Saturday, April 18, 2020

Triangle Eyes

In manga and anime, sometimes when a character is angry, scowling, they're drawn with semi-circle eyes, or "triangle eyes," sankaku-me 三角目, typically as completely white eyes, regardless of what their original shape was.(tonbi.jp:三角目)

Kurahashi Riko 倉橋莉子, example of triangle eyes, "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Kurahashi Riko 倉橋莉子
Anime: Love Lab, Ren'ai Rabo 恋愛ラボ (Episode 1)

Examples

For reference, some examples:

Edward Elric エドワード・エルリック, example of "anger mark," ikari maaku 怒りマーク.
Character: Edward Elric エドワード・エルリック
Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi 鋼の錬金術師 (Episode 1)
Kokkuri-san コックリさん, example of triangle eyes.
Character: Kokkuri-san コックリさん
Anime: Gugure! Kokkuri-san 繰繰れ!コックリさん (Episode 1)
Izumi Konata 泉こなた, example of osoroshii ko 恐ろしい子.
Left: Hiiragi Tsukasa 柊つかさ
Middle: Hiiragi Kagami 柊かがみ
Right: Izumi Konata 泉こなた
Anime: Lucky☆Star, らき☆すた (Episode 7)
Shigure シグレ, example of "anger mark," ikari maaku 怒りマーク.
Character: Shigure シグレ
Anime: Hataage! Kemono Michi 旗揚!!けものみち (Episode 4)

With Attacks

Triangle eyes are also used when a character is furiously attacking another, specially in comedic manner.

Misumi Makoto 深澄真 hits Tomoe 巴 in a tsukkomi, she does a Rumic hand sign as she flies away.
Left: Misumi Makoto 深澄真
Right: Tomoe
Anime: Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu 月が導く異世界道中 (Episode 3)
Aizawa Eiko 相沢栄子 punishes Ika Musume イカ娘 with a noogie (atama guri-guri 頭ぐりぐり).
Top: Aizawa Eiko 相沢栄子
Bottom: Ika Musume イカ娘
Anime: Shinryaku! Ika Musume 侵略!イカ娘 (Episode 1)
  • Context: an angry Eiko gives Ika-musume a noogie for breaking the wall.
Hidaka Azumi 日高安純 puts Minami Kaede 南楓 in a cobra twist コブラツイスト.
Attacker: Hidaka Azumi 日高安純
Receiver: Minami Kaede 南楓
Anime: Wagamama Fairy Mirumo de Pon! Golden, わがまま☆フェアリー ミルモでポン! ごおるでん (Episode 4)
Moegi Emo 萌黄えも puts her younger brother, Moegi Shunta 萌黄春太, in an Emo special えもスペシャル.
Attacker: Moegi Emo 萌黄えも
Receiver: Moegi Shunta 萌黄春太
Anime: Kiratto Pri☆chan, キラッとプリ☆チャン (Episode 16)
  • Context: Emo puts her younger brother, Shunta, in her original Emo special えもスペシャル wrestling hold.
Attacker: Mamiya Ayumi 魔宮あゆみ
Anime: Magikano, マジカノ (Episode 7)

Eye in Triangle

An eye in a triangle or pyramid is called the eye of providence or all-seeing eye of God.

Honda Hanako 本田華子 worries about God's wrath.
Left: the "Eye of Providence," Purobindensu no Me プロビデンスの目
Right: Honda Hanako 本田華子
Anime: Asobi Asobase あそびあそばせ (Episode 8)
Bill Cipher, example of one-eyed character.
Character: Bill Cipher, ビル・サイファー
Anime: Gravity Falls (Episode 19)
  • Context: Bill Cipher's design is based on the Eye of Providence.

References

Faces & Expressions

3 comments:

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  1. Hello! I just wanted to say that I really love this website, it's been super helpful for me :)

    I have a question about different eye types.

    I know there's all different kinds, especially in anime-- but I'd say a lot of them are derived from the main three. Upturned, Downturned, and....round?

    Round aka "normal/default" eyes, I'm not sure what they would be called. I've seen both marume (まる目) especially in eye make-up tutorials: https://www.furyu.jp/news/2017/08/korekawa.html but I've also seen kurime crop up every once in a while: https://twitter.com/hanari0716/status/1231522246142746626?lang=bg which would be more accurate?

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    Replies
    1. marume まる目 is literally "round," marui 丸い, like a "circle," maru 丸.
      kurime くり目 is round and cute, and comes from the mimetic word kurikuri くりくり.
      marume would be more accurate for normal eyes. kurime, or kuritto shita me くりっとした目 would be used to say a girl's eyes are cute, for example.

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    2. Thank you so much! That's the best response I could have ever asked for :)

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