The winners of the sixth annual Ursa Major Awards (formally the Annual Anthropomorphic Literature & Arts Awards), for the Best in anthropomorphic/"funny animal" literature and art first published during the calendar year 2006, were announced at a presentation ceremony on Friday, May 4, 2007 at CaliFur III, held at the the Costa Mesa Holiday Inn, Costa Mesa, CA on May 4-6, 2007.

The Ursa Major Awards are Anthropomorphic (a.k.a. Furry) Fandom's equivalents of s-f fandom's Hugo Awards, mystery fandom's Anthony Awards, horror fandom's Bram Stoker Awards, and so forth.  The Ursa Majors are administered and presented by the Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Association (ALAA), an organization dedicated to promoting anthropomorphic literature and arts both within and outside of the fandom.  Nominations and voting for the awards are open to the public.  The physical award consists of an illustrated trophy certificate or plaque, designed by the artist Heather Bruton.

Eligibility in ten categories is for works featuring intelligent &/or talking animals first published during the calendar year 2006.  This can include new compilations of older works, such as a new collection of previously-published separate works.  The winners are chosen by popular vote among those participating in Anthropomorphic Fandom who, first, submitted their nominations for the winners, and then voted upon a final ballot consisting of the five finalists (those receiving the most nominations) in each category. The voting for the awards was open to all furry fandom via the Internet; and took place between March 10th and April 14th; and received votes from countries as diverse as Germany, Finland, Russia, the Philippines, Australia, and Trinidad & Tobago.

The envelope, please...

Best Anthropomorphic Motion Picture

Over The Hedge

(Dreamworks Animation, distributed by Dreamworks Pictures, May 19)

Also nominated were:
Cars (Producer: Walt Disney Feature Animation and Pixar Studios, Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures, June 9)
Flushed Away (Producer: DreamWorks Animation, Aardman Animations, Distributor: Paramount Pictures, United International Pictures, October 22)
Happy Feet (Producers: Kingdom Feature Productions, Animal Logic, Kennedy Miller Productions and Village Roadshow Pictures, Distributor: Warner Brothers,November 16)
Ice Age: The Meltdown (Producer: 20th Century Fox, Blue Sky Studios, Fox Animation Studios, Distributor: 20th Century Fox, March 1)

Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Short Work or Series

Hammy's Boomerang Adventure

(Dreamworks Animation, on Over the Hedge DVD)

Also nominated were:
Jane and the Dragon (YTV, Season One - episodes 1 to 26)
My Gym Partner's A Monkey (Cartoon Network, episodes 1 to 26)
Raccoon Daze (Xoflo Films, 2006)
Tom and Jerry Tales (Warner Brothers, episodes 1 to 13)

Best Anthropomorphic Novel

Pendant of Fortune

by Kyell Gold. (Sofawolf Press, January)

Also nominated were:
Beyond That Which Divides (book 3 of the Wilderhom trilogy) by Philip J. Eggerding. (Internet ,May)
The Human Memoirs, by G. Howell. (ANTHRO #1, September-October 2005 to #4, March-April 2006; Anthro Press, December)
The Catto Comeback, by M. Mitchell Marmel and E. O. Costello. (Spontoon, completed November)
His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire book one) by Naomi Novik. (Del Rey Books, January)

Best Anthropomorphic Short Fiction

"Jacks To Open"

by Kyell Gold (Fur Rag, June)

Also nominated were:
Monkey in the Middle, by Mark Allen Davis. (Tales of the Taipan Universe #41, May)
Helping Hands, by Equestrian Horse Wrangler. (Anthro #5, May-June)
Full Immersion, by Phil Geusz. (Anthro #4, March-April)
Felicia and the Wrath of the Elder Glops, by Chas P A Melville. (the author, Cafépress, August.)
Bob's Greezamus Carol by C.D. Woodbury (Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe #42, December)

Best Anthropomorphic Other Literary Work

A Doemain of Our Own

by Susan Rankin. (Plan Nine Publishing, March, comic strip collection, Volume 1)

Also nominated were:
ANTHROlogy One, edited by Quentin Long (The editor/Lulu.com, November, collection of material from ANTHRO issues #1-#6)
Tofu Knights: Ozy and Millie, 2004 - 2005, by D. C. Simpson (The author, January; comic strip collection)
Gene Catlow, by Albert Temple. (Plan Nine Publishing, June, comic strip collection, volume 1)
Digger Volume 2, by Ursula Vernon. (Sofawolf Press, July; comic strip collection)
Tai-Pan: Skulduggery, edited by Gene Breshears (Tai-Pan Literary and Arts Project, August, anthology)

Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book

i.s.o.

by Vince Suzukawa. (Vince Suzukawa, issues #1, January and #2, July)

Also nominated were:
Extinctioners, by Shawntae L. Howard. (Shanda Fantasy Arts, irregular, 2006 issues include #15, January)
Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Volume II, written by Mike Bullock, art by Jack Lawrence. (Image Comics issues from #1 March to #4 June)
Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai. (Dark Horse, monthly issues from January to December)
ZED #7, by Michel Gagné. (Gagne International, June)

Best Anthropomorphic Comic Strip

Ozy and Millie

by D.C. Simpson. (Internet strips from January 2 to December 28)

Also nominated were:
A Doemain of our Own, by Susan Deer. (Internet, January 3 to December 25)
Freefall, by Mark Stanley. (Internet strips from January 2 to December 29)
Kevin & Kell, by Bill Holbrook. (Internet strips from January 1 to December 31)
Sabrina Online, by Eric W. Schwartz. (Internet strips from January to December)

Best Anthropomorphic Fanzine

Anthrolations

(Sofawolf Press, issue #8, November)

Also nominated were:
Anthro (2006 issues, from #3, January-February, to #8, November-December)
South Fur Lands. (2006 issues, from #40, March, to #43, December)
Spontoon Island, (2006 updates, from January, to December)
Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe (2006 issues, from #41 [May] to #42 [December])

Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration

Cover painting by Sara Palmer

for Pendant of Fortune, by Kyell Gold. (Sofawolf Press, January.)

Also nominated were:
Cover art by Eugene Arenhaus, for Extinctioners #15 by Shawntae Howard, January.
Illustration by Susan Rankin, "Sire Relief: Entering L'Etoile d'Argent." for "Sire Relief", Part I, Spontoon, July.
Illustration by Susan Rankin, "Sire Relief: Holding the Fort." for Sire Relief, Part II, Spontoon, July.
Title page by Chas P A Melville for Bob's Greezamus Carol, Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe #42 (Tai-Pan Literary & Arts Project, December)
Cover art by Sky Oxford for Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe #41 (Tai-Pan Literary & Arts Project, May)

Best Anthropomorphic Game

Okami

(Developer Clover Studios, publisher Capcom, September 19)

Also nominated were:
Daxter (Developer: Ready At Dawn Studios, Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment, March 14)
Kingdom Hearts II [English Release] (Developer: Square Enix, Publisher: Square Enix, March 28
Over the Hedge (Developer: Edge of Reality, Publisher: Activision, May 9)
Star Fox Command (Developer: Q-Games, Publisher: Nintendo, August 28)