I started watching anime as a kid. DBZ was the famous one that got me into it. I didn’t watch anime until years later (2014) and I started Anime Motivation in 2016.
Since then, I’ve observed a lot in the anime industry. A lot of it just by reading comments.
Things like:
- Trends.
- Fans.
- People.
- Arguments.
- Debates.
- The toxicity.
- Double standards.
And the list goes on.
One trend that stands out is toxic female fans and Yaoi fangirls criticizing fanservice that caters to straight men or boys.
As well as the whole argument of “sexualization is bad” when aimed at female characters in general.
I don’t call them toxic lightly. I use the term deliberately because that’s exactly what they are, and they’re nothing like the actual, regular female anime fans who enjoy the hobby.
It’s a distinction that some will pretend doesn’t exist.
Are toxic female fans and Yaoi fangirls the same?
In the context of this article and the terms being used, yes. Yaoi fangirls and toxic female anime fans are often the same people.
While toxic female anime fans are just toxic in general if separated from Yaoi fangirls, in practice a lot of Yaoi fangirls are female anime fans who are manipulative, disingenuous, gaslighters, and tend to ruin anime fandoms with their BS.
So by definition, they’re toxic.
My Hero Academia’s fandom is a classic example but I’ve already talked about that.
It’s hard to separate Yaoi fangirls from “toxic” female fans since they’re the same person more often than not.
Usually in disguise. Outward feminists are part of that “toxic” group and anyone else who uses so-called political labels.
Why Yaoi fangirls and those associated are hypocrites:
1. It’s not an issue when they’re simping over “hot” male characters
Not once have I ever seen Yaoi fangirls, feminists, or female anime fans who get heated about fanservice complain about male anime characters if treated the exact same way.
In fact, when this happens I notice a lot of female fans simping over these male characters who they call “hot” or whatever word you wanna use.
Take Gray Fullbuster for example from the anime Fairy Tail, which is criticized for its portrayal of fanservice towards women like Lucy Heartfilia.
While they’re telling the world and the community how “bad” it is to portray women in such a disgusting way, they’re simping for Gray Fullbnuster, creating all sorts of fanart of the guy to fulfil their own desires, and shamelessly objectifying the character (by their own logic).
You also see this with anime characters like:
- Bakugo Katsuki.
- Izuku Midoriya.
And other male characters from My Hero Academia are designed to be fit, muscular, and stereotypically attractive in spite of their age.
No anime veteran has to tell you how male characters in shows like My Hero Academia are constantly sexualized by Yaoi fangirls (fanart) and female anime fans by extension for you to know it’s happening. Because it’s so common.
It’s even to the point of sickening paedophilia if it was the real-life equivalent. But this is dismissed and people pretend it doesn’t happen only because it’s a woman doing it as opposed to a man doing it.
It’s the same argument for when fanservice is catered to men, but it’s a non-issue if the coin is flipped on its head.
2. The issue of characters being “minors” only matters if it’s women
Going by the very logic used by Yaoi fangirls and toxic female fans, Mitsuri is also a minor since she was 19 years old.
In line with this, before the anime’s 3rd season (Demon Slayer) started airing, news articles were spun up online to push a narrative that fans were concerned about Mitsuri’s bath scene in the manga.
The reality was female fans or those on Twitter were the ones who took issue with it. The “Minor” argument mattered only because of this sexist view of it applying to women only.
In Demon Slayer season 1, a “kid” is caught in the crossfire in the battle with a demon. His clothes are melted completely, leaving only his naked body to be seen.
It’s played off as a joke, as regular comedy, and nothing more. No outrage, no backlash, no “omg it’s a minor, this is disgusting” types of comments.
No pitchforks and witch hunts.
The same female fans who kick up a storm over “minors” as they say were silent with their lips sealed tight.
This even extends to Demon Slayer season 3 where Tanjiro, a “minor” as they say, is seen butt naked from top to bottom in different frames.
This anime has only been airing for a few days now during April 2023 (episode 1), and I haven’t seen a massive outrage coming from:
- Anime feminists.
- Female fans.
- Yaoi fangirls.
Or those who are quick to point the finger, criticize, and demonize fanservice aimed at girls, especially those quick to use the “minor” label regardless of legitimacy.
3. They’re OK with fetishizing and sexualizing straight anime boys
This argument seems to go two ways.
The first way is implying a set of straight anime characters are in fact gay. The amount of arguments, debates, and back and forth I’ve seen between these types of female fans is staggering as far as mental gymnastics.
I’ve even had women claim “Because it’s not proven they’re straight, that means they could be gay” (paraphrasing). And they then go on to fetishize and sexualize these straight characters, throwing in gay tendencies if it’s fanart.
The 2nd way the argument goes is they outright pair up straight characters and make them full-on gay, fetishizing these characters without concern or hesitation.
Remember, fetishes aren’t the issue, it’s the hypocrisy and double standards between genders.
