<p>I agree that this is something anime inherited from real life. It is said that </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Once in a while, TV shows (including anime) does something that actually happens in real life (<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TruthInTelevision" rel="nofollow">source</a>).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And I think that this trope originated from this quote,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"The eyes are the window of the soul." </p>
</blockquote>

<p>who was said by a lot of famous people in the history such as Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Hiram Powers and a lot <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090415105300AAKIBsY" rel="nofollow">more</a>. Through the eyes, a person's emotions can be seen.</p>

<p><strong>In manga/anime, this can be linked back to the "Godfather of Anime", the "Father of Manga", <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka" rel="nofollow">Osamu Tezuka</a></strong>. According <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime#Eye_styles" rel="nofollow">here</a>,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Many anime and manga characters feature large eyes. Osamu Tezuka, who
  is believed to have been the first to use this technique, was inspired
  by the exaggerated features of American cartoon characters such as
  Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, and Disney's Bambi.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime#Eye_styles" rel="nofollow">4</a>[33] Tezuka found that
  large eyes style allowed his characters to show emotions distinctly. When Tezuka began drawing Ribbon no Kishi, the first manga specifically targeted at young girls, Tezuka further exaggerated the size of the characters' eyes. Indeed, through Ribbon no Kishi, Tezuka set a stylistic template that later shōjo artists tended to follow.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This is probably what anime productions followed (since most of the anime were based from manga). They used the eyes to show or exaggerate emotions to fully relay to the audience what the character is feeling.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-30T07:59:58.093Z
2013-04-30T07:59:58.093Z
xjshiya
<p>I think it might be universal as <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/3022/what-is-the-origin-of-shaking-eyes-meaning-surprise-or-fear/3114#comment2301_3022">Mysticial mentioned</a> in the comments above, your eyes waver or tremor when you express emotions such as fear, sadness, elation etc.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>"The eyes are the window to the soul&hellip;"</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>I don't think it has a set origin, just one of those things that anime inherits from real life</strong>. Showing emotions in anime can be hard but not as much with some of those <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1v_1_hhWp84/SzmUe8hY3dI/AAAAAAAACgA/5DiefDnmt00/s400/huge_anime_eyes.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">big</a> <a href="http://www.wallsave.com/wallpapers/1440x900/yu-gi-oh/160216/yu-gi-oh-sad-eyes-widescreen-anime-160216.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">doleful</a> eyes with multiple <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_light" rel="nofollow noreferrer">catch lights</a>.</p>

<hr>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong><a href="http://animeyourway.blogspot.com/2011/09/eyes-have-it.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">And a bit more..</a></strong></p>
  
  <p>Eyes are an absolutely fantastic way for having your character convey
  emotions without actually saying a word. Sometimes a scene can be much
  more powerful when no words are spoken, but a character's eyes do the
  talking. This definitely happens in anime quite a lot. While most
  people think of big, bright eyes in anime, there's actually a lot more
  to it than that.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GMAQp.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-15T10:23:55.547Z
what is that anime pic? I tried google image it only said anime sad? is this just fanart or something?
Darjeeling
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-30T16:04:27.630Z
2013-07-10T03:57:40.080Z
2017-04-13T12:54:49.117Z
iKlsR
<p>In a lot of shows, a character's eyes (pupil and iris) will begin to shake when they are surprised or shocked? What is the basis of this, and where was it first used?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-24T23:34:25.333Z
I think this might be universal. You shiver when you're in fear...
Mysticial
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-25T00:18:05.270Z
That's true, but generally people don't associate it with your eyes shaking (or at least I don't).
kuwaly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-25T17:09:31.213Z
First I've ever seen it was in Leiji Matsumoto's Yamato (circa 1974) and it's also used in Galaxy Express 999, Harlock, Emereldas, etc. It's especially notable in Galaxy Express 999 where sometimes it looks like Maetel is having a seizure.
Jon Lin
<anime-history>
What is the origin of shaking eyes meaning surprise or fear?
# What is the origin of shaking eyes meaning surprise or fear?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-03-24
In a lot of shows, a character's eyes (pupil and iris) will begin to shake when they are surprised or shocked? What is the basis of this, and where was it first used?
**Tags:** anime-history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I think this might be universal. You shiver when you're in fear...  
> **username_0**: That's true, but generally people don't associate it with your eyes shaking (or at least I don't).  
> **username_2**: First I've ever seen it was in Leiji Matsumoto's Yamato (circa 1974) and it's also used in Galaxy Express 999, Harlock, Emereldas, etc. It's especially notable in Galaxy Express 999 where sometimes it looks like Maetel is having a seizure.  
---
## 2 answers
### Answer by username_4 on 2013-03-30. Score: 7 | Accepted answer
I think it might be universal as [Mysticial mentioned](https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/3022/what-is-the-origin-of-shaking-eyes-meaning-surprise-or-fear/3114#comment2301_3022) in the comments above, your eyes waver or tremor when you express emotions such as fear, sadness, elation etc.

> *"The eyes are the window to the soul…"*

**I don't think it has a set origin, just one of those things that anime inherits from real life**. Showing emotions in anime can be hard but not as much with some of those [big](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1v_1_hhWp84/SzmUe8hY3dI/AAAAAAAACgA/5DiefDnmt00/s400/huge_anime_eyes.jpg) [doleful](http://www.wallsave.com/wallpapers/1440x900/yu-gi-oh/160216/yu-gi-oh-sad-eyes-widescreen-anime-160216.jpg) eyes with multiple [catch lights](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_light).

---

> **[And a bit more..](http://animeyourway.blogspot.com/2011/09/eyes-have-it.html)**
>
> Eyes are an absolutely fantastic way for having your character convey
> emotions without actually saying a word. Sometimes a scene can be much
> more powerful when no words are spoken, but a character's eyes do the
> talking. This definitely happens in anime quite a lot. While most
> people think of big, bright eyes in anime, there's actually a lot more
> to it than that.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/GMAQp.jpg)
> **Comments:**
> **username_5** (2014-01-15): what is that anime pic? I tried google image it only said anime sad? is this just fanart or something?  
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2013-04-30. Score: 2
I agree that this is something anime inherited from real life. It is said that

> Once in a while, TV shows (including anime) does something that actually happens in real life ([source](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TruthInTelevision)).

And I think that this trope originated from this quote,

> "The eyes are the window of the soul."

who was said by a lot of famous people in the history such as Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Hiram Powers and a lot [more](http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090415105300AAKIBsY). Through the eyes, a person's emotions can be seen.

**In manga/anime, this can be linked back to the "Godfather of Anime", the "Father of Manga", [Osamu Tezuka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka)**. According [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime#Eye_styles),

> Many anime and manga characters feature large eyes. Osamu Tezuka, who
> is believed to have been the first to use this technique, was inspired
> by the exaggerated features of American cartoon characters such as
> Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, and Disney's Bambi.[4](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime#Eye_styles)[33] Tezuka found that
> large eyes style allowed his characters to show emotions distinctly. When Tezuka began drawing Ribbon no Kishi, the first manga specifically targeted at young girls, Tezuka further exaggerated the size of the characters' eyes. Indeed, through Ribbon no Kishi, Tezuka set a stylistic template that later shōjo artists tended to follow.

This is probably what anime productions followed (since most of the anime were based from manga). They used the eyes to show or exaggerate emotions to fully relay to the audience what the character is feeling.
---
