"ecchi = perverted situations"
That's my fundemental problem with the predominant viewpoint of anything to do with the human body actually. Well the predominant Noreth American viewpoint as applied to anything perceived as "cartoons".
As I understand the mindset forced on us (and yes I meant to say forced on us), a cartoon is meant for a little kid ie someone under 13 for some odd manner of reasoning.
And as such, the people that like to see to all my needs ie protect me from what THEY see is wrong with the world, can't handle the sight of female lingerie, breasts, and actual full nudity (no detail full nudity that is).
It makes me wonder why Barbie dolls don't get sold with clothing that can't be removed, and baby dollies with a similar inability to be undressed. After all, we don't want our impressionable minors seeing that under her dress Barbie has tits. And naked minors is just plain sick.
The only thing I call hentai, is sexual congress between two humans regardless of whether it's matching parts or opposing parts. Oral entertainment or manual pleasuring. And it really doesn't count for much if they're out of sight under a blanket.
But while it is totally no problem if it isn't in a cartoon, it appears the moment it in a cartoon, it's suddenly wrong. Hell we teach our kids all manner of things about "lifestyle choices" but heaven forbid a lifestyle choice should happen to an imaginary person eh.
Sorry for the rant.
I've seen hentai, the REAL deal hentai. In all it's amazing detail hentai. Complete with "the human male can't produce that much fluid in real life" hentai
To me, ecchi is a term that does not translate into quasi soft core hentai.
It's mainly about people too concerned with hang ups that never were a problem to the culture where the anime came from.
Anime, one of the few things about the internet that doesn't make me hate the internet.