Anime is one of the most popular art forms around the world, but that doesn’t mean that everyone knows about it and its beloved tropes. While it’s growing more and more in popularity every year, there is still a swath of non-anime viewers out there who might not know about the inner workings of different series or movies.
Despite the fact that anime isn’t known to everyone,there are a few key images, themes, and moments within anime that cross all entertainment boundaries.These moments are so recognizable that even someone who has never seen an anime series before can recognize them from a mile away. These moments are also so popular that many Hollywood franchises adopt them, paying homage to the art form by faithfully recreating images that are inherent to anime.
7Akira Bike Slide
One Of The Most Recreated Images Outside Of Anime
There are a ton ofgreat anime movies out there, but one stands out from the rest due to a particular image.Akiraby Katsuhiro Otomo might be the most recognizable film in anime. The 1988 movie is set in a cyber future in Tokyo where crime and biker gangs run rampant. Out of all the iconic moments in the film, there is one in particular that a ton of creators both within and outside of anime can’t help but bring to their own respective projects.
There’s a moment inAkirawhereone of the main characters, Kaneda, hits an iconic bike slide.He drifts the bike sideways, leans out of the turn, uses his leg to balance, and slides. It’s an image so easily recognizable that a lot of series recreate it using their own characters.
Some of the most popular movies and TV series outside of Japanto incorporate the slide into their canon includeNopeby Jordan Peele, one of the most popular children’s seriesPaw Patrol,Adventure Time, Teen Titans,and so many more.
6Wild Colorful Hair And Eyes
Only Anime Characters Could Get Away With These Hair-Eye Combos
Anime hair is a term for a reason. Out of all the art forms out there,none can pull off such ridiculous and outlandish hair like anime.Characters in anime have hair that defies gravity, and sometimes, is larger than the character itself. Hair in anime can also be part ofa cool anime transformation, like when Goku and the rest of the Saiyans inDragon Ball Zget golden blonde hair after going Super Saiyan.
Eyes in anime are hugely important as well. While eyes are usually a way for a series to show how a character is feeling, anime takes it to another level. Eyes often transform as well as a representation of a new ability a character has, or a heightened emotional state that they’re going through.
No series has morevariants of powerful eyesthanNaruto, as they anime has so many different types of eyesthat they can be hard to count. There’s the Mangekyou Sharingan, the Rinnegan, and the Byakugan, all with their own set of abilities that make them wild to look at and always a pleasure to see incorporated into the story.
5The Existence Of Mechs
The Textbook Transforming Toy
Mechs are synonymous with anime. Series likeGundamandGurren Lagannpopularizedmechs like only anime could.Mechs are always a treat in anime because of the scale they operate on. When a mech hits the screen, viewers know that there’s going to be a large-scale battle.
Mechs have been popularized because of their ability to be cool toys as well.
Mechs have been popularized because of their ability to be cool toys as well. Mechs fromGundamcan be found in stores outside of Japan, showing just how popular the anime genre has become.Neon Genesis Evangelionis another series that helped popularize the mech theme, showcasing the darker side of mechs in one of the most thought-provoking series of all time.
4Calling Out An Attack Beforehand
The Best Attacks Deserve A Shout-Out Before They’re Used
On the surface, calling out an attack before using it doesn’t make a lot of sense. In battle, it might be smarter not to let an opponent know what’s coming before it does, but that’s where anime shines.Anime makes calling out an attack before it’s used not only look cool, but also feel amazing.
Most of thebest anime series of all timefeature a moment where a character calls out their attack before they use it.My Hero Academiais a perfect example of this. Both All Might and Deku shout out their attacks from their core, letting everyone on the battlefield know exactly what’s coming before it does.
Outside of anime, this theme is easy to recreate. It doesn’t matter what the ability is or when it’s being used, if someone calls out the name of their ability before they use it, it’s a nod to anime.Professional wrestling in the United States does something similar, with wrestlers showing a preview of their attackthrough a hand signal or other gesture before unleashing devastation.
3Yamcha Death Pose
Poor Yamcha
Yamcha started as afierce character inDragon Ball. However, as the series progressed, and characters on both sides of the battlefield got stronger, Yamcha didn’t. Not only did he get relegated to a minor part of the plot, but he’s treated as more of a joke than the serious fighter that he really is.
One of the most popular tropes found within anime isYamcha’s death pose. After getting defeated early inDragon Ball Z,Yamcha’s death pose became iconic, much to his chagrin. For a character to recreate the death pose, they’re usually in a crater, facing down in the fetal position, with their left leg over their right and their left arm over their right as well.
It’s a popular trope in anime mainly, butit’s so iconic that it’s comparable to the Wilhelm scream found in a ton of mainstream movies.While Yamcha might want to be known as being the cool desert bandit that he once was, he will more than likely be forever known for this not-so-complimentary pose.
2Amazing Transformations
The Best Way to Represent Change
Transformations define anime series, particularly in the shōnen genre. They’re easy to pull off in concept as well. When a character undergoes an emotional change, or discovers a new level of power within themselves,changing their design is a great way of letting viewers know just how much stronger they’ve become.
Dragon Ball Zis a series defined by its transformations, with some of thebest scenes in all ofDragon Ball Zbeing about transformations. A transformation is usually preceded by amazing music, unreal visuals, and more, signaling to everyone on either side of the battlefield that something crazy is coming.
Dragon Ball Z’stransformations are probably the most faithfully recreated outside of anime. If a series shows a character glowing golden, getting spiky, yellow hair, or emitting a golden aura around them, they’re recreating one of the best visuals in anime.
1Signature Attacks
Attacks Even Non-Anime Fans Recreate
There isn’t anything more synonymous with anime than signature attacks. Signature attacks in anime are the bread and butter ofshōnen anime seriesas well, one of the most popular genres for people who don’t delve deep into the anime art form.
Some signature attacks in anime are so widely known that people don’t even know they came from an anime series in the first place.Dragon Ball Zhas the most famous attacks in anime, andpeople who don’t even watchDragon Ball Zcan recreate a few of the attacks from the series.
Dragon Ball Has Some Bleak Moments, But Its Darkest Scenes Are on Another Level
Dragon Ball certainly isn’t known for having dark moments, but each entry in the franchise has some bleak, sad moments that make anyone quiver.
The Kamehameha is the most famous signature attack in anime. All a fan needs to do is hold their hands to either side as if they’re charging a ball, and throw them forward while saying the name of the attack.
