What does Futanari or Futa mean?

Not all consumers of Japanese culture know about futanari or futa, but it is easy to find the term in anime forums or hentai sites. Curiosity is inherent. It is not a usual concept in the West.

The term has a strong historical and cultural load, but its current use on the internet presents specific characteristics: a mix of genders, visual fantasy, and characters that challenge biological rules.

What is Futanari (or Futa)?

The Japanese word “futanari” (二形) means something like “dual form” or “sexual ambiguity.” In current usage, it refers to characters with predominantly female bodies (breasts, hips, face), but with a penis — sometimes also retaining female genitalia. In other words, a hermaphrodite, a figure of sexual duality, created for erotic purposes, especially within the hentai niche.

The abbreviated term, futa, is basically a Westernized and practical way to refer to the same category. If you search for “futa” on platforms like Nhentai, Rule34, or Gelbooru, you will literally find thousands of contents that follow this formula.

It is not a gender identity. It has no relation to the reality of transgender or intersex people. Futanari is a product of fantasy — idealized, exaggerated, beyond biological limits — and exists in that specific place of the hentai imaginary.

Origin and History of Futa

The concept of futanari had been part of Japanese culture for centuries before it became a popular genre in modern hentai. The conception of a being with traits of both sexes emerged as a symbol of something spiritual, ambiguous, and sacred, not as a fetish.

During the Heian period (794–1185), classical literature mentioned androgynous figures in tales and myths. Sexual duality was considered a special manifestation, often linked to the supernatural. It was during the Edo period (1603–1868) that this ambiguity materialized in visual arts.

Shunga, erotic art in woodblock printing, began to depict bodies that challenged classical categories of sex. Images presented women with penises as symbols of fertility, balance, and power, not for provocation. It was more conceptual art than erotism.

The term “futanari” designated people with androgynous behaviors or traits, not limited to eroticism. In certain spiritual traditions, a being that transcended the masculine and feminine was considered more divine. The archetype of the androgynous also exists in other ancient cultures, but in Japan, it thrived due to the influence of esoteric Buddhism.

In the 20th century, with the adult manga industry, especially the doujinshi, futanari became a visual fetish. Independent artists began to explore this concept more freely, creating stories in which these characters were the focus of fantasies.

Global popularization occurred in the 1990s, with animes and hentais disseminated through VHS, forums, and scanlations. “Futa” is an abbreviation of futanari, used by Western communities, and has become one of the most searched genres on adult sites today.

Futanari Works and Characters

Not everything involving futa is explicit or devoid of plot. Some works stand out for exploring the theme well — not just for the eroticism, but for the way they build the universe around the characters.

• “Futa Fix Dick Diner” (2021): Produced by the studio Pink Pineapple, it is a short hentai, but very straightforward. The story takes place in a diner where all the employees are futanari. Interestingly, despite the simple plot, it is one of the most watched titles in the genre.
• “Oni Chichi: Rebuild” (alternative version): Some scenes in parallel adaptations of the series brought futa characters, even though it is not the central focus. This shows how the concept has been included even in more mainstream hentai titles.
• “Futabu!”: An absolute classic. It revolves around an exclusive school club for futanari girls who, of course, “practice” together. The anime became a reference for those looking to understand how the genre evolved within the hentai industry.

In addition, many independent artists in Japan and the West create doujinshis (amateur mangas) with futa characters from well-known series, such as Naruto, My Hero Academia, Re:Zero or One Piece, transforming female protagonists into futanari versions through alternative narratives.

Where Does the Fascination Come From?

The popularity of futa is not just a coincidence of the internet. There is a very clear appeal: the merging of opposites. For many, it is the “best of both worlds.” The female figure is hypersexualized, but with an element that, for some, symbolizes domination, power, or breaking patterns.

Furthermore, futanari challenges visual limits. Instead of two people interacting, the body of a single character generates dynamics that would be biologically impossible — something that hentai explores quite frequently, including in themes like self-stimulation and role reversal.

And there’s more: the fact that it is a purely visual fantasy, with no connection to real discussions of gender or sexuality, gives futanari a narrative freedom that other categories do not have.

The Difference Between Futanari and Trans Content

Don’t mix things up. A futa character is not a trans woman, nor an intersex person. They are distinct worlds. In futa, the body is idealized. The proportions are exaggerated, the situations absurd, and everything aims to provoke quick emotion.

Issues of gender and sexuality in real life encompass complex experiences, social recognition, identity, mental health, acceptance, and transitions.

Those who consume futanari are not necessarily interested in LGBTQIA+ representations. They often seek escapism and visual fantasy.

Futanari Outside of Hentai: Does It Appear?

Yes, and more than you might imagine. The concept has migrated to other media.

Visual novel games feature futa characters as romantic routes. Platforms like DLsite and FANZA offer adult RPGs with futanari character customization. There are 3D models on platforms like Blender and VRChat with futa aesthetics, used by erotic content creators in virtual reality.

Even outside Japan, the term is common among artists on DeviantArt, Patreon, and adult content networks.

Curiosities and Conclusion

• In kabuki, male actors played female roles. The performative duality of ancient Japan influenced the contemporary concept of futanari.
• In Japanese esoteric Buddhism, there were androgynous deities that represented wisdom beyond the masculine and feminine. The androgynous archetype has always had a symbolic role there.
• The term “futa” is also incorrectly used outside Japan to refer to any content involving female penises — even in situations that have no connection to the original context.

Futanari, or futa, is a category of hentai that features characters with female bodies and male genitalia. It is a visual fantasy of Japanese origin that has become a global trend through the fusion of genres and original ideas.