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Something that many people don't seem to realize is that drawing anime and manga is an art form and in order to become adept in this skill, you must practice. It seems that many people tend to have the notion that because of anime's bizarre style that it is somehow easier to draw than realistic drawings. This is not the case. In fact, in order to become good in drawing anime or manga, it is recommended that a person practice drawing from life first, even if it is not the particular style he or she prefers. The point is that if you are able to draw realistically, you will be more versatile and be able to draw virtually anything. Drawing the body of an anime character is not much different than the body of a real person from an anatomical standpoint. There may be slight variations, such as unusual long limbs, but for the most part it is beneficial for one to learn the anatomy of a human body and face first. For some people who are learning to draw anime, this step may be tedious, especially when they have no interest in drawing from real life. But I urge you to be patient. You won't be transformed into a Hayao Miyazaki over night.

The phrase "practice makes perfect" rings true. However, if you are practicing the wrong techniques when it comes to drawing, that phrase could turn into "practice makes permanent." It is important not to get into the habit of drawing body proportions incorrectly or it could be difficult to correct. After you feel you are comfortable with drawing the human body and face, you may delve into the realm of anime and manga. It might be a good idea to observe the different styles that many manga and anime artists have. Just like any medium of art, each artists has developed their own unique style that sets them apart. For instance, Akira Toriyama style is so distinctive that people immediately recognize it when they see his work in Dragon Ball Z and even the immensely popular RPG, Dragon Quest VIII. I encourage everyone to develop their own unique style instead of becoming a clone and adopting the style of their favorite artists. But first, it's important to experiment with different styles and find out what pleases you the most.

Anime and manga is a style that is definitely one of a kind. You will see variations of this style throughout different genres of anime. It appears that shounen anime is drawn in a coarser style while shoujo anime is much more softer and flowery. Some anime artists also drift more toward a more mature look,

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