History Main / FacialProfiling

Naturally, with the prevalence of anime in the West, many people make the mistake of [[https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/09/why-do-the-japanese-draw-themselves-as-white/340084/ wondering why Japanese cartoons appear to feature white casts]]. To the Japanese, [[{{Mukokuseki}} they don't]] -- even coupled with blonde hair and blue eyes on characters who are 100% Japanese. (But as these same characters often stand alongside naturally [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue, pink and green haired]] people, [[AcceptableBreakFromReality yellowish hair might not be far of a stretch after all.]])

* Russians and other Slavs: Men will be depicted with brown hair (or sometimes bald heads) and beards, while women will have blonde hair and delicate facial features. In unflattering examples, younger Slav males will be ghostly pale, have shaven, round heads, large ears, a long nose and rather small eyes, often quite close together -- the whole look will suggest a malnourished, sullen quality (see Vladimir Putin for real-life detail). More flattering examples, on the other hand, will usually depict them as brawny hunks. Older works often depict Russian women as ugly, while modern works will show them as MsFanservice, [[SensualSlavs slender with big breasts]] and [[ShesGotLegs long, long legs.]] Sometimes, the men and old women will have large or unusual noses, though not to the extent of Jews. Expect dark circles under the eyes of both sexes. In anime and manga, Russians are frequently depicted as pale with white, silver, platinum blond, or [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue]] hair. Will frequently wear [[RussianFashion ushankas]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'': Most of the Romani, including Esmeralda (who is named for her unusual green eyes), are darker-skinned and darker-haired than the other French characters. There are a few lighter skinned Romani background characters. Quasimodo himself is Romani but is a pale-skinned redhead even though his mother has dark skin and black hair; his unusual coloring might have to do with his deformities.

* Arabs, North Africans, Egyptians,(applies to mostly any Middle Eastern countries) etc,: Will often have tan skin, high cheek bones, large hooked noses and black curly hair (and beards) on men and straight hair on women (if not covered by a headscarf). They are still often enough played by white actors however. If their depiction is negative (which these days in Western media, it almost always is), they are often hairy and ugly as well.

[[caption-width-right:319:Guess which one is Hebrew.]]

* Black people are depicted with [[GagLips prominent lips.]] This was also a major element of the {{Blackface}} era. Doesn't show up much WesternAnimation these days because of it, although if you go back to before the 1960s, it is very common. Cartoons nowadays that leave out lips for non-black characters may draw in normal-sized lips for black characters. Wider noses and frizzy hair is also common, as are braids on black women. [[BaldBlackLeaderGuy Shaved heads will appear frequently on black men.]]

* Greeks: The Greek nose that lacks the indent over the bridge, cribbed from vase painting. Often have dark, curly hair.

Common animation features used to identify a character as female are TertiarySexualCharacteristics. Ethnic identifiers might be more subtle (or not), and often are areas of great sensitivity. At its best it can be used for specificity in representation and diversity. Unfortunately, as seen even in this list, historically the more a character is distinguished from the presumed "beautiful default," the more likely they are to be exaggerated into outright racist caricatures and become ugly or alien.

* Greeks: The Greek nose that lacks the indent over the bridge, cribbed from vase painting

* Black people are depicted with [[GagLips prominent lips.]] This was also a major element of the {{Blackface}} era. Doesn't show up much WesternAnimation these days because of it, although if you go back to before the 1960s, it is very common. Cartoons nowadays that leave out lips for non-black characters may draw in normal-sized lips for black characters. Wider noses and frizzy hair is also common, as are braids on black women. Shaved heads will appear frequently on black men.

* Mexicans tend to have brown skin. [[MagnificentMoustachesOfMexico Men have mustaches.]] Other typical traits may include soft facial features and small eyes, and a glossiness of the skin that implies a perpetual sweat. (Real-life Mexicans will frequently be pale-skinned with flat Uto-Aztecan faces and almond-shaped eyes, but good luck finding these traits in popular representations.)

