personally i think it is, i mean it's INCREDIBLY HARD to get the human figure to come ouy correctly. on the other hand there's ALOT of trash that's just for sexual content, and it's hard to find really GOOD artwork out there, but when you it's amazing, personally i draw nudes all the time and i marvel at some of the artwork in hentai, and because it's hard to come across nude artwork that ISN'T supposed to be pornographic, i have to dig through hentai, whick i don't really mind, i mean you can usually tell if it's trash from the thumbnail. but i was just wondering if anyone else here had the same thought on hentai as me, in that it CAN be art.

-- Anonymous, January 25, 2001

Answers

but then there are people who just find the human body beautiful.

-- Anonymous, March 24, 2001

I believe that the nude body, displayed in a tasteful way, can be art.

Except maybe chunky people...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.....

-- Anonymous, January 25, 2001

Any art can be artistic, even porn. It all depends... I prefer clothed furry anthropomorphic/lycanthromorphic art, myself, but hey, to each his own... or her own...

-- Anonymous, January 27, 2001

I agree. It is incredibly difficult to draw any human, clothed or not. Our body propotions are artocious. We try to be symetrical, but our efforts are in vail. Thats why animals are so much easier to replicate in the two dimetional world.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

I am not what I would consider an expert on fine art. However, it seems to me that art is ANY image that the artist has created for him or her self, and creates a feeling in him or her. I believe art is created for that reason (among others) and is shown to other people to hopefully strike some cord / create a feeling / stir emotion and thought in the viewer. However distasteful some people find hentai and other "hard core" manga images, you must admit that from the above definition, all hentai is indeed art. In some hentai, the women are depicted in such an exagerated state, the images are clearly a deep view into one persons very personal view of what sex is to him/her, or a facet of sex for him/her. What is the difference between a Maplethorpe image and much hentai / manga out there? I say very little. Remember - art provokes emotion, and much hentai does exactly this, no matter if the emotion is mostly sexual in nature. You can't judge content in art. Where does one draw the line, I here you ask? Ah - a question that can never truly be answered.......

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2001

Oh my word that is beautiful. Honestly... I couldn't have said it better. Incidentally... here's a spinoff topic... can it be considered art if the artist creates it not for themselves and others but simply for a profit? I ask this since I'm going into a career in the fine arts, and some of what I'll be making will be made solely for profit. Does it still count as art?

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Ah - this is a question of a different nature, because it has as much to do with the viewer as the creator's intent. Hentai or any porn is the most excellent example of this philisophical question: If the image is created purely for profit, or some other kind of "not real art" reason, and the WAY it is viewed acutally CHANGE it into art? This is the same as the old saw about the two year old who finger painted something that ended up in a Manhattan gallery - when the avant garde crowd went nuts for it, did that make it art, or was it always art?

Perhaps, does the definition of art ultimately reside in the viewer? Is it EVER in control of the creator?

I myself am an Industrial Designer - I design furniture right now. As far as I am concerned, nothing I ever do is art. However, if 100 years from now my bathroom cabinets are considered sublime pieces of satirical cultural comment, what the hell can I even do about it?

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

I believe hentai is art (of course)that is just distasteful in the eyes of some. I think that the main purpose of it though is to entertain perverts(like me although hentai isn't my thing. I consider myself a mild pervert. To some people perversion is a way of life but not me. I think most people are perverted to a degree whether they admit it or not). I know some who I think couldn't live without porn of some kind.

-- Anonymous, March 24, 2001

Or some that don't!

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2001

You want good art work... Do it your self!!!!!!

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

I believe there are millions of ways different people see hentai, perverted, distasteful, wonderful... I personaly draw hentai and allot of non hentai,(OK SO IM PERVERTED!!!!!DEAL WITH IT!!!lol)and i balance it out well, but it is art! Whether it is a simple nude figure or sexual acts, i draw it to show an emotion, such as pleasure, love, exctasy,embarrasment, surprise(like that shower one lol..) and i learn by viewing hentai!! its art if it envokes emotion in its viewer.(no matter what emotion, including disgust!)and i qoute Bubba on this, "WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE ART"

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

Well, Japanese Cartoon Animated Poronography is not a favorate subject of ine because it has many different variations like for instance, Voryer, Lesbian, Gay, Group, Oral, Anal, Origional, Doggy, Threesome, Foursome etc. There are many kinds of this art that are miraclusly making money off of poeple that drew them. I think that if you really like to see either Man or Woman I think that you have either a wanting to loose your virginity or you seem to like your same sex which I will get into that later.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Hentais has a certain DRIVE for an artist, it create a release of tension within the mind, sleep well...........

