Isekai (Japanese: 異世界; transl. "different world," "another world," or "other world") is a type of Japanese fantasy story that follows characters who are moved to a new world and must survive there. In this new world, the characters often gain strong abilities or become important in ways they were not before. Moving between worlds can happen through death and being reborn, or by being called by an object, god, or person in the new world. Many stories take place in a world similar to medieval times, filled with humans, creatures that look like humans, and monsters. In a reverse isekai, someone from another world is brought to Earth.
The idea of isekai began in Japanese folktales, like the story of Urashima Tarō, and Western fantasy books. Early modern isekai stories include the novel Warrior from Another World by Haruka Takachiho and the anime series Aura Battler Dunbine. The stories The Twelve Kingdoms and Sword Art Online helped make the genre more popular. Since the 2000s, isekai novels have been shared online on sites like Shōsetsuka ni Narō. Isekai is one of the most popular anime genres and is often enjoyed by office workers as a way to escape daily life.
History
The isekai genre has its roots in a Japanese folktale about a fisherman named Urashima Tarō. He saves a turtle and is taken to a magical underwater kingdom. When he returns home, he finds that 100 years have passed. The genre also comes from Western fantasy books, such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
The first modern Japanese isekai story is Warrior from Another World (1979) by Haruka Takachiho. The first isekai anime is Aura Battler Dunbine (1983). In the 1990s, The Twelve Kingdoms became popular, helping to spread the genre.
In the 2000s, isekai novels were shared online on websites like Shōsetsuka ni Narō. The Familiar of Zero and Mushoku Tensei were among the first to gain attention through this format. The anime adaptation of Sword Art Online (2012) made isekai web novels more well-known. Although the creator of Sword Art Online does not agree, the story is often seen as a modern pioneer of the genre. It is also sometimes considered the start of the modern isekai boom, around the time the term "isekai" began being used.
In May 2021, Kadokawa announced plans to open an "Isekai Museum" in July of the same year. In March 2024, the word "isekai" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
Characteristics
In isekai stories, a person from the real world, often someone facing challenges in their life, is sent to a different world. In this new world, they gain powerful abilities or important roles they did not have before. They may use skills or knowledge from their old life, such as cooking, engineering, education, or medicine, which are more advanced in the modern world than in the new one. Sometimes, they receive special powers called "cheats," which help them adapt and grow stronger quickly.
Japan Anime News groups isekai stories into two types: one where the main character is reborn in another world and remembers their past life, and another where the main character moves directly from the real world to the isekai world. According to Paul Price of the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies, adult men are most often the main characters in isekai stories. The ratio of male to female protagonists is 2.4 to 1, and the ratio of adult to teenage protagonists is 1.4 to 1. He also identified six ways characters are transported to the new world: reincarnation, a god’s action, summoning, using a special tool, being pulled into a game, or having no clear explanation. In some stories, the main character enters a space between worlds with a god, where their role is determined. Occasionally, the main character joins a group instead of going alone, though this is rare.
Most stories show the summoning happening by accident or through harm, and the main character usually refuses the role they are given. In many stories, the main character’s body changes, such as taking a non-human form, gaining small changes like magic or athleticism, or facing major changes like changing gender or becoming an infant. The main character often becomes the center of a group.
The setting of isekai stories is usually a medieval-like world with humans, human-like beings, and monsters. Magic exists, and technology is limited. These stories often include elements from video games, such as LitRPG. Other settings include dating simulations, battle royale games, fantasy worlds, other planets, and dream worlds.
Isekai stories mix with many genres and themes. One common idea is the "slow life," where the main character, tired of overwork in their old life, chooses a relaxed lifestyle in the new world. Sometimes, the main character pursues a goal from their past, like opening a business, as seen in Restaurant to Another World. Another type is the isekai villainess anime, where the main character takes the role of a villain in an otome game. Isekai stories are different from time travel and VRMMO stories.
In stories where the main character dies before being transported, a common cause is being hit by a truck, leading to a meme called "Truck-kun." This truck appears in many isekai series and kills the main character, allowing them to be reincarnated.
Many isekai works have long titles. Samuel Pinarsky, CEO of J-Novel Club, explained that this happens because Shōsetsuka ni Narō lists chapters by title, so writers use detailed titles to attract readers.
Reverse isekai is a type of isekai where characters from futuristic or fantasy worlds are sent to Earth and must adjust to everyday life. These stories may have existed before traditional isekai stories, with Sally the Witch (1966) by Mitsuteru Yokoyama as an early example.
Analysis
A survey of isekai viewers in Japan showed that the average age was 46, while a 2024 survey of isekai viewers in English-speaking areas found the average age to be about 30. Kadokawa editor Satoshi Arima said that isekai stories attract office workers who want to escape their current jobs because the main characters in these stories can live the way they want. Animation critic Charles Solomon wrote that the genre appeals to people who imagine starting their lives over with a new job and identity. For young adults, isekai stories can offer a way to cope with feeling stuck in a strict life plan. The 2024 survey in English-speaking areas found that 65 percent of isekai viewers are male, and some isekai stories have been noted for focusing on male-centered sexual interests. Because there are many isekai stories with similar plots, the genre has been called an example of using a large collection of similar story elements.
Stevie Suan of The Japan Times argued that isekai stories can be seen as a metaphor for globalization. He said that anime being shared in other countries and needing to adjust to new cultures is similar to the idea of isekai stories. He also noted that the Cool Japan program, which promotes Japanese culture abroad, began around the same time isekai stories became popular. He pointed out that in As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World, the main character forms a group with people from many different ethnic backgrounds, much like how anime production sometimes involves teams in other countries. He also mentioned That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, where the main character builds a city inspired by Japan and works with people from various ethnic groups.
Popularity
Isekai is a popular genre in anime. Between 2017 and 2019, 385 isekai manga series were published in English, which is about one new series every three days. During the same time, 39 isekai anime were broadcast, which is about one per month. In 2024, isekai anime made up 14 percent of all new anime releases. They were also the second most popular genre in English-speaking areas, after action. Isekai stories are popular not only in Japan but also in the United States and China. Isekai elements are also found in manhwa, which are Korean comics.
The isekai genre became very popular during the 2010s. This led to some criticism, as some people believed it filled the manga and anime market too much. In 2016, a Japanese short story contest organized by Bungaku Free Market and Shōsetsuka ni Narō banned any entries involving isekai. In 2017, the publisher Kadokawa also banned isekai stories in their anime/manga-style novel contest.