Discussion Do you imagine anime when you read novels?

When you're reading a Japanese light novel or a web novel are you imagining cartoony anime style characters, or do you imagine them as real world people?​

I find it depends on what my experience with the story is. For example I'm more likely to imagine the story in a cartoony style if I've already seen the anime or manga, or if the author has a lot of illustrations available for reference. Kind of like how you're more likely to just picture the actor who played the character if you read a book after having already seen the movie. On the other hand if I'm reading blind and the only descriptor I have is the narrative. In that case I'll imagine the characters as though they were real people.

There is an exception to this rule, and that is if the story has a visual aid, but it doesn't live up to my expectations. Like the narrative says a character is supposed to look one way, but the illustrations make them look different. Likewise if the art style just looks cheap or overly stylized, basically anything that ruins immersion. In these cases I will make a conscious effort to completely reject the offered visual aid, and either imagine something completely different, or if the error is small enough I will imagine a modified version.

 

I kinda imagine them to be more realistic and less funky but when manga or anime comes out, I find it rather disorienting.

 

2.5 D , it's like Dragon Ball FighterZ , tho the art style might vary from novel to novel, depending on it's richness.

 

Animated, thats also why I always need descriptions of characters to know what to imagine, otherwise my immersion get ruined.

 

I never imagine them as real people, no matter what I'm reading.

It usually varies from a more anime style to western animation style depending on my mood, but it's never real people.

 

I always imagine them in anime style.

So sometimes after reading a particular novel, if the novel gets adapted to drama, I get disappointed with the cast as the actors doesn't fit my imagined characters.

 

Chinese Novels set in historical times, whether it's wuxia or xianxia etc, I always imagine it like watching a Chinese drama, with actors. Maybe because I've been watching cdramas since I was a kid? It comes naturally to me. Same with English fantasy novels! It's easy for me to imagine fantasy beasts as well.
Outside these however, I tend to imagine it as anime or cartoon style. The setting/surroundings may be realistic looking but the characters are anime style. I think it's because if I try to imagine a modern romance realistically for example, with its cliches and tropes, I'll be pissed off lol.

 

I imagined in somewhat like a painting scene. I usually love to add grandiose favour into my vision so everything seemed like a play more than an actual event.

 

Definitely realistic unless either:

a) it is painfully japanese light novel-esque (I'm thinking like the asterisk war or something like that)

b) it has pictures

c) I've watched the anime or manga beforehand (if I've only seen trailers or clips or something like that then I might dismiss them and still imagine them realistically, instead)

I find it hard to imagine things in an anime style, since my imagination views space from a weird omnipresent view, rather than one specific camera angle.

I think even in the exceptions given, I will still revert to realistic imagery for detailed action sequences and the like.

 

i have strong imagination so as long as i want to see animated version i can see it but

 

I've found that I generally imagine stuff as anime. My dreams too, not that everything always manifests as anime.

 

Not anime, exactly, but very much the artwork you see in Chinese visual novels? I don't know what you'd call that...Chinese anime? Chinese art? It's the stuff that 66rpg.com is full of and I love it because it gives me a clear view of a character's personality based on how their eyes/eyebrows/clothes/stance are drawn.

 

I don't really imagine the characters that much anymore, I focused more with the setting. It just so weird to imagine 4-5 year olds conducting a massacre or a bunch of 10-12 yo. having orgies and what not.

 

i imagine them sort of as cosplayers who cosplay anime characters. Realistic, but also unrealistic in a way normal people can only get when they put on make up.

 

For me IT's mostly 2.5d which means it is anime like then it changes into 3d when the action gets tense , especially fights they're pretty much one punch like , with giantic waves of force and craters left after punches.

The best representation of what I imagine to day is the new Dragon Ball FightersZ Game.