ANTHROS ARE POPULAR CHARACTER TYPES in some subgenres of manga. Anthro is short for anthropomorphic, which means having human traits or forms. When you assign human characteristics to nonhuman things, such as animals, that is anthropomorphism. There are two basic types of anthros: feminine animal-girl characters, the most popular of which are cat-girls, and ferocious animal-human fighter types featured in the manga action genre, shounen. The true anthro, however, takes on more of the animal’s anatomy.
The cat-girl is the most popular type of anthro, because she’s pretty, cute, and feminine. Most cat-girls have a very human face and mostly human anatomy, with add-ons such as cat ears, a tail, and paws that make her look feline. This character appears in many genres, including shoujo, bishoujo, fantasy, and samurai manga.
Begin with a feminine pose: hips pushed forward and shoulders back.
Note how the legs are elongated at the ankles to take on animal-like anatomy and become paws.
The hair surrounding the head is reminiscent of a lion’s mane. Thicken the fingers to look like paws and to have enough room to add claws.
There are two ways to draw cat eyes. The slit-iris eye is technically correct, but the darkened, full, round iris is more expressive.
SLIT IRIS
ROUND IRIS
Continuing with the feline theme, this lioness anthro is queen of the jungle—a primitive ruler with the necklace and bracelets of a warrior people. Even though she cannot have a classic lion mane because she’s female, she still has to have hair—it’s the most effective way to feminize her face. Just giving her eyelashes won’t even come close to doing the trick.
Long legs fit into high hip sockets.
Lions have very long tails that hover close to the ground.
Depict a variety of materials and textures for a richly detailed, more interesting look. Here, note the feathers on the end of the spear, the animal skin garments, and the metal cuffs.
Notice that with all of the anthros that have human hair, the hair falls both in front of and behind the ears.
The back of the “foot” of the lion (and other animals, such as cats, dogs, tigers, and wolves) is always off the ground, unlike the human heel, which rests on the ground.
This feline character is a fighter anthro and is very muscular and imposing. He’s a proud warrior, a weapons expert, and a veteran of fantasy battles. Keep the entire body thick. Think of it as drawing an athlete, not a tiger. Once you place the stripes, the character really comes alive, but don’t rush it—get the foundation in place first.
The tiger anthro’s head is thick, with a smaller circle on the lower part of it for the muzzle. The head is connected to the body by a huge neck.
Note the proximity of the knee joints to the ankle joints, the giant paws, the melon-sized shoulders, and the tiny, rounded ears.
The tiger muzzle, like the lion’s, is a bit flattened in the front.
The tiger’s pupil is a small dot in the middle of the eye. The stripes typically vary in thickness, breaking apart and coming back together in places.
TIGER EYE
TIGER STRIPES
The long, slender nose of a fox lends itself to a feminine look. The wavy hair is a nice variation. The animalistic configuration of the limbs is saved for the legs only, and even then, it doesn’t begin to take hold until we get to the feet, around the ankles. This makes this anthro easier to draw, because you’re basically dealing with a human figure for 90 percent of the image.
The torso is small, the hips are wide, and, like the cat-girl, the pose is feminine.
The length of the tail is greatly exaggerated to make it sweeping and attractive. A real fox tail is a bit mangy! This one is large and bushy. Also note the high position of the ankle joints.
Details like rounded paw “toes” and a long, slender, slightly pointed snout work to complete the character.
When drawing any animals with triangular ears, remember to make the ears point outward, never straight up.
The snout is sleek and long and has a very slender chin underneath.
Whoa! This guy’s been hitting the weight room pretty regularly. He’s pumped. This is an example of how you can totally max out an anthro’s frame. The character’s build doesn’t have to relate to the wolf’s slinky physique at all. You’re creating a completely new hybrid. You’re also adding more costume, which further defines the character as a bad guy; note the eye patch, fingerless gloves, and forearm wraps.
The anthro wolf has a supermassive chest and small hips. The hunched back and the head below the shoulder level create a powerful look.
The long, animalistic “feet” imbue the character with a particularly feral look …
