In the world of manga and anime there are many stereotypes, and one of the most common is to make female characters of very “whimsical” proportions, being that now a user surprised by using Azumanga Daioh, a recognized work, as a basis to counteract this type of designs. By illustrating one of the girls from the anime, in this case Ayumu Kasuga, he drew her in two ways: one more similar to what is seen in the series, while in the other, taking all the stereotypes that are used to make super flamboyant “waifus” with voluptuous bodies.
Azumanga Daioh: illustrator explains “whimsical” female character designs
From his Twitter/X account, an artist surprised many users of the networks by making a very important comparison and whose protagonist is one of the most beloved girls of Azumanga Daioh, Ayumu Kasuga, whom he represented in two very different designs: on the right side very similar to her anime version and on the left side with all the stereotypes when it comes to making “waifus antojadoras”. Not only did he show the girl, but he gave step by step what are the points that are usually repeated and that also do not correspond to how they should look in real life.
Among the most striking ones that the user mentioned is how girls should not present any blush on the face that can give that feeling of “attractive embarrassment”. Also, being an Azumanga Daioh character that was taken as an example, this one usually has a sailor-type school attire, which is usually drawn with strokes that let you see more of the “front part” of the girls, something that is not real. In addition, emphasis on body parts such as the thighs should be dropped, also achieved by dropping any more flashy poses.
This image quickly went viral, so much so that there were thousands of comments that sparked a lot of debates, especially mentioning how well explained each of the points were and that shows how a character, whether from Azumanga Daioh or any other work can be “whimsical” or not. In addition, there were many who took the opportunity to mention how the character on the right side seemed much cuter than the one on the left, so the debate about what is “whimsical” and what is not was also present.
Azumanga Daioh, for those who don’t know it, is a slice of life comedy that follows the day to day lives of a group of high school students in Japan. The story focuses on their interactions, jokes and everyday moments as they advance in their studies and enjoy their friendship. Each character has a unique personality, from the cheerful and energetic to the shy and introverted, so variety is a hallmark of the show. The series nicely teaches school life with light humor and endearing moments, reflecting the small joys and challenges of adolescence.
Throughout the series, the protagonists go through different experiences typical of their age, such as festivals, exams and vacations, always with a touch of humor and warmth. The dynamic between them is the main focus of the story, showing how friendship grows stronger with time.
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