Steven DenBeste discusses the arms race. The animé arms race that is, as he writes on the concept of simple plot or setting devices taken to their extreme. In honor of Gillette and Shick, he christens it “the five-bladed razor,” and then goes on to list what he feels are the “winners” (or perhaps, “worst offenders” would be a better term) in each of several catagories: Panty Shots, Harem, Maid, Combat Android Girls, catgirls, Girls With Guns, and so on. However he missed a category, for which he’s hardly at fault; I never realized it existed–and it may not have, prior to the series in which I found it.
I don’t watch a lot of robot shows, (Dual being only the 2nd one I’ve ever purchased, unless you count Nadesico), but the establisher and therefore hands-down winner in the category of Robot Fanservice has got to be Godannar. I mean, really, where else would you see something like this?
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| “Live, tonight, from Tokyo Bay, Robot Mud Wrestling!” |
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| “Your diodes turn me on, baby!” |
A “camel toe” on a giant robot? (These things are about 25 meters tall.) You know, after some thought, maybe it should be a five-bladed razor just for “Most Extreme and Ridiculous Fanservice.” It doesn’t even need a new category…
Edit 9/8: Well, I’m watching Dual, and the robots in it are also female in form and have high heels. However, none of them have obvious panties or tube tops. And they aren’t as…. uh, well-endowed.
