•October 25, 2008 • 11 Comments

For more than a decade, Japanese girls have been dressing up for fun, or “cosplay” (short for “costume play”) as it’s come to be known. The phenomenon is rooted in an individual’s (or group’s) passion for characters who they admire in manga (Japanese comic books), anime (Japanese animated films), and other popular fantasy stories (not to mention the occasional actress or pop singer).

Cosplayers in the Yoyogi district of Tokyo; photo by Brett Davenport

The trend is so popular that certain well-known districts of Tokyo (including Harajuku, Yoyogi, and Akihabara) have become tourist attractions for everything from photo opportunities to… other more… err… shall we say, “personal encounters.”

Says Wired Magazine: “Many Japanese gals lead double lives: Mild-mannered students in plain-Jane uniforms by day; French maids, furries, and goth Lolitas by night.” And furry cosplay, my fine cat friends, includes Nekos.

No matter what you call it — silly dress up, cosplay, a kawaii movement, catgirls, a strange Japanese schoolgirl fetish, or the “playfulness (that) can allow us to have generous curiosity, to cross borders between cultures, beliefs, genders, ages… the true beauty of Japanese culture…” — it’s huge, alive and going strong in Japan.

Not to mention the rest of the world: several fascinating books have been written on the subject, cosplay events are held nearly every weekend, thousands of websites have been dedicated to cosplay (from character fan sites and Japanese schoolgirl fashion trends, to internet-based cosplayer games), and every year cosplayers from around the world come to the World Cosplay Summit to show off their costumes and compete.

Death Note

Considering the upcoming Halloween season, I felt it was time to have a little Neko cosplay fun of my own — based on a Japanese manga series called “Death Note,” created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata (later turned into an anime). The story goes something like this:

One fateful day, high school student Light Yagami inadvertently discovers a supernatural notebook dropped to Earth by a rebel shinigami (“death god”) named Ryuk. Light soon discovers that by writing the name of a person in this book, he can cause that person’s death. Vowing to use the book only for good, he seeks to rid the world of evil by identifying (and inscribing) criminals in the Death Note book. The story follows the complex conflict that evolves between Light, his opponents, and the authorities.

The character I’ve chosen to portray is none other than Misa Amane, who began worshipping Light after he punished the criminal that killed her parents. Misa possesses yet another Death Note book, and wants desperately to help Light do his work.

In putting together my outfit, I was surprised to discover several Second Life stores were already far ahead of me: Gothic Passionate (Neko) Dreams has an exceptionally well-made “Death Note” belt with all the pieces my little Misa would want to carry.

Misa’s blond hair was available at one of my favorite hair stores “Kin” (the hair is appropriately named ‘Misa’), and JaqueMate offered the entire Misa outfit, for those of you Neko girls who’d rather not waste time mixing and matching.

Should you want to reenact the entire story, a store called Final Heaven (by Fuyuko Nishi) offers full avatars of Ryuk, Rem, and L … as well as clothing outfits for both Light and Misa.

Me? I love pulling together various parts from different designers to create my own Misa attitude. Now where did I put that silly book……………

Images on left and far right: Death Note Belt by Passionate Neko Dreams; Middle image: Kin’s “Misa” hair (complete with skully pigtail holders), Last Call’s collar, and Sakka Studio’s Balkan Cross

All Second Life photos by the drop-dead talented Bobby Yoshikawa <3***

What is Cosplay?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay

Read the Death Note manga online:
http://www.onemanga.com/Death_Note/

Cosplay and Tokyo — a Long Love Affair:
http://mydisguises.com//2007/08/29/top-cosplay-cities-tokyo/

Death Note II: The Last Name — coming to a theater near you!
http://www.deathnotefilms.com/deathnote2.php

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

=^..^=

Posted in Cosplay, Explore, Fashion, Neko How To, People, Urban / Grunge
Tags: anime, cat girl, catgirl, cosplay, cosplayers, death, death note, goth, japan, japanese, light, lolita, manga, misa, misa amane, misa amane cosplay, misa cosplay, neko, nekos, note, ryuk, second life, secondlife, SL, virtual

