Have you heard the word fan service? Do you know what it means? Which is? Why does it exist? In this article we will thoroughly explore the meaning of the word fan service, which is very present in anime, manga, films, series and other modern works and media.
Fan service (ファンサービス) These are ideas that the author creates in his works to please and attract more fans. Some usually do this by putting on scenes of humor, double meaning or even sensual. Many anime end up crossing the line.
What is Fan Service? What does it mean?
O fan service more common in anime is to add ecchi (sensuality), like characters with big breasts and panties on display. It may seem like something interesting to perverts, but it can end up ruining the anime or manga.
In theory, the goal of fan service is to deliver things that fans want to see. An example of the good use of fanservice, are the references and easter eggs from other series, stories and interesting visual elements. I wish it were just that, unfortunately the term fan service has gained a reputation for being negative because of the sensuality used to attract fans in most works.
There is no problem in making fanservice, it happens not only in anime and manga but all the works existing on earth. The big problem is that many authors and directors have no idea what they are doing. It can be very distracting when used at the wrong time.
Increasingly the fan service increases in anime. Despite attracting a lot of children and perverts, many people end up being removed from the works because of the excess of fan service. One of the biggest causes of fan service is the scenes and cliché elements that drive even more people away.
How did the Fan Service come about?
Fan service is not something created by the Japanese. The desire to please the public is as old as fiction itself. Tributes, parodies and fourth wall break are just some of the techniques used to please and attract fans.
One of the first notable examples of fan service is the cheerleaders who appeared in 1950 in professional sports. His flashy clothes, performance and dance were meant to please, entertain and excite fans. At a time when works with sex appeal or even erotic scenes were rare, fan service was an outlet used in the cinema to generate more profit.
Over time, the industry has ceased to be rigid in relation to the content shown in films, comics, music and animations. This makes the media trend increasingly sexually appealing. The term fanservice it appeared in the late 1980s and was featured in the Otaku video in 1991.
While some notice the fan service, others have no idea that they are dominated by it. Just note the successful Brazilian songs, both sertanejo and funk are full of sex appeal, all to please and attract the target audience. The whole world is contaminated so it is not something exclusive to Japan.
The main mistakes with Fan Service
One of the most disturbing mistakes in fan service is filling the chest of most female characters. Some go beyond the limit of physics by adding an unreal size to the breasts of the characters. Animes where all the female characters are busty to the extreme ends up driving many away from enjoying the work.
Some don't care about that, but in several battles the female characters end up tearing their clothes exactly in inconvenient places. Some end up equipping powerful armor that does not protect important parts.
Some anime are impressive in terms of storyline, plot and characters, but end up being spoiled for the fanservice cause. One such example is the famous Sword Art Online, which started with a beautiful story and romance and was soon destroyed with a harem and scenes focusing on unnecessary parts.
Some anime / sleeves show panties every 5 minutes, focus the cameras in unnecessary positions just to please the young perverts. The fan service also happens for girls, where there are several scenes where men walk around without a shirt or force girls to ship characters.
Many characters are androgynous, perverted and with a strange personality just to make humor, but it ends up scaring some and making one think that Japan is a place full of crazy people. Not to mention the excess of characters lolis.
Anime like Rosario + Vampire and Kaichou wa maid-sama they could win new seasons if they hadn't been a failure because of the fan service. As much as I like maid-sama, Usui being perfect is just a fanservice to attract girls.
List of anime with more fan service
Below we will share the result of an online survey that shows which anime have the greatest fanservice in the entire land. Will you disagree that one has more fan service than the other?
- High School DxD
- Sekirei
- Shinmai Maou No Testament
- High School of the Dead
- Freezing
- Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls
- To Love-Ru
- Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
- Kill la Kill
- Maken-ki
- Sekirei: Pure Engagement
- Prison School
- Queen's Blade
- Rosario + Vampire
- Heaven's Lost Property Forte
- fairy tail
- Date A Live
- Masou Gakuen Hxh
- Kiss X Sis
- Is This a Zombie?
- Seikon at Qwaser
- Ikki Tousen
- Manyuu Hikenchou
- Cat Planet Cuties
- Chivalry of a Failed Knight
- Elfen Lied
- Girls Bravo
- Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid
- Witchblade
- LADIES VS BUTLERS
- Infinite Stratos
- Heaven's Lost Property
- Kanokon
- Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
- Hundred
- Zero at Tsukaima
- Sword Art Online
- Mayo Chiki!
- Gurren Lagann
- Golden Boy
- No game No life
- Haganai
- Grisaia Series
- KonoSuba
- Blood Lad
- Nisekoi
- B Cat H Kei
- Strike Witches
- Bleach
- Bakemonogatari
- Triage X
- MM!
- Black Butler
- Yosuga no Sora
- Nisemonogatari
- Mirai Nikki - Another: World
- Free! Eternal Summer
- Unbreakable Machine-Doll
- Cross Ange
- Shomin Sample
- Tenchi Muyo
- Please Twins!
- Nyaruko: Crawling with Love!
- Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!
- Certain Magical Index
- Strike Witches 2
- We Without Wings
- Mysterious Girlfriend X
- One Piece
- Dusk maiden of Amnesia
What do you think of fan service?
Some anime only became famous because of the fan service, even using it in an exaggerated way. Animes like To love Ru, Triage X, Free !, Shokugeki no Souma, Hotd and Freezing are some examples. Other anime like Fate / Zero received good reviews for the correct use of the fanservice.
What is your opinion on the subject? Which anime have had a good fan service? Which ones were spoiled because of exaggeration and sex appeal? We would like to hear your opinion in the comments.