This is where the “anime ships” nonsense comes into the picture, and Fujoshi, a term used for this group known for its toxicity over the years.
These characters can even be “minors” if we use this logic, and there isn’t a care in the world for it either.
Common excuses Yaoi fangirls and toxic fans gaslight you with:
4. It’s a “male power fantasy”
This is the logic used to demonize those who enjoy fanservice or those who even dare to watch anime that happens to have fanservice (in context or without).
Even those who specifically enjoy fanservice can see how ridiculous this “male power fantasy” excuse is.
5. It’s “different” and “not the same” because of so-called “power dynamics”
This is another ridiculous argument used by those who gaslight, attempt to use reverse psychology, and other psychological BS to pressure fans into not enjoying anime fanservice.
How can power dynamics play into this when we’re talking about fictional characters who are written to be a certain way and have no agency or power of their own?
It’s mental gymnastics at best.
6. There’s no such thing as the female gaze
This excuse is used to justify feminists, toxic female fans, and Yaoi shippers who love drooling over “hot” male anime characters regardless of age. While pointing the finger when the shoe is on the other foot.
It’s a clever tactic if the victim is weak, a SIMP, and easily falls under female pressure. But if there’s a male gaze, you best believe there’s a female gaze as well.
It’s not just popular or profitable to weaponize for personal gain.
7. Men are not seen as sex objects
This is another joke of an excuse that applies to real life as well, as does a lot of these excuses.
No woman can tell you with a straight face, WITHOUT lying through her teeth that they don’t see men as sexual objects in the right context. No different to men.
We’re sexual beings at the end of the day. Men have sexual desires and viewpoints, as do women. That’s how we populate.
It’s normal.
This excuse attempts to justify women enjoying men as sex objects, but not the other way around without it being called misogynistic or “sexist”.
8. There’s “no direct equivalent”
Again – an excuse that tries too hard. False equivalences do exist, but when it comes to this topic, there is a direct equivalent. And it’s called manservice.
Or just women simply enjoying men they find attractive which there’s nothing wrong with by itself.
9. It’s “admiration, not degradation”
The toxic kind on the female side of the anime fanbase will use this to justify their SIMPING, obsessing, sexualizing, and shipping of usually straight characters made to be gay through art or otherwise.
This goes well beyond just the anime community, but let’s keep it real here.
10. Men are in power so it’s not possible for them to be objectified
Another fallacy that comes from the loud minority of female fans in the anime industry (and outside of it) that attempts to justify their BS.
First of all, their concept of Men being in power is a joke. How many men walking down the street on an average day have that kind of power that’s even implied?
Women see men as objects of desire all the time, all genders do. But pretending like this isn’t possible because “I’m a woman who has less power than a man” is childish logic at best.
It’s almost devious.
11. Men in real life are not harmed by it
What I love about this excuse is women aren’t harmed by it in real life either. That “it” being fanservice, female characters who may be dressed a certain way, or may act a certain way.
You see this is a direct equivalent. And all you have to do is look at society and go searching for the amount of “harmed” women or men who’ve been hurt because of anime or fiction. And how some fans may perceive that fiction.
12. You cannot be sexist against men
A common theme with these excuses is there is no logic, rhyme, reason, or sanity to them. If given the opportunity to explain the logic, silence would follow because it’s nonsense.
This is actually what happens.
Of course, the unfortunate type of woman who says things like this (in the anime community or not) already has sexist views of Men by trying to exclude Men from what can be considered “sexist” in the first place.
13. You don’t understand what it means to be a woman
And another case of irony with this excuse is women don’t understand what it means to be a man either. And that’s normal.
How can you, as a man, understand what it means to be a woman every day and vice versa? Just like a white woman can’t understand what it means to be a woman of another race, and vice versa.
Or how a fit person may not comprehend the mind of an obese person, and so on.
You can’t relate to what you haven’t experienced. This is normal in the most basic way. So this excuse only shows yet again the sexist ideas this type of woman has about men to think it only applies one way.
14. Shaming and insults
If none of the above excuses works, Yaoi shippers and toxic fans will say:
- You’re an incel.
- You’re anti-women.
- You’re a sexist misogynistic pig.
- You’re just a loser who hates women.
- You’re a basement dweller who lives in your mom’s basement.
Or any other variation of a shaming/insult attempt to make you feel lesser for calling out the double standards of these toxic Yaoi shippers and female fans who ruin it for everyone else.
In the end, these are all strawman arguments since they can be destroyed so easily with facts, logic, or by pointing out the hypocrisy and clear double standards at play.
You can’t criticize one thing specific to gender if you yourself are doing the things (or tolerating) the things you criticize.
That’s called an entitled f*cking hypocrite who wants to have their cake and eat it too while expecting everyone else to shut up and pretend like it’s not a problem.
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Recommended:
The TRUTH About Anime Objectification That Nobody Talks About
