They just spent ten minutes showing us Alec Su taking a bath.
Gratuitous display of characters in skimpy clothing, or none at all, under the assumption that it will attract or "reward" viewers. The character is usually
female, though fanservice of
male characters is far from uncommon.
This is not just a fan term, but one used during the production of, and
even in the dialogue of, various shows. For example, the end-of-episode previews during the early part of
Neon Genesis Evangelion frequently promise "more fanservice."
While the specific term "fanservice" arose from the
Anime community, the concept of adding a little titillation to a work is far, far older. When nudity or sexual content is an expected part of a work, it's not
fanservice; it's only when the nudity or sex is thrown in "just because" that fanservice becomes a part of the narrative. For example, nudity in a pornographic movie would not qualify, while Sharon Stone's infamous "beaver shot" in Paul Verhoeven's
Basic Instinct would. Real fanservice is seldom explicit or graphic — that is the territory of pornography. Instead it is primarily there to "add a little extra" by teasing and titillating the audience.
Some shows may have
designated fanservice characters; characters who, even if they are main characters and have a role beyond fanservice, can always be found in a fanservice situation. Some shows have characters for
both male and
female fanservice. Exactly how much fanservice makes its way into a series can depend on what channel a show is broadcast on, but with the advent of series on DVD, this can be subverted with liberal application of
Censor Steam.
While some fanservice can increase the appeal of a show, too much fanservice can become very distracting and in some cases,
put viewers off completely,
especially if the fanservice is directed towards the opposite sex. Unfortunately,
since fanservice can lure in viewers so easily, fanservice has become a common trend in anime, to the point where it is
incredibly difficult to find an anime without any fanservice.
Very hard to subvert or even
lampshade hang — the former is
usually disturbing and the latter is well, just fanservice with a joke attached. You might as well
have the person wearing nothing but a lampshade.
Fanservice of female characters is often called "cheesecake";
fanservice of male characters is often called "beefcake".
"Fanservice" is sometimes used in a more general way, referring simply to any crowd-pleaser thrown in just because. When this is something non-sexual, like needlessly flashy attacks in a
Humongous Mecha show, it's
Pandering to the Base.
Sexy fanservice is considered the default form, because it is everywhere, and it's easy to add to any kind of show.
Sex Is Interesting is what happens when a writer tries to rationalize this in terms of narrative craft. Attempts to increase the overall amount of sexual content in a series fall under
Hotter and Sexier; a similar process but for more violent content is
Bloodier and Gorier. Contrast
Darker and Edgier.
Not to be confused with
Fan Flattering.
Waldorf: You know, they seem to chronicle the various forms of sexiness to a very large extent.
Statler: Well, we all like what we can't have!
Both: Do-ho-ho-ho-hoh!
