12 Best Stable Diffusion Anime Models (With Examples)

Checkpoint models in Stable Diffusion let you generate different types of images. From creating photorealistic images to anime-style images, you can create a wide variety of artwork in Stable Diffusion using checkpoint models. 

In this article, I’ll be sharing the best Stable Diffusion anime models that will let you create gorgeous anime-style images. 

These anime checkpoint models for Stable Diffusion are highly trained and can generate anime images in various styles. 

I’ve made this list based on the popularity of these models along with the quality of the images they generate. 

So, let’s jump straight into our list of the best anime models for Stable Diffusion. 

Best Stable Diffusion Anime Models

Here are the best Stable Diffusion anime models available for free:

Counterfeit V3

Counterfeit is one of the most popular anime models for Stable Diffusion and has over 200K downloads. 

This model is perfect for generating anime-style images of characters, objects, animals, landscapes, and more. You can also combine it with LORA models to be more versatile and generate unique artwork. 

Features: 

Regularly updated
Combine LORA models
Generates SFW and NSFW artwork 
Very versatile

Mistoon_Anime

Mistoon Anime model lets you create cartoony-style anime images with vibrant colors and thick outlines. The model is highly trained to create both male and female characters that stand out. 

It’s highly detailed and is capable of generating both SFW and NSFW images. I find this model to be really good at generating portraits, closeups, or upper body images. 

Key Features:

Highly detailed
Can generate both male and female characters
Generates SFW and NSFW images
Inpainting version available
Good background consistency 

Anything V5

Anything V5 is one of the most popular checkpoint models for Stable Diffusion with almost 150K downloads. This is the fifth version of this model which means the author is actively updating and improving the model. 

Anything V5 is an anime fusion model that lets you create cartoonish or anime images that look stunning. The model is capable of generating characters, objects, landscapes, and more. 

Key Features: 

Multiple versions available
Can generate almost anything
Often requires precise prompts
Generates SFW and NSFW images

Anime Pastel Dream

One of my favorite Stable Diffusion models as it generates beautiful images even with simple anime prompts. 

This model can generate anime images in pastel style which look truly stunning. Moreover, you can also combine this checkpoint model with various LORA models to create new anime-style images. 

Features: 

Soft and hard pastel-style versions are available
Generates SFW and NSFW images 
Combines nicely with LORA models
Can generate characters, objects, and landscapes

Aniflatmix

Aniflatmix is a flat color style mix model for Stable Diffusion that can help you create images with a more 2D flat style. 

However, the model is highly trained and is also capable of generating 3D-style anime images. If you’re a fan of highly detailed anime images, you’re going to love this model. 

Personally, the images generated by this model aren’t something I am a big fan of because of the sketched style look. But if you like anime sketches, then you should definitely try it out. 

Features: 

Images have an anime sketch style
Generates SFW and NSFW images
Vibrant colors 
Highly detailed images
Much better at generating female characters

fCAnimeMix

If you want to create semi-realistic anime images in Stable Diffusion, then this model is right up the alley. 

fCAnimeMix is a Stable Diffusion anime model with an artistic style that matches anime but also has a realistic feel to it. The images generated using this model have more depth making the characters pop out. 

Features: 

Ideal for creating semi-realistic anime images
Generates SFW and NSFW artwork
The backgrounds look absolutely stunning
Works well with both male and female characters

Ambientmix 

This is another model by CyberAlchemist who also created the Aniflatmix model. Ambientmix model is perfect at generating anime-style illustration images that look beautiful. 

You can use this model to create characters, landscapes, animals, objects, or anything you like. The model is very good at generating backgrounds when creating character images. 

Features: 

Good for anime-style illustration images
Generates SFW and NSFW artwork 
Vibrant and colorful 

CarDos Anime  

Most anime models showcase how they’re good at generating cute anime girls, but this one is a little different.

It does generate cute anime girls but where it excels is at creating stunning landscapes. So, if you want to generate beautiful sceneries and landscapes, you might just fall in love with this model. 

Feature: 

Very versatile and can generate a variety of images
Generates SFW and NSFW images
Images look stunning and very detailed
Can create highly complex artwork 

Pastel-Mix

This anime model for Stable Diffusion is mostly oriented toward generating pastel-style anime art. You can also merge different LORA models along with Pastel-Mix to create truly beautiful artwork. 

The images generated look quite beautiful with softer outline edges which give it a pastel art look. 

Features: 

Ideal for pastel-style artwork 
Can merge different LORA models 
Generates both SFW and NSFW artwork 
Multiple versions available 

DIvineAnimeMix

This model generates anime-style images that look semi-realistic and highly detailed. It’s very good at character images and doesn’t require any complicated prompting. 

You can use this checkpoint model with other LORA models as well. 

Features:

Sharp and clear images
Generates both SFW and NSFW artwork 
Great prompt guidance
Good at generating female characters
Works with a variety of LORA models

FantasticAnimeChix-HR

If you like generating female characters, then you’re going to love this model. Because this model really likes to generate female characters. 

You can create really vibrant and colorful artwork by using this checkpoint model. It also combines well with other LORA models allowing you to be more versatile. 

Features: 

Good at generating semi-realistic anime images
Generates SFW and NSFW artwork 
Can merge LORA models 
Perfect for generating female characters

OnlyAnime

The last Stable Diffusion model for anime images on our list is OnlyAnime which can help you create anime artwork in 2D or 3D style drawings. 

Among many anime models I’ve used, OnlyAnime is seriously good at generating realistic anime images. But this also means that some generated images kind of look like CG or 3D art rather than anime art. 

