What I love and hate about the Isekai/portal fantasy genre. *RANT*

[Representing_Tromba]

The Isekai genre continues to grow in both the anime community and the literary community. However, I have a few complaints that many of you share but for some reason are still used all the time. I do have some complaints though that very few people seem to talk about. Now, I don't want to sound like a hypocrite because I am currently writing an Isekai but I do my best to avoid all of the things that I will be complaining about.

Most Isekai always seems to stick to a strangely harem-like setup with around 2 to 5 love interests that have different personalities. Some of them joined the party out of admiration for the protagonist; others were forced into the party by way of slavery, debt, order from some authority, or they want to keep an eye on another character in the party. All the cookie-cutter tropes just get on my nerves. there's no depth to most of the characters and the select few shows that do have good character depth usually don't get a conclusion.

This is my other big problem with it. They only on occasions get conclusions. The story doesn't end properly because the writer either got bored, died, or was unable to continue publishing/making the show due to something outside their control. Though there are a few outliers with this, they were either really short or the writer was actually able to push through and get them out into the medium.

Anyways, what are your thoughts on this?

 

[CarburetorThompson]

I find isekai boring. Sure it was fun the first few times, but a character with no connection to the world they are currently in just doesn’t do it for me. The one exception to this is cyrostatis/Futarama type of isekai, because the character still has some connection to the world and reason to care about it.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

My thoughts about your rant or isekai in general?

 

[Representing_Tromba]

My thoughts about your rant or isekai in general?

Either, both, I don't care which.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Personally, I find Isekai to still be a fun experience but authors tend to follow the safe option (I do it too, I am a hypocrite) by having it set in medieval european vibe because nothing says isekai than a foreign country (which is weird for western readers). I hate the standard face issue (a typical CN problem) getting reskin with a western look in xuanhuan or inserting one's culture (yes it is JP) into the foreign world, making it look out of place as though being an immigrant to a different country and insisting of bringing your culture in. It can be a good thing if eased gently in place, the authors tend to just ram it in like a five tonnes slamming into a sedan at high speed.

Ps. Paul, I think your rant is a bit misplaced, considering you are more on the people in the party rather than the foreign world itself. The issue of getting assigned/ forced to work with strangers isn't rare, in school and in work this happens a lot of time and it is often the characters (the author's extension) to try and make them form bonds. Rape is a bond, murder and betrayal is also a bond.

 

[greyblob]

I do have some complaints though that very few people seem to talk about.

very few people seem to talk about.

harem-like setup

slavery

cookie-cutter tropes

The story doesn't end properly

hmm...

 

[NotaNuffian]

hmm...

Totally off the rail.

@Paul_Tromba you hate harems, don't you Paul?

 

[greyblob]

Totally off the rail.

@Paul_Tromba you hate harems, don't you Paul?

I'm pretty sure you made (at least) one thread about each one of those already

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Totally off the rail.

@Paul_Tromba you hate harems, don't you Paul?

I don't hate them but I see it so much that it gets on my nerves.

I'm pretty sure you made (at least) one thread about each one of those already

I may have but I don't remember ever making one. Sorry if I have.

 

[NotaNuffian]

I'm pretty sure you made (at least) one thread about each one of those already

Context, "you" referring to OP, right?

I don't hate them but I see it so much that it gets on my nerves.

Yeah, I know that it is grating when authors establish a relationship and then done fuck it up by not using it for anything.

Though if you look at things from a different angles, this is how some live.

Unfinished, unfleshed out relationships, like lines with a single intersection and nothing more and being goal driven instead of resolving relations, there are some who live their lives like this.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Well, about your rant, I don't know. People talk about these complaints all the time. Don't we always talk about the stereotypical Japanese harem isekais and how bad they are?

As for isekai in general, it's an interesting premise\instrument that authors usually underutilize? I don't know the right word to use here, but I mean that the potential behind the isekai is usually wasted. But, hey, the same thing happens with other genres and tropes as well.

 

[greyblob]

may have but I don't remember ever making one. Sorry if I have.

oh I meant @NotaNuffian not you. and you can rant all you want. it will not change that isekai is the epitome of literature.

Context, "you" referring to OP, right

no u

 

[atgongumerki]

I am just glad you broke free of the shackles that is this newly established agentt-cult. Hope you live on without any repercussions

 

[Irl_Rat]

Isekai would be a great genre to explore colonialism themes. Modern person with modern values placed in a medieval esque world and given super powers?

Would I write something like that? Probably. Would it be good? No. Did my native country get colonized? Yes. Do I or even my grandparents care? Not really, our white overlords might have been more racist but they are a tad bit smarter than the current establishment.

Plus slavery, harems, and other things deemed as immoral by today's standards are interesting to explore. Though I think serfdom and divine right to rule are not mentioned enough since no slave harem for beta male protagonist.

 

[Agentt]

writer either got bored, died, or was unable to continue publishing/making the show due to something outside their control.

Dammit, I hate it when Authors just die irresponsibly. They should think about their readers more.

 

[atgongumerki]

regarding the original topic.

As I see it, you are not really hating on isekai, just on regularly used tropes.

The problem here lies in "visibility", cause other stories exist, they are just buried under the multitude of "clones of what worked already".

All or most of the most popular ones use these tropes, so most people who try to make money with isekai will also use it ... cause it is the safe choice.

 

[Mellohwa]

but a character with no connection to the world they are currently in just doesn’t do it for me.

Well, I believe that's why the general isekai main character is usually a happy-go-lucky/friendly/likes to butt in other people's business, so the author can make MC build connections with people from that world, and harem route is the easiest way, like having a slave who can only rely on the MC-that make him feel his need in that world.

Spoiler

Usually jp LN tho.

If that's what your "no connection to the world they are currently in" meant.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Dammit, I hate it when Authors just die irresponsibly. They should think about their readers more.

They really should. At least finish the story before you die. selfish dicks.

 

[Agentt]

But other than that, I don't see this as a problem,
The isekai you are watching is either solely focused on fan service,

Or,

It is using fan service as a clickbait.

In both of these situations, I don't have any problems with women not having personalities, mainly because many isekais are targeted towards boys, so it is optimal to spend more time writing action rather than developing some drama.

 

[Irl_Rat]

Dammit, I hate it when Authors just die irresponsibly. They should think about their readers more.

Berserk moment