 ✶ ✿ ✶ Dear haters and critics of the isekai genre, It's June. The past few days have gotten a bit rainier, but also a bit more humid, showing that nature is getting ready for the summer solstice. Thinking about the time where the longest day of the year will take place reminds me of that one season that was flooded with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR new isekai ("another world") anime with practically the same ol' generic fantasy and/or video game setting and an unremarkable male otaku for a main protagonist. And thinking about the flood of a now sterilized anime genre also makes me think about how many samey-looking anime in the same genre with the exact same qualities have come out since then, or maybe even before that one time. It's clear that this trend has taken over the anime industry entirely to the point where random producers literally come out of nowhere with extremely similar source material and nearly the whole anime community has become tired of it—myself included. Which brings us to the question: How would you make an isekai series that actually catches your interest? It's a simple question, a less-niche isekai variant of one of my magical girl topic threads. I'm sure many tired anime fans genuinely want to like the genre; after all, the premise of sending your main character to another world and dealing with the conflicts that the setting brings about is fairly intriguing. I'm also just as sure that many will agree with me that there actually are some great isekai anime/manga out there.... that are most likely decades old. But modern isekai anime/manga that are actually good do exist, like Ascendance of a Bookworm.  So potential in the genre does exist... and let's talk type about that. I ask to you all, particularly the cynical critics and hasty haters of the "another world" genre... is it possible for you to ever like an isekai anime? If you ever had the opportunity to make an anime/manga of your own, and it happens to be isekai-themed, from either your own volition to join the trends or the demands from some higher-ups, what type of isekai story (or stories) would you make? I personally would write to you what I personally would do, but I feel like most people don't really care to hear see what I have to say. I might have already made what I would do clear in this other isekai thread I made and in a few other posts related to story/world ideas (such as the one below) anyway. So I will stay silent, and instead wait patiently for some intriguing answers from my fellow MAL forumites. Oh, and here are some supplementary questions to help you with your replies:
These questions also kinda serve as a tl;dr section, though this opening statement open letter shouldn't be that long of a read this time. Is this a productive way to curb the seething anger over the genre's over-saturation, or even a productive topic to talk about? That I do not know. I just hope that this letter reaches to you all safely. Snail mail isn't used that much these days, so who knows how reliable it still is. Also I hope some of you actually name some good isekai anime/manga in your replies, I'm always open to recommendations and I want to check them out too. :P Stay safe everyone, and happy discussing. ★  Sincerely from your local MAL forum Reaper, Fario-P ✩ Edit 8/25/21: changed clickbaity title ("Dear haters and critics of the isekai genre...") to a better, proper title. i'm tired of reading so many posts triggered by the title and not actually reading the thread. hope you're all happy now |
Fario-PAug 25, 2021 4:03 PM
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| I generally avoid the REALLY hated and bad isekai, so I cannot say too much besides a lot of them are straight-up pretty meh. Like, I love Re: Zero a lot and it is an isekai. At the same time, there are SO MANY that are like Isekai Cheat Magician, Wise Man's Grandchild and that Smartphone one where I just cringe just reading the reviews and synopsis. From time to time, I enjoy stuff like Overlord, Tanya, Slime isekai and Shield Hero. Even then, they are generally considered pretty decent shows within the genre so as long as you stick to them and not watch every isekai you should be fine. The point is, the genre is just oversaturated with a lot of mediocre shows. There are some that are enjoyable but for the most part, I stay away from a lot of them. |
| I didn't watch every isekai but I quite dislike most of the ones I've watched, I have watched the well-known ones and only Re:Zero is good, everything else is terrible in comparison imo. I would like an isekai similar to Re:Zero where the protagonist is realistic and flawed, with external and internal conflicts he/she must overcome. Mushoku Tensei recently kind of did this, but god damn is the protagonist such a scum that I just couldn't care less about him, he is an example of what not to do when making a flawed character. Apart from that, I would also like more isekai that actually focuses and develops side characters, which is another thing Re:Zero does well at, the story doesn't only revolve around Subaru, but everyone else also has their own problems and conflicts, basically the most noticeable flaw of modern isekai, or even isekai in general is the characters. |
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| Dog Days, if you want a fun and silly isekai, this is it and you get every good and popular voice talent of the 2010's, so your ears will have a good time as well. As for creating an isekai: I'd have a marksman and gunsmith being transported to the Faery Realm in the middle of a war between the Seelie and Unseelie courts, where he ends up working for the Seelie Court to forge guns utilizing Faery Realm materials and magic along with his gunsmithing skills to bolster the firepower of their armies. |
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| My favorite isekai? Uhhhh, I definitely like Bookworm and Konosuba. I think my isekai would be something very desolate, a melancholic, depressing story. Something like a person gets transported to another world, where the world is completely dead, reclaimed by nature (think Nier Automata's world), and the person just roams the land and finds out what happened and each time they find a clue, hope rises that they'll find people. Only to find the last message that says something like "There are no humans left" and then the story ends with the person sitting down next to a cliff or something, planning their suicide. An episodic series where the events leading up to the extinction are shown with the protagonist just serving as a walking catalyst to trigger those events. Like I want an isekai where the isekai world ISN'T better than their original life as most isekai show. |
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| Well I liked re zero, so clearly they *can* be good. It’s more that it’s so dominant that there doesn’t feel like there’s room for anything else to emerge. Also it feels like lazy story telling trying to cater to a certain crowd. Like NGNL was trying to appeal to NEETs who think they are smarter than they are. (The mc isn’t that smart btw, all he does is say “I knew you would do that” and that’s the extent to which he demonstrates his intellect) Anyways, how an isekai could pique my interest: -it doesn’t involve being sucked into a video game, especially an mmo or phone game, I’m not a big gamer, especially if those two types. -it doesn’t feel like it’s catering to the “the world sucks so much the only place I’d have fun would be if I was transported to another world”-types. Potentially make the world a worse place. Or a tragedy. Or the person who initially is the MC dies a few episodes in, and the rest of it is about how the other world adjusts to the MC bringing stuff to the world that screws everything up -psychological horror or mystery aspect |
| From some isekai show I watched, the main idea is that the character transfered into whole new world. I don't know why LN author usually made about harem or OP character but it can be lot more. Some ideas for isekai is overused such as MMORPG world and medieval era but I've seen some rare idea such as transferred into distorted world. So yeah some isekai is good and most of them is bad. With uprising of the popularity, I don't think the genre will be dead anytime soon. If someone comes up with a great idea, I'm pretty sure we'll see better isekai in the future. If I make a story, it will take place in advance civilization. Of course I would like some magic, and the theme would be about war. The idea is pretty simple, humanity in the brink of extinction because the earth is no longer safe and the scientist discovered, instead of going to space, they found easier way which is to go to another world... In the alternate universe, two living being is at war. One cannot use magic but have a really advance technology and the other use magic to activate their technology. |
