Skinship Grope



"Kyou: Kotomi... are you all right? He didn't do anything weird to you, right? Like suddenly clinging behind you against your will or touching your butt and breasts...

Tomoya: Didn't you do that before?

Kyou: It's fine if it's me, I'm her friend after all.

Tomoya: ..."

- Clannad (Visual Novel)

In a highly hierarchal society, communal bathing is seen as a great equalizing social event, healthy in establishing a close relationship with peers and family.

A Furo Scene with girls will inevitably end up with one character admiring another's physical development, with subsequent teasing and tickling. An added gag is that a highly flustered male on the men's side of the bath only able to hear the discussion and either taking it out of context or trying to get a peek, sometimes both. This is commonly used as Fan Service, but pops up in Shojo as well as Shonen. This fanservice-oriented trope is much rarer with guys, aside from playful horsing around -- with the obvious occasional exception of Yaoi Guys. In the United States, anime scenes with this trope will most likely either be altered or cut out all together, due to different censorship policies.

A related trope in the West is the Womens' Locker Room, which in a certain kind of work is synonymous with platonic (or not) Les Yay.

And while baths, hot springs, beaches, and locker rooms are the most likely settings, any scene where a girl decides to get playful with her friend's... assets falls under this trope. Even being close friends isn't a hard rule, though you have to question the motives of someone who gropes people they barely know for fun.

Any protest from the one being groped is likely to be responded to with "Don't be silly! We're both girls, so it's okay." And while this almost always works in anime, suggesting it in Real Life is not a good idea.

Compare and contrast with Thanks for The Mammary, Girl On Girl Is Hot, and Double Standard Rape (Female On Female).

This article now comes with a prime audio-visual example.

Anime and Manga
"Suzuki:"Oh, don't mind. That's just Tina's socially awkward way of saying hello."
 * Plastic Little has a scene where the girls have some fun and bond at a bath.
 * Photon has a similar scenes as the above.
 * Shikimori Kazuki in Maburaho angers his male classmates when he enters the men's half of the bath and starts talking, preventing the other guys from hearing the girls talking during a Skinship Grope.
 * Neon Genesis Evangelion being Eva there's a twist. The whole bit is done entirely with dialog. We just see Shinji's reaction.
 * In an inversion, Steel Angel Kurumi has a scene where the very pneumatic Kurumi disparages her own bust size and enthusiastically admires the much smaller breasts of her "sister" Karinka, to the latter's disgust.
 * Inverted primarily for comedic purposes in Naruto, in which Sai makes fun of Naruto's... size ("oh, you have one after all?"), much to the amusement (considering how loud Naruto gets) of the women on the other side, and to Sakura's embarrassment.
 * There were several scenes in Elfen Lied. Kouta first did it accidentally to Nyuu, and for a while, she thought this was a socially acceptable practice. Even after, she still gets the urge to do so.
 * Dear S has an entire episode devoted to this, with the Running Gag being that everyone keeps asking if it's a mixed bathing house when people start running in the wrong rooms.
 * In Suzumiya Haruhi, Haruhi is anything but shy about doing this to Mikuru, to her great displeasure. To lots of people, though, it crosses the line into Black Comedy Rape.
 * Perhaps because in the Light Novels Kyon only barely manages to prevent a clearly aroused Haruhi from going even further on several occasions.
 * When she first gets Mikuru the maid getup, she still says "Let's all play with Mikuru!". Her Psycho Lesbian tendencies aren't completely expunged.
 * Though that time it seems that Haruhi was genuinely blind to the implications. Kyon chastised her, mentioning that she's about to break several laws. Haruhi cluelessly asks: "What laws?", thinks for a moment and stops.
 * Parodied in the Genshiken manga, where Ohno (a Covert Pervert otaku) refers to this as "standard bath procedure", much to the disgust of non-otaku Saki.
 * When it actually occurs to her, Ohno finds the reality not quite preferable...
 * Parodied in Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok. The male characters can hear the girls on the other side talking about all wanting to pet something, how incredibly soft it is, etc. and suffer from spontaneous nosebleeds. It is then revealed that the Loki's pet has gotten into the girls side and that they are all playing with it.
 * It happens in Magikano as well.
 * This is Tina Foster's main schtick in the first season of Ai Yori Aoshi before becoming a more serious character in later episodes/chapters of the manga. It's most certainly NOT relegated solely to the furo house.

