The Rise of Isekai: Social Media’s Perfect Match?
Isekai have been on the rise for quite some time now and it seems that’s not stopping anytime soon. So the question is why? And I believe (I speak for myself here) that it’s because of the ever-growing social media consumption.
Now hear me out here cause I know this probably doesn’t make any sense at first but really think about it. Back in the 2000s when 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin album was making its rounds in all the hottest clubs to the highly acclaimed release of Twilight movie that shaped a whole generation of Millennials and Gen Z, there was something present back then that feels as if it’s barely around anymore…
And that, my friend, is TIME.
Time Slips Away in the Age of Smartphones
Whether we realize it or not, every glance at our phones feels as if we are taking a quick look at something while driving, only to suddenly jerk the steering wheel trying to veer back on course because what felt like a 1-second glance was in fact 10 seconds in actuality. I show this example to really drive the point home that when we have school or jobs that take up most of the day, what little time we have left to fully enjoy any sort of entertainment or relaxation is used up by these little devils that can’t seem to detach themselves from our hands.
So, therefore, a new type of entertainment is needed to complement or better yet bring balance to this new reality we are in. This is when Isekai takes to the scene—a sort of garbage-like entertainment that we don’t really take seriously and is a great thing to put on when we are pressed for time after constantly scrolling through our social media feeds for hours at a time.
Isekai: The Perfect “Background” Entertainment
Its plot is predictable and generic—the same ol’ overpowered protagonist that develops a harem and is on the way to defeat the demon king (if they are not already one themselves). There’s no need to overly pay attention or scrutinize any scene in fear of missing something important nor is there any need to be overly attached to the anime since most (not all) Isekai’s probably won’t make it to a second season anyways. Even when the writing for certain Isekai’s is god-awful, it’s still preferred because 9/10 you probably have your attention on the TV 60% of the time while the rest is spent on your phone.
Escapism or Just Entertainment?
Now, there is something to be said about this feeling of escapism that you probably hear a lot of Isekai haters talk about when trying to talk down to someone who enjoys this particular genre, but I say to those people, isn’t all forms of entertainment really just a way for us to escape the mundane?
I’ll leave you with that to think about… hehe.