The foundation of Isekai anime criticism is: Man makes anime, anime does not make man. Isekai is, indeed, the self-consciousness and self-esteem of artists and authors who have either not yet won through to themselves, or have already lost themselves again. But man is no abstract being squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man – state, society. This state and this society produce Isekai, which is an inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world. Escapism is the general theory of Isekai, its encyclopedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d’honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against Isekai is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual liberation is Isekai.
Media escapism is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Isekai is the sigh of the oppressed gamer, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the anime fan.
The abolition of Isekai as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their escapist illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires escapist illusions. The criticism of Isekai is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which Isekai is the halo.
Criticism has plucked the imaginary flowers on the chain not in order that man shall continue to bear that chain without fantasy or consolation, but so that he shall throw off the chain and pluck the living flower. The criticism of Isekai disillusions man, so that he will think, act, and fashion his reality like a man who has discarded his illusions and regained his senses, so that he will move around himself as his own true Sun. Anime is only the illusory Sun which revolves around man as long as he does not revolve around himself.
It's possible to make and enjoy escapist fantasies without making misogynistic pandering power fantasies for cryptofascist incels that crave sex slaves and want to also be praised as a hero for keeping sex slaves. :theory-gary:
You're right on there being good escapist fantasies out there, but I believe the amount and popularity of Isekai is a sign that numerous authors and fans are depressed and hate their life and are seeking to escape it, even if it includes a chud-style anime fantasy like Shield Hero that appeals to chud anime fans.
Some people consume (or produce/direct) misery porn instead of escapist power fantasies. I think there's a different but parallel psychology there where "I have it rough but those people being tortured to death have it worse" has a vague and cheap opium effect too.
90s to 00s Isekai is better, since it used Other-World as a healthy escapist fantasy (e.g: InuYasha's Kagome being able to return as she wished to the real world) to understanding that being in another world was an affliction rather than a blessing. Indeed, in El Hazard, the school sociopath was the one who embraced the Other-World as a new home.
Point is, if you must watch an Isekai, make it from that era.
Isekai could be based, but it is stained by eternal cringe
I think isekai if well done can serve as a foil for some political point. Like in mark twains coneticut yankee. Or as an exploration of pre industrial conditions like in lets the darknes fall. Or as an excersice on development ecinomics likr in release the witch. Or ideally as a way to get kids interested in chemestry and mechanics.
What bothers me is that the protagonist comes from the modern world and has a hihgschool education. He/she presumably can do calculus and knows basic chemestry. Instead of relying on that they pull some magic bulshit.
Even in the previously mentioned ones release the wich has some problems with the chemestry. Mark twains protagonist has it too smothly and it is not realistic that his society progreses so fast. Also the medievals are not realistic.
I would like to se an isekai where the protagonist is a lib and tries to find lib solutions to the otherworlds problems succeds at first but then ends up making things worse for everyone.
Escapism is the general theory of Isekai, its encyclopedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d’honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification.
Criticism has plucked the imaginary flowers on the chain not in order that man shall continue to bear that chain without fantasy or consolation, but so that he shall throw off the chain and pluck the living flower.
Anime is only the illusory Sun which revolves around man as long as he does not revolve around himself.
No offense, but it looks like you're trying to sound smart by using these fancy words/expressions and tbh it comes off super arrogant sounding; like an essay written by a college freshmen trying to sound "intellectual." I'm not sure what your thesis is here. Perhaps if you reworded it in plain language (https://academicmumbojumbo.blogspot.com/).
I'm just making a parody post that copies one of Marx's texts about religion but replaced religion with Isekai to show I hate Isekai anime.
Ohh. I guess Marx was also one of those academic jargon types :lenin-laugh:
No offense, but it looks like you’re trying to sound smart by using these fancy words/expressions and tbh it comes off super arrogant sounding; like an essay written by a college freshmen trying to sound “intellectual.”
:marx-angry:
