Cryptocephalerotica
Posted by: Loren Coleman on January 3rd, 2009
Amazing imagery sometimes combines with amazing creatures.
Over at Boing Boing, a guest blogger has posted an intriguing entry entitled “Cephalerotica”:
Our friend Brookelynn, who btw is a terrific crafter and all-around amazing human being, says she’s made up a new word, cephalerotica. She writes: “It describes the amazing art that combines the erotic with the octopus.”Shawn Connally
Yes, there are a lot of “amazings” above, but, then, that’s an art form too. Still, the point is made and cephalerotica’s creation is to be congratulated.
There is a link at Boing Boing to cephalerotica images. It does appear most specimens shown are known species of octopus, although I did see at least one (giant) squid in the mix. Therefore, this forces me to jump into the water here.
Of course, since I enjoy etymology and creating new words or phrases, too, I find the above discussion an opportunity to invent yet another new word, as it applies to cryptozoology: cryptocephalerotica = art that combines the erotic with examples of cryptid giant squid and giant octopus.
And how about another one? Cryptiderotica = the art and popular culture that combines the erotic with imaged examples of cryptids, in general.
[I decided "cryptiderotica" makes more sense than "cryptoerotica," as most "erotica" is already understood to be "crypto" ("hidden").]
Since illustrated examples of both cryptocephalerotica and cryptiderotica, by their very nature, are NSFW, I’ll skip most of the images.
However, besides the great comic book cover from Boing Boing at top, here below is a poster for the 2007 Japanese “pink” (look it up) film, Uncle’s Paradise. It sort of is about catching a giant squid, but then it develops in other directions.
Awhile back there was a picture of a man in bed with a giant scorpion and a lady with a giant spider…would that be considered Cryptiderotica?
Art is in the eye of the beholder. This includes cryptoarachniderotica.
“Ojisan” おじさん is also often used as sort of a colloquial, sometimes derogatory expression for “old man”. It is often used even for middle aged men and can often denote an older man who is a bit lecherous as well. So although I haven’t personally seen the film mentioned, it is quite possible the title could be interpreted as “Old man paradise”. Just thought I’d mention it.
A long time ago in Seattle, Washington, there used to be a carnival amusement called “octopus wrestling” where they had mostly naked women wrestling those gentle giant octopi that they have up there (It’s about as hard as wrestling a wet bed sheet). The act used to end with the women biting into the brain of the octopi, killing them.
They came very close to exterminating the species before authorities stopped it.