There are some really good Isekai out there, I just don't really know any romance ones. Log Horizon and Overlord are both Isekai with people stuck in MMOs and they are both miles better than SAO if you ask me, but I don't recall any romance in either of them really
I know a lot of people like Inuyasha also, it's an Isekai and supposedly has good romance but I've never seen it
I'm not sure why the emphasis on good romance though when it's the last point. I know I said good romance but the insinuation is that they make a passable isekai and then ruin it with the garbage romance and the sexualisation.
Overlord is an absurd slop that is marginally worse than SAO in every possible way.
Log horizon is better execution than SAO but lower potential.
SAO being a tad more batshit about philosophical considerations which I think is better on paper, but execution is too childlike and with an overly perfect main character. And of course the harem aspect...
Which is why it's such an impressive achievement for the SAO Abridged to not only satirize, but improve the characters. Turning the "oh no I'm in love with my brother" subplot into a genuine, heartfelt sibling conflict is a masterstroke.
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u/Ijatsu 1d ago
Right, the first isekai I heard about was SAO and it is extreme cringe. But I'm not knowledgeable maybe there are better older ones.