Recently, there was a lively discussion on Twitter about fan service in anime, and it turned out that a large number of fans are rather dismissive. We summarize the details.
Anime Fan Service is Seen Negatively
In the Twitter post in question, popular user @EtherionMaster asked his followers what they thought of fan service. The resulting discussion quickly went viral, accumulating over 14 million views and nearly ten thousand responses so far. For those of you who may be unsure of the definition of fan service, let’s first explain the term:
Fan service are scenes that are added with the intention of pleasing the audience. Most of the time these are erotic in nature, but they can also include cameo appearances or references to other media. So it’s all about “serving” the fan and giving them exactly what they want. Or rather, what the creators assume the fans want.
Because obviously fan service in anime is now met with rejection by many fans, at least if you read through the plethora of comments under the Twitter post. We’ve picked out some of the most interesting opinions for you below.
- “Fan service literally ruins every anime.”
- “This is the main reason why I dislike isekai anime. A lot of anime are ruined by it.”
- “In a minute, all the sickos will come and justify pedophilia and the over-sexualization of women in anime and manga by saying it’s ‘part of Japanese culture’.”
- “The only good fan service anime I’ve ever seen is ‘KILL La KILL.’ Fan service is a legitimate part of the plot there, and it’s fun. In other anime, it just focuses on hurting the ‘female character space’.”
- “Cute outfits? You got it. Characters flirting or posing in a sexual way every now and then? You got it. The whole anime full of kinky scenes and sexual harassment? No, thanks. I think fan service should be low-key and occasional, not constant.”
- “The main reason why I hardly watch anime. There are some good anime without fan service, but they are very rare, almost like a treasure hunt. But it’s always satisfying to find one.”
- “Maybe fan service would be half as bad if it didn’t involve minors.”
- “I tried to watch ‘Fire Force.’ I loved the concept, the music, the art, the animation … But the fan service made it impossible to watch the anime.”
- “My opinion is that fan service can be good. But if fan service just means stripping and exposing and doesn’t add anything else to the story, then it’s terrible. That’s also the main reason why I couldn’t finish ‘Fire Force’.”
But we’re much more interested in your opinions on fan service in anime series and movies now. Feel free to let us know in the comments!