Tina:*groping Taeko* "Man, you got some serious melons!""

""Mmm, full bodied and yet a distinct lack of stiffness... the subtle complexion, reminicent of sakura in early spring... the tenderness of the skin... the still-ripening springiness practically bursting from the surface... truly a fine article!"
 * One of the DVD extra picture dramas for Code Geass: Lelouch of the Revolution features an entire skinship scene featuring naked Kallen, Milly, Nina and Shirley. Kallen was not amused. Fanboys (and more than one fangirl) were.
 * As was Milly
 * Persona 4: The Animation has the girls all groping.
 * According to the Sound Stages, Hayate of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha has a tendency to do this to the Wolkenritter. Including the overly serious Signum. Including the Weapon of Mass Destruction Reinforce. And she apparently does this to her subordinates when she grows up.
 * But it's definitely not sexual harassment! It's fun skinship between girls!
 * With Signum, nine-year-old Hayate notes that if she were to ask to feel Signum's breasts, she would say yes, but would be extremely embarrassed about having it done to her, so she does it in her sleep. Note where her hands are in the second picture.
 * In Striker S episode 10, Subaru (whom rainbows are straighter than) tries various means to wake Teana up and finally decides to try to do so by squeezing her breasts. In the supplemental manga, Wendi does this to Deed.
 * gropes Rio's chest, Corona's butt and seems to grope Teana's crotch in chapter 11 of Vi Vid.
 * In Episode 4 of the All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku OAV series, Eimi seemingly plays this trope to the letter with her fellow Robot Girl, Nuku Nuku, admiring her body to the clear enjoyment of the men on the other side of the wall. (Luckily, Nuku Nuku's "brother" Ryuunosuke is just young enough to not completely understand the implications.) The trope is slightly subverted here, though, since
 * An interesting variant occurs in Episode 8 of Tenchi Muyo Ryo-Ohki, when Tenchi is charged with looking after a baby. He is taking a break in the hot springs, when Mihoshi enters an adjoining bath to take a bath with the baby. Poor Tenchi has to endure Mihoshi's protests to the baby that "there's no use doing that" and "leave them alone!"
 * This leads to the first (of many) Naked First Impression of the Love Hina manga: Before encountering anyone, Keitaro notices the hot springs and can't resist taking a dip. Naru comes a few minutes later, and attempts this on the scared Keitaro, mistaking him for Kitsune. Cue Megaton Punch when she notices her error.
 * And then repeated almost verbatim in the epilogue with Shinobu mistaking potential new resident Ema for Su..
 * One episode of Cyber Team in Akihabara featured the main characters, who interestingly enough only got this much dialogue in the particular episode, doing what sounds for the life of them to be a very half-assed recitation of the typical conversation. It ends with an exasperated Lampshade Hanging by one of the other characters that "Yup, we've done every cliche in a hot springs episode..."
 * Ranma 1/2 has several very odd examples: When Ranma (in girl form) is first introduced to the Tendos Nabiki pokes her breasts twice (much to Ranma's repressed annoyance): once to demonstrate that yes, she is indeed a girl and the second time just to reinforce the point. Later on towards the end of the manga Nabiki gropes Ranma again and confirms that girl-Ranma's breasts have indeed grown even larger, in a scene many consider the biggest example of Les Yay in the manga (which is normally rather opposed to homosexuality).
 * Akane also chastised Ranma twice by attacking her in this manner. The second time (when she thought Ranma wanted to grope the very buxom Miss Hinako) she grabbed and squeezed in a "How do you like it?" manner. The first time (to keep Ranma from picking on P-chan) it was more of a direct, nasty-looking, and completely uncalled-for, grab-and-crush that made Ranma squeal in pain.
 * Honestly, it wasn't pain so much as "I can't believe you just did that!"
 * A recent chapter of Mahou Sensei Negima features a girl who does this to total strangers more or less entirely for the pleasure of feeling other girls' breasts. She even rates them on a [presumably] 100-point scale, and provides detailed commentary vaguely reminicent of someone doing a wine-tasting.

