Isekai was a thing before the word was popularized and normalized in the west to describe the subgenre of fantasy. I'd argue The Neverending Story is clearly an isekai, for example. And there's been great conventional anime isekais in the past, such as Vision of Escaflowne.

What I'm sick of is the "oh this is like a video game and the NPCs can be manipulated because they're just programs susceptible to cheat codes" gimmick. It's gross and I find it intolerable to follow any "hero" that dehumanizes other characters under any excuse to build a virtual capitalist empire with an infinite harem. It's :epstein: tier :brainworms: to me.

I don't want to automatically reject something I hear about because I hear it's an "isekai" but all too often it means "another video game world with NPCs to exploit!" :capitalist-laugh:

What an empty sort of metagamey victory to fantasize about. How alienating and sad for such "heroes," even if they still deserve :gulag: in general.

  • StellarTabi [none/use name]
    ·
    1 year ago

    A man who is obsessed with vending machines is crushed by one as he tries to protect it from crashing to the ground. He's reincarnated as a vending machine in a fantasy world. Though he wants to see what the world has to offer, he's unable to move or talk, because, well, he's a vending machine. Help comes in the form of an adventurer named Lammis who agrees to carry him around on her back, granting his wish and setting the stage for vending machine themed adventures.

    Yes, I read theory.

    • UlyssesT [he/him]
      ·
      1 year ago

      That actually sounds interesting. Critical support for the guy carrying the vending machine around.

      Edit: I misread. Oops.

        • UlyssesT [he/him]
          ·
          1 year ago

          Oops. Neat anyway. Maybe more neat. :edgeworth-shrug:

        • UlyssesT [he/him]
          ·
          1 year ago

          Nothing at all. This is the first time I heard of the vending machine story.

          By "critical" I mean "conditional support because I don't know enough yet."

            • UlyssesT [he/him]
              ·
              1 year ago

              By "critical" I mean "conditional support because I don't know enough yet."

                • UlyssesT [he/him]
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  When Sword Art Online first came out, a good friend of mine (that is still a good friend, even if his taste is sometimes sus) told me all the good stuff about SAO, making the premise sound genuinely interesting. I could say I had "critical support" for that in lieu of not yet knowing about all the waifu harem shit or the "video game boy that wins" power fantasy wank.

                  Regarding the vending machine adventure, I want to believe.

          • FuckYourselfEndless [ze/hir]
            ·
            1 year ago

            I love all of the director/head animator's stuff. It's all really cute and charming. Satellite Girl & Milk Cow's another film of his -- that's actually easier to find -- that I recommend.