Anime goes back a along long way. In fact the first Anime was screened in 1917! There is some discussion on the origin of this word, and some believe it is actually inspired by the French. But, unlike other commercial forms of animation, Anime is an art form, and it is recognizable by the exaggerated stylization of the characters. Now you can create an Anime character these days in 3d. And if you follow some basic Anime rules you too can join this amazing art form that is so recognizable.

Japanese culture is fascinating. Many Amine fans become obsessed with it. I think the reason for this is the care and attention they put into every little detail of their lives, whether it is the food, or their Anime characters. Apparently when a gift is given in Japanese culture the giver is giving away part of their soul, so the gift must be well thought through. It is the same with their characters.

Historically Anime characters have been influenced by Japanese calligraphy and painting. These ancient art forms have given the linear qualities of the anime style. Now creating an Anime character in 3d takes the art form to a new level of detail. You are still left with the exaggerated stylization of eyes, etc, but now you use the X Y Z dimensions to expand on this art form. How that will play out is up to you.

But here are some basic elements for creating an Anime character in any dimension:

When creating a character is 2d, the basic cartoon design concepts are used. Reference sketches are created to make sure the character has proper proportionality and will render well through multiple angles. In 3d you can get pre built Anime characters that only need to be tweaked using morphs, and given new cloths etc, to quickly do the same thing.

In terms of body proportions they are obviously based on our human bodies, but exaggerated through the aesthetic sensibilities of the artist.

A basic rule of thumb: an Anime character will be about seven to eight heads tall. But of course you are the artist, and if you are working with the pre-built 3d characters you can adjust proportions as you feel is right when make your own Anime character.

Facial expressions are also important, and Anime character expressions are iconic, which means there are certain ways they express themselves in certain situations. For example shocked characters will show a "face fault," this is again an exaggerated expression of the extreme. A lot is extreme and exaggerated with this animated art form.

Another huge aspect of an Anime Character is the eye size. Did you know that this important feature came, not from Japanese history, but from American history. In fact it was directly inspired by an old cartoon: Betty Boop.

So the big eyes are important, and the proper colouring to give them depth is important too, but some Anime eyes are not huge. Again its up to you to follow, or recreate, this amazing art form the way you see fit when you make your own Anime character.