| 1 | [[quoteright:320:[[ComicStrip/FoxTrot https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/orlando_bloom_has_ruined_everything.png]]]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:320:[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Getting harder to be a nerd these days.]]]] |
| 3 | ->''"How could they do this to Kakyoin!? He's the only reason women watch this show!"'' |
| 4 | -->-- '''Jean-Pierre Polnareff''', ''WebVideo/JojosBizarreAdventureAbridged'', Episode 6 |
| 5 | %% One quote. Extras go on the quotes tab. |
| 6 | %% Please avoid word cruft like "no, seriously" and the like. We believe you. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | An enclave of female fans within a traditionally male-dominated fandom. They tend to focus on a particular character or actor, rather than the entire series. Occasionally both sides [[FanDumb butt heads over largely superficial reasons]], with buckets of opposite-sex awkwardness, which can get defensive. It should also be noted that ''not'' all female fans within such a fandom are necessarily of the Estrogen Brigade. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | Unfortunately, it is because of this phenomenon that the female fan is sometimes regarded with suspicion -- especially if she admits that she does, in fact, happen to find some of the male cast pleasing to the eye. However, finding certain members of the cast to be attractive does not necessarily preclude a fan from liking other aspects of a particular work -- and, thus, should not automatically invalidate her as being a "[[NoTrueScotsman true]] [[FandomHeresy fan]]". |
| 11 | |
| 12 | An Estrogen Brigade is easily attracted by hints of HoYay, since many members of such brigades seem to agree that GuyOnGuyIsHot. FemaleGaze is often used to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | Not to be confused with AmazonBrigade. Its SpearCounterpart is the TestosteroneBrigade, which, while [[GirlShowGhetto debatable]], may be even more frequent. |
| 15 | ---- |
| 16 | !!Examples: |
| 17 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 18 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 19 | %% * ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' is filled to the brim with attractive, sometimes even ''pretty'', male characters. |
| 20 | * ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' is set in an ultra-violent universe where being female is an even worse fate than [[CrapsackWorld just being born in it]] but the deep storyline and compelling characters have universal appeal. That and the fact that [[HeroicBuild Guts]] and [[{{Bishonen}} Griffith]] get naked almost as often as the ladies and have a rather [[HoYay intense relationship.]] |
| 21 | * ''Manga/BigWindup'' is technically aimed at an adult male audience since the manga runs in a {{seinen}} magazine, but it still has an overwhelming number of female fans thanks to the cute male characters and the rampant HoYay between them. |
| 22 | * ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has not so much an Estrogen Brigade as an Estrogen ''Legion''. It has one of the largest female fan followings in recent memory, in no small part due to the competent and relatively compelling female characters, the intrigue behind the MythArc, the world-building, the action... and [[MrFanservice the men]] being subjected to ClothingDamage much more often than the women. |
| 23 | * ''Manga/BungoStrayDogs'' is actually a seinen manga, but most of the fanbase consists of female fans. Presumably, this is due to the many [[PrettyBoy Pretty Boys]] making up the cast, and the fact that pretty much every female character is an ActionGirl devoid of FanService. |
| 24 | %% * ''Anime/CodeGeass''. Many female fans are there for HoYay and [[{{Bishonen}} bishies]]. And there's no shortage of either, the character designs were by Creator/{{CLAMP}} after all. |
| 25 | * ''Manga/DeathNote'': |
| 26 | ** Light Yagami, a delusional KnightTemplar who kills hundreds of people to cleanse the world of evil attracts a lot of fangirls in and out of universe who support him [[DracoInLeatherPants just because he's hot.]] |
| 27 | ** L gets this even more than Light, due to his distinctive appearance and voice. Most female (and a good many male) fans want to kiss him. Many a FlameWar has been started over who is sexier between L and Light. |
| 28 | * ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', followed one of its inspirations, ''Bleach'', on the tremendously large female fanbase in Japan (and some worldwide) it amounted since its early humble Manga beginnings, before the Anime pushed the series to grow a more diverse fanbase; fan works such as fanart is dominated by women producing pieces geared towards their own tastes, such as the prettiest men and boys looking fabulous, and of course the more explicit side of that being of the YaoiGenre. Official popularity polls in Japan often result in showing how women make sure to get their most handsome crushes ranking at the top, while the female characters linger on the lower rankings; Zenitsu, Muichiro and Giyu are the most consistently beloved characters by women in Japan, with Tengen, Enmu and Doma popping up sometimes. This clear female presence in a male demographic geared work sometimes pushes the merchandise to be unisex, containing line of products with items with men and women in mind. |
| 29 | * ''Manga/DGrayMan'' is technically shonen, but with the sheer quantity of {{bishonen}} and MrFanservice like Allen, Kanda, Tyki, and Lavi, it's no wonder that the vast majority of its readers and fans are female. But then, it ''is'' written by a woman, so maybe it's just AuthorAppeal lining up with the wishes of the fangirl masses. |
| 30 | %%* Back when the show was airing on ''Toonami'', ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' gathered up an Estrogen Brigade larger than the rest of the North American fanbase. |
| 31 | * For all its gratuitous {{Fanservice}} geared towards teenage boys, ''Manga/FairyTail'' has a sizeable female fanbase for its cast of good-looking, well-toned men who are just as prone to {{Fanservice}} as the female characters. One of its main characters, Gray, is especially popular for being a cool guy who takes off his clothes in every other scene he's in (almost always without thinking), which led Creator/HiroMashima to give him an early DayInTheLimelight by writing the Galuna Island arc, which is centered entirely around Gray's tragic past. |
| 32 | %% * Alucard from ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}''. Probably more than 90 percent of female fans watch the show for him. [[StupidSexyFlanders Some males have the same reason]]. Other reasons may include Anderson, Pip, The Captain, Walter, Seras, Integra or Heinkel. [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer The last three are female]]. |
| 33 | %% * ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'''s fandom is mostly made out of females despite being far from a cute anime. [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer Each]] [[{{Bishonen}} main character]] has a following, even the ones outside of the TrueCompanions. |
| 34 | * If Website/{{Tumblr}} has anything to go by, ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' has a fairly large female fanbase. Most of it focuses on Hisoka, but there's also fangirls for Chrollo, Illumi, Feitan, Phinks, Shalnark, Kurapika, Kalluto, Alluka, Killua and Gon (the last four are the {{Moe}} kind of appeal). The female fans tend to like to ship the aforementioned and others [[SlashFic with each other]]. |
| 35 | * ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' is primarily aimed at teenage boys since the manga ran in ''Magazine/ShonenSunday'', but it also has a huge number of female fans thanks to having [[CastFullOfPrettyBoys numerous attractive male characters]]. This is [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff especially the case in North America]], where the series has many more female fans than male. |
| 36 | * ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' is famous for its very large female fanbase due in no part to all the HoYay and [[CastFullOfPrettyBoys disproportionately male cast]], but is primarily a shonen geared towards male audiences and often full of ultraviolent content. Hell, the all-female manga artist group Creator/{{CLAMP}} even got their start doing {{doujinshi}} and slashy fanart for this series. |
| 37 | ** In the way of characters, [[Characters/JoJosBizarreAdventureJeanPierrePolnareff Jean-Pierre Polnareff]] has a ''very'' strong following among female fans, owing to his {{chivalrous|pervert}} ButtMonkey nature, to the point that Polnareff is one of the most common characters that female fans {{cosplay|otaku girl}} as. |
| 38 | * ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'''s abundance of attractive male characters has led it to garner a solid female fanbase as well as an LGBTFanbase, despite being a male-aimed shonen fighting series packed with gruesome horror and vicious battles. In particular, Gojo's pretty design and cocky personality, combined with his [[WorldsStrongestMan incredible power]], has gained a ''huge'' fanbase of women primarily interested in him. Sukuna also has a huge number of female fans due to his extremely muscular appearance and completely dickish personality, meaning he strikes a solid AllGirlsWantBadBoys appeal. |
| 39 | %% * ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' introduced the Estrogen Brigade to RealRobot anime. In the West, that is. The original Anime/MobileSuitGundam has been extremely popular amongst Japanese fangirls, which even Creator/YoshiyukiTomino (a notorious [[TrollingCreator troll]] in the anime circles) admitted outright. |
| 40 | * The enormous amounts of fangirls virtually every character in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has, principally with the very {{bishonen}} characters like Sasuke, Naruto, and Neji (but even [[{{Gonk}} Rock Lee]] isn't without his fans). |
| 41 | * ''Manga/OnePiece'': |
| 42 | ** Zoro and Sanji, being manly and the most conventionally attractive males, tend to be the title's biggest fangirl-bait, especially to [[YaoiFangirl yaoi fangirls]]. [[MostFanFicWritersAreGirls It's not surprising that those two are also the most commonly paired together in slash fanfics]]. |
| 43 | ** It's often suspected that Ace was introduced to show what Luffy will look like once he's aged up a bit. There is no shortage of fanfiction that ships the two as a couple either (which could be considered [[IncestYayShipping incest shipping]] since the two of them are basically brothers). |
| 44 | ** Luffy himself qualifies too, what with [[MrFanService rarely keeping his shirt buttoned in post-timeskip episodes.]] |
| 45 | ** Heck, even post-TimeSkip [[{{Gonk}} Usopp]] can leave some females stunned. |
| 46 | ** In recent chapters/episodes, [[{{Bishounen}} Trafalgar Law]]--who was already disproportionately popular despite previously being a relatively minor character--has also received a lot more screentime...and the fangirls rejoiced. |
| 47 | %%* This is part of the appeal of ''Manga/PeacemakerKurogane'', given the incredible amount of HoYay and Bishonen. |
| 48 | * ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'' has a huge female following thanks to the CastFullOfPrettyBoys, to the point that it almost ''completely eclipses'' the male following it was originally meant for. Despite being a shonen manga originally aimed at teenage boys, executives eventually realized how popular it had become with girls and started marketing it towards a female audience as well; there are {{Otome Game}}s based on the series, as well as regular ads for it in shoujo magazines and magazines aimed at female otaku. [[Theatre/ThePrinceOfTennis The musicals]] would attract even more female fans. |
| 49 | * ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', published in [[Magazine/ShonenJump Weekly Shonen Jump]], has many bishonen characters to satisfy fangirls' eyes, especially the {{YaoiFangirl}}s with its infamous Libra Temple's scene between [[DudeLooksLikeaLady Shun]] and [[HumanPopsicle Hyoga]], added with that most of the male characters are considered more attractive than the females. And in the Sanctuary arc, [[spoiler:Saga]] had a rather long bath scene, which lead to numerous fanart based off that scene to be created. All of these make one think if this series was created for boys because there is only one ShowerScene that features a female character that not even the male fans even remember it. |
