In daily life, human communication can play an information role in information exchange, relationship formation, information transmission and many other functions. Among them, human communication is conducted by both verbal and nonverbal means. However, communication will be difficult when language cannot be understood or explained. Non-verbal communication can cross language barriers to communicate. It is more natural and extensive to express emotions through non- verbal communication than through verbal communication. Emotional expression, as a non-verbal means of communication, occupies a very important part in human communication, and the same content is also applied to animation characters. The main characters driving the story in the cartoon must have emotional expression. Rich expressions and natural movements are the best meas to express the changes of the characters′ feelings. Viewers can fully understand and feel the character′s feelings by observing the changes of the character′s facial expressions and can also understand the changes of the character′s emotional state through the changes of the character′s body movements and movements. Since 2000, Because of China′s increasingly strengthened government support amd the rapid development of the Internet, the animation industry has grown rapidly. The proportion of animation works independently produced in China has also been increasing and animation themes and contents have gradually diversified. In recent years, the audience group of animation has expanded from children to all age groups and the audience number is also increasing. It can be said that with the development of the animation characters is essential for China′s excellent animation production and development. Therefore, this paper expounds the clarity and importance of emotional expression of cartoon characters, analyzes the two countries, reveals the problems in emotional expression of cartoon characters in the two countries, reveals the problems in emotional expression of Chinese cartoon characters and obtains the correct methods and directions of emotional expression in animation.