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2001

Personally, I think that Hentai can be one of the "more-classic" artforms than normal art. Why? The human body has been a mystery for mankind since it came into existance, that's why we sometimes look at someone or some drawing of someone and go "wow". Hentai, can be one of the purest artforms, unfortunately (In most cases) people draw it for sexual purposes, which can be art, but one quickly gets the idea of trash in those instances. In short, It is art, if it is drawn correctly.

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2001

What's art is for you to decide.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2002

Hello my name is scott i have been watching, drawing and folowing the art of hentai for a verry long time most anime's are simply cartoons transferd to america for childrin because of there comidical perpous. I think that it shout be that way, fine let the little children have shows like DragonBall Z and gundom wing but there are some anime's not ment for children those are called hentai. Hentai was ment for the mature croud to say sex is not somthing to do but to feel and the human bodie is not to be wronged for being showed but to be itled for every one has a bodie why can we not show it to others. Some parents think hentai is a wrong immature sort of cartoon but it was writtin by adults thought to be watched by mature adults not children but why is it that some children can respect the bodie more then grown men. We may never know this ansor but what we do know is hentai is not some sort of porn hiddin in storie line not at all if you see it as that then you are as immature as you blame others to be...

...Just Alittle Peace Of My Mind...

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

An interesting conversation. I've been running a site called "hentai is Art" for a few years now. I've ran a mixture of things to see what people would say. "is" "isn't" Truth be told 90% of what is on the web is rubbish. (my two year old son could do better) Yet there is that 10% out there that is very tastefull art. Thou with copyright theft everywhere the "good suff" is locked away. Even the stuff I do has been ripped off left and right and used in sites I've never heard of. Now a days garbage rules in the land of Hentai. Examples are difficult to come by. Those that help to prove that Hentai is art. and the battle for the "hentai is art" people has been very dificult indeed. It is invigorating to see an open minded discussion on this topic. My point? Hentai is art. Its just harder every day to prove that it is.

-- Anonymous, January 25, 2002

wow the guy who started this question sure got alot of answers......of course its art! if someone puts an effort into a drawing, then its art. i really hate how stupid porn sites make money off it! its acctually kinda funny, people pay just to see drawings!! lol!ya......ill quit my banter now.....

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2002

I agree. There are some hentai work thats actually drawn nicely. Most of the nudes that are posing are good, but if its too perverted than I don't really bother looking at it (sometimes).

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

I beleive art is the representation of anything, but it has to be a product of the human mind. that is what makes it interesting. people are interested in each others minds and how they see things.

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2002

I am actually going to disagree with most hentai being art. The definition of art is "the use of the imagination to make things of aesthetic significance". Sex historically in most cultures has always been something that is sacred and beautiful, it has always been something meant to be a bond between to people who are wholey and utterly involved. Hentai portrays the most aesthetically significant act and union in a way that is neither beatiful or respectful to it. It demeens the most sacred and beautiful act mankind can paricipate in and drags it through the mud. Hentai though it may take talent to create does not portray thing in a beautiful light but in a filthy and base manner. It takes characters of beauty created in the potential artists mind and warps into the opposite of art. Hentai demeans women, men, and the acts of sex. Now this being said there are pictures labled hentai that are not hentai. Hentai is defined as a picture depicting explicit sexual acts. Now though I notice any drawn picture with nudity has been place under the heading of hentai. Many of these pictures are tastefull and artistic, however they are not hentai. In short my view is that yes there are pictures many would consider as prongraphic that are really art, but truly pornographic pictures, pictures meant soley to bring sexual arrousal ar not art. They do not bring any aesthetic appreciation of the characters, merely lust. So no hentai should not be considered art but one should be careful what they label hentai.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2002

Well its kinda hard to answer that question and, I do agree with what the person above said...that was deep dude,never thought of it like that... but I also have to say, that mostly any type of hentai or as I like to call it 'romantic' hentai, can have diffrent effects on people.While some people would call it gross and descusting,those who are very..uh whats the word i'm lookin for... calm and cool about porn and hentai would have no problem looking at at it. Some people would find it arousing, hardcore or just beautiful 'artwork',no matter regular Hentai or Romantic 'artwork' Hentai.

Basically it all depends on your maturity and/or definition of 'art'. Because when you look at it 'art' has no actual definition.

