<p>The Japanese term for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specular_highlight" rel="nofollow">"specular highlight"</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_light" rel="nofollow">"catchlight"</a> is <a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%8F%A1%E9%9D%A2%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88" rel="nofollow">「鏡面ハイライト」</a> (<em>kyoumen hairaito</em>), meaning "mirrored surface highlight" or "specular surface highlight." 「鏡」 can be pronounced "<em>kagami</em>," "<em>kyou</em>," or "kei" and means "mirror,"「面」 is pronounced "<em>men</em>," "<em>omote</em>," or "<em>tsura</em>" and means "mask" (as in the word 「仮面」[<em>kamen</em>]), "face," or "surface."</p>

<p>The sort that appear in human eyes are called 「人物のハイライト」 (<em>"jinbutsu no hairaito"</em> = person's highlight), <a href="https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E7%9C%BC%E7%90%83%E3%81%AE%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP509JP509&amp;es_sm=91&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=7QBtVZnEJOTKmwXqk4DQCw&amp;ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&amp;biw=1274&amp;bih=740&amp;dpr=0.9" rel="nofollow">「眼球のハイライト」</a> (<em>"gankyuu no hairaito"</em> = eyeball highlight) or  <a href="https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E7%9C%BC%E7%90%83%E3%81%AE%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP509JP509&amp;es_sm=91&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=7QBtVZnEJOTKmwXqk4DQCw&amp;ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&amp;biw=1274&amp;bih=740&amp;dpr=0.9#tbm=isch&amp;q=%E7%9C%BC%E7%90%83%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88" rel="nofollow">「眼球ハイライト」</a> (<em>"gankyuu hairaito"</em> = eyeball highlight). A specifically manga-style specular highlight can be referred to as <a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%8F%A1%E9%9D%A2%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88#.E4.BA.BA.E7.89.A9.E3.81.AE.E3.83.8F.E3.82.A4.E3.83.A9.E3.82.A4.E3.83.88" rel="nofollow">「漫画的に描いたハイライト」</a> (<em>"manga-teki ni kaita hairaito"</em> = highlight drawn in manga-style).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-02T01:03:19.303Z
2015-06-02T01:03:19.303Z
seijitsu
<p>For illustrative purposes, I have taken the first four images off a Google search for <code>eyes</code> (note: you may not want to perform this search yourself, as there is at least one disturbing image on the front page). </p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/tarcZm.jpg" alt="an eye"> <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/weiRKm.jpg" alt="two eyes"> <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ftgFEm.jpg" alt="an eye"> <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9Waatm.jpg" alt="yet another eye"></p>

<p>As you can see, all of these images contain a similar "white space" / highlight. That's because if you're taking a photo, you need a light source - and the eyes, being reflective, are going to reflect that light source. </p>

<p>These "white spaces" are called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_light" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>catchlights</strong></a>, and are naturally found in film and in photography. It is unsurprising that animators and artists would imitate this for added realism - Disney's been doing it since forever. </p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/aWmQKm.jpg" alt="Ariel - The Little Mermaid"> <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2TlkDm.jpg" alt="Jasmine - Aladdin"></p>

<p>Of course, catchlights are somewhat more pronounced in anime simply because characters drawn in an "anime style" tend to have large eyes - and hence, correspondingly large catchlights.</p>

<p>For more information about catchlights in photography, see the question <a href="https://photo.stackexchange.com/q/11657/21775">In portrait photography, what is a “catchlight”?</a> at Photography.SE.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T05:32:46.957Z
i never realized they actually had a name, +1 for finding it out
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T06:41:14.897Z
@Memor-X I'll be more surprise if it don't have a name, it will hard to say "you need that white space thing in their iris bigger" it's important part of anime, and apparently in film and in photography as well
Darjeeling
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:33:41.183Z
2014-05-12T20:42:10.907Z
2017-04-13T12:44:06.690Z
senshin
<p>In anime, character eyes usually have highlights that are usually white. They seem like a light reflection or something.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Fv5hkl.jpg" alt="The Eyes Have It"> </p>

<p>Do the highlights have a name? What are they supposed to be?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:12:38.550Z
if your talking about the white within the iris (where the colour is) that is the light's reflection from the eye
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:15:50.690Z
see also http://movies.stackexchange.com/questions/18640/adventure-time-why-does-jake-have-inverted-eyes
Hakase
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:29:14.363Z
@user1306322 monocles? is that what it called?
Darjeeling
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:32:00.390Z
@ShinobuOshino no, that other guy is a doofus. Those are just reflections of light sources. Overly dramatic anime eyes usually reflect more light than they should for greater emotional impact.
Hakase
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:32:03.563Z
@Memor-X yeah, I'm thinking if it has a name
Darjeeling
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:33:56.360Z
see "normal eyes" as opposed to "dull eyes of unhappiness" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DullEyesOfUnhappiness
Hakase
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-02T04:41:19.893Z
@user1306322 yeah I realize it happen often (eyes without catchlights), it's surprising how so little change can have a huge effect
Darjeeling
<anime-production>
What are the highlights in eyes called?
# What are the highlights in eyes called?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-05-02
In anime, character eyes usually have highlights that are usually white. They seem like a light reflection or something.

