Saturday, April 18, 2020

Jagged Teeth

In manga and anime, sometimes characters have "jagged teeth," giza-ba ギザ歯, also called "shark teeth," same-ba サメ歯, which are teeth drawn like two rows of sharp triangles.

Typically, characters that have triangular teeth may appear comically devious and monstrous. Some of them are indeed monsters, though most are not. Triangular teeth are also used symbolically when a character is angry.

A character with a single triangular tooth normally sticking out is said to have an "anime fang" instead.

Valac Clara ウァラク・クララ, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Valac Clara ウァラク・クララ
Anime: Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 魔入りました!入間くん (Episode 3)

In Japanese

The terms "jagged teeth" and "shark teeth" in Japanese would be:

Both words are suffixed by ha 歯, which means "tooth" or "teeth" in the plural.

The ha は becomes ba ば due to rendaku 連濁.

Matsuoka Rin 松岡凛, example of anime fang, yaeba, and jagged teeth, gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Matsuoka Rin 松岡凛
Anime: Free!, フリー! (Various Episodes)
  • Top: Rin, elementary school age: anime fangyaeba 八重歯.
  • Bottom: Rin, high school age, gizaba ギザ歯, "jagged teeth."

Examples

For reference, some examples of characters with shark teeth in anime:

Permanent

Chikujouin Magane 築城院真鍳, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Chikujouin Magane 築城院真鍳
Anime: Re:Creators, レクリエイターズ (Episode 8)

Shinra Kusakabe 森羅日下部, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Shinra Kusakabe 森羅日下部
Anime: En'en no Shouboutai 炎炎ノ消防隊 (Episode 1)

Viral ヴィラル, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Viral ヴィラル
Anime: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, 天元突破グレンラガン (Episode 3)

Niiboshi Reo 新星玲央, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Niiboshi Reo 新星玲央,
Anime: Sarazanmai さらざんまい (Episode 8)

Soul Eater ソウル=イーター, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Soul Eater ソウル=イーター
Anime: Soul Eater (Episode 1)

Grell Sutcliff グレル・サトクリフ, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Grell Sutcliff グレル・サトクリフ
Anime: Black Butler, Kuroshitsuji 黒執事 (Episode 11)
  • shinigami
    死神
    God of death. Grim reaper.

Staz Charlie Blood ブラッド・チャーリー・スタズ, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Staz Charlie Blood ブラッド・チャーリー・スタズ
Anime: Blood Lad, ブラッドラッド (Episode 1)
  • kyuu-ketsu-ki
    吸血鬼
    Sucking-blood-demon. Vampire.

Midori ミドリ, example of three-eyed character.
Character: Midori ミドリ
Anime: "Space Patrol Luluco," Uchuu Patrol Luluco 宇宙パトロールルル子 (Episode 3)

Usagi 憂城, example of "black sclera," kuroshirome 黒白目, "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Usagi 憂城
Anime: Juuni Taisen 十二大戦 (Episode 1)

Tsuchigomori 土籠, example of "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯, "demon ears," akumamimi 悪魔耳.
Character: Tsuchigomori 土籠
Anime: Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun 地縛少年花子くん (Episode 6)

Angry Symbol

Edward Elric エドワード・エルリック, example of "anger mark," ikari maaku 怒りマーク.
Character: Edward Elric エドワード・エルリック
Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi 鋼の錬金術師 (Episode 1)

Kurahashi Riko 倉橋莉子, example of triangle eyes, "jagged teeth," gizaba ギザ歯.
Character: Kurahashi Riko 倉橋莉子
Anime: Love Lab, Ren'ai Rabo 恋愛ラボ (Episode 1)

Izumi Konata 泉こなた, example of osoroshii ko 恐ろしい子.
Anime: Lucky☆Star, らき☆すた (Episode 7)

Suou Tamaki 須王環, example of fingerprint drawn as spiral.
Character: Suou Tamaki 須王環
Anime: Ouran High School Host Club, Ouran Koukou Hosuto-Bu 桜蘭高校ホスト部 (Episode 12)

Shigure シグレ, example of "anger mark," ikari maaku 怒りマーク.
Character: Shigure シグレ
Anime: Hataage! Kemono Michi 旗揚!!けものみち (Episode 4)

References

Faces & Expressions

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