by Netherrealmer » 02 Dec 2024, 08:16
I think I’ve figured out what drives him to commit suicide—it ties into a Japanese fantasy genre called Isekai. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, traditional Isekai stories feature a main character transported to a different world, such as a hidden dimension, a fictional realm, or even the past or future. However, while classic Isekai typically involved characters returning home, modern Japanese Isekai takes a distinct approach. Instead of a simple journey, the protagonist must die to reach the new world. Death becomes the gateway: being hit by a truck, succumbing to disease, experiencing a natural disaster, committing suicide, or even being murdered. Upon dying, they awaken reincarnated into another life—often in the past or a fictional setting. A notable example is My Life as a Villainess, where a Japanese schoolgirl dies in an accident and reincarnates as the villain of a dating simulation game she played. Armed with knowledge of the game’s plot, she works to change her character’s fate, avoiding her scripted doom by acting kinder and less villainous. This twist—using the protagonist’s awareness of their former life to navigate their new world—defines modern Isekai. It blends the fantasy of starting over with the challenge of thriving in a completely foreign setting. Unlike the earlier "transported to another world" stories, today’s Isekai emphasizes finality; the characters cannot go home, as their journey begins only after death and they will accept their new life to this world were they reincarnated.
I think I’ve figured out what drives him to commit suicide—it ties into a Japanese fantasy genre called Isekai. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, traditional Isekai stories feature a main character transported to a different world, such as a hidden dimension, a fictional realm, or even the past or future. However, while classic Isekai typically involved characters returning home, modern Japanese Isekai takes a distinct approach. Instead of a simple journey, the protagonist must die to reach the new world. Death becomes the gateway: being hit by a truck, succumbing to disease, experiencing a natural disaster, committing suicide, or even being murdered. Upon dying, they awaken reincarnated into another life—often in the past or a fictional setting. A notable example is My Life as a Villainess, where a Japanese schoolgirl dies in an accident and reincarnates as the villain of a dating simulation game she played. Armed with knowledge of the game’s plot, she works to change her character’s fate, avoiding her scripted doom by acting kinder and less villainous. This twist—using the protagonist’s awareness of their former life to navigate their new world—defines modern Isekai. It blends the fantasy of starting over with the challenge of thriving in a completely foreign setting. Unlike the earlier "transported to another world" stories, today’s Isekai emphasizes finality; the characters cannot go home, as their journey begins only after death and they will accept their new life to this world were they reincarnated.