Ever wondered why manga and anime characters have big eyes? This is a very popular subject, especially for parents who think that big eyes have something to do with them. dark and secret mystery. In this article, we will try to understand the whole story behind big eyes in anime and manga.
There are several explanations behind the large eyes in anime and manga characters, and practically all of them are correct. I personally believe the main reason is fashion, the "cute" effect, trends... Someone started and it continued! It's obvious that there are reasons for using large eyes, and let's try to find out now.
The more childish the anime style, the bigger the eyes. Some examples are in comedy anime and chibi characters.
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Who started manga and anime with big eyes?
Before the birth and fame of manga and anime, Disney already made characters with big eyes like Mickey Mouse and the Betty Boop. Apparently Betty Boop was one of the favorite characters from 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 Astro Boy manga in 1952, ushering in a new era. The next mangaka that emerged after Osamu were inspired by him and also created characters with big eyes and so this became something common.
In fact, the big-eyed culture may have emerged long before that. Illustrations by Yumeji Takehisa and Katsuji Matsumoto already represented kawaii characters with big round eyes since the first world war. In his day this was not well regarded, and was even considered vulgar.
DO ALL JAPANESE CHARACTERS HAVE big eyes?
In fact, round and large eyes should not be seen as a predominant factor in Japanese works. Works like Gundam, and several other Jump Comics and Studio Ghibli franchises use different eye types and facial shapes. Some characters may have small eyes and large noses, while others have no noses at all.
Others claim that it all started with Disney's 1942 film Bambi. Deer and deer are popular in Japan and often live alongside the population in some cities like Nara. The film's popularity in the country must have encouraged Osamu Tezuka and other mangaka to choose this type of art.
In the 90's there were several anime 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 achieve the unexpected, because the characters seemed lifeless.
Why is eye size important in animation?
It doesn't matter if the eye is big, medium or small, the main reason the Japanese use eyes that stand out in the characters' faces is because they are the windows to the soul. The eyes captivate viewers by representing emotional and sentimental expressions of the character. This perfectly explains Disney's success!
Larger eyes make it easier to depict emotion more accurately, making characters easier to relate to. The position of the eyes, the shapes, colors of the pupils and iris and their gradations allow animators and designers to share a character's entire personality and story with just the face.
The size of the eyes can even trap the viewer and prevent him from noticing any flaws in the animation or scenery. Note that sometimes a manga has a super detailed drawing of the character's face, but the rest is totally sketchy and incomplete.
Big eyes help you understand a character's emotional reactions without having to use dialogue.
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Other reasons for big eyes in anime and manga
This trend has also been perpetuated because big eyes are aesthetically pleasing in Japanese culture, so much so that some Japanese try to enlarge their eyes and are jealous of Westerners. The Japanese are mysteriously attracted to different things, this also explains the characters' colored hair.
Another reason is that humans naturally like babies. Babies have big eyes, so humans tend to like people with big eyes. This is closely related to the kawaii culture (cuteness) that grew up as a fundamental part of Japanese culture in this century.
Using big eyes on anime characters appeals to the viewer's inner child. It doesn't matter if he's 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 pushing away and generating arguments.
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 a major cliché of anime, manga, and even games.
there is none conspiracy with devil as parents think. Unfortunately, several stereotypes were spread around Japanese animations, which created ideas that had nothing to do with the artistic style. What do you think of big eyes on anime characters? We appreciate the comments and shares!
