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In non-hentai anime, nudity and ecchi scenes are everywhere—dramatically more
than American broadcast TV and even more than non-porn American movies and
cable TV. Yet, at the same time, sex is almost nonexistent and nearly all non-
adult anime characters (and many unmarried adults) are virgins—dramatically
more than in American movies and broadcast TV (and cable all the more so).

How is this discrepancy—that anime is so perverted and yet so prudish—to be
explained?


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Why are there so many perverted virgins in anime?


Currently, nearly 50% of Japanese adults are not sexually active. This has
been reported in international news such as the [Washington
Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/10/22/japans-
sexual-apathy-is-endangering-the-global-economy/), the
[Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/11357201/Nearly-50-per-
cent-of-Japanese-adults-not-having-sex.html), the
[Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/20/young-people-japan-
stopped-having-sex), the [Daily
Mail](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2473167/Why-
Japans-20-somethings-stopped-having-sex.html), and Japan's own English-
language news source, the [Japan
Times](http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/01/19/national/japanese-couples-
going-without-sex/#.VXOTDGSqqko). Anime characters are a reflection of the
real situation. Not all of the adults who are not currently sexually active
are virgins: some are, while others are people who do not plan to become
sexually active again.

Japan is a don't-ask,-don't-tell society: what you want to do in the privacy
of your own bedroom (watch hentai, use body pillow dolls, any matter of
fetishes, etc.) is not considered any big deal, and mentioning that you felt
up a stranger's breast in a hostess club can be done in front of your
colleagues without anyone raising an eyebrow, so it is not a "prudish" society
at all. However, the Japanese overwhelmingly want you to keep your sexuality
and sexual activities to yourself: do whatever you like and that will
generally be respected, but PDA (public display of affection) or coming out
and sharing about it to others is not socially respected (i.e. don't bother
other people with it). Many young Japanese believe, likely as an influence
from the Western nations, that it makes sense to test-drive a potential spouse
before marrying (sleep together and/or live together), but it is simply the
case that not as many Japanese are even dating and getting married.

Another cultural factor that may contribute, which you can see in quite a lot
of manga and anime, is that a major format of Japanese romance is to like
someone who you are not friends with for a long time, and finally "confess"
your feelings in a sudden love letter, on St. Valentine's Day, or on
graduation day, in which the recipient must abruptly decide whether or not
he/she has romantic interest in the other person -- who might not have been on
the recipient's radar whatsoever. This can result in either being turned down
on the spot ("I don't even know you"), a willingness to try to go on a couple
dates ("Maybe I could get interested in you"), or the first-choice being the
recipient is overjoyed ("I secretly pined away for you for years too!"). A lot
of romantic feelings and sexual desire are never confessed, but some that are
get rejected due to the format in which the potential couple does not get to
know each other through friendship or casual dating before a major DTR
(defining the relationship) event takes place, or reciprocal feelings are
confessed right after the graduation ceremony and the respective parties part
ways to go to different schools for high school or university, so the mutual
interest doesn't lead anywhere.

_Ecchi_ content in anime is responding to a market that may not have an outlet
for sexual release in a real-life relationship; on the flip side, characters
who are virgins are easy for certain demographics to relate to, so if the
virginal character ended up getting laid, the viewer wouldn't feel like a
kindred spirit. In terms of storytelling, delaying steps toward the
culmination of a relationship keeps viewers coming back for more episodes,
such as rationing out the hand-holding, kissing, etc. (although this is
perhaps not as often done regarding sex between characters in mainstream
Western TV shows for adults, a good example is Sheldon and Amy in _The Big
Bang Theory_ ). While delayed gratification is a normal plot device, in modern
Japan, another type of love triangle has emerged in _bishoujo_ harem and
_bishounen_ reverse harem anime: a lot of love interests are available to the
protagonist, but he or she ends up not choosing between them and doesn't end
up with anyone. This purportedly allows the view to favor any one of the
potential suitors and imagine the post-episode happily-ever-after that they
prefer without their favorite ship getting rejected in canon.

Legally, what is considered porn or not porn differs by country. I once turned
on a Japanese TV during prime time (while kids are awake) and found myself
looking at a topless woman in a live-action TV drama series. In manga and
anime, non-pornographic depictions of nudity should not include the details of
female nipples or any genitalia (and they usually do not include any body
hair), so the bodies look Barbie doll-ish or the genital area is censored with
a white spot (nothing is drawn there).

Not all nudity in manga and anime is considered sensual or sexual. Just as the
Japanese public baths ( _onsen_ and _sento_ ) do not innately bear any
association of nudity with sex among the general population, nudity can be
included in illustrations that are not intending to have any sexual
connotations. Historically, the Japanese were surprised by the foreigners who
arrived on their shores and balked at the public baths, since the Japanese
didn't view them as related to sexual interest. In fact, nudity can in some
contexts connote purity, as in the [final
episode](http://wikimoon.org/index.php?title=Usagi%27s_Love!_The_Moonlight_Lights_up_the_Galaxy)
of _Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon_ , in which the protagonist fights her final
battle in the nude, her pure heart able to

> reach and connect to the villain's and set her free from being possessed by
> evil.

Neither the villain, nor any of the onlooking supporting characters,
particularly pay attention to her nudity during and after the battle; even
when she is subsequently hugged by her boyfriend, there is no sensuality
present in the depiction.


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I think that this is not really that anime-specific, It can be seen in lots of
American shows also. I can't say that I see much of a difference myself,
perhaps there are particular genres (either american or japanese) that do, but
for the most part I think it's about equal. Perhaps barring more recent shows
as I believe american TV has become more open about sex.

In the context of a story, usually traits are added if they're essential to
the plot. Because of this, we usually have two polar opposites - Pure Virgin &
Promiscuous. Some stories need some conflict with exes, and there's usually an
episode of intimacy included here - just like with American TV. Most of the
time however, one's _experience_ isn't really mentioned and it's assumed by
the viewer that they are virgins from their appearance/demeanour.

In ecchi shows, being a virgin is often an appeal point - viewers like
innocent females moreso than promiscuous ones. This is seen in Western culture
too - see [Slut-Shaming](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slut-shaming) and the
porn industry's value on virginity videos. For an example in Eastern culture,
see the [many idol groups who prohibit
relationships](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21299324) in order to keep
their appeal to their fans.

Another point to mention is that anime _generally_ has a younger cast than
western shows. Many western shows are based around an adult cast at work,
wheras the majority of anime shows are focused on school-life. Obviously adult
characters would have had more time to experience intimate relationships than
school characters (especially as they could be in single-sex schools)

Along with a school setting, comes teenage angst, fluctuating hormones and an
increased interest in the opposite sex. Because of this, a common character is
one who has found their first love / wants to experiment with the opposite
sex. This is a theme that resonates strongly with the male teenage target
audience which is an important majority of anime fans.

That being said, my exposure to American shows is limited. But coming from a
background with much exposure to British media - I think it's not too
indifferent from the shows here. Maybe it's America who are the odd ones out?


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