Why "Ecchi" is More Enticing Than Nudity in JAV

Actresses: Monami Takarada:

The main strength of ecchi is its suggestiveness, as opposed to outright revealing the woman's body. It leaves a lot of the erotic appeal to the watcher's imagination, allowing them to fantasize about what might happen (or about the woman in general) instead of merely watching something erotic play out according to the JAV creators. This gives the watcher a greater role in the JAV, leaving them to exercise their personal creativity, and giving them a greater sense of attachment when watching.

This is part of a phenomenon associated with the human psyche, as it is said that the imagining or anticipation for something can sometimes be regarded as more satisfying than the actual thing itself. Take for example the classic "bubble filter" (which is referred to as another term, but unfortunately I've forgotten!) often seen online applied to lewd anime scenes:

This is from the well-regarded and highly sexy measuring scene from the anime "My Dress-Up Darling". The girl in question is not nude during this scene, she is only wearing a swimsuit:

However, the bubble filter applied over the image makes her appear nude due to it concealing her swimsuit - this is essentially how ecchi functions, and it applies to real women with JAV too. Sometimes the imagination can allow for a more powerful lewd sensation than actual nudity/sex. Here's a video applying this filter to some lewd anime scenes, making them infinitely more erotic:

Actress: Riho Hasegawa:

Anticipation is a highly powerful emotion, and it is one of the many elements that make ecchi so elaborate and sexually seductive. Ecchi teases the watcher and has them expecting more to happen, as well as pondering what might happen. It's a buildup that has watchers hoping for some sort of payoff or reward, and considering this is JAV we're talking about, there almost always is. This, in a way, could perhaps make ecchi less stimulating, as the watcher knows they'll always receive a reward. In my opinion, ecchi works best when the watcher doesn't know whether or not there will be an equally engaging reward/outcome.

For example, a JAV actress could be entering a hot spring, but her body is shrouded in convenient steam, blocking viewers from witnessing her nudity. Another classic example is when a male walks in on a woman when she's undressing, with anything sexy to follow being interrupted by something random. Such moments have watchers anticipating something more and leaves them curious as to what will happen next. Compare this to a JAV getting right into the sex immediately - there just doesn't seem to be as much "excitement" behind it. Ecchi is very much like foreplay, as it essentially sets the stage and gets the watcher "warmed up" in a way, so that the actual payoff is more satisfying.

This is no different than the anticipation formed whilst watching a suspenseful movie or playing a game, and that anticipation is part of the enjoyment factor, with the payoff, similarly, being more impactful.

Actresses: Ran Aoi, Ria Hinata, Shuuka Katayose:

Another facet of ecchi worth discussing is the fact there's more of an artistic aspect to it. Ecchi moments often end up highlighting a character's beauty or elegance, and sometimes by being rather creative. An outdoors scene might have a female character's body covered up by a glaring white sun ray or convenient shadows, or say, steam, going back to the onsen example. Such means of covering up nudity is artistic, as it makes use of a realistic part of the setting, whilst still maintaining the mysterious and sensuous allure that is inherent to ecchi. This aspect makes ecchi more layered and gives it more depth, unlike outright nudity and intercourse.

From a cultural standpoint, such a focus bears similarity to more traditional aspects of art. It is said that art that "suggests" rather than outright "shows" has been coveted more often than not in comparison to art that merely directly depicts the subject in question. Ecchi is essentially a lewd form of this concept, blending sensuality with artistry.

Actresses: Rena Miyashita:

Ecchi's ability to combine both sex appeal and comedy is also a highly praiseworthy factor. As I've mentioned countless times before, sex and humor go hand-in-hand, as sex is naturally a comical act that makes participants happy, and I think adding humor to a JAV only makes it better. Ecchi by nature is playful as it often occurs in a way that's comedic, giving the watcher a similar light-hearted sensation. Very often, JAV sex scenes take themselves a bit seriously, focusing too much on the fetishes and instilling pleasure in the viewer, and don't realize that sex is ultimately a happy and joyous thing. Ecchi takes things in a different direction with its more comical approach and sets itself apart.

Going back to the "walking in on a woman undressing" example from a while back, such a scene could result in exaggerated reactions or "misunderstandings" between the characters involved, or even make use of comical objects placed in the scene to cover up the nudity (like a rubber duck in the bathtub). Ecchi makes a scene like this humorous, erotic, and "alluringly mysterious" all at the same time.

While most watch JAV specifically for the intent of self-pleasure, moments like these help to appeal to all different types of watchers, from newbies to the genre to JAV veterans, and it helps to solidify the fact that erotica is not always about pounding the dick into every orifice in the woman's body in a serious way - JAV can have more depth and entertainment value to it beyond ecstasy.

Mao Hamasaki, Megumi Maki, Mayu Manabe:

This one could be debated a bit, but often, JAV with ecchi moments tend to not be as hardcore as certain JAV out there. You usually don't get to witness the more extreme fetishes in such JAV, and I would argue humor and light-heartedness probably appeal more to the general consumer, especially those new to watching JAV. Ecchi's suggestive nature allows it to exist in a space that’s sensual without being overwhelming.

This "lighter" take on sex could serve as a gateway for the watcher to take that next step of immersing themselves in more JAV, eventually helping them to establish their own fetishes or favorite actresses, and explore the medium for all it's worth.