Love or hate them, isekai or “another world” anime make up a solid tenth or more of modern shows. Ever since the release of Sword Art Online and the controversies and successes that followed, the isekai genre has experienced explosive growth. But is that a good thing? Is isekai really worth the hype it gets? Fans would say, “Yes, now give me that sweet merch!” Critics of the genre, though, raise some excellent points to the contrary.
Defining the Isekai Genre
At its naked core, the isekai genre is escapism. It strips away the humdrum, boredom, and burdens of an average life, allowing the hero to frolic in a new world of magic, monsters, and adventure. Already, this model has the potential to set an unhealthy precedent for real-world fans. A little escapism is normal, but too much can make a vulnerable person despise their real life, leaving them without the tools to fix it.
Bad Tropes
Secondly, isekai is riddled with bad tropes, which even fans agree cater to one particular demographic over all the others.
- Side characters with flat personalities, particularly ladies, designed only with fanservice in mind and the autonomy of baked potatoes.
- Overpowered protagonists who have no actual personality flaws to work on and overcome their obstacles with little effort. Your average demon lord, who has spent centuries training and amassing an army, doesn’t stand a chance against a scrawny teenager with a harem and a stick they found that one time.
- As a result, the hero rarely learns valuable lessons and becomes wiser for it. Frequently, they are already righteous and skilled, teaching other characters about equal rights and killer meal prep. This can be alienating to a real, imperfect human audience.
Isekai Genre Done Right
That’s not to say that all isekai embodies these bad qualities. Some well-made isekais include The Devil Is A Part-Timer, which has Satan himself aspiring to nothing more than becoming the best burger flipper in the human world. Inuyasha, a tried and true classic, featured one of the best girl protagonists and a beloved storyline. Reborn As A Vending Machine has great promise to breathe new life into the genre, as crazy as the title is. The main character experiences severe limitations that he must puzzle out to overcome instead of blasting the bad guy with a beam of pure power.
The point is that well-made isekais take the tired old tropes and flip them upside down or change them meaningfully, creating a story that can resonate with a wider audience for years to come. So, are isekai anime overrated? No…if they’re good.
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