Fan service in anime refers to the animators showcasing their characters in thirsty ways. Putting girls in bikinis is one example. There are two common ways anime series can do this. The first is the classic beach setup. Who doesn’t like going to the beach on a hot summer day?
The other is onsen or hot springs episodes. These are great to watch on cold days like in the current winter climate. It is an anime trope to have one, if not both, of these ideas, appear in a series. Sometimes episodes aren’t fully about trips to bathhouses. They can be quick trips too but every time it happens, long or short, fans get excited to their favorite heroes and heroines get risqué. As far as fun onsen episodes go, these eight are classic.
8 Gurren Lagann
Gurren Lagann is a mech-based anime wherein humans were forced underground by animal-human hybrids known as Beastmen. Kamina and his symbolic bro Simon, decide to rebel, leaving the underground and taking their fight to their oppressors.
“Sit in the Hot Tub 'Til You're Sick” is the sixth episode of the anime. In this episode, Kamina and the crew are tricked by Beastmen who disguised their mech as a bathhouse. It features classic onsen gags of boys trying to take a peek at the girls but more over-the-top.
7 My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia is one of the most popular manga and anime out right now. It’s not hard to see why superheroes are THE thing nowadays. “Wild, Wild Pussycats” is the second episode of the third season of the anime.
This arc has Class 1-A retreat into the woods for some secluded training. As is always the case, that relaxation is interrupted by villains. This episode has just a small onsen scene with Mineta acting like his usual grabby self. While he fails, fans of the series win big with a quick sneak peek at both sides of the bath's fence.
6 Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the all-time classics. It’s a mech-based anime wherein angels are invading Earth. It’s well-known for being messed up. “The Magma Diver” is the tenth episode of the anime and is somewhat on the lighter side of torture.
Asuka is tasked with jumping into a volcano which is like a super onsen. After her trials, there is a quick scene of the usuals bathing outside. This is the first time fans get to see Misato’s chest scar. The scene is short but satisfying.
5 One Piece
One Piece is about a group of pirates looking for a great treasure known as the One Piece. Characters get superhuman abilities by eating special fruit. Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat pirates, for example, and he can stretch like a rubber man because he ate the Gum Gum Fruit.
“The Turn of the Two” is the 128th episode of the anime. It is the end of the Alabasta arc, right after Luffy defeats Crocodile. As a reward, the Straw Hats are treated to a nice bath in the royal palace.
4 One Punch Man
One Punch Man is another superhero show. It has plenty of action but it is also a parody of Shonen anime and superheroes in general. The main character, Saitama, trained so hard that he can literally kill anything with a single strike.
“The Murder Case That Was Too Impossible” is the sixth episode of the One Punch Man OVAs from the first season. In it, Saitama and other various heroes try to figure out who killed Zombie Man at their onsen resort.
3 Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star is similar to One Piece except it takes place in space. Gene, the main character, doesn’t have inner magical powers but the gun he uses can fire magic. “Hot Springs Planet Tenrei” is the 23rd episode of the anime.
The crew travels to this planet so that Gene can gather more magical bullets for his gun. This is the ultimate onsen episode because it is an entire planet dedicated to hot springs. It even features FULL fan service which was surprising at the time.
2 Persona 4: The Animation
Anime adaptations of video games tend to be lackluster but Persona 4’s was made well. The game has heavy ties to onsens for two reasons. First, Yukiko, one of the main characters, has a hotel in her family that is a hot springs resort.
“We'll all meet at the Amagi Hotel” is the 20th episode of the anime and it is about the crew taking a trip to said hot springs. Second, Kanji, another party member, had his dungeon made entirely out of bathhouses. This might be the funniest episode of the anime.
1 Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon is a magical girl anime that should be known by all at this point. It has existed since the 80s. As a refresher, Usagi is a young girl who comes from the moon and has magical powers that she uses to defeat evil on a weekly basis. It’s more complicated than that but that is the gist.
“Last Resort” is the 40th episode of the anime. It’s about Usagi and her family taking a trip to a hot springs resort. Unfortunately, there is a demon sleeping beneath the resort’s lake. Can she quell this evil and enjoy her vacation?
