Now that you’ve got the body down, it’s time to turn your attention to the flashier part of the bishoujo world: the clothing. Clothing cements a character’s identity and places her firmly in a role or occupation. It can enhance a character’s, look making a glamorous woman look even more glamorous; or it can play against type, toning down a glamorous character, for example. Sometimes, the clothes so clearly categorize a character that the outfit alone identifies the character as belonging to a certain manga genre.
When designing a character’s garments, you should pause to think about the type of materials that would be used. For example, a primitive character might wear animal skins. A Sci-Fi character might wear spandex.
FANTASY
The coolest manga costumes can’t be found in mail-order catalogs. They come from the worlds of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and are edgier than regular clothes—designed and cut to bring out the characters’ sexiness. Soft fabrics, such as silk, are good choices for Fantasy costumes.
SCI-FI
Spandex and shiny leather work well for futuristic costumes. Zippers up the legs create lines for the eye to follow, making the legs look longer and sleeker.
Torn animal hides (and also fur) look wild and highly appealing on attractive characters.
Layers of ornate clothes bring out the magical quality in Magical Girl characters.
Leather straps are good accents that can break up larger areas, such as the legs and waist. Add thigh straps like the ones here or upper arm bands. Trailing, flowing material is always a good Fantasy look.
Gear, cables, headsets, night vision goggles, and other electronics are often married to techno costumes in order to make them look functional.
Schoolgirls are some of the most popular manga characters, and are seen in some of the most popular Japanese comics. School uniforms are quite typical in Japan, so they should be drawn correctly. These examples are based on authentic Japanese school uniforms. The two types are the private school uniform and the public school (sailor) uniform.
PRIVATE SCHOOL UNIFORM
Private school uniforms are typified by tailored jackets and short, pleated skirts.
PUBLIC SCHOOL/SAILOR UNIFORM (WINTER)
Public school uniforms are usually of the sailor style, which was influenced by British navy uniforms.
PUBLIC SCHOOL/SAILOR UNIFORM (SUMMER)
Schools have swim teams whose members wear teams uniforms, as well. It’s a one-piece bathing suit with vertical racing stripes on the sides and a cap and goggles.
Traditional Japanese costumes are worn for special occasions and ceremonies. There are two main types of long robes made out of silk and satin.
The furisode kimono has long sleeves and shows off the character’s sleek figure. It is worn by maidens on formal and ceremonial occasions, and is highly decorated with pictures and patterns. An obi (sash) is tied around the waist.
Shinto priestesses are popular characters in manga and are called miko. The miko battle demons and monsters. Their skirts, which are crimson colored and look like billowing pants, are called hakama. The entire outfit is somewhat bulkier than the kimono. Although the skirt is red, the rest of the outfit is white to indicate purity of spirit.
The costume is all-important in communicating the occupation of the character. Service professions—such as nurses, waitresses, and maids—are popular in bishoujo manga. For all of you politically correct folks out there, don’t shoot the messenger! The culture is different in Japan, and these characters are not only perfectly acceptable there, but are very popular. And they’re becoming quite popular over here, too.
NURSE
The cap is the most important piece of the costume in identifying the character as a nurse. Without it, she might be mistaken for a doctor. She usually has her own stethoscope and a clipboard, on which she keeps the medical charts. The length of the uniform should be just above the knee.
In Japan, waitresses who work in the coffeehouses wear frilly uniforms that are quite popular, and as a result, many teenagers apply for jobs there.
Many popluar bishoujo characters have assertive professions, including those in the military and sports arenas.
Like the cap? Don’t leave out the feather! The military officer’s outfit has an appealing, ceremonial quality to it, almost like the leader of a military band. High collars are common.
This type of character would typically appear in Sci-Fi Action comics. The outfit is a bodysuit with extra padding to protect the joints, forearms, and shins. A few lines on the padding create a much needed design element. Leave off the helmet until absolutely necessary; otherwise, you’ll hide the character’s face—and expressions—from the reader.
The Magical Girl genre uses costume as an integral part of the story. For example, the star of the story, a magical girl, may transform herself into a super marching band conductor who battles demons that are trying to take over the world by corrupting the youth through evil messages encoded in their music.
Magical girls often have little mascots. These are cute creatures who don’t reveal themselves to anyone except the magical girl herself. They offer comic relief, but can also help in defeating the bad guys.
Nonhumans run the gamut from cat people to elves, faeries, and even androids. They’re popular and a lot of fun. They add novelty to a story and really stand out. Use them to inject a little visual spice.
Nonhumans are human-animal hybrids, but their costumes are always based on human clothing styles and character types.
CAT PEOPLE
Place furry cat ears and a tail on a cute bishoujo character and you’ve got a cat person. Sometimes, artists add tiny little fangs and claws as well, but these elements should be petite enough not to make the character look too feral and, therefore, unattractive. Cat people look more like humans than they do cats, but they retain more of their cat instincts. For example, they like to drink milk, curl up on the couch, and chase after a ball of yarn.
ELVES
There are many different styles of elf ears, but all of them are pointy. This is an example of oversized ears. Some sort of jewelry on the forehead is an indicator of magic. The hair should be long and flowing. Note the difference between elves and faeries: faeries can also have wings, whereas elves do not.
ANDROIDS
Only a few visual hints may be needed to indicate that a character is indeed a machine. The trend is to keep these characters looking much more human than robotic. They have incredible strength but one drawback: they’ve got to go for an oil change every so often. But seriously, if they don’t recharge, they run out of juice and it’s curtains for them. Also, if a single small part is damaged or lost, all of an android’s programming can get corrupted.
Sometimes, it’s not the clothing that identifies the character, but other elements, such as wings, fins, or scales. These elements are among the most popular of the Fantasy genre, and their design is just as important as “regular” clothing.
When using wings, make them oversized and feathered for good characters; bad characters get prehistoric, skin wings (like those on bats or on pterodactyls, “birds” of the dinosaur era).
Mermaids have a solid place in bishoujo. Their hair is always long and wavy as it moves with the gentle currents of the water. Note the seashell hair accessories that exploit the ocean theme.
