Fanservice in anime has become an essential part of any series. In fact, you’re likely to see it in just about every popular anime out there. A lot of times, fan service can feel rather unnecessary, but not always. Sometimes it’s actually a pretty fun way out of a dull moment in the show and makes watching the show even more entertaining.
Anime is filled with many treasures in the form of epic storylines or beautiful animation, and the fan service moments scattered here and there. From romance comedy anime to sports anime, anime offers a plethora of choices, and since it has been around for several decades now, there are certain tropes that every fan becomes accustomed to seeing. Many of them don’t even realize they are fan service tropes because they have been ingrained into their viewing experience over time.
Before we start, we want to explain what is Fan service in anime anyway?
Didn’t get it? Here’s a more simple version from Urban Dictionary
“In general, fan service refers to scenes designed to excite or titillate the viewer. Some broader definitions also include things like cool mecha, big explosions, battle scenes, etc. Basically, suppose it has little plot-redeeming value but makes the viewer sit up and take notice. In that case, it’s probably fan service in one form or another. “
Examples of fan service will be considered not appropriate in many contexts so keep that in mind before reading any further if you’re an office worker.
Date A Live
The Story:
Thirty years ago, there was a supermassive “spatial quake” that devastated the Eurasian continent and took the life of 150 million people. This has been happening since then, with lighter quakes every now and again.
Average high school student Shidou Itsuka has the misfortune of living with his younger sister, Kotori. When an imminent spatial quake threatens Tengu City’s safety, he rushes to save her only to be caught in its eruption. He encounters a mysterious girl at its source, who is revealed to be an otherworldly entity called “Spirit.” Soon after, he becomes embroiled in the skirmish between her and this ruthless strike force with the goal of annihilating Spirits.
There is also a group that believes in saving the spirits: “Ratatoskr,” commanded by Shidou’s little sister! Kotori forcefully recruits Shidou after the clash, presenting to him an alternative method of dealing with the Spirits: to interact with spirits until a bond forms. The fate of the world now rests on his dating prowess as he engages in a passionate search for Spirits.
The Service
The premise screams romance! This is sci-fi romance comedy anime. With a number of cute girls like Origami and Mii, fanservice moment abounds like maid outfits and swimsuits and other things. But don’t take our word for it: check out the scenes yourselves. Spoiler: the twins went sunbathing on a beach!
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Rosario Vampire
The Story:
Youkai Academy is a boarding school for monsters that are trying to live with humans. All of the students attend in human form and take normal academic subjects such as literature, gym, foreign language, and mathematics. There are a lot of rules at Youkai Academy. For example, the golden rule: if you’re human, then they’ll immediately take the life of you on the spot!
Tsukune Aono is an average teenager who, as a result of his bad grades, has found himself unable to get into any high school. He enrols in Youkai Academy after his parents accidentally enter him into it as a last-ditch effort to secure his education. Tsukune unknowingly enters this new world and has a run-in with the most attractive girl on campus, Moka Akashiya. He decides to stay at the school because he’s attracted to her, not aware that beneath her beauty lies something even more dangerous—a vampire!
The Service
In this fictional series, vampires in Japan look nothing like you’d expect them to. They don’t have pale skin, fangs, or black capes. And they really like to drink rosé wine. On the surface, this sounds like any other high school anime series, but there are a few things that set it apart from the rest. It’s an exciting story and a great way to watch some of your favorite characters from the well-loved universe interact with one another.
Rosario + Vampire has become a fan service anime phenomenon. Some fans get hooked on it because of the story, others like the characters and the action, but most people agree that it’s certainly not hard on the eyes. The point is that Rosario + Vampire has a lot to offer in terms of what it offers to satisfy the viewer.
Check Out: Top 20 Vampire Anime Of All Time
High School Of The Dead
The Story:
The zombie apocalypse set in Japan. Takashi Kimuro was just a high school student when he had to bash his best friend’s head in after witnessing him turn into one of these so-called “walking no longer living.” Determined to protect Rei Miyamoto, Takashi must face off against hordes of zombies and other horrific monsters. In this dark new world where society is on its last legs, only those strong enough will survive.
