Analyze Anime & Manga Characters: A Fun Guide to Reading Skills

Learn how to analyze Anime and Manga characters with this fun, step-by-step guide. Understand character traits, motivations, and dynamic vs. static development to boost your reading comprehension skills using your favorite series.

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Materials Needed:

  • Access to one episode of an age-appropriate Anime series OR one chapter of an age-appropriate Manga (Examples: *My Hero Academia*, *Haikyuu!!*, *Fruits Basket* - please preview first!)
  • Notebook or paper
  • Pencils or pens
  • Optional: Highlighters

Introduction: Unleash Your Inner Reading Ninja! (10 mins)

Hey Anime fan! You know how awesome it is when a character in your favorite Anime totally surprises you, or when you feel like you really understand why they act a certain way? That's because the creators are amazing storytellers, and a big part of that is creating believable and interesting characters. Today, we're going to use our reading skills (which totally apply to watching Anime and reading Manga too!) to become Character Analysts. We'll learn how to understand characters deeply, just like a detective figuring out clues!

Activity 1: Mission Start - Watch/Read & Observe! (25-30 mins)

Choose one episode of an Anime or one chapter of a Manga you enjoy (make sure it's okay with your parent/teacher!). As you watch or read, pay close attention to one specific character. This will be your target for analysis!

Your Mission:

  • Who is the main character (the protagonist)?
  • Who is the character you chose to focus on?
  • What is one important thing they did in this episode/chapter?
  • What is one thing they said that seemed important or revealing about their personality?

Jot down your answers in your notebook.

Activity 2: Character Profile Jutsu! (20 mins)

Now, let's create a profile for the character you focused on. Think like you're gathering intel!

In your notebook, write down:

  1. Character Name:
  2. First Impression: What did you first think of this character?
  3. Personality Traits: List at least 3 traits (e.g., brave, shy, determined, funny, grumpy, kind).
  4. Evidence Locker: For *each* trait you listed, write down *one specific thing* the character did or said in the episode/chapter that shows this trait. (Example: Trait: Brave. Evidence: They stood up to the villain even though they were scared.)
  5. Goal/Motivation: What does this character seem to want? What drives them?

Activity 3: The Change-Up Technique - Static vs. Dynamic (15 mins)

Characters in stories can sometimes change a lot, or sometimes they stay pretty much the same. This is called character development.

  • Dynamic Character: A character who learns, grows, or changes significantly throughout the story. Think about how Deku changes in *My Hero Academia*.
  • Static Character: A character who stays mostly the same throughout the story. Often side characters or villains are static, but sometimes main characters can be too.

Based on what you know about your chosen character (from this episode/chapter or the whole series), do you think they are more dynamic or static? Why? Did you see any hints of change, even small ones, in what you just watched/read? Write down your thoughts.

Wrap-up: Mission Accomplished! (5 mins)

Great job, Character Analyst! Today you used your reading skills to look closely at an Anime/Manga character. Understanding characters—their traits, motivations, and how they change—makes watching Anime and reading Manga even more fun and meaningful. Keep practicing these skills with every story you dive into!