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Voting opens for the 2020 Ursa Major Awards

Edited by GreenReaper as of Sun 2 May 2021 - 23:58
Your rating: None Average: 3.1 (8 votes)

The Ursa Major Awards logo. The 2020 Ursa Major Awards vote is ready to go! Send them your e-mail address, and you can vote for any of the nominations in 14 categories. (Last year's "Dramatic Series or Short Work" has been split into two separate categories.) Voting closes on Wednesday, March 31.

Please re-post this announcement if you're on an active furry message forum or social media site!

This year's nominees are... [Update (2 May): the winners have been announced!]

[* An asterisk means the nominee was not on the 2020 Recommended Anthropomorphics List.
Some links may include mature content; not all are marked.]

Best Motion Picture
Live-action or animated feature-length movies.

Best Dramatic Short Work
One-shots, advertisements or short videos.

Best Dramatic Series
TV or YouTube series videos.

Best Novel
Written works of 40,000 words or more. Serialized novels qualify only for the year that the final chapter is published.

Best Short Fiction
Stories less than 40,000 words, poetry, and other short written works.

Best Other Literary Work
Story collections, comic collections, graphic novels, non-fiction works, and serialized online stories.

Best Non-Fiction Work
Includes documentaries, opinion pieces, and news articles.

Best Graphic Story
Includes comic books, and serialized online stories.

Best Comic Strip
Newspaper-style strips, including those with ongoing arcs.

Best Magazine
Edited collections of creative and/or informational works by various people, professional or amateur, published in print or online in written, pictorial or audio-visual form.

Ursa Major illustrated by Heather Bruton Best Published Illustration
Illustrations for books, magazines, convention program books, cover art for such, coffee-table portfolios.

Best Game
Computer or console games, role-playing games, board games.

Best Website
Online collections of art, stories, and other creative and/or informational works. Includes galleries, story archives, directories, blogs, and personal sites.

Best Anthropomorphic Costume (Fursuit)

Good luck to everyone! And if you have the time to vote, why not also e-mail in suggestions for the 2021 Recommended Anthropomorphics List?

Comments

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

In Oscar land, 2020 just ended yesterday! So furries are a bit ahead!

I guess in my movie category, uh, I've never heard of Hayop Ka! outside I'm sure I read it on the list and totally ignored it ... but that's totally my bad, and good on everybody for nominating it! It looks definitely furry! Don't think it'll win!

Okay, onward to Onward! (Yes, I hate me too sometimes!) It's spent the entire year as like Soul's less gifted brother. Spoilers! It's furry-er than Soul, kinda, but it mostly just exists.

Next most likely to win, Soul, now that I've seen it, actually furry! Didn't expect any actual anthropomorphic animals. Cat's like right there on the poster, though, so I guess I should have seen that coming. Though, like the last Pixar movie, another just kinda on the furry side, so good enough for third, I suppose.

Okay, next, Wolfwalkers. Obviously getting my vote (I can say that, right?), but I don't know if the inexplicable popularity of Sonic is surmountable by, well, just being better. Oh, well. Maybe if it ended up on a better streaming service than Apple TV. Wolfwalkers is literally like, it. Unlike most furry foreign fare (let's face it, this still a fairly American award), it does have the English advantage.

So, I'm guessing Sonic the Hedgehog? Maybe. I mean, it did come out fairly early in 2020, and, uh, it was loooonng year. So maybe people kind of forgot about it, and Wolfwalkers will take the crown as the new hotness. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised?

Your rating: None Average: 2.7 (3 votes)

For anyone voting on Best Magazine, note that my screw up happened last month so it don't count for the 2020 voting!

...That's not how populist voting systems work? Rats...

Better luck next year.

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

So... is anyone going to tell Saberspark that his "The Best and Worst Anthro Movies Tier List" video got nominated for an Anthro award?

I'm sure he'll have quite a reaction to that.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Historically the UMA doesn't seem to have gone out of their way to tell people they've been nominated - or, say, contact past voters to tell them that it's time to nominate, or vote.

I ended up featured in a comic about the UMA a decade ago, because I was the person the artist had heard about it from. I can understand there might be privacy or anti-spam concerns, but it still seems like a bit of an oversight, which probably contributes to any wild swings in voting counts year-on-year.

Maybe they're worried more nominees will withdraw when they find out - or try to swing the vote; but that just means those who do hear about the nomination have a better chance to. Or perhaps they don't know who all the nominees are, or how to contact them; or don't have time between nomination and voting.

