Just wondering. Was on DC++ and talking to some Otuku’s about this... had to ask here.

It's a visual style that's evolved through the years into absurdum. You might think it'd be to overcompensate for their natural narrow eyes, but... I think it's just a well adopted style that's grown and evolved into what we see today. Not all anime chars have large eyes though, mostly it's the series that are aimed at young people.

The same goes for western cartoons/comics. Why doesn't Spider-man (http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0403/ppsm_55.jpg) have a nose? No-one nose...

*kills himself* :D

I always figured it was because the eyes can depict so much more emotion than anything else.

They would naturally want the eyes to be the focal point to make the emotions more believable and relaistic in a cartoon that is so obviously not drawn realistically.

one_raven, I guess so... is that why anime characters also have a single giant sweet gland jeting from a side of there head? http://www.guru3d.com/forum/images/smilies/embarassedlaugh.gif

one raven:
But those huge ass eyes are not just making them look more emotional - the large eyes don't convey extra emotion at all.

I always figured it was part of that weird Japanese obsession with young, innocent girl-women. Larger eyes - look more vulnerable.

The men don't seem to have eyes that are quite that bug-ass huge.

Anime originated in Japan, as you all know, and according to Japanese folklore, the eyes are the "soul" of ones kindred spirit. So I guess they just carried on the enormous eye tradition.

Also why to Anime people, have such small noses

Not only do they have miniscule noses, they have gigantic eyes. And they're mouths can only move three ways. Closed, gaping, and half way open. I still don't understand how, given those three positions, they can pronounce every single letter.

Also has anybody ever noticed how a lot of time the anime characters close their eyes and speak, or a lot of times they put their hand over their eyes and speak. Specially when they are frustrated or just indifferent to sitautions. Why ???? who does that- close their eyes and speak...it's looks utterly ridiclious when done in real life. I mean people do it for a second or two when they shake their head but i anime they make whole speeches while doing that.


As for the eyes; well a few years ago they explained that on sci-fi channel, back when they use to have animefest. It has something to do with representing young characters and it actually has a name starting with p or something like that.

Sargent Lard

Ahha you are forgetting, the almost immovable body parts, of the anime characters cannot express emotion very well, so they cover up there face, because the artists can do anythinig else...

And another thing, why do anime characters, have always one abnormal facial flaw... Krillin from DBZ 6 dots on his head, what is with that

And the men are quite different from the women in realtion to Anime, the girls are made to look vulnerable, and pretty. While all the time guys are tough, and have dirt covered amongst themselves, and have small eyes, with almost uncompensibley small noses... etc

Originally posted by ChildOfTheMind


And another thing, why do anime characters, have always one abnormal facial flaw... Krillin from DBZ 6 dots on his head, what is with that


That is actually because he was a monk...they never show that on The dubbed version of DB but yeah he was a monk as a kid who trained to fight.

Originally posted by ChildOfTheMind


And another thing, why do anime characters, have always one abnormal facial flaw... Krillin from DBZ 6 dots on his head, what is with that

That artist prolly did it to make it easy to distinguish between characters..

Why doesn't Spider-man have a nose? No-one nose... :D . I think it may be because Spiderman is supposed to be part spider and spiders don't have noses :) . It makes him look more spideresque.

and when Anime characters get frusturated, those little 4 corner things pop up on their heads. Kinda like: 1 1
1 1
1 1
----------- ------------

------------ -------------
1 1
1 1
1 1
sort of like that. :m:

I think you are talking about veins...when the yget angry veins pop out of their head...it's heavily used in Sailor Moon and Pokemon and Rarely in Ruroni Kenshin

Also the big tears that come out of their eyes when they are sad in a comedic situation. Can somebody also please explain to me What is that mushroom like shape that comes out when characters are sad or surprised in comedic situations in anime.....Again in Sailor Moon it's used heavily. It comes out from the motuh a lot and top of the head.

When Anime characters are in weird situations, ltes take Master Roshi from DBZ, for example why do they put there hand behind there neck bobble back and forth with no movement in between, and sweat enormous gobs from the head

Originally posted by Xev
one raven:
I always figured it was part of that weird Japanese obsession with young, innocent girl-women. Larger eyes - look more vulnerable.

Good point!
I never thought of that.

And there is always this constant twitching. :m:

I dont want to offend anyone but I always thought that because Japanese people have very small eyes in reality they make their cartoon chars' eyes very big. :bugeye:

The style of artwork used in anime was being first developed int he early 1960's. Manga artists copied the eyes of early American cartoon characters like Betty Boop, Felix the Cat, and early Disney. Other artist followed this example to the point that big eyes were typical in Japanese animation. As western animation evolved , realism was opted for over cuteness. Not all anime has big eyes though, more serious shows and characters that are not innocent have smaller, more normal eyes.

I, for one, am very offended by the fact that the Japanese have small eyelids. The bastards!

They use alot of symbols used in mengas, I guess. In comics, you have trouble conveying some emotion, that's why they do things like the exclamation marks and stuff it probably moved over to anime.What is that mushroom like shape that comes out when characters are sad or surprised in comedic situations in anime..... I think it's supposed to be a sigh. On the spirit DVD they explain that they gave the horses eyebrows to help convey emotion. Real horses don't have them. Perhaps we should find an animator to answer the questions?

i heard once that it was supposed to be making fun of americans. IE. we make fun of them for small eyes, they make fun of us for big eyes. Another thing i notice about the style (and this isn't bad, just something i noticed) is that when they talk only the mouth moves on the head. like, no chin or anything. no jaw. weird eh?:bugeye: