Fan service: Good or bad?

[dragon4dudes]

I don't mind fanservice as long as it isn't overused. such as every minute, overly large breasts, etc.

[LeviathanDarkly]

As long as it come with good characters and plot, it's excellent. need more of it.

[Endrance]

Originally Posted by dragon4dudes

I don't mind fanservice as long as it isn't overused. such as every minute, overly large breasts, etc.

Yeh i agree with that as long as its not like every single scene im ok with it but if its so overused that every scene is some kind of fanservice( not gonna mention any names "Ikkitousen")

[johnny46]

Dragonaut ~the resonance~ - Ok so I've been following this anime for the last five episodes. I'm not a big mech-anime fan but it looked interesting enough, the plot has so far seemingly enough substance to make for a good view; the character variety is interesting and for the most part the animation is good. However, I have an issue with the so-called "fan service". And I just wondered if anyone else shared this opinion.

See my problem is that nearly every chick apart from Toa has massive breasts. I'm not talking massive but realistic, I'm talking so big it's just ridiculous. It's not fanservice, it's not erotic, it's distracting and annoying. Every time one of said female characters appears on the screen I subconciously shake my head. I'm actually considering dropping what is otherwise a good anime just because I can no longer put up with the constant boob shots. Some of you might consider this weird? How can I not like breasts?

The thing is, they're too big to be even close to realistic, they're thrust in your face every 10 seconds (not to mention the women wearing armour that for some reason leaves their chest, the most vunerable location on their body, nearly completely exposed) and nearly every female character has them. If I wanted H I'd watch some damn H. Seriously it's too much. Does anyone else get incredibly frustrated with the several anime that have this particular problem? Or feel free to disagree with me.

[Solafighter]

I never felt annoyed about big breasts.

Sometimes, they dont fit the person but well, the more breast, the the more selfshish many chars in animes are(Not in every, but many).

[C.A.]

In case you don't know, Dragonauts is the worst anime in the history of anime.

That is your problem.

Otherwise bustsize has not ruined anime.

[othera]

Only series I've watched with an overly sized bust was tifa from Zero no Tsukaima, and yes it did get annoying but i don't think i would say that its ruining anime, even if a lot do it(Which i havn't noticed many that do), other then that most animes i watch all the female characters seem to be flat

[Solace]

Dragonauts is a failure in every sense of the word. Not even ginormous boobs could save that trainwreck.

Outside of that, the giant boob issue isn't usually a problem for me. There is usually one person in a cast with big knockers, and they're mostly for ecchi comedy than anything else. Or for the loli to fume over. Something has to balance out the extremes, right?

[KimmyChan]

I think that having a fanservice is a very good sign as to how popular a certain anime is

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by KawaiiKimmy

I think that having a fanservice is a very good sign as to how popular a certain anime is

But in which direction? Fanservice delivers a particular, often high-spending part of the anime audience that makes up the core of the viewership particularly in Japan.

Are you suggesting that fanservice is included to expand a show's popularity, or do you think it constrains the show from being popular? I know you ended your comment with a smiley, but I actually think the relationship between fanservice and popularity is a complicated one.

Some of the most successful recent shows have little fanservice, Nodame Cantabile being the one that most comes to mind for me. But it's popularity derives from the success of the entire franchise -- a live-action TV show and a popular manga series as well as the anime.

Just for kicks, I looked at the DVD sales figures for 2008. While Strike Witches has sold well, so have the most recent Aria installment and Code Geass. The former definitely has no fanservice, and the little I saw of Geass suggests it doesn't have much either.

On the other hand, the enormous difference in sales between Strike Witches and the previous season's Sky Girls suggests that a steady diet of loli crotch shots might have some effects on sales. Of course, it could be that the story and character development is so superior in Witches that they are what's driving sales of the title.

Edit: Did a bit more exploring in the sales thread, particularly the totals for 2008. The top sellers include a variety of genres, some with fanservice like Witches and Sekirei, and many without like Natsume Yuujinchou and Hidamari Sketch.

[Nochgo]

I usually like it when fanservice has some comical contributions. Otherwise, it must be pretty damn good fanservice for me to like it. But usually, if the anime is good I just get caught up in the story and the characters and don't even notice the fanservice...

[Lonestar9]

I usually enjoy most all fanservice. Some shows are geared towards it, and others just kinda come out of the blue, but it's all good to me!

[animeboy12]

My main issue with fanservice is that it's pointless without attractive character design. I don't mind if a show is catering toward fanservice but at the very least put some personality in the character design.

Anyhow, regarding anime breasts and dragonauts.
I sometime have to ask what part of anime character design is meant to be realistic? We have characters with eyes that take up 1/4 their face, nose the size of pimples and hair color that's explored every color in the color spectrum and let's not even get started with hairstyle. Does have a character with big breasts seem out of place if the character design already takes so many liberties. I just think most anime character designers are focus on making a attractive male/female character. It's not about adhering to realism.

as for Dragonaut, maybe I'm defending it because it has my favorite character designer, but I didn't find in to be bad. I saw it as a mediocre anime that made to mistake of taking itself too seriously but bad? no so much. Maybe I just use a different scale when trying to judge bad anime (ultimate girls)

[npcomplete]

Originally Posted by C.A.

In case you don't know, Dragonauts is the worst anime in the history of anime.

That is your problem.

Otherwise bustsize has not ruined anime.

lol, exactly. Fanservice never ruins a show on its own. The problem I had with Dragonaut was that it took itself waaay too seriously with too many contrivances and the fanservice just seemed tacked on and completely ignored. If it shifted towards being a more ecchi show with light humor to you know, make use of the fanservice and sexy characters it would've turned out much better.

