I don’t know if isekai has always been this way, but usually the protags aren’t ever in much danger because they’re also super OP in the new fantasy world they occupy. I would think that’s the other thing that appeals to people.
Thats true most Isekai protags are brokenly OP. I just think that if I would be transported to a magical realm my first thought would be - fuck how am I gonna make a living or survive. Since most of these worlds are some form of feudalism.
But yeah Isekai mostly just means wish fulfilment for the main character.
that’s why these stories always default to ‘adventurer’, because the only actual work available to an unbound stranger in a feudal economy is unaccountable violence-dispenser, slave, or criminal.
someone shows up without family ties, guild ties, merchant ties, political ties… they’re automatically the lowest rung of society and will have to rely on charity until they could raise their station & acquire those ties through wealth or political clout—and the best way to get both of those in lieu of having anyone to ‘put in a good word for you’ is violence.
Also, isekai has been irreparably corrupted by the gamer mind virus. Back in the 80s and 90s, most isekai was shojo and had mecha sometimes. In fact, SUNRISE mandated it to Tomino when he was creating the first one - Aura Battler Dunbine.
I don’t know if isekai has always been this way, but usually the protags aren’t ever in much danger because they’re also super OP in the new fantasy world they occupy. I would think that’s the other thing that appeals to people.
Thats true most Isekai protags are brokenly OP. I just think that if I would be transported to a magical realm my first thought would be - fuck how am I gonna make a living or survive. Since most of these worlds are some form of feudalism.
But yeah Isekai mostly just means wish fulfilment for the main character.
that’s why these stories always default to ‘adventurer’, because the only actual work available to an unbound stranger in a feudal economy is unaccountable violence-dispenser, slave, or criminal.
someone shows up without family ties, guild ties, merchant ties, political ties… they’re automatically the lowest rung of society and will have to rely on charity until they could raise their station & acquire those ties through wealth or political clout—and the best way to get both of those in lieu of having anyone to ‘put in a good word for you’ is violence.
Also, isekai has been irreparably corrupted by the gamer mind virus. Back in the 80s and 90s, most isekai was shojo and had mecha sometimes. In fact, SUNRISE mandated it to Tomino when he was creating the first one - Aura Battler Dunbine.