A nice mix between ecchi and hardcore is always good. Have fapped to ecchi like once or twice, to get some variation mostly I think... Sometimes, like said, it's just sexier not to see everything.
Ecchi are more innocent and laughable while H's are more serious with the audience like "just take it off and continue on with the show." I enjoy ecchi because I am manly laughing more at the situations.
For example, I like Princess lover during the first half but then... i dont know, i just stop watching that anime. But, what happen when Ecchi + Comedy = WIN!
It also comes with a sense of art, for example a beautiful girl half naked with a tan line showing her curves in some naughty/cute position makes the image appealing.
Ecchi just comes with a naughty factor, not a porn factor.
1. Doesnt matter if your caught looking at it
2. Its 11% time funny
3. 47% of the time sexy
4. Fantasies
5. Doujins pop up
6. Makes people come back for more
I usually Watch Ecchi in the day and Hentai at Night Mainly so I did not get caught Beating the meat. although my Parents knew I owned Hentai Dvd's But they were super Cool with it they just told me as long as my little bro did not watch any of them. but I do enjoy Ecchi mainly so I can look up a Doujinshi manga afterwards like in the case of "The Melancholoy of Haruhi Suzumiya" That stuff gets me harder than real porn let me tell you!!! so much so that shes my avatar for this site HOOOOOOOOOTTT!!!!