| 50 | * ''Manga/SoulEater'' is a shonen with ''tons'' of female fans, mostly due to the romance and attractive males. |
| 51 | * Thanks to estrogen-brigade drawing efforts of Kotetsu, [[TroubledButCute Barnaby]], and [[TheAce Keith]], many fans of ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' started to suspect that it was specifically geared towards women and {{Yaoi Fangirl}}s despite statements to the contrary[[note]]Kotetsu, for example, was written to draw in older ''men''[[/note]]. |
| 52 | * ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' has a very large female following in spite of being a seinen, many of them fans of the good looking male characters including Vash, Wolfwood, Legato, and Knives. This is something even the author has noted. Yasuhiro Nightow's next series, ''Manga/BloodBlockadeBattlefront'', which is shounen, may have taken it even further, as official merch included ''body pillows'' of the male characters! |
| 53 | * ''Anime/OsomatsuSan'' became well known for their brigade halfway through the series' run. What happens when you put some of the [[Creator/TakahiroSakurai Estrogen]] [[Creator/YuichiNakamura Brigade's]] [[Creator/HiroshiKamiya most]] [[Creator/JunFukuyama beloved]] [[Creator/DaisukeOno voice]] [[Creator/MiyuIrino actors]] in the same household as vitriolic brothers? You get this trope right out of the starting gate. Despite their character designs being the furthest from what people would consider attractive, the Matsuno brothers' voices combined with their quirky personalities quickly sold fangirls on the series. It helps that Jun Fukuyama's throaty growl as Ichimatsu was a major PlayingAgainstType performance that fans found bizarrely sensual. |
| 54 | * For a rather surprising example, ''Anime/RedoOfHealer'' has more female viewers than average, ignoring the fact that the anime and the original light novels only show [[VillainProtagonist Keyaru]] raping and torturing his slaves and his enemies, most of which are female, while the latter are brainwashed by him. [[https://animecorner.me/2021/03/redo-of-healer-female-viewership-is-higher-than-average/ Must be seen to be believed]]. |
| 55 | %%* The ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' franchise is pretty famous for its large female fanbase. [[{{Bishonen}} And it's]] [[HoYay not really]] [[MrFanservice too surprising]]. |
| 56 | %%* BaraGenre in general, the fact that this genre aims at gay and bisexual men doesn't stop female fans, especially adult women fans from ogling toward [[MrFanservice two or more good-looking]] [[{{Hunk}} muscular men]] [[GuyOnGuyIsHot passionately make out with each other]]. |
| 57 | [[/folder]] |
| 58 | |
| 59 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 60 | * ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'': The female fandom is still very small, but type any combination of male characters into the search bar on Website/DeviantArt some time, if you dare. With all the FoeRomanceSubtext, the fact Bruce Wayne is generally depicted as a rather handsome fellow, ass-kicking female characters, [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Nightwing]], and a huge cast of interesting villains, many of whom are just begging for DracoInLeatherPants treatment… it's sort of a wonder the Estrogen Brigade for Batman isn't bigger. |
| 61 | * ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'': ComicBook/BuckyBarnes, helped a lot by the MCU version's popularity. A sexy tortured bad boy out for redemption who is a borderline CosmicPlaything who only has a few loves ones who he is very close too and protective of? Yeah, he's getting fangirls. |
| 62 | * ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}'': The series has had an Estrogen Brigade of fun, quirky, female geeks for a few years now, mostly because they get a kick out of his BlackComedy sense of humor. Now he's getting a more traditional Estrogen Brigade, since he's being portrayed by [[MrFanservice Ryan Reynolds]]. |
| 63 | %% * ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange'': Another Marvel hero with a mustache also always had a sizeable female following. |
| 64 | * ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': ComicBook/WallyWest has a fairly active fanbase of women and gay/bi men, moreso than the other Flash family, to the point the Flash fans among the Feminist Comics Blogosphere tends to be made up almost entirely of Wally fans. Wally is a MrFanservice whose tweaks to the Flash costume included it being drawn in a way that better shaded his figure, with his belt being reshaped in a way to emphasise his butt and crotch, and though he was kind of an ass early on, he's shown to be a ChivalrousPervert who, [[LadykillerInLove upon falling in love]], becomes a very devoted and caring boyfriend. Notably, unlike many other comic book relationships where the woman is subject to MaleGaze, Linda Park is very rarely sexualised to even remotely the same level as Wally, making it apparent that EvenTheGuysWantHim. |
| 65 | * ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': The series has a surprisingly strong following in the Feminist Comics Blogosphere, only in part because of the franchise's 50-year tradition of [[FanService spandex-clad butt shots]]. Hal is "endearingly sexist", John is "the serious one", Guy is the "gruff den mother", Kyle is TheWoobie, and Alan is the sexy older guy. |
| 66 | * ''ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}'': The titular character himself is probably the largest example of this within comic fandom, something that is known by DC and has became an AscendedMeme at this point. He's an attractive Pretty Boy, has a very well-defined ass, his [[SpyCatsuit modern costume]] is sleek and compliments his figure better than almost any other make superhero costume, an he's a sensitive NiceGuy who is shown to be a loving boyfriend. It's well known that Dick has one of most sizeable fanbases of fangirls and gay/bi men. |
| 67 | * Creator/StanLee noted in ''Son of Origins of Marvel Comics'' (1975), towards the end of the Silver Age of Superhero Comics: |
| 68 | -->"For some reason, judging by the amount of mail we receive from girls, ComicBook/IronMan is easily the most popular of our superheroes with the female fans. Whether it's his money, moustache, or muscles we don't know, but one thing's for sure--the chicks really dig him. Might be a good subject for some psychologist to sink his teeth into." |
| 69 | * Despite (or perhaps because of) ''ComicBook/RedSonja'''s infamous ChainmailBikini and reputation for cheesecake, she's always had a prodigious female following. Creator/GailSimone said that she was one of the few heroines that was allowed to be as unapologetically brutal and free as the guys. |
| 70 | * ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': The series has assembled quite a large brigade over the years, which may be in part because Spider-Man does have a very noticeable "feminine side", being portrayed as quite sensitive and even shown crying on a few occasions. Also, right from the start taking his romances very seriously -- even when he was dating Betty Brant as a high-school student, he was thinking in terms of the future marriage -- and it is not for nothing that ever since the Stan Lee[=/=]John Romita run ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan1963'' has been described as a soap opera with action interludes. When a fan magazine once asked an assemblage of female comics creators to name their favourite superheroines, one of them half-jokingly named Spidey, explaining that he qualified as an "honorary female" anyway. |
| 71 | * ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'': The female fans have taken quite a liking to Tintin and the Captain, even if the art style of the comic books is the opposite of "sensual". It probably adds to their eroticism how the two characters get into perilous situations quite often, sometimes even [[BoundAndGagged tied up]], which can add to those who have the fetish. |
| 72 | %% * ''ComicBook/XMen'': ComicBook/{{Nightcrawler}} and ComicBook/{{Gambit}} are probably the two most popular Marvel characters for fangirls. |
| 73 | [[/folder]] |
| 74 | |
| 75 | [[folder:Comic Strip]] |
| 76 | * The page image comes from ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'', involving an arc based around the release of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' movies. Jason his horrified that his older sister Paige wants to see the film; not for the story, but because Creator/OrlandoBloom is in it. Upon getting to the theater, it is absolutely packed with girls, all of whom are there for a similar reason. Considering Amend, the strips creator, is a self admitted huge nerd and a big fan of the ''Lord of the Rings'' books, this is likely based on his own experience upon going to see the film. |
| 77 | [[/folder]] |
| 78 | |
| 79 | [[folder:Film -- Animated]] |
| 80 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLorax2012'' made the Once-ler a human. A very cute human. A very cute human with a [[WellDoneSonGuy sympathetic]] [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds POV]]. He is probably one of the well-known examples, as most of his fans [[JustHereForGodzilla didn't really care about the movie itself]] and would ship [[AlternateSelfShipping his nicer self from the beginning of the movie with his greedy business self he became later on]], to the point where it unfortunately became somewhat common to make fun of them for it, with some former Onceler fans considering it OldShame. |
| 81 | * Jack Frost from ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' has a ''huge'' female fanbase, with most fanart and fanfics for the film being focused on him. His attractiveness is further solidified when Tooth Fairy swoons over his snow-white teeth while her baby fairies make heart shapes around him and faint whenever he smiles. |
| 82 | * From ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'', there's Flint who because he's a dork has numerous fangirls. He is often shipped with Samantha, who also gets this treatment to a degree. |
| 83 | * From ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'', Ralph and Fix it Felix Jr are getting more and more fangirls. So are the three male Sugar Rush racers (especially Rancis Fluggerbutter), and even [[DracoInLeatherPants King Candy]]/[[spoiler: [[DracoInLeatherPants Turbo]]]] himself. |
| 84 | * Guy from ''WesternAnimation/TheCroods''. Tall, muscular, big-eyed and perpetually shirtless. Even without the rest of the cast being literal neanderthals, he's a very good looking boy. |
| 85 | * ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' gives us Flik, who is a [[TheKlutz klutzy]], [[BunglingInventor bungling]] nerd. A very [[{{Adorkable}} cute klutzy, bungling nerd]]. A very cute klutzy, bungling nerd who is easy to symphasize with. Cue the fangirls. |
| 86 | * From ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6'' we have Tadashi Hamada, who has garnered a LOT of fangirls. Intelligent, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]], skilled with robotics, an awesome big brother, and all-around NiceGuy. [[spoiler:His death 20 minutes into the movie is a huge TearJerker and has caused [[FanonDiscontinuity denial for some around the fanbase]]]]. |
| 87 | %%* Randall Boggs from ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' is very popular among female fans, if all the fanart of him is evidence enough. |
| 88 | * Judging from the amount of fanart they get online, [[BenevolentBoss Buster]], [[OnlySaneMan Eddie]], [[TheNapoleon Mike]] and [[GentleGiant Johnny]] from ''WesternAnimation/{{Sing}}'' seem to be really popular with female fans. It helps that Buster has a sympathetic POV and Mike is voiced by Creator/SethMacfarlane. |
| 89 | * Miguel O'Hara from ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse'' has attracted a storm of female fans, being a tortured, [[UnkemptBeauty unkempt]] {{hunk}} HeroAntagonist played by Creator/OscarIsaac - to the point where Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation [[https://www.tiktok.com/@sonypicturesanimation/video/7245362065827826986?lang=en themselves got in on it.]] |
| 90 | %%* There's a rather sizable female demographic for ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'', mostly owing to finding [[BigBad Judge Claude Frollo]] a strong case of SilverFox. |
