Since the art style of anime demands simplified faces, it can be difficult to tell characters in a series apart based on faces alone. The sometimes outlandish hairstyles and hair colours that anime characters have let viewers tell the characters apart at a glance. One such anime hairstyle is the "twin drills" style, which you may find difficult to emulate in real life.

1

Twin Tails and Drills

Anime characters with pigtails, called "twin tails" in Japanese, are usually a little childish and cute, although the stereotype associated with the hairstyle has evolved somewhat. Twin drills are a subset of the twin tails hairstyle. A female character with twin drills has pigtails, with each pigtail curled tightly into a drill-like formation. The top of each drill is wide and flat and the drill gets subsequently smaller as it progresses downward.

  • Anime characters with pigtails, called "twin tails" in Japanese, are usually a little childish and cute, although the stereotype associated with the hairstyle has evolved somewhat.
  • A female character with twin drills has pigtails, with each pigtail curled tightly into a drill-like formation.
2

Length of Drills

Characters with twin drills tend to have drills that range from shoulder-length to floor-length. In general, the shorter the twin drills, the more outgoing, hyperactive and bossy the character is. Hikaru Sakuraba, a ditsy teacher from "Lucky Star," is one such character. The longer the twin drills, the more refined and elegant the character is. Selnia Iori Flameheart, a half-Japanese aristocrat from "Ladies Versus Butlers," is one example of this type. In either case, the characters possess some level of immaturity, whether it be a childish temperament or an innocent naiveties.

  • Characters with twin drills tend to have drills that range from shoulder-length to floor-length.
  • Selnia Iori Flameheart, a half-Japanese aristocrat from "Ladies Versus Butlers," is one example of this type.
3

Thickness of Drills

Twin drills in anime can range from thin, delicate curls to outrageously thick curls impossible to recreate in real life. The thinner drills tend to indicate a more realistic setting, while the thicker drills are part of fantastical stories. In "Full Moon wo Sagashite," Mitsuki Kouyama has thinner drills. Momozono Love, a magical girl from the series "Fresh Precure," has large, thick twin drills when she transforms. However, there are slice-of-life shows with highly stylised character designs that can feature characters with thick twin drills; Selnia Iori Flameheart is one example.

  • Twin drills in anime can range from thin, delicate curls to outrageously thick curls impossible to recreate in real life.
  • In "Full Moon wo Sagashite," Mitsuki Kouyama has thinner drills.
4

Recreate the Style

Whether you dress up for an anime convention or event or you want to wear twin drills for an everyday occasion, you have a couple of options. You can purchase a wig preset in the twin drill style; shop from a Japanese cosplay store and you have a wide range of bold anime colours from which to choose. Otherwise, you can put your hair into pigtails and use a wide-barrel curling iron to curl the tails.