“I am writing again to the S Spot with a question that has bugged me for years. Often when you encounter hentai/manga/anime, the cheeks of different characters are colored bright red. I understand that it is usually used to convey embarrassment. However, I also noticed that many hentais feature women with the same red colored cheeks. Assuming of course that they are aroused, why exactly do they seem embarrassed? Put another way, why depict a character in a sexual situation to be embarrassed? Is it some kind of repressed embarrassment about sex within modern Japanese culture? Your help is always appreciated.“
It’s funny to me when people ask about “repressed Japanese culture”. Yes there are complicated rules about politeness and honour in many aspects of social interaction in Japan, but, as far as I know, the Japanese, historically and currently, are less repressed about sex and sexuality than North Americans (as a group). Where else could you walk into a restaurant that has mirrors on the floor and pantiless waitresses? It’s the land of tentacle sex and cat girls, and clubs that look like subway cars, where you can grope away to your heart’s content!
In any case, whatever the social background, I would say that there are two possible reasons for red/pink cheeks on hentai characters in sexual situations:
1. Exertion. Sex can be a lot of hard work and many real women become flushed (esp after orgasm); the pink cheeks in some hentai may be replicating this.
2. Yes, embarrassment/shyness. Many hentai fans (and artists) have a thing for characters who may be a tad reluctant/shy at first, but who later give in to their carnal urges with gusto. So, the embarrassed pink cheeks can be hot because one would imagine that the character is surprised by her own previously undiscovered (or merely undisclosed) sexual appetite – which can be considered kawaii (cute) and thus a huge turn on.
Need an example? I thought you might. Here’s an except from a Co-ed Sextacy adventure (to give you a little back story, Nagi and Akira go to the same university and are dating, they also enjoy a little bondage play):
(click to enlarge)
Good Thursday evening to you, Shay !
I always liked the hentai pictures. Both reasons make sense.
Couldn’t open any of the three nagi/akira excerpts – darn.
hmm. interesting question. i never thought about the blushed faces before.
i didn’t have any trouble opening up the photos, but maybe you fixed it by now?
and as for your comment on japanese art–i took a college course “art of japan” for fun (the teacher had a reputation for being an easy A). i really enjoyed it; the things i remembered were that imperfections were valued in art (especially in things like ceramics) because it made it unique. also, they had really explicit paintings–women with robes positioned at very sensual drapings over their curves, etc. art that tried its best to explore and display human emotions were well received.
According to the Urban Dictionary, “nosebleeds are the anime version of an erection (well, in most anime that’s appropriate for ages 16 and below), where a male character will bleed profusely from the nose when sexually excited. Seeing that girls don’t have erections and they can’t show her panties getting wet, anime girls experience extremely red blush across their faces.”
Annie – hmm well they should be completely fixed now. :)
Anon – Bird courses really can be the most interesting ones sometimes. ^_^
Prospero – it’s hilarious that UD would have something like that.
Personally I always thought that the flush was sort of a flush of arousal when combined with either starry eyes or heavy-lidded looks. Some people get a bit warmer when they’re intensely turned on; partially psychological and partially biological (the same way embarrassment works—the heart pounding, and the pores sweating, the dryness of the mouth, etc).
LOL, that shit is way too funny. I have to share this.