It's hard to argue that isekai is one of the most popular (and most hated) genres in anime today. These are stories about someone from our world ending up in a fantasy world and using modern knowledge and skills to achieve certain victories. Isekai has been criticized for simply exploiting male fantasies of success (there is some truth to this). However, nowadays titles that deconstruct isekai tropes are becoming more common. A great way to change your understanding of the genre is to watch reverse isekai. Here are some of the most notable examples.
If in a regular isekai the heroes end up in a fantasy world, in a reverse isekai, as you might guess, everything is the opposite. The story, however, remains quite recognizable. The plot is based on comical situations that arise due to cultural differences between the characters and the world they find themselves in.
The Devil is a Part-Timer!
Perhaps the best way to begin with reverse isekai is The Devil is a Part-Timer! (Hataraku Maou-sama!). This is the story of a devil who lost a battle in his world and ended up in modern Tokyo. He is forced to work in a fast-food franchise to pay bills and solve everyday problems. Such an ironic look at the Prince of Darkness is fresh, and on the other hand, it allows us to take an unexpected look at those problems in the structure of our world that we usually do not notice.
Often, isekai is a harem anime where a young man (most likely a loser in our world) becomes the center of girls' attention. In Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls (Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou), things are a bit different. Girls here are not just charming beauties, but actual monsters who live with humans as part of a cultural exchange program. And the guy here is not caressed by love, but tested by cultural differences. Anime makes us think about how we can live with those who are completely different from us.
In regular isekai, characters often find themselves in the world of video games or other pieces of pop culture. But what happens when characters from video games and anime end up in our world? This is the concept behind the Re:Creators series. It shows what happens when fantasy characters from different media meet in our world.
For those who like slice-of-life or anime with beautiful shots of delicious food, Restaurant To Another World (Isekai Shokudou) is worth watching. The series tells the story of a small restaurant: part of it is in Tokyo, the other part is in a fantasy world. There are no amazing stories about the fight between good and evil. This is a light anime that you can watch to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
An unusual isekai about a yakuza member seeking common ground with a supernatural doll that unexpectedly appears in his life. It's hard to find sensitive isekai stories about relationships (this time between a father and his symbolic daughter), but Hinamatsuri is such a case. This is not a very serious story about parenthood, but in its own way a touching tale about the unlikely characters coming together.
Deep dive into the real world!
It's hard to argue that isekai is one of the most popular (and most hated) genres in anime today. These are stories about someone from our world ending up in a fantasy world and using modern knowledge and skills to achieve certain victories. Isekai has been criticized for simply exploiting male fantasies of success (there is some truth to this). However, nowadays titles that deconstruct isekai tropes are becoming more common. A great way to change your understanding of the genre is to watch reverse isekai. Here are some of the most notable examples.
If in a regular isekai the heroes end up in a fantasy world, in a reverse isekai, as you might guess, everything is the opposite. The story, however, remains quite recognizable. The plot is based on comical situations that arise due to cultural differences between the characters and the world they find themselves in.
The Devil is a Part-Timer!
Perhaps the best way to begin with reverse isekai is The Devil is a Part-Timer! (Hataraku Maou-sama!). This is the story of a devil who lost a battle in his world and ended up in modern Tokyo. He is forced to work in a fast-food franchise to pay bills and solve everyday problems. Such an ironic look at the Prince of Darkness is fresh, and on the other hand, it allows us to take an unexpected look at those problems in the structure of our world that we usually do not notice.
Often, isekai is a harem anime where a young man (most likely a loser in our world) becomes the center of girls' attention. In Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls (Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou), things are a bit different. Girls here are not just charming beauties, but actual monsters who live with humans as part of a cultural exchange program. And the guy here is not caressed by love, but tested by cultural differences. Anime makes us think about how we can live with those who are completely different from us.
In regular isekai, characters often find themselves in the world of video games or other pieces of pop culture. But what happens when characters from video games and anime end up in our world? This is the concept behind the Re:Creators series. It shows what happens when fantasy characters from different media meet in our world.
For those who like slice-of-life or anime with beautiful shots of delicious food, Restaurant To Another World (Isekai Shokudou) is worth watching. The series tells the story of a small restaurant: part of it is in Tokyo, the other part is in a fantasy world. There are no amazing stories about the fight between good and evil. This is a light anime that you can watch to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
An unusual isekai about a yakuza member seeking common ground with a supernatural doll that unexpectedly appears in his life. It's hard to find sensitive isekai stories about relationships (this time between a father and his symbolic daughter), but Hinamatsuri is such a case. This is not a very serious story about parenthood, but in its own way a touching tale about the unlikely characters coming together.
