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The Great Isekai Review List
What is isekai?
According to Mangarock's definition of the genre:
"Isekai translates to "another world." This genre typically has a narrative where a protagonist somehow gets transported to a different world. The new world is more often than not in a fantasy setting, occasionally with traits pulled from JRPG games."
TV Tropes also goes further indepth into the idea, putting it under the trope name of "Trapped In Another World", which is basically just what "Isekai" means. Some people genre savvy to the idea might immediately think of a high school boy arriving in a JRPG fantasy world where they're super overpowered when it comes to combat, whereupon they get the attention of a stunning beautiful woman (or five). It's the definition of a power fantasy, especially for cis straight guys. However, even western works such as "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", "Alice in Wonderland", and "The Wizard of Oz" could all theoretically count as "isekai".
For this post, however, I'll be focusing mainly on isekai series that have gotten a manga adaption of some sort, often from Japan or occasionally China and Korea, which have also started to lean into the trend. That means they'll be falling into a lot of Japanese tropes and cliches, although these aren't necessarily bad things.
All of the isekai I've read through and even vaguely enjoyed are included down below in the comments section, and all of them will be utilizing this same form:
Some of these categories are self explanatory even to people unfamiliar with the genre (Title, Main Character), but a few deserve some particular notice or explanation.
Cheat: A "cheat ability" is basically a power uniquely granted to the Main Character (MC) that allows them to have the upperhand in the world they've been transported to. That sort of thing isn't entirely unusual for many stories, as it is a handy way of making a MC notable, but it is a quality that is inherent to the power fantasy aspect that isekai series often at least nod to. However, the nature of that cheat can take on quite a variety of forms depending on the series. Some do a very basic sort of ability such as access to a never before seen magic, or simply a lot of magic. Others take a more subtle approach, such as a character using their knowledge of a modern world to improve a more medieval one. Seeing the different types of "cheats", how characters use them, and how it affects the setting is one of the things that I find charming about the isekai genre.
Transport: In other words- how did the MC arrive in another world/life? Sometimes, it's because a character was summoned, either by a god or a powerful magician. Other times, it's left as a mystery. Lots of isekai even have the MC die, and their soul is reincarnated in another world with memories of their past life. Depending on how the MC got there, and the whims of the author, it can have quite an impact on the MC's goals or emotions.
Pros and Cons: While they're named as that, these categories could more accurately be called "what I did and didn't like about this series", which means they're completely subjective and from my point of view. The summary will cover what the series is about, sure, but this goes more into my personal opinions.
General Warnings: This will be a simple list of general things to watch out for, such as gore, murder, rape, or sexual assault, along with anything else I think people might appreciate a heads up on.
Fanservice: This one is fairly self explanatory, with fanservice often being women scantily clad or men getting to be in sexy positions with them. Considering how much of a range fanservice can be, I'll be listing this rather in a scale of 1 to 5.
1 - No fanservice whatsoever
3 - Some fanservice, but no so much as to be describing
5 - Hope you like tits and ass, because there's going to be a lot of that
I'll give my reasons and some examples for this category, so that people have a slightly more substantial idea of what will happen.
Harem: Power fantasies don't only include having super amazing powers, but they also dabble in areas of romance, where the (often male) MC will have a bunch of women falling for him and sometimes even having multiple wives.
According to Mangarock's definition of the genre:
"Isekai translates to "another world." This genre typically has a narrative where a protagonist somehow gets transported to a different world. The new world is more often than not in a fantasy setting, occasionally with traits pulled from JRPG games."
TV Tropes also goes further indepth into the idea, putting it under the trope name of "Trapped In Another World", which is basically just what "Isekai" means. Some people genre savvy to the idea might immediately think of a high school boy arriving in a JRPG fantasy world where they're super overpowered when it comes to combat, whereupon they get the attention of a stunning beautiful woman (or five). It's the definition of a power fantasy, especially for cis straight guys. However, even western works such as "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", "Alice in Wonderland", and "The Wizard of Oz" could all theoretically count as "isekai".
For this post, however, I'll be focusing mainly on isekai series that have gotten a manga adaption of some sort, often from Japan or occasionally China and Korea, which have also started to lean into the trend. That means they'll be falling into a lot of Japanese tropes and cliches, although these aren't necessarily bad things.
All of the isekai I've read through and even vaguely enjoyed are included down below in the comments section, and all of them will be utilizing this same form:
Some of these categories are self explanatory even to people unfamiliar with the genre (Title, Main Character), but a few deserve some particular notice or explanation.
Cheat: A "cheat ability" is basically a power uniquely granted to the Main Character (MC) that allows them to have the upperhand in the world they've been transported to. That sort of thing isn't entirely unusual for many stories, as it is a handy way of making a MC notable, but it is a quality that is inherent to the power fantasy aspect that isekai series often at least nod to. However, the nature of that cheat can take on quite a variety of forms depending on the series. Some do a very basic sort of ability such as access to a never before seen magic, or simply a lot of magic. Others take a more subtle approach, such as a character using their knowledge of a modern world to improve a more medieval one. Seeing the different types of "cheats", how characters use them, and how it affects the setting is one of the things that I find charming about the isekai genre.
