They say that the hair of a person is his or her crowning glory. The hair gives off that wholesome and complete look and frames the face of a person. There are many things that can be done to the hair to suit every person's style. Hair colors and hairstyles have been developed through the years just to suit the current trend of hairstyles that most people go for. However, in real life, there are certain hairstyles that are just not that easy to create. Things like humidity and gravity play significant roles as to how a hairstyle would turn out. On the other hand, this does not apply when it comes to mangas and anime hairstyles.
Any hairstyle and hair color is possible within the realm of manga and anime. Because drawing, in general, can let the artists be more imaginative due to it being limitless and boundless, hairstyles in various comics and other artistic outlets have further progressed through the years. Specifically, in Japan, characters in mangas and animes usually have varying unusual hairstyles depending on many factors such as their personalities in the show. Their hairstyles and hair colors can range from very loud to muted, depending on its meaning and the character’s persona. Their hairstyles and hair colors are among the most notable elements of a character in animes and mangas.
For the Girls and Gals: The Most Popular Female Anime Hairstyles
Because most people like girls with long hair as it signifies femininity, it is quite rare to find anime girls with short hairstyles on TV. However, there are still some female anime characters who sport short hairstyles but are still feminine. Some of these characters include Nana from an anime show also called Nana, Riko Aida from Kuroko no Basuke, and Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan. Because a short hairstyle on girls gives off that tomboyish look, most female characters with short hairstyles usually have strong personalities. To give the short hairstyle more femininity, it is usually accompanied by long sideburns, which also helps frame the face. Either that or the cut is a short bob or chin-length bob accompanied by bangs.
Another hairstyle that is most often seen in female characters in anime is hair buns. There are many ways to style hair buns, ranging from ballerina buns to topknot buns. Other looks can also be achieved by messy buns and sock buns. What is great about this hairstyle in anime is that it is quite flexible with the style depending on the look that the character wants to achieve. Anime girls with hair buns are usually laidback in nature. Some anime characters that give off this vibe are Usagi Tsukino or Serena from Sailor Moon, May-Chan from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Kagura from Gintama.
For the simplest and most common hairstyle in female anime characters, it would probably be the ponytail. While it may seem easy to accomplish not just in paper but also in real life, the ponytail hairstyle should not be underestimated. It is recognized as among the most versatile hairstyles for females. It can be seen as sporty but also as classy and sophisticated, depending on the location of the ponytail and the way it is styled. Anime characters who have sported this look are Winry Rockbell from FMA, Mion Sonozaki from When They Cry, and Mizuho Kazami from Please Teacher.
Due to the reason that long hair is usually associated with femininity, it is no wonder that among the most popular female anime hairstyles is the super long hair. In anime, there are only two types of girls who sport the super long hair hairstyle. These characters can either be super strong and powerful or be super evil and villainous. More often than not, they are both. Such characters include Jessie of Team Rocket from Pokemon, Mistress 9 from Sailor Moon, Kanzaki Kaori from To Aru Majutsu no Index, and C.C. from Code Geass. To complete the look, these hairstyles are usually accompanied by bangs, either with short bangs or blinding bangs. An anime character that sports this hairstyle with short bangs is Saeko Busujima from HOTD while an anime character that sports this hairstyle with blinding bangs is Olivier Mira Armstrong from FMAB.
Speaking of blinding bangs, it is another popular hairstyle among female anime characters. This usually indicates either vulnerability and low self-esteem or detachment from people and nature in general. Blinding bangs usually cover not just one eye or both, but generally half of the face. This also gives off that mysterious and sometimes gloomy look.
In contrast to that hairstyle, on the other hand, are the braided pigtails and pig curls. Giving off that vibrant, young, and girly look, female characters with this hairstyle are usually cheerful and sometimes also nerdy. There is significance with how long and how complex this hairstyle is. Generally, the longer and curlier the pig curls are, the more stylish and classy it looks. As for pigtails, the more inwards and lower they are placed, the more introverted they can be while the opposite placements indicate a more extroverted personality. Female anime characters with these hairstyles include Akane Yamana from Inazuma Eleven Go, Celestia Ludenberg from Danganronpa, Kyoko Tokiwa from Fullmetal Panic, and Lizzie from Kuroshitsuji.
As for the most popular hairstyle in female anime characters, it is none other than the twin tails. Almost every anime show has a female character with twin tails. This hairstyle is probably the most effective hairstyle to give off that girly and feminine look to a character. Super cute characters who sport this hairstyle include Amane Misa from Death Note, Saya from HOTD, Yuno Gasai from Mirai Nikki, and, of course, one of the most popular anime female characters of all time, Sailor Moon.
