Where Did the Villainess Isekai Come From?!

[@maclovesmanga]

Great minds definitely do think alike. Loved your opening sketch, and glad to see the shojo isekai getting as much love as it is.

[@maclovesmanga]

And I appreciate you shouting out my video as well. The more people learn the truth about one of the best subgenres out there, the better.

[@spacefacecadet]

Wizard of Oz = Isekai. Barbie Nutcracker = Isekai. I'm. I need a minute.

[@ChrissysLanguageCorner]

😂😂😂

[@theopollind8024]

Alice in Wonderland too

[@npcimknot958]

but we'll written lol

[@npcimknot958]

not being op in isekai males them good. isekai know it all gets old really fast

[@SEELE-ONE]

OMG

[@larkinthesky]

I have the feeling that isekai and especially also the villainess tropes might be even more popular in Korean manhwa and Chinese manhua. I have seen quite a bit of it in shoujo manga, but in manhwa and manhua you can barely escape them. And yes, transportation to other worlds is also very common in traditional European stories, for example, in Celtic lore where people enter fairy mounds and are transported to the world of the fairies.

[@nirgunawish]

but you are not wearing your dramen staff

[@asalesmaeeli4185]

I don't read mangas much but I love manhwas and over the past two or three years there has definitely been an increase in the popularity of such stories. Even a good chunk of Chinese and Korean web novels are about reincarnation.

[@janinebelleestrada7096]

Or in filipino folklore that faeries/engkantos falling in love with humans and isekaing you to their world and force you to eat moving white and black rice, forever trapping you in their world in permanent dilated time. Or that fisherman that bumped into a golden boat owned by a rich faery and is held captive by said faeries and served them as a fisherman in penalty for putting a dink in their golden boat but escaped by intentionally catching a stingray which is a blasphemous animal for the faeries and was sent back to his boat and was warned that the next he hits another boat he will be drowned by the sea witch.

[@julesdrey7415]

As someone who's been more into Korean series than Japanese ones and loves a good villainess trope, they really are. Although I find the Korean isekai series to be better since they're not afraid of making the main character a truly vile villain if need be.

[@brolow3380]

Can you give examples

[@nataliakuros9498]

"Nothing can stop a fanfiction author" - after hearing this I just couldn't stop laughing 🤣 As a veteran reader of fanfiction with 18 years of experience I can say it's 100% true

[@frozen7550]

I just heard an audio of a romance fanfic of Bill Nye & John Ceena. In that 3-5mins, I knew.

[@nataliakuros9498]

@@Serocco I'm 32 🤣

[@nataliakuros9498]

@@frozen7550 OK, how even somebody has done this connection 🤣

[@arnowisp6244]

18 years of fanfiction reading!? You have a lot of time.

[@Protect_all_ljf3forms]

“I can fix that” the motto of fan fiction authors and artist alike

[@sniget]

Western "isekai" are usually referred to as "Portal Fantasy" in western speculative fiction circles. It's still super common, but in terms of popularity and established tropes its never quite hit the same highs and prescriptive form as isekai has in recent years. It'd be a general pain in the tuckus to research, but it would be fascinating to watch an examination of the history of the two side by side and see how they've informed each other (or not) over the years.

[@AlgParis]

As a manhwa/webtoon reader, isekai with female leads are flooding at the moment. It’s like every week a new isekai webtoon is published… and there is also a cliche about reincarnation as the villainesses, ML being cold Duke of the north, etc. 😂 But I remember reading Fushigi yuugi as a teenager and it was truly a work of art at that moment, even now I still consider it one of the best shojo isekai that exist.

[@Mailmao]

And imma eat it up everytime

[@AyAReI00]

You can write "villainess" and get like 20 results 😅😂😂😂😂😂

[@pomaranczowaszarlotka]

Every other day I thinking of making a video essay about the "cold duke of the north" trope and other tropes in manhwa aimed for women

[@mcsheesh2611]

My love for fushigi yuugi has definitely foreshadowed my love for this trope. Although I do agree, it has become greatly overused with little to no improvement in each stories, especially in manhwas/manhuas.

[@Jellylamps]

I can’t believe that you put in your real backstory at the beginning as if we wouldn’t notice

[@ColleensMangaRecs]

origin story

[@samius01]

So happy to finally learn of the origins of the "villainess rival" character. I've seen so many discussions online regarding/confused about how they aren't really a thing in otome games. Great first video by whoever got reincarnated into Colleen's body. 👏👏👏

[@jaijaibinxno6064]

i loved fushigi yugi cuz it has a deep world building and each character had different motivations that made sense for them n hurt whenever they meet their end or make u feel joyous for them

[@npcimknot958]

really good character development

[@digitaljanus]

I think it was the first shoujo anime I watched in its entirety, back when I was watching fansubs in the late 90s. Damn, it went to some really raw places.

