# What id the difference between “Hentai” and “Anime”... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546 "2002-12-18T14:22:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/1 "2002-12-18T14:22:37Z")
And is it all necessarily porn? BTW, I’m posting this here because it has to do with entertainment, I hope this is the right forum. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/2 "2002-12-18T14:26:45Z")
“Anime” refers to animated cartoons done in the distinctive Japanese style – huge eyes, small mouth, simplistic faces, highly detailed everything else. Originated by Go Nagai about a zillion years ago in his comics. “Hentai” is, from what I understand, a Japanese word meaning, roughly, “anime with sexual content”, ranging from nudity to hardcore sex to weird sex with nonhuman beings, anything from cute little teddy bears to hideous tentacled things that would scare H.P. Lovecraft. ---
**Author:** ![MrMyth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19b73/32.png) [@MrMyth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMyth)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/3 "2002-12-18T14:34:22Z")
Hentai is porn by deifinition. Anime is everything else, from giant robots to a guy who can’t get a date. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/4 "2002-12-18T14:36:02Z")
\*\*Wang-Ka \*\* wrote > [@](#): > > …hideous tentacled things that would scare H.P. Lovecraft. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/5 "2002-12-18T14:39:46Z")
[hijack]Lovecraft was scared by the monsters he depicted, right? He didn’t write about these things thinking, “Cool. Wish I had one of these in my basement.” Right? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/6 "2002-12-18T14:40:49Z")
Well, no, but I’m pretty sure he never even dreamed that there would one day be a whole genre of Japanese cinema involving having SEX with them… ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/7 "2002-12-18T14:54:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Janx \* > \*\*\*\*Wang-Ka \*\* wrote > :eek: \*\* What, you’ve never heard anyone mention tentacle rape on the net before? And strange as it sounds I’m being serious. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/8 "2002-12-18T14:59:54Z")
\*\* Silentgoldfish \*\* wrote > [@](#): > > What, you’ve never heard anyone mention tentacle rape on the net before? And strange as it sounds I’m being serious. I have seen some samples of space alien stuff, but the ”eek” was in reference to the **scare H.P. Lovecraft** comment. Any suggestions? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/9 "2002-12-18T15:06:03Z")
The word “Hentai” is the Japanese word for “strange,” “pervert/ed” or “weird.” It’s really more descriptive than anything else. I find it amusing to imagine Japanese video stores having a “Pervert Section.” 🙂 Incidentally, you might run across an anime described as “ecchi.” It refers to anime that has sexual or obscene content, but not enough to qualify as hentai. South Park could be described as ecchi. It actually comes from the Japanese pronunciation of the letter H (or that’s what I’ve been told). ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/10 "2002-12-18T15:07:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Janx \* > \*\*\*\* Silentgoldfish \*\* wrote > > I have seen some samples of space alien stuff, but the ”eek” was in reference to the **scare H.P. Lovecraft** comment. > > Any suggestions? > > 😃 \*\* Fortunatly it’s like scat. I know what it is and I know that it’s done but I’ve never had the misfortune to actually see it. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/11 "2002-12-18T15:25:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silentgoldfish \* > \*\*Fortunatly it’s like scat. I know what it is and I know that it’s done but I’ve never had the misfortune to actually see it. \*\* You mean like Ella Fitzgerald or Scatman Crothers? I didn’t know their music was porn. 😕 BTW, 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/12 "2002-12-18T15:26:14Z")
Scat SINGING and scat PORN are two different critters, very much so. Fortunately. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/13 "2002-12-18T15:37:22Z")
Oh, dear. Now those were two topic that really didn’t need to be cross-linked in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/14 "2002-12-18T15:43:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Scat SINGING and scat PORN are two different critters, very much so. [valley girl] I know! [/valley girl] Imagine the surprise on my Dad’s face when he gets the free subscription to _Scat Lover’s_ that I sent him. ## Oh well… I got an e-mail of some very odd hentai stuff the other day. Didn’t even click a link, it was in the text body. Do people really find that “get off-able” stuff? 'Cause to me, it just looked like cartoons. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/15 "2002-12-18T16:32:17Z")
\*\* NoClueBoy \*\* wrote > [@](#): > > Do people really find that “get off-able” stuff? 'Cause to me, it just looked like cartoons. I don’t, it all reminds me of Poké Mon, and Speed racer. I never found any of this stuff mildly titillating – just weird. I did want to know the difference ‘cos it all looks the same to me. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/16 "2002-12-18T17:36:13Z")
I’ve actually heard that the best way for a new anime company to make money is to pick up a few hentai titles. So, obviously, **somebody** has to find it attractive. Okay, I know one of you perverts in this thread are responsible. 'Fess up. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/17 "2002-12-18T17:56:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wang-Ka \* > \*\*Scat SINGING and scat PORN are two different critters, very much so. > \*\* Shipwapdibbi-boobopsombodeezebeenwooshedbabaa-baabadap-badap-badap ---
**Author:** ![deathawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@deathawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deathawk)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/18 "2002-12-18T18:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > \*\*I’ve actually heard that the best way for a new anime company to make money is to pick up a few hentai titles. So, obviously, **somebody** has to find it attractive. Okay, I know one of you perverts in this thread are responsible. 'Fess up. \*\* I don’t think that’s as true now as it was 5-7 years ago. What I suspect you are thinking of is this fact: AD Vision, which is now one of the dominant companies in the American distribution marketplace got itself into that position via Hentai. For their first year or two, they were almost exclusively hentai other than a few oddball (though enjoyable) titles. They pretty much used the _large_ amount of cash & the relationships generated to outbid others for some of the really big titles. I knew the director of marketing at the time. The stories he told me about american porn distributors that kept calling him for the stuff were quite hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/19 "2002-12-18T18:36:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Miskatonic \* > \*\*Shipwapdibbi-boobopsombodeezebeenwooshedbabaa-baabadap-badap-badap \*\* Check the post times. It was likely a simulpost. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546/20 "2002-12-18T19:24:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by deathawk \* > \*\*I don’t think that’s as true now as it was 5-7 years ago. What I suspect you are thinking of is this fact: AD Vision, which is now one of the dominant companies in the American distribution marketplace got itself into that position via Hentai. For their first year or two, they were almost exclusively hentai other than a few oddball (though enjoyable) titles. They pretty much used the _large_ amount of cash & the relationships generated to outbid others for some of the really big titles. I knew the director of marketing at the time. The stories he told me about american porn distributors that kept calling him for the stuff were quite hilarious. \*\* That’s interesting. Stuff like this is the reason I come here, after all. Gah, I have no doubt the calls were roughly like the thousands of spams I get every week. Dirty toons! Cat girl rape! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-id-the-difference-between-hentai-and-anime/143546.md?page=2)