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2002

art is what you percieve it to be, not by anyone elses definition regardless wether that person percieves it to be distasteful or demeaning to them. I have drawn since I was little, and I enjoy viewing anyones work. I don't critic negatively anyones work but my own, and I don't believe anyone should try to define art for others. Pardon the cliche but "what is one persons junk is another persons treasure" Even hentai.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2002

I'm curious as to when this whole "art has no definition" kick began. Art is defineable and that definition has not changed. Art is not just a matter of perception, and only a fool believes in the indefinable anyway. It is pure and total justification to say it's art and that art is indefinable.I look at hentai sometimes and sometimes like it, does that make it art? Hell no! In essence art is art regardless of perception. Hentai in general is not art. It has no aesthetic value.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2002

I'm a girl, and I admit it, I like "Hentai" And you know what? The Truth is the meaning of the word "Hentai" is pervert. It's actually become used to describe any sexual thing on internet, because I can search "Hentai" and find, not the lovely art that I look for, but some photographic porn. Hentai is art. In fact, I'd have to say that Sex itself is art, because it is probably the most prominent aspect of any art form for a long time, even if it's only in inuendo. But I HAVE to say that Hentai is usually the BEST QUALITY images that I collect. Or at least images from hentai sites. You can actually find very decent and innocent pics from hentai sites with images from games or animes. There can be absolutely nothing sexual about it, but in the end it leads up to something that involves sex. Hentai should not be bashed. Hentai is art, because I don't find that reliable of sites without searching for hentai art ^_~ And don't listen to jackasses who make fun of issues. Hentai is beautiful, and plus it's actually educational, because people have a right to know about something as natural as sex, and some people can't even HANDLE pornograhic photographs (I know I couldn't before I started looking at hentai. I still don't like them, but I'm no longer repulsed.) If it weren't for hentai, I would be... shall we say... different.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2002

Hey i'm an art student some might know me some here might even know my art work but i must say that hentai as you have come to define it as you have not accepted the right definition is art all of it is as by the elements of art so is a stick figure but when your teying to figure out as to if its fine art or even good art that comes into your eye and everyone else's it my be art to one person but not to the other i think this was best described by the earlier statement of one pesrons trash is another persons treasure personally i hate pecaso's later cubistic works frankly i feel that i could do better in my sleep but the person who stands right next to me could love it and frankly no ones wrong no ones right when proving your point oppinions don't matter like when your writing an essay you have to have fact and the fact is that art is art from stick figured to michaelangelo's david but good art changes from person to person earlier someone asked about commertial art and if that was art first of all i think that you my friend would do yourself a favor if you when you got anassignment that really wasn't an idea that you agreed with you should take a step back and figure how could you make that idea your own and then when even though the idea doesn't show you in it your style or your approtch does then you will show yourself to those you are looking to convey to your audiance and then t goes from just being art to being good art for at least you and more than likely someone else or more art is indefinable because art is definable you can't define it because frankly it much work to convay something and there for it becomes undefinable sure art itself has a definition but the pure explaination of that definition changes from person to person try looking up the word in two different dictionaries you'll get two definitions with different loop holes though they will look somewhat simmilar in stating. well some how i feel that i have given you guys the impression that i am like mojo jojo so i will now leave you and maybe check the responces in a few days

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2002

you people are all perverted. I like hentai.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2002

I'm into fine arts myself and I dont find it that hard to draw a human body everyone has there own style to do art work as long as you keep to your own sytle it's very easy after a while. -----------------------------------

But the real reason that I'm here is that i'm opening a hentai site and i'm very business preparing and keeping things from falling apart. so Im looking for someone that can draw decent hentai that will be used to decorate the site. Yes I will be paying you for your work. But for the time being I can only hirer two people then more later on. If you are interested contact me through icq at 71767035 or e-mail me at blazing_sun81@hotmail.com.

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2002

If someone knows hoe to draw hentai can someone teach me cuz i want to know just drop me a line

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2002

Hey!!!!!!!! I want 2 lern how to draw hentai. som1 plz teach me!!!!

-- Anonymous, October 05, 2002

I think that hentai is art. though some of it may contain images that are discribed as "distasteful" but isn't this feeling something that has been put upon us by our respective societies? When I look at hentai, I am not sexually aroused at all, i am more facinated by the way in which human bodies can be portrayed.

even if people out there are drawing hentai for profit, there are simply filling the nitch, because I, as well as many others out there, can not draw hentai. (well, or at all)

thus those people are using their talents to allow the same connection that others may recieve by drawing hentai.

