MovieChat Forums > Alita: Battle Angel (2019) Discussion > Alita's Big Anime Eyes - NO NO NO

Alita's Big Anime Eyes - NO NO NO

posted 7 years ago by Steve1978 (67)
17 replies | jump to latest

Just saw the trailer. Why? WHY??? Alita has big anime eyes, while everyone else's eyes are normal. No! NO!! Either they should have given everyone big anime eyes or no one big anime eyes!! Giving only Alita those eyes characterizes her as a freak when compared to everyone else!! THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF BIG EYES IN ANIME!!

Whoever made this decision just doesn't understand the style of Japanese anime! In the Battle Angel anime, EVERYONE has big eyes, not just Alita. Now, the producers of this movie have turned a common feature into a freakish oddity! NO!!!

[–] ChuckFindlay (392) 7 years ago

The reason is a pretty sick one, its about sexualising children. And no, everyone in anime does not have big eyes. The females all do, the men do not. At least not all of them. The big eyes is to make the characters look younger than they are supposed to be. Big eyes is a representation of youth. Japan is pretty obsessed with young girls. It seems like the entire country has a school girl kink.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

The big eyes in anime is a caricature version of how they view non-Asian eyes.

Also, lots of animated characters have oversized eyes. Now you'll tell us that Homer Simpson's huge eyes and bald head is intended to sexualize babies.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I always feel very uneasy about the big eyes and suspected the same thing. It leaves the characters being very uninteresting to me as well.

[–] lordbishop34 (1442) 7 years ago

The eyes are an issue for me as well, though I don't think that they went with that because some anime characters have big eyes.

[–] DracTarashV2 (4497) 7 years ago

They’re hypnotic. At first it’s bewildering to see her have such big eyes while no one else does, sure, but I don’t know... it’s working for me. I think it’s not so unusual to have her look that way in a live-adaption considering who she is.

[–] TheBlackWaffle (226) 7 years ago

Yeah, I personally think the eyes look great. In less than two minutes, her character has become more unique and recognizable than 99.9% of movie characters in the past ten years (not counting all the superhero and Star Wars crap that we have heaped upon us every twenty minutes).

[–] Bowilly (171) 7 years ago

I agree totally! The character looks amazing and I love the eyes.

[–] Alex (1508) 6 years ago

She reminds of Splice and not in a good way either. Ahahahhahahahha

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Being a somewhat typical movie goer myself, I suspect this film will fail at the box office BECAUSE of those eyes. Agreed. It seemed pretty silly to focus on that ONE aspect from anime and not all the other stuff that leads to the look.

Watching the trailer, I don't remember anything that happened, just the eyes and how awfully stupid they looked. Normal movie goes will go, "meh... yuck", move on ignoring it and not give it a second thought.

I actually went out and looked up pictures of the real version after viewing the trailer, and still thought the big eyes were a bad call. Just more disconnecting CGI. Yawn. Meh.... yuck... moving on.

[–] DracTarashV2 (4497) 6 years ago

A year later and I no longer even notice her eyes. I mean I obviously do... however it’s not until I see others bring this topic up again that I go, “ah yes, I remember the big eyes were an issue”. Lol.

But I’ve gotten so used to them that they look oddly normal to me now. I love them.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I found myself thinking the same thing as I watched the latest trailer.

Perhaps I've got used to the look in general, but I also suspect it's got to do with the release, success and cultural ubiquity of Ready Player One in the intervening time.

A year ago I thought to myself "audiences are going to reject her look, and they won't get over the discrepancy between Alita and the humans and cyborgs on display" but now? It could very well play with audiences.

To paraphrase the RLM review of Avatar, people do love them big ol' Disney Eyes (tm).

[–] Steve1978 (67) 6 years ago

Actually, now I agree with both of you. The latest trailer was excellent. I think I'm gonna like this one. If the acting, directing, emotion, and the plot are good enough, it'll more than make up for the eyes. When I first posted this, I think all I saw were stills, or maybe just the first trailer, which was terrible.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

The eyes don't bother me too much. I'm meh about seeing it due to Rodriguez's hit/miss record coupled with Cameron's soul-free Avatar style. I'll wait for the reviews. Even then, how can I trust the reviews? People loved Avatar and it deserves a 5.5/10 max.

[–] Alex (1508) 6 years ago

I bet you loved "Splice" as well.

[–] DracTarashV2 (4497) 6 years ago

You know it!!

Hem... but naw. Love is a strong word. Let’s just say I didn’t mind Splice.

But when you see Alita you see Dren? Eh. I still find Alita far more appealing. :~}

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Of COURSE she's got big eyes, she's an ANDROID.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

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