Best Anime Drawing Book for Teens (2026): 5 Picks Compared

A teen who loves anime usually starts by copying a favorite character, and the best anime drawing book for teens is the one that turns copying into drawing from scratch. We compared five books by pages, reading age, series position and description.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Amazing Girls by Hart	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Design Your Own by Choi	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Anime & Manga Faces by Shinjuku	9.4/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Tips & Tricks by Hart	9.4/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Draw Anime for Kids by Takamori	9.4/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Amazing Girls by Hart

Christopher Hart·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For teens who want to draw female characters, with faces and poses; skip it if you want male characters or general scenes.

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Pros

• Reading age 14 - 17 years, right for teens
• 343 step-by-step drawings for faces and poses
• Sewn binding lets pages lie flat

Cons

• Book 2 of 6, so earlier books come first
• Focuses on female characters only
• Published November 7, 2017, an older edition

2

Design Your Own by Choi

TB Choi·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For teens ready to design original characters, with anatomy and costumes; skip it if you want to copy existing characters.

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Pros

• Anatomy, proportion, poses and gestures
• Hair, clothing and accessories covered
• Published August 30, 2022, recent

Cons

• No reading age or grade stated
• No step-by-step drawing count stated
• Design focus, not copying existing characters

3

Anime & Manga Faces by Shinjuku

Shinjuku Press·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For readers learning anime faces, with head shapes and mouths; skip it if you want full-body or teen-level material.

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Pros

• Step-by-step instructions for anime faces
• Covers head shapes, eyes, noses and mouths
• 118 pages, a shorter faces guide

Cons

• Reading age Baby - 12 years, below teens
• Gift note says adults, against Baby - 12 years
• Faces only, no full-body drawing stated

4

Tips & Tricks by Hart

Christopher Hart·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For artists fine-tuning anime skills, with over 100 techniques; skip it if you want to start at Book 1.

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Pros

• Over 100 essential drawing techniques
• 254 step-by-step drawings
• Full color throughout, premium paper

Cons

• Book 3 of 6, not a series starter
• No reading age or grade stated
• Published September 4, 2018

5

Draw Anime for Kids by Takamori

Makeshii Takamori·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For kids learning anime step by step; skip it if you are a teen wanting teen-level material.

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Pros

• Step-by-step lessons for young artists
• Fundamentals broken into simple steps
• 106 pages, the shortest book here

Cons

• Reading age 9 - 11 years, marked as from customers
• For kids, not teens, per title
• 106 pages, less than 144 page guides

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More picks to compare

• How to Draw Coolest Things AnimeFor young artists wanting anime and manga drawing in simple steps.Check on Amazon
• How to Draw Cute Anime StuffFor teens wanting chibi and kawaii characters in simple steps.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 25 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit, contents, value, and the listed reading age. Three books list a reading age, and only Amazing Girls matches teens, 14 – 17 years. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best anime drawing book for teens

Faces, characters or techniques

For faces first, start with the Shinjuku faces book, which covers head shapes, eyes, noses and mouths. For original characters, the Choi book covers anatomy, poses and costumes. For fine-tuning, Hart Tips & Tricks gives over 100 techniques. For a younger reader, see the drawing books for kids who love art list.

Check the reading age

Reading ages run from Baby – 12 years to 14 – 17 years, so check the age against the teen reader. Amazing Girls lists 14 – 17 years, Shinjuku lists Baby – 12 years and Takamori lists 9 – 11 years, marked as from customers. Two books state no reading age. For other guides, see the drawing books for teens list.

Series order

Amazing Girls is Book 2 of 6 and Tips & Tricks is Book 3 of 6 in the Master Guide to Drawing Anime series. The other three state no series position, so each stands alone.

Before you buy

• Check the reading age, since ages run from Baby – 12 years to 14 – 17 years.
• Check the series position, since two Hart books are Book 2 and Book 3.
• Check pages and drawing count, since pages run from 106 to 144.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which book is best for a teen who has never drawn anime?

Start with Amazing Girls, which lists a teen reading age and covers faces and poses. Shinjuku also starts with basics, but its reading age is Baby – 12 years.

Do any of these books belong to a series?

Yes. Amazing Girls is Book 2 of 6 and Tips & Tricks is Book 3 of 6. The other three state no series position.

Which book has the most step-by-step drawings?

Amazing Girls, with 343 step-by-step drawings stated. Tips & Tricks states 254, and the other three books state no drawing count.

Still deciding? Our top pickAmazing Girls by Hart

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Related lists

See every young adult list and all kids and teens lists.

More lists: drawing books for teens, drawing books for kids who love art and manga for anime fans.