The Change of Character Looks of Anime

[Avangarde]

One thing I have noticed through watching anime over the years is the change of animation styles of modern (perhaps mainstream) anime to that of stuff in the 70's, 80's and 90's. One thing that stands out to me is the look of characters, to me anime of today's characters looks more asian in appearence to that of the earlier productions. Now I'm not saying that all older anime doesn't look Japanese, infact one of if not the most known anime in the west looks more Japanese then most, being Akira. There is still a mix of both types in both era's, but it isn't quite as balanced. Now many arguments can come from this, people can say that all anime looks either asian or western to them, some could even say that there is more anime today then there was back in the 20th century, therefore stating that it's an unfair comparison. IMO I believe anime today looks more asian then western, and the reason why is this, because anime has well and truely broken into western culture that the Japanese feel they no longer have to create some Disney influenced medium to sell to western culture. Obviously there are still Disney like anime releases today, but they are out weighed by this new form. Best comparison would be the original Guyver series to the latest one.

So what's your thought's? And for those of you that come in here spouting "all anime is crap" try being a little constructive in your criticism, it kind of helps to avoid making you look like a close minded wanker.


Discuss.

 

[Star]

I honestly think that it's just different artist styles. I saw this picture on Deviantart awhile ago where someone had drawn characters from series (ex: Goku) in the style of other animes (I think Goku was drawn as a character in ... uh crap, whats that called... that one where ... NARUTO! yes.) Either way the character looked completely different...

I will try to find the picture, it's actually kinda cool.

 

[Star]

Credit: http://Risachantag.deviantart.com

Now, I don't actually know who ALL the characters are but I'm sure some people will.

Goku: Drawn as One Piece
Luffy: Drawn as Naruto
Naruto: Drawn as DBZ
Trunks: Drawn as Naruto
Zoro: Drawn as DBZ
Gaara: Drawn as One Piece

 

[Avangarde]

And yet all three styles looks Japanese to me.

 

[TheVileOne]

Thing is in many anime, characters that are Japanese have western features, hair, or just crazily colored hair all together.

Plus most Japanese women don't have the big boobage. Japanese animators are obsessed with American women.

http://www.onemanga.com/Historys_Strongest_Disciple_Kenichi/144/cover/

Japanese girls don't look like this.

 

[Star]

Whenever anime characters have blue/green eyes and blonde hair I can't help but be like 'well they're obviously supposed to look more western'

Where have you seen a blonde haired blue eyed eastern person? Right, never.

 

[Avangarde]

I never really consider the hair as an influence, rather the features of the face.

 

[DorkyFresh]

Plus most Japanese women don't have the big boobage. Japanese animators are obsessed with American women.

http://www.onemanga.com/Historys_Strongest_Disciple_Kenichi/144/cover/

Japanese girls don't look like this.

wow...if that's not a stereotype if i ever saw one. you've obviously never been to the Hottest Asian Girls Thread.

 

[Sloth7d]

Almost all anime characters look western to me, even the newer ones.

 

[Corinthian™]

I actually have this theory on how characters in anime represent the struggle of the western and japanese societies.

If you look at the main characters like Naruto and Kurosaki Ichigo, they have this loud, western look about them. Hair color is different and their attitude is different. You can contrast this with their main rival. Sasuke and Ishida Uryuu are characters with black, straight hair and a more "serious attitude" like the traditional Japanese. Cultural struggle much?


Other examples include Fairy Tail, Slam Dunk, Full Metal Alchemist and Dragonball to some extent

 

[MoPlaYa]

I love character drawings in Naruto

 

[MoPlaYa]

I love character drawings in Naruto

 

[Avangarde]

But does the characters look more western to you or eastern

 

[wellsy]

These are all characters from Trinity Blood. Sister Kate Scott and Father William Walter Wordsworth are both from Albion (modern Britain), and have relatively droopy eyes (look at any Anglo-Saxon closely, and you'll see them share relatively droopy eyes). Cardinal Sforza's aren't too apparent in that picture (but I couldn't really find one that showed it) but they're also relatively droopy.

Most of these characters are supposed to be European though. In something like Naruto, Eureka Seven, etc, where there is little to imply the nationality/race of the character, I'm a little more ambivalent, and would need to go over the character designs very carefully to make such a decision (but I'm a physicist, not a face studier thingymabob, so that's my excuse).

 

[R-Taco]

I don't really see most anime designs as looking like any particular ethnicity (I think the idea that they look "white" comes from them not looking like Western culture's image of what a stereotypical Asian person looks like). Much like how a stick figure doesn't look any more like a white person than an Asian person.

 

[Saved]

Credit: http://Risachantag.deviantart.com

Now, I don't actually know who ALL the characters are but I'm sure some people will.

Goku: Drawn as One Piece
Luffy: Drawn as Naruto
Naruto: Drawn as DBZ
Trunks: Drawn as Naruto
Zoro: Drawn as DBZ
Gaara: Drawn as One Piece

Is it me, or is DBZ still the best "style" for how its drawn?

 

[Avangarde]

I still love Toriyama's animation style but Yo****aka Amano still holds the number 1 spot for me for animation styles.

 

[Saved]

What did he do?

 

[Xenoska]

I don't know if i'm right or not but i believe all the blonde haired characters [ sometimes without blue eyes ] are from the west.
I think in Kenichi, what's her lips and her father are from Europe.

Also americans put some sort of growth hormone in the milk these days.

 

[wellsy]

What did he do?

Amano has done all the art for the Vampire Hunter D light novels, as well as concept art for pretty much every numbered Final Fantasy... except 12, I believe.

 

[Dark Carnage]

Heh, Naruto style Luffy looks pretty good.

 

[Avangarde]

What did he do?

Most notable would be Vampire Hunter D and his Final Fantasy works, here is his wiki page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo****aka_Amano