* The Irish: Rufous hair, very pale skin and freckles. Shorter and stockier than the English. They'll have big heads, or just sport a ForeheadOfDoom. Women often have a very large mass of frizzy or very curly hair, like the wigs of some Irish stepdancers. Men have cleft chins and thicker eyebrows, with large sideburns if they're older. [[ValuesDissonance Centuries ago, when they were considered a separate race "below" whites,]] the Irish were depicted as very ape-like.

* Russians and other Slavs: Men will be depicted with brown hair (or sometimes bald heads) and beards, while women will have blonde hair and delicate facial features. In unflattering examples, younger Slav males will be ghostly pale, have shaven, round heads, large ears, a long nose and rather small eyes, often quite close together -- the whole look will suggest a malnourished, sullen quality (see Vladimir Putin for real-life detail). More flattering examples, on the other hand, will usually depict them as brawny hunks. Older works often depict Russian women as ugly, while modern works will show them as MsFanservice, slender with big breasts and [[ShesGotLegs long, long legs.]] Sometimes, the men and old women will have large or unusual noses, though not to the extent of Jews. Expect dark circles under the eyes of both sexes. In anime and manga, Russians are frequently depicted as pale with white, silver, platinum blond, or [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue]] hair. Will frequently wear ushankas.

* Stacy and Ginger Hirano of ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' both have almond-shaped eyes.

* East Asians, especially from the 40s to the 60s, are depicted as yellow-skinned and slit-eyed, often with bad teeth. Chinese tend to have [[AsianBuckTeeth buck teeth]] [[note]] these are known to anthropologists as "shovel-shaped incisors", and are also found on people with American Indian or Inuit descent [[/note]], while Japanese have crooked teeth. Today, Asians are depicted with almond-shaped eyes. Skin may be the same as whites or tinted slightly differently. Straight hair is usually a given. In all periods, as with Jews, NerdGlasses will be common thanks both to Hideki Tojo's spectacles and to the AsianAndNerdy trope.

* Australians will almost always be represented as white, quite tall and mostly blonde. Australian men tend to be portrayed as heavily tanned, with a square jaw and cheekbones and a rough, rugged appearance (largely due to the success of ''Film/CrocodileDundee'' and ''Series/TheCrocodileHunter''). Australian women seem less stereotyped but are likely to be surfer or bikini babes (not surprising given that the vast majority of Australians live on the coasts). Aboriginals, when seen at all, will be portrayed in a traditional, tribal setting and will have very dark skin, a somewhat protruding jaw and often wear white body paint.

Naturally, with the prevalence of anime in the West, many people make the mistake of [[ValuesDissonance wondering why Japanese cartoons appear to feature white casts]]. To the Japanese, [[{{Mukokuseki}} they don't]] -- even coupled with blonde hair and blue eyes on characters who are 100% Japanese. (But as these same characters often stand alongside naturally [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue, pink and green haired]] people, [[AcceptableBreakFromReality yellowish hair might not be far of a stretch after all.]])

Naturally, with the prevalence of anime in the West, many people make the mistake of wondering why the Japanese make cartoons with white casts. [[{{Mukokuseki}} To them, they don't]] -- even coupled with blonde hair and blue eyes on characters who are 100% Japanese. (But as these same characters often stand alongside naturally [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue, pink and green haired]] people, [[AcceptableBreakFromReality yellowish hair might not be far of a stretch after all.]])

Common animation features used to identify a character as female are TertiarySexualCharacteristics. Ethnic identifiers might be more subtle (or not), and often are areas of great sensitivity.

** There's usually little difference between Black Americans and Black Sub-Saharan Africans of any nation in the rare occasion that series features both or mentions a specific African country by name. If there are both, then Africans will have rounder faces, darker skin and sometimes larger ears or generally anything that makes them further away from the 'white default' than black Americans. Stereotypical DarkestAfrica bush tribes will have gaunt features, long faces, and wear little clothing.

