Emotion Symbols

Term from Manga Production industry explained for recruiters

Emotion Symbols are visual indicators used in manga (Japanese comics) and anime to show characters' feelings and moods. These include things like sweat drops for nervousness, anger veins for frustration, or heart symbols for love. Artists and designers use these symbols to make characters' emotions clear without using words. They're an important part of the manga and anime art style, similar to how exclamation marks work in Western comics. You might also hear these called "manga symbols," "emotional indicators," or "manga visual effects."

Examples in Resumes

Created character design sheets including standard Emotion Symbols for a 12-episode anime series

Developed new Manga Symbols for expressing complex emotions in digital manga

Trained junior artists in proper placement and timing of Emotional Indicators in anime storyboards

Typical job title: "Manga Artists"

Also try searching for:

Manga Artist Anime Character Designer Comic Artist Storyboard Artist Animation Artist Visual Effects Artist Manga Illustrator

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you adapt emotion symbols for different target audiences or markets?

Expected Answer: A senior artist should discuss how emotion symbols might need to be modified for different age groups, cultural markets (Western vs Eastern), and digital versus print formats, while maintaining their clarity and impact.

Q: How do you train junior artists in using emotion symbols effectively?

Expected Answer: Should explain their teaching approach for helping newer artists understand symbol placement, timing, size relationships with characters, and how to maintain consistency across multiple pages or scenes.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you choose which emotion symbols to use in different situations?

Expected Answer: Should explain their decision-making process for selecting appropriate symbols based on the scene's mood, character personality, and story context.

Q: What's your approach to creating new or modified emotion symbols?

Expected Answer: Should describe their creative process for developing new symbols that remain recognizable while bringing fresh ideas to the medium.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the most common emotion symbols and when do you use them?

Expected Answer: Should be able to list basic symbols like sweat drops, anger veins, and heart symbols, and explain their typical usage in manga and anime.

Q: How do you ensure emotion symbols don't overwhelm the main artwork?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of basic composition and how to balance symbolic elements with character art and backgrounds.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic emotion symbol drawing
  • Understanding common symbol meanings
  • Simple character expressions
  • Digital art basics

Mid (2-4 years)

  • Advanced symbol composition
  • Creating symbol variations
  • Digital effects integration
  • Style consistency maintenance

Senior (4+ years)

  • Symbol system development
  • Team coordination
  • Style guide creation
  • Training and mentoring

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No knowledge of basic manga/anime art conventions
  • Unable to draw consistent symbols across multiple panels
  • Lack of digital art tool experience
  • No understanding of emotional storytelling in visual media

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