| 91 | * Jim Hawkins from ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' has perhaps one of biggest collection of fangirls out of all the Disney human males. His character design, his TroubledButCute personality, his smarts and action scenes, and the fact that he's voiced by a now big time celebrity Creator/JosephGordonLevitt and is one of the rare handsome Disney heroes that remains single all factor into this, even with the fact that he's 15-years-old (probably because he certainly doesn't ''[[YoungerThanTheyLook look]]'' [[YoungerThanTheyLook that young]].) |
| 92 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}}'' introduces us to [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan favorite]], [[PrettyBoy Camilo Madrigal]] and watching him it's not difficult to see why he's loved despite having such a limited presence. At the time of the film's premiere in Creator/DisneyPlus, the boy has brought and attracted a hurricane of fangirls and fanboys because, apart from having a [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct surprisingly good singing voice]], he's a slender teenage boy, with full cheeks, a cocky grin, mischievous green eyes, bouncy curly hair and a golden complexion that mixes the contrasting skin tones of both his parents. |
| 93 | [[/folder]] |
| 94 | |
| 95 | [[folder:Film -- Live-Action]] |
| 96 | * ''Franchise/StarWars'': |
| 97 | ** Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi (in his youth), Luke Skywalker, and Anakin Skywalker are popular with ladies. In fact, pretty much all major male characters in the franchise except Yoda, Palpatine, Vader, Grievous and Dooku could qualify. |
| 98 | ** [[Literature/XWingSeries Wedge Antilles]] has one in the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse''; in one of the comics it's mentioned that he gets marriage proposals in the mail. Luke has about six Zeltron fangirls, and one [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Zeltron fanboy]] in ''ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977''. |
| 99 | ** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'': Darth Maul has an Estrogen Brigade. At least one "Estrogen Brigade" site for Darth Maul that was done mostly tongue-in-cheek, and it was ''brilliant.'' |
| 100 | ** The sequel trilogy continues this trend with the inclusion of Hux, Poe Dameron, and Finn, with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQucO7Z827A Buzzfeed even releasing a video]] of Creator/OscarIsaac and Creator/JohnBoyega reacting to thirst tweets! Special mention has to go to Kylo Ren and his [[MemeticMutation muscular build,]] which gets put on [[ShirtlessScene full display]] during one scene... |
| 101 | * Rumor has it that the only reason those of the female persuasion agreed to sit through ''Film/ThreeHundred'' with their boyfriends was the highly buff, almost entirely-male cast who seemed [[WalkingShirtlessScene unacquainted with the concept of a shirt]]. |
| 102 | * Peter Jackson's Tolkien Films. Big Times. |
| 103 | ** Pictured is the cover to a ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' collection, showing how a good portion of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' viewers were fangirls ogling [[Creator/OrlandoBloom Legolas]], though many others differed chiefly in that they preferred Aragorn (Creator/ViggoMortensen). Éomer and Boromir also got a fair amount of love, and even Faramir had a small but devoted contingent. |
| 104 | ** Or the Hobbits. All four of them. Separately and together. Helps that three out of four are played by slender handsome actors. ''Film/TheHobbit'' trilogy has launched Bilbo's (somewhat) addition to the equation since their release. |
| 105 | ** Dwarves are supposed to be much like what you see in LOTR, with Gimli and his father Gloin looking properly stout and bearded and not what you'd call hot (well...YMMV, some people certainly thought they were). Then Peter Jackson decided that it'd be appropriate to give the parts of the Line of Durin to Creator/RichardArmitage as Thorin, Creator/AidanTurner as Kili, and Creator/DeanOGorman as Fili. It worked. |
| 106 | ** Then there was the embarrassing fawning over an extra that female fans christened "[[Music/FlightOfTheConchords Figwit]]", who is now officially named Lindir. |
| 107 | ** They cast Creator/LeePace as Thranduil. If you thought the fangirling over Legolas was bad, don't ever watch a video about Thranduil (even a nice sensible lore video). Your Website/YouTube recommendations will be flooded for days with videos entirely about how hot he is. It's enough to genuinely make a fan feel sorry for whomever eventually gets cast to play Thranduil's even cooler cousin Thingol. |
| 108 | * Also the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' films, which not only had Orlando Bloom in the cast, but also Creator/JohnnyDepp, himself an example of eye-candy in almost every film he is in. |
| 109 | * Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse |
| 110 | ** The "mud wrestling" fight in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' does a lot for the ladies in the audience, as do {{Hunk}} [[Creator/ChrisHemsworth Thor]] and PrettyBoy [[Creator/TomHiddleston Loki]]. |
| 111 | *** ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' added the SilverFox [[Creator/JeffGoldblum Grandmaster]] to that particular mix. |
| 112 | ** In the previews for ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', Chris Evans was already acquiring an estrogen brigade. And as of Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier, so does Sebastian Stan. |
| 113 | ** ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''. ''All'' of them. Special mention goes to Mark Ruffalo's ShirtlessScene, who already won the Estrogen Brigade over with his StoicWoobie performance. It's almost unfair -- the guys just get Scarlett Johansson, while the girls get an entire team of strong, muscular, virile men in either tight-fitting or sleeveless costumes. |
| 114 | * Prince Nuada, from ''Film/HellboyIITheGoldenArmy'', also has an Estrogen Brigade. There's even a community to bring him back in a prequel movie. |
| 115 | * The Italian ''Film/{{Hercules 1958}}'' movies were very popular with stay-at-home housewives in the late '50s and early '60s due to their ample displays of [[WalkingShirtlessScene buff, shirtless male bodybuilders]]. As [[Creator/BobChipman Moviebob]] [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/5550-Hercules-Part-One put it]]: |
| 116 | -->''"Junior got a theoretically exciting movie about [[SwordAndSandal swords and monsters and heroes]], while Mom got... ideas. Filthy, filthy ideas. And now you know what [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow Dr. Frank-N-Furter]] was [[CampGay talking about]] when he said "we could take in an old Steve Reeves movie!"'' |
| 117 | * The Estrogen Brigade launched by Music/DavidBowie (or, more accurately, his crotch) in ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' is downright legendary. There's even an internet ''religion'' based around it. |
| 118 | * ''Film/MasterAndCommander'': A lot of appeal came from the original source -- the ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'' series. The film also comes with a bunch of buff men in breeches, Creator/RussellCrowe, Creator/PaulBettany, and a scene with a half-naked injured Stephen moaning in a way that sounds a tad erotic. While Jack's hands press down on his naked abdomen. No wonder fangirls love it. |
| 119 | * ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' |
| 120 | ** ''Film/XMenFirstClass'': Let's see, we have the [[PrettyBoy gorgeous]] Dr. Charles Xavier (Creator/JamesMcAvoy) and Dr. Hank [=McCoy=] (Creator/NicholasHoult), the [[TallDarkAndHandsome sexy]] Erik Lehnsherr (Creator/MichaelFassbender) and Riptide (Álex González), and of course there's the suave Sebastian Shaw (Creator/KevinBacon). Some teenage girls fawn over the hot Alex Summers (Creator/LucasTill), while others are enamoured with the cute Sean Cassidy (Caleb Landry Jones). |
| 121 | ** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': If you look at the [[http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/x-men-apocalypse main cast listing,]] just about ''every'' male actor is a stud muffin.[[note]]Perhaps the only one who would be considered unconventional-looking is Kodi Smit-[=McPhee=], but his character Nightcrawler has inspired many crushes.[[/note]] More so than any previous X-Men film, the men of ''Apocalypse'' cause the ladies to swoon en masse. |
| 122 | * ''Film/VictorFrankenstein'': Creator/DanielRadcliffe, Creator/JamesMcAvoy, Creator/AndrewScott and Freddie Fox provide plenty of eye candy for fangirls who enjoy seeing good-looking actors in period costumes. |
| 123 | * The Creator/JimDale-era of the ''Film/{{Carry On|series}}'' movies notably drew in a bigger audience -- many of the audience crush-nursing young women -- even with the movies that he didn't appear in, possibly in a hope to see him appear in a cameo. It was also probably why Dale's singing career was successful, long before he became an actor. |
| 124 | * [[TheWestern Westerns in general]] appeal to women because they feature [[BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins male American Indians]] who have bronzed hard bodies, smooth [[WalkingShirtlessScene bare chests]] and [[LongHairedPrettyBoy long hair]]. |
| 125 | * When the original ''Film/JurassicPark'''s 25th anniversary rolled around, Funko Pop!'s tie-in line cheerfully acknowledged that franchise's estrogen brigade with a Target-exclusive figure of [[Creator/JeffGoldblum Dr. Ian Malcolm]] in his [[MemeticMutation memetically legendary]] "injured" (aka open-shirt-with-''glistening''-chest) pose. The giant Lego set themed to the film the following year not only made sure the Ian minifigure was shirtless and wounded, but included the bunker room as one of the depicted locations so it could be posed properly. |
| 126 | * Franchise/IndianaJones has one of these both out-of-universe (c'mon, it's Creator/HarrisonFord) ''and'' InUniverse, if the number of swooning females that attend his lectures indicates. |
| 127 | * The ''Franchise/JohnWick'' action film series have a surprising female-following, thanks in part to Creator/KeanuReeves as the titular BadassInANiceSuit. Go to Website/{{Tumblr}} or Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn, and a good portion of the fanfiction on those sites pair Wick with an Original Character or a Reader-Insert. |
| 128 | * A good reason behind the success of ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'', originally intended for the 9-13 demographic of both genders, is because of the female fans who were attracted to the male casts, especially Zac Efron. Creator/DisneyChannel [[AudienceShift ran with it]], and made these boy-obsessed teenage girls their primary target in the next two films. |
| 129 | * On paper, ''Film/TheCovenant'' was meant to be ''Film/TheCraft'' for the male demographic, given the male leads, emphasis on action scenes, and at least one [[{{Fanservice}} shower scene]] with the main female character. In practice, between the cast of handsome young men (including a young Creator/StevenStrait, Creator/TaylorKitsch, and Creator/SebastianStan) and the ''numerous'' HoYay scenes between them, it's got a far larger female fanbase. |
| 130 | * ''Film/TheSantaClause'': While the film is mostly aimed at young boys, it has a fairly large fanbase of females due to Creator/DavidKrumholtz as Bernard the Elf, with his good looks and DeadpanSnarker personality making him the childhood crush of many 90s girls. |
| 131 | * ''Film/BulletTrain'': Tangerine has amassed a sizeable female fanbase due to being played by the very attractive Creator/AaronTaylorJohnson, and a cursory look at [=Ao3=] will show that a good chunk of fanfiction consists of him getting paired up with a reader self-insert character or AuthorAvatar. |
| 132 | * ''Film/FiveNightsAtFreddys2023'': Like the games, the film is mostly aimed at male fans, but a lot of fans online are female. This is mainly due to Mike being played by the very good looking Creator/JoshHutcherson, but Creator/MatthewLillard as [[spoiler:William Afton]] and Creator/ElizabethLail as [[LGBTFanbase Vanessa]] both have their fair share of fangirls as well online. |
| 133 | * ''Film/TheMummyTrilogy'': The trilogy is aimed mainly at male fans, but, due to the good looks of the male actors, it has a very loyal female following. The biggest following is for Creator/OdedFehr as Ardeth Bay, due to his good looks, pretty blue eyes, and natural charisma. Creator/BrendanFraser (Rick O'Connell) and Creator/ArnoldVosloo (Imhotep) also have a lot of female admirers in the fandom. |
