Fan Service
What does fan service mean?
Indulging fans' desires
Example
"Did you see that long shot over the mechs in the latest Gundam OVA? Total fan service, but I loved it."
Sometimes, fan service also solidifies fans' headcanon ships
Related Slang
Usage
Last Updated: November 2, 2020
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Fan service is a narrative term that means "giving a story's fans' exactly what they want." While the term originated (and is still most often used) in relation to Japanese anime and manga, it is now used to describe crowd-pleasing plot developments that occur in many types of stories.
When it was originally coined, the phrase fan service most often described the gratuitous, semi-sexual scenes that appear in many anime and manga. Now, fan service describes not only those scenes, but any scene or plot development that is notably panderous yet still excites fans.
For example, in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' epilogue could be considered fan service. The epilogue was unnecessary to the series's ending, but gave fans who grew up with the series a glimpse of their hero's happy, fulfilling adult life.