Whether you’re looking for cute and fun or more serious and classic subjects, Anime drawings have both to offer. Here are easy anime drawing ideas to practice any angle of the genre.
Depending on what you’re drawing can help determine what kind of artist you are and what genre you work comfortably in.
I think it’s always fun to expand and try different genres. I don’t necessarily draw all the time.
If you’re looking for the supplies that I used while creating this post, they are listed below.
I used these markers, these pencils, this notebook, these colored pencils, this ruler, this tape, and these crayons for younger artists.
Anime is for anyone of any age, and this post could be even more fun with a few different anime lovers of various ages.
1. Teddy Bear
A teddy bear is a wonderful place to start–cuddly, sweet, and a universally known all-around loveable character.
The best thing about this fun doodle is that they are entirely customizable and can look vastly different than previous drawings’ of your favorite stuffed bear.
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2. Cracking Egg
A drawing with an action built in always makes for a more interesting composition.
An egg cracking with a baby chick coming out is a wonderful and easy place to start with a movement-oriented drawing.
If you want to jazz it up even more, add a cute pattern to the shell or an unexpected color to the hatchling.
3. Gotta Catch ‘Em All
If you’re a fan of the Anime Genre, you know very well that certain shows or stories are musts.
This catchphrase comes from one of the most iconic and popular TV series, games, and more, and can keep you busy drawing for weeks or longer.
Stick with the classic set, or choose from the entire franchise of those beloved Pokemon.
4. Stretching Beans
Anime incites cuteness first and foremost in my brain, and there’s nothing better to represent the cute side of the genre than these stretching beans.
Keep this random doodle simple like these sweeties, or add patterns or pops of color.
5. Frog in a Leaf Boat
Continuing straight into another cute and super fun idea, this frog in a boat is perfect for any artist. Customize your boating frog by changing the boat shape, mast, or even the frog’s color.
6. Fox Girl
Anime dabbles in the mystical and the fun of being anything imaginable.
So whether you’re interested in drawing a fox-girl hybrid or a girl with a fox headband, it’s up to you–both ideas are darling.
7. Pizza Cat
An animal with an easy-to-draw and beloved food item, like pizza, is a great place to start trying out different ideas. Both items are cute, easy to draw, and look even better together.
This duo is a great launching pad next, maybe a dog and a cheeseburger?
8. Kodama
For those unfamiliar, Kodama’s are spirits that inhabit trees one hundred years or older in the Shinto religion.
The belief is that Kodamas gives trees a specific personality, and drawing these spirits is a fun and interesting subject to learn more about while making yours.
These tree drawing ideas would be great to incorporate!
9. Blushing Bunny
One of the easiest subjects to draw today, the blushing bunny (or other cute small animal), is a synonymous image in the genre that anyone can draw.
Stick to the simplistic type of bunny shown above, or plan a more lively one.
10. Soot Sprite
Ghibli movies are some of my favorites in the anime genre, and these Soot Sprites come from some of the most classic films, My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.
In both films, they mainly play supporting but helpful roles, not to mention adorable.
11. Kitten Chomp
Another great option for a simple action image to excite the scene is this cat duo. Any two characters will do in this simplistic action of one chomping another one’s ear.
12. Cinnamoroll
From the iconic Hello Kitty franchise, Cinnamoroll is an excellent subject and relatively recognizable to anyone familiar with the sweet cat and her friends.
This pup is a great option for a Hello Kitty lover who prefers dogs over cats.
13. Totoro Sprout
Another lovely little character from My Neighbor Totoro is this sweet Totoro Sprout.
Charming, simple, and undeniably cute, it’s a perfect quick doodle to add to any other drawing to liven it up just a bit.
14. Eyes
We all know that the stylized eyes in any anime are non-negotiables. It’s a great subject to devote an entire page to just practicing different variations on anime eyes.
All are unique, so make sure to do what feels right to you in both constructing and coloring your eyes.
15. Totoro with Leaf
The titular character of My Neighbor Totoro is another wonderful option to draw because of Totoro’s simplistic silhouette and easy patterning.
Add all the other friends from the film to your Totoro drawing, or keep them separate. Keep Totoro solo, or add the other friends from the list to your drawing.
16. Four Chicks
Anime, a lot of the time, is never stationary. This chick series is another great option to practice just that.
Feel free to vary up the idea from the movements here–whatever suits your idea best.
17. Toadstool
An animated toadstool is one of the most common images in an anime-oriented world. Whether short, tall, small, or big, a mushroom is a great anime option.
If you’d like to go hyper-specific, try Toad from the Mario franchise.
These easy mushroom drawings are also lots of fun!
18. Onigri
Different foods also play a large role in the anime genre, whether it has been humanized or not. It’s a great lesson in some Asian foods, too, if you’re unfamiliar with popular snacks or dishes.
Have a page dedicated to different emoting foods to practice all the possibilities.
19. Blushing Boy
People blushing in animes is one of the most recognizable tells that it fits the genre.
Keep the boy simple like mine, or use it as a platform for an idea and incorporate the trait into any subject’s facial features.
20. Girl with Hearts
Emotions of all sorts beyond blushing are present parts of the genre, and the more distinct, the better.
Another great example of an outright feeling displayed is a subject with hearts around them.
21. Faceless
Another character from Hayo Miazaki’s world, Faceless, comes from Spirited Away. He is a good subject in contrast with any overly emotional characters.
He’s a curious creature and can liven up many different drawings. Pair him with one of his movie counterparts, or mix him with a random image.
22. Girl with Sunglasses
If you’re looking for a subject somewhere between giddy and a little scary-looking, a subject with sunglasses on may be the perfect option for you.
Keep them simplistic like this, or flush out an entire scene starring this too cool for school character.
23. Hair Buns
Style is another huge characteristic of humans in the anime genre; whether it’s clothing, facials, or hair, it’s normally quite distinct.
Practicing different hairstyles on a dedicated page may be a good option regardless of what type of artist you are.
24. Haku
Another hugely important character that’s easy to draw from Spirited Away is Haku. He does well as a subject for his overall simplistic silhouette and details.
25. My Melody
My Melody is arguably one of the cutest from the Sanrio world, including Hello Kitty, Badtz-Maru, and Keroppi.
Not only is she one of the cutest, she’s also one of the easiest to draw.
26. Annoyed Girl
Emotive characters go hand-in-hand with the genre, whether happy, excited, or annoyed.
All emotions are welcome and to be completely present on a subject’s face–the more prominent, the better.
27. Happy Girl
On the other hand, we, of course, want to balance it out with a happy girl. Implement the girl into a situation or let her be content all on her own.
Feel free to swap the stars with whatever signifier suits your drawing well.
28. Calcifer
Calcifier is another incredibly adorable Ghibli character from Howl’s Moving Castle. Although small in stature, the Calcifier is a main element of the story and drives the film forward.
29. Cat in a Hole
Who doesn’t love a cat doing something so goofy and cute–I’m not sure, and I don’t think I’d like to know. Add any fun small addition to the cat’s head.
Whether it’s a leaf, shoe, or buried treasure, it’s a reliable anime image to draw.
If you want to get creative, try drawing a handful of these felines from every other direction–it makes for a highly interesting page.
30. Pusheen
Pusheen is another completely recognizable character in the anime world by now.
A sweet and goofy cat that can get put into any situation with ease and a bit of humor makes for a wonderful subject for your notebook.
If you’re looking to practice with a character for a series, Pusheen makes for a great one. As mentioned, the cat is highly adaptable, fun, and easy to draw.
31. Geisha
You’ll also want to check out these other cute drawing ideas!