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| i actually love isekai and have consumed many isekai stories before but if there's something that bothered me, it's that they always add japanese values to it. what i mean is that most of the protagonists always refrain from killing people or just violence in general because they came from a world that goes against that idea. I get it though, if i was sent into a different world, i would feel guilt if i ever had to stain my hands with blood but since us the readers are detatched from that guilt, it's pretty irritating when they always come to a decision not to kill people just for the sake of not killing. What truly irritates me is when those decisions just lead to plot devices like the antagonists coming back because the protagonist decided not to kill them or they mindlessly cater the plot so that even if they don't kill them, no consequences arises from it. I think it's lazy and irritating but hey, most light novel authors are amateurs so thats that. tldr, isekai is great but most mcs are irritating spineless creatures and it leaves a bad after taste because i love the genre so much but they ruin it for me. |
 𝒫𝑜𝓅 𝒶 𝓅𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑔𝑒𝓉 𝒾𝓂𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓏𝑒𝒹 𝒯𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝒸𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝒫𝓊𝓇𝒾𝒻𝓎 𝓂𝓎 𝓅𝑜𝒾𝓈𝑜𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒹   |
| Why another isekai topic, Fario? Do you not like non-isekai fantasy? You even made that fairy tale isekai topic, as if fairy tales aren't already perfect. What better way to start off an isekai topic than with a GIF adapted from an isekai novel? I do love that author. The best season of the year, maybe even of the decade. video game setting Don't remind me. It especially annoys me that these anime bear little resemblance to any video games I've played. Dragon Quest may be popular, but it's not Japan's only bestseller! Why not a steampunk or space opera isekai? Or inspired by another medieval fantasy such as Zelda or Ys? Magic Knight Rayearth still stands out from today's isekai even with its game-esque setting. Are there any isekai anime/manga that you actually like? I'd rather see more adaptations of English-language books, tbh. Hollywood adaptations may seem more obvious, but some of my favorites cannot feasibly be done with live-action. From the author of The Hunger Games we have The Underland Chronicles. A boy falls through a hole behind the washing machine in his NYC apartment, discovering a secret underground civilization replete with prophecies and talking animals. I'd give anything in return for adaptations of Garth Nix, my favorite childhood author. He wrote The Ragwitch, a book I previously recommended. He wrote the novel in my sig, which is NOT isekai. But it's his "Keys to the Kingdom" series that I believe would appeal most to the otaku crowd. And can we please show more appreciation for Lovecraft's "dream" isekai? The only time I remember seeing any referenced in anime was in an episode of The Ancient Magus Bride. How would you make an isekai series that actually catches your interest? After much thought, I eventually posted the following in another topic. Lucifrost said: I had another idea. What about a series of standalone stories, each set in a separate world? The worlds could be loosely connected, but there would be no jumping between them. Anyone else ever encounter anything like this? The only example that comes to mind is “Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly” and “Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk.” |
LucifrostJun 4, 2021 9:56 PM
| その目だれの目？ |
| Once again... it seems that some people don't even bother to read my actual post. Thanks much to Crow_Black for the support and for being one of the first few to actually read it though lol. On to the responses. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Gilgameshuu said: Good characterization often makes a good story, so I agree.I would like an isekai similar to Re:Zero where the protagonist is realistic and flawed, with external and internal conflicts he/she must overcome. Mushoku Tensei recently kind of did this, but god damn is the protagonist such a scum that I just couldn't care less about him, he is an example of what not to do when making a flawed character. Apart from that, I would also like more isekai that actually focuses and develops side characters, which is another thing Re:Zero does well at, the story doesn't only revolve around Subaru, but everyone else also has their own problems and conflicts, basically the most noticeable flaw of modern isekai, or even isekai in general is the characters. I've also found myself liking flawed characters lately, but of course, flaws still have their own issues and it's bad to get too far with them like your mention of Mushoku Tensei. I haven't seen that show or read any version of the source material, but based on what I heard, it sounds extremely troubling. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Hoppy said: I don't think I quite comprehend what you just said, but that's certainly unique so I'll give you points for thatAs for creating an isekai: I'd have a marksman and gunsmith being transported to the Faery Realm in the middle of a war between the Seelie and Unseelie courts, where he ends up working for the Seelie Court to forge guns utilizing Faery Realm materials and magic along with his gunsmithing skills to bolster the firepower of their armies. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Judevin said: That's actually a pretty good idea. I dunno, I would certainly watch something based off of your idea.I think my isekai would be something very desolate, a melancholic, depressing story. Something like a person gets transported to another world, where the world is completely dead, reclaimed by nature (think Nier Automata's world), and the person just roams the land and finds out what happened and each time they find a clue, hope rises that they'll find people. Only to find the last message that says something like "There are no humans left" and then the story ends with the person sitting down next to a cliff or something, planning their suicide. An episodic series where the events leading up to the extinction are shown with the protagonist just serving as a walking catalyst to trigger those events. Like I want an isekai where the isekai world ISN'T better than their original life as most isekai show. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Bfolls said: Yeah, like at this point, it feels like people have (somehow) run out of ideas without even bothering to try Mia Fey's approach of actually thinking outside the box. But isekai is somehow still a big hot new thing (despite it going on for at least 5 or 6+ years and somehow still feeling so same-y good god) that a certain vocal group must really want over at Japan, so now writers seem to be doing just the same thing over and over but with random gimmicks plastered in for the sake of saying "oh look it's different now, look it's totally not the same thing guys".Well I liked re zero, so clearly they *can* be good. It’s more that it’s so dominant that there doesn’t feel like there’s room for anything else to emerge. Also it feels like lazy story telling trying to cater to a certain crowd. Like self-inserting yourself into another world already, huh? Here's a story with a random smartphone popped in. Like that one but want more? Here's one without the phone but with a weird random harem (was about to link this one but honestly this genre is so frickin uninspired that there's a whole bunch of shows that this also describes lol). Huh, want more? Okay, uhh have a random Dragon Quest enemy instead, yup there you go. Here's one with a spider. Here's a random wrestler. Here's some more overpowered brainiac characters. Oh you that type of guy huh, have the same OP MC but as a little girl. Here's another girl MC but it's an actually good isekai for frickin once lol with books cuz it's frickin books. Here's one as the main antagonist of a otome game which is a genre of games I've literally never played, I'm sure everyone else can't wait for the rest of the literal five zetta thousand villainess manga that is plaguing the entire shoujo demographic tags (and somehow seem more generic than most isekai I've barely glanced at cuz they're all usually the exact same goal of trying not to get killed) to get adapted... Look lookie look, here's one with a frickin MOM involved, ya done? Just go already kid, leave me alone with my booze... ...Okay, obviously these all vary wildly in quality and may have way more depth than at first glance, but you get what I mean right? How first impressions make these all seem like kinda cheap trend-riding after a while? I dunno man I'm just tired, I'm tired of this whole trend in general, but if we're gonna have to deal with it then I at least want some isekai that actually seem different with actual devotion to worldbuilding and not on sex appeal and maybe actually appeal to girls for once (maybe? please?? there's NEET otaku girls too XD)... it'll make the tedium of this trend a bit more bearable imo... anyway, moving on...... Anyways, how an isekai could pique my interest: ...agreed, agreed, and agreed....