The group of students band together to find their family members and uncover the cause. Fellow survivors: Saeko Busujima, the beautiful president of the Kendo Club; Kouta Hirano, a weapon otaku; Saya Takagi, the politician’s child; and the hot school nurse, Shizuka Marikawa, join Takashi and Rei in the attempt to stay alive in the deadly pandemic.
The Service
One of the best anime with plenty of scares and teases we ever had the pleasure to experience is Highschool of the no longer living. We can’t get enough of that action-packed excitement and eerie feeling it brings with each episode, and oddly enough, it also tackles teenage emotion. And if the carnage, blood and excitement are not enough for you, we get those fan service elements like chance laces and stripes. Do with that information as you wish.
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To Love-Ru
The Story:
Rito Yuuki was a 16-year-old boy who was in love with Haruna Sairenji since elementary school, but he has yet to profess his love. When one night a beautiful girl materializes right in front of him in the bathtub, confessing became even more challenging.
To add to the confusion, Rito discovers that Lala Satalin Deviluke is an alien princess and has run away from her home. Despite being a runaway crown princess of one of the most dominant powers in the galaxy, she surprisingly more than willingly agrees to marry him for fear of becoming engaged against her will. And with the occasional alien assassin and alien suitors, Rito and his friends have a rough road up ahead.
The Service
To LOVE-Ru is a romantic comedy full of slapstick humour, cute girls, and outlandishly inappropriate moments with utter defiance of physics!
While the word “fan service” has a reputation for being something that’s “too much” and decreases the overall quality of an anime series, every now and then, we get an anime like To Love-Ru with its vast amounts of fan service, which is actually well-done and adds a lot to the series itself and makes it enjoyable all around. And not just for anime fans, the opening sequence of the first episode is a gift to Star Wars fans.
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Sekirei: Pure Engagement
The Story:
A sequel to the first Sekirei:
The second stage of the battle royale known as the Sekirei Plan has begun. Shintou Teito is now closed off; no Sekirei or Ashikabi may leave. Minato Sahashi and his crew are preparing for new battles, but not all groups will return to fight: some love their partners too much that they rather forfeit than see them perish in this game rigged against everyone who enters it!
In the midst of all this, someone close to Minato maybe even more involved than he had ever imagined. There are even rumours that some Single Numbers have entered the fray and threaten everything around them. In the eyes of Game Master Minaka Hiroto, it seems like everything is going according to plan.
The Service
Using romantic elements in an action anime: Sekirei is an anime series that is pretty enjoyable to watch. The story and characters are exciting and unique, yet the show’s best part has to be the fan service moments. The fight sequence is awesome, and of course, these ladies fight in non-regulation outfits that give us more than just the flash of a sword.
Monster Musume
The Story:
Kimihito Kurusu’s life was fairly unremarkable until the day he found out about monster girls! Japan is a country that has been leading the way in integrating non-human species into society. When Agent Smith messes up and leaves Kimihito as Miia, Lamia’s caretaker, to fend for himself with an ever-increasing group of beautiful girl monsters eager to relieve their stress after living on Earth, it seems like his days are numbered!
Kimihito’s life is now fraught with an abundance of creature-specific caveats and sensitive interspecies law as the passionate, affectionate, lusty women hound him every move. With new species appearing all around him at random intervals, it seems like Kimihito has no choice but to go where his crew leads!
The Service
The anime focuses on their relationship as she goes to live with him. This may seem like a new spin on the romance anime genre that gets the heart go dokidoki. Most of the fan service moments come from humans discovering the difference between the human and monster anatomy. Right off the bat, we get constant moaning during a minotaur’s physical medical assessment. And with Kimihito’s charm attracting more monsters, expect funny moments.