How to Skin a Cat (or a Neko)

•October 17, 2008 • 5 Comments

Jungle Voodoo’s Leopard skins, “Neko style” (click any of these photos to enlarge)

One of the questions I hear most often is where to find good skins for Nekos in Second Life. While it would be easy to provide the names of the most popular Neko stores that sell skins, I prefer a challenge. And so my fellow Neko friends, I have compiled an extensively researched list of Neko skin stores, categorized and complete with SLURLS for your shopping convenience.

However, before you click the link at the bottom of this page to see the full list, you might want to take a moment to read a few notes about what information I included, and why:

Atomic Kitty’s “Hope” skin… one of my choices for a Neko-appropriate “human” skin

Hey! What about…..

Yes, it’s highly possible that you’re going to know of a skin store I’ve missed, which is why I rely on comments from my loyal readers to help me fill in our collective Neko knowledge.

Simply drop me an email (contact information can be found on my “About This Kitteh” page) along with an SLURL to the store if possible, and I’ll be happy to check out their skin options personally.

Please note: This is not a post about all the great “human” skin stores in Second Life with goth skin tones. I did however select a few human skins that I felt had some unique characteristic(s) that might appeal to Nekos.

Frick Skins… adorable and affordable!

Just bear in mind that the definition of “unique human skin” is based entirely on my very own (usually subjective but not necessarily humble) opinion. ^_^

A sampling of Neko skins at Hybrid (click photo to enlarge)

It’s All About Genetics

Because we Nekos come in a variety of genetic variables, my skin reviews required some form of categorization:

Several of Nikita Fride’s “human style” skins would make a sexeh grrl kitteh…

Human Skins: Some of us are very nearly human, the only difference being our lovely ears and tails. Sometimes however, the scrappy alley cat genes come through, as evidenced by the occasional scar, black eye, or bloody lip on what is technically a “human” skin.

Neko Skins: Still others of us are further along in our transformation, and prefer skins that come complete with tiger stripes, calico spots, furry bellies, or other more “Neko”-like markings.

In this category, options abounded… from the range of skin tones (whites, browns, blacks, and even blueberry), to the detailing in leopard spots, to the amount of textural “fur” apparent on the skin itself.

Just a few from Curious Kitties (click photo to enlarge)

Often, as in the above example from Curious Kitties, you’ll find the option of buying a whole avatar (shape, skin, ears, tail, and eyes). Some stores even offer “spotted tattoos” if you like the skin you’re in, but want to “cat it up” a bit.

PixelPaws’ unique ‘Sylvana” skin — think tribal spots

Time to Shop…

Hopefully these two categories — Human and Neko — will help you select a skin that best reflects your true genetic heritage. Oh… I’ve even indicated whether the store sells male skins (M), female skins (F), or both (yes guys, I’m always thinking of you). : ahem :

Okay… without further ado… click this link to see the full list of skin stores and SLURLS:

Take me to the Virtual Neko Skin List!

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

=^..^=

Posted in Fashion, Neko How To
Tags: avatar, calico, cat girl, catgirl, fur, furry, leopard, neko, nekos, second life, secondlife, skin, skins, SL, spot, spots, spotted, tiger, virtual

Princess of Chakryn Forest

•October 14, 2008 • 13 Comments

What happens when a beautiful forest sits on the brink of destruction? In the make-believe world of fairy tales and Japanese anime, a magical princess comes to save the day, of course!

The inspiration for today’s story and photo comes from the anime movie “Princess Mononoke,” produced by Studio Ghibli (the same group responsible for the anime about a little girl who transformed into a Neko in “The Cat Returns“).

