What's with the mole under the eye?

[humon]

So many anime images and video game characters I've seen have a mole under one eye or the other. It's so frequent that it can't just be random. What's the deal with that? Is there like a selfish-gene kind of explanation, where guys with that mole subconsciously seek out women who also have that mole as a sign they are genetically compatible? To me, all moles are ugly, and all of these characters would have been much more attractive with a clear face. So I don't understand why an artist would add one.

 

[ALandWithNoName]

Is there like a selfish-gene kind of explanation, where guys with that mole subconsciously seek out women who also have that mole as a sign they are genetically compatible?

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hm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_mark

To me, all moles are ugly, and all of these characters would have been much more attractive with a clear face. So I don't understand why an artist would add one.

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something something art imitates life

 

[Povovanon]

Checking on wikitionary

なきぼくろ - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

en.wiktionary.org

なきぼくろ or なきボクロ • (nakibokuro)

A mole that is situated under an eye. Japanese folk belief believes that this is a sign that one is prone to crying.

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Now I am really curious about this trope, because I expected something else.

(However, in my fantasy grove, all the girls with a mole under the right eye have been corrupted by Tomie's DNA or some other mumbo jumbo thing)

 

[humon]

This is what Google AI tells me:

A "crying mole" (or "tear mole") is a mole located under or near the eye, known in cultures like Japan as a sign of attractiveness, sometimes linked to deep emotions or a life of hardship/love struggles in fortune-telling ( hokuro uranai), but also seen in characters like Final Fantasy XVI's Rios for drama, representing both beauty and potential sadness or destiny, though it can just be a charming beauty mark.
Meanings & Interpretations:

• Beauty & Charm: Often considered a lovely feature that draws attention to the eyes, making someone appear more alluring or feminine.
• Fortune-Telling (Hokuro Uranai):
  • Under the eye: Can signify a difficult life, frequent setbacks, or a life deeply affected by love.
  • Under the outer corner: A true "tear mole," suggesting love troubles and a life where romance is challenging.
• Cultural Symbolism: In some contexts, it's a symbol of deep feeling or a destined path, sometimes appearing in fictional characters to signify these traits.
• Coincidence: Sometimes it's just a mole that happens to look like a tear, with no special meaning beyond being a beauty mark.

In Summary:
While a "crying mole" can be a beautiful, charming mark, its meaning in fortune-telling often relates to emotional depth or fated love, sometimes suggesting a life of tears, but it's also just a common beauty spot.

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OK, so... a combination of fortune telling woo and someone's beauty mark fetish.

I guess my real question should be why people find beauty marks attractive. Whenever I see a porn star with a piercing above her lip or in some other place where people sometimes have moles, I get turned off and I have to look for shots of her from an angle that hides that part of her face. I thought maybe other women were tricking these girls into marking up their faces like that to make them uglier. Sort of like with puffy lips or nose rings or those weird half-shaved haircuts. But... do people actually find beauty marks attractive? I guess it's an aesthetic like any other, but I never understood it.