-it doesn’t involve being sucked into a video game, especially an mmo or phone game, I’m not a big gamer, especially if those two types. -it doesn’t feel like it’s catering to the “the world sucks so much the only place I’d have fun would be if I was transported to another world”-types. Potentially make the world a worse place. Or a tragedy. Or the person who initially is the MC dies a few episodes in, and the rest of it is about how the other world adjusts to the MC bringing stuff to the world that screws everything up -psychological horror or mystery aspect ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Hyacinth05 said: I hope so too.If someone comes up with a great idea, I'm pretty sure we'll see better isekai in the future. If I make a story, it will take place in advance civilization. Of course I would like some magic, and the theme would be about war. The idea is pretty simple, humanity in the brink of extinction because the earth is no longer safe and the scientist discovered, instead of going to space, they found easier way which is to go to another world... Those are both great ideas. Dystopian slowly transitioning into isekai would certainly be interesting.In the alternate universe, two living being is at war. One cannot use magic but have a really advance technology and the other use magic to activate their technology. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Lucifrost said: Ah Lucifrost, good to see you again.Why another isekai topic, Fario? Do you not like non-isekai fantasy? You even made that fairy tale isekai topic, as if fairy tales aren't already perfect. Look, I get you man, I'm tired too. I do like non-isekai fantasy. I do like fairy tales and I do want just regular fairy tale (or at least inspired) anime. But well... first, I'd like to direct you to a response I've made as I got the same question as yours before: Basically tl;dr of that post I guess, we're pretty much the few who actually care about this stuff... ...and stuff like Princess Tutu probably wouldn't be made today without cashing in on a trend. :( But it's not just about having to attach the isekai moniker to an idea (i.e. fairy tales) we'd love to see more in anime. I also made this thread because I wanted to see some opinions. To quote a certain critic, I guess you could say I was craving...  And because it really feels like no one else in these bloody forums seem to have it, I felt like I had to prod some perspective out of the place by making a thread like this with such a clickbait-y title (sorry if you don't like it, I can understand). It just seemed like a more productive way of spending my time instead of just constantly complaining about every new "different" isekai anime adaptation coming out these days without any actual discourse. I also want to try making an isekai story of my own sometime, since it seems like that's the only thing that people are interested in these days and it feels better to make a story I'd like with an element/genre that I'd like to tweak with instead of constantly waiting for a real change to happen. Sorry if that sounds weird, I know I'm weird and have weird ideas and it's like 2 am here rn what the hell am I doing still up— What better way to start off an isekai topic than with a GIF adapted from an isekai novel? I do love that author. I've rewatched the movie again recently and even started reading the book again for the third time. The movie's so different from the book...... video game setting Don't remind me. It especially annoys me that these anime bear little resemblance to any video games I've played. Dragon Quest may be popular, but it's not Japan's only bestseller! Why not a steampunk or space opera isekai? Or inspired by another medieval fantasy such as Zelda or Ys? Magic Knight Rayearth still stands out from today's isekai even with its game-esque setting. From the author of The Hunger Games we have The Underland Chronicles. A boy falls through a hole behind the washing machine in his NYC apartment, discovering a secret underground civilization replete with prophecies and talking animals. Never heard of it before. Maybe I should consider reading that...How would you make an isekai series that actually catches your interest? After much thought, I eventually posted the following in another topic. Lucifrost said: I had another idea. What about a series of standalone stories, each set in a separate world? The worlds could be loosely connected, but there would be no jumping between them. Anyone else ever encounter anything like this? The only example that comes to mind is “Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly” and “Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk.” |
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| Nobody hates the "isekai genre", because it isn't a genre to start with. Isekai merely is the story element of "dragged to another world". Alice in Wonderland is as much an isekai as many of the Ghibli films. The story element is used in many genres, from laughable harem-ecchi comedies (many "modern isekai") to serious political fantasy epics (e.g. 12 Kingdoms). The element people reject in "modern isekai" probably isn't the "another world" aspect. Find a better word, because isekai is ... not a genre. |
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| I hate an Isekai or fantasy where the MC is OP af and has a harem. |
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| Forgot, you asked for isekai recommendations. A good start is using anidb's tag, which is used correcly i.e. only implies the story element. And not the "modern isekai" subset with medieval fantasy, comedy, ecchi, harem and other elements. https://anidb.net/tag/6744/animetb/?cat.minweight=0&noalias=1&orderby.name=1.1&orderby.rating=0.2 Personal favorite isekai: Juuni Kokuki Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan o Erande Iraremasen Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku Tenkuu no Escaflowne Hai to Gensou no Grimgar There was a previous wave of isekai in the 80s, btw. It overused another stereotype which is "scantly clad ass-kicking girl". Just like today, popular story element combinations come in waves. You may find it interesting to look into that flavor, which are the grannys of the trope. Leda pretty much introduced the isekai + high fantasy element combination into anime, and was cloned a dozen times. Genmu Senki Leda Mujigen Hunter Fandora Legend of Lemnear: Kyokuguro no Tsubasa Valkisas |
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| I don't think I could write a good story, but not including RPG skills and having a main character that isn't a loser otaku that hates reality would be a great start. But luckily the perfect isekai already exists and you even named it. They should just cancel all other isekai and give me a full adaptation of Ascendance of a Bookworm ASAP, I'd be the happiest anime fan alive. Seriously, just air four seasons at the same time, @Japan, please. |
| they never stop hatin' & i will never stop eatin' that hot garbage >:D |
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Lisstaa said: I hate an Isekai or fantasy where the MC is OP af and has a harem. literally every ( nearly 75% maybe? ) isekai anime ever lol. & yeah i agree. |
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| Don’t worry I consume isekai light novel and manga. What I can say abt that is that the isekai genre is stronger than ever, the output at which new series come out in japan is out of this world. You jus have to look at the top manga/light novel in japan, isekai dominating the charts heavily. Like each month probably 10+ new isekai series come out, people will never have enough of the genre. Even in the west all four isekai anime this season are in the Top 15 of anime rankings from anime trending etc. On my point isekai will keep continue growing and it’ll keep getting stronger, so well to the haters scks to be you. I’ll personally keep supporting the isekai genre by buying the manga or light novel licensed by English publishers. :) |
| "Even villains have standards" -Accelerator-  |
| i only dislike harem isekai where mc is basically a god. and speaking of isekai, summer 2021 will have like 9 isekai anime if i'm not wrong~ damn 😅 |
CartoonViolenceJun 5, 2021 2:12 AM
| Protesters, assemble!! |
| I still like dr stone and the isekai genre isn't the best genre but also isn't the worst cause... well yes its still very rare for there to be good isekai animes but well we can't do much.... you know |
| Follow my Instagram, I'm trying to grow - https://www.instagram.com/aryehshinde/ |
| Isekai in general make me happy. I have read and watch several isekai anime and manga beyond my count and I have never been bored. EVER. |
