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American Isekai
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this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2023
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All of these American examples are missing a key part of the Isekai genre which is power fantasy. 99% of Isekai involves the MC being an overpowered self-insert character that has a harem of sex slaves.
I consider Isekai and other world to be different aspects of the same basic concept.
We do have that with owl house and amphibia, the Santa clause movies and series, and avatar, just sort of off the top of my head. None of these really have a sex harem (some of them have a single romantic interest tho), but nor did most of the anime I’ve watched, because anything involving a sex harem isn’t up my alley at all. Suuuuper cringe. But they do have the for-reasons overpowered self-insert main character in a fantasy land.
Arguably not enough to make a genre, ofc, but we do have some examples that fit better than the ones in the meme.
Edit to add - if anyone knows of more, I’m actually kinda into the genre, so I’m all eyes!
You just have to look at western sensibilities to understand the missing harem trope. The heroes in Western stories have a once in a lifetime romance. If there's a problem with the romance, it's part of the evil plot device (Ursula in the little mermaid.)
Western power fantasy tropes come in the form of the white savior or agents above the law tropes. John Carter was written in the early 1900's, Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein in the 60's.
Octavia Butler takes those classically white and Western tropes and turns them on their head.
Also, collapse of society movies are close to American/English isekai because of our obsession with both apocalypse and saviors. Walking dead is a great example.
Mad max and walking dead being western isekai fits so well. How many people want to the the badass roving the countryside, when in reality most of us would be the ones under the wheels of true maniacs.
I just rewarched Army of Darkness last night and it sounds like it fits. Doesn't have so much of a harem, but at one point a romantic interest for seemingly no reason. And certainly a overpowered main character.
That’s just Japanese media, if it wasn’t catering to pedophiles then it wouldn’t get made over there