They weren't linked in the site announcement - dronon put some links in, I added the rest. Most of the works had links already on the Recommended list, though, so nominees could be found via that.

Saberspark just had songbirdDEIGE gift him a fursona, too, so at least he'll have something to wear when virtually accepting the award - if things work out that way (strong competition this year).

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

Thanks for the added links and formatting edits, plus for catching the two extra names I didn't realize were the same people!

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

One good reason to link them! It's a small world - Star/Gem and I were both at Wild North after I convinced her and her husband it'd be a good time (she did some art for them, too).

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

You know, one of the directors of Wolfwalkers (Tomm Moore) follows me on Twitter (no, I don't know why a two time Academy Award nominee follows me, either), maybe I should @ him. Most of the bigger directors obviously completely ignore us, but ... well, he follows me. (I didn't @ my own review at him, because that just seems gauche even for me, but I think I will.)

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

You should. Maybe he knows people at Disney and Paramount, too! Though, uh, maybe skip Onward. ;-)

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

Already did. Keep you posted.

Your rating: None Average: 4.5 (2 votes)

Fingers crossed for me in the fursuit category! ^^

I'm a different furry with different opinions.

Debut Album out now go stream it plz
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/cassidycivet/double-take

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

Is there a full-body photo to look at? The one from the Ursas page is upper torso and head.

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

TikTok? It's basically a series of moving photos! I recommend this one - though it's probably best without the music.

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

https://twitter.com/CassidyTheCivet/status/1366132549672525826?s=19

There's two in this photo thread :D

I'm a different furry with different opinions.

Debut Album out now go stream it plz
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/cassidycivet/double-take

Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

Would it at all be Possible to add Podcasts this year? Maybe it's too late, but it would mean a lot to me.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

They're considered to be part of Best Magazine, on the grounds that they provide an essentially similar service. Fuzzy Logic won that award for 2012 and Culturally F'd for 2018 - the last year for which Furcast was suggested on their Recommended list (someone has to remember to do so every year).

They present the ALAA's Choice Award, but it's only happened twice; in one case where Red Lantern narrowly lost, the other when "Children of the Night" was recommended but not nominated (their embedding of it is down - here is a copy of Children of the Night).

Your rating: None

I finally got around to doing my furry duty and voting.

Best Motion Picture
1) Wolfwalkers
Just watched it yesterday and it was amazing! Nice story, great art style. Different to the usual 3D animation and doesn't follow all the common tropes.

Best Dramatic Series
1) Helluva Boss
Been bingeing this and reactions to it recently. It is amazing.
2) Beastars
I watched it subbed which is the only way to watch anime and it was great.
3) Aggretsuko
I've actually only seen season 1. It took me a while to get into it but then it was quite enjoyable. Assuming it stays that way.

Best Comic Strip
1) Housepets
My perennial candidate here.

Best Magazine
1) Flayrah
Goes without saying. I published three articles last year, so, if Flayrah wins, it's kinda like I win too!

Best Published Illustration
1) Paintwork
This looks really good in terms of emotion and lighting, easily my favourite out of the choices.
2) Sir Monty, The Good Boy
Very nicely done and makes me chuckle.
3) Cheers
Good atmosphere, cute characters. I like it.

Best Game
1) Ori and the Will of the Wisps
A stellar game which I should've reviewed last year. I got busy with other things though and then felt like the time wasn't right. It kept some of the best aspects of the original and improved on several others. My biggest dissapointment with the game was that they made it so easy. Blind Forest was challenging. Will of the Wisps (mostly because you can heal at will) was (for the most part) not.

Best Website
1) SoFurry
I still support SoFurry and it looks like some new developments are finally happening. This year could be quite exciting for it!
2) Loona
Just a vote because it's Loona and Helluva Boss.
3) Stolas
Just a vote because it's Stolas and Helluva Boss. How amazing was his song!?

Best Anthropomorphic Costume (Fursuit)
1) Zigc the Khajit
This one looks amazing! I'm a bit concerned I didn't really see a body section in the pics but the quality of the head and paws... brilliant.
2) Toriel
It lacks some of the cuteness of other suits but it does look really good.
3) Inutami Luki the Saluki
I'm not sure I've seen a fur suit up quite like that! Barney would be proud.

