Have you heard of the term fan service? Do you know what it means? What is it? Why does it exist? In this article, we will delve deep into the meaning of the term fan service, which is quite present in anime, mangas, movies, 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 humorous, double meaning or even sensual scenes. Many anime end up crossing the line.
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What is Fan Service? What it means?
The most common fan service in anime is to add ecchi (sensuality), like characters with big breasts and panties showing. It may seem interesting for perverts, but this can ultimately ruin 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 references and easter eggs from other series, stories and interesting visual elements. I wish it was just that, unfortunately the term fan service gained a reputation as negative because of the sensuality used to attract fans in most works.
There is no problem in doing fanservice, this happens not only in anime and manga but all existing works on earth. The big problem is that many authors and directors have no idea what they are doing. It can be very upsetting when used at the wrong time.
Fan service is increasingly rising in animes. Although it attracts many children and perverts, many people end up being turned away from the works because of the excess fan service. One of the major causes of fan service are the cenas e elementos clichês that push even more people away.
How did 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 breaking the fourth wall 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 the 1950s in professional sports. Her flashy outfits, performance and dancing were meant to please, entertain and excite fans. At the time when works with sexual appeal or even erotic scenes were rare, fan service was an outlet used in cinema to generate more profit.
Over time, the industry has become less rigid regarding the content displayed in movies, comics, music, and animations. This results in the media trend having an increasing sexual appeal. The term fanservice emerged in the late 1980s and was introduced in the film Otaku no 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 unique to Japan.
The main errors with Fan Service
One of the most disturbing mistakes in fan service is filling the chests of most female characters. Some push the limits of physics by adding unrealistic size to characters' breasts. Anime where all the female characters are busty to the extreme ends up keeping many from appreciating the work.
Some don't mind this, but in several battles the female characters end up tearing their clothes in exactly inconvenient places. Some end up equipping powerful armor that doesn't protect the important parts.
Some anime are impressive in of plot and characters, but end up being spoiled for the sake of fanservice. 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/manga show panties every 5 minutes, focus the cameras in unnecessary positions just to please the young perverts. Fan service also happens for girls, where there are several scenes where men walk around shirtless or force girls to ship characters.
Many characters are androgynous, perverted, and have strange personalities just to create humor, but it ends up scaring some and making them think that Japan is a place full of crazies. Not to mention the excess of lolis.
Anime like Rosario + Vampire and Kaichou wa maid-sama could receive new seasons if they hadn't been failures due to fan service. Despite my liking for maid-sama, Usui being perfect is nothing more than fan service to attract girls.
List of anime with the most fan service
Below we will share the result of an online survey that shows which anime have the most fanservice in the whole 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: Vida Cotidiana com Meninas Monstro.
- To Love-Ru
- É errado tentar pegar garotas em uma masmorra?
- 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 no 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: O Discípulo mais Poderoso
- Hundred
- Zero no 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
- Future Diary - Another: World
- Free! Eternal Summer
- Unbreakable Machine-Doll
- Cross Ange
- Shomin Sample
- Tenchi Muyo
- Please Twins!
- Nyaruko: Crawling with Love!
- Ouvir-me, Meninas. Eu sou o vosso pai!
- Certain Magical Index
- Strike Witches 2
- Nós Sem Asas
- 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. Anime 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 fanservice.
What is your opinion on the matter? What anime have had good fan service? Which ones were spoiled because of the hype and sex appeal? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
