Why Anime Attracts Me: Eyes, Hair, and More

Everyone has their own unique preferences when it comes to what they find attractive in anime versus real life. For me, it's often the tiny, sleek eyes that catch my eye in anime. However, in reality, they can make people look unnatural and even hamper vision. Let's dive into why these differences affect us, and explore further into the world of anime aesthetics.

Small and Sleek Eyes in Anime: A Double-Edged Sword

Small eyes, known for their slenderness and delicateness, are commonly featured in many anime characters. Characters like Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist can move and interact normally despite having eyes that are nearly as thin as 100cm rulers. However, the exaggeration of this feature can sometimes lead to absurdity in reality. Take Gin Ichimaru from Bleach, for instance. His eyes are almost entirely closed, appearing as 'complete black slits' that curve downwards. This might seem fine in anime but, in real life, it would be highly impractical and possibly dangerous, affecting vision severely.

Extreme Anime Eye Proportions: Aesthetic vs Reality

Eye proportions in anime often span almost half of the character's face, which can look perfectly fine on screen but is jarringly out of place in reality. In anime, the pupils are usually enlarged to match the size of the eyes, but in real life, this would make the person look like a toad with sunken optic nerves. Take Parasyte the Maxim, where the eyes curve down the side of the face, creating a grotesque appearance. A-1 Pictures, known for their animated series, frequently employ this style, taking inspiration from anime aesthetics.

Perfectly Drawn Hair: The Illusion of Reality

Another aspect of anime that often stands out is the hair. Regular American or anime-style drawings often depict hair as a solid block of color, be it black, yellow, or any other hue the creator chooses. In reality, this would be horrific. Blond hair, for example, would look like it has piles of Kraft cheddar hanging from the head and below the nose. In the case of Dragonball Z, characters often have hair that appears too straight, rigid, and almost metallic due to how light reflections are drawn. The illusion of something straight and rigid being hair is quite jarring and realistic.

Eye Color: Aesthetic vs Biological Plausibility

Eye color in anime often blends so well with the character's appearance that it appears almost natural. However, the moment you place these colors into the real world, the vivid and exaggerated hues may no longer make biological sense. Consider Kakuzu from Naruto. He has eyes that are green and red, and they're not even Dōjutsu (special flashy eyes). The characters in anime never seem to care about how absurd this might look to actual people. Even with a mask off, Kakuzu looks fine. If you remove the slits next to his mouth, he might not be handsome, but his eyes don't make him look disgusting, at least not as much as they would in reality.