| I have been watching anime for severall years but i never understood why anime characters look like they are of western ethnicity and not asian. Like, pretty much all of the highschoolers in anime have the looks of europeans students. What makes it even stranger to me is that anime is mainly targetting japanese teenagers so wouldn't this make it harder for them to relate to the characters? Genuinely curious about it. Edit: i'm forced to precise it because some obtuse individuals are calling me out for my blatant "racism". No, i'm not racist so no need to jump me. This is a legitimate question. |
trinitroglycerinAug 15, 2023 5:16 PM
| The reason is because that's what you are. Japanese people are Japanese so they view the characters as Japanese, if you're white you'll generally view them as white. They're intentionally non-distinct because there's no real reason to put specific racial features on them. The small noses are actually one Asian facial feature anime characters have that white people generally don't, but people are happy to overlook that. |
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| If you're asking "why the bigger eyes?" then answer is to make them more expressive. Same reason other animation uses huge eyes. If you're asking about the skin color , I'm not entirely sure. I think they prefer the whiter skin culturally, but I might be pulling that out my ass. |
FanofActionAug 14, 2023 7:46 PM
zombie_pegasus said: The reason is because that's what you are. Japanese people are Japanese so they view the characters as Japanese, if you're white you'll generally view them as white. They're intentionally non-distinct because there's no real reason to put specific racial features on them. The small noses are actually one Asian facial feature anime characters have that white people generally don't, but people are happy to overlook that. Okay i get that but you can't tell me that Ichigo or Asuna look like asian teenagers even though they are supposed to be Japanese. |
FanofAction said: If you're asking "why the bigger eyes?" then answer is to make them more expressive. Same reason other animation uses huge eyes. If you're asking about the skin color , I'm not entirely sure. I think they prefer the whiter skin culturally, but I might be pulling that out my ass. I think i kind of figured out why they got big eyes but yeah... i don't understand the skin color. I'm not saying it's bad or anything but i find it strange. |
Arioch- said: Yeah, I vaguely remembered learning about that. Just not all details behind it. FanofAction said: It is a cultural thing, having lighter skin is a symbol of beauty and status throughout history in Asia, that’s why they use a lot of skin lightening products.If you're asking "why the bigger eyes?" then answer is to make them more expressive. Same reason other animation uses huge eyes. If you're asking about the skin color , I'm not entirely sure. I think they prefer the whiter skin culturally, but I might be pulling that out my ass. |
FanofActionAug 14, 2023 8:23 PM
| Truman threatened to nuke more of Japan if they didn't do it. |
| Go read Berserk and One Piece they're the best thing ever |
| Yeap.. Exactly this.. He beat me to it but that's what I wanted to say WaffleMaster89 said: Truman threatened to nuke more of Japan if they didn't do it. |
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| Japanese stole the anime eye style from the French. |
the Japanese have a long-held Inferiority Complex, in regards to their physical appearances ever since they widely learned what Europeans were generally like... and all of this fomented long ago; well before the eldest of us in this thread here were even born... |
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 It's not that deep. At least it's kinda true for the anime that aren't drawn in a more realistic way. It's called "Kindchenschema" and should appear cute due their big eyes. |
removed-userAug 15, 2023 5:32 AM
Dannyr22 said: Rocknblock said: What else do you think their skin color is though? Yellow? I don't think anybody has 'yellow' skin color. I think i kind of figured out why they got big eyes but yeah... i don't understand the skin color. I'm not saying it's bad or anything but i find it strange. https://myanimelist.net/character/65643/Koro-sensei |
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SkyfallStar said: Japanese stole the anime eye style from the French. I heard in a documentary that French stole the hope diamond from India.. So even steven...Lethieves james |
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at any rate; would any of us honestly wish for Anime Girls to actually look more ethnically Asian?!?  |
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| Because Japanese people perceive Caucasian traits as a standard of beauty. |
| They don't tho. They mostly look Japanese, specially on shows like School Days. |
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| I also have been watching anime for several years and never once did it occur to me that Rocknblock said: Perhaps it's the uniforms that throws me off, or maybe the fact that they have japanese names. Idk it could also be that the "foreign student who speaks a somewhat broken japanese" is quite common, which implies that the rest of the cast isn't comprised of foreigners.pretty much all of the highschoolers in anime have the looks of europeans students |
