Can Sci-Fi Replace Isekai As The Next Big Trend?

For many years now, isekai has had the anime community in a chokehold. The popularity of the escapist genre, kick-started by Sword Art Online back in 2012, does not seem to be fading. Or, as some would say, it is not fading fast enough.

From the start, isekai has had as many haters as it has enthusiastic fans. People accuse it of being nothing but wish fulfillment fantasies. The market is flooded with stories that recycle the same ideas, with cookie-cutter narratives and plot devices. “Unoriginal,” “repetitive,” “formulaic” are words that are often thrown around when criticizing the genre.

Of course, the reason isekai is so popular is because of its escapist element. The world has become a scary place. Young people are struggling to find jobs, connect with their peers, and come to terms with the ramifications of the global climate crisis. No wonder so many of them enjoy inserting themselves into enchanting imaginary worlds filled with adventures and magic, where they can feel like a hero for a day.

There’s another way of coping with the bad aspects of modern life, and it’s dragging its dark realities to the surface and bringing people’s anxieties about the future to their logical conclusion. No other genre does it better than sci-fi.

Science fiction anime came to prominence in the 90s, during the growth of the Internet and the true beginning of the digital age. In the past twenty years, technologies have evolved beyond our imagination, which means now is the perfect time for a sci-fi renaissance.

The new digital age provides endless possibilities for storytelling and worldbuilding. Sci-fi anime and its subgenres such as cyberpunk or post-apocalyptic anime are great means to explore the themes of identity, connection, nature of reality, and speculate about the future of our planet. Unfortunately, the contemporary anime industry has yet to produce a cult classic on par with Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost In The Shell, or Cowboy Bebop.

One could argue that we haven’t reached the stage of cynicism that creates an opening for works that deal with such relevant but complex and at times pessimistic ideas. However, shows like Black Mirror, Love Death + Robots, and Westworld have already captured the attention of millions of viewers in the West. The popularity of these shows speaks for itself, so the foundation is definitely there.

For now, isekai is yet to be dethroned as the most dominant fantasy anime genre. As long as people keep buying isekai light novels and mangas, studios will continue adapting them into anime series. But once we’re done escaping into magical parallel realities, perhaps we could give sci-fi another chance.