| 134 | [[/folder]] |
| 135 | |
| 136 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 137 | * ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Have you ''seen'' the YaoiFangirlhordes? Hell, no male character is safe from this. Not even poor Harry himself. |
| 138 | * The ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'' book series is about the adventures of a naval ship captain during the Napoleonic Wars. Readers come for the history; they stay for the massive HoYay between Captain Aubrey and his [[HeterosexualLifePartners best friend]], the [[TheMedic ship's surgeon]] and resident BadassBookworm, Stephen Maturin. (Even without the slash, [[MrFanservice Stephen's pack of loyal fangirls would still give the Aubreyad a decently sized Estrogen Brigade]].) It doesn't help that they call each other things like "my joy", "my heart", "my soul"... Stephen's LOVE INTEREST even says to him that "anyone would think you were married to that man"! |
| 139 | * ''Les Amis de l'ABC'' from ''Literature/LesMiserables'': A group of 9 young revolutionaries, some of whom are very close, results in a pretty much all-female fandom. While there is a preference for Enjolras, fangirls often write slash involving any pairings of these. Hell, an almost entirely male cast of characters pretty much guarantees fangirls will find someone to Squee about! |
| 140 | * In the first volume of ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}'', the narrator spends a lot of time repeatedly pointing out how much the ladies enjoy tournaments and matches between knights even more enthusiastically than many men, making this an in-universe example. |
| 141 | %% * With ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'' it's probably easier to count the female fans who aren't into either [[GenderBlenderName Claire]], Firo, or Luck. Or Ladd, or Graham, or Czeslaw. |
| 142 | * ''Literature/TheCampHalfBloodSeries'': Yes, ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' was originally marketed to preteen boys, but a large number of girls and adult women love Rick Riordan's books (and male characters) too. Then again, Uncle Rick kinda set this up to happen by saying Percy had the body of a Roman god, showing Luke in a wet shirt, and don't get us started on [[ForcedOutOfTheCloset Nico di Angelo]]... |
| 143 | * While ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'' is [[ShonenDemographic targeted at a young male audience]], the series is infamous for the the huge Estrogen Brigade that congregates around Shizuo and Izaya. Mikado and Kida, too. Most of the male cast is [[CastFullOfPrettyBoys pretty]]! |
| 144 | * ''Literature/HighSchoolDxD'' is aimed at a male audience, stars a perverted hero who powers up through his love of breasts, and is filled with male-oriented {{Fanservice}}, but has a large enough female fanbase to be sold in the women's section of bookshops. Despite Issei's BrutalHonesty about his love of boobs, he is [[ActOfTrueLove deeply loyal to his beloved]], [[ChivalrousPervert always treats women with respect]] and will always help out someone who is in trouble. It doesn't hurt that the [[SupportingHarem (mostly female) supporting cast]] have ongoing {{Character Arc}}s which don't centre around Issei, and that he has both [[HoYay male allies]] and BloodKnight rivals who [[FoeRomanceSubtext get excited when they think about him]]. |
| 145 | * While the majority of ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'' fans are male, there was a notable influx of female fans during the Alicization arc, when another PrettyBoy character, Eugeo, was introduced. This resulted in a number of YaoiGenre fanfiction and {{doujinshi}} involving him and main character Kirito. |
| 146 | [[/folder]] |
| 147 | |
| 148 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 149 | * The Creator/DavidDuchovny Estrogen Brigade (''Series/TheXFiles'') was epically famous. The X-Files fandom was one of the first that was massively discussed on-line. It got to the point where there was a one-hit wonder by Bree Sharp called "David Duchovny, Why Won't You Love Me?", and several singers tried to copy that concept. |
| 150 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'' is ''very'' known for having Estrogen Brigades - almost as much as for its more iconic ParentService. |
| 151 | ** The Creator/PeterDavison, Creator/PaulMcGann (whose fanclub, "The Paul [=McGann=] Estrogen Brigade", is the TropeNamer), and Creator/DavidTennant Estrogen Brigades are the most famous examples. Other options do exist - Creator/ChristopherEccleston still has his own following despite getting one season, and Creator/MattSmith, Creator/PeterCapaldi, and Creator/JodieWhittaker have them as well, but there was a '''Creator/SylvesterMcCoy''' Estrogen Brigade on rec.arts.drwho. Creator/TomBaker slept with enough of his female following (which he called his 'time travellers') that it was a factor in his main relationship at the time breaking up - according to him, sometimes they'd even wear his costume during the event. |
| 152 | ** Male companions have always got this. Creator/PeterPurves (who played the First Doctor companion Steven Taylor) was not intended to be a ParentService character but was very popular with girls, which resulted in the creation of more intentional MrFanservice characters like one-time Sexiest Legs on Television award winner Creator/FrazerHines as Jamie (who still has a huge following). Sgt Benton's return to the series was caused by the entire 600-plus female population of a cotton mill (an industry that almost exclusively employed women) writing a petition to the BBC saying that they wanted 'more Benton'. |
| 153 | * The John Crichton Estrogen Brigate was very vocal during the run of ''Series/{{Farscape}}''. |
| 154 | * For an example of this phenomenon at its peak, go visit a ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' convention. Guaranteed at least 90% women. One notable convention, Wincon (formerly known as [=WinchesterCon=]) used to have a women-only policy -- male fans were only admitted if they were accompanied by a female fan. They've relaxed that restriction, but still maintain a strict anti-harrassment policy to create a "safe space" for female fans to express themselves. Female fans ''and'' [[EvenTheGuysWantHim queer fans too.]] For a sample of ''Supernatural'''s appeal to the GBTQ community, [[http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/supernatural/recaps.php check the recaps on]] on Website/TelevisionWithoutPity, where longtime recapper Demian (a gay man) provides strong story analysis while calling Jensen Ackles "Ducky Lips." |
| 155 | * The ''Series/{{Sliders}}'' fandom came to be referred to as [=JODSers=], short for "'''J'''erry '''O''''Connell '''D'''roolers '''S'''ociety". |
| 156 | * The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' franchise has had one from the beginning and every incarnation of the show is guaranteed to create one. |
| 157 | ** Mr Chekov in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' was added to the show specifically for just such appeal. |
| 158 | *** Amusingly enough, a giant Brigade had ''already'' been formed. The Spock {{Fangirl}} base is legendary in its... intensity, as Creator/LeonardNimoy details in ''I Am Spock''. |
| 159 | ** Interestingly the TropeNamer was ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''[='s=] Creator/AlexanderSiddig (real name Siddig El-Fadil), whose web fan ring "The Siddig El-Fadil Estrogen Brigade" predates more famous offshoot Estrogen Brigades like those for Creator/JonathanFrakes and Creator/PatrickStewart. |
| 160 | ** CreatorsPet Wesley Crusher, played by Creator/WilWheaton, also had one. |
| 161 | ** There are [[http://www.trekdoc.com/database/fan/9.htm Spiner Femmes]], female fans of Lt. Commander Data and Brent Spiner who portrayed him. |
| 162 | ** ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': Ex-model Evan Evagora ([[LongHairedPrettyBoy Elnor]]), Creator/SantiagoCabrera ([[TallDarkAndHandsome Cristóbal Rios]]) and Harry Treadaway ([[PrettyBoy Narek]]) are the main heartthrobs of the series. |
| 163 | * ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' has spawned a few of these: |
| 164 | ** Creator/JamieBamber has a posse of girl fans known in the community as "Bamber Bunnies", and yet people still misspell his name as "Barber". |
| 165 | ** "Baltar's Nymph Brigade". Note that by the final season, he had gained an ''in-show, religiously fanatical Estrogen Brigade'' derided as a "nymph-squad" by the President. |
| 166 | ** "Trucco's Troops" is another one. |
| 167 | ** Apollo and Starbuck each have quite a fangirl following as well during [[Series/BattlestarGalactica1978 the original show]]'s run. |
| 168 | * It's only appropriate that Jamie Bamber get his own brigade for ''Battlestar Galactica'', because he had one during his run in the ''Series/HoratioHornblower'' TV movies, probably due to his PrettyBoy looks and proclivity to wavering between being a daring hero and a complete woobie. TheNineties fandoms are weirdly dedicated, and [[FanCommunityNickname Crumpeteers]] -- his character Archie Kennedy was fondly called "Crumpet" -- swoon over Archie and write fan fic about him in TheNewTens. |
| 169 | * Bamber got another brigade for ''Series/LawAndOrderUK.'' He's gotten this in basically everything he's ever starred in. |
| 170 | * ''Series/TheColbertReport'', being primarily political satire, has more or less equal gender appeal -- but Colbert's personal Estrogen Brigade has to be seen to be believed. There are threads on the show's official forum dedicated solely to collecting pictures of his ''fingers''. |
| 171 | * Creator/JonStewart gets some of this, usually in response to the latest episode of ''Series/TheDailyShow'' where he rips some douchebag a new one. |
| 172 | ** At one point, Creator/RobertPattinson was the guest, and Jon joked about having a hoard of new viewers because of it. Cue the next day, when the title of the segment was: "Wait, don't leave! Here's a picture of [[MrFanservice Taylor Lautner]]." |
| 173 | * The Marcus Cole Estrogen Brigade, honoring the Ranger from ''Series/BabylonFive'', is still in existence. It doesn't talk about Marcus very much any more, but it has a distinctive voice and staying power. |
| 174 | * Vincent D'Onofrio has acquired a brigade based on his work in ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', though his weight gain seems to have caused a lot of internal friction among them. The beard has also led to raised eyebrows. |
| 175 | * One of the earliest Estrogen Brigades was Creator/DavidMcCallum's, which sprang to life when the 60s spy series ''Series/TheManFromUncle'' introduced us to minor character Illya Kuryakin. Kuryakin almost immediately [[EnsembleDarkhorse caught the attention of (mostly) female fans]], and [=McCallum=] went from mere RecurringCharacter to series regular to second billing (behind Creator/RobertVaughn) in the first season alone. By the second season, [=McCallum=] shared equal billing with Vaughn. |
| 176 | * The three presenters on ''Series/TopGearUK'', Creator/JeremyClarkson, Creator/RichardHammond and Creator/JamesMay, for Series 2 to 22 (Clarkson sometimes joked about Hammond being on the show solely to [[MrFanservice attract female viewers]]). And The Stig. And producer Andy Wilman. And James May's blue-patterned flowery shirt... |
| 177 | * ''Series/TheMagnificentSeven'' has seven of these, one for each character. They are: Larabee's Ladies, Buck's Babes, Vin's Vixens, Josiah's Jezebels, Nathan's Nightingales, Dunne's Darlins, and (the only non-alliterative one) Ezra's Brigadears. |
| 178 | * ''Series/{{Angel}}'': Angel and Wesley have the biggest Brigades in this fandom. |
| 179 | * The men from ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' all seem to have their own little pockets of fangirls if one puts enough effort into finding them (i.e.: head onto Website/DeviantArt or Website/LiveJournal, for starters). Joel, Mike, Forrester, Frank...even Torgo has his fangirls. And if you look on Youtube, you will find that Crow and Tom both have their fair share of fangirls too. Despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that they are robots. |
| 180 | * ''Series/IronChef'', particularly in the later years. Sakai, Chen, Kobe, and Morimoto all have their fangirls. Kaga's got some as well, naturally, but surprisingly there are quite a few for the announcer, Kenji Fukui. |