* Arabs, North Africans, Egyptians,(applies to mostly any Middle Eastern countries) etc,: Will often have tan skin, high cheek bones, large hooked noses and black curly hair (and beards) on men and straight hair on women (if not covered by a headscarf). They are still often enough played by white actors however. If their depiction is negative (which these days in Western media, it almost always is), they are often hairy and ugly as well.

* Native Americans are depicted with high prominent cheekbones and/or jowls in more subtle versions. Other times the animators just color them red. And they'll always be dressed in the animator's idea of their traditional clothing (usually a sort of generic Plains Tribe look, without enough detail to identify a specific nation) with a crest of feathers on their heads. Both men and women usually have (very straight) long hair, possibly in one or two [[BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins braids.]]

* Australians will almost always be represented as white, quite tall and mostly blonde. Australian men tend to be portrayed as heavily tanned, with a square jaw and cheekbones and a rough, rugged appearance (largely due to the success of ''Film/CrocodileDundee'' and ''LiveActionTV/TheCrocodileHunter''). Australian women seem less stereotyped but are likely to be surfer or bikini babes (not surprising given that the vast majority of Australians live on the coasts). Aboriginals, when seen at all, will be portrayed in a traditional, tribal setting and will have very dark skin, a somewhat protruding jaw and often wear white body paint.

* Tiana from ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' is Disney's first African American heroine. She has full lips and a broad nose to avoid ButNotTooBlack accusations, but not too exaggerated so as to avoid making her a racist caricature. She's still been accused of being both at the same time. Her figure is pretty standard as far as Disney girls go, despite accusations of "Disney thinks all black girls have big butts!" This despite the fact that [[http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/the-princess-and-the-frog.jpg her character design]] is basically a [[InkSuitActor cartoon version]] of the ''[[http://www.contactmusic.com/photo/anika_noni_rose_1783586 voice actress portraying her]]'' in keeping with Disney's longstanding tradition of basing character designs on their voice actors.

* ''Disney/{{Pocahontas}}'' is quite accurate in the way it portrays how Native Americans looked in the 1600's...except for Pocahontas herself, who looks very unlike the ''real'' Pocahontas. Once again, this was because her face was based on her voice actress, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_Bedard Irene Bedard]], who is of Inupiat Inuit and Métis descent, so Pocahontas does in fact look like a ''modern'' Native American, most of whom trace their ancestry to several different tribes, but unlike what one would look like during the time and place where the film is set. And then there's the tall, blond, blue-eyed John Smith who looked ''nothing'' like the real guy.
* Native Hawaiians in ''Disney/LiloAndStitch'' generally appear realistically Polynesian, with varying degrees of tanned skin tones, dark hair colors, and almond-shaped eyes. Body types are also pretty curvy, but that's [[PuniPlush another trope entirely]].

* ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'': Most of the Romani, including Esmeralda (who is named for her unusual green eyes), are darker-skinned and darker-haired than the other French characters. There are a few lighter skinned Romani background characters. Quasimodo himself is Romani but is a pale-skinned redhead even though his mother has dark skin and black hair; his unusual coloring might have to do with his deformities.

* The early episodes of the 1970s cartoon ''The Blue Racer'' had the main character (a blue snake) chase after a Japanese Beetle for a meal. Guess what the beetle looked like. Another episode also featured the snake trying to steal an egg from a Japanese rooster, oddly enough voiced by {{Creator/Mako}}.

* [[BlackBestFriend Sydney]]'s mom from ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' has more prominent lips than any of the cast. Mindy's friend Lillian also has almond shaped eyes.

* Asians, especially from the 40s to the 60s, are depicted as yellow-skinned and slit-eyed, often with bad teeth. Chinese tend to have [[AsianBuckTeeth buck teeth]] [[note]] these are known to anthropologists as "shovel-shaped incisors", and are also found on people with American Indian or Inuit descent [[/note]], while Japanese have crooked teeth. Today, Asians are depicted with almond-shaped eyes. Skin may be the same as whites or tinted slightly differently. Straight hair is usually a given. In all periods, as with Jews, NerdGlasses will be common thanks both to Hideki Tojo's spectacles and to the AsianAndNerdy trope.

