Anime Faces Galore
To say that anime faces are expressive would be the understatement of the year. Anime faces are elastic, malleable, and don't always necessarily conform to the laws of gravity. Mouths have a tendency to roam freely outside the boundaries of the face. Eyes change size and shape on a whim. Shadows and lighting suddenly appear to maximize the effect.
In short, anime faces can make some pretty ridiculous expressions. These are some of our favorites.
Sad Anime Faces
Elucia de Lute Ima from Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai (The World God Only Knows)
You're not really sad until your tears pool into little lakes under your eyes.
Bon cries with so much emotion, every orifice on his face leaks in sympathy.
Luffy Monkey D. from One Piece
Luffy cries pretty dramatically, too (although in this case, he definitely has good cause to).
...As does Sanji. Okay, we get it, One Piece has some dramatic, blubbering crying. Moving on!
Sensei from Denki-gai no Honya-san (Denki-gai)
Someone added too much cornstarch to Sensei's tears - they seem to be solidifying into a sauce on her face.
Luna from Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)
Silly anime, cats don't have tear ducts.
Usagi Tsukino from Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)
That's better. Much more realistic.
Happy Anime Faces
Tiramie from Amagi Brilliant Park
Only a pretty girl could have made Tiramie this happy. To be fair, his expressions are already cute and round-eyed: he always looks deceptively full of joy.
Jibril from No Game No Life
True joy literally sparkles.
Mihoshi Akeno from Sora no Manimani (At the Mercy of the Sky)
Anime faces are pretty transparent in their emotions. The roundness of the eyes and the number of spontaneously appearing sparkles and bubbles around you are clear indicators of the level of your joy.
Happy from Fairy Tale
Ika Musume from Shinryaku! Ika Musume (Squid Girl)
When your sparkles just aren't sparkling, emotion is all in the eyes. Huge, round eyes are a sign of joy and excitement, while eyes closed into slits depict pure bliss. That is, unless the character always keeps their eyes shut. Good luck figuring them out.
Embarrassed Anime Faces
Rikka Takanashi from Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai (Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!)
When a normal person looks embarrassed, the cheeks might redden a bit. When an anime person gets embarrassed, the entire face fills up with blood. (Presumably to be released in a stream through the nose if the cause of embarrassment is of a sexual nature.)
Haruka Kotoura from Kotoura-san (The Troubled Life of Miss Kotoura)
The trouble with reading minds is that some people's minds are downright dirty! Kotoura gets embarrassed a lot, in the most adorable way possible. Don't worry: he face only looks like it's boiling over.
Muginami and Lan Laffinty from Rinne no Lagrange (Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne)
Whatever made the girls blush so furiously here was so dirty, it couldn't even be said out loud.
Madoka Kyouno from Rinne no Lagrange (Lagrange: the Flower of Rin-ne)
Madoka gets it the worst, though. It turns out that next to anger and fear, shame is the best way to bring out your true powers. Bring on the perverted thoughts!
Komoe Tsukuyomi from Toaru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index)
Of course, embarrassed anime characters only go chibi for laughs. There's a whole different breed of embarrassment, a dainty kind that makes cute girls look even cuter.
Aaand back to normal.
Angry Anime Faces
Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist
Anger can be scary in real life, but in anime it's downright terrifying. Anime characters literally transform into monstrous versions of themselves, like Ed does here. Where did his eyes go!?
Maka Albarn from Soul Eater
This is the face you see just before you meet your doom in the form of a giant book.
Tatsumi from Akame ga Kill!
Blank white eyes, red flame-like background, and the universal "anger" symbol - yep, Tatsumi's pissed.
Madoka Kyouno from Rinne no Lagrange (Lagrange: the Flower of Rin-ne)
Super stylized angry anime faces are pretty scary, but if you ask us it's the more realistic ones that make us truly fear for our lives.
Yuno Gasai from Mirai Nikki (TV) (Future Diary)
...Yep, it's definitely a lot scarier when a character shows anger in a more realistic way. Do not mess with Yuno when she's angry!
Smug Anime Faces
Hestia from Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Daro ka ( Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?)
How do you know if an anime character is judging you? Behold, the characteristics of a smug anime face. See the raised holier-than-thou head, so the character can look down their nose at you.
Chaika Trabant from Hitsugi no Chaika
Note the lowered eyelids and wide, often crooked smile. There's no mistaking that smug grin anywhere.
Benio Yonomori from Mikakunin de Shinkoukei (Engaged to the Unidentified)
The smug anime face is sometimes accompanied by a hand to the face or mouth. Saying "Ohohoho" in a haughty manner is optional, but recommended.
Tooka Yatogami from Date A Live
Here's the whole glory of the smug anime face, shown here simplified into chibi form for your convenience. Next time you're being judged by the anime you're watching, at least you'll know.
Scared Anime Faces
Daichi Shijima from Devil Survivor 2 The Animation
When your mouth drops below your bottom jaw in anime, that's called surprise. In real life it would be called a medical emergency.
Aoi Fukasaku from Coppelion
When a cat is scared or surprised, his fur stands on end. When an anime character is scared or surprised... they apparently do the same thing. Combined with a shadow over the eyes, this expression could only mean shock. You can probably supply the appropriate sound-effect in your head.
Saki Yoshino from Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin TV (Nanana's Buried Treasure)
Some anime characters show fear with clenched teeth and upraised eyebrows. This is.. surprisingly realistic, actually.
Dramatic lighting, tiny irises, and wide eyes… this is beyond fear, it's downright terror. Once again, realism trumps exaggeration. This scene just wouldn't be the same if his jaw were hanging on the floor...
Lovestruck Anime Faces
When you fall in love with someone, do your eyes turn into hearts? Because they absolutely should, no matter what gender or persuasion you are.
Juvia Lockser from Fairy Tail
Juvia goes a bit overboard with the hearts. Her eyes, mouth, chest, and even her hair is in love. Just in case you missed the point.
Yuno Gasai from Mirai Nikki (TV) (Future Diary)
This, on the other hand, is the kind of lovestruck character you should stay far away from.
Anime Faces In Despair
Mousou Dairinin (Paranoia Agent)
Haruka Kotoura from Kotoura-san (The Troubled Life of Miss Kotoura)
Nozomu Itoshiki from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
We're in despair! We're in despair over all these ridiculous expressions!
Tatsuhiro Satou from Welcome to the N.H.K.
No one does true, utterly resigned despair like Tatsuhiro
