Sex in Zentai
Back in 2010, Bob, a 25-year-old programmer from California, was feeling frustrated. He posted on a forum about his sexual issues: “I’ve tried everything, but I get too nervous to maintain an erection when it’s time to get intimate.”
Bob and his girlfriend had tried various physiological and psychological treatments, but nothing worked.
One day, while browsing online, he stumbled upon a video of a girl wearing a zentai suit that covered her from head to toe. “I couldn’t take my eyes off her. An urge I couldn’t resist took over—I wanted both my girlfriend and me to wear it during sex,” Bob said.
His girlfriend found this idea to be the strangest thing she’d ever heard, but since they were deeply in love and willing to try anything to solve the issue, she agreed.
Bob recorded his thoughts on his blog: “Two weeks later, the suits arrived. Finally, I put it on and felt free. I loved its texture; it felt like a second skin. Jessica looked incredibly sexy in hers. It was amazing. I couldn’t see her face, and she couldn’t see mine. Who was I? I was free! We shed our identities and enjoyed ourselves.”
Zentai
If you’ve read my earlier article on fetishism, you’ll know that Bob’s dependency on a particular material to achieve sexual arousal falls under the category of fetishism, similar to those who fetishize latex, leather, or feet. But I bet you’re curious: what exactly were they wearing? Is it really that magical?
Today, let’s delve into a niche branch of fetishism—Zentai.
What is Zentai?
The term Zentai originated in Japan in the 1920s and 1930s. The full name, “Zenshin Taitsu” (全身タイツ), translates to “full-body tights.” Zenshin means “full-body,” and Taitsu means “tights.” So, zentai refers to a tight-fitting garment that covers the entire body from head to toe, typically made from nylon and spandex.
What does this remind you of? Power Rangers? Ultraman? Spider-Man?
Initially, zentai suits were indeed developed for use in theater, film, and various performances.
The first recorded instance of zentai was in an 1886 circus performance. By the 1920s and 1930s, zentai suits began appearing in Broadway performances. Today, George Méliès’s Black Light Theatre uses black zentai suits, and a British dance troupe called Remix Monkeys also performs in zentai suits. In modern special effects filming, the green-screen suit is essentially a green zentai suit.
The Cultural Significance of Zentai
In 1993, a group of people wearing zentai suits appeared on the streets of Japan. Completely covered with no visible eyes or mouths, they were anonymous and unrecognizable.
These were new zentai enthusiasts who disliked being stared at or labeled. They didn’t want to be judged as handsome, pretty, wealthy, or poor. So, they joyfully wore their zentai suits and walked the streets.
Not only in Japan, but zentai enthusiasts also began appearing in public spaces worldwide. This seemed like a rebellion against identity chauvinism and an escape from societal scrutiny, but it soon attracted government and academic attention.
Let’s first look at academic interpretations before discussing governmental concerns.
Melissa Locker, a psychological columnist from New Zealand, stated:
“Zentai changes the way wearers interact socially. It acts as a defense against external judgment, blocking suffocating evaluations from others. It allows wearers to gaze at others without being gazed at themselves, altering the traditional social dynamic of ‘seeing and being seen.’”
This might be a bit abstract, so let’s use some examples to clarify.
Personal Accounts
Hokkyoku Nigo, in her blog, explained why she loves zentai. She described herself as an ordinary girl who felt suffocated by others’ evaluations in daily life.
“They always said I was cute, gentle, naive, or innocent. My parents and friends all said it. Hearing it so often made me feel suffocated. Sometimes I wanted to swear or get a tattoo, but a voice inside told me I couldn’t, or I wouldn’t be gentle or pure anymore.”
“Wearing zentai is my way of healing from the harm of others’ evaluations. With zentai, I have no features or identity. I am free from their words and become my true self.”
An American dancer shared a similar story. She became a dancer because she loved dancing but feared public scrutiny.
After one performance, she overheard the audience’s comments focusing solely on her appearance and body rather than her dancing.
