Anime Brigade: We all have 8th grade syndrome~

[Noblejanobii]

In most cases yes that true, but there are some animes with fan service that either:
A) actually have good writing
Or
B) the fan service in tbe main point of the anime

[Lord Celebi]

As for the fanservice, I think it depends on the show you're watching. Highschool of the Dead is notoriously fanservicey, while Free! is on the other end of the spectrum as well. Then you have shows like Kill la Kill, that make fun of the fanservice by being overly blatant with it. And there's shows like Mushishi that don't have anything to do with fanservice. At least, I haven't been noticing it a lot in the shows I'm watching.

They weren't just making fun of it; Kill la Kill's fan service was metatextual satire. It basically asks the viewer "So you like fanservice, huh? Here's some fucking fanservice." Ragyo's molestation of Satsuki is a pretty apt metaphor for just how creepy the people that derive sexual pleasure from anime are, very similar to Shinji's sploosh from End of Evangelion.

In most cases yes that true, but there are some animes with fan service that either:
A) actually have good writing
Or
B) the fan service in tbe main point of the anime

Fan service always detracts from good writing as it forces the show into a niche that it normally wouldn't belong. It polarizes audiences and severely limits the amount of people that can be earnestly interested in and accept the text as a work of art. And fan service being the main point of an anime is what I'm raging against. It is poisoning the industry.

[Ganyu]

By having fan service, you are already wasting precious screen time on what could've been used for character development or at least worldbuilding scenes. IMHO good writing and fan service don't go hand-in-hand. The focus shouldn't even be on the fan service. Of course, as long as fanservice is presented more of an afterthought, it's tolerable for me. I rather a five-minute cutscene than a season's dedication.

[Noblejanobii]

And while that's all true what I don't like is when people discredit animes that have fanservice. Highschool of the dead, for example, had an awesome plot had it not had so much fanservice I think it would have been a reputable anime that would have grossed a lot of money because when it came out america was in that hype zone that you through zombies in it and it is instantly sold out. However, there are some animes, like Free!, where it is somewhat unavoidable (I mean they're swimming in competitions meaning no shirts) so producers do try to make the best of it. Plus some animes try to appeal more to their target audiences. Free!'s target audience is obviously girls so adding six packs everywhere is definintely appealing (I would know). And with HOTD, the target audience was mainly guys, and in the words of one of my favorite anime reviewers, "Guys have ****s, and ****s like these. So let's slap tits everywhere and wait for our big pile of money!"

[Lord Celebi]

And while that's all true what I don't like is when people discredit animes that have fanservice. Highschool of the dead, for example, had an awesome plot had it not had so much fanservice I think it would have been a reputable anime that would have grossed a lot of money because when it came out america was in that hype zone that you through zombies in it and it is instantly sold out. However, there are some animes, like Free!, where it is somewhat unavoidable (I mean they're swimming in competitions meaning no shirts) so producers do try to make the best of it. Plus some animes try to appeal more to their target audiences. Free!'s target audience is obviously girls so adding six packs everywhere is definintely appealing (I would know). And with HOTD, the target audience was mainly guys, and in the words of one of my favorite anime reviewers, "Guys have ****s, and ****s like these. So let's slap tits everywhere and wait for our big pile of money!"

Really, though, how many people watch porn for the plot? Same thing. Anything with excessive fan service has its writing dictated by getting people naked. It could have the best writing and characterization in the world but it won't detract from the fact that its still porn. It won't do anything to advance the legitimacy of animation or anime as a medium in the eyes of the public.

I think you have it backwards with Free! The show was made to show mostly naked men--swimming is just the excuse.

[Noblejanobii]

Really, though, how many people watch porn for the plot? Same thing. Anything with excessive fan service has its writing dictated by getting people naked. It could have the best writing and characterization in the world but it won't detract from the fact that its still porn. It won't do anything to advance the legitimacy of animation or anime as a medium in the eyes of the public.

I think you have it backwards with Free! The show was made to show mostly naked men--swimming is just the excuse.

But that doesn't detract that people, like myself, do exist that are willing to watch anime with excessive fanservice for plot. HOTD has an amazing plot, the fanservice just makes it hard to take it as seriously as it needs to be. Doesn't mean I that I won't watch it. Free! is similar. As much as I like the fact that the guys are 3/4 naked most of the time, the reason I got into it was because of the swimming plot. I watch shows for plot and if it has fanservice, well then ok, I'll just ignore it. Some people just have more tolerance than others and given your tone, I'm guessing you have like no tolerance whatsoever. Just because something has near porn in it doesn't mean the writing and such aren't good. There are many people that I know or have met online that watch shows for PLOT and deal with the fanservice. The people that don't have the tolerance for it are missing out because a lot of anime does have fanservice. Your argument seems to association fanservice with the show being automatically bad and that's incorrect. Just because it deters from the plot doesn't mean the show still isn't good.

[Braixen]

Most of the anime I watch don't have high levels of fan service, just minimal stuff. It doesn't usually bother me. If fan service is very noticeable then I occasionally find it is taking up precious time for building the story and such.

I just started Zankyou no Terror. I'm really excited for this one but I may not be watching much of it over this week due to other responsibilities...

[Noblejanobii]

Yeah that's understandable but I've gotten to the point where I just don't care. It's there, there's nothing I can do about it, so I'll just enjoy it anyway.

[Braixen]

Yeah that's understandable but I've gotten to the point where I just don't care. It's there, there's nothing I can do about it, so I'll just enjoy it anyway.

That's a good way to look at it! I find that fan service doesn't occur in the genre I watch though. Typically horror, or sci fi. It usually seems to be more of a SOL thing. Shin Sekai Yori has a tiny bit but it didn't bother me a bit! I don't think I would refrain from watching an anime over fan service, but I may dislike it if there's too much (because it's blatantly obvious).

I don't always think that fan service is in an anime because the story is bad though.

[Noblejanobii]

I watch a wide variety of anime so I encounter fanservice quite often, especially since I'm partial to the adventure/fantasy genre. In case you aren't aware, fantasy + adventure= girls with large breasts. For whatever reason. But I have developed a tolerance to it so I just say "hey, I can't do anything about. Might as well make fun of it and enjoy the story." Too many people discredit an anime because of fanservice and I hate that happens because there are a lot of good stories out there, they just have fanservice in them.

On a completely unrelated note, anyone here a fan of the reviewer Gigguk?