Judevin said: I think my isekai would be something very desolate, a melancholic, depressing story. Like I want an isekai where the isekai world ISN'T better than their original life as most isekai show. You might enjoy https://myanimelist.net/anime/31859/Hai_to_Gensou_no_Grimgar |
 You gave up your freedom of speech when you clicked Agree to the User Agreement This is not a public platform. My gaze is the measure of all things: I stopped considering "anime" a helpful tag Recommended Essays Exploring Actually Excellent World-Building |
| The only thing isekai need to do is focus on the characters and their development rather than giving unnecessary fanservice, OP MC or some sort of gimmick. |
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| about half the isekais ive watched usually consists of the op + harem trope and it does get repetitive, not to mention those "im a gamer normal person otaku but now im god" kind ,, it's only bad bc most of the famous isekais r THAT< type,, and it caters to boys who can relate to the mc so yk that stuff (although I still did enjoy those first one ive watched of that type since I was new to it) but there r for sure some great ones that have interesting story plots the "in another world" is a very very cool concept and is one of my favs (u just have to dig for some gold mines) idk |
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| I don't hate it, in fact I used to like it a lot, but as someone already said, recent isekais are becoming super repetitive, with the same tropes and the same premises, changing 1 or 2 things. It is true that some are and feel super fresh, but the majority don't. This season (not counting 2nd seasons) we have: Sentouin, Hakenshimasu!, which is a worse Konosuba in every aspect, but this time they are the bad guys? Slime Taoshite 300-nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level Max ni Nattemashita, didn't even bothered watching this, op MC premise which is already repetitive af, and killing slimes isn't a big of a deal, something like Hai to Gensou no Grimgar, where they level up from killing Goblins, they feel pain and such serious things is way more interesting than this. And again, if they wanted to make a calm isekai, the one you mentioned Ascendance of a Bookworm is still 100 times better. Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou Desu, didn't even know this existed till now, that's how impactfull it is. Full Dive, what's this shit even about? Looks completely like a harem from the first episode, and there are already a lot, there's also a lot of online game isekais. |
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| The single biggest problem with isekai, other than just the usual low standard of quality of the genre, is that it mostly doesn't add anything. Namely, there's nothing that having random black-haired Japanese teenager who-is-good-at-video-games #383473 actually contributes to the story outside of providing an excuse to not write a backstory and shove clunky exposition everywhere. Obviously there are good isekai that use the concept well, etc, etc, but your average isekai gains nothing from being an isekai as opposed to a standard fantasy. In fact, I'd go so far as to say there are some isekai that, should you miss the first episode, you'd never even know were isekai. The simplest way to get a good, or at least interesting isekai, would probably be just to make something where the sheer fact it is an isekai is completely integral to the plot and proceedings. What I's suggest might be a show revolving around a gang of Gods and Goddesses searching through other worlds for candidates, or something about a kingdom with an organisation that has to "babysit" new arrivals. Or, what I'd be more interested in, how about a show about someone who can travel to and from another world repeatedly, with the series following his struggles balancing a life in both. Think Nicholas Lyndhurst's Goodnight Sweetheart, but with magic instead of WWII. |
| Well I for one already loved Lain. |
Fario-P said: Here's one as the main antagonist of a otome game which is a genre of games I've literally never played I'm still trying to figure out where this idea came from. I've played quite a few otome games, but not a single one looks anything like that. and maybe actually appeal to girls for once (maybe? please?? there's NEET otaku girls too XD) That's what the villainess isekai are for. 😆 Thigh_Tide said: In fact, I'd go so far as to say there are some isekai that, should you miss the first episode, you'd never even know were isekai. Those aren't real isekai, as far as I'm concerned. I've never recommended War on Geminar in a single isekai topic, even though I gave it 9/10. |
| その目だれの目？ |
| I refuse to watch isekai anime, especially newer titles. |
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Fario-P said: How would you make an isekai series that actually catches your interest? Not at all. The genre has more than worn out its welcome, and it needs to be killed immediately. The genre has already produced the best title it could ever hope to produce (Now and Then, Here and There), so its work is already done. |
 This glorious signature image was created by @Mayumi! I am the Arbiter of Absolute Truth, and here is my wisdom: "Anime was always influenced by the West. This is not news. Shoujo is the superior genre primarily aimed at young people. Harem/isekai are lazy genres that refuse any meaningful innovation. There is no 'Golden Age.' There will always be top-shelf anime. You should be watching Carole & Tuesday." |
| I say tend to stay away from isekais since I dislike the common tropes (male MC with all-girl harem, bland protag, bland fantasy/jrpg settings with magic) but on paper I could totally get into it. I've thought about what I'd like in an isekai myself, so here's two ideas: - I'd make an MC who isn't into isekai/video games beforehand since a common trope I see are protagonists who are aware of these systems and uses them to their advantage (for power, to get to their goal, etc.), and they would be in a different body. They could get into the body of some one important and get caught up in their old problems, or go the opposite direction and have them be a nobody. - This world would have no magic or minimal magic where the MC doesn't use it/is just an inherent part of the world. But it would be a basic middle ages-type setting. - I still think death is a pretty funny trope with potential of its own, but the death wouldn't be a accident-type thing (ex. hit by a car or fell down the stairs) and instead be something like sickness. - The plot would be that the main character is into history/literature, and would awake up in a part of the world where literacy is uncommon. By coincidence, the spoken and written language would be similar to the MC's native language (or could be a second language they don't know as well). They start making money for food and shelter by putting their literacy to use and getting a lot of odd gigs. Eventually, they earn a reputation for this and end up becoming a sort of archivist/book collector. The story would follow them until their death. - One of my favorite tropes is found family which is perfect for isekai, so I'd use that and I don't really have a target audience in mind, but I'd like to think it be more seinen-slice of life. - My other idea is more self-indulgent, but it'd be an isekai where there are a pair of protagonists who wake up in a dating sim-type setting. They would both be familiar with dating sim games, and one of them would have been in that world for a while longer than the other one. - The world would follow dating sim tropes, causing odd side effects due to the fact that both MCs are not from the world. The NPCs would be unfazed by anything they say and would have to be told key words/phrases for them to move on (like how they have set dialogue) and would generally be unresponsive. The "romanceable" students would stand out and go out of their way to talk to the MCs. The MCs would have huge gaps in their memories due to dating sim games commonly only having certain events play out during certain times of day without regard to anything that happens in between (magically aceing tests or going to sleep only to wake up seconds later, for example). The more the MCs talk to the romance-able characters, the less NPC-ish they become, and eventually become sentient and have their own free will. - The main goal would be to get out, and they realize that they would have to go through a character's route in order to do so. Here's the self-indulgent catch- one protagonist would be asexual and the other aromantic. So they plot to create their own route where all the characters become their own people and they all become good friends along the way. I had another idea where some of the romanceable characters could end up with each other as they find themselves. - As for isekais I have watched, I really liked My Next Life as a Villainess (even though admittedly it has a harem trope, I like it because its both boys and girls plus the MC is completely oblivious to it, its also a sating sim setting, so it makes sense), which is my one of my ideas was a dating sim. |