| 181 | * ''Iron Chef'''s successor, ''Iron Chef America'', is the same way. |
| 182 | * ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' has a huge amount of female fans, most of whom like to ship Mac and Dennis together. |
| 183 | * Methos of ''Series/{{Highlander}}: The Series'' had/has a ''Boxer'' Brigade, due to his appearing in his underwear in an episode. |
| 184 | * During the run of ''Series/{{Beauty and the Beast|1987}}'', Ron Perlman acquired one. On account of Perlman rarely giving interviews and being a virtual nobody at the time, most viewers didn't even know what he looked like out of makeup and the Brigade was therefore based on sheer romanticism. |
| 185 | * Even before ''Series/DoctorWho'', Creator/PeterCapaldi had a sizeable Estrogen Brigade for ''Series/TheThickOfIt'', including plenty of women who [[TooKinkyToTorture want to be bollocked by Malcolm Tucker]]. Most of them seem to be around half his age, and many are also fans of [[BadassAdorable Jamie]]. [[ViolentGlaswegian Angry Scots]] seem to be very attractive... |
| 186 | ** Believe it or not, there are a number of other characters in the TTOI who have plenty of fangirls. [[WickedCultured Julius Nicholson]] has his share, probably for the same reason as Jamie and Malcolm. [[SilverFox Adam Kenyon]], despite being a massive JerkAss, also gets in on this. As does [[ButtMonkey Phil]], whose [[LovableNerd lack of shame about his nerdy interests]] and UndyingLoyalty to Peter can come off as endearing. |
| 187 | * ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': |
| 188 | ** Creator/BenedictCumberbatch and his loyal [[FanCommunityNicknames Cumberbabes/Benaddicts/Cumberbitches]]. After all, [[http://www.weebls-stuff.com/songs/Benedict/ dirty, dirty girls love Benedict Cumberbatch]]. WARNING: You will never get that song out of your head. |
| 189 | ** Martin Freeman's John Watson is developing a bit of this too. |
| 190 | ** [[SilverFox Rupert Graves]] as [[FairCop DI Lestrade]] has more than his fair share as well. |
| 191 | * "The Giddies", a group of female ''Series/TheGoodies'' fans, described in ''The [[Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue Clue]] Bible'' as having a shared interest in the shortness of Graeme's shorts in "Scoutrageous". |
| 192 | * [[Creator/ConanOBrien Conan's]] HCPN (Hot Coco Picture Night) Wenches. Go to the Team Coco Facebook page on a Sunday night to witness lots of R-rated drooling over photos of him. |
| 193 | * ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'' has Arthur, Merlin, [[spoiler:grown-up Mordred]], and all the Knights. Take your pick. |
| 194 | * ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' has quite a few female fans who are only watching it for either [[Creator/JimCaviezel John]] [[BadassInANiceSuit Reese]], [[Creator/MichaelEmerson Harold]] [[GentlemanSnarker Finch]], both, or [[HoYay hoping the two of them get together]]. The creators are now apparently ''very aware'' of this last part and have been having fun [[TeasingCreator teasing]] and [[TrollingCreator trolling]] the Estrogen Brigade (see, for example, the Bowtie Scene from Season 3's "Provenance"). |
| 195 | * Creator/DisneyXD was created as a male-targeted counterpart for Disney Channel. Of course, there's a cast of good looking male actors, such as Hutch Dano, Logan Miller, Billy Unger, and Spencer Boldman. |
| 196 | * {{Toku}} has been attracting female viewers at least since 2000, when Joe Odagiri was cast as Series/KamenRiderKuuga and drew the attention of adult women and teenage girls who were watching the show alongside their sons/little brothers; in fact, the Japanese even refer to this as the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odagiri_effect Odagiri Effect]]. Ever since then, producers have been invoking this trope by casting handsome actors, singers, and male models as their heroes in the hopes of drawing in older female viewers with more disposable income. It's also gender-flipped, as most female roles in these shows are played by cute singers and swimsuit models in order to draw in fathers and older boys. |
| 197 | * ''Series/LifeOnMars2006'' and its spin off, ''Series/AshesToAshes2008''. In the former, there's sensitive, lovable Creator/JohnSimm as Sam Tyler with his PuppyDogEyes and [[HellBentForLeather famous leather jacket]]. In both we have dorky DC Chris Skelton, and the breakout, unconventional sex-symbol Gene Hunt. |
| 198 | * It's not unusual for female fans of ''Series/PeakyBlinders'' to admit they mostly started watching it to gawk at Creator/{{Cillian Murphy}} as Tommy Shelby. |
| 199 | * ''Series/TheMandalorian'' has several fangirls, who find that the attitude, voice, and swagger Creator/PedroPascal (and his body doubles) bring to the title character make him the sexiest man ever to don TwentyFourHourArmor. Additionally, the last few episodes of Season 2 have Mando reinforce his reputation as a good daddy by sacrificing [[spoiler:his adherence to the creed against exposing his visage to other living things. As he nervously interacts unmasked with other people, Pascal both adorably demonstrates social awkwardness, and shows off his handsome face.]] |
| 200 | * German actor Johannes Gabriel, as Walter, captured the hearts and possibly other anatomical regions of the Russian female fanbase of the TV show ''Series/NineteenFortyOne2009'' and its sequels, ''1942'' and ''1943''. |
| 201 | * ''Series/HomeImprovement'' saw the protagonist's son Randy gain one the moment that his actor Creator/JonathanTaylorThomas [[SheIsAllGrownUp hit puberty]] and became a TeenIdol. As a result, later seasons saw the unusual situation where suburban dads and their teenage daughters were eagerly watching the same sitcom, but for very different reasons. |
| 202 | * ''Series/TheWheelOfTime2021'' is aimed mostly at male fantasy fans, but has surprisingly developed a large female fanbase. This mainly comes in two forms: A) fangirls who consider Creator/DanielHenney as al'Lan Mandragoran to be hot and B) the LGBTFanbase who are here because they consider Creator/RosamundPike as Moiraine to be hot. |
| 203 | * ''Series/TheRedGreenShow'' had a couple of examples in Creator/PatrickMcKenna and Creator/PeterKeleghan. Creator and star Steve Smith even {{Lampshaded}} it, noting in interviews how many women fell madly in love with [=McKenna=]'s EndearinglyDorky character Harold. Female fans on ''Red Green'' comment boards, [=YouTube=] videos and even the Twitch chat of Steve Smith's son have all gushed about Keleghan. On the DVD commentary of the film ''Duct Tape Forever'' Smith noted that that Keleghan was too handsome to be portraying the {{Cloudcuckoolander}} Ranger Gord. |
| 204 | * ''Series/{{Lost}}'': While mostly aimed at male fans, the show nevertheless has a large and vocal female fanbase due to all of the good-looking male characters. The character with the most vocal female fanbase is without a doubt Sawyer, who's played by the good-looking Creator/JoshHolloway and often [[ShirtlessScene loses his shirt]] to show off his good looks. |
| 205 | [[/folder]] |
| 206 | |
| 207 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 208 | * Music/TheBeatles, especially compared to their indie years. They weren't conventionally handsome, but they were charming and they were great peformers, which is what attracted millions of girls to them. |
| 209 | * A rather unconventional Estrogen Brigade, but Music/{{Rammstein}} has one as well. |
| 210 | * Most men in HeavyMetal bands tend to have rugged looks and long-flowing hair. Do the math. |
| 211 | * NuMetal mixed multiple genres and presented modern urban aesthetics. It was noted for its ability to draw in ''huge'' crowds of women. |
| 212 | * Some historians credit Music/ElvisPresley with advancing the feminist movement because his concerts were places that female fans could go crazy and it was totally okay. |
| 213 | * Many modern CountryMusic "hunks", like Music/LukeBryan, Music/JasonAldean, and Music/FloridaGeorgiaLine, owe much of their success to their enormous female fanbases. A number of country music journalists have noted that the front rows of their concerts tend to resemble those of prominent pop and rap musicians, being dominated by {{squee}}ing fangirls. This is especially common in the genre known as "bro-country", which incorporates elements of CountryRap and classic rock along with lyrics about partying, trucks, and hot chicks, forming what has been called the country equivalent of HairMetal or GlamRap. |
| 214 | ** Before the bro-country wave, there were the "hat acts" of TheNineties, who were often hunky young men in cowboy hats. Many of their critics often accused them of trading on their good looks in order to cover up a lack of talent and derivative music. |
| 215 | * Music/ChrisBrown. It's been argued that the only reason why he still has a successful career after [[DomesticAbuse what he did]] to Music/{{Rihanna}} is because he's just ''that damn sexy''. |
| 216 | * OlderThanRadio: In ClassicalMusic, the probable TropeMaker is Nicolo Paganini, whose virtuosic violin playing and flowing long hair was said to "leave men weeping and women swooning." The TropeCodifier, though, was the dashing pianist Music/FranzLiszt, who had swarms of hysterical fans literally throwing themselves at the stage and fainting in the aisles wherever he performed. The phenomenon was given the name "Lisztomania," over 120 years before [[Music/TheBeatles Beatlemania]] happened. Quoth Website/TheOtherWiki: |
| 217 | --> "Admirers of Liszt would swarm over him, fighting over his handkerchiefs and gloves. Fans would wear his portrait on brooches and cameos. Women would try to get locks of his hair, and whenever he broke a piano string, admirers would try to obtain it in order to make a bracelet. Some female admirers would even carry glass phials into which they poured his coffee dregs." |
| 218 | * Music/{{GEazy}} has a ''massive'' following with female listeners, especially compared to other rappers. He's boasted about this in several songs, such as "One of Them". |
| 219 | -->"See them bad bitches? Got tons of them." |
| 220 | * Despite not being what most consider to be conventionally attractive and not having put out a new album in over a decade, Music/FlightOfTheConchords still has a large dedicated fanbase of women. At one point it got so immense that the duo had ''condoms'' thrown at them during some of their concerts. |
| 221 | * Most western fans of K-pop in general. |
| 222 | * Music/{{Eminem}} had one back in the late 90s/early 2000s due to his [[EndearinglyDorky cute]], PrettyBoy appearance and the fact that he was a ''TRL'' mainstay, presented back to back with BoyBand videos. This caused [[TheNewRockAndRoll a moral panic]] considering the misogynistic content of his lyrics - for example, the fact that during this period he wrote two entire songs about murdering his real-life wife, and one about raping and murdering his mother. When his movie ''Film/EightMile'' opened with an overwhelmingly female audience, several newspapers viewed it as the downfall of feminism. The reality is that Eminem's music is more about satirising misogyny than indulging in it, and he likes to play with gender stereotypes by dressing as women in his videos, crying in his songs, and exploring his past as an abuse victim (and an abuser); it's [[KayfabeMusic his kayfabe persona, Slim Shady]], who's the murderer; he's a loving father to daughters; and while he suffered with LostInCharacter issues compounded by drug abuse during this period, all accounts suggest that his natural personality is sweet, sensitive and shy. Even in his middle age, his fanbase skews slightly female (53% to 47%, according to [=YouGov=]). |
| 223 | * Music/NinjaSexParty is a comedy band with a lot of humor poking fun at straight male sexcapades, and Danny Sexbang's obsession with sex is usually meant to be [[CasanovaWannabe comically disproportionate to how much success he really has]]. Even with the parody angle, however, he's an extravagant, attractive rock star in spandex and eyeliner -- the female fanbase was inevitable. (Most of the fans get the joke, of course -- it just makes the character seem more approachable.) |
| 224 | [[/folder]] |
| 225 | |
| 226 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
| 227 | * Tends to be rather obvious in ProfessionalWrestling, and tend to have their own favorites apart from the rest of the crowd. Ever notice how the cheers for a Wrestling/JeffHardy, or a Wrestling/RandyOrton, or especially Wrestling/JohnCena are much higher-pitched than the cheers for any other wrestler? (Though in Cena's case, it's also because of [[KidAppealCharacter children]]) Especially when Jeff takes off his shirt… |