Similarly, that's why in the East, light skinned characters are assumed to be Asian, while in Western cultures they are assumed to be white. Again, people would largely make similar subconscious assumptions if they had to humanize a stick figure, smiley face, or animal unless they perceived specific [[FacialProfiling racial]] or [[TertiarySexualCharacteristics gender markers.]]

* The French are tanned [[note]] Only ''southern'' French ethnicities, such as Gascons and Provencals, have the typical Mediterranean complexion, though French who vacation regularly on the (also Mediterranean) Riviera may develop tans artificially. [[/note]] with gaunt noses, (and, in manga and anime, frequently blond, which is actually a pretty rare occurrence in France, compared to the UK and Scandinavia, for example). Women and young men are very slender, older men are short and chubby. May wear an expression of fatigued disinterest. [[CarpetOfVirility Very pilose,]] [[FanDisservice even the women]] in the most unflattering depictions. Men frequently have curly mustaches, and sometimes goatees.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

[[folder: Film - Animated ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Other ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

Similarly, that's why in the East, light skinned characters are assumed to be Asian, while in western cultures they are assumed to be white. Again people would largely make similar subconscious assumptions if they had to humanize a stick figure, smiley face, or animal unless they perceived specific [[FacialProfiling racial]] or [[TertiarySexualCharacteristics gender markers.]]

Naturally with the prevalence of Anime in the West, many people make the mistake of wondering why the Japanese make cartoons with white casts. [[{{Mukokuseki}} To them, they don't]] -- even coupled with blonde hair and blue eyes on characters who are 100% Japanese. (But the fact that these same characters often stand alongside naturally [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue, pink and green haired]] people, [[AcceptableBreakFromReality yellowish hair might not be far of a stretch after all.]])

* Black people are depicted with [[GagLips prominent lips]]. This was also a major element of the {{Blackface}} era. Doesn't show up much WesternAnimation these days because of it, although if you go back to before the 1960s, it is very common. Cartoons nowadays that leave out lips for non-black characters may draw in normal-sized lips for black characters. Wider noses and frizzy hair is also common, as are braids on black women. Shaved heads will appear frequently on black men.

* Native Americans are depicted with high prominent cheekbones and/or jowls in more subtle versions. Other times the animators just color them red. And they'll always be dressed in the animator's idea of their traditional clothing (usually a sort of generic Plains Tribe look, without enough detail to identify a specific nation) with a crest of feathers on their heads. Both men and women usually have (very straight) long hair, possibly in one or two [[BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins braids]].
* Mexicans tend to have brown skin. [[MagnificentMoustachesOfMexico Men have mustaches]]. Other typical traits may include soft facial features and small eyes, and a glossiness of the skin that implies a perpetual sweat. (Real-life Mexicans will frequently be pale-skinned with flat Uto-Aztecan faces and almond-shaped eyes, but good luck finding these traits in popular representations.)
* Turks are also distinguished by large mustaches, along with a fez (this being inaccurate as fezzes have been outlawed in Turkey since 1925). European facial features tend to be the norm, especially since many Turks are actually ethnic Greeks or Armenians.
* The English: In flattering examples, males will have a tall, slender figure, noble, distinguished features, DroopyEyes (usually blue) and glossy, floppy hair (usually blond or auburn, but occasionally darker brown for a little variety) parted to the side. See Creator/HughGrant or Creator/RalphFiennes for real-life detail. In unflattering examples, males will have [[BritishTeeth bad teeth]], large ears, and big eyebrows -- see [[UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily Prince Charles]] for detail. Flattering female examples will depict the EnglishRose or BondGirl type (pale-skinned, rosy cheeks, gentle eyes, natural beauty) See Creator/KateWinslet or Creator/RachelWeisz for inspiration. Unflattering female examples will look like UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher (big nose, ruddy, horsey face). In almost all examples, both sexes will sport very pale fair skin. Children are often freckled and mostly light-haired [[note]] Blond Britons are better represented in eastern or northern England, due to heavy Scandinavian settlement in centuries past. Southern and western England are more Celtic/Latin, and the people therefore darker-haired. [[/note]] -- little girls will have [[RegalRinglets ringlets]] in period works. The children from ''Film/MaryPoppins'' and ''Film/ChittyChittyBangBang'' are perfect examples.