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Shinmai Maou No Testament
The Story:
Running into your new stepsister in the bathroom is not the best way to make an excellent first impression, which Basara Toujou learns the hard way. When his father suddenly brings home two beautiful girls and introduces them as his new siblings, he has no choice but to accept into his family the Naruse sisters: busty redhead Mio and petite silver-haired Maria.
But when these seemingly normal girls reveal themselves as demons—Mio the formerfallen angel Lord’s only daughter and Maria, her trusted succubus servant—Basara is forced to reveal himself as a former member of a clan of “Heroes,” sworn enemies of the demons. However, family bonds form and having begun to care for his new sisters, Basara instead decides to protect them with his powers and forms a master-servant contract with Mio to keep watch over her.
With the Heroes observing his every move and the constant threat of hostile demons, Basara has to do the impossible to protect his new family members. Moreover, the protector himself is hiding his own dark secret that still haunts him to this day.
The Service:
The Testament of Sister New Devil, also known as Shinmai Maou no Testament, is an entertaining anime series that manages to provide every kind of fan service we could ask for. It’s sure to make you squeal, scream, giggle, and more. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Highschool DxD
The Story
Issei Hyoudou is your run-of-the-mill high schooler who does nothing productive with his life, peeping on women and dreaming of being someone with many suitors one day. He gets a chance when an attractive girl asks him out on a date. The girl’s true identity turns out to be a fallen angel, and she takes the life of him. He was given a second chance when he was revived as afallen angel by the high ranking fallen angel, Rias Gremory, his ultimate dream girl! She takes him under her wing in order for Issei to help out at school as an Research club member.
Issei’s new life with angels and devils is a hilarious adventure, but it isn’t all fun and games. Each battle means to survive in this aggressive world of supernatural beings! But don’t worry about Issei–he has his friends from Kuoh Academy by his side!
The Service
We’ve seen a lot of fan service in our time, but nothing can compare to High School DxD! On the face of it, this anime should not have worked. It’s quite a niche in a genre that is dominated by its ‘moe’ series. But, with some creative writing and a ton of fan service shots, Highschool DxD’s first season is actually one of the best anime around. From the vice president, Akeno dressed up as a maid, a shrine maiden, or leather. This anime does not discriminate! The fanservice elements in this anime are well rounded, from laces to whatever sized op-op-op…
Pro tip: There’s a dance number in Episode 14.
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Prison School
The Story
Five male students enrol at Hachimitsu Private Academy, formerly an all-girls school. The entire student body is composed of elite girls, and the gender ratio was so skewed with only five guys in the mix!
The five boys have been feeling troubled because of their lack of female interaction. They decide to embark on a dangerous mission: Peeking at the girls while they are bathing! However, owing to many mishaps and some *cough* unfortunate security guards, their operation ultimately fails, exposing them in front of the whole school for being creeps.
What kind of punishment is this? Is this some kind of prison school? The boys are sentenced to one month of imprisonment by the menacing Underground Student Council. Unbeknownst to the unforgiving beauties, these boys are unusually strange, and their antics are about to get worse.
The Service
Prison School has got a lock on fanservice elements. Camera angles that come from unconventional directions can surprise even the seasoned anime fan. With the warden getting into heavy kinks, this fan service anime offers a little bit of something for everyone.
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Kill La Kill
The Story:
Ryuuko Matoi has been wandering the land in search of whoever took her father’s life, following her only lead – The missing half of his invention. She follows it to Honnouji Academy, a high school unlike any other. It is ruled by Satsuki Kiryuuin and her powerful underlings, the Elite Four, who bestow special clothes called “Goku Uniforms” on those ranked at the top for their superhuman abilities.
With the help of her sentient Kamui or God Clothes, Ryuuko takes on Satsuki’s Elite Four. Armed with a Scissor Blade and Senketsu in tow, she’ll stop at nothing until justice is served for both herself and her father.
The Service:
Girls are fighting with the assistance of clothes that give them power. take the life of la take the life of is an anime with plenty of action and scantily clothed beauties.