[@CherryNah]

Don't forget of Magic Knight Reyearth! The girls were teleported to a magical world with a lot of RPGesque elements. Also can named Escaflowne. Maybe both are not the typical idea of Isekai or Shoujo but they are great examples of "oldies" of this.

[@CherryNah]

@@marcosdheleno totally true!

[@catholicfemininity2126]

The art was gorgeous but I found that story boring for some reason.

[@CherryNah]

@@catholicfemininity2126 it has it moments. I think that is more about the relationships between the characters than action so it might be slow pace compared to others

[@AyAReI00]

I love magic knight reyearth ... Escaflowne has SO much potential tho, needs a rewrite

[@Yumine-ze1ne]

I loved that anime! I used to watch it on prime or whatever it was called. I only finished Season 1 though.

[@catholicfemininity2126]

I really love Trash of Counts family though.... even if it's a cliche isekai, the way Cale just helps all these people and how they become a family, is just so beautiful.

[@lilyzhou6624]

I agree! I don’t know if it’s the art style Pavloving me into liking it lol but I think it’s focus on interpersonal relationships that makes the other characters feel more human and not just a tool to the MCs end

[@nushrathumaira2257]

Spirited away is the first anime isekai for me, with female protagonist and won an Oscar with global fame to this day. It proves that harem+ game style isekai isn’t the only kind that will be popular or make money.

[@nushrathumaira2257]

@@marcosdheleno I will have to check that one out. Thanks 😊

[@AnkhAnanku]

@@marcosdheleno well, you know you can expect CLAMP 👀

[@Devulini]

frrrrrrrrrrrr i wiah people made more isekais like spirited away

[@beast_of_burden7762]

I’m not even into shoujo, but I stumbled upon your “female gaze” video and you come off as such a likable person! You make all things you talk about so intriguing, seeing someone talk so passionately about what they love is incredible, you just got ur self a new subscriber Colleen! I’m saying all of this as a man (not that there’s anything wrong with men liking shoujo)

[@ColleensMangaRecs]

Welcome aboard!

[@judeffr]

Same here. I've been marathoning all her videos and slowly reading some of her favouites. It's a shame there are not more shoujo anime adaptations. Next time I buy anime I'll make sure it's shoujo or josei because we don't need as much shounen as we get, I don't mind it, but i want to see more vsariety. Also the girls in my uni anime club have some awesome recomendations for me too.

[@syedarizvi7290]

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME OK??? ABSOLUTE GOATS! WELCOME TO GIRLY LAND, WE WELCOME YOU!

[@prettysunshyngrl]

I literally was thinking of how Otomate (one of the most famous otome game companies) made a Fushigi Yuugi otome game as their first game you mention Angelique haha. Angelique not only is the first otome game but it's the first time a game was ever developed with girls in mind, continuing the creation of media targeted to women and girls. I never made that connection before but totally another layer to my rants added lol. I'm a huge fan of Isekai like my absolute favorite anime of all time is The Twelve Kingdoms. And now as an otome fan I love otoge Isekai manga. I'll say "Oh no more otoge Isekai manga" but I read them every time I can't help it lol. And then the isekai manhwa, webtoon, and manhua? Chitra had me ready to learn Korean it's so good.

[@Imhrien]

YES 12 KINGDOMS!! The series is so timeless and is just a fantasy masterpiece. I so so hope a company reprints and finishes translating the novels someday.

[@b.h.4249]

Other The Twelve Kongdom fans in the wild?! Today is a good day. I love the old style shoujo isekai so much because I prefer the focus on worldbuilding and character development, but the modern stories have a place in my heart as well.

[@b.h.4249]

@@Imhrien I hope so, too, they're incredibly hard to find nowadays. There are fan translations out there if you want to read the later volumes.