| 228 | * This can certainly be traced back to Ricky Morton of the Rock 'n' Roll Express, who was one of the first wrestlers to be continually beat up to appeal to the mothering instincts of female fans. |
| 229 | ** In [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalWrestlingJargon wrestling lingo]] these smaller good looking babyfaces that get sympathy heat are referred to as "blowjobs", Morton being the most successful one at the box office. Today the wrestling audience is predominantly males in their 20s and 30s, but wrestlers like [[Wrestling/FergalDevitt Finn Balor]], Wrestling/AdamCole, and Wrestling/DarbyAllin have plenty of female fans. As noted in the examples below, this female fandom often doesn't endear these wrestlers to the male side of the population. |
| 230 | * "Clique"-era Wrestling/ShawnMichaels was blatantly marketed at female fans, to the point of doing a spread in ''Playgirl''[[note]]Apparently no one told him (or [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince]]) until after the magazine hit store shelves that ''Playgirl'' is mainly bought by '''gay men''', not women. As such, Michaels [[Main/NeverLiveItDown really doesn't like people bringing this up]], in fact the cover of that issue of ''Playgirl'' is the page image for the [[CreatorBacklash/ProfessionalWrestling pro wrestling section]] of the Main/CreatorBacklash trope[[/note]]. Of course, the result was the male fans turning against him in a way that makes the current reaction to John Cena seem positively tame, culminating in Madison Square Garden rabidly cheering Sid of all wrestlers at Survivor Series 1996. In the pre-Attitude era, that type of fan revolt was shocking. Many male fans take great pleasure in the stunned reaction of a female fan in the front row of that match when Sid pins Michaels clean in the middle as MSG erupts in cheers. |
| 231 | * Jeff Hardy made an appearance for Ring of Honor. At the time Jeff's popularity with the smark crowd was at a low ebb. Hardy's Estrogen Brigade came to the [=RoH=] show ''just'' to see Jeff Hardy, and their shrieking seemed to set the [=RoH=] regulars off. They booed literally everything Jeff did, and at one point started a "shut the fuck up" chant against the estrogen brigade. |
| 232 | * All three members of Wrestling/TheShield have lots of fangirls, especially Wrestling/RomanReigns. In fact, Reigns' estrogen brigade is one of the many reasons (though definitely not a major one) why he was widely disliked by hardcore fans during his main event push. |
| 233 | [[/folder]] |
| 234 | |
| 235 | [[folder:Sports]] |
| 236 | * UsefulNotes/FormulaOne. Ask a girl why she's watching it, most likely she'll say for the pretty boys. |
| 237 | * Rugby -- a few years ago, the most commonly cited reason from female English fans as to why they like rugby would have been "Johnny Wilkinson's legs! Phwoar". |
| 238 | ** ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' uses Geraldine as an example of this. |
| 239 | ** Rugby has a fairly large Brigade in New Zealand, as well. The most popular seems to be Dan Carter, flyhalf/[[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/advertising/news/article.cfm?c_id=111&objectid=10476721&pnum=1 underwear model]], Richie [=McCaw=], Captain of the All Blacks, and inside centre Sonny Bill Williams, who [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnCkR52CVu0 caused quite a stir]] when he changed his jersey in the middle of the game in the opening match of 2011 World Cup. |
| 240 | * A few [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball soccer]] players. Helps that the players on the winning team follow the tradition of [[ShirtlessScene taking their shirts off]] at the end of a game. In the 70s and 80s, the size of the shorts also helped. |
| 241 | * Most female [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball St. Louis Cardinals]] fans ''do'' follow the game, but may end up crushing on a player that they like. It's not usually enough to be called an Estrogen Brigade, but now David Freese is developing one since he [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome saved the Cardinals from losing the 2011 World Series at the very last minute of Game 6]] ''and'' he's cute as a button. |
| 242 | ** Many signs at the victory parade read "DAVID FREESE, WILL YOU MARRY ME?" |
| 243 | * In the NFL, Creator/TomBrady is probably the player with the most iconic Estrogen Brigade. |
| 244 | * Women's interest in UsefulNotes/{{baseball}} in general increased when the uniforms switched from baggy knickers to spandex tights. |
| 245 | * UsefulNotes/AustralianRulesFootball. Their shorts are ''tiny''. The sleeveless guernseys help, too. |
| 246 | * Ice-hockey. There is nothing like tough man, most of them total {{Hunk}}s, who fight on ice. So hot! |
| 247 | * Men's swimming, diving and UsefulNotes/WaterPolo interest girls because they'll see smooth and hairless guys with a high level of muscle tone wearing only [[BriefsBoasting banana hammocks]]. |
| 248 | [[/folder]] |
| 249 | |
| 250 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 251 | * The majority of 2.5D stage plays (ScreenToStageAdaptation works based on anime and manga) are aimed towards this kind of fanbase. That doesn't make them shallow works -- franchises like VideoGame/ToukenRanbu and Music/{{Tsukipro}} keep all of their depth in their stage plays, though they were CastFullOfPrettyBoys series all along. But then you get seinen series like ''Manga/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto'', and even ''Manga/{{Kaiji}}'' adapted into stage plays starring Touken Danshi actors as characters who [[AdaptationalAttractiveness were ugly, smarmy, or creepy in the manga]]. |
| 252 | * Roger from ''Theatre/{{RENT}}'' definitely has one! As does Mark to a lesser extent. |
| 253 | * The title character of ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' has a pretty large one, resulting in an almost all-female fandom. And if you don't like Erik, there's always Raoul... |
| 254 | * ''Theatre/LesMiserables'' probably got its initial female fanbase almost entirely from Michael Ball (the West End's original Marius), Michael Maguire (Broadway's original Enjolras), and/or Colm Wilkinson (the original Jean Valjean). Although it's fair to say that all the barricade boys have become immensely popular, with Grantaire as a particular breakout. |
| 255 | * The cast of ''Theatre/SeventeenSeventySix'' is populated largely by intelligent, handsome men in period clothing. Who can dance and sing. |
| 256 | [[/folder]] |
| 257 | |
| 258 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 259 | * ''Franchise/TombRaider'' has the "Kurtis Trent Estrogen Brigade". Larson's getting pretty popular as well. |
| 260 | * ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games that were released when Ayami Kojima was in charge of character design. Every male ''Castlevania'' protagonist she ever designed is a top-grade {{Bishonen}}, which is why there's a lot of fangirls in the fandom, and most of the fanart on Pixiv seems to be made by girls. ''Castlevania'' games released before and after that, not so much. |
| 261 | * There is a small but very vocal part of the ''VideoGame/DontStarve'' fandom that are very attracted to Wilson and/or Maxwell. |
| 262 | * Surprisingly, the ''Franchise/MegaMan'' games (particularly with ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManX'') has a large female fanbase. There are several possible reasons for this: the [[BadassAdorable adorable]] main protagonist of the Classic series (alongside many other cute characters like Roll and Ice Man), the numerous "attractive" robot men like Bass and Zero, and for YaoiFangirls, the majority-male cast that provides ample fuel for {{Shipping}}. |
| 263 | * Raziel from ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' has this, despite lacking a lower jaw. And well, ''every single male character'' in ''Legacy of Kain'' have female fanbase. |
| 264 | * The vast majority of ''VideoGame/StarControlII'' fans are male, but the [[http://community.livejournal.com/frungylovers/profile FrungyLovers]] [[http://www.livejournal.com LiveJournal]] community is almost 100 percent female, and ''was'' 100 percent female until recently. Several of them are Admiral ZEX fangirls (unsurprising if you've played the games, but if you think it's only because of the HoYay, you have no idea). They like to call themselves [[FanCommunityNicknames Deviant Schoolgirls On Speed]], thanks to a [[http://starcontrol.classicgaming.gamespy.com/forum/index.php?topic=1582.0 colorful description of them]] made by a poster on a more... 'conservative' forum. |
| 265 | * ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games tend to have a large Estrogen Brigade, and, naturally, so does ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', to the point that they [[InvertedTrope seem to have female-dominated fandoms with a Testosterone Brigade]]. ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' deserves a special mention. |
| 266 | ** [[{{Bishounen}} Sephiroth]] has more fangirls [[{{Squee}} squealing]] over him than any male fan that that was supposed to think he looks badass. Let's not forget that [[WalkingShirtlessScene shirtless alternate costume for spin-offs]], he is just one of the dozens of [[MrFanservice reasons girls play this]]. A lot of girls are there just for {{Shipping}} too. |
| 267 | * ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' has had a pretty damn big one ever since ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''. The reason why [[MrFanservice should be obvious]] [[note]] an interview with the creators revealed this was entirely intentional. Apparently Link was designed to suit the preferences of one artist's wife.[[/note]]. This is even referenced in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''. If the player finishes the STAR minigame in Hyrule Castle Town, a group of girls will squee and run away every time Link goes by. You get a couple of free hearts from the pure power of estrogen left in their wake. |
| 268 | * Fighting Video Games such as ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'', ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' and ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' had these, 'cause you know what. ''The King of Fighters'' deserves special mention since Creator/{{SNK}} has heavily acknowledged its female fanbase since the 90s and even made multiple otome games based on the franchise. |
| 269 | * ''VideoGame/MetalGear'': |
| 270 | ** Solid Snake and Big Boss have very devoted fangirls. Snake's ass and Big Boss's crotch and chest are all very well rendered. Coincidence? |
| 271 | ** A subgroup could take or leave the Snakes themselves, as long as they can keep [[Creator/DavidHayter his English voice-actor]]. |
| 272 | ** TheWoobie Otacon also has a devoted fangirl base. |
| 273 | ** As does Raiden. And Raikov. [[{{Bishonen}} Though that is hardly a surprise]]. |
| 274 | ** Even Volgin gets this. Some people just seem to be into [[PsychoElectro that sort of thing]]. |
| 275 | ** After the players were introduced to their younger selves, both Ocelot and Roy Campbell have been gathering fangirls rapidly. Ocelot fangirls call themselves "Ocelthots". |
| 276 | ** Kazuhira Miller, although not as large as Ocelot's, also has a lot of fangirls. |
| 277 | ** Liquid Snake, being a shirtless EvilBrit, is very much liked by fangirls. |
| 278 | * Speaking of Kojima games. A not inconsiderable contingent bought ''VideoGame/DeathStranding'' purely because the trailer featured a naked handsome man. |
| 279 | * The ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' fandom: |
| 280 | ** They are extremely... vocal about prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. The "Edgey Fan Base" on the biggest fansite's forum took up literally more than half the posts in the section about Edgeworth's first game in the series. |
| 281 | ** Apollo gathers fangirls too, thanks to being cute and dorky. |
| 282 | ** Godot/[[spoiler:Diego Armando]] has a smaller but vehemently loyal fangirlbase despite (and sometimes because of) [[spoiler: his relationship with Mia Fey]]. |
| 283 | * ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''. Sexy Sparda Syndrome. Dante, Vergil and Nero, who stack RIDICULOUS amounts of fangirls. On their own and [[YaoiFangirl in any combination]]. SlashFic abound. |
