The concept of animal girls has its roots in Japanese anime and manga, where it has been a staple of the industry for decades. Early examples include characters like Catgirl (1967) and the animal-human hybrids in the manga and anime series "Kimba the White Lion" (1976). However, it wasn't until the 2000s that the animal girl phenomenon began to gain significant traction, with the rise of digital media and the internet.