Princess Mononoke is a story about the struggle between humans who seek to strip the land of its natural resources, and the supernatural guardians of the land itself. In the movie, a magical forest is inhabited by sentient wolves, boars, forest gods, and other unusual creatures, including intriguing little white sprites called kodama:

Where might a virtual Neko Princess seek to reenact this anime in Second Life? In the lovely Chakryn Forest… replete with magical creatures, mystical trees, and softly lit moon-bows (built by the very talented Andrek Lowell). Within moments of arriving, it was as if the storyline of the anime was meant to magically unfold of its own accord, with the unexpected arrival of two distinguished wolves, Charity and Tobe.

In the story, Princess Mononoke (or ‘San’ as she was called by those who truly knew her) had been adopted and raised by wolves, giving her a great affinity and respect for all creatures of the forest. Thus I was more than happy to overlook my feline biases in honor of the anime’s story, and join my fine furry friends in a convivial canine cuddle. Tobe responded with untoward kindness by offering gifts from his saddlebags, while countless mutual ear rubs, claw comparisons, group yowls, and merriment was had by all.

Soon however, my new Canis Lupus and Rufus friends were ready to depart to more important wolf matters (perhaps to fight in the final battle against the pillaging humans from Irontown in the anime…).

Left to my own devices, I spent the rest of the moonlit night wandering the ancient forest — my fine hearing noting the whisper of hawk wings above, the gentle roar of a waterfall below, and the creak of an old rope swing off in the distance — all the while pondering the underlying message in the anime:

In our world today, the impacts of deforestation are no fantasy. Rainforests once covered an estimated 40% of our globe; today they amount to approximately 6%, with roughly 1.5 acres of forest lost every second.

And it’s not just the loss of trees… nearly half of the world’s plant and animal species found in these forests are either at risk, or on the brink of destruction. Scientists estimate that we’re losing approximately 137 plant, animal, and insect species every day due to rainforest deforestation.

Considering that a great number of prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources, yet 99% of rainforest trees and plants have never been tested for their potential uses in medicine, the impact becomes clear: As these species disappear, so do many possible cures for diseases.

What Can a Globally Conscious Neko (or Human) do?

Recycle everything you can (including your cat food cans). Reuse as many items as possible (plastic tubs, paper bags, mouse traps). Don’t use electricity when your arms (or a mouse) will do the job. Install water-saver shower heads and toilet controls (oh wait, we Nekos hate water, no worries here). Don’t drag the toilet paper roll all over the house (I know it’s fun, but it’s wasteful). Turn down the heat and wear a sweater. Pull weeds rather than using chemicals (okay okay, make the *humans* pull the weeds). Or to quote the “Save the Rainforest” website:

– If you are thinking one year ahead, sow seeds.
– If you are thinking ten years ahead, plant trees.
– If you are thinking one hundred years ahead, educate people.

All joking aside, no matter how beautiful the forests of Second Life, all of these steps and more will help ensure that the future holds more than just virtual forests like Chakryn for us to explore.

Neko Princess Outfit Worthy of Chakryn Forest:

| Wolf Avatars | Lost Furest Creatures (in gratitude to Charity and Tobe; though if you keep climbing the tree, following the wooden “Lost Creatures” signs, you might find something of interest for Nekos…)

Excerpts from the Princess Mononoke anime:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg2DxcS4ZIU

Visit Chakryn Forest in Second Life:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chakryn/114/123/21

Buy a Virtual Tree in Second Life and Help a Real Rainforest:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Second%20Chance%20Trees/143/93/23

Learn More About Rainforests and What You Can Do to Help:
http://www.savetherainforest.org/

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

=^..^=

Posted in Explore, Fantasy, Fashion, Neko How To, People
Tags: anime, avatar, cat girl, catgirl, chakryn, deforestation, Fashion, forest, kodama, mononoke, neko, nekos, princess, rainforest, recycle, second life, secondlife, SL, unicorn, virtual, wolf

Exploring The Wastelands

•October 2, 2008 • 6 Comments

In the future, cities will become deserts.
Roads will become battlefields.
And the hope of mankind will appear as a stranger.

