𖥔 Isekai’s Fall 𖥔

Wanted to draw two of my favoriate Isekai protagonists, Rimuru from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and Arthur from The Beginning After the End

“Nation Building and the Role of Leadership” is an article in the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies: Volume 3 (2022). The researcher Michael Cserkits discusses the Isekai Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken and its methods of kingdom-building in comparison to real-life Nation-Building methods.

Michael Cserkits writes of Tensei shitara slime datta ken (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime) and what the show can tell readers by breaking it down. Most studies of Anime don’t go in-depth with specific shows, and with this research, he’s explained that he wanted to “open up more specialized avenues of research regarding Isekai in general.” and what viewers could learn from them. Most of his research is done based on the studies of Bolton’s “Interpreting Anime”, but states that that article never mentions Isekai and that the only article he found that focuses on the particular show does so in terms of its narrative structure instead of the kingdom and world building he wanted to focus on.

One of the articles that Michael references is “A Survey of the Story Elements of Isekai Manga“ by Paul Price for the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies 2 (2021). This article gave him lots of insight into Isekai stories in general, for example about how in the writer’s opinion 2013 was the year when Isekai became more established as a genre. Because of these Articles, Micheal was inspired to write his text about a specific Isekai instead of a broad range of Isekai stories.

I believe that these articles are very related in the sense that they have to do with the same topic. Since Isekai as a genre isn’t as researched since it’s still a new topic, and because of this most articles in the space are all interconnected with each other. Michael did most of his research on the specific show in general instead of Isekai as a whole, researching topics such as the social tendencies of the main character when discussing kingdom relations and how the main character’s social methods changed over time. You can tell just by reading the article that the writer put a lot of research into the topic, even drawing up charts of the main character’s network analysis (figure provided by Michael Cserkits).

Big Screens for small-screen Viewers is a news article centered around Crunchyroll in 2017 opening 300 movie theaters around the United States for viewing by anime fans. The article goes on to state that, unlike Netflix which most likely will never have any of its media shown on the big screen, smaller streaming services like Crunchyroll can show its content in theaters because of their smaller brand.

From this Article, it’s easy to say that the writer is a big fan of the platform since they go on to state “Crunchyroll is an eye-opening streaming experience, and a great way to stay current on trends and innovations in anime.” (Glenn, Kenny)  This could make the writer somewhat biased when it comes to topics related to Crunchyroll. Since the article was written in 2017, lots of daming changes were made in the future. An example would be the pricing Crunchyroll is listed at, on the article the writer states that “There are two levels of premium subscriptions, one for $6.95 a month and another at $11.95.” (Glenn, Kenny). But today, those prices have increased and they added another level of subscriptions. From $6.95 a month to $7.99 a month, and adding a new tier that’s listed as $15.99 a month. Not only that, but the free trial which was 14 days at the time, decreased to only 7, half of what it was before (source).

The writer sources many of their views from interviews taken with the executives at Crunchyroll. According to one of his interviews with Colin Decker, he would go on and on about the achievements of Crunchyroll, such as it being the “largest international distributor of anime” and having “Over 20 million registered users”. As of right now all of those things are true, with those numbers increasing steadily over time. But I wouldn’t say that Crunchyroll is all sunshine and rainbows, as a lot of information has been released over the years bringing to light the company’s shady practices.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a 2013 Documentary by Mami Tsunada that takes the viewer around Studio Ghibli and its main director Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most legendary animation studios in the world. Even though Isekai isn’t the main focus of this Documentary, Ghibli has written quite a few Isekai-like stories, such as Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron. I’d like to take a look at this Documentary to see what goes into making a movie from Ghibli.

Right off the bat, the Documentary gives us a serene look at the studio building where artists, writers, and directors hone their craft. With the sun peaking through the windows, It gives the viewer a calming sense. This Documentary doesn’t showcase itself as something tense or suspenseful, this one is going for a calmer friendly vibe which I find very nice. Afterward, we go through the studio and meet all the executives. From how they interacted with each other in the movie, they were very laid back and joked with each other often. 

