# Anime characters with caret eyes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** cartoons-animation\ **Created:** [October 16, 2025, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017 "2025-10-16T13:46:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/1 "2025-10-16T13:46:56Z")
I’m looking for anime characters with caret eyes. Like literally, whatever anime character style the emoticon is most closely based on ^ \_ ^ For whatever reason, Google basically ignores symbols in searches and none of my workarounds have been successful. If there’s some specific terminology that would be helpful too but ultimately I’m really just trying to find characters whose eyes look like an upside down v when chuffed or squinting. Bonus points for round head. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/2 "2025-10-16T14:02:34Z")
Thats a kaomoji, but I don’t know if that will make your search any less unlikely to be fruitful. > **[Kaomoji](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaomoji)** > > Kaomoji\[a\] are Japanese emoticons that use combinations of text characters to represent facial expressions and emotions. They first appeared in Japan during the 1980s, offering a distinctive way to convey tone and mood in digital communication. Common examples include: > Kaomoji developed independently around the same time that sideways emoticons (or smileys) began appearing in the United States, such as: > Unlike Western emoticons, which are typically viewed sideways, kaomoji are meant to be read ... ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/3 "2025-10-16T14:14:15Z")
Is a sideways caret acceptable? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/N8gYi5SJ3Wo/hqdefault.jpg "リトルバスターズ！OP2") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8gYi5SJ3Wo) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/4 "2025-10-16T14:16:42Z")
I can’t find one either but know exactly what OP means. If we soften the carat: ![](https://media1.tenor.com/m/rEeTOm9XqpEAAAAC/anime-cute.gif "Anime Cute GIF - Anime Cute Happy - Discover & Share GIFs") Edit: source, I searched ‘beaming anime’ [Beaming GIFs | Tenor](https://tenor.com/search/beaming-gifs) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/5 "2025-10-16T15:43:40Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Like literally, whatever anime character style the emoticon is most closely based on ^ \_ ^ BTW, I don’t think there is any reason to think that kaomoji was based on an anime (or manga) style, but since that specific kaomoji was invented in 1986 (as mentioned in the wiki) you would need to look for anime characters from before then. But I’m pretty sure that you have things backwards and that using those stylings in anime is a modern convention that imitates the text characters. (Also keep in mind that a large percentage of anime is based on manga series and copies the style if that specific manga for that specific anime.) ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/6 "2025-10-16T17:07:37Z")
Laughing anime character gave me this hit: [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:kem5cevl5sjpizk4s27cbyig/bafkreig4oeg6t7uslmurp6q7xecohzgzcvv2cm7zupf5vhm7eljgbuxnbm@jpeg) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:kem5cevl5sjpizk4s27cbyig/bafkreig4oeg6t7uslmurp6q7xecohzgzcvv2cm7zupf5vhm7eljgbuxnbm@jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/7 "2025-10-17T20:24:25Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > I’m really just trying to find characters whose eyes look like an upside down v when chuffed or squinting. Bonus points for round head. You want what’s called _chibi_ style for the round head. The term of art for a character with their eyes always shut (not necessarily as carets) is _[itome](https://the-dere-types.fandom.com/wiki/Other:Itome_Character)_. Check out Gin Ichimaru from _Bleach_ at that link, he’s usually got them caret-style. There’s a TV Trope for it, too. > **[Eyes Always Shut - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EyesAlwaysShut)** > > This describes characters who appear to have their eyes shut constantly, except, perhaps, for a few instances of surprise or shock. Nevertheless, they still give every indication of being able to see — which implies that this characteristic … For a list of specifically anime/manga characters to look up, here you go: > **[Anime & Manga - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/EyesAlwaysShut/AnimeAndManga)** > > The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You: Mei, Hahari's personal maid and Rentarou's eighth girlfriend, constantly has her rainbow-colored eyes closed, and she explicitly cannot see and has to rely on her other … ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/8 "2025-10-18T23:10:13Z")
South Park [![](https://images.paramount.tech/uri/mgid:arc:imageassetref:shared.southpark.global:ae85e774-741e-11ea-a59c-0a7527021758?quality=0.7&gen=ntrn) ](https://images.paramount.tech/uri/mgid:arc:imageassetref:shared.southpark.global:ae85e774-741e-11ea-a59c-0a7527021758?quality=0.7&gen=ntrn) ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/9 "2025-10-19T04:03:04Z")
I think this character from Deputy Dawg sort of provides a prototype. A mole named Vincent who was always saying “What happened?” Even Mister Magoo wasn’t that blind. [![](https://i.postimg.cc/T1yKnP3s/IMG-5600.jpg) ](https://i.postimg.cc/T1yKnP3s/IMG-5600.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anime-characters-with-caret-eyes/1024017/10 "2025-10-19T04:30:15Z")
BTW, this should not be confused with an anime character with a carrot butt: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oWmY_FLTvDg/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeAoACyAGKAgwIABABGDMgXyhlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLD8Ep5AX6Hvtv7NzSjvLT8bsDb9mg "Re: Densha Otoko Opening") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWmY_FLTvDg)