[@fruitpunchsamurai4837]

The 12 kingdoms series was so good it got me into reading what I used to see as long and boring western fantasy novels just for the worldbuilding

[@ArtThingies]

In western Isekai, between Alice and Narnia, there's also the oft-forgotten back-in-time Mark Twain 1889 short "Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court" which even has some isekai staples we don't see in the other western isekai you listed, such as the protagonist using a sort of genre-savvy to their advantage - one example in Connecticut Yankee is where he establishes a reputation himself as a wizard by being able to predict to the minute when an eclipse is going to happen, and claims to have been the one to have made it happen. And the ploy works, getting him a cushy position as a court wizard. It unfortunately is plagued by what would be fairly common in the early-to-mid 1900s as the "competent man" protagonist, but it does have plenty of Twain's charm and character writing. It's worth the quick read or listen, as it's public domain now I believe!

[@yanstein8464]

one of my favorite examples of 'old' isekai title is kyo kara maou, and it's pretty unusual for its time because it has a male protagonist but it's still female oriented and has most of the 'feminine isekai' tropes since it's bl ☺

[@nushrathumaira2257]

I remember watching the anime😊. It was quite long though so I didn’t finish the series. It was funny for most part.

[@zephyr3564]

fushigi yugi's influence reminds me of mcr being created because of 9/11 and then twilight being written as a gerard way fanfic to then have 50 shades of grey be published as an edward cullen fic

[@mushroomlena]

I’ve been WAITING for someone to talk about how isekai has been in shoujo for a long time. Thanks for this very clear breakdown. There’s so many incredible older shoujo isekai series out there that I’m sure you wish you could have covered too. My favorite and top recommendation is 12 kingdoms.

[@ravenpotter3]

The 12 kingdoms (juuni kokuki) is just so good! I’ve been watching so much of it and it’s amazing. It’s from 2002.

[@CherryNah]

Oh yes! Though I think it wasn't really a Shoujo 🤔

[@ElleriaZer]

It also wraps up super fast because someone important on the production team died suddenly so we don't really get a good ending. Don't think the light novels ever got past volume 4 either since they were being translated by Tokyo Pop which is defunct.

[@PocketLeaves]

I can't believe we watched you get isekai-ed in real time asdfasdfasdf

[@ChanditoysCat]

Yes! I've been waiting for you to cover From Far Away!! It's been my favorite manga for over 10 years now and is the biggest inspiration for my own art/storytelling. Thank you for covering so much female-oriented media, your channel is such a breath of fresh air.

[@KoiPuff]

I’m genuinely surprised that From Far Away hasn’t had an anime adaption yet. It has one of the best slow burns in shojo and a great character arc for the heroine AND hero.

[@AyAReI00]

It doesnt ???? Katanaka i thought it had one

[@JYRound]

As a guy, Fushigi Yuugi was epic. The open and ending songs were epic, and the story just keeps the viewer interested, and we actually care about the characters because there is actual danger. Kinda like the Digimon anime, the kids are in constant danger, compared to pokemon, where nothing is at stake, and we know the immortal 10 year old will always come out on top.

[@imaybeteracotta3760]

Fushigi Yuugi has a special place in my heart, for a reason different to most people. It used to be broadcasted on a TV channel that was a combination of anime and gameplays/game reviews (clearly influencing me as a child), and they'd have anime show at 10PM. But my bedtime in elementary school was 9PM, so I would miss out on it (in hindsight, I probably was a bit too young for some of its content). I was raised by my grandparents, so my grandfather, absolutely not into anime by default, would stay up and record every single episode for me on VHS, so I could watch it next day after coming back from school. So, inevitably, we both watched the whole series together. He passed away just before I turned 13, but this small yet grand gesture from him is something I'll never forget.

[@kly31]

It's really interesting to see how things evolve. In the otome game community, we often need to explain to people who come looking for something similar to the isekai/villainess comics they enjoy that the tropes used in these stories (particularly the mean ojou-sama villainess and the european fantasy background) actually borrow from shoujo manga stereotypes and are quite uncommon in real otome games.

[@D.A-Designs]

16:46 "Nothing can stop a fanfic author" 🤣 No truer words have been spoken, just look at Ao3 and it's dedicated fanbase

[@MangaMuse]

Ahhh I love From Far Away being mentioned 🥰🥰It's been so much fun seeing everyone's reactions to it in book club. It's always felt underrated and forgotten to me until now, so I'm grateful so many new people have discovered it and are enjoying it now. If only it was reprinted :')

[@Imhrien]

And if only it would get an anime adaptation too! The speaking different languages part in the beginning might be tricky, but I have faith they could figure it out if they tried. It's a pretty timeless story and wouldn't suffer from only being adapted so much later.

[@alessam3186]

I loved From Far Away and Fushigi Yugi was my everything as a young tween! As an emotionally neglected kid, I loved the idea of being carted off to another world and making something of yourself. FY taught me about love, forgiveness, grief, and acceptance.

