Does fan-service ruin anime?
This debates been going on for years now.
And like a lot of things in entertainment, it’s unlikely to ever go away.
But here’s a good way to look at it:
“It’s not fan-service that ruins anime, it’s the context of “how” you use fan-service.”
Let’s take an anime series like “Death Note” as an example:
How successful would Death Note be if “fan-service” was THROWN into every episode of the series?
Would it turn out to be the masterpiece that it is today?
And would you consider it a worthwhile
Doubtful.
It’s safe to say
And I wouldn’t even be writing about it in 2017.
This is what happens when you use “fan-service” to interrupt a GREAT story-line and plot that has “nothing” to do with fan-service.
Or a story that CAN’T be improved by the use of fan-service.
On the other hand - “Food Wars” uses fan-service to its advantage:
Food Wars uses fan-service for both men and women to enhance the feelings of “food-gasms”.
It takes a delicious meal that’s irresistible, and then uses fan-service to spark the characters imagination, and exaggerate how GOOD the food tastes.
This is the selling point of Food Wars, and is one reason it’s popular.
It’s a unique concept among anime shows after all, and it proves fan-service can work if used in the “right” context.
So back to the question:
Does fan-service ruin anime?
By itself, we can say fan-service does NOT ruin anime.
That being said though…
A lot of creators ruin anime by being simple-minded, believing if you “throw in” fan-service it will make an anime more appealing or successful.
You can’t use fan-service without first considering the context.
And that’s the low-down when it comes to the use of fan-service in anime.
Read:
10 Clean Animes That Don’t Include Sex, Fan-Service Or Ecchi Content