The plane coughed twice as it lifted heavily above Bartertown, an oily black cloud of smoke moving across the baleful sun. Circling low above the cliffs, the echoes of its engine taunted the Tomorrow-morrow children out from their hiding places to throw rocks. Thick metal wings turned in slow, cumbersome contrast to their skinny, gesturing arms. It seemed impossible that such a bulky thing could rise and fall on nothing more than shimmering currents of hot air, spooking an occasional sand devil when it dropped too close to land like some drunken bird.

And yet it was the sand devil that captured my attention. As it dissipated, strange beasts moved into view from behind the cliff, striking out across the parched sand. With a flat head atop a long curved neck, a tall lumpy back, and four long legs, this was no creature I’d ever come across in our part of The Wastelands.

In a whisper, I counted as each one emerged… six in a line… towing a vehicle behind them all. At the very top of this rolling heap was a man, his thick hair streaming back as his hands guided the strange animals confidently forward.

He was caught unawares. In the roar of an engine, a glint of sunlight on steel, the plane appeared and struck the man down. His body made a slow motion arc, legs rising up as he fell onto his back in the sand, raising a puff of dust. In fast motion, the plane’s pilot and a smaller human passenger made a hasty landing and an even hastier getaway with everything.

The sun grimaces across a metallic sky… I continue to watch… waiting for a sign of life.

Finally the man sits up and shakes his head. He rolls stiffly onto his hands and knees, then into a crouch, hands spaced apart in the dust. With a deep breath, he pushes his body upright, swaying a bit as he slaps his hands loudly against his thighs. One dusty arm lifts to shade his eyes. Turning to slowly scan the horizon, the ragged leather of his sleeves hangs inert in the heat. His arm drops. He begins walking with the steady rhythm of decision. My Neko senses tingle: his shadow points like a knife blade towards the distant gates of Bartertown.

You wanna get outta here?
He may be the best chance we’ve got.

From Mad Max to The Wastelands

My imaginary story was inspired by the movie Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, and seasoned with a heavy dose of time spent exploring a fascinating place in Second Life known as The Wastelands. It’s an area comprising multiple post-apocalyptic sims with names like The Junkyard, Fort Stygian, Bloodmoss Swamp, and The Great Fissure — all of which feature awesome landscape, buildings, and objects (not to mention avatars) that would look completely at home in any Mad Max movie, not to mention any other post-holocaust / apocalypse story setting.

Whether it’s a virtual world, movie, comic book, or novel, post apocalypse themes foretell of a future in which our world and society have gone sideways, as a result of global catastrophe and/or poor societal choices. Story lines often introduce mysterious heroes who are destined to save humanity — all of which is perfect fodder for roleplay. In fact if you decide to visit The Wastelands or its adjacent sims (and I highly recommend you do), come prepared to engage in an RPG dialogue.

Neko Fashion, Post Apocalypse

Nekos must be ready for any situation, particularly after a holocaust. This outfit’s plethora of dangerous accessories requires that you manually attach your tail to your Left Pec (editing it into proper position) to leave room for all the other goodies.

Note: Tails that feature embedded “action” scripts (i.e., touching the tail brings up a chat action) are typically NOT able to be manually attached. I wore my favorite older (non-scripted) Atomic Neko tail with this outfit.

Top left: Suicide necklace above my tattoo; Middle: Barbed wire neko bandage, 45 rpm gauntlet on wrist; Right: Bukka’s Belt Volvic. (click photo to enlarge)

Left: Back view of cute Eat Rice “Kawaii” hair and Kitty Scraps’ “Zombie” bat; Middle: Atomic’s “Bloody Armwarmer” (free with group membership); Right: Sheer’s “Torn Tights;” Kitty Scraps’ “Zombie” legwarmers; Lazy Places’ “Wooly Bully” boots in black (click photo to enlarge)

Learn More on the Wastelands Wiki:
http://wiki.the-wastelands.org/

Visit The Wastelands in Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/The%20Wastelands/127/144/73