The irony is that while some people jokingly call it "Boobnaut", it doesn't feel like it deserves that title after the first couple of episodes. You could've covered up the boobs and reduce their size by half and it still would've been the same show if you changed nothing else. On the other hand I would have found the show much more enjoyable despite any plot holes, if it were rewritten to actually incorporate the fanservice, combined with fun character interactions, to be worthy of such a title

[danin8r44]

Originally Posted by animeboy12

My main issue with fanservice is that it's pointless without attractive character design. I don't mind if a show is catering toward fanservice but at the very least put some personality in the character design.

Ya, that's pretty much how I feel. Whether or not fan service hurts the show or helps it depends on the character design. I mean, lets be honest, fan service rarely helps out with any *funny* comedy because it has all been too played out. The only fan service that I really believe helps a show is the kind that is so beautifully drawn it leaves you drooling (in a perfectly metaphorical sense of course)

[Asf]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Fanservice delivers a particular, often high-spending part of the anime audience that makes up the core of the viewership particularly in Japan.
<...>
the enormous difference in sales between Strike Witches and the previous season's Sky Girls suggests that a steady diet of loli crotch shots might have some effects on sales. Of course, it could be that the story and character development is so superior in Witches that they are what's driving sales of the title.

On behalf of the moe-otaku collective, I'd like to clear up some misunderstanding about the value of T&A to us.
We spend money when we get attached to characters. Strike Witches did a good job of creating and presenting lovable characters.

T&A of a character I don't know/care about may be pleasant visually, but it's like a random dime-a-dozen nude model on the internet: it’s just not that exciting. T&A of a character I love, on the other hand, is like a famous celebrity going nude; it's a nice present to enhance the character experience.

The lack of "fanservice" doesn't prevent me from appreciating how adorable Hinamori Amu's reactions in Shugo Chara are. In the end, panty glimpses and nude scenes are just bonuses; they don't make or break a show. Even Queen's Blade had better make its characters' personalities attractive or we'll get tired of it fast.

Now, exceptions are made for extraordinarily pretty character drawings...we do get attached to artists sometimes. That's usually more of a comic book/illustration/game-CG thing than animation, though. Animation generally doesn't have the detail to pull off that attraction through visuals alone.

[Kimura sensei]

Wow, did someone said Code Geass didn't had fanservice?

[Goshin]

I guess i enjoyed when i was younger, but fan service can be annoying if it used like Rosario + vampire,

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by animeboy12

Anyhow, regarding anime breasts and dragonauts.
I sometime have to ask what part of anime character design is meant to be realistic? We have characters with eyes that take up 1/4 their face, nose the size of pimples and hair color that's explored every color in the color spectrum and let's not even get started with hairstyle. Does have a character with big breasts seem out of place if the character design already takes so many liberties. I just think most anime character designers are focus on making a attractive male/female character. It's not about adhering to realism.

I've never really found realism a problem with anime boobs, but there's a certain point where increasing a character's bust size stops making her more attractive and starts making her less attractive. There's quite a few characters that cross that line for me, such as Tiffania in Zero no Tsukaima 3 and Chizuru in Kanokon. Judging by the scans I've seen, some character in Dragonaut suffer from the same problem.

(Between the over the top large boobs, the overly flat nature of some of the other characters in the shows, and the general failure to have fanservice that was actually hot, I would say that Kanokon and Zero no Tsukaima 3 are perfect examples of how NOT to make a fanservice show.)

Originally Posted by Asf

On behalf of the moe-otaku collective, I'd like to clear up some misunderstanding about the value of T&A to us.
We spend money when we get attached to characters. Strike Witches did a good job of creating and presenting lovable characters.

T&A of a character I don't know/care about may be pleasant visually, but it's like a random dime-a-dozen nude model on the internet: it’s just not that exciting. T&A of a character I love, on the other hand, is like a famous celebrity going nude; it's a nice present to enhance the character experience.

The lack of "fanservice" doesn't prevent me from appreciating how adorable Hinamori Amu's reactions in Shugo Chara are. In the end, panty glimpses and nude scenes are just bonuses; they don't make or break a show. Even Queen's Blade had better make its characters' personalities attractive or we'll get tired of it fast.

Now, exceptions are made for extraordinarily pretty character drawings...we do get attached to artists sometimes. That's usually more of a comic book/illustration/game-CG thing than animation, though. Animation generally doesn't have the detail to pull off that attraction through visuals alone.

QFT. I never got that attached to the Strike Witches girls (well, okay, the Russian girl was adorable, but I don't really consider her that hot), but I know that there's definately some characters who I find attractive way beyond what their general looks would suggest. Clannad's Kotomi Ichinose comes to mind. Hell, Clannad's few ecchi moments in general were way hotter than most stuff in fanservice shows.

[solomon]

It can (and usually does IMHO) end up doing more harm to a work's integrity than good, but it's not pure evil.

Generally, I stay away from shows that make a habit of throwing oppai and pantsu in your face. Normally, that's in a specific type of show for a specific type of fan (hardcore otaku) and I have little interest in such works. Really, it's unnecessary.

Not to say, I NEVER partake of any show or comic that has it. Re Cutey Honey had it, but it partly made fun of it for one, and I love following the work of Gainax animators for two. Sekirei was an example of fanservice for it's own sake that I have seen, it's godawful but I am keeping up with it.

And the show is pure trash, but I actually LIKE the dragonaut designs thank you.