For the Boys and Guys: The Most Popular Male Anime Hairstyles
Now to start off with the most popular male anime hairstyle, it would probably be the hairstyle with little to almost no hair. Male anime characters who are baldies are usually given secondary or minor roles in a show although the character itself has many facets to its personality. They are, more often than not, among the good guys who give aid to the main character in times of need. Although they are not as handsome or as cool as the main character, they still give off that good guy look and can be considered cool especially be female viewers who are into bald guys. Some of these characters include Saitama from One Punch Man, Alex Louis Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist, Krillin from the Dragon Ball series, and Dot Pyxis from Attack on Titan.
Another popular hairstyle for male anime characters is the afro. Guys who sport the afro look in anime shows are usually those who have that hip and cool personality. They also usually have a funny personality and stand out in a group of guys due to the volume of their hair. Characters with afro hairstyles are also generally among the good guys who aid the main character fight evil. Among the many characters that sport this hairstyle are Mr. Satan from the Dragon Ball Series and Brook from One Piece.
On the other hand, hair buns or topknots are not limited to female anime characters alone. With the samurai sporting hair buns and topknots back in the day, male anime characters with these hairstyles are usually seen as manly and strong. Not only that, but they are also perceived as fighters with strong determination to reach their goals. Highly competitive, some of the characters that sport these hairstyles are Bacchus Groh from Fairy Tail and Asahi Azumane from Haikyuu.
Another hairstyle that is not limited only to female anime characters is the super long hair. Not bothering to get a haircut, the men who sport this hairstyle usually has a raw power within them. They can also be wild and primitive, with examples being Inuyahasa, Ushio from Ushio to Tora, and Gajeel Redfox from Fairy Tail. Their hairstyle is usually loose though. Other characters who sport this hairstyle are Alucard from Hellsing and Kotarou Katsura from Gintama.
Speaking of long hair, it can either be let loose and down or tied in a ponytail. A man with a high ponytail is also quite common in anime. Characters with a ponytail hairstyle, usually near the top of their heads, generally have sharp instincts great for battle. They are also perceived as powerful and passionate. Some characters who sport this hairstyle are Yu Kanda from D Gray-man, Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, and Koga from Inuyasha.
One sexy hairstyle for guys in anime is the blinding bangs. Similar to the female version this hairstyle exudes both elegance and mystery. Popular characters who sported this look include Deidara from Naruto, Ginko from Mushishi, Sanji from One Piece, Decim from Death Parade, and Freed Justine from Fairy Tail. As for a cooler hairstyle, look no further than the anti-gravity hair. This hairstyle generally depicts a higher force or entity within the character, which enables their hair to fight gravity. Characters who sport this hairstyle include Ryuk from Death Note, Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z, Yami Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh!, Kakashi Hatake from Naruto, Kenpachi Zaraki from Bleach, and Gon Freecss from Hunter x Hunter.
As for the most popular hairstyle for male anime characters, it would probably be none other than the scruffy hairstyle. Giving off that cool and sexy look, this hairstyle is usually given to characters who could not quite care less about other issues. Characters with this hairstyle are typically among the main characters of an anime show. These characters include Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach, L Lawliet from Death Note, and Hinata Shoyo from Haikyuu.
The Meaning Behind the Styles and Colors of Anime Hair
Because hairstyle is a form of art especially in the anime world, a certain hairstyle holds meaning as to its owner’s character and personality. Not only the style but even the color of the hair has significance and can provide information as to what kind of person the character is. Characters who have yellow hair usually mean that they are “someone special.” It can provide that child-like look to a character. On the other hand, characters with blue hair are usually perceived as soft-spoken but intellectual. With a more introverted personality, characters with blue hair, especially those with lighter shades, are quiet on the outside but can be strong-willed on the inside. They are also typically calm, dependable, and stable.
On the other hand, characters with red or dark orange hair usually have strong personalities. With its loud and vibrant color, red hair in characters signifies fierceness and passion. They can also be quite aggressive and full of energy. In terms of emotions, they typically feel strongly towards certain things. As for characters with pink hair, they are usually perceived as also child-like though a bit more naïve and silly. Other hair colors that hold significance are green, brown, purple, silver or white, and black.
Drawing Anime Hairstyles Made Easy
Drawing anime hairstyles can range from very easy to very difficult depending on the complexity of the hairstyle being drawn. To make drawing anime hairstyle easier, start with a base, which is the face of the character. Knowing and visualizing its face shape can help one determine the type of hairstyle bets suited for the character. There are not various tutorials and videos online that help beginners draw different anime hairstyles.
Truly, a hairstyle is not just a simple thing to be ignored. Even in animes, it is shown how significant a hairstyle can be. Not only does it frame the face but it also shows the character and personality of a person. A character’s sense of style in terms of hairstyle signifies its strength and weakness. Indeed, there are more to anime hairstyles than meets the eye.