Anime Faces: Japanese, Not Japanese, or Secretly Feline?

The Mystery Behind Anime Faces

With the rise of Japanese anime in popular culture, an intriguing conundrum has often left viewers scratching their heads (hopefully not with kitty claws). Despite originating from Japan, anime characters curiously don’t seem to mirror the facial characteristics typically associated with East Asians. I mean, seriously, are we just going to ignore the fact that Naruto could easily pass off as a Californian surfer?

On the surface, the answer seems as clear as a well-animated azure anime sky — it’s all about artistic style. But if we dare to venture down the rabbit hole, or should I say, the cat’s den, an unexpected twist in the plot emerges: what if anime characters are, in fact, meticulously based on our feline friends?

Bear with me, dear reader, as we dive whiskers first into this mystery, half-expecting a Cheshire Cat to greet us with an enigmatic grin. Anime characters’ unique aesthetics are a consequence of Osamu Tezuka’s influence, often hailed as the “God of Manga.” A keen Disney aficionado, Tezuka adopted, adapted, and arguably, anime-fied the Western-style cartoonish looks into his work. This gave birth to anime’s distinctive style, characterized by big, expressive eyes (originally a Disney influence), exaggerated emotional expressions, and varied hair colors…