Nevertheless, it’s a very well-trained model that is versatile and generates stunning artwork. 

Features: 

Perfect for realistic anime images
Generates SFW and NSFW images
Can generate 2D or 3D style drawings

Stable Diffusion Anime Models Comparison

To help you understand more about the anime models shared on this list, I’ve done a comparison to help you identify how different these models are from each other. 

For this comparison test, I’ve used the same prompt along with the same parameters for testing every single model. 

Here are the prompts and the configuration I’ve used for this comparison: 

Positive Prompt: 

a stunning woman detailed, (masterpiece), (extremely intricate:1.3), (realistic), portrait of a girl, (medieval armor:1.4), metal reflections, upper body, outdoors, intense sunlight, sharp focus, dramatic, award-winning, cinematic lighting, (film grain, blurry background, blurry foreground, bokeh, depth of field, sunset, motion blur:1.3)Copy

Negative Prompt: 

(worst quality, low quality:1.4), greyscale, border, artist name, out of frame, shorts, zombie, nsfw, mutation, mutated, malformed, (out of frame), ((watermark)), signature, ((text)), bad art,Copy

Configuration Settings: 

Besides this, I used the kl-f8-anime VAE which prevents the generated images from having a bleached out or desaturated look. 

Here are the results from the various Stable Diffusion anime models comparison test: 

Based on the results, I found some similarities between certain models and the nature of the images some models produced. 

Here are my key findings and summary from the comparison test: 

• Anything V5 and AmbientMix are the best models for generating images that have a very accurate anime-style look. 
• Models like Counterfeit V3, Anime Pastel Dream, DivineAnimeMix, and OnlyAnime are very good at generating semi-realistic or realistic anime images. 
• All the models tested generated high-quality images and I didn’t have to regenerate an image once. 
• There are similarities in the images generated by some models. That’s because these models are derived from one or the other model. For example, the AmbientMix model is derived from Animix model which in turn is a merge of the Anything V5 model. That’s why the images of both models are so similar in style and look. 

It’s important to note that my key findings are subjective and aren’t factual. These are just interpretations from the comparison test I ran. 

The purpose of this test is to help you identify the similarities and differences between the models without having to download each one of them. 

With the results of the test, you’ll now be able to pick 2-3 models that you like and want to work with. 

But before you go ahead and do that, here are some tips that will help you generate better anime images in Stable Diffusion. 

Recommended Reading: Best Stable Diffusion Celebrity Models

Tips To Generate Better Anime Images

When you’re generating anime artwork using Stable Diffusion, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

Just using a checkpoint model made for anime-style images will not always mean your output images will look good. 

Here are a few tips that will help you generate better anime images in Stable Diffusion. 

Follow Model Guide 

Every checkpoint model you download for Stable Diffusion will often have specific instructions to help you get the most out of it. 

These instructions include recommendations on the sampler to use, the sampling steps, whether to use a hi-res fix or not, and more. 

You can find these parameters or a guide on the model’s description. For example, here are the recommended parameters for the Pastel-Mix checkpoint model: 

Following the parameters or instructions of the model alone can make a huge difference in the images you generate. 

So, always make sure to check the description of the model when you’re downloading it so that you follow the instructions and recommended parameters. 

Use Better LORAs

If you’re using a LORA model in Stable Diffusion, make sure it merges well with your checkpoint model. 

Not all LORA models combine well with various checkpoint models. Again, you can find recommended LORA models for a checkpoint model in the description. 

For example, the SamDoesArts LORA model which lets you generate artwork like Sam Yang works best on the Anime Pastel Dream model. 

This is also mentioned in the model’s description by the author. But if there’s no checkpoint model recommended, you can check the artwork shared in the gallery and check which checkpoint other artists have used. 

Related: Fooocus Guide: The Fastest Way To Run Stable Diffusion

Use Negative Embeddings 

Negative Embeddings are very good at filtering out undesirable results from the generated images. 

Using a negative embedding can greatly affect your output image and help you generate better images. On top of that, they also prevent you from writing long negative prompts as these embeddings are well-trained on the most common negative words. 

You can find recommended negative embeddings in many checkpoint models. Some authors even create their own negative embeddings for their models as well. 

Using those negative embeddings is very important as you’ll notice there is often a night and day difference in images generated with and and without negative embeddings. 

Related: Stable Diffusion 3: What’s New & How To Download It

Use High Sampling Steps

Increasing your sampling steps means you’re telling Stable Diffusion to go through more iterations to generate an image. 

This means, the higher the sampling steps, the better your output image will be. But keep in mind that increasing sampling steps also increase the image generation time. 

So, if you’re generating images at very low sampling steps, you should consider increasing them to get a more beautiful and detailed output. 

However, this doesn’t mean that increasing sampling steps to an insanely high number would mean your image will be incredible. 

There’s a certain number beyond which increasing the sampling steps wouldn’t have much impact on the output image. 

In general, you should keep your sampling steps between 25-40 to ensure you generate high-quality images. 

You can go beyond 40 sampling steps but the change in quality isn’t significant enough. 

Related: What’s The Best Image Size For Stable Diffusion?

FAQs

Conclusion

So, that’s our list of the best Stable Diffusion anime models you can use to generate stunning anime-style artwork and images. 

We’ve covered some of the most popular and high-quality models on our list that are capable of generating a wide variety of anime images in Stable Diffusion.

The best part about this is that all the models are completely free to download and use. 

Now, it’s your turn to download the model you like the most and share your thoughts and feedback with us in the comments below.