Why Anime Characters Often Appear White and Not Japanese: An Exploration

When we discuss anime characters, one of the recurring questions is why they often look European or Western rather than Japanese. The answer to this lies in a combination of market appeal, cultural perceptions, and the subtle yet deliberate choices made by artists and designers. This article delves into these factors and how they influence character design.

Market Appeal and Character Design

The primary reason behind the often white appearance of anime characters is market appeal. Anime is a global phenomenon, and the goal is to create characters that are easily relatable to as many viewers as possible. To achieve this, characters are designed to look familiar within their own cultural context:

Localization for Different Audiences

For Japanese viewers, the characters are designed to look more Western, and for Western viewers, they are designed to look more Japanese. This is because the facial features, particularly the eyes, are often exaggerated and stylized to be more expressive. Eye shapes, although often big and rounded, are chosen because they are easier to draw in such a manner:

“One exception is the eye shape which tends to be big and rounded because that way it’s easier to draw them in a very expressive way.”

Such designs make it easier for viewers to identify with the characters, no matter their cultural background. The character of Tintin, one of the earliest widely recognized anime-like characters, was designed with minimal facial features to facilitate this interaction. This approach aligns with psychological research on face recognition, as discussed in the provided text. Europeans focus on eyes and hair, while East Asians pay more attention to facial proportions, which explains the effectiveness of this design choice.

Case Studies: The Simpsons and Sailor Moon

The Simpsons and Racial Ambiguity

The Simpsons provide an interesting example of how characters can be designed without clearly defined racial traits. The characters have bright yellow skin and blue hair, which in our culture are associated with whiteness. However, when compared to other characters with racial identifiers, such as East Asian characters with paler skin and straight black hair, and Indian characters with reddish-brown skin and black hair, it becomes clear why The Simpsons are perceived as white. This default racial perception is deeply ingrained in Western cultures, where white is often seen as the default or "neutral" race.

Sailor Moon and Cultural Embellishment

Sailor Moon offers another fascinating case study in how character design plays with cultural perception. Despite being set in a Japanese context, with characters named after elements associated with Japan (like Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars), the actual designs of the characters are often stylized to appear more Western. This is evident in the use of blonde hair and blue eyes, regardless of the character’s background:

“Sailor Moon’s large eyes, blue irises, and blonde hair aren’t meant to register as racial features. They’re a stylistic embellishment meant to make the character look more interesting.”

Interestingly, even when these characters are adapted into live-action films, they retain their Japanese names and are played by Japanese actresses, further emphasizing their intended cultural representation as Japanese.

The Influence of Disney and its Aftermath

Large, expressive eyes in anime/manga have a rich history. They were popularized by legendary manga artist Osamu Tezuka, who was himself inspired by the work of American cartoonist Carl Barks. Barks, known for his work on Donald Duck, was heavily influenced by Walt Disney's style, which included drawing all characters with large eyes to enhance emotional readability:

“ Disney drew all his characters with large eyes to make it easier to read their emotions.”

This style has become a signature feature of anime and manga, facilitating expressive storytelling and making characters easier for viewers to connect with emotionally. However, it’s essential to recognize that while anime may not always be explicitly non-Japanese, when such characters are created, they often rely on Japanese perceptions of foreigners, just as the Japanese characters on The Simpsons are identified based on Western perceptions of Japan.

Conclusion

The design of anime characters is a complex interplay of cultural perceptions, market appeal, and storytelling. While the characters may often appear to be white or Western, this is not to diminish the rich cultural context and diversity of anime. The deliberate choices made in character design serve to enhance the relatability of these characters and ensure that they are accessible to a global audience. For those interested in learning more about how the Japanese perceive both other nations and themselves, works like One Piece provide a fascinating lens through which to explore these cultural dynamics.