We’re told early into the Documentary that Hayao Miyazaki works very hard at the studio, he arrives at 11 am and clocks out at 9 pm. This goes to show that he cares a lot about having a good work ethic. Another thing of note about the Ghibli studio is how they care for their employees. There was a moment in the Documentary where everyone in the building took place in a stretching exercise. As someone who has heard the horror stories of overworked and underpaid animation employees in Japan, it’s nice and refreshing to see so many members of the Ghibli animation crew having fun at their jobs. 

Another thing to note about Hayao Miyazaki from the Documentary was his views on the industrialization of Japan. Since the Documentary was recorded a year after the Fukushima nuclear accident, Hayao Miyazaki had quite a lot to say about his dislike of nuclear power in Japan. He noted when being interviewed “Before the radiation in Fukushima, before the nuclear power plant exploded. These are photos from before that.” he said while drinking a cup of hot tea and looking to his side where you could see pictures taken of children having fun, and playing outside. This was a very somber moment in the film, and it showed Hayao as a caring and happy man who was fond of the simpler times. Because of these views, many of the movies he has directed deal with the themes of industrialization and war, and how those experiences influence the innocence of children.

Overall I would say that this Documentary was very well put together, I love how homey and friendly it felt to watch. There were many points where It was hard to follow along since it was entirely in Japanese and the subtitles were kind of broken, but besides that, it was a very nice watch. If I were to tie this back into Isekai at all, I would say that if the anime industry put as much effort into their shows as Ghibli does with their movies, things would be going better. Ghibli as a studio is the prime example of what an animation company in Japan should be like instead of the cash grab, cheap, horrible work environments many Japanese animation companies are today.

Please go check out and watch the Documentary! It’s available to watch on HBO Max with a subscription and is well worth the price.

Sources from - The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013)

AI, what does and what doesn’t it know about Isekai as a genre, and what reason does it give for it not being well favored? Let us find out whether or not my Isekai knowledge can outdo a program that has access to the entire internet.

When asking ChatGPT what Isekai is, It gave me the broadest definition and terms such as “The term "Isekai" literally translates to "another world" (異世界), and the genre typically involves characters being transported from their ordinary world into a fantastical, often game-like, world.” (ChatGPT) which anyone could find out with a quick google search. It also gave common elements in Isekai media, like how most are Fantasy-based, and offer character self-growth. In this case, the AI understood the assignment well and I didn’t notice any errors.

Hello everyone, today’s topic is going to be a little different since I’ll be talking about something a little different. Instead of a review of the first episode, I’d like to talk about the absolute butchering of the webcomic The Beginning After the End’s anime adaptation.

I’ve been reading the webcomic The Beginning After the End for a very long while now. It’s one of the better Isekai-themed media I’ve seen recently, with the main character growing over time as a person and as a mage. I’ve been wanting for a very long while to see if someday, it could get an anime adaptation. But sadly, since the comic wasn’t as popular overseas and wasn’t as well known, there was a very slim chance It would get an anime.

Lo and behold, around a month ago I was doing a little bit of research about TurtleMe, the writer of the novel and comic, and I stumbled upon an announcement about an upcoming anime adaptation of The Beginning After the End. I was confused about why now I was just hearing about this, as it was announced back in November of 2024 (source). I haven’t seen it being announced on the webcomic’s Tapas page at all, as it is a Tapas original series. Being released on Crunchyroll on April 2nd, I was getting excited, but it seemed like other fans of the comic didn’t have very high hopes when it was revealed which studio would be working on the series.

Studio A-CAT has worked on titles like The Strongest Magician in the Demon Lord’s Army Was a Human and She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man. I had never heard about this studio before, so I was oblivious to the negativity the studio had gotten over the years until it happened… I watched the opening theme and animation. It’s a bad sign when the animation that should showcase the best parts of the anime, looks like a slideshow. Still frames, panning shots, too many effects, barely any body movement, it was all just so bland.

This hurt for a web novel and webcomic that are both action-based, with a comic that has some of the prettiest panels I’ve seen. I watched the first episode with two of my friends on Wednesday, and we were all sadly disappointed with the quality. It got to a point where one of my friends started joking about taking a shot every time there was a panning shot, of which there were several. At the moment there aren’t any scenes in the first episode that need exciting animation, I’m waiting until we get to one of the action scenes a little later on to judge whether or not they completely screwed it up.

