The Art Behind The Story: Common features of Manga characters

Manga characters are popular across the globe and one of the major reasons behind this high level of popularity is the manner in which they are drawn.

Here's everything you need to know about Manga comics

Keeping in line with the popularity of the "cuteness" factor in Japanese pop culture, most mangaka (manga artists) often draw characters with stunning visual beauty. Certain characteristics that are emphasised include lustrous eyes, long hair, small mouth and pointed nose.

Here are some of the most common features of Manga characters:

Eyes

Manga characters often have large, lustrous eyes; with girls generally having larger eyes as compared to boys. The shape of the eyes often tell a lot about the personality of the character. For example, long, slanted eyes with small eyeballs often portrays a cold, calculating personality; while a character with huge eyes often displays a cute or innocent personality.

Hair

The hair can be extremely long or short for both boys and girls, and the colour is just as variable. The hair colour is often picked to represent a key aspect of the character's personality; red, for example, would indicate that the person is hot blooded and passionate. The hair often tends to sway in the wind during dramatic scenes, and in some manga (notably Dragon ball), the hair stands upright whenever the characters activate their special ability.

Mouth

The mouth is generally small or drawn as a thin line. However, to convey certain emotions, the mouth is drawn in an exaggerated manner. For instance, when the character is extremely surprised, the mouth is drawn as a linear rectangle which overlaps the jaw. Some manga take this exaggeration even further. In the anime Yuri on Ice, the Russian coach Victor's mouth tends to form a heart whenever he speaks in a cheeky manner.

Nose

Noses are usually small and pointed. In most female characters, the nose is sometimes altogether omitted whenever their face is shown from the front. In many manga, blood spurts from the nose whenever the character is sexually excited; and sometimes a bubble comes out of the nose when they are sleeping.

Many other features also contribute to the significant allure of a manga character, but these are the main attributes that work together to ensure that the character captures our hearts.