Transcription
Here's something most beginners don't realize. Readers won't remember every page you draw. Not your backgrounds, not your lore, but they will remember your characters.
Think about it. When fans cosplay, when they buy merch, it's always the characters that inspire them to do it. So, if your characters are generic, your whole manga risks being overlooked. But don't worry, good character design is a skill you can build. We've helped over 400 students learn it with the guidance of Pro Mangaka mentors with decades of industry experience. If you want your readers to remember and fall in love with your characters, then keep watching. This video will change how you design manga characters forever. And if you stay until the end, we'll reveal how you can land an all expense paid trip to Japan's biggest comic convention so you can pitch your manga directly to Japanese publishers.
Let's try a little guessing game. Who do you think is the bad guy and the good guy? Did you guess it right? He's the bad guy and he's the good guy. How about this? Who's the main character and who's the side character? [Music] Got it? He's the MC and he's the side character. How about this? Who's the main female lead and who's the second female lead? Ready? She's the lead and she's the second female lead. Did you guess everything correctly? Let us know in the comments.
Even with just one glance, you can kind of tell who's who, right? That's the power of character design. Strong character design communicates who they are even before they've said anything. It also hints at the character's role in the story. Hero or villain, rival or ally, lover or friend. This is especially important for your protagonist. Think about it. Pretty much every hit series has a protagonist with an iconic look like One Piece, Naruto, Sailor Moon, and more. You recognize them instantly.
So, how do the pros do it? What makes their characters so unforgettable? Number one, a unique silhouette. Their body shape, their hairstyle, clothes, and even accessories make them stand out. Number two, a consistent color palette. Characters usually have three to four main colors that you can associate them with. And number three, a compelling story and personality. Readers want someone they can root for and relate to. It's not just having someone that looks cool and memorable, but someone that they can feel emotionally attached to.
If you want to make pro-level manga with killer character design, then book a free one-on-one manga consultation call with us. We'll figure out the biggest thing that's holding you back and give you a clear road map of what you need to do next. The best part, we're sending our best students on an all expense paid trip to Japan's biggest comic convention where you get the rare opportunity to share your work with Japanese publishers. We'll even translate your manga to Japanese and hire a translator on the ground. Even if you're starting from scratch, no story, no characters, no art skills, don't worry. We'll guide you through the entire process. So, if you're serious about making manga, just book your free manga consultation call through the link in the description.
Being a mangaka is a lot like being a director. You get to pick the actors or the characters who lead your story. Problem is, your OC might not have what it takes to star in a manga of their own. Before you waste time drawing dozens of pages, here are some important questions you can ask before you cast your MC. Let's see if your OC's can pass the character design checklist.
Number one, does your character's design fit your story's setting? Hajime Isayyama, the creator of Attack on Titan, said, "I start with the setting and then trade the characters based on what actors the setting calls for. You could be doing it the same way where you decide on the world of your story first and then cast the right actors to live in it." Take the world of Fen for example. It's a medieval fantasy world with elves, dwarves, mages, and humans. The design of the main cast fit that setting perfectly, but you can also do it the other way around. Start with the character first, then build the world around them. Either way, your characters should feel like they belong in the world you've created. Are they servants in an imperial palace like Apothecary Diaries or soldiers on a wartorrn battlefield like the saga of Tanya the Evil? Whatever you choose, your setting in character design need to match.
Number two, does it suit your genre? For example, do you think a school girl like Toru Honda from Fruits Basket would fit in the world of Vagabond? Of course not. That's because character design isn't just about your world. It's also about your audience. Ko Nishi Ashojo and Jose Mangaka once said, "I look for lines women would like and I draw them." She designs with her readers in mind, anticipating what they would like to see, whether it's sparkly eyes or flowing hair. So if you're aiming for shojo, shaen, jo or sanen, try to learn from the masters of each genre. Cuz if you want to go pro, you need to understand what your readers want or expect from your genre.
Number three, does it reflect your character's personality? Finally, your design needs to show who your character really is. One of our mentors, pro manga editor Vivi says, "You should be able to tell a lot about the personality of a character just by its design. You have to design with intention. Clothes, accessories, and hairstyles all communicate personality." Think about My Hero Academia. Their hero costumes reflect quirks, roles, and personalities. like how present Mike's look is as loud as his quirk, while Eraser Head's design is a lot more low-key. Gage Akutami, creator of Jiujutsu Kaizen, adds another twist. He believes it can be interesting to add a gap or some sort of jarring discrepancy between expectations and reality. kind of like Ore Monogatari. Takio is big and intimidating, but he's actually very gentle and kind-hearted. Or take Levi from Attack on Titan. He's short, but the strongest soldier.
If you want to get a better grasp of your character, try drawing them with different expressions and in different poses. That's what our student Tracy did for her MC Azim. And if you want to go the extra mile, try making alternate character designs like what Horoshi Kohi did for My Hero Academia. Before I Isizuku Midorya became the Deku we all know and love, he was Akatani Mikumo, aka Yamikumo, the high techch hero. Even though that version stayed in the drafts, pieces of him still made it into the final design. Feel free to experiment with multiple versions to see what feels right. Remember, your protagonist is the face of your story. So, give their design the attention it deserves.
Can you guess what the biggest problem is when beginners create their first characters? It's something called the same face syndrome. when all your characters somehow start to look like each other. This typically happens with side characters. You put so much energy into your MC that the other characters start looking like clones. One of our students, Jamie, struggled with this, too. His protagonist, Runa, had a similar design as another character, Clara. Same vibe, same conflicts. They were like mirror images with different hairstyles. Our mentor Vivie gave him this advice. "They have to be different or else they will overlap each other. None of them is going to stand out."
This is a big deal, especially in one shots where you only need three key roles, protagonist, rival, and ally. With such a small cast, every design needs to be distinct. According to Hirohiko Adaki, creator of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, when making supporting characters, it's also important that they provide chemistry in contrast with the protagonist. You only need to be careful not to let a supporting character outshine your protagonist.
But what does chemistry even mean? Well, it has something to do with relationship dynamics or how characters interact. It could apply to family bonds, friends, lovers, rivals, or even enemies like the extrovert and the introvert, the pessimist and the optimist, or the overconfident one and the anxious one. It could even work for groups like this trio. The bright, cheerful protagonist, the dark, calculating one, and the one who balances the team. Relationship dynamics like these are popular for a reason. They give your protagonist the spotlight while letting the supporting characters also shine. Use them as your starting point, then add your own twist.
Here's a bonus tip. Remember that manga is also a business. This means thinking about marketability. Which characters get the most fan art, cosplays, or merch? What traits or designs are your readers attracted to? You can find answers to that by studying the most popular works in your genre. Take a look at what readers like, then think about how you can offer something fresh while still appealing to your audience.
And once you've designed your characters, stop agonizing over them for ages, put it out there. Ask for feedback. Don't be afraid of others judging your art. As Vivv says, "anybody can critique. Not everybody can create." So don't be too hard on yourself and just have fun. Creating characters is one of the most fun yet challenging parts of making manga.
If you want to make sure you're on the right track, then book a free one-on-one manga consultation call with us and we'll help you figure it out. You'll get the chance to work with pro-Japanese mangakas and you might even get to pitch to publishers in Japan. The best part, you'll be surrounded by a support system of coaches and aspiring mangakas just like you. If you're ready for the next level, then hit the link in the description. For more tips on character design, check out this video.