Visit The Junkyard in Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/The%20Junkyard/127/185/72

Visit The Great Fissure in Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/The%20Great%20Fissure/126/114/68

Visit Fort Stygian in Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fort%20Stygian/108/177/73

P.S. Mad Max Fans Alert
A fourth Mad Max movie is reportedly in the making: ” Mad Max 4: Fury Road” — co-written with cult British comic book creator Brendan McCarthy, who designed many new characters and vehicles. Previous “Max” director George Miller plans to direct this sequel, which will likely be filmed in Namibia, Africa. Details were confirmed by Miller in November 2006, and again at the 2007 Aurora film maker initiative. In October 2007, production offices re-opened at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia. The only catch? Miller is considering doing the film using a Hollywood unknown to take the role of Max, as he thought Mel Gibson would not be interested in the film because he is too old. (nooo…!!!)

Awesome photos and photoshop talent by Bobby Yoshikawa <3***

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Posted in Combat / RP, Explore, Fashion, Neko How To, People, Urban / Grunge
Tags: accessories, apocalypse, apocalyptic, armband, armbands, belt, belts, cat girl, catgirl, collar, collars, cyber, cyberpunk, Explore, holocaust, junkyard, legwarmer, legwarmers, mad-max, madmax, max, neko, nekos, post, road, roadwarrior, second life, secondlife, SL, steampunk, thunderdome, virtual, warrior, wasteland, wastelands

Hair Recommends Part 2 – For Guys (‘n girls too)

•September 24, 2008 • 13 Comments

A couple of months ago I made some hair recommendations for Neko girls. Since then, a number of lovely male Nekos (thanks in part to Ryan at Second-Man) have begun to follow this blog, so I thought it only fair to focus this next hair post on them. Thanks in advance to each of you — Wes, Ryan, Imso, Daman, and Matty — for your input and handsome mugs! (And yes Neko girls, aside from enjoying the eye candy, pretty much any of these hairstyles will work for you too.)

Before we get started, if you want to know my biases for Neko hairstyles, feel free to consult my first post on this matter. Rule #1? Human ears underneath Neko ears look strange… cover them please! Okay, without further ado….

Daman Tenk
This self-made “jack of all trades” speaks a few languages, can do basic building, loves modeling, and still manages to find time to blog now and then. Although not a full-time Neko, he has three hair recommendations for when he’s feelin’ the feline love:

Matty Luminos
Next on our lovely line-up of handsome Nekos is Matty Luminos, who generously provided a large number hair recommendations, two of which are featured here.

| Left | H2L / Hayate’s Hair Lab: Shun
| Right | eXceSs: Reverse B

Imso Obscure
Imso was first featured in this blog’s “Purrfect Neko Family” story in August. He’s a super creative guy who enjoys DJ’ing in his spare time, when he’s not hanging out with his fellow Neko family members and friends (in SL and RL!). In the above picture, Imso is wearing Deviant Kitties‘ “Uruha” hairstyle (in white). (Note: when you arrive at Deviant Kitties / Ploom, wait for rez, until you see a black sign in the front window of the store, which will teleport you up to the Deviant Kitties store).

Wes Philbin

Spotted during one of his rare Neko moments, this handsome (usually human, not to mention vamp) guy is the male model at EarthStones (one of this kitteh’s most favorite places for yummy jewelry).

Prior to his career in assisting with jewelry sales (simply by making women swoon while they’re visiting EarthStones), Wes’s early years often found him running around the metaverse as a Neko — wearing this excellent skin from Nomine, tattoos from Inflict, and Kin’s “Sierra” hair style.

Ryan Darragh

Ryan is the Editor in Chief of the Second-Man fashion blog with a very special place in his heart for all things Neko. In addition to a passion for virtual fashion, his interests include music, literature, film, architecture, and ceramics… as well as good conversation, fine food, and drink. Ryan will “wear any hair that looks cute and lets his Neko ears show.” In this photo, he’s wearing a style from Gritty Kitty called “Czech Mate.” Gotta love redheads…

Share Your Favorites?