* Russians and other Slavs: Men will be depicted with brown hair (or sometimes bald heads) and beards, while women will have blonde hair and delicate facial features. In unflattering examples, younger Slav males will be ghostly pale, have shaven, round heads, large ears, a long nose and rather small eyes, often quite close together -- the whole look will suggest a malnourished, sullen quality (see Vladimir Putin for real-life detail). More flattering examples, on the other hand, will usually depict them as brawny hunks. Older works often depict Russian women as ugly, while modern works will show them as MsFanservice, slender with big breasts and [[ShesGotLegs long, long legs]]. Sometimes the men and old women will have large or unusual noses, though not to the extent of Jews. Expect dark circles under the eyes of both sexes. In anime and manga, Russians are frequently depicted as pale with white, silver, platinum blond, or [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue]] hair. Will frequently wear ushankas.
* White Americans (generally of Nordic, Anglo-Saxon or Celtic descent): Flattering examples will be tall and tanned, have a [[LanternJawOfJustice large square jawline]], a cleft chin, a beaming ice-white smile, coiffed hair and a broad muscular frame -- see Mitt Romney for real-life detail or Stan from ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' for a good caricature. Unflattering examples will be pig-ugly, sweaty, have multiple chins and be at ''least'' 400 lbs (although some of these people, such as John Goodman, are portrayed more positively). Flattering portrayals of American women will generally be tall, blonde, curvaceous and tanned (Anna Nicole Smith and Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s [[Wrestling/{{Sable}} "Sable"]] being two very good examples from recent decades), whilst unflattering examples are morbidly obese and physically repulsive.
* Westerners, in Japanese anime and video games: blond and blue-eyed. While there are plenty of anime characters who are blond and blue-eyed and [[{{Mukokuseki}} not western]], there aren't many western anime characters who are not blond and blue-eyed. Those that aren't are typically black. Old-school caricatures of white people in Japanese media will have tall statures, [[GagNose huge, protruding noses,]] tan or ruddy skin, chiseled features with prominent jaws and chins, small/squinting eyes (ironically), and freckles. Men will be muscular and [[CarpetOfVirility hairy]], the women will be [[GorgeousGaijin very curvy and]] [[GagBoobs buxom]]. Most depiction nowadays just include the height, build and aforementioned coloring.
* The French are tanned [[note]] Only ''southern'' French ethnicities, such as Gascons and Provencals, have the typical Mediterranean complexion, though French who vacation regularly on the (also Mediterranean) Riviera may develop tans artificially. [[/note]] with gaunt noses, (or, in manga and anime, frequently blond, which is actually a pretty rare occurrence in France, compared to the UK and Scandinavia, for example). Women and young men are very slender, older men are short and chubby. May wear an expression of fatigued disinterest. [[CarpetOfVirility Very pilose]], [[FanDisservice even the women]] in the most unflattering depictions. Men frequently have curly mustaches, and sometimes goatees.

