Why do no manga characters look Japanese?

[shadowlight166]

I'm a relatively new fan of manga and I've noticed that nearly all of characters in manga and anime look European and not Japanese. Does anybody know why?

[小美ドクロchan]

Anime was inspired by the early Disney style of large eyes. They took this concept and exaggerated it a bit. The reason for the bright-colored hair and eyes is to distinguish the characters from each other.

If you think about it, characters with ONLY black hair and dark eyes would be very boring to watch.

If you are familar with Rumiko Takahashi's works (Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2) most of her characters look quite Japanese (ignoring the large eyes) unless they are not humans or foreign.

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

Anime was inspired by the early Disney style of large eyes. They took this concept and exaggerated it a bit. The reason for the bright-colored hair and eyes is to distinguish the characters from each other.

If you think about it, characters with ONLY black hair and dark eyes would be very boring to watch.

If you are familar with Rumiko Takahashi's works (Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2) most of her characters look quite Japanese (ignoring the large eyes) unless they are not humans or foreign.

She's right. Anyways, I'd like to know how the Japanese feel about the Chinese starring in their live-action movies, like DBZ for example. Are they like, too shy to play the roles? I think it would be nice to see the Japanese portray their anime characters, but(no offense to the Japanese) Japanese people aren't really that tall, neither are the Chinese. >.<;

[KuroTan]

They might not look like Japanese, but I don't think they look European either.^^;

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

They might not look like Japanese, but I don't think they look European either.^^;

Some anime characters that are supposed to be human don't even look human! Oh wait... isn't that American animation? My niece think some anime characters look Hispanic. -_-; What i've noticed is, why aren't there any Asian looking people(besides Japanese) and African Americans, Hispanic, etc people in anime?

[Lelouch of the rebellion]

She's right. Anyways, I'd like to know how the Japanese feel about the Chinese starring in their live-action movies, like DBZ for example. Are they like, too shy to play the roles? I think it would be nice to see the Japanese portray their anime characters, but(no offense to the Japanese) Japanese people aren't really that tall, neither are the Chinese. >.<;

Do you know who the tallest man in the NBA is right now? Yao Ming. LOL isn't that hilarious they are stereotyped as small (for the most part they are) but the sport of giants, is led by a chinese man.

Also try reading prince of tennis they look pretty japanese. Same with Flame of recca

[Akihiko Yamamoto Hozagaki]

Some anime characters that are supposed to be human don't even look human! Oh wait... isn't that American animation? My niece think some anime characters look Hispanic. -_-; What i've noticed is, why aren't there any Asian looking people(besides Japanese) and African Americans, Hispanic, etc people in anime?

Because the Japanese aren't surrounded by these races generally. Especially Hispanic. Hence why most African-American anime characters are male, bald, and have big lips. They're just going off by what they see.

[小美ドクロchan]

Some anime characters that are supposed to be human don't even look human! Oh wait... isn't that American animation? My niece think some anime characters look Hispanic. -_-; What i've noticed is, why aren't there any Asian looking people(besides Japanese) and African Americans, Hispanic, etc people in anime?

There are. Anime with them is not that common but it's out there. See Full Metal Panic for reference.

[Metronome]

There's a black guy in Ikki Tousen. There are actually alot of other people races in anime rather than japanese they just pale in comparison of the amount of japanese in anime. Also it's not like that in all manga, you may have to look close but you can usually spot japanese or asian characteristics in a character, such as Kei Fu in Negima

[Daenerys]

I dont think the whole disney thing is true... I mean, if it were true, then how come there's so many old school mangas, drawing and art, that have been around long before Disney?

[Metronome]

You're right Dorian, seeing as the first anime can be traced back to 1907 far before the Disney era. Though some believe manga was highly influenced by the American style of Disney I find it almost impossible to believe they did not have a certain style before that point

[小美ドクロchan]

Wow....I guess the Disney thing isn't true then! I didn't know it was THAT old...XD;

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

Do you know who the tallest man in the NBA is right now? Yao Ming. LOL isn't that hilarious they are stereotyped as small (for the most part they are) but the sport of giants, is led by a chinese man.