I do admit that hentai can cross a line. when hentai goes from something "artistic" to something used for pornographic uses though, it is no longer hentai.

PS I would like to learn how to draw better too, if you know of good online tutorials, drop me a line.

-- Anonymous, October 10, 2002

Surely the only point of art is to create emotion, no one puts that much time into creating something (like a piece of hentai) just to make something that looks pretty, they want to have an impact. So as soon as anything intended to have an impact has an impact and creates some emotion then I think it counts as art, even if only the artist appreciates it. Also, I think that romanticism and sex are the most powerful emotions there are, so why should we denounce things as sleazy just because they try and create these emotions?

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2002

Personaly I like anime type drawing. I even like the anime like Outlaw Star, DBZ, G Gundam, Cowboy Beebop. But I think that nudity in anime for me could ruin the image of the anime. I am also a Christian and I just don't want to see naked people on the shows I watch. I like action(such as fights and explosions) in the shows and animes I watch. I know you are probably talking about picture art. And I think that hentai it is not art because I like anime style drawlings and the show and movies. But I see anything like people naked and having sex then I will not watch it or even look at I because it discusted me. But theat is my opion. Sorry if I can't spell some of the words.

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2002

sorry I put down the wrong email address. It is right here.

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2002

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2002

I believe that hentai in many ways is a form of art and a way to express ones own thoughts and feelings into fantasy pictures. Even though most of it is pornographic, if done correctly, it can be very tasteful artwork.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2002

A lot of good things have been said on this post and quite a few stoopid answers =) I also believe that hentai can be art. Obviously you have to set boundaries as to what is hentai. As far as what is art that's the same as asking what is love. Simply, its a personal emotion that emanates from viewing someone else's work (be it art, music, books, films, you get my drift). So yeah hentai can def. be seen as art because, as most have said, it creates feelings and emotions attached to sexuality, and body image. Seeing a drawing of a beautiful women naked with imaginery body proportions can be very arousing but that feeling of being aroused can be seen in an art context. The best analogy i can give is erotic photography. IN the case of erotic photography, the depiction of nude bodies is done artisticly and with the aim of arousing the viewer but not only in a sexual way, but in an artistic way. Hentai is only a japanese version of what europeans have been doing for a few centuries, which is known as erotic drawing (manara being a prime example of this). If europeans can do it, and still be considered artists (as manara is) then why not hentai? It might involve a certain amount of perversion in instances of hardcore hentai, but even then if it's done well it can still be seen as art. I really like hentai, i like to watch it and appreciate its different values and also, like many have said, there is a lot of crap out there. But if you persevere enough you will find beautiful artwork that depicts human bodies and sexual acts in a way you might have never thought of. as with every art you must try and see beyond the content of the picture, think of yourself and the artist. What is he trying to get across? Lastly, i'd like to mention, that i can draw for shit, but i absolutly love collecting hentai and using it in graphic design. That is another thing you haven't mentioned. For example a lot of flyers for clubs and gigs, use hentai pictures in a set of design. Some records (uk drum n bass) use hentai pictures on their covers that are manipulated thru photoshop to give this sensation of forbidden and yet attractive. I love using them to make collages and montages that reflect the beauty of the body and of the sexual act. It becomes a catalyst for emotions that cannot be chanelled in other ways (apart from actually making lov to someone). Face it hentai and erotic art is here to stay, long live us =) Any feedback is appreciated. If anyone else is into graphic montages of erotic art pplease let me know. Peash

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2003

I"m an aspiring artist myself. I've taken a lot of art courses in school, but I'm mostly self-taught. I happen to read a lot of artbooks on "How To Draw Manga" and I'll tell you this. There's a LOT of good nude art being done in Japan, but here in the US, we have some serious issues with nudity. It isn't logical, but it IS true. What I'm really trying to say is "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", or words to that effect. I happen to think the human body itself is a wonderful work wrought by the hand of God. A nude body can be just as beautiful as the clothed form. Just a thought from an artist from the US.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2003

Also, some of these nimrods like that idiot i kill who posts as other people are idiots for disrespecting God's handiwork in Nature and the artists who draw manga and hentai.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2003

if anything i'd think that the exact opposite, for "imitation is the greatest form of flatery" (i don't have the qoute on hand, but you get the idea)

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2003

Kinda off the topic... But why does an automatic link click every few seconds.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2003