History Main / Ecchi

"Ecchi" [[NoPronunciationGuide (pronounced EH-chee)]] is used by English-speaking anime fans to refer to soft-core pornographic or sexually suggestive anime and manga, and that's the definition this page uses. It is a "milder" version of the word [[{{Hentai}} "hentai"]]. However, this is entirely a western invention, as in Japanese, "ecchi" is a catch-all term for all things sexual, however slight or strong, and not really considered a "mild" term; on the other hand, in Japanese "hentai" need not be sexual at all ("hentai" is actually a catch-all term for all things perverted). Basically, in the English speaking world, "hentai" is hard-core porn, while "ecchi" is soft-core fanservice; in Japan on the other hand, "hentai" is like how you'd say in English "You pervert/creep!", while "ecchi" is all salacious stuff ranging from as mild as a bit of fanservice to as explicit as full-on intercourse. Similar to other terms English borrows from Japanese such as "anime" and "manga", the application in these two worlds is quite opposite.

* ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead'' features {{Gainaxing}} on girls being torn apart by zombies, a girl cracking open human skulls with a wooden sword while wearing nothing but an apron and a thong, and one particular gratuitous sequence of bouncing in BulletTime.

* ''LightNovel/{{Haganai}}''

* ''LightNovel/TheAsteriskWar''

* ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh''

* ''Manga/{{Tsugumomo}}''

* ''LightNovel/HybridXHeartMagiasAcademyAtaraxia'': The girls literally get a power-up from sexual intercourse.

* ''LightNovel/BakaAndTestSummonTheBeasts''

* ''LightNovel/HaremInTheLabyrinthOfAnotherWorld'': The main character acquires a harem of {{Sex Slave}}s that he regularly sleeps with, depicted in R-rated manner in the anime adaptation.

The line between Ecchi and Hentai can be hard to draw at times. However, one good rule of thumb is, if it was aired on Japanese public TV ''at all'', it probably wasn't Hentai. Ecchi usually features BarbieDollAnatomy, or avoids nudity with lingering {{Panty Shot}}s. {{Hentai}}, on the other hand, will usually show full frontal nudity in some explicit form, and full, intimate sex scenes; in other words, ''pornography''. At its mildest, Ecchi is closer in spirit to shows like ''Series/ThreesCompany'' and ''Series/AreYouBeingServed,'' full of {{Double Entendre}}s, [[{{ThreeIsCompany}} big misunderstandings]], and [[SexComedy sexual farce]]. At its most explicit, it is still more in the realm of HBO Presents than Vivid Entertainment. Another good way to distinguish the two is if there are any animated sex scenes in which genitalia have to be pixelated. If so, you have left this genre entirely.

* ''LightNovel/HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere'': Its use of the WorldOfBuxom trope is enough to land it in this genre. Even without having the biggest breasts many of the woman are still well endowed.

* ''Manga/NanaToKaoru''

* ''Manga/OmujoOmutsuJoshi'' is a harem series whose fanservice falls into the category of "playing to the fetishes". Specifically, the three main girls are a ThemedHarem whose theme is that all three, be it for personal need, personal pleasure, or the personal belief it's what the male lead is into, all wear diapers.

* ''LightNovel/HowToBuildADungeonBookOfTheDemonKing''

* ''LightNovel/RailWars''

* ''LightNovel/{{Shimoneta}}'' features a girl who runs around ''[[GoingCommando in nothing]]'' but [[ModestyTowel a bedsheet]], another girl who habitually leaks vaginal fluid, 'cuz she's always horny for the male protagonist, and a guy who ''[[DudeLooksLikeALady looks]]'' [[AloofDarkhairedGirl like a girl]] even when he's naked. Whereas the series itself is about a zany group of ero-terrorists whose goal is to re-educate Japan's citizens about sex, the joys of porn, and the right to tell dirty jokes again, which have all been prohibited by their government.

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex''

* ''LightNovel/CatPlanetCuties''

* ''kiss×sis'' tells the story of two girls' attempts to date, and especially sleep with, their step-brother, while dealing with a horny teacher, a classmate with continence problems, and an OlderThanSheLooks kouhai who are '''all''' aiming for the exact same thing.

* ''Manga/DeadlineSummoner'' from the same author as the above continues the trend.

* ''Manga/PleaseGoHomeAkutsuSan'' is about a delinuqnet freeloading at her classmate's apartment.

Possibly because sex is [[NakedPeopleAreFunny inherently funny]], a large number of Ecchi series are [[SexComedy comedies]]. Many start out as [[BleachedUnderpants softer versions]] of actual hentai content (such as video games), while others may revert/graduate back to such if an {{OVA}} is released. Due to ValuesDissonance, quite a few Ecchi series can be found in {{Shonen|Demographic}} magazines, meaning that at least in their native Japan, [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids they're marketed primarily towards teenage boys]] (albeit with a strong PeripheryDemographic).

"Ecchi" [[NoPronunciationGuide (pronounced EH-chee)]] is used by English-speaking anime fans to refer to soft-core pornographic or sexually suggestive anime and manga, and that's the definition this page uses. It is a "milder" version of the word [[{{Hentai}} "hentai"]]. However, this is entirely a western invention, as in Japanese, "ecchi" is a catch-all term for all things sexual, however slight or strong, and not really considered a "mild" term; on the other hand, in Japanese "hentai" need not be sexual at all ("hentai" is actually a catch-all term for all things perverted). Basically, in the English speaking world, "hentai" is hard-core porn, while "ecchi" is soft-core fanservice; in Japan on the other hand, "hentai" is like how you'd say in English "You pervert/creep!", while "ecchi" is definitely some salacious stuff as mild as a little fanservice and as strong as full-on intercourse. Similar to other terms English borrows from Japanese such as "anime" and "manga", the application in these two worlds is quite opposite.

* ''Anime/{{Free}}'' is arguably an example of ecchi meant for a female audience, as though it's primarily a sports anime, the near perpetually shirtless male cast is constantly subject to female gaze-y camera angles and fanservice, and Creator/{{Funimation}} even places it under the "Fanservice" category on their streaming site as well featuring it in their "Funimation Peep Show" panel.

* ''Manga/InterspeciesReviewers'': Considering it's about a group of adventurers that review monster girl brothels, it is definitely expected. The anime adaptation in particular features full-frontal nudity for the women, and some scenes veer extremely close to full-blown hentai.

[[caption-width-right:227:And yet, things still seem to have gotten a bit ecchi.]]