| "Writing off the thing you love like its just a hobby..? Sounds like something only grown-ups would do, don't you think? I don't know who taught you that... but the kids who couldn't press on were the kids who had no passion. Isn't it natural to pour as much as you can into the things you love?" - Shoko Saeki "Maybe he's a genius. And I really am just a regular person. I'm not special. I'll never become a genius. I can only get better through practice. I guess... I'll just have to work until you cant tell the difference between me and a genius. That's all." - Yatora Yaguchi |
| No harem No ecchi and cringe scenes More focus on character development Also, most isekai are pretty predictable. I want isekai to have an element of mystery, like Re: Zero. |
| 99% of this topic and discussion is just an indirect rehash of Sturgeon's law |
| I don't hate the isekai genre, but it's not usually something I seek out specifically either. But I have enjoyed some isekai shows. Including Isekai Cheat Magician, which some people seem to regard as one of the poster-children for "generic isekai". When I do watch isekai it's usually for the fantasy elements. I'm often a fan of fantasy settings. And furthermore they also tend to have character art that catches my interest. Probably because I find certain combinations of tropes and/or archetypes appealing, such as the stoic beauty-in-strength female knight. I sometimes feel that the isekai element feels a bit tacked on. This feeling is particularly strong if I look at a lot of isekai shows in a short period of time. The premise becomes central to the show in a way that it ought not to be, arguably, if I got to focus on each show individually in more detail. In fact I think a combination of (1) large numbers of isekai shows and (2) short airtimes (often only one cour) has served this premise unfairly poorly. It unwittingly encourages people to look at the premise, because they're frequently reading synopses and watching early episodes. "Seasonal anime" as a hobby only makes this worse, because it puts everyone into evaluation mode very early on, so if you have an isekai show that only diverges after the premise is introduced, it's possible that someone would have only seen the premise and then said "it's some generic isekai again". That said, if I were to make such a show, I probably wouldn't make an isekai show anyway. I'd just make it straight-up set in a fantasy world, and an idea I've been thinking of is what if our world were a fantasy world instead. There's the pesky "I wanna go home" issue that seems a frequent concern in a number of isekai series I've sampled -- one reason I'd go for straight-up fantasy is because it avoids this question entirely. Meanwhile, if I had to make things cross worlds, I'd probably prefer to have things reverse-isekaing into our world, or have just two separate worlds, such as a light world and a dark world, but both fantastical. If I had to involve a character going into another world, ...whelp, that's honestly something I haven't actually thought much about. I don't have any ideas off the top of my head lying around. Can I get back to you later on this? I don't yet know what sort of fictional world I would want to travel to and explore. But at the very least I would make sure to keep the story going for at least two cours. IMO a really immersive story experience fits in two cours much better than one. If I want to immerse the viewer in a journey through a fantasy world, that takes time. Edit: more details And I almost certainly wouldn't go with the harem setup. I don't hate the harem setup per se, but it's frequently used to make use of fanservice tropes I don't necessarily like and to make up needlessly awkward love triangle jealousy type shenanigans which I definitely don't like. And I'm more of a fan of roughly-even mixed-gender casts anyway. I'd also go for an "organic" fantasy world rather than one that runs off of game mechanics. I'm of the opinion that game mechanics are meant to be an abstraction for out-of-universe people to be able to appreciate the story. So in-universe things don't work like that. Edit: hey, I got an idea. How about I combine that idea about this world being a fantasy world with the reality of this world being non-fantasy...and isekai from this one into the fantasy version of our world? What kind of main character would you make in your own isekai story? I don't know about main character yet. I could self-insert but that feels a little boring. Though, what if I could be a fantasy version of myself, of my own choosing...?What kind of world will the story take place? What world-building—lore, mythos, magic system, prophecies, society, culture, etc—will you interweave into the setting? How will you have the main character transported to this other world? What kind of story/plot/conflicts will the main character be part of? Is there a quest of any kind? What will you do in your own isekai story (ies) that will make it stand out from the rest and make it more palatable for fellow isekai-distrusters? What typical isekai tropes/genre tags would you avoid, or even embrace? Would you parody the whole genre and the whole ridiculousness that comes with it? Do you have a target demographic in mind for your isekai story (ies)? Are there any isekai anime/manga that you actually like? Will you use them as inspiration(s) for your own isekai work(s)? I've addressed the world mythos somewhat already, but I guess to flesh it out more, the alternate version of our world could have something like an "all myths are true" sort of thing going on. Ghosts, dragons, cryptids, magic, fortune-telling, and our imaginations can actually run wild. And be in conflict, too -- there'll still be political conflicts in this other world. I have no idea yet for how the isekaiing would happen. But I imagine it might be as simple as "wake up one day and you're in a fantasy world." I don't know what going back would be like. It could work the same way. I'd probably presume that time doesn't pass in whichever world isn't "active" in the main character's consciousness, just to keep things simple for myself...? The story would probably be some sort of story meant to be taken seriously. By this I mean, definitely not a parody. I'm not really much of a fan of parodies. I get more enjoyment out of something when I'm not making fun of it, but instead feeling immersed in it. Political conflicts -- wars, power struggles, and such -- but with magic, is definitely of interest to me. So is daily life but with magic as a mundane feature. I haven't watched Rage of Bahamut but considering what I've read of its synopses, it seems like there's one drama/action series and there's a spinoff set in magic school called Manaria Friends (which I have watched), and I could totally imagine one drama/action story dealing with war and politics, and another slice-of-life story with gentle comedy set in a university following the daily lives of students, just to have fun illustrating how life is different yet also similar to our world. At this point I'm realizing I've basically just grafted my fantasy idea onto this prompt, lol. I don't think this really takes much inspiration from other isekai works, at all. If I were the writer my main goal would be to satisfy something I'm interested in exploring, not to appeal to others. As such I don't really prioritize taking others' feedback on the genre into account, though I probably end up agreeing with some folks on some things. |
GlennMagusHarveyJun 6, 2021 1:26 AM
| Avatar character is Gabriel from Gabriel DropOut. |
