Monday, December 17, 2012

12 Days of Anime--#9: Nudists

Ano Natsu Mio Screenshot 1

Wait... Is she... naked?

Ano Natsu Mio Screenshot 2

I've already gushed over how Ano Natsu had its characters treat their relationships like rational people, but another aspect that impressed me was the fanservice, or rather, the lack of pushing it in my face. And the best example of that was Mio's nudism.

I mean, let's be honest here. Any other show would make a huge deal out of this and sexualize it to a big degree. Instead, Ano Natsu has moments when we see Mio in her room, usually talking on the phone and carrying around a giant panda. These scenes are played out in a straightforward way, so unless you're paying attention it's possible to entirely miss the fact that she's naked.

Ano Natsu Mio Screenshot 3

Acting normal while hiding her lifestyle choice behind closed doors even plays into her character arc and makes her far more interesting to watch. Any perception of fanservice is based on personal preference and how you view the character. Don't like fanservice? It's very easy to ignore despite it being part of her character arc. Love to find the ecchi in every show? Then there are boobs behind that panda! I really like the fact that it was treated in this way instead of "lol she's nakkid." We all know that anime could use a little less of the male gaze and a little more attention to how life choices define a character.

Images from Crunchyroll.com.

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