There is a common misconception that anime, as a whole, has only one art style. “Just big-eyed cute girls right?” or “Just spiky headed male characters right?” However, this could not be further from the truth! As anime has grown, many creators and artists have left their mark on what the look of anime can be.
As touched on in “Western Animation: Why it’s Worth Watching“, anime was initially heavily influenced by western animation. Momotaro: Sacred Sailors, the first animated feature film from Japan, attempted to copy the Disney style seen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Fantasia. Looking at Sazae-san and Astro Boy, both based on manga from the 40s and 50s, we can see characters drawn in a squat style similar to Betty Boop or Popeye.
As time progressed, a new art style began to develop (possibly aided by the Gekiga movement) which saw characters with more realistic body proportions. We also began to see an emphasis on detailed backgrounds in anime productions. While there are certainly many anime that would fit into a typical “anime” look, I am quite often drawn to movies and series that make an effort to stand out from the pack.
Some of the most beautiful anime I have seen lately have involved a watercolour look. I can still remember when I first watched “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” and being blown away by the incredible art and animation. Isao Takahata had previously produced a film using a watercolour style but My Neighbors the Yamadas had a simpler look. The only other anime that, I am aware of, that uses a watercolour style is the third Animerama film “Belladonna of Sadness”, another incredibly beautiful looking film (although the film’s content is far more dark and upsetting than the works of Isao Takahata).
Another art style I find myself being drawn to are long-limbed character designs. When I think of some of my favourite anime, such as Lupin III, Code Geass and Space Pirate Captain Harlock, I note how distinct and endearing the character designs are. Of course, these three shows have very distinct art styles beyond their limb lengths but, for whatever reason, I find this style very much fulfilling the 12th principle of animation.
There are so many more art styles that I could talk about but, instead, I’d like to draw attention to some conversations I had with people at an anime society. When discussing the art styles of shows, I noted how they were often drawn to conventional anime styles. When I would discuss the many different art styles of anime, there would be looks of disinterest and some would even boldly claim “Those are not anime”.
I understand that everyone has their preference but I feel it is important to remember that anime is an artistic medium where directors, animators, character designers etc can express themselves through different art styles and character designs. Do you find yourself drawn more to anime with a standard look or do you find yourself intrigued by anime that use a distinct style?
Hopefully you have found this article interesting and informative and, if you wish to seek any of the works I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use amazon.co.uk or amazon.com for all of your needs!