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Practically Naked: Fan Service in Anime as Hyper-Gendered Performances of Spectacle

Wittenfelt, Mimosa LU (2020) KOVM12 20201
Division of Art History and Visual Studies
Abstract
This thesis combines Judith Butler’s concept of gender understood as a performance and Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle in order to apply it onto the sexually charged imagery in anime known as “fan service.” In doing so, it endeavours to answer what visually constitutes a gendered performance in fan service, and how those visuals can be read as a form of spectacle. It finds that fan service consists of inherently biased representations of gender and sexuality that exaggerate specific aspects of the gendered body as a form of wish-fulfilment through practically naked bodies, but which are liable to change due to their very nature as spectacle. In the end, this thesis offers an insight into visual codes that make up gender... (More)
This thesis combines Judith Butler’s concept of gender understood as a performance and Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle in order to apply it onto the sexually charged imagery in anime known as “fan service.” In doing so, it endeavours to answer what visually constitutes a gendered performance in fan service, and how those visuals can be read as a form of spectacle. It finds that fan service consists of inherently biased representations of gender and sexuality that exaggerate specific aspects of the gendered body as a form of wish-fulfilment through practically naked bodies, but which are liable to change due to their very nature as spectacle. In the end, this thesis offers an insight into visual codes that make up gender representation in anime in order to further the understanding of how these images represent ideals which are used to relate back onto real life. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Wittenfelt, Mimosa LU
supervisor
organization
course
KOVM12 20201
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Fan Service, Anime, Ecchi, Otaku, Fan Culture, Gender Performance, Spectacle, Gender Representation, Judith Butler, Guy Debord
language
English
id
9023522
date added to LUP
2020-09-14 08:23:49
date last changed
2020-09-14 08:23:49
@misc{9023522,
  abstract     = {{This thesis combines Judith Butler’s concept of gender understood as a performance and Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle in order to apply it onto the sexually charged imagery in anime known as “fan service.” In doing so, it endeavours to answer what visually constitutes a gendered performance in fan service, and how those visuals can be read as a form of spectacle. It finds that fan service consists of inherently biased representations of gender and sexuality that exaggerate specific aspects of the gendered body as a form of wish-fulfilment through practically naked bodies, but which are liable to change due to their very nature as spectacle. In the end, this thesis offers an insight into visual codes that make up gender representation in anime in order to further the understanding of how these images represent ideals which are used to relate back onto real life.}},
  author       = {{Wittenfelt, Mimosa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Practically Naked: Fan Service in Anime as Hyper-Gendered Performances of Spectacle}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}