Exploring Isekai offers the first comprehensive study of isekai in anime, manga and light novels in which characters from the “real world” are transported, summoned, reincarnated or trapped in fantastical realms.
Challenging the misconception that isekai is mere escapism, the volume brings together an international group of contributors to consider how the genre reflects contemporary anxieties, desires and social structures through game-like world-building, moral frameworks and recurring underdog heroes. Examining classics like Spirited Away (2001) alongside globally popular series such as That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (2013–25) and Overlord (2015–), the volume traces the thematic and aesthetic evolution of isekai, revealing how these narratives reimagine identity, labour and belonging in an increasingly digital and transnational world.
Challenging the misconception that isekai is mere escapism, the volume brings together an international group of contributors to consider how the genre reflects contemporary anxieties, desires and social structures through game-like world-building, moral frameworks and recurring underdog heroes. Examining classics like Spirited Away (2001) alongside globally popular series such as That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (2013–25) and Overlord (2015–), the volume traces the thematic and aesthetic evolution of isekai, revealing how these narratives reimagine identity, labour and belonging in an increasingly digital and transnational world.
Betaal eenvoudig met kaart, Klarna, Apple Pay of Google Pay. Niet tevreden? Je hebt altijd 14 dagen bedenktijd. Lees meer in onze voorwaarden. Heb je vragen, mail ons dan via hello@memmo.org.
Memmo maakt studeren makkelijker – waar je ook bent ter wereld. Wij brengen je cursusboeken en slimme studietools samen op één plek: samenvattingen, quizzen, podcasts en flashcards. En Ted, je studievriend die antwoord geeft op alles wat je je afvraagt. Meer dan 50.000 studenten studeren hier al – gebouwd om je sneller te laten leren en minder stress te geven.