This devastated her, leading to depression and stage fright. Zentai gave her the courage to continue dancing. Wearing zentai on stage allowed her to avoid the judgmental gaze of the audience and regain her confidence.
These examples illustrate that zentai can evolve from a piece of clothing into a niche cultural symbol due to its inherent anonymity. It functions like a simple “invisibility cloak,” allowing wearers to temporarily escape societal roles and scrutiny.
Zentai appeals to a small group of young people who fear social interaction, offering them a sanctuary. Consequently, zentai often intersects with other “escapist” cultural phenomena, like anime.
Criticisms and Legal Issues
However, not all scholars agree with the “escape from scrutiny and heal oneself” theory.
In 2014, The Japan Times published an article titled “Zentai Enthusiasts Find New Identity in Fetish Suits,” suggesting that wearing zentai to avoid scrutiny is unrealistic. Instead, wearing zentai in public makes you the most noticeable person on the street, attracting even more attention.
The article bluntly stated, “Some people desire immense attention while maintaining anonymity, a contradictory and irresponsible behavior.”
An American college student named Amy also shared her experience of wearing zentai to class. Instead of reducing stress, it made her a topic of discussion on the school forum, exacerbating her anxiety.
These polarized views led to a debate: Should zentai be freely worn in public?
Public Opinion and Legal Stance
Supporters argue that clothing choice is a fundamental human right protected by the constitution. Banning zentai could set a precedent for restricting other clothing choices, leading to further human rights violations.
Opponents argue that encountering fully-covered individuals in public is intimidating and could facilitate criminal behavior, as anonymity might encourage misconduct, such as littering without consequence.
Currently, the prevailing view, particularly in Europe, is against allowing zentai in public. France, leading this stance, enacted a law in 2010 (often called the “Burqa Ban”), prohibiting face-covering headgear, including headscarves, helmets, and nylon hoods, with a 150-euro fine for violations.
Though the law primarily targets increasing terrorist activities and past incidents like the 1989 “Headscarf Affair,” it has effectively banned zentai in public spaces.
Fetishism
Returning to zentai enthusiasts, some are simply fetishists with no cultural or societal motives. They find sexual arousal in the material itself.
An anonymous zentai enthusiast shared that his first sexual fantasy during puberty involved a classmate in a tight-fitting dance outfit. He described the sensation of zentai as “comfortable” and giving a “sense of security.”
He explained that the tight, skin-hugging texture made him want to touch it, and the feeling of his body being tightly wrapped was the source of his sexual arousal.
Conclusion
Today, we’ve discussed the origin of zentai, why some people like it, and the public’s attitude towards it. Zentai, as clothing, is both ordinary and extraordinary. It’s ordinary because it’s familiar in various fields; extraordinary because it’s imbued with niche cultural significance and fetishistic appeal.
Writing this article, I found myself pondering societal and individual dynamics, roles and identities, and even philosophical questions like “Who am I?”
To understand better, I bought a zentai suit myself. I expected not to see outside while wearing it, but that wasn’t the case. The stretched fabric wasn’t completely opaque—it darkened my vision. Looking in the mirror, I saw a shadowy version of myself.
Lying on my bed, expressionless, thoughtless, timeless, I felt only the nylon fabric lightly brushing against my skin with each breath. The world seemed to forget me, leaving only myself, isolated from everything.
• The End –
References
1. Rayner, Ben. The development history of zentai suit. MedicalDaily, 2012, October 23.
2. Crawford, Ashley. “Private worlds.” The Australian, 2 August 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
3. “全身タイツ definition.” Weblio. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
4. Bascaramurty, Dakshana. “Zentai suits – not just fetish wear any more.” The Globe and Mail, 28 October 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
5. PVHAECKE, “Zentai (ゼンタイ),” https://psychocinematography.com/2014/10/05/small-commentaries-zentai-hokkyoku-nigo-north-pole-no-2/
6. Ozawa, H. “‘Zentai’ fans search for identity in fetish suits.” The Japan Times, 17 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014 from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/04/17/national/full-body-suits-give-identity-freedom-to-japans-zentai-festish-fans
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