Have you ever wondered why manga and anime characters have big eyes? This is a highly sought-after topic, especially by parents who think that big eyes have some dark and secret mystery. In this article, we will try to understand the whole story behind the big eyes in anime and manga.
There are several explanations behind the big eyes in anime and manga characters, and practically all of them are correct. I personally believe that the main reason is fashion, the effect of trends… Someone started it, and it just continued! It is obvious that there are reasons for using big eyes, and we will try to discover them now.
The more childish the style of the anime, the bigger the eyes. Some examples can be found in comedy anime and chibi characters.
Table of Contents
Who started the big-eyed manga and anime?
Before the birth and fame of manga and anime, Disney was already creating characters with big eyes like Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop. Apparently, Betty Boop was one of the favorite characters of Osamu Tezuka, known as the god of manga for creating the first manga and the first animation that popularized the industry.
Inspired by the character Betty Boop, Osamu Tezuka launched the famous manga Astro Boy in 1952, marking the beginning of a new era. The next mangakas who emerged after Osamu were inspired by him and also created characters with big eyes, and thus it became something common.
In reality, the culture of big eyes may have emerged much earlier than that. Illustrations by Yumeji Takehisa and Katsuji Matsumoto already depicted kawaii characters with round, big eyes since World War I. At that time, this was not well received and was even considered somewhat vulgar.
Do all JAPANESE CHARACTERS HAVE big eyes?
In reality, round and big eyes should not be seen as a predominant factor in Japanese works. Works like Gundam, and several other franchises from Jump Comics and Studio Ghibli use different types of eyes and facial shapes. Some characters may have small eyes and big noses, while others may not even have noses.
Others claim that it all started with the Disney movie Bambi, from 1942. Deer and fawns are popular in Japan and often live alongside the population in some cities like Nara. The popularity of the film in the country must have encouraged Osamu Tezuka and other mangakas to choose this type of art.
In the 90s, several anime emerged that tried to get closer to realism, using small eyes, big noses, and other aspects that made the characters more realistic, following the Western trend of superhero animations. The success did not reach the unexpected, as the characters seemed lifeless.
Why is the size of the eyes important in animation?
It doesn’t matter if the eye is big, medium, or small; the main reason Japanese people use eyes that stand out on the characters’ faces is that they are the windows to the soul. The eyes captivate viewers by representing the emotional and sentimental expressions of the character. This perfectly explains Disney’s success!
Bigger eyes make it easier to represent emotions more accurately, making the characters easier to relate to. The position of the eyes, the shapes, colors of the pupils and irises, and their gradations allow animators and artists to convey the entire personality and story of a character just through the face.
The size of the eyes can even captivate the viewer and prevent them from noticing some flaws in the animation or the background. It is noticeable that sometimes a manga has a super detailed drawing of the character’s face, but the rest is completely sketched and incomplete.
Big eyes help to understand a character’s emotional reactions without the need for dialogue.
Other reasons for big eyes in anime and manga
This trend has also persisted because big eyes are aesthetically pleasing in Japanese culture, to the point that some Japanese people try to enlarge their eyes and feel envious of Westerners. Japanese people are mysteriously attracted to different things, which also explains the colorful hair of the characters.
Another reason is that humans naturally like babies. Babies have big eyes, so humans tend to like people with big eyes. This is quite related to kawaii culture (cuteness) that has grown as a fundamental part of Japanese culture this century.
Using big eyes in anime characters appeals to the viewer’s inner child. It doesn’t matter if they are an adult or if the manga or anime is aimed at an adult audience like seinen. Moving the work away from realism with big eyes makes it even easier to use violence and sex without alienating the audience or generating discussions.
The same anime can have different characters with different eye sizes. Sometimes one may even have a nose and another may not! The truth is that there is no specific reason other than being an artistic detail that helps to captivate readers. This is nothing more than an important cliché of anime, manga, and even games.
There is no conspiracy with demons as parents think. Unfortunately, various stereotypes have spread related to Japanese animations, which have created unfounded ideas about the artistic style. What do you think about the big eyes in anime characters? We appreciate your comments and shares!
Leave a Reply