Because we get to see the witches and wizards change into different animals, instead of just a wolf.
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agreed

Yeah and for a wizard to change into an animagus they dont need to be mad they can do it when they feel like it which means they have a lot more control over when to change

Shape shifters!XD

No offense, but shape-shifters are just pretty simple with the name. JKR took time to think of the name Animagus, and WHOOP, there's one good result.

Grr, I hate the 'shape-shifter' idea. People are calling them werewolves. THEY ARE NOT WEREWOLVES. Real werewolves are kick-ass! It's like a frickin' curse! Not just, 'Oooh, I want to change into a dog on steroids! POOF!'
Sorry, I am very defensive about werewolves, they are awesomness. XD

But, yeah, you can get Anamagi of all different kinds of animals, apart from just a wolf.

An animagus could be any animal at all, Twilight shape-shifters can only be wolves and it's genetic. For a wizard to become an animagus they have to earn it.

aren't they the same thing pretty much?

Animagi because although I LOVE wolves, the Twilight "werewolves" were a big disappointment. As an animagus, you can be ANY animal you want.

Shape-shifters ... they turn into wolves when they lose their temper. I mean, seriously? Animagus; you can choose your animal, and you can transform any time you want. :D

defo a shapshifter i love wolves

Cause Padfoot and Prongs were animaguses! They are awesome

Some of the most awesome characters are animaguses. Sirius and James! McGonagall is cool too :)

you are all wrong. they are nether. true an animagus doesn't need to be made and they have full control when they are changed, so they aren't an animagus. nor are they shape shifters tho, a shape shifter can take any from they want at anytime and have control over what they do as well. they don't need to be made ether, they are born that way. they are skin walkers. skin walkers turn at will, turn into a dog or wolf, have to made. o and twilight sucks anyway. they got vampires all wrong

Because i could turn into whatever i wanted, whenever i wanted! Not, turn into a big bear sized dog when i was angry.

mcgonagall isnt an animagus lol i hate when people say she is, personally i find the idea of choosing your animal much more impressive, so i choose animagus

^Then why is she on the list of Registered Animagi if she isn't an animagus. But it's very definition, that's what she is.

In the case of Twilight shape-shifters and Harry Potter animagi, they are, literally the same thing. The only difference is that one has to learn how to change, and the only has to learn how to control when they change (meaning, control their tempers). They both can control when they change, and neither gets to pick the form they change into.

she is an animal by transfiguration lol dumbledore says so in the book, she has to be on the list because she takes animal form at will, that is also explained by dumbly dor lol

Not in the American version, he doesn't say that. And that doesn't even make sense. Krum transfigured himself for the TriWiazard tournament. Why didn't he have to put his name on the list?

Every site I have ever looked on says she's an animagus, and for very good reason. The animagus form, like a patronus, is chosen by your personality - it's why they have have markings (McGonagall and Rita's glasses on their form).

Also, a wizard can transfigure themselves into anything. An animagi can't. McGonagall only transforms into a cat - with the telltale markings. She may be able to transfigure herself into anything else (she's a very powerful witch) but she is an animagus.

well in the british version he explains it lol. krum only changed once, whereas mcgonagall has been transfiguring into a cat for a long time

Well, that's not what's said in the American version - not even close. And every site I've looked at backs me up . . .

haha in the welsh version he explains it as well lol, i have never read the american version so i don't know what it says, im not saying your a liar, im just saying in the versions i have read dumbledore says she chose the cat and uses transfiguration to turn into the cat.

I can turn into whatever I want whenever I want.

also you said that they dont choose what they change into when an animagus, but didnt sirius, james and wormtail choose their animal form, i may be mistaken though

It never said in the books whether they did or didn't. It was implied in the books that often times someone's patronus is their animagus form, so it makes sense that James' would be a stag.