| Because Asians are very similar to each other and it is hard to distinguish them. |
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| I don't believe anime characters look like real people of any race in general. They are highly stylised in most cases, meaning they only look like themselves. Anime with "realistic" artstyles tend to have a higher percentage of characters who aren't necessarily Caucasian. |
  ｲ乇刀乇乃尺ﾑ乇 ╔⏤═⏤╝   ╚⏤═⏤╗☽ Shaded Horizon ☾ |
| Because Japanese people are obsessed with whiteness and tend to associate it with beauty and purity. Funnily enough, in Japan white supremacy actually exists and is quite widepsread, since a lot of people try to look as Caucasian as possible, not to mention extremely high popularity of western culture/history in general. |
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| I'm not sure if purple and blue or green hair is specifically European or American in your eyes but I just see colorful characters akin to candy marketted to children. |
icefirestone23Aug 15, 2023 12:56 PM
| I don't remember where I read about this, but I heard that it is considered a convention and it is assumed that in the conventional "real life", most of the characters we see look like the most ordinary Japanese. |
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RobertBobert said: Is that so? If that is true i'd be very interested to read more about it.I don't remember where I read about this, but I heard that it is considered a convention and it is assumed that in the conventional "real life", most of the characters we see look like the most ordinary Japanese. |
SkyfallStar said: I am myself french so i wish it would be the case.Japanese stole the anime eye style from the French. |
Risa92 said: It's not that deep. At least it's kinda true for the anime that aren't drawn in a more realistic way. It's called "Kindchenschema" and should appear cute due their big eyes. Is this a troll answer? This seems interesting but i can't tell if you are joking or not. |
Rocknblock said: Well, you can compare it to the rise of the brown hair characters like in Railgun in the late 00s, when the trend for brown hair dye among young girls started in Japan. The anime showed this as a natural tone, but it was obviously implied that it was just a fashion image. And now, more and more anime have begun to copy modern trends for dyed strands in bright colors or multi-colored hair like E Girl.RobertBobert said: Is that so? If that is true i'd be very interested to read more about it.I don't remember where I read about this, but I heard that it is considered a convention and it is assumed that in the conventional "real life", most of the characters we see look like the most ordinary Japanese. |
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| I’ve thought about this a lot and I’ve decided that it’s partially to create visual diversity and for each character to have their own distinct characteristics. As it’s been mentioned already: there isn’t much visual variety in everyone having black hair and brown eyes. Sure, people having blonde or blue hair and red or blue eyes isn’t characteristic of Japanese culture, but you’re literally watching a cartoon so it’s gets a pass from me. I’ll suspend my disbelief because…. Cartoons. Some animes has its characters go as far as to explain that their hair has been dyed or that they wear contacts. It’s pretty interesting. |
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Rocknblock said: Risa92 said: It's not that deep. At least it's kinda true for the anime that aren't drawn in a more realistic way. It's called "Kindchenschema" and should appear cute due their big eyes. Is this a troll answer? This seems interesting but i can't tell if you are joking or not. Half-joking. Lot of anime characters should evoke the same emotions that looking at cute animals and babies / toddlers evoke in us. (That's why I'm so irritated when anime tries to draw cutesy characters "sexy", because I wouldn't want to see a sexy kitten either lol.) I wouldn't say they are directly based on cats, but share very similar physical traits. Also Tezuka was a fan of the Disney style and they also drew their characters with big eyes. He took influence from this and influenced manga and anime history himself. |
MasterTasuke said: This and other live action kills the bug lover. These actors are fine in their normal TV shows but anime live adaptations show why Asia is infamous for plastic surgery and how dying hair and wearing contact lens will not change bone structure of facial features.at any rate; would any of us honestly wish for Anime Girls to actually look more ethnically Asian?!? |
VexingCurses said: I’ve thought about this a lot and I’ve decided that it’s partially to create visual diversity and for each character to have their own distinct characteristics. As it’s been mentioned already: there isn’t much visual variety in everyone having black hair and brown eyes. Sure, people having blonde or blue hair and red or blue eyes isn’t characteristic of Japanese culture, but you’re literally watching a cartoon so it’s gets a pass from me. I’ll suspend my disbelief because…. Cartoons. Some animes has its characters go as far as to explain that their hair has been dyed or that they wear contacts. It’s pretty interesting. Well it never refrained me from enjoying an anime. And yes, some anime provide answers as to why characters have blond/brown hairs and blue/green eyes while the majority don't. For exemple, in Clannad Ova we learn that mc's best friend (sry don't remember all the names, it's been a very long time) dyes his hairs to keep them blond. |