| Isekai sucks, they all look sooo generic and everyone's eating it like it's dinner. And don't get me started with the self-insert harem plots. Now lemme watch Season 18 of Mighty Morphin Pretty Rangers... Jokes aside, iunno. Isekai are one of these genres that are well outside my general taste nowadays. Part perceived genericity, part internalized anti-mainstreamism, to be fair. Although 2-years-ago me might appreciate isekai more. Stuff like video game-like worlds and harem-seeking MCs push me away from many isekai. So anyway, how would I make an isekai story? ----- Not much, but two things outline what I like about isekai that I learned from isekai or other shows: 1. Tech power fantasies and progression One thing I learned from Tensura, Dr. Stone, and Index is that, I love technological power fantasies. The "primitive enemies got destroyed by science!" and "haha I outsmarted your magic with science!" kind of fantasy. They hit different. I heard Bookworm has this but in a more grounded manner - I haven't watched it, but am planning to quite soon. Related to this is the interplay between magic and science as well as the role of magic in civilian life, with which I'm also interested. 2. Hard magic system Mushoku Tensei ruined video game-like worlds for me. The show has a more grounded approach to its magic system, with a set of rules such as how chanted and chantless magic works differently and how magic strength is gained rather than inherent (to the MC). All in all, not having a video game-like world would be a great start. ----- So to deliver how my dream isekai show looks like, which might or might not as well be a straight-up fantasy show: Story A tale of adventure and return. Main character MC got isekaied possibly by an Alice in Wonderland-like one-way isekai gate. And so, not knowing how to return, MC, being an adventurer (or similar) back on Earth already, goes on an adventure. In places that MC visit, something occurs that would drag them into it. MC's Earthen technological knowledge might help them at opportune times. In these, MC might discover new places/goals/magic knowledge, truths of the world, or even hear rumors of other Earth brethren and the "return to Earth" gate. MC might eventually, in a twist, discover their sibling also entered the isekai, but as part of an opposing faction (thus begins a new arc). There might be a plot point regarding isekai factions and/or nation-states plotting something regarding Earth, perhaps towards the end of the story. World I'm sorta fine with medieval isekai worlds, but am also partial towards early modern or "industrial" settings, mainly to showcase the interaction between magic and tech progress (see next section). Countryside sci-fi or post-apoc works as a starting point too. One faction (be it organization or nation) might excel in the field of magitek, then others might exclusively specialize in magic, and in between, with their own interests and agenda. Wars might happen throughout the story's course. Starting area should be somewhere rural or some sort, so to slowly introduce the viewers to the isekai world. Perhaps that rural place becomes the MC's "new home", with their own set of familiar characters and all. Magic A hard magic system not styled after video games. I would also explore how the magic is used in daily life, like how a magic stone with the ability to make things float is used in vehicles, armies, and even lanterns. I could also explore how magic affects tech progression, e.g. their knowledge of steam power ("heat-emitting stone boils water, boutta make a magical nuclear reactor outta this") and material science ("oh look I can melt tungsten with this!"). ----- In short, it's Mushoku Tensei (sans the MC issues) or isekai Kino no Tabi with Genshin Impact characteristics. Stuff I write for myself rather than a set demographic. There are other ideas I might think and points I might add, but I've wrote this for a good two hours so I should keep it to this point. A little chit-chat with Fario won't hurt, after all *winks magically* |
  "Come to Kamihama City. In this town, magical girls are saved." · Ui Tamaki · |
| Wait! Wait! I just had a genius idea for an isekai while I was at work! As a kid, the MC read Lord of the Rings. But now, as a teenager/young adult, he gets sucked into the world of Middle Earth and is tasked with guiding the plot! But then the MC very quickly realizes...that he had terrible reading comprehension as a kid. Everything starts going horribly wrong and off-the-rails. Now he has to fudge it and make it up as he goes, based on half-remembered plot events he barely understood, to ensure the One Ring falls into the Crack of Doom! |
This glorious signature image was created by @Mayumi! I am the Arbiter of Absolute Truth, and here is my wisdom: "Anime was always influenced by the West. This is not news. Shoujo is the superior genre primarily aimed at young people. Harem/isekai are lazy genres that refuse any meaningful innovation. There is no 'Golden Age.' There will always be top-shelf anime. You should be watching Carole & Tuesday." |
| @Iris-B You'd probably like Elizabeth Kay's "The Divide," if you haven't read it already. Or Sabriel, which is not isekai. |
| その目だれの目？ |
| I mostly came here for the salt since I actually like Isekai. Rather than complain about how similar many of them are, I attempt to enjoy what each show has done that is different/rarely done. I know why they're quite similar (it's what sells) so I won't fault them for staying safe, & not wanting to be too unique and possibly lose money for it. Writing a good story is certainly not my strong suit, so who am I to fault someone else for following safe trends/tropes? If I were to make one myself, I think I'd start with going to the "other world" as a choice made by the MC. The ability to return home may or may not be written into the story. Being bullied at school, worn out from being a corporate slave, recent death of close friend/family member... something like these being the driving force behind choosing to go to the other world. Character development could involve the MC realizing the new world has some of the same issues (albeit in different forms), and finding ways to overcome them. Maybe include the MC having some mundane skill that ends up being valuable in the new world. If there were to be romance, let the MC eventually find that special someone, and maybe add the twist that the MC learns that someone is fed up with their world and wants to leave. |
 You're never too old to watch anime. If I ever stop watching anime, check my pulse I'm likely dead. I wake up with coffee & anime, I go to sleep with coffee & anime. Sorry if my sarcasm is bad, it's not my first language. |
| After I'm done writing the story I'm currently making, there's actually an isekai I wanted to write. It's sort of like The Matrix, in a sense, that the main protagonist finds out the real world is a simulation. It's a "reverse-isekai" parodying "video game" isekai, where our world actually exists as a VR game in a fantasy world, and the main character finds out that everyone on Earth is an NPC after encountering a strange elf girl who claims to be from another world What kind of main character would you make in your own isekai story? He's a normal everyday guy who finds out he's actually an NPC in a VR game What kind of world will the story take place? What world-building—lore, mythos, magic system, prophecies, society, culture, etc—will you interweave into the setting? It's just our world but the catch is that Earth was actually a video game all along How will you have the main character transported to this other world? It's a reverse isekai, so he's already there, I guess. The secondary protagonist is transported to our world through a VR headset or the like What kind of story/plot/conflicts will the main character be part of? Is there a quest of any kind? I guess he just helps the elf girl do "quests" like making friends or getting a job? Everyday Earth stuff What will you do in your own isekai story (ies) that will make it stand out from the rest and make it more palatable for fellow isekai-distrusters? IDK, I don't think anyone else has done a "our world is a simulation" approach for a reverse isekai before? What typical isekai tropes/genre tags would you avoid, or even embrace? Would you parody the whole genre and the whole ridiculousness that comes with it? It's definitely a parody/deconstruction, lol. I'd absolutely avoid fanservice, video game mechanics, and being trapped in the game, since they're all way too overused IMO Do you have a target demographic in mind for your isekai story (ies)? Not really? I guess I'd have to go either seinen or josei since I'm an adult, so naturally my stories are pretty "adult" too Are there any isekai anime/manga that you actually like? Will you use them as inspiration(s) for your own isekai work(s)? The only isekai I really like is the Touhou fanfiction Diamond in the Rough. I don't think I could really use it as inspiration since it's a deconstruction of generic Touhou fanfics, the medium of fanfiction in general and of "Mary Sue/Gary Stu" characters, which is a bit situational to inspire non-fanfiction works, I guess (I highly recommend DiTR to any Touhou fan though. Fair warning though that it is probably only suitable for adults) |
My greatest contribution to this website:  |
| Does time travel to the distant future and the distant past count as isekai? |
| Avatar character is Gabriel from Gabriel DropOut. |