If you’ve got a favorite Neko hair style for guys that’s not shown above, please submit a comment below and share. After all, helping your fellow male kittehs look their virtual best is an honorable public service to all us female kittehs. Purrrrr…..

=^..^=

Posted in Fashion, Neko How To, People
Tags: hair, hairs, hairstyle, hairstyles, neko, nekos, second life, secondlife, SL, virtual

The History of Neko

•September 14, 2008 • 23 Comments

Think of this lovely photo as the cover to your History lesson today… designed to reflect the artistic style of Japanese manga covers (for a very specific reason, as you’ll come to see). Open it up and turn to the chapter titled “History of Neko 101.” Are you wearing your perquisite Japanese schoolgirl uniform? Excellent. Let us explore the history and evolution of Neko, shall we?

The History of Neko
Lesson #1: Neko means “cat” in Japanese. And that’s where this story begins.

Gegege no Kitaro Neko Musume

Back in the 1950s, Japanese manga (comic books) began depicting catgirls – typically called Nekomusume or Nekomimi. No one knows for sure why manga authors were inspired to create these cat-human hybrids, though it may have something to do with ancient Japanese folklore describing magical cat spirits called Bakeneko (sometimes known as NekoMata).

One of the first to feature a Neko was the manga series Hakaba Kitarō (墓場鬼太郎), written by Shigeru Mizuki almost fifty years ago.

In this manga, Mizuki introduced a full list of yokai (spirit-monster) characters, including the lovely Neko Musume, a soft-spoken girl who transformed into a human-cat “monster” when hungry or upset (just look at the teeth on that little girl in the red dress…).

Yet Japan was not the only country with a strange cat-girl fascination. Right around the same time period, American girls were being exposed to catgirls too, including Catwoman (one of the villains in the Batman comics of the 1940s), Josie and the Pussycats cartoons in the 1970s, and the 1980s musical, Cats.

Although American catgirls were depicted as humans wearing a costume, versus the Japanese manga/anime catgirls who were technically a hybrid (half human, half cat), clearly some sort of catgirl phenomenon was silently brewing all around the world. All it needed was a spark…

Enter the dawn of Japanese cosplay (dressing up in costume to depict a favorite manga or anime character) during the mid to late 1990s.

Cosplay was, quite simply, the moment the Neko spark turned to flame. After witnessing countless adorable Nekomimi in Japanese manga and anime over the years, it was only natural that Japanese girls would choose Neko as one of their most beloved early cosplay characters.

cosplay_neko_girl_2

And that, my dear cats and kittens, is when the first Neko began appearing in costume on the streets of Harajuku, Yoyogi, and Akihabara in Japan.

American girls, already familiar with cat costumes ala Catwoman and the Josie crew, quickly followed suit (pun intended). Catgirl forums sprang up, Neko cosplayers began to meet at conventions around the world, and a veritable community of ear-and-tail-wearing human-cat hybrids slowly coalesced.

Yet somewhere, somehow, in the midst of wearing all those furreh bits and seemingly innocent costumes, something strange started to happen. Something no one ever expected. Call it an awakening, call it a transformation… I’ll let this anime continue our story:

Neko no Ongaeshi / The Cat Returns

In 1989, a Japanese girl named Aoi Hiiragi wrote a manga series called “Whisper of the Heart” (Mimi o Sumaseba 耳をすませば). In them, she introduced a mysterious but elegantly dressed silver cat named The Baron. Her mangas inspired an anime movie in 1995, and a sequel in 2002 called “The Cat Returns” (,Neko no Ongaeshi 猫の恩返し).

Although both animes featured The Baron, it was the storyline of the second anime that best makes my point. The story goes like this:

A young schoolgirl was captured and taken to the Cat Realm, where she was expected to marry the Prince of the Cat Kingdom against her will. During a pre-nuptual feast, she began magically transforming into a Neko (complete with paws, ears, whiskers, and a cute little Neko nose). Before the transformation was complete however, The Baron and other cats helped her escape… all in all, a fairly typical story up to that point.

