Midjourney Anime Prompts: Formula, Niji Tips and 24 Examples

The anime prompt formula

Good anime prompts read like a shot description from a storyboard. Name the character, what they are doing, where they are, the specific anime look you want, then the light and mood. Parameters go last.

Formula: [character + outfit] [action or pose], [setting], [anime style cues], [lighting and colour], [shot type] --niji --ar [ratio]

The --niji parameter switches to Midjourney’s anime-focused model. It understands manga and anime conventions better than the default model: expressive eyes, clean line work, flat cel shading and dynamic poses. You can still get anime looks without it, but --niji is the shortest route. Each new Niji release can look different, so retest your favourite prompts when a new one appears. For the general order of words in a prompt, see Midjourney prompt structure.

24 copy-ready Midjourney anime prompts

Paste these as they are, then swap the character, setting or palette to make them yours.

Characters and portraits

• teenage girl with a short silver bob and an oversized school blazer, leaning on a rooftop railing, rain-soaked city at dusk below, clean line art, soft cel shading, magenta and teal neon glow, medium shot --niji --ar 2:3
• elderly ramen chef with a white headband and kind crinkled eyes, wiping the counter of a tiny late-night stall, steam rising, warm paper lantern light, hand-painted background, waist-up shot --niji --ar 4:5
• young knight in chipped silver armour holding a cracked helmet, sitting on castle steps after a battle, overcast sky, muted blues and rust tones, melancholy mood, close-up portrait --niji --ar 2:3
• cheerful delivery girl on a red scooter with a parcel strapped behind her, mid-wave, coastal town street in summer, bright saturated colours, crisp shadows, full body shot --niji --ar 3:2
• quiet boy with round glasses reading under a desk lamp, cat asleep on the open book, cosy cluttered bedroom at night, warm amber light, soft grain, character portrait --niji --ar 4:5
• character design sheet of a fox spirit girl in a layered kimono, front view, side view and back view, neutral grey background, clean line art, flat colours --niji --ar 16:9

Action and dynamic scenes

• swordswoman mid-leap slicing through falling cherry blossoms, motion lines, dramatic low angle, sunset sky in orange and violet, high-energy action frame --niji --ar 16:9
• two rival racers on futuristic motorbikes leaning into a tunnel bend, speed streaks, sparks from the tarmac, cyan tunnel lights, wide cinematic frame --niji --ar 21:9
• young mage casting a spiral of blue fire, cloak whipping in the wind, ruined temple courtyard, glowing runes on the ground, dramatic rim light --niji --ar 2:3
• volleyball player jumping for a spike, ball frozen at the top of the frame, gym lights flaring, sweat droplets, bold manga-style speed lines --niji --ar 4:5
• giant mecha kneeling in a flooded city street, pilot climbing out of the hatch, storm clouds parting, light rays through rain, epic scale, wide shot --niji --ar 16:9

Backgrounds and slice of life

• empty countryside train platform in midsummer, cicada-heavy afternoon, tall cumulus clouds, vending machine glowing in the shade, hand-painted anime background, no people --niji --ar 16:9
• narrow shopping street after rain, puddles reflecting paper lanterns and shop signs, a lone umbrella in the distance, nostalgic evening light, detailed background art --niji --ar 3:2
• classroom at golden hour, chairs stacked on desks, chalk diagrams on the board, dust floating in long sunbeams, quiet and wistful, wide interior --niji --ar 16:9
• cosy café interior in winter, fogged windows, a cup of cocoa and an open sketchbook on a wooden table, warm lamplight, soft painterly background --niji --ar 4:5
• floating island village with waterfalls spilling into clouds, tiny houses with red roofs, bright blue sky, fantasy anime landscape, wide establishing shot --niji --ar 21:9

Retro, manga and stylised looks

• 1980s anime style space captain with shoulder pads and a long coat, starfield behind, cel animation look, film grain, airbrushed highlights, retro colour palette --niji --ar 4:5
• black and white manga panel of a detective in a trench coat lighting a match, heavy screentone shading, ink hatching, dramatic shadows --niji --ar 2:3
• chibi bakery mascot holding a giant croissant, big sparkling eyes, pastel palette, thick clean outlines, plain cream background --niji --ar 1:1
• 1990s anime VHS screenshot of a girl at a payphone at night, slight colour bleed, soft scan lines, muted purples and greens --niji --ar 4:3
• watercolour anime illustration of a girl in a straw hat walking through a sunflower field, loose washes, white paper showing through, gentle summer light --niji --ar 3:4
• light novel cover of a cursed prince sitting on a throne of books, ornate frame elements, rich jewel tones, dramatic top light, empty space at the top for a title --niji --ar 2:3
• dark fantasy anime illustration of a plague doctor with glowing green lenses, gothic alley, fog, desaturated palette with one acid-green accent --niji --ar 2:3 --style raw
• cyberpunk anime street vendor selling glowing noodles from a cart, holographic menus, crowd silhouettes, heavy rain, purple and orange lighting, eye-level shot --niji --ar 16:9

Parameters worth knowing for anime

• --niji for the anime model. Leave it off if you want a more painterly or realistic interpretation of an anime character.
• --ar sets the frame. Tall ratios such as 2:3 suit characters and covers; 16:9 and 21:9 suit scenes and wallpapers. See aspect ratios.
• --stylize controls how much of the model’s own aesthetic is applied. Lower values follow your words more closely; higher values look more polished but drift from your description.
• --style raw reduces the default prettifying, which helps for gritty, muted or very specific looks.
• --sref lets you lock a look across a series. Use one style reference for every character in a set so they feel like one show. More in our style references guide.
• --no removes things you keep getting, for example --no text, watermark.

Common mistakes with anime prompts

1. Writing "anime style" and nothing else. It produces a generic look. Name an era (1980s cel, 1990s TV, modern digital), a technique (screentone, watercolour, flat cel shading) and a mood.
2. Using studio, artist or franchise names. Describe the qualities instead: hand-painted backgrounds, soft pastel skies, thick ink outlines. It is more reliable and avoids imitating someone’s work.
3. Packing several actions into one image. One verb per frame. If you need a sequence, generate separate images.
4. Expecting the same face every time. Character consistency needs a reference image or character reference workflow. Read consistent characters before planning a comic.
5. Asking for speech bubbles with dialogue. Midjourney is poor at long, exact text. Leave bubbles empty or add lettering afterwards in an editor.
6. Forgetting hands. Complex hand poses still go wrong. Use Vary (Subtle) or reframe so hands are simpler or partly hidden.

Doing this faster with Dreamdrive

Dreamdrive keeps the full prompt with every capture, --sref code included, so a look you liked is a search away in your Library.