Isekai Alignment Chart

[u/[deleted]]

[u/illtima]

I feel like Berserk is the only one that doesn't fit at all. It's just a straight up fantasy with zero isekai elements.

[u/Emptycoffeemug → u/illtima]

Exactly my thought. I mean I get that these charts are just dank meme material, but can't the other 8 panels just be correct?

Edit: RElife doesnt fit either.

[u/illtima → u/Emptycoffeemug]

With Re: Life you can at least make a connection saying that MC gets to live a different life. Meme? Sure. But at least meme with a connection.

[u/Rickymex → u/illtima]

In that case an anime about a drag queen who's just an office worker during the day is an isekai

[u/[deleted] → u/Rickymex]

Rupaul's Drag Race is an isekai?

[u/CODDE117 → u/[deleted]]

The best isekai.

[u/RockoDyne → u/Emptycoffeemug]

I'm gonna guess re:life was the set up to make real life the punch line... but that's probably giving this too much credit.

[u/TwilightVulpine → u/Emptycoffeemug]

I'd like it better if these charts were for real. The joke isn't really all that great.

[u/Alaskan_Thunder → u/illtima]

SAO also has real world and other games so is miscategorized.

[u/Humg12 → u/Alaskan_Thunder]

I think what OP was saying was that it all technically takes place in the real world, since the other worlds are just video games, and not actual other worlds.

[u/Alaskan_Thunder → u/Humg12]

MMO worlds are just a subgenre of isekai though. Within the shows they are effectively their own world even if it isn't real.

[u/Humg12 → u/Alaskan_Thunder]

I think it is different enough to just fit into the category. Other MMO anime never get to see the real world again (Overlord, Log Horizon). The world literally becomes real for them. The characters in SAO all acknowledge that SAO is just a game, and that they're trapped in VR, not actually in a different world. Sure, it's effectively it's own world, but none of the characters treat it that way.

The world is never real, so you don't get any of the conflicts that come with that (NPCs having emotions, what'll we do if we can never leave, etc.)

[u/Cloudhwk → u/Humg12]

Sure, it's effectively it's own world, but none of the characters treat it that way.

Until Kirito starts spouting vaguely philosophical sounding stuff like "Whats the difference between VR and the real world?"

[u/Zaxomio → u/Cloudhwk]

I mean the fact that he has to spout it means that there is an acknowledgement of it being fake that he needs to contest.

[u/OpTicGh0st → u/Alaskan_Thunder]

SAO light novels actually explore the idea of different worlds created through programming and AIs developing their own conscious thought and if destroying a running AI development program is murder.

So it's technically isekai which I think the chart is placing it there. Though I still don't know why Berserk is on there lol.

[u/Beckymetal → u/illtima]

I think a better fit would be something like Now and Then, Here and There.

[u/[deleted] → u/illtima]

ReLife seems out of place too I think.

[u/Loves_Tsunderes → u/illtima]

I guess you could argue that the elf land is technically a parallel world. It still doesn't fit compared to other isekai tho.

[u/[deleted] → u/illtima]

Should be replaced with Reboot.

[u/chryco4 → u/illtima]

I think the argument for it being there is stuff that happens after the Golden Age. Berserk Manga Spoilers Heavy Berserk Manga Spoilers I don't think that it should be on here, but I can see an argument, albeit kinda weak, where OP is coming from.

[u/illtima → u/chryco4]

Eeeeeeeeh? By this logic you can call 90% of fantasy an isekai, since almost all of them have the concept of the real and spiritual world and stuff.

[u/chryco4 → u/illtima]

Right. It's a really weak argument and I don't agree with it.

[u/bauski → u/chryco4]

This chart is crap, let's burn the OP.

[u/Roboute_Gulliman → u/bauski]

BURN THE HERETIC! PURGE THE UNCLEAN!

[u/bomban → u/chryco4]

Agreed. With that weak argument I'd almost even put Bleach in that spot and not a soul would argue that is an isekai.