Drawings Featuring Characters With Stars in Their Eyes (Literally!) - The Shape of Joy

Have you ever heard of the term “me ga shiitake” (目がしいたけ, lit. “shiitake eyes”)? If you’re wondering, “What on earth do mushrooms have to do with your eyes?” “me ga shiitake” is actually a reference to shiitake hanagiri, a cutting technique used in traditional Japanese foods such as hot pots and simmered dishes, where shiitake mushroom caps are decorated with a beautiful flower pattern. In anime and manga, characters’ pupils are often changed to shapes resembling these decorated shiitake caps or diamonds to convey their unbridled joy. When a person has a literal twinkle in their eye, you know that whatever they’re looking at is bound to bring them absolute happiness!

Enjoy the illustrations below and share these characters’ happiness with them!