Ultimate Guide: How to Look Like an Anime Character

Anime characters have a distinct style that fans across the globe attempt to mimic. If you're planning to dive into this unique world, whether for cosplay events, photo shoots, or just for fun, transforming yourself into an anime character can be an exciting yet challenging task. Here’s how you can look like an anime character by perfecting your fashion, hairstyle, and makeup, inspired by your favorite series.

Fashioning Yourself like an Anime Character

Embrace Anime-Inspired Fashion

Anime characters often have unique and identifiable clothing styles, from school uniforms to elaborate costumes. Follow these steps to get anime-inspired fashion right:

Research Your Character: Identify your favorite anime character and take note of their attire. Online databases, fan pages, and social media can be excellent resources.
School Uniforms: Many anime characters are portrayed as students, wearing school uniforms. Look for pleated skirts, blazers, knee-high socks, and collared shirts, which can form the base of many anime-inspired outfits.
Casual Wear: For casual anime looks, baggy sweaters, overalls, oversized hoodies, and fun graphic tees can emulate the casual charm many characters embody.
Accessories: Pay attention to the accessories—gloves, scarves, hats, and jewelry specific to your character can enhance authenticity.
Footwear: Don’t forget appropriate footwear, ranging from simple loafers and athletic shoes to more elaborate boots.

Perfecting Anime Hairstyles

Anime hairstyles can be quite extravagant and exaggerated, ranging from vibrant colors to spiky textures. Here’s how you can achieve those looks:

Wigs: The easiest way to get an anime hairstyle is through wigs. Look for wigs appropriate to your character in terms of color, length, and style. Many online stores specialize in anime wigs.
Hair Color: If you're willing to dye your hair, temporary hair colors can let you experiment without permanent changes. Seek out anime-specific colors such as bright blues, deep reds, and neon greens.
Styling: Anime characters often have gravity-defying hair. Hair gels, sprays, and other strong styling products can help you achieve spiky looks and unusual shapes. Remember to use heat tools like curlers and straighteners sparingly to avoid damaging your wigs or hair.
Maintenance: Anime hair often needs to look neat and structured. Regularly maintain your wigs or styled hair to keep the appearance sharp and show-ready.

Anime Inspired Makeup

Anime makeup focuses on exaggerating facial features, particularly the eyes, to make them appear larger and more expressive. This requires a few specialized techniques:

Foundation and Base: Start with a flawless base. Use a primer to smooth your skin and a high-coverage foundation to ensure an even complexion.
Contouring: Contouring can help reproduce the sharp angles and contours typical of anime faces. Focus on the nose, jawline, and cheekbones.
Eyes:
- Eyeshadow: Use light colors like white, pastel pink, or beige to create a wide-eyed look.
- Eyeliner: Dramatic eyeliner is essential. Extend the line beyond your natural eye shape to create an illusion of larger eyes. Consider using white liner on the waterline to enhance this further.
- False Lashes: Voluminous false eyelashes on both upper and lower lashes can dramatize the eye effect. Choose lashes that are longer and thicker than those used in regular makeup.
Brows: Anime characters often have defined, expressive eyebrows. Either pencil in your natural eyebrows to match your character’s or use concealer to hide them and draw new eyebrows in the desired shape.
Lips: Keep the lips subtle yet defined. Soft pinks or nudes work well, with a bit of gloss to give a plump, lively look.

Cosplay Tutorials and Final Touches

Once you have gathered your outfit, styled your hair, and applied your makeup, it’s time for the final refinements:

Practice Poses: Anime characters are often known for specific poses or gestures. Practice these in front of the mirror to bring your character to life.
Props: Consider the props your character might carry—books, instruments, weapons—and find or make replicas to complete your look.
Character Attitude: If you’re attending cosplay events, try to embody the attitude and personality of your character. This can range from adopting specific speech patterns or mannerisms to fully embracing your character’s persona.

Turning yourself into an anime character is an art form where dedication and attention to detail pay off immensely. By carefully crafting your look with the right fashion, hairstyle, and makeup, you can capture the true essence of your favorite characters.