Japanese Manga Characters

[draconus86]

i think u just need to look at the numbers america is a huge nation and lots of inports come from japan so just to make anime more apealing to us they and just a bit more Caucasian than japanese

[Felix42]

I've thought about it too, but i think they are actually supposed to be Japanese. Most of the anime takes place in Japan, or in Japan like country's. There's often references to Asia even in the imaginary worlds.

Take Naruto as an example, with things like ninjas, chakra, ramen, Japanese names. And Naruto is even one of the more "americanized" animes.

Even so i too think they look Caucasian, but maybe thats because i live in europe and thats what i subconsciously expect.

I don't believe it is to get a larger audience either. Asians watch far more anime than Americans and Europeans, which is why a lot of anime/manga never get translated (except by fans). If the audience was nearly as big, we would see more officially translated anime, and more foreign/international sponsors.

I also believe that the above is the reason that there are so few black people in anime. After all there aren't that many black people in Japan, compared with the states.

[1ninja1]

I've wondered about that as well. Watching Naruto as a ninja with blonde hair and blue eyes. Maybe it is to appeal to other cultures, and gain a larger fan base.

[animex09]

i guess its just the natural way to draw.

[suune]

Haven't really thought about that but you're right!

[Unknown]

Seriously?

How in the hell do you think they "look" Caucasian.
Ever seen them cosplays..
Who makes it work out more.. the Asians or the Caucasians.

Asians.

I rest my case. [lol]

[hanahime16]

It just comes out looking that way. Seriously I dont think its on purpose, but artists are creative, especially manga artists. I mean you dont actually expect them to draw every one of their characters with brown hair and brown eyes do you? (not that every asian nesessarily has brown hair and brown eyes, thats not what im saying) All im saying is that if you were an artist, you would draw your characters however you wanted, whatever looks cool to you. Why would you make race a player in your fantasy world? And big eyes are important to that style of art. They show emotions and add color. Two very important components of manga/anime.
In other words, it boils down to the fact that... they're manga artists.
...THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT. XD
<33 <33 <33

[Rincewind]

Well, jack got a point , In japan there is 130million ppl, and not everyone is manga/anime fans , the us 250million ppl and the rest of the world about 6 billion so yeah the fans are most likely to be non japaneese , and thats why they can draw non japaneese ppl , but i have seen japaneese, chineese , american, black ppl etc etc in manga /anime so its multi cultured :D