| 284 | ** And before you ask, this applies to the ''other'' versions of [[VideoGame/DmCDevilMayCry Dante and Vergil too.]] |
| 285 | * From Creator/BioWare, ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''' Alistair has an Estrogen Brigade - not bad for a character who's canonically a virgin. |
| 286 | ** The ''Dragon Age'' team is very good at writing male characters who are dorkily cute and/or TroubledButCute, and they’re also very good at casting actors whose voices are [[ArousedByTheirVoice easy on the ears]]. So there are quite a few major male characters in the series with their own sizable brigades. One who is particularly worth singling out, though, is Cullen Rutherford, a minor character in the first two games who became an AscendedExtra and PromotedToLoveInterest in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' in large part because of this trope. |
| 287 | * ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' sure has a ''lot'' of {{slash|fic}}y fanart and fanfics for a gratuitously violent first person shooter with ([[AllThereInTheManual seemingly]]) no plot, doesn't it? |
| 288 | * ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' has always been a game about war, death and political intrigue between kingdoms, and depending on where each setting places on the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, it could even show no illusions [[NoWomansLand on how bad women had it]], most notably shown in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776 Thracia 776]]''. Even so, the franchise has earned a ''gargantuan'' female following thanks to its deep characters, strong female protagonists and [[CastFullOfPrettyBoys endless supply of handsome men]], with all of this being ''before'' the HoYay is factored in. |
| 289 | ** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn Radiant Dawn]]'' are especially infamous for their Estrogen Brigade. Taking place in a setting chock-full of GreyAndGrayMorality, mature themes like genocide and racism, and the fact that Ike was a [[{{BFS}} BFS-wielding]] mercenary basically made the Tellius games a LighterAndSofter ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. Despite this, they manage to have ''the'' largest female-following of the settings, in no shortage to the ''gargantuan'' CastFullOfPrettyBoys, the deep storyline, characters and worldbuilding, and endless supply of strong female characters. And this series manages to have the most HoYay in a series ''full'' of Ho Yay. |
| 290 | ** The latest installment, ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' gives us a rare, special case where the character causing the brigade is ''[[EvenTheGirlsWantHer female.]]'' The development team anticipated that Edelgard's house, The Black Eagles, would be aimed at straight men as it has the most female characters. However, Black Eagles wound up being the most popular house for ''women'' instead. In fact one can be forgiven for assuming male Byleth doesn't exist as fan content for Edelgard and Byleth is almost exclusively lesbian. When you consider that Edelgard is a LadyOfWar with a DarkAndTroubledPast who has a cold exterior but is a SmittenTeenageGirl when it comes to the player character regardless of gender, it's easy to see why this happened. Dorothea and Petra are very popular was well, the former for being TheTease and the latter for being such a genuine NiceGirl. |
| 291 | *** That's not to say the intended Estrogen Brigade Bait underperformed, however: the Blue Lions has the most conventionally handsome guys in the cast, with strong personalities and a lot of emotional complexity to delve into, especially where the [[DarkAndTroubledPast Tragedy of Duscur]] is concerned. There's a reason why the FanNickname for the Blue Lions "the Otome house". Dimitri, the head of the house and a potential poster boy for JerkassWoobie after the time skip, ran away with the votes in [[https://i.imgur.com/rsH2EgE.jpg a female-majority poll]] that also gave a lot of love to his house in general and is so well-liked that he even placed on [[https://japanesenintendo.com/2019/10/21/nintendo-dream-character-poll-5/ a poll of favorite Nintendo characters,]] outdoing ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Yoshi and Princess Peach.]]'' Even taking recency bias into account, that's some impressive reception. [[HandsomeLech Sylvain]] and [[{{Tsundere}} Felix]] are also extremely popular for being very handsome, having attractive voices and with angsty backstories. |
| 292 | *** Claude's popularity shouldn't be undersold either, as he's a hugely popular character who came second only to Dimitri in the same poll and many female players have admitted to choosing the Golden Deer house just because they wanted to marry him. |
| 293 | * [[AntiHero Shadow the Hedgehog]] is disturbingly popular among ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fans. |
| 294 | ** [[TheHero Sonic]] himself and [[TheRival Knuckles]] are no slouches either in the fangirl department. [[{{Ninja}} Espio]] also managed to attract quite a few when he was reintroduced into the franchise for ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes''. |
| 295 | * [[TheAtoner The Arbiter]] and the [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Sangheili/Elites]] ''as a whole'' have their own Estrogen Brigade, despite being giant space lizards with four mandibles instead of a lower jaw. Not to mention of course, the ''[[SuperSoldier Master]] [[OneManArmy Chief]]''. Despite ''Franchise/{{Halo}}''[='s=] fanbase often being stereotyped as overly masculine, the fangirls are definitely out there. |
| 296 | ** If you ever spot a group of ''Halo'' {{cosplay}}ers at a con, odds are at least a good third of those PoweredArmor-clad Spartans [[SamusIsAGirl will be female]]. |
| 297 | * ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'' all the way. If the hot, predominantly male cast isn't enough to satisfy you, then the ridiculous amounts of HoYay and/or FoeRomanceSubtext will. |
| 298 | * ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'': |
| 299 | ** Future Luke/[[spoiler: Clive]] is definitely the character that generates the most fangirls out of the series. |
| 300 | ** Luke Triton is incredibly popular amongst the LoliconAndShotacon fangirls. |
| 301 | * ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'' despite being a {{shonen}} series for children has admittedly made many a girl swoon over middle schoolers. |
| 302 | * Not even ''VideoGame/BackyardSports'' is immune to this phenomenon. There are actually some girls on Website/DeviantArt who insist that [[{{Metalhead}} Achmed]] is hot. |
| 303 | * ''{{Videogame/Portal 2}}'''s Wheatley has many, many fangirls, due to his adorkability and the fact that he's voiced by Creator/StephenMerchant. |
| 304 | * With ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', there is an awful lot of fangirl-ing over both Cicero and Lucien Lachance from ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' and ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' respectively. |
| 305 | * Back in the heyday of the Creator/{{Sierra}} adventure game fandom, you'd be hard-pressed to find a ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' fangirl that didn't have a crush on [[PrinceCharming Prince Alexander]], and you'd be equally hard-pressed to find a ''VideoGame/GabrielKnight'' fangirl that didn't have the hots for [[TragicVillain Von Glower]]. Probably no coincidence that they were both written (or largely written) by the same creator. |
| 306 | * ''{{VideoGame/Overwatch}}'' got one the second [[TheGunslinger McCree]] premiered. And it quadrupled when they introduced [[WalkingShirtlessScene Hanzo]]. It makes more sense when you realize that every member of the cast could qualify as TroubledButCute. |
| 307 | * Despite ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact'''s FanNickname ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Waifu]]'', this game has no shortage of female fans. [[TallDarkAndHandsome Kaeya]], [[VigilanteMan Diluc]], Xiao, and ''especially'' [[AffablyEvil Tartaglia]] and [[SharpDressedMan Zhongli]] are the most common recipients of fangirls. Creator/MiHoYo apparently considered this, as the in-game web event that features Zhongli and Tartaglia plays out like a dating sim (sans the romance elements). It even has Lumine, the character yumejoshi would most likely choose as their player character, as the protagonist for the event. |
| 308 | * ''VideoGame/HonkaiStarRail'', also by Creator/MiHoYo, has swathes of female players because of Dan Heng, Welt, Gepard and Sampo in 1.0. Later characters such as Jing Yuan, Luocha, and Blade further facilitated this. |
| 309 | * ''VideoGame/{{IMGCM}}'' has a few female players, although that game is aimed for the {{Seinen}} demographic and has lots of FanService and VisualInnuendo, and there's an alternate {{NSFW}} version called ''MGCM DX''. Many female players are focused on the player protagonist Tobio Hakari, who is a NiceGuy and [[AFatherToHisMen cares about his heroines]], especially when he is an Executor and he's the best in comparison to his alternate selves. The female players also like the game's adorable and attractive heroines, and Tobio's RemoteBody Omnis. |
| 310 | * ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' with its RPG and social sim features certainly gained a lot more of attention from the female playerbase than the testosterone-filled ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'', presumably for his male characters (and there lots of them) and the many teenage dramas that occur in the game. It also helps that there are kissable male students for the male protagonist. |
| 311 | * ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'': Creator/KeanuReeves plays the game's {{Deuteragonist}}, so a lot of his fangirls, even ones that don't usually play video games, gave this one a try. |
| 312 | [[/folder]] |
| 313 | |
| 314 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 315 | * ''WebAnimation/CampCamp'': David the camp counselor's dorky, optimistic personality and cute appearance have both given him a ton of female fans. |
| 316 | * WebAnimation/{{Nijisanji}} distinguishes itself from other large VirtualYoutuber companies in that it hosts male and female talent in almost equal numbers, as opposed to focusing more on the latter. As such, the group has amassed a significant female following in an industry with a dominantly male viewer demographic. |
| 317 | [[/folder]] |
| 318 | |
| 319 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 320 | * ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': [[https://www.egscomics.com/sketchbook/2014-09-30b The Lady Planeswalkers of Moperville.]] Currently only in a sketchbook, but time will tell. |
| 321 | [[/folder]] |
| 322 | |
| 323 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 324 | * Despite the ''WebVideo/GameGrumps''[='=] VulgarHumor being geared more towards other gamer guys, there's a decent female fandom, many of whom find the Grumps attractive. It's not hurt by the frequency of jokingly-flirtatious humor, Arin being InTouchWithHisFeminineSide and often choosing female players, and the incorporation of games geared towards girls on the show. Danny's inclusion also helps as his stint in Music/NinjaSexParty has people already attracted to him. The Grumps are aware that fans find them attractve, to the degree of putting out [[https://twitter.com/gamegrumps/status/1387089159462916096?lang=en body pillows]] (including furry versions!) as official merch. |
| 325 | * ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'': In a commentary, Doug and Malcolm surmise that this is the reason why minor side characters Devil Boner (aggressive man in leather and eyeliner, with the added bonus of CharacterDevelopment that made him a feminist) and Benny (bisexual SharpDressedMan who is a badass assassin) became so popular so fast. It helps that the former ends up married to the show's resident {{Fangirl}} parody. |
| 326 | * Most of the writers of ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' have a large female ([[EvenTheGuysWantHim well, not necessarily...]]) fanbase who aren't there for the comedy. Most obvious example is Soren Bowie; the comment sections of his articles are filled with fans talking about how good looking he is and [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday men feeling the need to mention their heterosexuality]]. |