According to his interview with IGN’s Fanfest on February 26th, Studio A-CAT was the first to reach out and volunteer to do the anime adaptation. TurtleMe, Tapas, and Crunchyroll could have waited a little longer for a better studio to pick up the story. I think they made a bad decision with A-CAT, we could have gotten something that had more effort put in at a later date. Sadly, because the webcomic and web novels weren’t as popular in countries like Japan or Korea, we were given the short end of the straw. 

After the first episode of The Beginning After the End had been released onto Crunchyroll, I checked around sites like Reddit to see what other people thought of the adaptation. Someone responded on a Reddit post with, “Saw a 48-second clip that legit had 3 seconds of animation the rest were panning shots of still slides. Yikers.” when someone commented with “PNGBATE.” as a poke at the abbreviation of The Beginning After the End, TBATE.

Overall, I feel like The Beginning After the End’s anime was a tragedy for one of my and many other’s favorite Isekai web novels. With horrendous animation that made everything feel so lifeless, to the uninspired style of the characters and world, It’s all just one mess. Not to mention some of the backgrounds are AI-generated (Yes I checked and yes they look bad).

I implore any who are reading to go check out the original Novel and Webcomic on Tapas when they get the chance, it’s better in so many ways.

Image Souce - Crunchyroll

The aforementioned, AI background

TurtleMe is the writer of a quite popular webcomic on Tapas that goes by the name of The Beginning After the End (or TBATE for short). He started with a novel, had it picked up as a comic, and now very recently an Anime. With all of the Isekai-style comics and anime I’ve read, theirs is by far my favorite. With action-packed scenes worded out beautifully, to tender heartwarming and soul-crushing moments. Recently he did a livestream with IGN’s Fanfest talking about his up-and-coming Anime adaptation in April of this year (Source) . As a long-time reader of his work, I’ve been excited about the prospect of an Anime for years! This is why I think that TurtleMe is a great example of writers we should focus on within the Isekai community, as, unlike most cut-and-dry Isekai manga or anime, TurtleMe not only focuses on the building of the main character’s power but also his emotional growth as a person.

Hi! Welcome back, everyone. Today is going to be a special post. For my research, I’ve been looking around for a book on Isekai. Now, it was quite tricky to locate a book even related to Isekai, much less find one that revolved around the genre. So I was surprised when, after going through multiple pages on my college’s library website, I finally found something. So You've Landed in a Fantasy World: How to Survive and Thrive Is a book written by Josiah Lebowitz in 2022 on, you guessed it, Isekai, specifically what to do if you find yourself in one.

In terms of books, So You've Landed in a Fantasy World doesn’t take itself too seriously. It uses goofy quips and silly explanations to get its point across. In a way, writing a book like this is super fun. In the book, Josiah Lebowitz takes situations from Isekai media and rewords them into a sort of guidebook-style text. When explaining to the reader how to get to an Isekai-style fantasy world, Josiah Lebowitz uses examples from other world books or shows like going into a well, going inside a wardrobe, exploring old temples, or just being lucky as ways to get to those worlds.

So You've Landed in a Fantasy World does a great job of cornering the market. I haven’t found a single book when searching for something to write about even close to the topic. So in that case, It’s one of the only books of its type. If you’re a fan of Isekai work, I’d highly recommend this book as it references callbacks from popular media within the genre. Not only that, but also includes funny illustrations, and supply lists that go into lots of detail as to why you should choose a certain item for your travels.

If you’re looking for a serious read, that’s full of cold hard facts, this book isn’t for you, It’s goofy and fun. When I located the book, I was caught off guard that it wasn’t a short read. One hundred and seventy-nine pages full of tropes from Isekai media, things to do if you find yourself in a world like that, and lots more. I’d also say that the information within the book isn’t all silly. Some of the advice within is quite useful. Such as making sure to pack the right clothes since you’ll most likely find yourself hiking long distances, or bringing guides with you such as manuals or a fire starter kit.

Overall I’d recommend this book to any Isekai lovers, It made me laugh a couple of times. When I saw a reference I understood, I stared and pointed happy that I knew where the reference came from.

