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So, here's an example. In Shakugan no Shana, you've got all the normal thing
you'd see. But then, in the specials, the characters are different. They
aren't different, but their art is.[![So, here is normal
Shana](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aNbSc.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aNbSc.png)

[![Here's small
Shana](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Wkb0j.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Wkb0j.jpg)

Is there a name by which one would call these by? This doesn't just apply to
Shakugan no Shana, applies to many other animes.


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2017-03-27T04:18:56.847
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2017-03-29T07:34:00.063
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question
anime-production
Different any art styles for characters


It seems this would be called Chibi. Thanks to Memor-X!


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2017-03-27T04:27:04.390
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2017-03-27T04:27:04.390
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In most cases when a character is drawn a different style that is shorter than
normal, and is still the same character, it would be a form Japanese
caricature called [super
deformed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_deformed) or SD for short. The
term [chibi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chibi_\(term\)) literally means a
short or small person, in this context refers to something that's short and
usually cute. A chibi version of a character would be a different character,
or maybe that character in the past when they were younger. For example the
character [Chibi-Usa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chibiusa) from Sailor Moon
is essentially a younger version of main character Usagi, but still a distinct
character. Chibi-Usa isn't a caricature of Sailor Moon, she's drawn like any
other child her age. On the other the super deformed giant robots in [Mobile
Suit SD Gundam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_SD_Gundam) are
caricatures of the normal sized giant robots in previous Gundam series. They
aren't drawn simply as smaller version of the robots, instead they have
exaggerated heads that are about half as tall as the entire robot.

To put in a western context, super deformed is like getting your portrait
drawn by one of those street artists you can find in areas frequented by
tourists. Something like chibi would be the series [Baby Looney
Toons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Looney_Tunes) where the characters
were all infant versions of the classic Looney Toons characters.


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2017-03-29T07:34:00.063
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2017-03-29T07:34:00.063
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answer