"Shinobu: "Oops! My hand slipped!""
 * This almost gets her killed. The girls are not amused or too flustered to react by the time the fanservice traumatic incident is over.
 * Of course, she only gets off because she somehow gets Chamo blamed for it. He's still alive after the fact, so apparently they weren't really going to kill her.
 * Or that it's just par for the course with Chamo.
 * Minami Ke has a variation in episode 6, when Haruka tries to help another character buy a bra. Oh, and she's unaware that the person she's groping is a boy.
 * Gunsmith Cats Vol. 1 features an opening scene Minnie-May gropes Rally after her regular target practice while commenting on how stiff her nipples were. Rally returns the favor after Minne-May lets one of her custom-made grenades fly and take out Bonnie's car. She even comments on how they feel like "tiny pebbles"
 * In Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge Aimi does this to Kaoruko quite a few times. Sure, it's part of their comic routine, but she loves doing it outside of it as well.
 * In Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl, Yasuna is all too eager to help Hazumu try on her first bra.
 * Ninin ga Shinobuden parodies the crap out of this, with Onsokumaru attempting to join Kaede and Shinobu in the bathtub. He (and the gang of ninja) ends up tied to a giant bag of trash. Then there's what actually occurs in the bathroom...
 * Ninin ga Shinobuden parodies the crap out of this, with Onsokumaru attempting to join Kaede and Shinobu in the bathtub. He (and the gang of ninja) ends up tied to a giant bag of trash. Then there's what actually occurs in the bathroom...


