Is this Japan's way of telling the world what they are going through?
Another World anime, or more commonly known as "Another World" anime, is a popular anime genre that has dominated the medium for over a decade. These shows usually feature a protagonist who is teleported to a fantasy world or an alternate reality, where he must navigate the new world and find his way back home.
While isekai anime can be entertaining, there areridiculous amountAnd it shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. In this article, we'll examine why this particular genre has gained such a devoted following, and find out if there are deeper reasons behind this popularity.
The origins of Isekkai anime's popularity can be traced back to the release of anime adaptationsSword Art Online2012. The series follows a group of players trapped in a virtual reality MMORPG whose only way out is to win the game.Sword Art OnlineEnjoying high popularity both in Japan and around the world, it became a springboard to popularize the isekai genre and a driving force in the anime and manga industries.
shortly after popularizationSword Art Online, the anime industry started producing more Isekkai anime to capture the success of WhatSword Art Onlinedid. That's right, there hasn't been an anime with the same success, at least in terms of anime styleAgreement scope,Overlord,no game, no life,KonokoA，Re: Life in another world from zero,andThis time I reincarnated as a slimeBoth are highly rated anime series that come close due to their own take on the genre. To this day, dozens of different world animations are produced every year, and there is no end in sight.
The popularity of different world anime can be attributed to many factors. However, we can conclude that the main reason for the genre's popularity has to do with one thing: escapism.
The concept of escapism expresses the desire to escape reality and immerse oneself in a different and more exciting world. While this desire is not new, people have sought refuge in books, movies, and other media for centuries. However, the particular rise of different world anime shows that this desire for escapism is more pervasive than ever in our society, especially Japanese society.
To better understand how anime reflects society, let's take a look"How Literature Reflects Society” by S. Keerthika. In the paper, Keerthika states:
"Literature reflects society's good and bad values. By reflecting bad values, it motivates us to correct and solve problems. As a reflection of society's good values, it encourages us to imitate. Often as a reflection, literature presents a picture of images of what is thought, said, and done in the
While anime and manga are non-traditional mediums for writers and artists to express themselves, Keerthika believes that literature, and to some extent all creative media, reflect some of society's biggest problems, and when we, the audience, acknowledge them, we have Potentially solve the fundamental problems of our society. By analyzing some of the biggest themes and tropes of different world anime, we can identify which are the biggest social issues in Japanese society.
In most other world anime, it often involves the main character living a miserable life before being transported to another world. The protagonists are categorized as hikikomori ("confinement" in Japanese) and confined for various personal reasons, be it bullying, emotional trauma, or an inability to cope with the demands of society.
Hikikomori is a big social issue in Japan2022 SurveyIt was concluded that there are approximately 1.5 million otaku aged 15 to 64 in Japan. Given this staggering number, we as viewers can conclude that the issue of confinement is an undeniable social problem that needs to be addressed. However, for those viewers who relate to these issues, another world anime can provide an excellent distraction and change of pace as a form of wish-fulfilment.
anime funSubject: Zero,no game, no life,Mushoku Tensei, Kono Suba and Arifureta: From ordinary to the world's strongest,All the protagonists are miserable closets whose lives are not fulfilling. In fact, it wasn't until they were teleported to another world that their lives didn't get any better, as each of the main characters in the series gained a drive and a new sense of purpose that wasn't there before.
The signature theme in the Isekai animation is consistent with the previous one. When the protagonists are teleported to another world, their lifestyles are greatly improved, practically having little effect on their actions and behaviour. Often, the protagonist ends up creating a group of followers, all of whom swear allegiance to him.
This particular trope doesn't require a Ph.D. to discover that an isekai anime that utilizes this aspect has viewers who want to empathize with the setting instead. However, the reasons for this may be deeper than you think.
As mentioned earlier, the protagonists of different world anime are often withdrawn characters who fail to achieve anything professionally and socially. This sudden shift from zero social interaction to being the center of attention in another world anime can show us that there is a separateness in Japan where people don't socialize enough.
When you consider how the pandemic is affecting our society, this isIntergenerational issues of emotional repression in Asian cultures, howpeople can be born insensitive, there is a social problem where people don't make enough meaningful connections. This is seen in anime styleThis time I reincarnated as a slime,Overlord, andno game, no lifeThe theme of loneliness plays a large role in these series, and all of these protagonists begin their respective series with a longing for camaraderie and meaning.
Of course, as the series progresses, I end up emphasizing the value of friendship. Admittedly, the method used to attract this group of friends in the different world anime is sometimes questioned, such asno game, no lifeThese series show how important it is to have a circle of friends you can trust no matter what world you live in.
While avoidance can be a valuable coping mechanism, it shouldn't be the sole focus of your life. It is undeniable that the popularity of the different world anime stems from its creativity and storyline, but its popularity may also be related to the deep social problems that Japan and other parts of the world may face.
Bringing about meaningful social change is extremely difficult when it comes to isolated issues. However, if we all spend some time developing better connections with those around us, we may have a chance to fix this problem. We'll tackle a social problem and potentially see the rise of a new anime subgenre, something entirely new.
what do you think? Is isekai anime a cry for help, or just a sub-genre that transcends its popularity? Let me know what you think and be sure to follow me for more related content!