Why do anime characters have big eyes and colored hair?

I mean if most of the settings are in Japan, shouldn't anime characters have mostly black hair?

It's just an art style, I'm not sure if there is any reasoning behind it..

They are cartoons

I mean if most of the settings are in Japan, shouldn't anime characters have mostly black hair?

RJay123

No particular reason.

(Really)

:|

Hey. Black is a hair colour.

Would you prefer them grey-haired?

The first cartoon Jaoan saw was Bambi and it kinda stuck with them there

Hey. Black is a hair colour.

Would you prefer them grey-haired?

MrsSolidSnake

To be honest I see more purple/pink haired girls in Japanese culture then I do in any other culture. I also see it as a way of identifying themselves through style which is very large in their culture as well as parts of American culture

[QUOTE="MrsSolidSnake"]

Hey. Black is a hair colour.

Would you prefer them grey-haired?

Faber_Fighter

The eyes never grow, but the head does. This means babies have proportionally large eyes, and is why our 'cute' instincts kick in when we see large eyes.

Big/wide eyes usaly means the character is good, smal/narov eyes usaly means its evil

Big/wide eyes usaly means the character is good, smal/narov eyes usaly means its evil

andrucks

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail57.html

awesomebad

With some anime, the only thing that distinguishes the charactersfrom one another is the hair.(Since their faces looks exactly the same)So i think they made the hair color different for easier identification.

Most anime and manga follow the traditional art style which results in many characters faces looking the same. The easiest way to differentiate characters visually is through hair colour/hair style and clothing.

It just Japan. We may never fully understand:P

I mean if most of the settings are in Japan, shouldn't anime characters have mostly black hair?

RJay123

The better to see you with!

It will be nice to see different colours rather then black:P

There is a number of reasons, as far as i can tell:

It´s highly expressive, so in effect it cuts down on the amount of drawings needed to convey ideas

It has some psychological aspects to it, in the way the characters are supposed to appeal to the reader/viewer

It has heavy influences from early western cartoon heroes, astro boy being the most prominent example when emphasizing this aspect IMO.

It has it´s own aesthetical identity now, it became highly "in" during the latter years of the ´90s, which propelled any notions of ever considering a change of visual style entirely out of the question. There is a certain inherent artistical safety in drawing manga or anime now, even in it´s most archetype representations.

It is expected to look a certain way now, and the private sectors playing their cards as safe as ever, usually avoids innovation if a economic succes criteria has already been established, connected and validated to any prior/original form.

Big/wide eyes usaly means the character is good, smal/narov eyes usaly means its evil

andrucks

Guess that explains why Brock is a borderline rapist.

[QUOTE="andrucks"]

Big/wide eyes usaly means the character is good, smal/narov eyes usaly means its evil

-Vaati-

Guess that explains why Brock is a borderline rapist.

I don't know why but I laughed so hard.

Why do the powerpuff girls have alien eyes?

[QUOTE="RJay123"]

I mean if most of the settings are in Japan, shouldn't anime characters have mostly black hair?

Shad0ki11

No particular reason.

(Really)

:|

I'm guessing it's just the art style.

Because if they looked real and boring, it would be boring and too real. Plus bright colours, cat ears and tentacles keep our attention longer than none of the previously mentioned items.