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Food Wars
The Story
Fifteen-year-old Souma Yukihira has always been a great help to his dad, working as the sous chef in their family’s restaurant. Over time, he developed an appetite for cooking and had dreams of someday running that same place.
When his father decided to close the restaurant and show the world his cooking skills, Souma is sent to Tootsuki Culinary Academy.
On his first day at Tootsuki Culinary Academy, Souma finds that the odds are stacked against him from the start. With only ten percent of students graduating and a high-stakes cooking school where food wars often break out.
The journey of Souma Yukihira has only just begun, and with it comes challenges that he must face. But will the years spent under his father’s tutelage be enough to help him?
The Service
Aside from the recipes and techniques, this cooking anime sprinkles a generous amount of fanservice elements. It is a mystery as to why the characters do what they do when they taste good food but some people on the internet has dubbed it foodgasm.
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Darling in the FranXX
The Story
Humanity is on the brink of extinction because Klaxosaurs are taking the life of them off. The only people who have survived so far live in Plantations, and children raised here know nothing about life outside these walls. Raised and trained to pilot FranXX, these children can only earn their worth by defending their race.
Hiro, an aspiring pilot, skips out on his graduation ceremony. He retreats to a forest lake, where he encounters a beautiful girl with pink hair and two horns. She is Zero Two, the infamous pilot known as a partner taker of life.
Before Hiro’s brain can process this information, a Klaxosaur attacks. Zero Two engages in combat but gets thrown down, crashing right next to Hiro. Finding her partner no longer living, she invites Hiro to be her new partner, and together they easily beat the Klaxosaur.
The Service
This entertaining anime is scattered with fan service moments. Aside from being a mecha anime with obvious homage to Gundam, we have mechas that should be piloted by male and female pare clad in tight overall clothes. The female is positioned like riding a motorcycle while the boy is somewhat upright, right behind her.
Check Out: 10 Anime To Watch If You Love Darling In The Franxx
Freezing
The Story
Humanity has been under siege by an alien race known as the Novas for decades. These inhuman beings leave devastation in their wake, and it’s only through training at military academies that they can have a chance of surviving these clashes over Nova. Young women are implanted with stigmata to give them superhuman powers, which make them Pandoras, while young men become Limiters who must work together if humanity is going to survive this onslaught from the invaders called “Novas.”
Kazuya Aoi just wants to escape his past and be normal, but he quickly learns that Pandora’s are the most powerful warriors in the world. Kazuya enters an academy for students that would become pandoras and limiters. It’s here that he mistakes Satellizer el Bridget—a powerful Pandora known as “The Untouchable Queen”—as his deceased sister and embraces her. Though she costs him the match, she finds that his touch doesn’t drive her away and decides to take him on as their Limiter. The only question now is whether or not they can survive whatever machinations are going through upperclassmen minds in the competitive hierarchy of West Genetics Military Academy.
The Service
This gem of an action fantasy anime has drama, actions and girls without clothing. And let’s be honest, fighting with superhuman strength and abilities, and wardrobe malfunction is unavoidable. But boy, this anime serves awesome fan service moments, and it does not affect the plot or the pacing.
Ouran High School Host Club
The Story
Haruhi Fujioka, a bright scholarship candidate with no rank or title to speak of, was looking for a quiet place to study. When she Music Room #3, Haruhi unexpectedly stumbles upon the Ouran High School Host Club, led by Prince Tamaki; the club entertains girls seeking handsome boys at Ouran High School’s elite academy for students of high pedigree.
In a panic, she tries to escape the hosts, but Haruhi ends up breaking an eight million yen vase. Thanks to her convincingly masculine appearance that dazzles any girl she meets with witty conversation as well as commoner status, Haruhi was soon forced to be a full-time male host of the Ouran High School Host Club to repay her debt.
The Service
For the ladies or those that like to see topless boys, pretty boys; interactions that make the heart go dokidoki. And also those that stand for justice!