| Round two of me getting pissed off over how many people don't read replies. This whole post is gonna be a really really huge read, so sorry in advance if your finger hurts from scrolling down so much. Meant to post this a day and a half ago, but I kept sidetracking myself with high quality rips distractions. Hope you all appreciate the post regardless. ★ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ inim said: Already well aware of most of these (including Genmu Senki Leda), but thanks.Personal favorite isekai: Juuni Kokuki Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan o Erande Iraremasen Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku Tenkuu no Escaflowne Hai to Gensou no Grimgar . . . Genmu Senki Leda Mujigen Hunter Fandora Legend of Lemnear: Kyokuguro no Tsubasa Valkisas Not sure how you read the part where I wanted recommendations but NOT the fact that the thread is not even about hating on this isekai trope, but okay. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Mr_Srijan said: I dunno how this isn't common sense by now honestly, but yeah I agree. What about world-building though?The only thing isekai need to do is focus on the characters and their development rather than giving unnecessary fanservice, OP MC or some sort of gimmick. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Thigh_Tide said: Pretty much.The single biggest problem with isekai, other than just the usual low standard of quality of the genre, is that it mostly doesn't add anything. Namely, there's nothing that having random black-haired Japanese teenager who-is-good-at-video-games #383473 actually contributes to the story outside of providing an excuse to not write a backstory and shove clunky exposition everywhere. Obviously there are good isekai that use the concept well, etc, etc, but your average isekai gains nothing from being an isekai as opposed to a standard fantasy. The simplest way to get a good, or at least interesting isekai, would probably be just to make something where the sheer fact it is an isekai is completely integral to the plot and proceedings. You may have a good point. But at the same time, I really think the world-building in Ascendance of a Bookworm really added a lot to the experience. I guess world-building isn't that simple, but more isekai creators/authors could really benefit on attempting this into their work instead of quickly coming up with one-off gimmicks so that they could market it into their stupid long-ass light novel title names.✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Lucifrost said: But... I'm a girl and I've never played an otome game before, so these villainess isekai don't do it for me lol...Fario-P said: and maybe actually appeal to girls for once (maybe? please?? there's NEET otaku girls too XD) That's what the villainess isekai are for. 😆 Also, going back on your older post... I just went to see next season's listings. And... oh god, it's even worse, there's frickin FIVE of them (not counting sequels) this time:
Oh well, at least they all actually sound different from each other, so maybe they won't be that generic....... ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Xerneassery said: Thank you for actually reading my thread. ♪I say tend to stay away from isekais since I dislike the common tropes (male MC with all-girl harem, bland protag, bland fantasy/jrpg settings with magic) but on paper I could totally get into it. I've thought about what I'd like in an isekai myself, so here's two ideas: A MC that doesn't play games getting sent to a world like those stereotypical video-game-themed isekai sounds like a great idea to mess around with. I actually wouldn't mind seeing weird video game stuff pop up out of nowhere with this kind of idea, if only to see crazy reactions from the non-gamer character. I imagine there's many possibilities of meta jokes one could work into the story too. Took me a while to read through that second one cuz I couldn't grasp it at first, but that's actually a pretty good idea too! That last bullet point there is a great set-up to work some character development into too. I actually think I would watch/read a story like either of these ideas. Hope that gives you the motivation to actually work on these :) ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Parataxical said: Never heard of Sturgeon's revelation before, so I looked it up. Thanks for the fun fact ig.99% of this topic and discussion is just an indirect rehash of Sturgeon's law ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Well, well, well, here's a long one that's what she said: GlennMagusHarvey said: Maybe the art really was part of how I fell in love with Magic Knight Rayearth in the first place lolWhen I do watch isekai it's usually for the fantasy elements. I'm often a fan of fantasy settings. And furthermore they also tend to have character art that catches my interest. Probably because I find certain combinations of tropes and/or archetypes appealing, such as the stoic beauty-in-strength female knight. I sometimes feel that the isekai element feels a bit tacked on. This feeling is particularly strong if I look at a lot of isekai shows in a short period of time. The premise becomes central to the show in a way that it ought not to be, arguably, if I got to focus on each show individually in more detail. It does sound like you've made a good point here...In fact I think a combination of (1) large numbers of isekai shows and (2) short airtimes (often only one cour) has served this premise unfairly poorly. It unwittingly encourages people to look at the premise, because they're frequently reading synopses and watching early episodes. "Seasonal anime" as a hobby only makes this worse, because it puts everyone into evaluation mode very early on, so if you have an isekai show that only diverges after the premise is introduced, it's possible that someone would have only seen the premise and then said "it's some generic isekai again". If I had to involve a character going into another world, ...whelp, that's honestly something I haven't actually thought much about. I don't have any ideas off the top of my head lying around. Can I get back to you later on this? I don't yet know what sort of fictional world I would want to travel to and explore. I kinda agree that 2-cours would be a good amount of time for an immersive experience into another world... but based on how many split-cour anime are out there right now, it seems that the anime industry isn't confident enough to bother adding more budget to these shows. Which is a bit ironic considering these isekai shows seem to sell like hot cakes regardless of any real diffference, and the anime industry seems to be more than willing to fund these types of shows these days. Even Attack on Titan has (and still is) gotten split-cour seasons instead of a traditional super mega long-running show being aired for several years at once (like One Piece).But at the very least I would make sure to keep the story going for at least two cours. IMO a really immersive story experience fits in two cours much better than one. If I want to immerse the viewer in a journey through a fantasy world, that takes time. I probably wouldn't make an isekai show anyway. I'd just make it straight-up set in a fantasy world, and an idea I've been thinking of is what if our world were a fantasy world instead. ...tbh i tried re-reading this several times and i kinda still don't understand what this means but ig there's potential there. . . Edit: hey, I got an idea. How about I combine that idea about this world being a fantasy world with the reality of this world being non-fantasy...and isekai from this one into the fantasy version of our world? The story would probably be some sort of story meant to be taken seriously. By this I mean, definitely not a parody. I'm not really much of a fan of parodies. I get more enjoyment out of something when I'm not making fun of it, but instead feeling immersed in it. Really? That's a bit surprising. I guess that's cuz I don't mind serious plots and parodies...If I were the writer my main goal would be to satisfy something I'm interested in exploring, not to appeal to others. I kinda feel the same way... I mean, most of my MAL threads are pretty niche hahaAlso: GlennMagusHarvey said: I don't think that exactly counts.Does time travel to the distant future and the distant past count as isekai? ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Here's another long one no I'm not re-using that joke, get out: Iris-B said: lol you just reminded me about Aoi-kun, seriously need to catch up on the latest chapterIsekai sucks, they all look sooo generic and everyone's eating it like it's dinner. And don't get me started with the self-insert harem plots. Now lemme watch Season 18 of Mighty Morphin Pretty Rangers... Jokes aside, iunno. Isekai are one of these genres that are well outside my general taste nowadays. Part perceived genericity, part internalized anti-mainstreamism, to be fair. Although 2-years-ago me might appreciate isekai more. Stuff like video game-like worlds and harem-seeking MCs push me away from many isekai. I think it's "part perceived genericity, part internalized anti-mainstreamism" for me too.Though like I mentioned, Ascendance of a Bookworm is actually pretty good, and if you want an actual magical girl example and don't mind older recommendations, there's also Magic Knight Rayearth.  It's from the same creators of Cardcaptor Sakura (in fact MKR came out first). It's a much older isekai with a few of the typical RPG and modern-day-isekai tropes, with one character even pointing out how this new fantasy world they've just entered is a lot like a typical JRPG, but it's still a fun series that follows a fun main trio of characters on their journey. While I still haven't seen past the first episode of the anime, I can at least recommend you the original manga, which is pretty great. So anyway, how would I make an isekai story? Now those are some interesting observations about the pros one might find amongst these recent series.