Yet once she had arrived safely back home, a strange thing happened: the tail and ears gradually began to “feel right” as she discovered her true self. Which is, by no small coincidence, the very same story I’ve heard countless times from Neko in Second Life.

Which brings us to the final chapter of our Neko history: what do you get when you combine all of these catgirl influences, and mix gently in a virtual world? The birth of Neko in Second Life…

The Early Days of Neko in SL

Once again, the luck of my nine Neko lives was with me when I met Fa Nyak — one of SL’s early Nekos (and designer / owner of the store: >(O.o)< on Mew Island). (Note: to read about SL’s very first Neko, click here.)

“I remember when I first started selling kitty animation overrides, Neko didn’t even exist as a search term,” recalled Fa, pictured at right. “That picked up a year or so later. But there were only like two other stores with anything… basically a bell collar or something like that.”

So if “Neko” wasn’t a common term, what did they call themselves? “We called it catgirl,” Fa shrugged. “In fact I was really wierded out when everyone started calling it by the Japanese word Neko… I had always just said catgirl!”

(It’s true… outside of Japan and Second Life, the common term is catgirl / catboy. To this day none of us are quite sure how “neko” became the standard for catgirls and catboys in Second Life, however I suspect it had something to do with more and more Japanese joining Second Life, and their word for catgirls, “Nekomimi,” simply got shortened to “Neko.”)

During SL’s second year, Fa said with a smile and a headshake, the “Neko thing really took off, and now I don’t think I even show up in the search for Neko anymore, I’m so buried under all the Neko malls and shops.” (readers take note… she’s got excellent ears and tails…)

So there you have it. Born of ancient Japanese folklore, rooted in Japanese manga and American comics, inspired by anime, sparked by cosplay, and now living and evolving in the virtual world of Second Life (and other virtual worlds) where we can share our mutual affinity for all things feline no matter where we’re from… it seems we Neko have a pretty fascinating history. (Don’t worry, there will be no test; the Baron already gave me an A+.) ^_^

So You Wanna Be A Neko Too?

No problem! This blog’s got all your answers. We’ve got a whole page that explains exactly How to Be A Neko, along with links to all sorts of handy “how to” guides and resource pages (upper right column of this blog) to help you find your very own Neko Ears and Tails, Neko Skins, Neko AO and Animations, Whiskers, Paw Boots, and more. We’re just waiting to welcome you…

=^..^=

Posted in Casual, Cosplay, Explore, Fashion, Kawaii, MV-SL-Tutorials, Neko How To, People
Tags: anime, bakeneko, cat, cat girl, catgirl, catnip, cosplay, history of neko, japan, japanese, kitty, manga, neko, nekomimi, nekomusume, nekos, school, schoolgirl, schoolgirls, second life, secondlife, SL, what is a neko

New Neko Tails and Ears

•September 6, 2008 • 1 Comment

Craven Theas of Urban Dare has created all new Neko tails and ears, which he has clearly put a lot of time and thought into designing. The new choices are almost endless…

Sure you can get plain, unadulterated ears. But why, when you can choose one with a little kitty pet? Or bloody bandages? Or how about bells, bows, rings, or diamonds?

Same with tails… there are tails with bandages, bows, spikes, and even one with a knife (which could come in handy in some places I’ve visited…).

Choose between bushy tails (like the ones I wear) or short-haired tails. Then choose your prim (or none). But don’t worry about having to choose stripes or spots or colors, because get this: Every one of these tails and ears comes with a HUD that allows you to choose alllll sorts of customizations, including texture, size, and color, plus the tails are all interactive (delivering messages when touched).

So drop him a visit, demo a tail or three, and be sure to pick up some of his floaty-flexi whiskers while you’re there. >°.°<

Visit Urban Dare
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dare/130/153/23

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