How to Create a New Character for Manga or Anime

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

If you are working on your manga character, or if you are creating a story inspired by your favorite hero, you need to make it interesting, so that people are tempted to read your story (you certainly don't want to create a stereotype!). This article will show you how to “design” an interesting character and teach you how to draw it! Keep reading!

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Identifying Personality

Step 1. Decide on the blood group

Japanese designers are convinced that each blood group has a personality. You can use this method to decide what your hero should look like:

• 0 - self-confident, optimistic, with a lot of willpower but unpredictable and self-centered.
• A - creative, reserved and responsible but stubborn and anxious.
• B - active and passionate but also selfish and irresponsible.
• AB - adaptable and rational but critical and distracted.

Step 2. Decide the date of birth

Both the Western and Eastern zodiacs are useful in determining personality. You can use them to establish the year of birth and the precise date.

Step 3. Use the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator

If you want to have a really clear idea of your character's character, you can check this test and the personality types it takes into consideration. It is based on a psychological study and proves useful to outline your hero.

Step 4. Try to develop a balanced personality

You need to be sure that the character has both good and bad sides to be realistic and convincing. Make a list of the strengths and weaknesses, and make sure that the latter are slightly more numerous than the former. By the end of the story your character will have to evolve and overcome his flaws. Some examples of negative traits are:

• Manipulator
• You liar
• Insult others
• He doesn't care how his actions affect others
• Focused only on your own goals
• Poor self-control
• Prickly
• Rash or impulsive

Step 5. Choose a nice name

Many people are convinced that the name affects the personality. Studies have shown that having an uncommon name can lead to bullying and bullying problems. Some people (who follow the philosophy of the Kabbalah) believe that the name determines the whole personality. Whether this is true or not, you can take a cue from it to choose the name.

Avoid using names that are really unusual or typical of other realistic contexts. Your character may seem out of place

Part 2 of 4: Creating Compelling Stories

Step 1. Identify your hero's ultimate goal

What goal should it achieve? What should be the morality and what should it teach? How should it change and what should it learn? You can use the final state of your character to imagine how it must be in the beginning.

Step 2. Find what your character is like in the beginning

Now that you know how it will have to be at the end of its evolution throughout the story, decide how it should be at the beginning. You should follow a logical path backwards; for example you want your hero to learn to appreciate others, so it will be appropriate to outline a character who, in the beginning, does not care about the people around him and who take care of him. It should also be appropriate to explain the reason for this behavior.

Step 3. Decide how it should evolve

Think about the initial and final character, how can you connect the two "ends" of the story and justify the change? This is the time to come up with some great ideas for your story, because it will be the events that will make your character evolve that will determine a successful storyline and secondary storyline.

Step 4. Avoid clichés

His girlfriend was killed. He was orphaned as a child. He grew up like an eternal child. These are all commonplaces that you should avoid at the beginning of the story; precisely because they are clichés, they are boring. Try to be original in character development. This way people will be more interested and will want to keep reading your story.

Part 3 of 4: Drawing the Character

Step 1. Choose a style

Different soul types and manga are often drawn differently. You can use your natural style, or you can try to emulate the best designers of the moment. Shojo and Shonen-style anime and manga are among the most common.

Step 2. Draw your character

Remember that "cute" characters have big eyes, while "cool" ones are small and slanted. Do some research online for more details, and read the links proposed here:

• Here you can find how to draw an Anime character.

  • Try drawing a boy.
  • Draw a face.
  • Try it with your eyes.

• Here you find how to draw a manga character.

  • Start with the head.
  • Draw a girl.
  • Outline the face of a manga girl.
  • Try your hand at hair.

  

  Step 3. Take a cue from the hero's personality and from the story

  Add clothing and accessories. For example, if your character is a very practical girl, don't draw her in high heels. If you just want to hint at a character's past, try to imagine something they can wear or carry with them that is meaningful. For example in The Legend of Korra, Mako always wears her mother's scarf. Be creative!

  Part 4 of 4: Improving Your Skills

  

  Step 1. Study human anatomy

  The best drawn characters start from a deep knowledge of the human body. You don't want your character to be too muscular or lean, have unnatural joints or unrealistic proportions. Get a good anatomy book and learn everything you need to know about muscles and bones, how they bend, where they are and how they are aligned.

  

  Step 2. Inspired by real life

  Drawing a manga, as mentioned above, requires knowledge of human anatomy. Then start drawing (for practice) your friends or even yourself while sitting in front of the mirror.

  

  Step 3. Experience various dynamic poses

  To draw the various positions your hero takes, you can imagine yourself miming them, and try to recreate them. You can also use online sites and images to get ideas.

  Always keep anatomy in mind when drawing these positions. You certainly don't want your character to be unreal in the end

  

  Step 4. Practice

  More designs, more better!

  Advice

  • Practice is all about understanding what works and what needs to be changed. As you become familiar with the character, it will become easier to draw him in different situations. And your art skills will improve, if they still don't satisfy you. Also, try to draw from different angular perspectives.
  • If your character seems too mundane, don't worry. Ask the opinion of some friend or acquaintance with whom you share a passion for manga, or if you are creating a character for a job to be published, ask your audience for advice.
  • Don't overdo the details - your character doesn't have to wear three belts and five bracelets, or have eight weapons on! Try to be simple, remember that a detail in the right place is enough to make a difference!

  • Japanese manga and anime creators are obsessed with the blood type of their characters:

    • 0 - Solar person, open, caring and full of energy.
    • A - Quiet, tidy, helpful person with a positive attitude.
    • B - Person basically calm but with many mood swings.
    • AB - Very cheerful and nice person!

  • Shading can make your designs more beautiful. You will need to use them to show the direction of the sun in your hair, under the jaw and between your clothes. Shadows should be soft on the inside and darker on the outside. Try to keep a light hand.

    Here's how to make the eyes. Draw a circle and two curved lines: one above the circle and one below it. Add a black circle in the center of the large one and draw lines around it, which should be half the distance between the larger and smaller circles. Create the shadows, and that's it

  • Your character may have distinctive features such as marks or scars.
  • Read manga and watch anime to understand what your path is. Then combine them to choose those hallmarks of the look or skills you like most to create your character.
  • Observe the people around you. You can use them as inspiration for your character.
  • Draw everywhere! The compliments you receive will pay off for the effort.

  Warnings

  • Avoid plagiarism.
  • Draw with a light hand to be able to erase any errors without difficulty.
  • Don't draw the weapons too big! You certainly don't want to make a character who constantly drags himself with terribly long swords! Keep it simple, they must be manageable and suitable weapons to protect the character.
  • Don't make your eyes too big.
  • Escaping into the world of fantasy could take you away from reality and social interactions. If you decide to devote yourself to the world of anime or manga, join a club to make sure you keep in touch with the real world.