Mark Megahan
They say the only laws which can’t be broken are the laws of physics. Thanks to modern animation techniques, the laws of physics and biology can be twisted to suit any fantasy which can be envisioned and drawn. The Japanese seem to have cornered the market on the technique. Fans around the world have very specific terms and traditions surrounding the medium but the general theme is. if it feels good, draw it. In case you didn’t know, “hentai” is the Japanese word for “pervert.”
Hard-core fantasy art
There’s actually a wide range to the “genre” typically called “anime.” The big differences in varieties concern “context and intent, mostly.” For starters, Anime and manga “tend to have a higher level of ‘erotic background radiation‘ than other media.” Without putting too much emphasis on labels, the tame end of the erotic fantasy range is called “fanservice.”
Those images and videos “can even be used to describe fan-pleasers that are not related to sexual imagery at all, such as making some battle longer than it needs to be, or particularly flashy animation.” Things like “conspicuously skintight clothing, swimsuit episodes, brief close-ups of anatomy at funny but non-exposing angles, as well as everyday bathing scenes.”
Stepping a rung up the fantasy ladder is “ecchi.” The term is usually applied to “lightweight forms of in-universe-acknowledged erotic titillation.”
What that means is the audience gets to see some goodies while “other characters” notice and react as well.
With this fantasy form, sex is merely implied, and only in low key ways. “One or more characters will somehow acknowledge that the moment was indecent, it is usually not deliberate.”
Examples of art considered “ecchi” are “things like peeping, accidental boob grabs, super skimpy clothing that shows a lot of bare skin, as well as wardrobe malfunctions of all kinds. Which then lead to underwear exposure or accidental nudity, with interested onlookers present.”
Cartoon pornography
There aren’t any illusions when it comes to “hentai,” where literally anything goes. The images are so graphically bizarre we can’t even think about showing you any examples. Any taboo fantasy you can imagine between any psuedo-species from any conceivable planet in the multi-verse.
A funny thing about it is that it’s not a term applied by the Japanese, only by the western anime community. “In this context, it describes actual, conscious, full on sexual activity on screen. Pornography, basically.” The English translation of the word is “pervert.”
Hentai has a point in common with ecchi, in that “something sexy happens, but this time with the full conscious intent of the characters to provoke a sexual reaction, and with the (seemingly) very real possibility for things to proceed further, right then and there.”
The big difference is that where ecchi shows mild things like very tight and skimpy clothes, side boobs, under boobs, and tons of accidental nudes, Hentai goes into graphically explicit fantasy images of genitalia. Along with tentacles, horns, hoofs, tails, and fur in connection with and substituting for that genitalia.
If you’re the type of person who has a fantasy or two about “sexy supernatural or fantastical beings,” you would probably enjoy one of the 50 shades of psychedelic called anime.
Just make sure to check with the local rules and regulations in your area before you decide to dabble with the really hard core hentai. There are places where the thought police come down exceptionally hard, even for imaginary crimes.
