Sales of tentacle dildos have become the UK's fastest-growing sex toy category, rising noticeably since 2024, according to fantasy sex toy brand Dragon Dildo, Metro reports. The boom comes as women describe fantasies about octopus tentacles and snakes in Gillian Anderson's book More, and as one tentacle-porn subreddit passes 516,000 members.
The fantasies in More are vivid. One woman in her late 40s wrote of being wrapped in the tentacles of an octopus so huge it dwarfs her, until, "obliterated by sea-scented orgasm, there is no 'me' left at all." Another married woman described a fantasy about a huge, muscular snake, saying it moves deeper by rippling its muscles "so that it expands in me."
Sex expert Gigi Engle, author of Kink Curious, told Metro these fantasies would be categorized as a "niche play fetish." Niche is relative, though: the sex subreddit Tentai, devoted to tentacle porn, has 516,000 members and counting. Tentacles also fall under the broader umbrella of hentai, which is sexually explicit anime featuring many non-human creatures.
"It's very popular in Asia, specifically Japan, but we've been fantasizing about sea creatures since The Odyssey," Engle said. "The sexual fascination with the sea and sea creatures is very old."
On the shopping side, sex toy site Odyssey says kraken dildos were the most purchased in Glasgow and Birmingham, and they were also popular in Bristol and Leeds. Nottingham residents commonly bought a tentacle toy designed for anal sex.
As for the appeal, Engle points to a power-play element, with clients often imagining themselves overpowered and dominated by a sea creature. There's a sensory piece too. "The slithery-ness of it, the pointed tip of it, which can be arousing," she said.
For anyone curious, Engle suggests starting with a tentacle dildo from a brand such as Bad Dildo or Odyssey, then getting creative. "The person playing the tentacles can blindfold the submissive partner and put monster sounds on Spotify to create the fantasy," she said. An abduction scenario, with a partner stolen away into the sea or onto an alien spaceship, is another option. "It might sound silly and awkward but sex is how adults play."
The main risk is size. Dildo's Octopus Tentacle Dildo measures 23.5 cm long and 7.5 cm wide, while another tentacle dildo on offer runs 65 cm. "You need to be careful when using them and make sure everyone is fully aroused, and there's proper lubrication," Engle said.
Beyond that, she considers it a fun fetish to try with or without a partner. "Humans are really creative and can come up with wild scenarios and eroticize them, so live your best life," she said.