![The Eyes Have It](https://i.sstatic.net/Fv5hkl.jpg)

Do the highlights have a name? What are they supposed to be?
**Tags:** anime-production
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: if your talking about the white within the iris (where the colour is) that is the light's reflection from the eye  
> **username_2**: see also http://movies.stackexchange.com/questions/18640/adventure-time-why-does-jake-have-inverted-eyes  
> **username_0**: @user1306322 monocles? is that what it called?  
> **username_2**: @ShinobuOshino no, that other guy is a doofus. Those are just reflections of light sources. Overly dramatic anime eyes usually reflect more light than they should for greater emotional impact.  
> **username_0**: @Memor-X yeah, I'm thinking if it has a name  
> **username_2**: see "normal eyes" as opposed to "dull eyes of unhappiness" http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DullEyesOfUnhappiness  
> **username_0**: @user1306322 yeah I realize it happen often (eyes without catchlights), it's surprising how so little change can have a huge effect  
---
## 2 answers
### Answer by username_4 on 2014-05-02. Score: 16 | Accepted answer
For illustrative purposes, I have taken the first four images off a Google search for `eyes` (note: you may not want to perform this search yourself, as there is at least one disturbing image on the front page).

![an eye](https://i.sstatic.net/tarcZm.jpg) ![two eyes](https://i.sstatic.net/weiRKm.jpg) ![an eye](https://i.sstatic.net/ftgFEm.jpg) ![yet another eye](https://i.sstatic.net/9Waatm.jpg)

As you can see, all of these images contain a similar "white space" / highlight. That's because if you're taking a photo, you need a light source - and the eyes, being reflective, are going to reflect that light source.

These "white spaces" are called [**catchlights**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_light), and are naturally found in film and in photography. It is unsurprising that animators and artists would imitate this for added realism - Disney's been doing it since forever.

![Ariel - The Little Mermaid](https://i.sstatic.net/aWmQKm.jpg) ![Jasmine - Aladdin](https://i.sstatic.net/2TlkDm.jpg)

Of course, catchlights are somewhat more pronounced in anime simply because characters drawn in an "anime style" tend to have large eyes - and hence, correspondingly large catchlights.

For more information about catchlights in photography, see the question [In portrait photography, what is a “catchlight”?](https://photo.stackexchange.com/q/11657/21775) at Photography.SE.
> **Comments:**
> **username_1** (2014-05-02): i never realized they actually had a name, +1 for finding it out  
> **username_0** (2014-05-02): @Memor-X I'll be more surprise if it don't have a name, it will hard to say "you need that white space thing in their iris bigger" it's important part of anime, and apparently in film and in photography as well  
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2015-06-02. Score: 3
The Japanese term for ["specular highlight"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specular_highlight) or ["catchlight"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_light) is [「鏡面ハイライト」](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%8F%A1%E9%9D%A2%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88) (*kyoumen hairaito*), meaning "mirrored surface highlight" or "specular surface highlight." 「鏡」 can be pronounced "*kagami*," "*kyou*," or "kei" and means "mirror,"「面」 is pronounced "*men*," "*omote*," or "*tsura*" and means "mask" (as in the word 「仮面」[*kamen*]), "face," or "surface."

The sort that appear in human eyes are called 「人物のハイライト」 (*"jinbutsu no hairaito"* = person's highlight), [「眼球のハイライト」](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E7%9C%BC%E7%90%83%E3%81%AE%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88&rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP509JP509&es_sm=91&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=7QBtVZnEJOTKmwXqk4DQCw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1274&bih=740&dpr=0.9) (*"gankyuu no hairaito"* = eyeball highlight) or [「眼球ハイライト」](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E7%9C%BC%E7%90%83%E3%81%AE%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88&rlz=1C5CHFA_enJP509JP509&es_sm=91&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=7QBtVZnEJOTKmwXqk4DQCw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1274&bih=740&dpr=0.9#tbm=isch&q=%E7%9C%BC%E7%90%83%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88) (*"gankyuu hairaito"* = eyeball highlight). A specifically manga-style specular highlight can be referred to as [「漫画的に描いたハイライト」](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%8F%A1%E9%9D%A2%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88#.E4.BA.BA.E7.89.A9.E3.81.AE.E3.83.8F.E3.82.A4.E3.83.A9.E3.82.A4.E3.83.88) (*"manga-teki ni kaita hairaito"* = highlight drawn in manga-style).
---
