<p>Looking at a WARNING! <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GirlyRun" rel="noreferrer">TvTropes</a> WARNING! One thing is clear, this kind of running is an exageration. So you will not probably find examples in real world.</p>

<p>But what is it exageration of? That character is female and that she is a ditz. In proper "girly run" arms are close to body and move in controlled way. This (supposedly) allows control of bouncing breasts. I can clearly imagine woman IRL running like that if she doesn't want to have a bra accident. Plenty of women will tell you that breasts bouncing around is not comfortable.</p>

<p>But character that lacks motor control or physique might have problem with this kind of running style. Which is why they attempt it, but fail and their arms start flailing around. It might also be due to exhaustion, as fine motor control becomes more difficult.</p>

<p>Another point that just came to me is that, in real life, you mostly see people running who actually want to run. So they put effort into learning good running style. And in case of females, invest in good sports bra.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-16T07:55:45.403Z
2019-01-16T07:55:45.403Z
Euphoric
<p>I’m not exactly sure, but I feel that it may be because most artists might think it makes the character look like it has more momentum to them when they run. I also notice it mainly being a thing a lot in older anime as well, so maybe that was just the trend back then.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-29T02:41:31.447Z
2024-02-29T11:40:01.080Z
2024-02-29T11:40:01.080Z
peachy
<p>There are many examples of completely serious or plainly normal scenes in anime where a girl is running but then, I have to burst out in laughter because they are swinging their arms horizontally left and right.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/dPUMw.gif" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dPUMw.gif" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>I swear, no one runs like this. I've been in Japan, as well as other Asian countries, and I swear this is not some hidden cultural manifesto. The most probable answer I can think of is that when women wear purses, one arm might move like this to keep the purse strap secured but not both arms.</p>
<p>What is the origin of this and why is it such a phenomenon?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-16T00:14:39.730Z
There is a short movie about that - http://www.runlikeagirl.org.uk/run-like-a-girl-leamington-blog/2015/11/11/to-run-like-a-girl
Abyx
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-16T00:32:26.407Z
See related video by [Feminist Frequency](https://youtu.be/QPOla9SEdXQ)
Gallifreyan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-16T07:42:30.497Z
I'm asking specifically about in anime. I checked out the website/video but these all seem to be related to Western phenomena and aren't the direct stem of the issue in anime that I'm referring to. Please let me know if you think otherwise.
Jack Pan
<culture><anime-history><manga-history>
Why do female anime characters always run like this?
# Why do female anime characters always run like this?
Posted by: username_0 on 2019-01-15
There are many examples of completely serious or plainly normal scenes in anime where a girl is running but then, I have to burst out in laughter because they are swinging their arms horizontally left and right.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/dPUMw.gif)](https://i.sstatic.net/dPUMw.gif)

I swear, no one runs like this. I've been in Japan, as well as other Asian countries, and I swear this is not some hidden cultural manifesto. The most probable answer I can think of is that when women wear purses, one arm might move like this to keep the purse strap secured but not both arms.

What is the origin of this and why is it such a phenomenon?
**Tags:** culture anime-history manga-history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: There is a short movie about that - http://www.runlikeagirl.org.uk/run-like-a-girl-leamington-blog/2015/11/11/to-run-like-a-girl  
> **username_2**: See related video by [Feminist Frequency](https://youtu.be/QPOla9SEdXQ)  
> **username_0**: I'm asking specifically about in anime. I checked out the website/video but these all seem to be related to Western phenomena and aren't the direct stem of the issue in anime that I'm referring to. Please let me know if you think otherwise.  
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## 2 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2019-01-16. Score: 6
Looking at a WARNING! [TvTropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GirlyRun) WARNING! One thing is clear, this kind of running is an exageration. So you will not probably find examples in real world.

But what is it exageration of? That character is female and that she is a ditz. In proper "girly run" arms are close to body and move in controlled way. This (supposedly) allows control of bouncing breasts. I can clearly imagine woman IRL running like that if she doesn't want to have a bra accident. Plenty of women will tell you that breasts bouncing around is not comfortable.

But character that lacks motor control or physique might have problem with this kind of running style. Which is why they attempt it, but fail and their arms start flailing around. It might also be due to exhaustion, as fine motor control becomes more difficult.

Another point that just came to me is that, in real life, you mostly see people running who actually want to run. So they put effort into learning good running style. And in case of females, invest in good sports bra.
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### Answer by username_4 on 2024-02-29. Score: 1
I’m not exactly sure, but I feel that it may be because most artists might think it makes the character look like it has more momentum to them when they run. I also notice it mainly being a thing a lot in older anime as well, so maybe that was just the trend back then.
---
