Here's a sudden question.

 

There are two images below.

It seems B has eaten A-ko's ice cream without permission...

Of course, A-ko is furious! She confronts B—in this illustration, but in terms of composition, which of ① and ② looks more natural?

The correct answer is ②!

If you compare the two, doesn't A-ko on the right and B on the left feel more natural? While ① also conveys the situation, compared to ②, don't you feel A-ko's intensity in confronting B is weaker?

 

When there are multiple characters, there's actually a kind of established rule regarding which side to place them on.

It's actively used not only in illustrations and comics but also in anime, movies, commercials, and more.

That method is—

 

—to be mindful of Kamite (Stage Right) and Shimote (Stage Left).

 

This time, we will introduce important tips for Kamite and Shimote that are crucial for determining composition.

The Basic Rule: *Kamite* on the Right, *Shimote* on the Left

Kamite (かみて): The strong, superior, elder, or person in a higher position.

Shimote (しもて): The weak, subordinate, younger, or person in a lower position.

 

And a composition with Kamite on the right and Shimote on the left is stable.

In this illustration, A-ko has a larger physique, and if they were to fight, A-ko would likely win, right?

So, A-ko is Kamite, and B is Shimote.

And placing Kamite on the right and Shimote on the left results in a natural-looking composition.

 

These methods have been used in classical performing arts like Kabuki, for example.

On stage, for instance, a superior or boss sits on the audience's right, while a subordinate or junior sits on the left.

In Rakugo, where one person plays two roles, the Kamite role speaks facing left (from the audience's perspective), and the Shimote role speaks facing right.

A *Shimote* ← *Kamite* Composition Creates a Sense of Speed

When creating a composition mindful of Kamite and Shimote, the artwork gains a sense of speed.

In the comic below, a truck is captured by a squid robot—

It's a scene where a black robot cuts it in half with a scythe and saves it, but what do you think if you compare ① and ② below?

Both have the same effects to create a sense of speed, but doesn't ①, which has a flow towards the left (←), feel faster?

I think this is also used in car commercials.

If you look at commercials from several car manufacturers, aren't there many scenes of cars driving towards the left (←)?

It's anecdotal, but perhaps it's because driving towards the left (←) feels like it creates more speed.

 

—Therefore, compositions that are properly mindful of Kamite and Shimote have a sense of speed.

Reversal Scenes Gain Impact

When Shimote counterattacks Kamite, reversal scenes gain impact.

Please look at the illustration above.

It's a scene where a woman delivers a counter-kick to a golem many times her size—

 

Which one has more impact?

The correct answer is—

—It's ②.

 

In this illustration, the large, tough-looking golem becomes Kamite.

In a disadvantageous situation, she actually kicked the golem away!

 

When the strong Kamite character is stably on the right, and the Shimote character, who should be inferior in strength, counterattacks from the left... this creates a significant change in the one-sided flow from Kamite to Shimote, and reversal scenes gain impact.

 

Also, in the case of comics, including panels where Kamite and Shimote switch roles allows for a smooth transition in offense and defense.

Earlier, the Kamite black robot cut the squid robot in half.

Then a new enemy appeared and knocked the robot away with a single blow!

The black robot, who was supposed to be in the Kamite position, moved to the Shimote position, and the tables were turned.

By including panels where Kamite and Shimote switch places at this point, the switch between Kamite and Shimote (i.e., the reversal of offense and defense) can be done naturally.

Summary

Basics when deciding on compositions with two or more characters

 

・The basic rule is “Kamite on the right, Shimote on the left”

・A Shimote ← Kamite composition creates a sense of speed

・Reversal scenes gain impact

 

If you master the basics of Kamite and Shimote, your illustrations, comics, anime, and other artwork will gain a sense of stability, speed, or impactful changes.

However, forcing this into every scene can make your artwork monotonous, so please use it strategically where needed.