Puff-puff (onomatopoeia)

History

The term puff-puff was first used in the Dragon Ball manga by its creator Akira Toriyama, who also served as lead artist for the Dragon Quest series. It was included in the first Dragon Quest game as a service offered by a woman in the town of Kol in exchange for money. In later entries, some characters could use it as a special technique in battle, such as Jessica Albert from Dragon Quest VIII, who used it to make enemies swoon. The mobile game Dragon Quest Walk also featured it as a technique.

The depiction of puff-puff scenes in the Dragon Quest series has varied widely. In Dragon Quest II and Dragon Quest III, a woman tricks the player into having the act performed by a man. Dragon Quest VIII shows a woman performing a puff-puff massage using two Slimes, while Dragon Quest IX depicts a character's face being rubbed between two sheep's rear ends. Dragon Quest XI includes multiple scenes, such as bungee jumping, a makeup session, and one performed by a man.

Dragon Quest Walk recreates the puff-puff scene from the first Dragon Quest. Outside video games, the term has appeared as a Line sticker and as a Puff-Puff Room in a Dragon Quest III-themed escape room. The scene has been censored in English releases of several Dragon Quest games and in Dragon Ball. Dragon Quest III replaced it with a fortune teller, while Dragon Quest IV and Dragon Quest VI changed it to non-sexual versions like Pufpuf therapy or a makeup session.

The technique used by Jessica was renamed Pattycake. Dragon Quest VI producer Noriyoshi Fujimoto expressed disappointment that these scenes could affect age ratings, leading to more subtle depictions in English. The English version of Dragon Quest XI did not censor the puff-puff scenes.

Impact

The puff-puff scene has become a running joke in the Dragon Quest series. Inside Games writer Sushishi noted that, because chatting with partner characters was not yet a feature in Dragon Quest III, the puff-puff scene provided a valuable character interaction experience. IGN writer Jared Petty criticized a Dragon Quest XI scene where a man performed the puff-puff, arguing it was not funny and raised consent issues. A writer for The Independent also criticized the scenes as forced for cheap laughs and echoed concerns about consent.

Author Daniel Andreyev discussed how the act evolved over the series and manifested in Dragon Quest XI, arguing that its use contributes to nostalgia, particularly for 1980s Japanese pop culture. The term has been referenced in other video games, including 3D Dot Game Heroes and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, where it is called nigi-nigi. The sequel Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth calls it honk-honk. Final Fantasy XIV features a puff-puff scene as part of its Dragon Quest X collaboration.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse includes it as a gesture performed by Master Roshi. A t-shirt with the words puff puff printed on it was released by Zozotown as part of a set based on the Dragon Ball character Bulma.