If there is something that many popular works today have in common, it is that sooner or later the work uses fanservice as a resource to keep fans glued to their screens for longer.
Of course, this varies from anime to anime, showing from angles of the protagonists’ bust, suggestive poses or partial exposure of their body and it is this element that has sparked a debate among fans in Japan.
The conversation started after going viral
a post from BLOGS digital service of 2019, in which a user asked various companies to withdraw the fanservice, especially if the story is interesting.
In the note, he used the ‘Sword Art Online’ franchise as an example, which he became fond of due to its content, which includes a story full of battles, futuristic elements and RPG, which he gave up due to fanservice.
As the story progressed and between the suggestive poses, as well as the appearance of a completely naked antagonist, it made him give up on continuing to enjoy the story.
To close, the creator of the post emphasized that instead of looking for erotic content in a youth series, anyone who wants to see explicit moments and scenes should see those works with a +18 rating and rid the stories that stand alone from fanservice. .
Is fanservice necessary in a popular work?
Although fanservice is not a fundamental element for an anime to be popular, it is one of the most marked reasons why young people point to anime.
The lack of censorship or the minimal expression of this that is not seen in other cartoons, make anime attractive, although of course many stories can survive without it.
When you have animes like ‘Shaman King’, ‘Digimon’ and ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’ that are some of the best known inside and outside of Japan, it gives us an idea of what a good story can achieve on its own.
Perhaps where we should aim is the correct classification of animes to alert viewers to the content, while we let the authors develop their stories at ease.
