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The Many Expressions of Anime Faces

Anime faces come with a huge variety of expressions. From the bizarre to the realistic, feel the depth of emotion you can achieve when you throw physical restrictions out the window.

by Littoface
Jul 26, 2016 2:48 AM | 295,200 views

Anime Faces Galore


anime faces photoshop
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 The Wold Only Anime FaceElucia 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.

Bentham Bon One Piece Anime FaceBentham from One Piece

Bon cries with so much emotion, every orifice on his face leaks in sympathy.

Luffy Monkey D One Piece Anime FaceLuffy Monkey D. from One Piece

Luffy cries pretty dramatically, too (although in this case, he definitely has good cause to).

Sanji One Piece Anime FaceSanji from One Piece

...As does Sanji. Okay, we get it, One Piece has some dramatic, blubbering crying. Moving on!

Sensei Denki-gai no Honya-san Anime FaceSensei 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 Sailor Moon Anime FaceLuna from Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)

Silly anime, cats don't have tear ducts.

Usagi Tsukino Sailor Moon Anime FaceUsagi Tsukino from Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)

That's better. Much more realistic.



Happy Anime Faces


Tiramie Amagi Brilliant Park Anime FaceTiramie 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 No Game No Life Anime FaceJibril from No Game No Life

True joy literally sparkles.

Mihoshi Akeno Sora no Manimani Anime FaceMihoshi 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 Fairy Tail Anime FaceHappy from Fairy Tale

Ika Musume Anime FaceIka 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 Chuunibyou Anime FaceRikka 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 Anime FaceHaruka 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.

Lan and Muginami Legrange Anime FaceMuginami 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 Lagrange Anime FaceMadoka 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 Toaru Majutsu Anime FaceKomoe 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.

FNC Upotte Anime FaceFNC from Upotte!!

Aaand back to normal.



Angry Anime Faces


Edward Elric Fullmetal AlchemistEdward 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 Soul EaterMaka Albarn from Soul Eater

This is the face you see just before you meet your doom in the form of a giant book.

Tatsumi Akami ga killTatsumi from Akame ga Kill!

Blank white eyes, red flame-like background, and the universal "anger" symbol - yep, Tatsumi's pissed.

Madoka Kyouno Rinne no Lagrange Anime FaceMadoka 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 Mirai NikkiYuno 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 Pick up girls in a dungeonHestia 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 Hitsugi no ChaikaChaika Trabant from Hitsugi no Chaika

Note the lowered eyelids and wide, often crooked smile. There's no mistaking that smug grin anywhere.

Benio Yonomori Mikakunin de ShinkoukeiBenio 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 Date A LiveTooka 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 Devil Survivor 2Daichi 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 CoppelionAoi 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 Nanana's Buried Treasure Anime FaceSaki 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.

Tokyo Ghoul Anime FaceTokyo Ghoul

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


One PieceOne Piece

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 Fairy Tail Anime FaceJuvia 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 Mirai NikkiYuno 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 AgentMousou Dairinin (Paranoia Agent)

Haruka Kotoura Anime FaceHaruka Kotoura from Kotoura-san (The Troubled Life of Miss Kotoura)

Nozomu Itoshiki Zetsubou SenseiNozomu Itoshiki from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

We're in despair! We're in despair over all these ridiculous expressions!

Satou Tatsuhiro Welcome To The NHK Anime Face Tatsuhiro Satou from Welcome to the N.H.K.

No one does true, utterly resigned despair like Tatsuhiro

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