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Character Designs

Anime production companies employ numerous artists to generate the backgrounds and animation cells during the production of an animated series. Though it is necessary to employ such a force to create the anime in a timely fashion, such a force presents two major difficulties. First each artist possesses a unique personality and drawing style. What one artist considers to be an cheerful expression may contrast radically from the images of another artist. Second, it is nearly impossible for each artist to be constantly aware of images his coworkers are creating. Hence, it is possible that an artist may draw a character to be taller than the rest while another artist working on another scene may draw that same character as being shorter.

In order to address these two problems and create an internally consistent product, the production company creates detailed character designs consisting of character expressions, relative heights, mannerisms, surroundings, and possessions to serve as a guide for the animators. In the case of the YUA OAV and television series, the character designs were made by Atsuto Nakajima.

Notice that the principle Taiho Shichauzo characters are all distinctly different from each other. This ensures that the characters are identifiable at the low level of detail required to produce the thousands of cells necessary to create an animated feature. Though Miyuki and Natsumi are similar in height, the two characters are easily distinguished by the fact that Miyuki has blue eyes and long black hair while Natsumi has violet eyes and short brown hair. The chief and Ken have similar heights, hair style, and body dimensions. Hence, to employ a distinct separation between the two, Ken's is rarely seen without his glasses while the chief sports a small mustache. Yoriko is distinctly different from the rest of the principle characters as she is shorter than everyone else, wears glasses, and does not braid her long hair. Hence, the character designers let her have a similar hair color as Natsumi. Allowing her to have a hair color simliar to Miyiuki's would create a loss of distinctness during scenes where Miyuki does not have her hair braided.