 * Episode 4 has an even more extended example.
 * In Axis Powers Hetalia, Korea loves groping China and Japan's breasts. Even though all of them are male. Prussia also does this to Hungary, thinking that the latter's chest area is his weak spot after he complains of chest pains...only to find out that "he" is simply entering puberty.
 * Karin's boss tries doing this to her to cheer her up. It doesn't work.
 * In an early chapter of Oh My Goddess!, Urd chases Skuld with the intent of administering, in her own words, the "Big Sister Bust Size Check''.
 * This also happens in the TV series-- but it's Belldandy showing affection to Skuld, so it tiptoes into sweet and heartwarming territory.
 * Occurs in the Hokkaido arc of Yami no Matsuei, interestingly enough.
 * In Paradise Kiss, when Yukari is in her underwear so Miwako can take her measurements, the latter happily exclaims "aw, cute bra!" and proceeds to poke her breasts.
 * Rika did this, to her (most likely just) best friend Satoko, at least a few times in omakes, for the Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni manga. Did I mention they're both 9 year old girls? Though..Satoko is rather developed for her age.
 * Also, Rika did this to Mion in an anime omake with different intentions.
 * Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu "Hot Springs Episode". The boys are listening in as Melissa Mao starts rubbing ointment on clumsy girl Tessa's cute naked butt. When Mao starts moving on to other places and Tessa is heard telling Mao not to "stare at me like that!'' cue immediate Nosebleed, even from experienced pervert Kurz Webber.
 * In the OVA for the Second Raid, when Tessa falls asleep after Mao gives her some hard liquor - Mao takes advantage while she's sleeping to check her breast size.
 * Makio of Umisho is positively obsessed with this trope (believing that enough massage will end her days of being a Pettanko). She's particularly fond of rubbing Shizuoka's breasts. Amuro does this as well, seemingly oblivious as to the implications (which may explain why she lets her younger siblings do it to her).
 * Kuroko thinks 'intimacy' is wonderful. Mikoto disagrees, as she does not enjoy being groped while the groper sounds steadily more and more excited... Yeah, she gets booted through the door.
 * The Day of Revolution: Megumi complains that she feels like a pervert for "...wearing a bra over the breasts I don't have" after discovering she is inter-sexed and opting to identify as female. Makoto promptly investigates right there in a school hallway and immediately proves otherwise, much to Megumi's embarrassment.
 * Suprisingly, Risa does this to Hinagiku.
 * In a much later chapter, Hina gets this again from Miki. While alone and naked in a bathtub.
 * Even more surprising, Hayate himself nearly does the version Risa pulls while not realizing that it is Hinagiku. And then a second time in an omake stating that Hina does have something there. Both times he gets a Megaton Punch for his trouble.
 * Eyeshield 21 uses the teasing version of this trope. Suzuna is commenting on big Mamori's are, and says her's are still small like a kid's.  Monta left a face imprint on the other side.
 * One Piece. After the events of Alabasta, the crew is relaxing in the baths. On one side you have the men being dorks, and on the other you have Vivi washing Nami's back, who looks at her playfully, then asks to switch.
 * Hidamari Sketch, the "Because We're Such Close Friends" strip (first half shown above): When Miyako and Yuno show Nori and Nazuna the bathhouse, Nori can't help but admire Miyako's size and asks permission to feel her up. Nazuna joins in; Yuno really wants to, as well, but backs down out of embarrassment, probably due to their experience of Bathtub Bonding.
 * Mahiro does this to Tokiko in the anime version of Busou Renkin (this scene wasn't in the manga).
 * In K-On, a glassesless Sawako-sensei tries to differentiate between Mio and Azusa using their bust sizes and her own two hands. It didn't go over too well. (Someone with more normal eyesight could tell that Azusa was more deeply tanned, and that they have different eyes.)
 * A chapter of Keroro Gunsou has Natsumi getting groped at the pool by a cadre of her fangirls, with an apology from the author for being unable to help himself.
 * In one episode of Pani Poni Dash - Himeko, the class moron, sniffs classmate Rei then begins rubbing her face in her breasts. It wasn't sexual, though; Rei works in a chinese restaurant so she had the scent of crab fried rice on her and Himeko absolutely loves crab.
 * In the Welcome to Fairy Hills special chapter of Fairy Tail, Juvia expresses mortification at being in the public dormitory bath with the rest of the occupants. Bisca reminds her that they're all girls and proceeds to playfully poke and grope her.
 * Hanaukyo Maid Tai. Ikyo Suzuki to Mariel during the episode 7 Hot Springs Episode.
 * Although she doesn't do it in the main anime series, Lina Inverse is inordinately fond of grabbing her well-endowed comrade Amelia's breasts in the Hourglass of Falces manga.
 * Coming with the Furo Scene territory in Highschool of the Dead, every female core cast member drunkenly exchanges gropes in or around the bath. Perhaps coincidentally, this was just one episode before the Token Mini-Moe was added to the group.
 * The second half of Training With Hinako: Bathtime With Hinako and Hiyoko is pretty much a straight-on 12 minutes of the title characters groping each other while taking a bath. The only things keeping it from going straight from ecchi into hentai are some carefully drawn suds, and that the characters are fairly clueless about sex. Both show signs of arousal, but don't identify it past "that tickles" or "this feels good."
 * Maicchingu Machiko Sensei has a few furo and shower scenes between the eponymous teacher and her famle students. This happens from time to time but considering the nature of the show, everyone eventually gets a feel.
 * In Code Breaker, the Cloudcuckoolander Nenene likes to grope Sakura's breasts, even nicknames them "hii-tan" and "mii-tan", which obviously comes from the Japanese words hidari for "left" and migi for "right", coupled with the affectionate suffix "-tan".
 * Bleach
 * Rangiku arrives at Orihime's house and takes a bath. While talking to Orihime she decides to jump out of the tub and hug Orihime, then tickles her. Happens in both the manga and the anime.
 * Episode 228 beach episode. Rangiku is suspicious when Lieutenant Nanao Ise suddenly has larger breasts than she remembers. She hugs Nanao from behind and gropes her breasts to discover that she's using falsies under her bikini to make her breasts look bigger.
 * Episode 239. While Rangiku and Momo's zanpakuto spirits (Haineko and Tobiume) are together, Haineko feels up Tobiume's breasts from behind and makes fun of her over their small size.
 * Mermaid's Forest has one of these scenes. In this example,
 * Pandora Hearts: In the 9th omake there's a picture of Lotti groping a blushing Ada's breasts.
 * Popotan has Mii do this towards Nono, and one episode later Mai does this to the younger Mai.
 * Happens almost whenever Risa and Mio appear in To Love Ru.

