Ask John: Are Hentai, Ecchi and Doujinshi Different?

Question:
I wish to know if there is any real difference between hentai, ecchi, and doujinshi manga. Are any of them in any way more or less *ahem* “vulgar” than the others, or are they just different names for basically the same thing?

Answer:
Technically there is actually a significant difference between ecchi, hentai and doujin manga. The easiest to address definition is that of doujinshi. Doujinshi are simply fan produced manga, often using famous anime characters from anime TV series or major professional manga. Most of the time the doujinshi that make it into the hands of Western collectors are pornographic fan produced “homage” to favorite anime series, but not all doujinshi are pornographic. Actually, only a relatively small percentage of the total amount of doujinshi created in Japan are actually pornographic, but these books simply aren’t usually very interesting or collectable for Western fans that can’t read Japanese.

In a technical sense, there is also a difference between “ecchi” manga and “hentai” manga, ecchi manga being merely risqué while hentai manga is graphically pornographic and intended only for adult readers. As examples, manga series like Goldenboy, Iketeru Futari, Otenki Oniisan (Weathergirl Report), G-Taste and Futari ni Omakase are “ecchi” because they contain heavy sexual humor, exploitive shots and scenes and a heavy emphasis on sexual innuendo but relatively little actual physical sex. A lot of yaoi manga including Kizuna and Bronze may also be considered “ecchi” even though they may contain actual physical sex because their focus is not on erotic titillation but on style and sensuality rather than “vulgar” pornography. Naturally then, hentai manga can be thought of as the “hardcore” pornographic manga that contain graphic sexual situations, intended more for vicarious sexual gratification than “innocent” reading pleasure.