What's the difference between progression fantasy and just getting stronger?

[ThisAdamGuy]

From what I understand about progression fantasy, it's a story where the main character gets stronger throughout the course of the book. But doesn't that sum up, like, 90% of fantasy stories at the very least? Harry Potter learns new spells and gets better at magic throughout the series, but I've never heard anyone call Harry Potter a progression fantasy. So what is it that sets them apart?

 

[Corty]

It is a useless term thought up by someone who wanted to be special and then co-opted by clout chasing snobs who reeee if you say that isekai and portal fantasy are the same fucking thing.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

isekai and portal fantasy are the same fucking thing.

 

[Arkus86]

isekai and portal fantasy are the same fucking thing.

 

[BearlyAlive]

It is a useless term thought up by someone who wanted to be special and then co-opted by clout chasing snobs who reeee if you say that isekai and portal fantasy are the same fucking thing.

Let me one-up your claim by claiming every dream or story is Isekai, since "Isekai" means just "different world", thus any world not our real one is Isekai by default. Prove me wrong!


"Progression fantasy" is just a pseudo-scientific way of saying "numbers go brrrrr."

 

[EphemeralEmperor]

I thought progression fantasy is a fantasy world where the chars steadily get stronger, but usually with skills, stats, like litRPG but no RPG esque elements. Certain elements anyway.

Main character gets stronger could be prog fantasy, but I think there is a difference. Its more "realistic" in a sense I think? Where as prog fantasy plays more into the trash to god path a lot of stories take. Trad fantasy has characters that get stronger, but there is a ceiling on how far chars can go. Harry can't just rewrite all the magic in the realm could he? Its been a while since I read it.

Basically realistic fiction/fantasy vs power fantasy. I think that's the dividing line. May not even get called power fantasy all the time, might be like a growth fantasy. Because you enjoy watching the char slowly wiggle out of otherwise bad situations in ways that don't involve getting stronger, but sneakier or smarter.

There's flavors to wish fulfillment aren't there?

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Isekai is a form of Portal Fantasy (and, the Max animation series "Suicide Squad: Isekai" would be more accurately called "Suicide Squad: Portal Fantasy" but Clayface is a pretentious twat), but not all Portal Fantasy is Isekai...
Just as Progression Fantasy is a subcategory of Fantasy, where power grows in either a clear linear or unclear exponential manner, either through training, or other means.

 

[zephyrtrillian]

I've been told that progression fantasy is when a character gets stronger throughout the story. I think it is probably some level of a useless term but there are indeed stories where characters don't get stronger...like Superman, I guess...so maybe it's worth something at some level.

 

[CrimsonGenius]

Would it be isekai if the characters can freely travel between worlds?

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Would it be isekai if the characters can freely travel between worlds?

Interesting question. I don't think so - think that goes back to "Portal Fantasy" at that point. But not sure, really.

 

[Deleted member 166465]

Let me one-up your claim by claiming every dream or story is Isekai, since "Isekai" means just "different world", thus any world not our real one is Isekai by default. Prove me wrong!


"Progression fantasy" is just a pseudo-scientific way of saying "numbers go brrrrr."

hahahaha, hilarius. Men thanks, i needed that laugh.