Side Braid

A longtime anime fan will know what the side braid tag means. One of the most famous visual tropes in modern Japanese media is the loose side braid over one shoulder, known as the "Dead Anime Mom Hairstyle." A running joke is that characters with this hairstyle die when they appear on screen.

A sweet design choice started the trope. A loose, low braid over the shoulder is a practical, easy-to-care-for style that shows hard work, kindness, and probably taking care of others. Attack on Titan's Carla Yeager and Fullmetal Alchemist's Trisha Elric embody this style. This hairstyle says "loving mother" or "caring older sister." The hairstyle looked like a Grim Reaper warning because shounen and fantasy anime often start with the sad death of a kind mother figure. Now, even younger "team mom" characters wear the side braid, and fans worry about their survival.

The art for this tag is usually soft and homey. Most wallpapers depict people in casual clothes or aprons in soft, warm light. Side braids are popular for portrait-style character art because they draw the eye down the character's neck and frame the face. Despite its bad reputation in the fandom, it is one of the softest and most comforting character designs an artist can make.