----- Not much, but two things outline what I like about isekai that I learned from isekai or other shows: ----- So to deliver how my dream isekai show looks like, which might or might not as well be a straight-up fantasy show: That's a pretty intriguing story concept. I have a feeling it'd be easy to make that last twist heartbreaking too.----- An isekai story with a countryside sci-fi setting sounds rather cozy, especially if you're gonna have MC start from a rural home. Sunflowers come to mind for some reason. Maybe that's just because I just want to rewatch Air soon. I think that thinking how magic would be used practically/casually in the new world would be a good starting point for world-building. There are other ideas I might think and points I might add, but I've wrote this for a good two hours so I should keep it to this point. A little chit-chat with Fario won't hurt, after all *winks magically* Thanks a lot for your contribution~!also ngl I actually kinda expected you to share a magical girl-isekai hybrid idea haha ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Zelkiiro said: I can see potential in that, good work. When will you start writing it? XDWait! Wait! I just had a genius idea for an isekai while I was at work! As a kid, the MC read Lord of the Rings. But now, as a teenager/young adult, he gets sucked into the world of Middle Earth and is tasked with guiding the plot! But then the MC very quickly realizes...that he had terrible reading comprehension as a kid. Everything starts going horribly wrong and off-the-rails. Now he has to fudge it and make it up as he goes, based on half-remembered plot events he barely understood, to ensure the One Ring falls into the Crack of Doom! ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Older_than_dirt said: I suppose that's more productive than just complaining about them.Rather than complain about how similar many of them are, I attempt to enjoy what each show has done that is different/rarely done. If I were to make one myself, I think I'd start with going to the "other world" as a choice made by the MC. Those are some good ideas. Thanks for reading my thread.The ability to return home may or may not be written into the story. Being bullied at school, worn out from being a corporate slave, recent death of close friend/family member... something like these being the driving force behind choosing to go to the other world. Character development could involve the MC realizing the new world has some of the same issues (albeit in different forms), and finding ways to overcome them. Maybe include the MC having some mundane skill that ends up being valuable in the new world. ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Kii_Ibarra said: Your reverse-idea isekai is intriguing, but I'm sorry that I really can't comment/contribute beyond that much to your post.After I'm done writing the story I'm currently making, there's actually an isekai I wanted to write. It's sort of like The Matrix, in a sense, that the main protagonist finds out the real world is a simulation. It's a "reverse-isekai" parodying "video game" isekai, where our world actually exists as a VR game in a fantasy world, and the main character finds out that everyone on Earth is an NPC after encountering a strange elf girl who claims to be from another world Just know that I appreciate the effort you put into it and that I'm glad that you actually read the first post :) ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ ⋆ ✶ Your reply has nothing to do with the thread topic, but I agree. Let me join you!  |
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I believe isekai do not need as much world-building, because they can rely on one's preexisting knowledge of the real world to compensate. |
| その目だれの目？ |
| I feel like a lot of isekai gets dismissive criticism like "all of it is trash." I just think such broad generalizations are reserved for newbies of the medium who did not watch much in the genre. |
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| Isekai + MC op are the best genre, really. |
Fario-P said: lmao who hates Isekai. I love the genre and why would someone hate such a good genre. Can't stop laughing that someone hates Isekai. Lmao✶ ✿ ✶ Dear haters and critics of the isekai genre, It's June. The past few days have gotten a bit rainier, but also a bit more humid, showing that nature is getting ready for the summer solstice. Thinking about the time where the longest day of the year will take place reminds me of that one season that was flooded with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR new isekai ("another world") anime with practically the same ol' generic fantasy and/or video game setting and an unremarkable male otaku for a main protagonist. And thinking about the flood of a now sterilized anime genre also makes me think about how many samey-looking anime in the same genre with the exact same qualities have come out since then, or maybe even before that one time. It's clear that this trend has taken over the anime industry entirely to the point where random producers literally come out of nowhere with extremely similar source material and nearly the whole anime community has become tired of it—myself included. Which brings us to the question: How would you make an isekai series that actually catches your interest? It's a simple question, a less-niche isekai variant of one of my magical girl topic threads. I'm sure many tired anime fans genuinely want to like the genre; after all, the premise of sending your main character to another world and dealing with the conflicts that the setting brings about is fairly intriguing. I'm also just as sure that many will agree with me that there actually are some great isekai anime/manga out there.... that are most likely decades old. But modern isekai anime/manga that are actually good do exist, like Ascendance of a Bookworm. So potential in the genre does exist... and let's talk type about that. I ask to you all, particularly the cynical critics and hasty haters of the "another world" genre... is it possible for you to ever like an isekai anime? If you ever had the opportunity to make an anime/manga of your own, and it happens to be isekai-themed, from either your own volition to join the trends or the demands from some higher-ups, what type of isekai story (or stories) would you make? I personally would write to you what I personally would do, but I feel like most people don't really care to hear see what I have to say. I might have already made what I would do clear in this other isekai thread I made and in a few other posts related to story/world ideas (such as the one below) anyway. So I will stay silent, and instead wait patiently for some intriguing answers from my fellow MAL forumites. Oh, and here are some supplementary questions to help you with your replies:
These questions also kinda serve as a tl;dr section, though this opening statement open letter shouldn't be that long of a read this time. Is this a productive way to curb the seething anger over the genre's over-saturation, or even a productive topic to talk about? That I do not know. I just hope that this letter reaches to you all safely. Snail mail isn't used that much these days, so who knows how reliable it still is. Also I hope some of you actually name some good isekai anime/manga in your replies, I'm always open to recommendations and I want to check them out too. :P Stay safe everyone, and happy discussing. ★ Sincerely from your local MAL forum Reaper, Fario-P ✩ |
Judevin said: My favorite isekai? Uhhhh, I definitely like Bookworm and Konosuba. I think my isekai would be something very desolate, a melancholic, depressing story. Something like a person gets transported to another world, where the world is completely dead, reclaimed by nature (think Nier Automata's world), and the person just roams the land and finds out what happened and each time they find a clue, hope rises that they'll find people. Only to find the last message that says something like "There are no humans left" and then the story ends with the person sitting down next to a cliff or something, planning their suicide. An episodic series where the events leading up to the extinction are shown with the protagonist just serving as a walking catalyst to trigger those events. Like I want an isekai where the isekai world ISN'T better than their original life as most isekai show. Have you seen Rezero? Because you are kinda describing/looking for it. |
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| IF they could bring something new like the opening volume of ReZero or Konosuba then I wholeheartedly welcome. Else many others are weak. |
Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. Help! You know I need someone. Helpppppp!  |
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