[@summernovah]

FOR SO LONG IVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SHOUJO ISKEAI AND SHOUNEN ISEKAI AND SOMEONE FINALLY COVERS IT 😭😭 THANK YOU (and the history of it?? This is literally my dream come true) I was literally thinking about doing research into the shoujo isekai genre and the history of it and maybe doing a con panel on it or sm IM FREAKING OUT SO MUCH SEEING THIS VIDEO Also lmao the Twisted reference 😂 Another also, thank you so much adding your research sources, I'm definitely going to be perusing those when I find the time!

[@nhankhai5272]

shoujo isekai

[@maxaroni39]

This was really fascinating! I'm a big fan of otome games, but I had no idea how popular Rosalia was, and how she led to villainess isekai becoming a genre! Probably because we've never got an official English translation for any of the Angelique games,,, RIP ;w; Love the reference to Starkid and Twisted, btw! One of my favorite musicals of theirs ^-^

[@pomragrahamate]

Wow it’s such a relief to see someone giving Shojo anime/manga the critical attention it deserves! I just found your channel yesterday through your video on how Shojo anime are rarely being made, and when I saw you posted this I couldn’t press play fast enough! My favorite anime/manga are all Shojo/female centered isekai, like Fushigi Yuugi, Red River, From Far Away, and Inuyasha, and I’ve been ranting to my husband for months now about how there doesn’t seem to be many Shojo isekai anymore! Loved your discussion on this, and can’t wait to see what you post next!

[@MekuChanAnime]

Charlotte Labeuf from princess and the frog is quite literally the Disney version of Rosalia, in the way that she acts as a rival at some point in the story, yet is never truly evil to want her to suffer. Plus, she's a fan favorite that many wanted to see on her own little movie to let her find her own prince 🤣 Anastasia from Cinderella also follows that trope, and I find it truly curious how the phenomenon that these type of characters produce are mostly universal, like, the fact that they are not perfect or morally correct all the time makes them feel more human. Now if you excuse me, I need to finish the playthrough of Bustafellows that I just left on standby 🤣

[@ColleensMangaRecs]

OMG you are so right about that Cinderella spinoff about the step sister lol

[@amuletangeldevil]

This is such an interesting video! I've been reading some vintage series and I've been loving to see what seems to be the "roots" of so many modern series I love!

[@Mymlala]

As a fantasy story loving gal who grew up on things like the Wizard of Oz and Neverending Story.... I keep getting hopelessly drawn in to reading isekai stories... even the trashy and boring ones I at least give a skim through... but yeah, it's the shoujo types of isekai series I do love best and it's always interesting to hear about the history behind these stories and tropes. Also... Never really knew about that Angelique game series before now... and I kinda' want to find a copy to play it now! Thanks for all the informative videos Colleen~! Certainly always interesting and enjoyable to watch. ^_^

[@SuperFliegenklatsche]

I'm watching the 12 Kingdoms anime right and I really enjoy this older style of isekai that incorporates more themes of growing up and understanding a new culture. While I like them new wave of isekai on the manhwa side of storytelling, I feel like everything has to be isekai these days even when it ends up taking away from the story.

[@Beanaleann]

I think you should give Ascendance of a Bookworm a try if you haven’t already. It’s a reincarnation shoujo isekai without the villainess spin that I find so fun and interesting. The anime led me to the Light novels and the world building is amazing

[@yabuki2923]

Ohhh my GOOOOD to see Angelique in there was such a surprise, but I guess it does make sense! Rosalia really IS that likable-- The Duet version of the game added a bunch of friendship scenes between her and Ange, it's so sweet. She strikes a good balance between being a laughably haughty oujosama and a genuinely good friend. I haven't read Fushigi Yuugi before, although it's always been in my peripheral....maybe it's time to start.... Fem isekai like 12 Kingdoms and Escaflowne have always been a weakness of mine, so it's sure to be good. Your videos are always lovely, keep up the good work!

[@ixfalia]

I feel like after you've highlighted the characteristics of the shoujo Isekai and their lineage, I feel comfortable putting two Disney Animation shows that really appear to draw inspiration from them, Amphibia and The Owl House. In particular, once the plot for Amphibia really starts building, you begin to see it's ultimately about friends turned enemies turned friends. The end of Amphibia is so excellent in particular in highlighting the themes of changing friendships. The way each friend was pushed into a different part of Amphibia which changed their perspectives about how they engaged with the world they fell into, which then led them to conflict. I remember seeing this dynamic and thinking it reminded me of Fushigi Yuugi.

