Fan Service

Fan Service is a fannish term, originating in anime/manga fandom, for decisions that TPTB make with the goal of "energizing their base," i.e., adding elements that are unnecessary to the storyline, but will make the fans happy. In anime, it's used to refer to flashes of undies or cleavage. In western television fandoms, a fan service moment might be a hug between two fan favorites, a scene where a hot character randomly takes his shirt off for no reason, or a geeky reference that only devoted fans would recognize. 
==Media Fandom Usage Examples==
* "I used to think SGA was awesome in its fanservice, but Supernatural has come roaring up the inside track and surpassed it. Pool hustling, the boys first-aiding each other, Sam in Dean-less despair, drunkeness and debauchery, badass demons and angels alike screwing with Dean, backstory galore--wow."By Grand-sophy in a review of Supernatural episode 4.9
* "To sum it up, HP7 is as close as you want for TOTAL FANSERVICE. LOOK it's Harry in a skirt who later strips off. SRSLY. FANSERVICE. There's like so much of it in it. You want Bromance? You got it! RonxHarry. GOSH. Could you be anymore obvious? You want Drama? You got it! Try RonxHermionexHarry on for size. It nearly killed me from the bloody angst!" Jin-chan, Oh the Magic. Posted November 20, 2010. Last accessed December 05, 2010.
* "House, M.D. has always written intentional House/Wilson subtext while using its own unanswered questions as fanservice - audience-teasers to keep us intrigued about the nuances of their relationship." bookshop, Five OTPs, and how (this post) grew. Posted April 02, 2010. Last accessed December 05, 2010.
* "In Eclipse, the Jacob fan service is so prevalent that a character actually asks, "Doesn't he own a shirt?" (This is immediately followed by competitive embracing, which sounds like it ought to be added to the next Olympics.)" cleolinda, And yet, somehow, I never finished my master's degree. Posted July 04, 2010. Last accessed December 05, 2010.
==Media Fandom Canon Examples==
* The TV series Babylon 5 included fannish references such as naming a character Alfred Bester (after the science fiction author); he was played by Walter Koenig, who played Chekov on the Star Trek: The Original Series.
* The character Q was named for the fan Janet Quarton, an example of tuckerization. This is reported in Gene Roddenberry's authorized biography - "Star Trek Creator" by David Alexander.
* A 1998 U.S. newspaper article about slash had an interview with Paul Gross of Due South, one in which he has a sly comment. An excerpt:
* Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman included several fannish references. most notably a stock exchange display in one episode that referenced "FOLCS", the acronym for "fan of Lois & Clark" used by fans.
==Anime Fandom Usage Examples==
In anime and manga, fanservice usually means sexual material, usually gratuitous or unrelated to the plot. Gainaxing is an early example of sexual fanservice taken to extremes. Panty shots and gratuitous cleavage (including nip slips and wardrobe malfunctions) are common fanservice elements for female characters; male characters are more likely to be shirtless or sweaty.
However, in anime and manga as in other fandoms, fanservice can also refer to other elements designed to please fans--for example, increasing the number of appearances a popular character makes in a new adaptation, or making a reference to a popular old series. 
Long shots and descriptions of weaponry or technology are often considered to be fanservice as well.
==Anime Fandom Canon Examples==
*Queen's Blade has been called "the Quintessential Fanservice show"On Fanservice in Anime, posted March 6, 2012. Accessed Nov. 28, 2012. for its costumes and situations.
*In Fairy Tail, there are frequent but brief interjected scenes of soft light and pastels surrounding a female character in a sexy pose and/or costume, accompanied by a "wow" sound effect. Sometimes these are played for laughs. The series also features Gray Fullbuster, a male character who regularly strips off all his clothes in public without warning, though his genitals are always conveniently occluded from an audience point of view.
*Since OAVs can be released without the same restrictions as television broadcasts, some OAVs of series aimed at an adult audience have more explicit fanservice than the original version, sometimes including full nudity and sex scenes.
*Free!, a sports anime about a swimming team, has abundant fanservice, though the main focus is on boys and yaoi subtext.
==Video Game Fandom Usage Examples==
==Video Game Fandom Canon Examples==
==Meta/Further Reading==
* (2013)
* Fanservice and Anime - My problem with Free! and fanservice in general (2013)
* Legend of Korra's Finale and the Problem With "Fan Service" (2014)
* (2015)
==Resources==
* Fan service on Wikipedia
* Fanservice on TVTropes
==References==