It seems that just about every shojo manga I read (and even some shonen) have a blood-licking scene involved. Most typically it is the index finger of the heroine that gets hurt and starts bleeding and her love interest always licks it. Bizarre isn't it? Since it seems to be such a pervasive, oft repeated scene I was wondering about its significance. Is it something cultural? Is there a meaning to it? Do you guys know? I came across a possible partial explanation in one of the manga I was reading although it was sometime ago and I can't remember in which one it was (possibly Mars though). Anyway there it was alluded that licking someone's blood is akin to a promise? Not more was explained though.

Supposedly it helps heal cuts or something. Like how mothers kiss their children's boo-boos, I guess.
I not sure if any the chemical compounds actually serve to aid blood clotting or regeneration in any way though. Might serve as just a mucus barrier or disinfectant though.

Well yes, saliva does have mild antiseptic properties. However I am not referring to what good does it do to lick a wound: I find it really weird that the same scene pops up in just about every manga I read. Either it is something super natural for Japanese people to do (and thus completely ordinary) or it must have some sort of significance. I personally wouldn't jump to lick my bf's finger if he had a cut, I'd just get him a plaster. And even if we were out and plasters weren't available I still wouldn't lick his finger! 😛 I mean people can lick their own blood... Yet manga lovers seem to delight in doing it for each other. Anyway, maybe I am the only one who has been weirded out by this. 😛

I should probably move this to shoujo/josei...

Do you mean blood sucking?
Or well, I don't know... I don't remember shoujo with scenes like that...

It might signify a bond/bonding.
Something intimate?
They like the taste of blood? :3

Not that it'd actually help in healing it (the wound).
The mouth is swarming with bacteria and other crap.

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If I had a fantasy self, it'd be a tentacle monster.

I never got that either! sometimes it happens in the most innocent shoujos out there, where the main couple are around 12-13 and they still do it, you'd think it was a smut thing.
I tried typing it up on google and came up with nothing to whether it was a cultural thing, I guess I'd have to be in japan or be japanese in order to get it.
I think it's personally done just to get the readers excited over the couple, it makes readers perhaps swoon? especially I notice that right after the person licks the finger they look up at the person, right into their eyes seductively and this makes the reader blush aswell.

Ah, yes. This scene. It makes me shudder every time I see it.

I don't think there's a specific cultural reason for it, nothing in a piece of old mythology or anything like that. It's just a cultural difference. In Japan, licking a wound is apparently considered romantic, just like ear-cleaning is considered intimate and relaxing. Both are kind of gross to me, but I guess they wouldn't be if I had grown up in Tokyo.

Hahaha yeah, the ear cleaning grosses me out as well!

NightSwan, I didn't put it in the Shojo/Josei section cause this happens in shonen manga as well between romantically involved chars (e.g. Inuyasha/Kagome). But feel free to move it if you think it's more appropriate?

PoshSam totally know what you mean, the person who's blood is being licked ALWAYS gets the blush-glow effect after 😛

I've seen it done in the US as well...I often do it myself (for my cuts and for my girlfriend's. But I've always wondered why it's in every manga out there, especially since Japanese people usually seem to avoid contact with others (not counting significant others or family). Maybe it's a sign of caring? The love interest doesn't want the girl to develop a scar, so he does it quickly? No idea.

Probably no significance. I guess just to get the blood off and then since their bodies were touching, it's slightly romantic.

Lalala~

It's an excuse to touch another under a veil of innocence. I think it's sort of like the indirect kiss thing. The fact that the their fluids are mixing together excites them and feeling another person''s tongue seems somewhat intimate.

Supposedly if you lick it, it helps to heal the wound or something like that. I don't know if it has any other significant meaning. never really thought about it. Maybe its one of those things that can be done thats intimate. You know kind of like sharing an umbrella is a acceptable form of intimacy in japan...maybe this is along the same line? or probably not ^_^

I always thought it was some way for the mangaka to show affection. I mean, I doubt that it's often done in real life. Some reasons I think it's done in manga:

1. It shows that someone cares by "treating" the wound
2. It shows intimacy between the 2 characters (I mean, I would be extremely creeped out if some stranger did it instead of the mild creepiness I would feel if it was someone close)
3. It shows trust (what if the person had an STD?!? That would really suck)

I think licking a wound does help, medically. Animals lick wounds, and cuts in the mouth heal faster.

I would be freaked out if someone I was not dating licked my bleeding finger 😐 That really is a weird cliche...

If a guy tried to lick my finger after I cut it I would probably smack him.
But I doubt that would happen considering it is just so... gross here in North America.
It's especially gross if its the finger because you don't know what it has recently touched. 0_0

I dunno its weird... I don't live in Japan so I don't know if it actually happens or if it's just a cute fantasy thing.

And the cleaning ears thing really grosses me out. Princess Hours horrified me with it. O_O

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I'm surprised by how many people are grossed out about this. While I have not read that much shoujo manga, I've never thought it was odd to have that scene in there. From what I've always understood, the act is very symbolical. I have actually partaken in a "blood brother" ritual with my best friend who I've grown up with. We always considered ourselves brothers and we decided to both make slight cuts on our palms and shake hands, thereby exchanging blood and becoming "real" brothers. Note: Medically, doctors advise against doing these sorts of things. The act of a loved one cutting a finger and you licking the blood off has the same sort of meaning in my mind, where you are showing your closeness and strong bond. Similarly, the act of "kissing a boo boo" to make it better could be seen as the same show of affection. There's no reason to kiss a cut, scrape, or bruise, but I'm pretty sure that none of you have been grossed out when someone has offered to do so or has actually done it.

With more modern knowledge on how diseases can be transmitted through blood, I'd say that the act of blood licking/blood oaths/blood pacts/blood brothers shows an absolute trust in the person whom you are performing such an action with. Blood has always had great meaning in every culture. While the examples and reasons I've listed may not be the exact reason these are in shoujo, I can absolutely guarantee you that it isn't some random fad or meme put in there.

/end rambling