Anime Universe Online game art WIP

[GamerGuy12345]

Hello again, I've recently decided to help out a friend with redoing the art for his project, and the concept is a smash up of different Anime, So I decided to reference a male anime template this one to be exact >
Anyways, the result of my reference came out to be rather lacking in the art aspect of it looking like a anime character > and since this has to be a movable character with complete animations I know it needs perspective edits, so please someone share some guidance.

Other notes, please tell me how I did on my shading is it fine so far?

[Sohei]

I'd recomend going for chibi art. Pixels will not represent anime features in classic proportions. If you still want to do it, you'd have to go for something like King of Fighters size and style. Or cheat: make normal humans with anime avatars. It will feel almost the same.

[GamerGuy12345]

Here's my latest update

Tell me watcha think??

[Decroded]

Kinda looks like a newly pregnant bald woman.
Its an unnatural pose for a sprite this size.

Did you look up Chibi art as suggested?
Here's a character (my first so probs not a great reference) I've been working on kinda in that style:

Or do you just not want that style?

[GamerGuy12345]

I've made chibi art before but I don't think it was good as yours, I think i'll give it a try again.

[Decroded]

Well its not like you have to do it that way its probably just easier.
Maybe give less pixel height to the legs and feet to free up room for the rest.
And its usually fine to let him hang out of the top and sides of "the box" a bit as long as the bulk of him stays within the tile.

[Sohei]

I'm rolling in just to show an example of cinema magic.  Observe how brain connects all three pieces into one sinle unit. And whenever you meet a small sprite, your imaginagion will render another picture.

So, maybe, going for realistic proportion sprites with avatars will do the job.

[Tourist]

It would help to know what kind of project you are working on.  The design choices for a fighting game would be different than an RPG or a platformer.

I assume you are doing some sort of overhead-ish RPG thing?  Then,
1) If it more important to show the character's expression on the main sprite, chibi is a good choice.
2) If it is more important to show different character gear and outfits then keep the head small. 

Hope this helps,
Tourist

[GamerGuy12345]

Here's what I came up with, I kinda like it more than my previous designs. As for the project its a MORPG I'm basically re skinning it for the programmer so all the art is consistently one style. anyways Whatcha think of the new approach?

[Decroded]

Yeah these seem alright.
Dark blue jeans, grey shirts and weird dark grey spike hair (its not a mohawk is it?) is ultra boring.
Lets see some colour and personality.
You really need to move on now and design a character, hair style, apparel, weapons etc. that says something about the person.
I say do a 3 or 4 very different characters at once from your plot (you do have one right?) rather than going round and round forever on one sprite.
Just have a go and post it up, we'll see if we can get something more interesting happening than a overgrown baby