Kids Draw Anime (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Did you know that anime is the Japanese word for "animation"?..." (more)
Key Phrases: anime characters

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Hart supplies simple instructions for creating the distinctive eyes, exaggerated expressions, and dramatic poses that characterize Japanese-style cartoon figures. Intending to get budding artists off on the right foot, he shows how each body part and posture begins with basic geometric shapes and then, rather than furnish start-to-finish directions, he skips from the sketched outline to a finished, colored example. The brief captions mix practical advice, such as, "The neck isn't just plopped on the shoulders. It begins inside the body," with inspirational comments, and the book closes on a high note with pulse-elevating pictures of two large monsters and a general melee. Though this book never gets beyond the drawing of single figures, it makes a good start for serious beginners; more practiced young cartoonists looking for historical background, an extensive gallery of character types, or instruction in composition and page design will get more from Hart's Manga Mania (Watson-Guptill, 2001).
John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Reviewed with Christopher Hart's Mecha Mania.

Gr. 4-8. Granted, these aren't graphic novels, but they fit right in as many kids want to draw their own comics and create their own stories. By a familiar writer of how-to-draw books, these large-format paperbacks explain the basics of drawing in the style of anime (Japanese animated films) and manga (Japanese comics). Hart's enthusiastic approach energizes the texts, and both books are loaded with full-color illustrations that will surely attract readers. Kids, for the younger end of the audience range, moves quickly through the preliminaries of sketching "big-eye" characters' physical attributes, then goes on to demonstrate how to put figures in motion and, using a few successive drawings, how to create some typical characters. Kids who want detailed anime instructions will need to look elsewhere; those who just want some basics will find plenty here. Mech Mania, aimed at older readers with more art experience, focuses on the futuristic robots, vehicles, and weapons found in anime and manga scenes as well as in video games. From the blueprints for a spaceship to advice on showing characters in action or revealing a robot's mood through its posture, this dynamic book offers a useful mix of creative inspiration and practical advice. Hart ends with an informative interview with the art director of Microsoft's Fasa Studio. Slick, heavy paper, vibrant colors, and sharply defined lines in the finished illustrations add to the appeal and make these books sturdier than most paperbacks. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823026906
• ISBN-13: 978-0823026906
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #83,735 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #17 in	Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Art > Cartooning
  #24 in	Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Manga > By Creator > Hart, Christopher
  #40 in	Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Art > Sculpture

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars too kiddish, August 23, 2005

A Kid's Review

in my opinion, this is too kiddish for anyone who wants to become serious. If you are a young (high elemntary are lower middle school) and are tying to start out with good instructions, i would sujust the books by katy coope, how to draw manga, and how th draw more manga.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not anime, not at all, February 20, 2005

By	Hong Chen "Diana" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found this book at my local library and decided to see what this book was about after seeing all the reviews on amazon about this book. When I got home I starteded reading it, I realized that this book was not anime. I am a big anime and manga fan so I could tell. Christopher Hart can't draw anime correctly, his drawings are to american and not the japanese type ( like anime or manga is supposed to be). If you want to buy this book let me just tell you that you aren't drawing anime, you're drawing a cross between anime- and american cartooning. Which isn't really anime at all, so if you buy this book and give it to your kid, they'll think they're really drawing anime but aren't. for kids who just want to draw go ahead and buy this book. But if you seriously want to draw manga or anime i suggest a book by Hikaru Hayashi in his how to draw series which are accurate but somethimes not for younger kids.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not anime!, August 6, 2005

A Kid's Review

I picked this up in hope that it would show me some simple anime techniques, IE chibi etc, but it's not only badly drawn and poorly explained, it's also nothing like anime. Do not get this book, it also teaches nothing. Get How to draw Manga, or for younger kids, The Art Of Creating and Drawing anime women/action series's.