Anime filters are trending on social media – here’s how to get them Posted Oct 27, 2020

If you only use camera filters for color correction and blurring your pores, you’re missing out on some seriously kawaii aesthetics. Instead of worrying if you look flawless in your next story, wouldn’t you want to look like a character in a Hayao Miyazaki movie instead?

Anime is having a major moment on social media right now, and not just because people are talking about the best releases in 2020 so far (thank you, anime, for making lockdown at least a bit more bearable). Anime filters are also going viral, and we get it: who wouldn’t want to look like an anime character?

So, if you’re tired of the same old sepia tones and blurry effects you’ve been seeing lately, here’s how you can inject some life into your posts.

The most popular, and also the most viral-worthy anime filter on social is, without a doubt, Anime Style. This filter was launched in September by Snapchat, and it was one of the most exciting things we saw on the Web all month.

The filter was created by the Snapchat team themselves, so the quality was already higher than what we’re normally used to. Although a lot of people used the filter on Snapchat, it was on TikTok that it truly went viral.

For example, the hashtag #animefilter has over 195 million views, and almost all have the Anime Style filter:

The reason why this filter blew up more than most is that it really does turn your entire face into that of an anime character, not just some of the features. And it’s pretty accurate, because it takes your hair color, hair length, face shape, and makes a spot-on transformation, the kind that would have taken minutes to complete a few years ago.

Unfortunately, if you want to post a video of your anime face on TikTok, you won’t be able to do that directly, because the filter isn’t available there. It’s a Snapchat exclusive, but there’s a way around it:

• Download Snapchat, if you don’t have it already
• Turn on the front-facing camera
• Go to the filter menu and browse the filters until you find “Anime Style”. Make sure it’s the one with Snapchat as the filter creator, because there are
• dozens of other anime filters created by regular users.
• Take a video or selfie of you as an anime character. You can also apply it to an existing photo.
• Save the photo or video on your device
• Upload it on TikTok or Instagram

The filter only works on only one subject at a time, so you won’t be able to take group selfies where everyone is an anime character. Also, it will only transform your face, not the rest of your body. However, the good news is that some users have reported that the filter works on their pets, so give it a try! This is one of the most popular filters out there and you’re bound to get more shares and followers with it.

People have been having a lot of fun with this filter, and it even made it on top-tier Instagram meme pages. Here’s one from 9GAG:

If you want to grow your meme account or just love posting funny content on TikTok, this filter is a must-have in your collection. If not, you can always buy real TikTok followers from MMV to help your profile take off and build social proof.

The only downside to this filter is that you need to download Snapchat first, but we think the effort is worth it considering the cool results.

But what if you’ve already used Anime Style and you’re in the mood for something else?

Worry not, there’s no shortage of anime filters out there. On Instagram, there are dozens of user-created filters, and, although the results aren’t as mind-blowing as Anime Style, you’ll still get a few likes and chuckles out of them.

Here’s what you need to do to access them:

• Go to Story Mode
• Swipe through the effects on the bottom of the screen until you reach the last one, then tap on “Browse Effects”
• In the Effect gallery, tap on the search icon and type “anime”
• Select one of the desired effects
• After looking at the preview, tap on “Try it”

These filters were created by regular users, not the Instagram team, so they’re not incredibly complex, but they’re still great. For example, you can find a filter that smooths over your face and gives you big anime eyes, or one that gives you a frown and a twitchy eye.

Or, if you don’t want to add a filter over your face and instead, you’re looking for an effect to add that anime feeling to your landscape shots, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. These filters add a pastel overtone to your photos, giving them a pinky-blue look that reminds of those iconic anime street backgrounds. Obviously, if you’re lucky enough to visit the streets of Akihabara, with its many electronics stores, cute cafes, and manga shops, you should definitely use one of these filters to make your photos more dreamlike. Or, you’re on the famous staircase at Suga Shrine in Yotsuya, which appeared in the film Kimi No Na Wa, you have to use a special filter when you recreate the scene!

Another cool option if you love anime is to use one of those “Which anime character are you” filter. They’re random, of course, and not as impressive as the filters above, but they’re great if you need a fun idea for a quick Story.

Once you take the photo on Instagram, you can now share your story directly on the platform or save it to your device to upload it later on TikTok.

There are currently no anime filters on TikTok, but considering the huge levels of engagement these filters get, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them make an appearance soon.