* Men and women of South Asian descent will almost always be portrayed as roughly in the middle ground of skin tone between white and african (in real life, they run the gamut from "whiter than Irish" -- see Music/FreddieMercury and Sir Creator/BenKingsley -- to blue black). Facial features are almost always similar to those of Arab portrayals (see above) but more toned down toward a white 'base'. [[BigOlEyebrows Large eyebrows]] are common. Men will have short hair that is either curly or heavily greased, sometimes into unfashionable looks to play on the stereotype of Indian men being computer-savvy nerds. Women will always have long hair that is jet-black and nearly always straight (this kind of hair is actually considered ideal by women, similar to how many Western women like blonde hair. As many western women are bottle blondes, many South Asian women have this kind of hair thanks to time spent in a beauty parlour).. Older men will have long beards, making them look like yogis. (Note, this often truth in television as elderly men often grow beards in South Asia, even outside of religious reasons.) Sometimes, either out of laziness or just in the interest of ButNotTooBlack, authors will simply use a dark-haired pale person and slap on a sari (if female) or a Nehru jacket (if male), and maybe a red forehead dot or a turban as well.
* Armenians will be shown with big noses and unibrows. Though usually when an Armenian appears in animation [[NWordPrivileges the animator is likely Armenian]].

* Australians will almost always be represented as white, quite tall and mostly blonde. Australian men tend to be portrayed as heavily tanned, with a square jaw and cheekbones and a rough, rugged appearance (largely due to the success of ''Film/CrocodileDundee''). Australian women seem less stereotyped but are likely to be surfer or bikini babes. Aboriginals, when seen at all, will be portrayed in a traditional, tribal setting and will have very dark skin, a somewhat protruding jaw and often wear white body paint.

* Most of the Romani, including Esmeralda (who is named for her unusual green eyes), in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' are darker skinned and darker haired than the other French characters. There are a few lighter skinned Romani background characters. Quasimodo himself is Romani but is a pale-skinned redhead despite having a dark skinned and black haired mother; his unusual coloring might have to do with his deformities.

* Esmeralda from ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' looks like any typical Gypsy woman in fiction... ...except that she has green eyes. Ironically, in Victor Hugo's original novel it was actually a minor plot point that she wasn't ethnically Roma at all, but had been adopted by them.

* Westerners, in Japanese anime and video games: blond and blue-eyed. While there are plenty of anime characters who are blond and blue-eyed and [[{{Mukokuseki}} not western]], there aren't many western anime characters who are not blond and blue-eyed. Those that aren't are typically black. Old-school caricatures of white people in Japanese media will have tall statures, [[GagNose huge, protruding noses,]] tan or ruddy skin, chiseled features with prominent jaws and chins, small/squinting eyes (ironically), and freckles. Men will be muscular and [[CarpetOfVirility hairy]], the women will be [[ForeignFanservice very curvy and]] [[GagBoobs buxom]]. Most depiction nowadays just include the height, build and aforementioned coloring.

* Esmeralda from ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' looks like any typical Gypsy woman in fiction... ...except that she has GreenEyes. Ironically, in Victor Hugo's original novel it was actually a minor plot point that she wasn't ethnically Roma at all, but had been adopted by them.

* The English: In flattering examples, males will have a tall, slender figure, noble, distinguished features, DroopyEyes (usually blue) and glossy, floppy hair (usually blond or auburn, but occasionally darker brown for a little variety) parted to the side. See Creator/HughGrant or Creator/RalphFiennes for real-life detail. In unflattering examples, males will have [[BritishTeeth bad teeth]], large ears, and big eyebrows -- see [[UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily Prince Charles]] for detail. Flattering female examples will depict the EnglishRose or BondGirl type (pale-skinned, rosy cheeks, gentle eyes, natural beauty) See Creator/KateWinslet or Creator/RachelWeisz for inspiration. Unflattering female examples will look like UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher (big nose, ruddy, horsey face). In almost all examples, both sexes will sport very pale fair skin. Children are often freckled and mostly light-haired [[note]] Blond Britons are better represented in eastern or northern England, due to heavy Scandinavian settlement in centuries past. Southern and western England are more Celtic/Latin, and the people therefore darker-haired. [[/note]] -- little girls will have [[RegalRinglets ringlets]] in period works. The children from ''MaryPoppins'' and ''Film/ChittyChittyBangBang'' are perfect examples.