| 327 | * Many viewers find [=NicePeter=], co-founder of the ''WebVideo/EpicRapBattlesOfHistory'', very attractive. Some have speculated that this is the reason why the characters he plays tend to win over [=EpicLLOYD=]'s characters in the fan polls. |
| 328 | * Now that he has a beard Jay Bauman from WebVideo/RedLetterMedia tends to attract a lot of attention on the live stream comments. |
| 329 | * While ''WebVideo/SMPLive'' wasn't really targeting any one gendered demographic, its initial audience was definitely mostly teenage boys and young men. Because of this, the influx of teenage girls running stan accounts took creators off guard. |
| 330 | [[/folder]] |
| 331 | |
| 332 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 333 | * ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' and its [[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce sequel]] are both aimed at preteen boys, but the shows have garnered a fair amount of teenage-and-up female fans. Some of them enjoy the show as an entity, but others just watch it for one of the male characters (or for the {{Shipping}}…). Kevin is the most popular ([[MrFanservice particularly when he grows up]]), but some girls prefer [[CoolOldGuy Grandpa Max]]. This seems to be a recurring theme for Creator/{{Man of Action|Studios}}, with similar fanbase for ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' and one already developing for ''[[WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012 Ultimate Spider-Man]]''. |
| 334 | * ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'''s target demographic is 6-11 year old boys, so how do they explain [[http://community.livejournal.com/avatar_fans/2490894.html this]]? Perhaps to answer this question one should partake in a bit of a drinking game. Whenever you [[ShirtlessScene see a male character on Avatar lack a shirt]] take one shot. If you can see their chest but they still have their clothes on, take half a shot. There is your answer. [[note]]''Don't go through with this drinking game.'' Your liver will die before you're halfway through the episode.[[/note]] It ''is'' Website/LiveJournal and MostFanficWritersAreGirls. |
| 335 | * ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' had a large female fanbase, despite being aimed at young boys. In fact, Creator/PaulDini set off a minor controversy after he explained to Creator/KevinSmith that one of the major reasons the show was ScrewedByTheNetwork [[http://io9.com/paul-dini-superhero-cartoon-execs-dont-want-largely-f-1483758317 was because it had too many female viewers in the eyes of the execs]]. |
| 336 | * ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' has always been aimed at boys, with female characters in the franchise few and far-between. Despite this, the series has a female fanbase, which seemingly exploded in size with ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''. Why? Two reasons: one, the show aired back-to-back with ''My Little Pony''; two, Knock Out. Girls LOVE Knock Out, almost as much as they love fanfictions and music videos that romantically pair him with other male transformers. |
| 337 | * ''WesternAnimation/DragonBooster'' was also aimed at boys, with only a smattering of female characters. The message board which provided the nexus point for most of the fandom, however, has a substantial female population. |
| 338 | * ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks'' was aimed at boys. Girls have fallen for it as well, however. |
| 339 | * The Warden from ''WesternAnimation/{{Superjail}}'', and by extension, [[InkSuitActor David Wain]] in ''Wainy Days''. David Wain [[http://yepimdavid.deviantart.com/ joined deviantART]]. He spends his time there adding sexy fanart of his character to his favorites. It's... unsettling. |
| 340 | * FanArt of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' tells a lot! It got parodied in the episode "The Ring", where they point out that most girls for the Jonas Brothers (or any boy band for that matter) just go to their concerts to look at them rather than listening to their music. |
| 341 | * In ''WesternAnimation/KingArthursDisasters'', Lancelot has his own little cult of ladies following him around in "The Yodeling Dolphin of Kirkwall" and "Mission: Implausible." Hell, some guards were hired in one episode to drive 'em away. |
| 342 | -->''Random girl takes a lock of Lancelot's hair''\ |
| 343 | '''Random Girl''': I'VE GOT SOME OF HIS HAIR!!!!!! |
| 344 | * Similarly to ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', despite being originally aimed at boys aged below 12, has attracted many older female fans, mainly due to a crapload of characters serving the role of Estrogen Brigade Baits. |
| 345 | * ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' apparently has a huge college age female following. A lot of that has to do with Vlad and Dark Danny. |
| 346 | * ''WesternAnimation/RandyCunninghamNinthGradeNinja'' fans are mostly female. Most fan fictions are about the main hero Randy and self-insert characters. Also, the HoYay moments between Randy and Howard became of the most popular ships of the series. |
| 347 | * ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' has many female fans. Part of the reason could be the [[HeterosexualLifePartners close relationship]] between the main characters (making it a major target for the YaoiFangirls) and also because the show has many romance moments in some episodes. |
| 348 | * It's pretty safe to assume that ''WesternAnimation/ThreeTwoOnePenguins'' has plenty of female fans who fangirl over one of the eponymous penguins. |
| 349 | * A few teenage girls have been known to love the ComicStrip/USAcres segments of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends''. |
| 350 | * Scarecrow is the most popular character from ''WesternAnimation/MagicAdventuresOfMumfie'' among female fans. |
| 351 | * ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' due to the cute male characters and romance subplots in later episodes. |
| 352 | * Dipper Pines from ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has a massive fangirl base. |
| 353 | ** As does Grunkle Stan (whose fans have taken to call him [[FanNickname Hunkle Stan]]), [[spoiler: his brother Ford]], and, believe it or not, ''[[BigBad Bill]] [[EldritchAbomination Cipher]]''. |
| 354 | * The titular characters of ''WesternAnimation/SanjayAndCraig'' tend to get fawned over by little girls [[PeripheryDemographic and even women]] in some circles of the internet, they also have [[SelfFanservice a lot of romanticized/bishie-fied fanworks out there]]. |
| 355 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': The show has several female fans who fangirl over Mr. Cat. |
| 356 | * ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' has a pretty decent fandom of teenage girls who love shipping the titular penguins with [[LauncherOfAThousandShips Marlene]], [[HoYay Julien or each other.]] Many of them also tend to fangirl over Skipper and [[NerdsAreSexy Kowalski]]. Hans is also pretty popular and tends to be [[FoeYayShipping shipped with Skipper.]] |
| 357 | * Wilt from ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'' has ''quite'' the large fangirl base. There's even an entire [[http://www.fosters-home.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1913 thread on the Foster's forum]] dedicated to this fan demographic. |
| 358 | * ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender'' is presumably supposed to be aimed at boys, given that there are only two girls part of the main cast. However, the show has gained many a fangirl, mostly due to [[{{Bishonen}} Keith]] and [[HeroicBuild Shiro]] (and, to a lesser extent, [[BigBeautifulMan Hunk]] and [[HandsomeLech Lance]]). |
| 359 | * Aaravos from ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'' has a massive fangirl [[EvenTheGuysWantHim (and fanboy)]] base. |
| 360 | * ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' is enjoyed by a wide audience, but one reason plenty of female fans enjoy it is because of Jack himself. Considering how he has a very well-built body and often suffers ClothingDamage during fights (and will sometimes end up in nothing but his {{Fundoshi}}) as well as often having [[SlipknotPonytail his long hair come undone]], it's hardly surprising. |
| 361 | * ''WesternAnimation/MollyOfDenali'' is technically aimed at a gender-neutral audience (since the main character is a {{tomboy}}), but there are older female fans that fangirl over Kenji, Tooey's dad. This ended up having the opposite effect; likely because of his fangirls, GBH (who is very fandom- and internet-savvy) had him disappear in the second season. |
| 362 | [[/folder]] |
| 363 | |
| 364 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 365 | * [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_de_Saint-Just Saint-Just]] fans show up for the KnightTemplar, stay for the PrettyBoy. Saint-Just was so pretty, [[Manga/DearBrother they named a]] {{Bifauxnen}} [[Manga/DearBrother after him]]! |
| 366 | * Camille Desmoulins also qualifies in a slightly cuter, revolutionary-next-door way. Shouting love letters to his wife while he was being led to the guillotine? |
| 367 | * Jim Carrey has a surprising amount of fangirls, (some of which are as young as their early-teens.) who find him (especially in his younger years) to be irresistibly delicious, especially on the fan-sites, where some forum users just simply can't stop speaking of their wish to see him naked, or to... well... yeah, you get it. Some of said teenage fans even think he's sexier in his current years. |
| 368 | * UsefulNotes/BarackObama, his chief of staff, and for that matter most of his administration. [[http://community.livejournal.com/rahmbamarama True story]]. At least two entries in [[http://www.cracked.com/photoshop_15_the-campaigns-candidates-wish-they-could-run this]] {{Website/Cracked}} Photoplasty Contest prove it as well. |
| 369 | * Justin Trudeau is also found attractive by many. Being a prime minister, this isn't a usual quality. |
| 370 | * The Founding Fathers. The musical ''Theatre/SeventeenSeventySix'' probably helped cement this! [[StupidSexyFlanders Damn you, Mister Adams]]. |
| 371 | ** Now compounded times a thousand by the juggernaut that is ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' to the point where girls are casually referring to a politician from the 1700s as "Alex". |
| 372 | * [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_%26_Associates Johnny's Jimusho]]. A whole company full of pretty boys who sing, dance and act just for the sake of this trope. |
| 373 | * UsefulNotes/VladimirPutin, what with him [[ManlyMenCanHunt hunting tigers]] and [[ShirtlessScene posing shirtless]]. |
| 374 | * ''UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler'' actually had quite the female following during his initial campaign for office, with random women even trying to kiss him. No, [[https://i.imgur.com/vp0IB4X.gifv seriously]]. |
| 375 | * [[http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/world-news/topless-tonga-flag-bearer-pita-8573242 Pita Taufatofua]], Tonga's [[WalkingShirtlessScene shirtless]] and covered with coconut oil flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the [[UsefulNotes/OlympicGames 2016 Summer Olympics]] stole the hearts of women everywhere, as Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush and Hoda Kotb [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h8YBxsJjmc demonstrate]] on ''Series/{{Today}}''. |
| 376 | * American serial killers and mass shooters are often subject to this. Common examples being the [[UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} Columbine shooters]], Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy and Richard Ramirez. The two latters even had groupies assisting their trials. However, this kind of attraction may be caused precisely because of their crimes giving them a certain "bad boy" appeal rather than their physical appearances (as many will agree that none of these criminals are more handsome than the average man). |
| 377 | * Since the Russia-Ukraine war of 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has become quite the sex symbol for both his rugged good looks and his [[TheDeterminator steadfast defiance]] of Vladimir Putin's invasion. |
| 378 | * Creator/CillianMurphy has a massive legion of female fans due to his PrettyBoy good looks and introverted personality, the latter of which many of them find to be both endearing and relatable. |
| 379 | [[/folder]] |
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