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Rule #1: Don't Trust Characters With Glasses
Introduction to Unwritten Anime Rules!
Hello again! I’m D and welcome to the new series “Unwritten Anime Rules!" After watching anime for years and years - there are trends that I’ve noticed throughout all of them and I’m aiming to break them down, through comedy, research, and intuition, in order to learn more about where these ideas come from and where they can be seen in anime. The “Examples and Exceptions” area may have some spoilers so please keep that in mind. Each will be wrapped up with an overall percentage of how often the rule applies! Let’s explore together.
~D
Why This Rule?
In the real world, glasses help those of us with vision impairments to see clearly, helping us in daily tasks in clear sight. Does it mean the same thing in anime? Yes and no. In Western cartoons, glasses could be used a source of comedy, although it could be a sign of the times. The “My glasses, my glasses!” routine of Velma from Scooby Doo was used often and Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory was also completely dependent on his for obvious reasons - but both of the above characters were intelligent and fairly mischievous. In anime, most visually restricted characters have a deeper level like another face, and the glasses are the visual indicator for that. The wearers are intelligent, with an air of mystery. I’ve come to think of that glare when you can’t see their eyes as a mask of sorts. For some reason, they can see something that many of their counterparts cannot...and that alone makes them suspicious. You see that guy that’s behind all the other characters? Reserved, quiet, and pushing up their glasses? They’re hiding something. Does that one girl keep looking down and not finishing her sentences, but you can’t see her eyes through the sheen? She might be a snake. Do they seem well-mannered, and are going out of their way to help the main group, but something doesn’t add up when they smile with those spectacles? You already know what I’m gonna say. Be cautious of these characters because they can be a great help or a dangerous enemy waiting for the right moment to strike.
Examples & Exceptions
Well-known examples of characters that fall into the scheming spectacles would be: Kabuto from Naruto, Shou Tucker from Full Metal Alchemist, Sosuke Aizen and Kaname Tosen from Bleach, Moeka Kiryu from Steins;Gate, Gendo Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion, Seishin from Shiki, Nishiki from Tokyo Ghoul, and Weavil from Yu-Gi-Oh.
But not everyone is dastardly waiting to get the upper-hand, and they’re truly intelligent help to the main cast or play the middle ground like: Iida Tenya from My Hero Academia, Shinpachi from Gintama, Uryu Ishida from Bleach, Kousei from Your Lie in April, and Shino Aburame from Naruto. Sunglasses don’t count, because most of those characters are just badasses.
Origins
Quick research on the optical aids suggests that fashion is heavily related to the style, but it’s amplified even more in Japan. The way you wear glasses, the frames, and the colors associated could make others think you’re an intelligent businessman or an outgoing graphic designer, adding a touch of character by the unique frames offered. Unlike the United States, they aren’t nearly as regulated in Japan and there are literally hundreds of dispensaries throughout, making the item readily available and sought after (1). The sheer volume and somewhat special process it is to buy glasses makes it a unique experience as well from google searches. So in essence, wearing glasses determines a large piece of your character in Japan and anime and manga confirm this.
Overall Judgement
The complexity of a character can’t be isolated to a single factor, however, the presence of glasses is a sign. There are those that use the glasses glare for good and those that use it for evil, but the divide is right in the middle of the road. Just be cautious the next time that you think that your main cast/heroes have found a glasses-wearing ally in a dangerous situation, because they might have an ulterior motive.
Likelihood of that character being a scheming snake:
50%
*In no shape, form, or way am I trying to generalize a real group of people. Everyone is an individual with components that make up their identity and that should be respected. Always.*
(1) Tofugu.com. (2014). Megane Culture: Japan's Love Affair With Glasses. [online] Available at: https://www.tofugu.com/japan/glasses-in-japan/ [Accessed 19 Aug. 2018].