Also try reading prince of tennis they look pretty japanese. Same with Flame of recca

Yeah, that is kind of funny, but the thing is, I'm Chinese and I'm quite average for my height, but I'm taller than any of the other Asians in my school, I used to be the shortest, even shorter than the Asian girls.

PS: I heard that Disney or the ol' Popeye cartoons inspired the, "Father of Anime." I don't really remember this article, but I'm just saying.

[Zoga]

I'm a relatively new fan of manga and I've noticed that nearly all of characters in manga and anime look European and not Japanese. Does anybody know why?

Because we European are hot.

[Aizmov]

It is not like they look European or African either

Because we European are hot.

keep telling yourself that

[shirogane_hitsugaya]

don't get it.....how is that so....???

[allaboutyou3678]

I don't think it because manga is general black and white since inking every character to have that Asian skin pigmentation would be a little to time consuming and pointless. Just a guess though. If you meant as in appearances anime characters don't look anything often(meaing not European not black not hispanic or North American).

[NovaStar]

Anime simply? is heavily influenced by the west, if you notice? 95 &#37; of Anime characters are Caucasian, this to me shows that the Anime Industry, based on it's coloring, as wel as the Manga Industry, is heavily influenced by the west and doesn't really go with the culture of the country it's from

That's just my opinion anyway.

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

The Japanese should draw a character after me, because I look Japanese in appearance. Anyways, aren't people forgetting about DBZ??

[Tayuya+]

It does seem like most anime characters look White. There are some exceptions though!


Kouhei Morioka from Moon Phase looks pretty Japanese.


I'd also say Rin Sohma from Fruits Basket looks Asian.


Lewis from Blood+ is African American.

But, it does seem like the majority of anime characters look Caucasian.

[Datenshi]

Anime simply? is heavily influenced by the west, if you notice? 95 % of Anime characters are Caucasian, this to me shows that the Anime Industry, based on it's coloring, as wel as the Manga Industry, is heavily influenced by the west and doesn't really go with the culture of the country it's from

I sincerely don't mean to rant, but I find just can't let that go.

1. Anime, like many things in Japanese culture, is heavily influenced by foreign cultures (traditionally China and Korea and then the West roughly before and after the Meiji Restoration). But historically Japanese are also very adept at taking foreign items and assimilating them so they are distinctly their own (e.g. wearing a black suit and tie to a Buddhist funeral). I think anime is a good example. Anyhow, if anime doesn't "go with" the culture of Japan, where exactly does it "go with"? I have a hard time imagining Lucky Star coming from the U.S., but that may just be me.

2. As for the question of color, I don't quite understand what you mean, because what are you supposed to color Japanese-looking anime characters with on a white page...*ergh, it pains me to even say this* yellow? And don't give me eye or hair color either, because only when the day I see a Caucasian with purple eyes or naturally green hair would that argument begin to make sense.

3. I assume you haven't read a lot of manga beyond the current mainstream because if you look far back enough at manga before the whole moe-style drawing (amazingly colored eyes/hair) took to force you would see that isn't true at all. But far more importantly, what made (and makes) manga unique in the first place is far from the way the people were drawn, but the freer layout of pictures and letters that allows for more dynamic sequences. Which incidentally I believe was first perfected by Tezuka Osamu, but that would be another argument entirely.

[TheAsterisk!]

Because they are pictures. Drawings. Not very realistic or lifelike drawings.
They don't look like Europenas or caucaisians, either. They just look like peculiar cartoons.

Ahh...the simplicity in my answer is...exhilirating...


As for anime not reflecting the contemporary culture of Japan...well...I don't know much about Japan and I don't pretend to, but I do know that they'll put just about anything on TV over there, so anime doesn't strike me as out of place at all.
The culture of Japan has changed rapidly over the last couple of centuries, and the contemporary culture has some but little to do with the traditional Japanese culture. It's a fairly westernized country today.