Plots often take place in completely different settings.
Isekai gives writers the freedom to use their imagination.
Now the creators are actively rethinking the genre.
There is nothing more hated and yet loved by viewers than isekai. There are so many projects that are all pretty much the same. But is that true? Would the genre have gained such rabid popularity if it did not have some originality? Let's find out.
Why people don't like isekai
Isekai tells stories about people who unexpectedly find themselves in another world. The plots often take place in completely different settings – from thrillers to light romantic fantasies. The protagonists in such stories act as a guide for the audience in an unfamiliar world. Heroes can use quite ordinary knowledge and skills to achieve success in the new world.
The characters in isekai are often losers, finding themselves the object of adoration in a new world. Yes, isekai is often a harem anime. That's why the genre is usually criticized. Those who were nothing in normal life turn out to be heroes in the fantasy universe. Many people rightly believe that the creators are simply exploiting the fantasies of young viewers (mostly boys).
However, isekai is not so simple. Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) is also isekai in terms of genre. So there are unusual isekai as well?
How to stop being afraid and love isekai
First, isekai gives writers the freedom to use their imagination. It is possible to depict fantastic worlds as far as the imagination will allow. Also, many phenomena do not necessarily need to be justified. Not surprisingly, some isekai plots (such as Sword Art Online) are set in video games where the fictional nature of the events is obvious.
By the way, Sword Art Online is a good example of making isekai interesting. It's not just a series about a guy surrounded by beautiful girls, but a sad story about friendship and loyalty. Normally you wouldn't expect such seriousness from an isekai. Saga of Tanya the Evil (Youjo Senki) is structured in a similar way, where the other world is shown to be just as cruel as the regular one.
Now the genre has become so popular that creators are actively rethinking it. For example, they are introducing touches of absurdity into the plot. Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World (Isekai Izakaya: Koto Aitheria no Izakaya Nobu) shows the life of a restaurant that is partly in modern Japan and partly in the fantasy world of medieval Europe. So all the interesting situations in the series revolve around food.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken) is an interesting genre reversal, where the protagonist also appears in the game, but not as a privileged hero, but as a slime (the weakest monster). Rising of the Shield Hero (Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari), on the other hand, shows how female characters can act in isekai – not as weak heroes, but as independent characters who can protect their lovers. It seems like nothing unusual for an anime, but it looks really fresh compared to the other titles.
Door to another reality.
Summary:
Plots often take place in completely different settings.
Isekai gives writers the freedom to use their imagination.
Now the creators are actively rethinking the genre.
There is nothing more hated and yet loved by viewers than isekai. There are so many projects that are all pretty much the same. But is that true? Would the genre have gained such rabid popularity if it did not have some originality? Let's find out.
Why people don't like isekai
Isekai tells stories about people who unexpectedly find themselves in another world. The plots often take place in completely different settings – from thrillers to light romantic fantasies. The protagonists in such stories act as a guide for the audience in an unfamiliar world. Heroes can use quite ordinary knowledge and skills to achieve success in the new world.
The characters in isekai are often losers, finding themselves the object of adoration in a new world. Yes, isekai is often a harem anime. That's why the genre is usually criticized. Those who were nothing in normal life turn out to be heroes in the fantasy universe. Many people rightly believe that the creators are simply exploiting the fantasies of young viewers (mostly boys).
However, isekai is not so simple. Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) is also isekai in terms of genre. So there are unusual isekai as well?
How to stop being afraid and love isekai
First, isekai gives writers the freedom to use their imagination. It is possible to depict fantastic worlds as far as the imagination will allow. Also, many phenomena do not necessarily need to be justified. Not surprisingly, some isekai plots (such as Sword Art Online) are set in video games where the fictional nature of the events is obvious.
By the way, Sword Art Online is a good example of making isekai interesting. It's not just a series about a guy surrounded by beautiful girls, but a sad story about friendship and loyalty. Normally you wouldn't expect such seriousness from an isekai. Saga of Tanya the Evil (Youjo Senki) is structured in a similar way, where the other world is shown to be just as cruel as the regular one.
Now the genre has become so popular that creators are actively rethinking it. For example, they are introducing touches of absurdity into the plot. Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World (Isekai Izakaya: Koto Aitheria no Izakaya Nobu) shows the life of a restaurant that is partly in modern Japan and partly in the fantasy world of medieval Europe. So all the interesting situations in the series revolve around food.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken) is an interesting genre reversal, where the protagonist also appears in the game, but not as a privileged hero, but as a slime (the weakest monster). Rising of the Shield Hero (Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari), on the other hand, shows how female characters can act in isekai – not as weak heroes, but as independent characters who can protect their lovers. It seems like nothing unusual for an anime, but it looks really fresh compared to the other titles.