Risa92 said: Rocknblock said: Is this a troll answer? This seems interesting but i can't tell if you are joking or not. Half-joking. Lot of anime characters should evoke the same emotions that looking at cute animals and babies / toddlers evoke in us. (That's why I'm so irritated when anime tries to draw cutesy characters "sexy", because I wouldn't want to see a sexy kitten either lol.) I wouldn't say they are directly based on cats, but share very similar physical traits. Also Tezuka was a fan of the Disney style and they also drew their characters with big eyes. He took influence from this and influenced manga and anime history himself. Okay this is gonna be my headcannon as of now. |
Risa92 said: (That's why I'm so irritated when anime tries to draw cutesy characters "sexy", because I wouldn't want to see a sexy kitten either lol.) You are missing out on a life changing experience. Here have some cartoon : |
| They draw characters to be sexy, and that just often coincides with certain caucasian features. |
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JaniSIr said: Risa92 said: (That's why I'm so irritated when anime tries to draw cutesy characters "sexy", because I wouldn't want to see a sexy kitten either lol.) You are missing out on a life changing experience. Here have some cartoon : Nah if that floats your boat, more power to you. xD Hm tbh... the purple one looks nice. Rocknblock said: Risa92 said: Half-joking. Lot of anime characters should evoke the same emotions that looking at cute animals and babies / toddlers evoke in us. (That's why I'm so irritated when anime tries to draw cutesy characters "sexy", because I wouldn't want to see a sexy kitten either lol.) I wouldn't say they are directly based on cats, but share very similar physical traits. Also Tezuka was a fan of the Disney style and they also drew their characters with big eyes. He took influence from this and influenced manga and anime history himself. Okay this is gonna be my headcannon as of now. I can't unsee that either anymore. Have more of them, that's I think a reupload of the full post: https://qurarara.quora.com/https-www-quora-com-Why-in-Japanese-anime-do-none-of-the-characters-look-Japanese-answer-Hantani-Sadahiko |
| Yeah That's an interesting topic. I remember watching Patlabor and noticing that the closest the series had to an asiatic character was Kanuka Clancy, and she was american. |
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| Many characters from older anime do look Japanese, but a more modern, typical light-skinned moe design, isn't going to be as ethnically distinct. |
| If you reply back to me and I never respond, I lost interest and don't care. Sorry about that. |
Jank_ram said: No they generally don't look like real people like at all, if you think they do then you probably need to touch grass I think, also what about them is western? Colorful hair? Big eyes? Well those are universally seen as generally more beautiful even by asains it's not like people like those who look like themselves. No need to resort to insults. You can read this thread and see that it stayed civil and polite until your answer. As for why i think they look like westerners, a lot of them do have objectively non japanese features (not talking about blue hairs or horns). You can't watch Bleach and tell me that Ichigo, Orihime or Yoruichi (well she is a cat but still) for exemple look like the average japanese. I'm not talking about anime that are explicitely not set in our world (naruto, bleach) or where it makes sense that people come from varied countries (Black Lagoon). |
Risa92 said: Nah if that floats your boat, more power to you. xD Hm tbh... the purple one looks nice. The rat lady with the black hair is the best girl btw. BirdyTheMighty said: Lmao wtf, that was actually pretty hype Of course it's hype, it's a certified classic. One of the few Hungarian movies that are actually good. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179955/ |
| The longer I watch anime the less they look like to "Europeans" [Germanic/Scandinavian/Slavic/Roman/etc. people look different from each other, even within the Slavic people the Southern will look different than Eastern one.] Shounen and Shoujo targets are primarily for Teenagers/Young audience [but in reality I'd say the older audience likes it more or at least that's what I see through youtube/Pyrkon conventions] when we speak about demographics [excluding here Kids shows], you've forgotten there are also Josei and Seinen anime. - Ah btw majority if not all of highschoolers in anime have 0 facial hairs, alot of highschoolers including myself in past have already a full grown beard and moustache + smokin cigarettes + drinking alcohol + other stuff the anime characters are too pure and saint to be compared to Europe. |
ZettaikenAug 15, 2023 3:36 PM
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