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Content Warning! Content Warnings: Mentions of explicit themes and sexual harassment. |
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"Sukebe" (JP) is a term for a character who is very lecherous and perverted. They will openly and freely express their lustful desires, even when in public. They have a sexual lust that is regarded as abnormal or unacceptable.
Etymology
Meaning of the Term
Sukebe (スケベ) is a Japanese word for a "pervert" or "lecher", or in other words "a person whose sexual lust is regarded as abnormal or unacceptable".[1][2]
A character who is extremely lecherous can also be referred to as "dosukebe" (ドスケベ). The prefix "do" (ド) is a word used for adding emphasis that roughly translates to "super" or "very".[3]
History
Early instances of the sukebe archetype can be found in the 1985 manga series Dragon Ball. In the series, Master Roshi would regularly act lecherous and make perverted comments toward or grope women. Anytime he saw a woman without clothes on, he would get massive over-the-top nosebleeds. This trope would go on to be heavily repeated with later male sukebe characters, particularly within shounen manga, such as Sanji from the 1999 series ONE PIECE or Jiraiya from the 1999 series Naruto.
Personality
Sukebe are characters who are very lecherous and perverted. They are often highly promiscuous and experienced at being in relationships, but characters who simply lust for this kind of life fall under this too.
It is not uncommon for sukebe characters, usually male ones, to sexually harass others by making pervy comments or spying on them changing while lusting after them and making perverted faces. Female sukebe on the other hand, tend to be more outwardly seductive and open with their sex life.
Sukebe typically have no regard for public decency and are completely shameless. They will not care if other people see them behaving in lewd or perverted ways, or on the more extreme ends, even engaging in intimate sexual activities.
Sub-Types
There are two main types of sukebe characters. Those characters who live a highly promiscuous life and those that want it.
Lustful
Minoru Mineta from My Hero Academia
The lustful type of sukebe are those characters who have an overwhelming urge for sexual desires. They will not hesitate to sexually harass or spy on other characters while they are in compromising situations. They could be described as "creeps" or "predators".
They can often be found reading through dirty magazines or snooping in other people's laundry.
An example of this kind of sukebe would be the character Sanji from the manga series ONE PIECE. Sanji is highly perverted and will attempt to flirt with or sexually harass any remotely attractive woman he sees. His lifelong dream is to eat the Clear Clear Fruit so he can turn invisible and spy on women bathing.
Promiscuous
Panty Anarchy from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
The promiscuous type of sukebe are those characters who have an extremely obsessive sex life. They go around sleeping with lots of people and behave highly seductively. They could be described as "sex addicts" or "nymphomaniacs".
An example of this kind of sukebe would be the character Panty Anarchy from the anime series Panty & Stocking. Panty is obsessed with having sex and has it as much as she can. She will go around town looking for different men to sleep with and has no issues with doing it with absolutely anybody, even in public.
Differences From Other Archetypes
Sukebe is similar erodere—characters who act very erotic at first and try to seduce their love interest by causing sexual arousal in them but after falling in love starts to have a more pure, innocent, and romantic deredere love—but the biggest difference is where the perverted actions are directed and the fact that sukebe characters do not have a pure and cute deredere side. Erodere characters try to seduce and cause arousal in another person (specifically their love interest), while a sukebe character is someone who becomes aroused and acts perverted or lustful because they cannot contain their sexual desires. In a way, a sukebe is the perfect counterpart for an erodere character as they would be incredibly easy to seduce. Another huge difference is the fact that an erodere character only behaves this way to towards the person they harbor deredere feelings for, while it's not uncommon for a sukebe to lust over nearly everyone of the opposite gender who breathes. Additionally, an erodere character changes after experiencing true love and becomes a more shy and timid person who gets embarrased by erotic things, instead preferring a more cute lovey-dovey kind of relationship, unlike a sukebe character who doesn't have to change (though of course they still can but it doesn't have to be in a deredere way).
Similar Archetypes
- Erodere: A term for a character who acts very erotic at first and tries to seduce their love interest by causing sexual arousal in them but after falling in love starts to have a more pure, innocent, and romantic deredere love.
List of Characters
Gallery
.jpg "Jiraiya (Naruto).jpg (36 KB)") Jiraiya from Naruto  Ryo Saeba from City Hunter  Reita Toritsuka from Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan  Minoru Mineta from My Hero Academia  Kuroko Shirai from Toaru Majutsu no Index  Meliodas from Nanatsu No Taizai |
References
- ↑ What is Sukebe. Pixiv Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Entry Details for Sukebe. Tanoshii Japanese (2023/12/10).
- ↑ What is Dosukebe. Pixiv Encyclopedia.