Grab the book here!

Image source - Amazon

For my primary source research, I’ve been looking around the internet for things I can use to gain insight on my blog topic. This usually includes people’s opinions on the Isekai genre, and in their opinion, what drags the genre down. 

The source that I’ve found to be quite rewarding when discussing this topic is the shows themselves. I’ve already watched many animes within the genre, but haven’t slowed down to think what makes that specific show good or bad.

I’d also like to look into Reddit posts and other blogs or articles about the anime within the genre to understand what other people think. 

 So for my first course of action, I will watch and review a short list of Anime I’ve found that range in popularity. As I watch, I will take notes about what makes that a good show or a bad one. I will be looking at the message, art style, who it’s aimed towards, what makes it unique from other shows in the same genre, and things I did and didn’t like about it.

For example, recently I’ve been watching the Isekai Konosuba, which is one of the most popular Isekais to date. I’ve taken a few notes about the show, that I’d like to talk about now.

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The Show’s Message

At the heart of it, Konosuba is a comedy that mocks the ideals of a perfect fantasy world. Kazuma Satou, the main character of this show has died and reincarnated into this new world, he starts with no great skills and a party that consists of characters that make his life harder. From a goddess healer who only cares about money, gets into a lot of debt, and complains 24/7. To a spell caster who can only use one spell, then becomes completely useless after using that singular spell. I’d say he has his work cut out for him when it comes to rising the ranks as an adventurer. Unlike most Isekai, where the main character has everything figured out, Konosuba hits us with a reality check that not all fantasy worlds are easy to traverse. I find this premise refreshing amidst the generic plots within the Genre.

In terms of art style, Konosuba has your typical anime look. From super flashy battle scenes to serene peaceful moments that allow you to appreciate the scene. But I’d say that most of the charm comes from the show’s plot and not the style.

Konosuba is made for the generic Isekai fan. As someone who has watched multiple shows within the genre, Konosuba is like a swift kick in the pants. Going from your usual Isekai where the main character is already quite strong, to a character who gets eaten by giant frogs every other day, It’s nice to see something new.

As I’ve already said before, this show is unique from the others for one reason; It challenges the stereotype. Instead of a powerful protagonist, we get a weak one who doesn’t always make the best decisions and has a team of characters who sabotage him all the time. Very much not ideal in a magic world such as this. This alone already makes the show much more interesting to watch, as you wonder what else can happen to make Kazuma’s life even worse.

Finally, some things I did and didn’t like about the show. For one, I like the change it makes with the stereotypes in the genre. It’s quite a unique show when compared to many others around it. The comedy bits can be a little much depending on which you’re referring to. Most of which consist of the characters doing something strange, gross, or just plain stupid. You feel for the main character, as he’s the only sane person in the show in most cases. But there gets to a point where you just want him to win for a chance. An example from the show would be when he and his party save the town from a giant robotic spider, but he’s left with a huge debt from damages.

Overall I would recommend this anime to Isekai fans who are tired of the same old same old stuff. It still keeps the theming of an Isekai fantasy world, but a more nuanced outlook. Give it a try!

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There you have it! My first anime review on my blog which included notes I took while watching the show. For my next review, I’ll be watching and reviewing “Saga of Tanya the Evil”. Instead of just looking at it myself, I’ll look into other people’s reviews of the show to see what they thought of it as well. This will give me a little more insight into their feelings as well.

Until next time!

Image source Crunchyroll

According to the Oxford Dictionary, Isekai in the broadest sense is defined as “A Japanese genre of science or fantasy fiction featuring a protagonist who is transported to or reincarnated in a different, strange, or unfamiliar world.“ Its name directly translates from Japanese to “another world.” Specifically, we’ll be discussing the anime that use the aspects of Isekai in their storytelling. Anime such as That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World will become the basis of some of my research. What exactly will my research consist of you ask? Well, I’d like to study some of the reasons why Isekai as a genre is so hated around communities. As a fan of the genre, I find it jarring when I talk to someone about my favorite anime, they immediately tell me that they dislike Isekai entirely. With this blog, I’d document what I find searching the internet, whether it be opinions on the topic, deep dives, or YouTube videos.