Why do anime characters have big eyes?

Question

Funny and serious answers allowed!

Answer 1

I found the answer in the Anime guide book. "Anime Companion - What's Japanese in Japanese Animation". Appparently, the reason why characters have large eyes is because of how emotional the characters are. Girls tend to how the large rounded eyes the most, but there are boys who have them as well. Also, Osamu Tezuka is (basically the godfather of manga) initially drew characters with large eyes, and his technique caught on. Tezuka was influenced by Disney artists and decided to emulate that art.


Here is a Wikipedia Snippet:

While the art can be incredibly realistic or cartoonish, it is often noted that the characters have large eyes (female characters usually have larger eyes than male characters), small noses, tiny mouths, and flat faces. Large eyes have become a permanent fixture in manga and anime since the 1960s when Osamu Tezuka (see above) started drawing them in this way, mimicking the style of Disney cartoons from the United States.

Furthermore, inside the big eyes, the transparent feeling of pupils and the glares, or small reflections in the corners of the eyes are often exaggerated, regardless of surrounding lighting, although they are only present in living characters: the eyes of characters who have died are the colour of the iris, but darker.

Answer 2

It's just the art-style - big eyes are considered culturally attractive, maybe? It probably makes it easier to convey emotions when drawing the characters.

It also depends on what you're watching: the look can be really exaggerated in the shoujo anime/manga aimed at young girls, where the eyes take up nearly the whole face, & it's usually more realistically proportioned in the action anime/manga for male readers...

Answer 3

Just to show emotion I do not think there is any other reason. And sometimes its not only the eyes that are prepared weird the mouth is normally small unless the character is shouting for example. And the eyes are normally small when the character is annoyed or something. Its funny I know.

Answer 4

That's just the style of popular oriental animation. The younger the character is, the more bigger the eyes are going to be. If you havent noticed, the older characters or 'adults, have smaller eyes compared to kids or teens in animes.

Answer 5

what do you mean your avatar has a anime face and there is no big eyes,?

But Anime characters have expressions to them like laughing, anger, falling off a cliff i dont know ask the real anime creators.

Answer 6

A lot of facial expression is in the eyes - that's why they're called "the windows to the soul". Bigger eyes mean more obvious expressions.

Answer 7

At one time oriental people referred to Americans as "Round eyes" Which at the time was considered a racial thing. Times have changed, and this is no longer considered an insult.

Answer 8

I think it's to indicate innocence or naivete. Most bad guys squint a lot, and more adults have smaller eyes than young people.

Answer 9

not all anime have big eyes

the only one anime that i know that have such a character that has a really big eye is FRUITS BASKET

even when she's not surprised she still has big googly eyes

Answer 10

It's their unique style of drawing character's eyes. And they're very cute too!