Anime Visual Style

Contour lines, form, color areas, and staging work together to guide the image.

Visual traits

• clear contour lines
• simplified forms
• color areas
• expressive staging

Expected changes

• Contour lines and forms are more likely to become clear
• Color areas and staging are more likely to guide the image

Definition

Anime visual style indicates a visual language that combines contour lines, simplified forms, color areas, and staged expression or motion. It does not determine a particular work, creator, character, narrative, or production method.

In more detail

It adjusts an overall appearance shared across the medium. Subject, composition, era, realism, and 2D or 3D production method remain separate choices.

Includes

• Overall visual conventions of line
• shape
• color
• and staging

Excludes

• A particular work
• creator
• or character; an isolated technique such as cel shading; or a production method

What this does not imply

• A particular work
• creator
• character
• narrative
• or 2D or 3D production method

Variability

The source is a general classification and does not directly substantiate individual works or period-specific styles. Confirm distinctive references separately.

Usage

• Specify only overall visual conventions
• Specify subject matter and named-work references separately

Distinguish similar expressions

• Distinguish it from imitating an individual work or creator; confirm rights and scope before using a proper name

Typical uses

• Shape the image's line and form language
• Add an overall anime visual style

Possible failure modes

• The image becomes generic illustration
• Features of a particular work are introduced without specification