Films

 * It happens once in The Sweetest Thing. . Hilarity ensues when two men walk by while the door is swinging shut.

Video Games

 * In Final Fantasy X 2, the girls take a break in one of many optional cutscenes.
 * In Tales of Phantasia, the hot bath scene in Japoni. Arche compliments Mint on her breasts. In the PSX version, it even gives Mint a new title - "Boing-chan."
 * Tales of Symphonia has a similar scene which, among other things, gives Lloyd the (undeserved) title "Peeping Tom." The discussions the female characters have, on the other hand, lead to Colette getting the title "Ironing Board," and Sheena getting "Wow!"
 * The sequel revisits this with Marta taking the honorable (or not) "Ironing Board," Lloyd taking home the "Peeping Tom" title for the 2nd time (again, undeserved), and Emil joining the "Peeping Tom" club, (Marta tricked everyone but him into thinking the bath was closed so she could be alone (and naked) with Emil.) As you'd expect, everyone finds out and blames Emil (even though Marta tries to explain that it was her fault).
 * Tales of Hearts sees Shing charging into the wrong side of the bath to save the girls of his party, getting the title "Dangerous Pervert".
 * During the Hot Springs Episode of Persona 4, one of the girls in the party is subjected to this by the others.
 * In Chrono Trigger, during the Rainbow Shell Sidequest, but only if Ayla is in your party. When Marle grabs a piece of the giant shell for evidence, and finds a special letter from her ancestors. After reading the letter aloud, Ayla gropes Marle's breasts, and tells her that she's not ready to "leave the nest" and have her own family (of course, she was most likely using her own definition of "ready").
 * The DS retranslation has Ayla outright say Marle's "not big enough" for that yet.
 * Made more entertaining by the fact that Ayla is her great (to the Nth degree) grandmother.
 * In Rune Factory for the Wii, if you take a bath while any of the women are in the other side you'll hear their conversations. A mother and her teenage daughter discuss softness of their skin, two sisters discuss cup size. Even Selphy does this even though she's on her own, complaining about the size of her breasts and pondering if massaging them will make them shrink. In any of these cases, the main character ends up fainting by staying in the bath too long (fortunately this doesn't affect the actual clock in the game).
 * As noted at the top of the page, Kyou gets a little handsy around Kotomi. Kotomi does not really appreciate this. For her part, Kotomi treats it as... well, sexual harassment basically. And denies having a tail.
 * Happens in several of the optional bath scenes throughout the Suikoden series.
 * In Touhou fanworks, Parsee tends to have problems with breast envy, which she expresses through manhandling.
 * Additionally, the memetic "Pettan Pettan" video has Tewi and Suika (and later Youmu and Suika) bonding and laughing over their flat chests during the refrain.
 * In The Last Story, Zael can overhear Syrenne getting a bit too friendly with Lisa behind closed doors.

Web Comics

 * Parodied in this Order of the Stick strip, where a conversation between Haley and Vaarsuvius is overheard through the wall and misinterpreted by the rest of the group.
 * Occurs in this Misfile. You'll have to go back a few pages to get the whole story behind it, though. Ironically, Emily starts out denying that normal girls engage in this behavior.
 * Ménage à 3 is rife with this trope, particularly between Zi and Didi, even featuring in the picture on the trope page.