What does a depressed anime girls anime girl look like?
In an effort to combat the stigma surrounding anime girls, anime-themed manga artist Saku Sato has created a series of anime-inspired character models.
In the series, Sato illustrated characters with “emotional facial expressions” that she said were “emotionally honest and genuine,” according to a statement from her agency.
“We hope that it helps people understand the kind of person these characters are and that they are not some kind of fake product,” the statement continued.
“A character’s facial expression reflects their personality.”
Sato said that her character designs are meant to reflect her personal experience of depression and suicidal thoughts.
She said she started making the series after she was diagnosed with a rare form of depression, according to the agency.
Sato’s art is “one of the best examples of an anime girl in a manga,” wrote a commenter on her Tumblr blog.
“I hope you guys will find it helpful.”
Samiya Nakagawa, a fellow artist who specializes in the art of manga and anime, said she hoped Sato’s work would help people understand “the character’s soul and heart.”
“I want to show them that their suffering can be overcome through the strength of their characters,” Nakagawas Tumblr post read.
“In their own way, they are the ones who are going through this, not us.”