"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~

Your rating: None

Looking at my picks, I guess I'm not a huge fan of the Mouse. Rats, snakes and squirrels are OK, though.

Best Motion Picture

  1. Wolfwalkers - I mean, yeah! Animal transformation? Sign me up. (Maybe, if I can go back.)
  2. Hayop Ka! (You Animal!... or something else) - We don't have a review of this, but we probably should.
  3. Sonic the Hedgehog - Not my thing, but they took the time to listen to fans and fix it, so there's that.

Best Dramatic Short Work

  1. "Mystery Skulls Animated - The Future" - Not sure what's going on here, but I like it.
  2. ZooPhobia - "Bad Luck Jack" - Nice style, very musical.
  3. "Trick Moon" - Oh, that moon! And the animation is fun, too.

Hard to pick between Burrow and Trick Moon, but since the latter is more available, it wins.

Best Dramatic Series

  1. Helluva Boss - Owlbears are so unusual, and it's nice to show the good side of evil.
  2. Beastars - As with most work good enough to be brought in from abroad, it has merit.
  3. Aggretsuko - I mean, wah. But is it in danger of repeating itself? Either way, it's coming.

Hey, it's Rakuen's picks! I wanted to put BNA on here, but it struck me as too teeny and too cyberpunk-style.

Best Novel

  1. Disbanded - feral critters!
  2. Entanglement Bound - whale-ships! Sounds familiar.
  3. On The Mark - ponies! Well, kinda. Horn-y ponies?

Not selected: animal noir (though bonus points for spirit), animal vore!

Best Short Fiction

  1. "Summer Strawberries" - best for many because you can read it or listen to it without charge
  2. "What Makes a Witch" - rats! Also other stuff. For trans fans?

The rest sound… specific. I suspect short story fans who're interested in the topics will read them regardless of awards.

Best Other Literary Work

  1. Bush Heroes - for charity!
  2. Tales of Hayven Celestia - for variety!
  3. Selections of Anthropomorphic Regalements, Vol. 1 - more variety... and snakes!

Best Non-Fiction Work

  1. The Fandom: A Furry Documentary - which need all the help they can get.
  2. Furries Among Us 3 - They live among us!
  3. The Best and Worst Anthro Movies Tier List - Watched it and it made me smile.

Best Graphic Story

  1. Shine - I mean, if it gets past nomination, how could I not?
  2. Found Retake - When you wet yourself in the dream world, you wet in real life!
  3. Oren's Forge - Have you seen the art?

Best Comic Strip

  1. The Whiteboard - before it is replaced with electronic alternatives.
  2. Housepets! - consistently award-winning.
  3. Freefall - just getting to 3534 strips deserves an award in itself.

Best Magazine

  1. Flayrah - We did a lot, including COVID coverage which is still rolling on
  2. Zooscape - Free furry fiction, what's not to like?
  3. Furry Writers' Guild - a bunch of interviews furry biographers will be mining for years.

I didn't do a huge amount here in 2020 - if we win for this year, Sonious or Crossie should get the award.

Best Published Illustration

  1. "Take Off Your Headset!!" - Points for sheer ambition, plus it comes together into a composed scene.
  2. "A Night At The Fair" - Lots and lots of chakats.
  3. "Cheers" - Well-composed, background there if a bit blurry in places (like the game?).

Sometimes I fear the "published" bit gets in the way of art appreciation, but this year seemed... fine?

Best Game

  1. Spiritfarer - original concept and great execution; plus, topical for some.
  2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - have to give it to them, it came out at exactly right time; speaking of:
  3. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - featuring vulnerable species in endangering situations!

Best Website

  1. Stolas - I mean, that attitude. And yet still a family man! Or trying.
  2. SoFurry - still a good site with good features.
  3. Loona - seems cheap to have two in here, but hey, they got nominated.

Best Anthropomorphic Costume (Fursuit)

  1. Xif - did you see that full body? Can move in it, too. Working eyes is great to have. Also self-made and performed, so points for that.
  2. Cassidy Civet - good suit, owner seems to know how to use it, as demonstrated in the links provided.
  3. Zigc the Khajiit - I know, another cat? But the dog wasn't my thing, and I've seen a lot of goats (including versions of that one).

Like last year, I doubt they got many nominations. Fandom's Favorite Fursuit Fracas should return. On Twitter, Discord, and/or its own site. Understandably, though, few are looking for the stress involved.

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