So, legitimate question to all writers and/or readers of Isekai, or "in another world", fictions-

[Mekami]

Main point>>> How is it Isekai when the main character has no memories of their past life? Or in other words, "Isekai, but the MC has no memories of their past after they were reborn"

I get it. It's a popular genre. I myself enjoy lots of fictions about Isekai, but I'm getting tired of seeing this kind of synopsis.

At that point, the character might as well be a blank slate. No, I should reword that. It IS a character with a blank slate.

My opinion is that "Isekai but with no memories of past" line that I'm seeing in synopsis is that it is NOT isekai at all. In any way shape or form. It should not have the Isekai tag in the first place, and the story should remove the tag. It is no different than, AS AN EXAMPLE, J.R.R. Tolkein saying: "Bob had a good life, but he died. When he was reborn as a halfling boy named Frodo, he had no memories of his past. His Uncle gave him a mysterious ring that had an old wizard visit his door for. What is so special about this one ring?" What I mean by this, just so I'm clear, is that Lord of the Rings is a Fantasy, just like all the others, but it is not an Isekai in that fashion, but some authors would pretend it is just because of their synopsis. I have read at least 4 or 5 stories on RR or here on SH with synopsis reading something close to that, and not once did their previous life ever matter in any way.

"Well yeah, but," I hear an imaginary person say, "They might have vague recollections of their past, and/or they might be able to invent something the world doesn't have!"

My rebuttal to that previous line would be: That's a contrived plot convenience. A Lazy way of inserting something the author wants or needs at that moment for that character. If you want a character that doesn't have modern world memories, but also want them to invent things, then make them smart. Which, admittedly, can be difficult, but it wouldn't feel like the author cheated.

"But but," the imaginary person continues, "the character did something in the afterlife just before they were reborn! It will change how the world works!"

Then don't put it in the synopsis. Don't tell the reader that. Show it to them. Show how, for some reason, the character might be special. Maybe the character made a deal with a god or something. The main character doesn't know that. Why should the reader? Use it as a deeper plot device so it can be a twist in the future. A tool you can use later on. Surprise the main character, and in turn, surprise the reader. Don't tell the reader something, and then never use it. That's just frustrating.

Quote: "If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there." -Ernest J. Simmons. Also look up Chekov's Gun.

But that's just my opinion. Anyone else have thoughts on why "Isekai but with no memories" should or should not be a thing? Or am I just crazy for having this opinion?

 

[Alski]

Give them 1 star and move them to your dropped folder, assert your dominance over people who miss tag their work

 

[Eldoria]

The meta explanation for why the synopsis mentions isekai (and its genre) is that the author simply wants to use the isekai trope as a hook to attract potential readers. Honestly, most isekai genres are more gimmicks than story points. Isekai is more like another way to write power fantasy, harem fantasy, or wish-filling. Only a few actually use isekai as the substance of the story (e.g., Re Zero).

 

[JordanIda]

Logical inconsistencies don't matter, because the trope itself is simplistic, linear, trite.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

I never understood this concept much myself. I pass it off as "manga logic".
If you're whisked away into another world but have no knowledge whatsoever of your old world, how in the hell are you able to access some random display, read your stats, and know 100% what all that means...?

Again, manga logic. In truth, if you're "isekai'd" into another world, and have no discernible knowledge of your past life, then logically, if you're given a display with stats on it, you more or less have to be "hand-held" and guided as if you were a total beginner - that means a complete tutorial on everything you ever knew about D&D, AD&D, and their multitude of spinoffs. *^^* When you look at that screen and see "mana points: 100" for example, a.) what is mana? b.) 100 points for what? etc., etc.

So, yes, I don't quite get that whole "forgot my past life" It just doesn't make any sense. And yet, it's become a tried and true staple of the most successful manga and anime ever created.

 

[E.Z.KAI]

I guess it's just to allow the Reader to self Insert themselves.

 

[TheKillingAlice]

Well, I actually wondered about the same thing a few times. It's also bad when they do have memories, but it never matters in the slightest. They could have been a blank slate in a high fantasy setting.
People are just using the tag for views, in my opinion.

 

[beyondthesmoke]

A Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash had a nice way to handle memories

 

[JayMark]

I'm fine with irrelevant isekai if the overall story is good enough. But it really isn't isekai if it's never relevant again. Saying this as a fan of both fantasy and isekai.

 

[Dawnathon]

It's just there to have zero backstory for the protagonist while also being able to use the word "isekai" to attract a certain crowd. It does take actual work to have a protagonist with a compelling background leading up to the events of the main story. It's a lot easier to have someone spawn in as a young adult and skip all the tough questions or past connections that could come up otherwise. Doubly so when it's a power fantasy, so they just appear with all the strength and powers given to them for being the special protag and not having to have trained and made personal sacrifices for their greatness.

Basically, it's a dismissive hand-wave of a premise, not really meant to be given much thought. The stories using it are typically just trying to give a specific kind of fantasy, not trying to be anything fancy or highbrow. A nice word to describe it is "efficient".