Transport: In other words- how did the MC arrive in another world/life? Sometimes, it's because a character was summoned, either by a god or a powerful magician. Other times, it's left as a mystery. Lots of isekai even have the MC die, and their soul is reincarnated in another world with memories of their past life. Depending on how the MC got there, and the whims of the author, it can have quite an impact on the MC's goals or emotions.
Pros and Cons: While they're named as that, these categories could more accurately be called "what I did and didn't like about this series", which means they're completely subjective and from my point of view. The summary will cover what the series is about, sure, but this goes more into my personal opinions.
General Warnings: This will be a simple list of general things to watch out for, such as gore, murder, rape, or sexual assault, along with anything else I think people might appreciate a heads up on.
Fanservice: This one is fairly self explanatory, with fanservice often being women scantily clad or men getting to be in sexy positions with them. Considering how much of a range fanservice can be, I'll be listing this rather in a scale of 1 to 5.
1 - No fanservice whatsoever
3 - Some fanservice, but no so much as to be describing
5 - Hope you like tits and ass, because there's going to be a lot of that
I'll give my reasons and some examples for this category, so that people have a slightly more substantial idea of what will happen.
Harem: Power fantasies don't only include having super amazing powers, but they also dabble in areas of romance, where the (often male) MC will have a bunch of women falling for him and sometimes even having multiple wives.
Kuro No Shoukanshi
Title: Kuro No Shoukanshi
Other Titles:
Author: Gin Amou, Tofu Mayoi
Main Character: Kelvin
Gender: Male
Cheat: absurd exp gathering skills
Transport: won a raffle
Summary: A young man wakes up in the middle of a field with no memory of how he got there or, really, any memory at all. He only knows his name is "Kelvin" when a mysterious voice instructs him to open up his status screen. According to the same voice, he won a raffle of some sort to come here, and, in exchange for his memories, got the ability to gain EXP at an extraordinary rate not normally found in this fantasy world. Without much to really go on, Kelvin decides that all he can really do is put his skills to work... as an adventurer.
Pros: manipulative battle junkie protag, fun side characters
Quite a few of the side characters in this series cheerfully mock and tease the MC as a "battle junkie" and, honestly, they're not wrong. His character shines at its brightest when he's faced with the potential of a strong enemy, or when thinking over how to shore up his own combat capability with either other skills, equipment, or companions. One of the high points of this series' art style is the look of vicious and manic glee that takes over the MC when he's in the middle of an interesting fight. However, he's not wholly foolish about it. Quite the opposite. If it's in the name of getting a better fight, he's not above manipulating an event to put himself right in the line of fire, or when to hold off if it would interfere with his desire for a life of freedom. It's an interesting bit of cleverness in contrast with the clear passion he views battles.
Surrounding him are also a bunch of fun and interesting side characters, as well. Each of them has their own notable backstory that could lead to further interesting scenarios or scenes down the line, from the possessed armor who wishes vengeance for a country long gone or the apparent antagonist who says he wants to devour another demon so that he can rule the world. It definitely leans into the harem genre side of things, with a ratio of more women to men surrounding the MC, but still.
Cons: amnesia, no skill build up, no depth
Unfortunately... So far, the series feels somewhat shallow, and doesn't really lean into its strengths. Right now, it feels as though we're just leaning into a check list of getting the MC some relations with other characters (notably his growing harem of course) with no real focus on any particular 'arc' or story. Even when the MC uses a new skill or ability, it doesn't feel like it was really something we could look forward to with instead it being just a thing he pulled out of nowhere.
Additionally, this almost feels as though it doesn't exactly need to be an isekai in some aspects, although I will admit that there are some things that it couldn't do without being in that genre. The MC's amnesia so far doesn't seem like it's really played an important role in any way. One of the charming points of isekai for me is seeing how a character's connection to their original world influences their personality or actions in the new world, such as skills they can bring that change society or just base goals for themselves such as getting back creature comforts such as delicious food. However, with the MC being amnesiac, that sort of connection is automatically cut off from him, and we don't even get to see any consequences or results from this issue. He doesn't seem to be worried about it, and there's no hints it will affect the story in any way. Perhaps it's fitting that it doesn't affect the MC, because we're told that he himself is the reason for this, with how he traded his memories away in order to get a cheat. That doesn't absolve it from not being satisfying as a story element.
This series' strong trait so far really does seem to be its MC's battle junkie nature, and I think it would feel an improvement if it leaned into that some more. Watching the MC get into fights or instruct others on how to better fight has been the highlights of my read. If his progress had been drawn out a little more and we could see more of his manipulative and clever nature come to light, I think the series would have benefited.
We're still only 28 chapters into this series, so there's a chance that perhaps it will get a boost up, especially since things seem to be getting a little more far-reaching in recent chapters. Only time will tell.
General Warnings: mild gore, child death backstory, fantasy racism
Slavery: Yes
Fanservice: 4 - fanservice clothing, boobs and butt shots, implication that the MC slept with one character, anime nudity, characters sleeping in the same bad as the MC...
Harem: Yes