[@claire8762]

YESSS thanks for the awesome vid!! I had no idea the bones of the isekai genre started back that far! This was very informative and interesting, would love some more "history of" type videos in the future

[@bingo13tgif]

Fushigi Yugi will forever have a place in my heart! Truly a one of a kind that I never get tired of. (Suboshi and Nakago were my ultimate favorite characters of the series) I hope Yuu Watase continues her new Fushigi Yugi series with suzuno!

[@saotiago]

7:09 i immediately yelled "a BOMB?" right before you drew attention to this fact. amazing writing and editing on this video btw.

[@christopherlundgren1700]

Fushigi Yugi and Escaflowne were two of my favorite anime series in the 90s. And Escaflowne has the best surprise-out-of-left-field antagonist of all time.

[@forestlin3697]

Girl! GIRRRRRRRL! You saved me so much trouble looking for this movie. "Page master." Thank you! I could never remember the name for years!

[@ColleensMangaRecs]

It was my CHILDHOOD!!! Glad I could remind you. I hate that feeling of being unable to remember what something is.

[@eeveeinspace]

From Far Away is my favorite manga series of all time, it's so nice to see it getting recognition like this since it's so unknown to a lot of English anime/manga fans 🥰Wish I had known about the shop when it was open so that I could've looked into finding a proxy buyer for the anniversary merch 😭

[@nushrathumaira2257]

A different kind of Shoujo Isekai( it’s more Shounen mecha to me) that I loved back in 2007 was Eskaflowne. The universe and politics were quite complex. I am still not over the ending. But why I say it’s different because it can be interpreted in different ways. It’s quite possible that Hitomi imagined the whole thing to escape from her severe depression. Regardless Von and Hitomi are one of best couple ever created.

[@nyankonii]

that’s actually a shonen

[@katiehogan8196]

Is there another word for the demographic being gender neutral? Because I also totally love Escaflowne and genuinely feel like it has something for everyone. There are aspects that would appeal to feminine and masculine ideals in my opinion.

[@altoidsours]

@@marcosdheleno It's funny because back in the day Fox Kids (of all people) decided to pick Escaflowne up and decided it was TOO GIRLY because of Hitomi and the romance aspects. So they tried to cut all that out including the entire first ep. Eventually they just gave up and dropped the series.

[@blueegg4198]

@@katiehogan8196 Based off the Wikipedia article, Escaflowne started development as a shōnen series, but was then altered to incorporate more shōjo elements. That would explain how it straddles that divide.

[@arlekino0792]

Politics weren't that complex at all for me XD

[@JC-ny9go]

Love seeing From Far Away referenced! I just found out about it this year and really liked its take on a normal person trying to navigate a truly unfamiliar world

[@icicleprism4870]

Oh wow, I was wondering what sparked this whole Villainess thing ever since I started reading Hamefura and I Favor the Villainess! I'd heard of Fushigi Yugi, but now am going to totally check it out just to see more of how it influenced this subgenre! Great video, as always~

[@IWannaBeAnArtistToo]

This is amazing, The 6 degrees of Fushihi Yugi is just amazingly interesting- great Shojo history!

[@nosuperwoman79]

Another great video, Colleen! Fushigi Yuugi does hold a special place in my heart as it was definitely one of the first anime I can remember really getting into when I was in college.

[@chillynight201]

It was super interesting! I had no idea where the "villainess reincarnated in otome game" genre came from. I don't know if it counts as a "shojo isekai" since it's not a manga, but the "Twelve Kingdoms" (Juuni Kokuki) first two novels are my favorite isekai story by far, I wish the anime adaptation had been more faithful...

[@fruitpunchsamurai4837]

I always thought that the novels got even better as the series went on (especially the two short story commections and the 4th novel). It's a shame they never got an official eng translation, but I read a fan translation that was extremely well-written and poetic

[@JediMB]

I love My Next Life as a Villainess (in great part for its (reverse?) chaotic bi harem energy), so I'm very thankful for the convoluted journey the Isekai genre has gone through to get there.

[@lizard6576]

From Far Away is my absolute favorite manga - so glad you covered it in this video!

[@cherriegetison6093]

My issue with reincarnation into other characters is that it removes a lot of the potential for deep connections. When a person is reincarnated into a character with a tragic family life, it doesn't really feel like that character had to deal with that tragedy, because they have another life with presumably okay parents (just okay enough to never be brought up) to anchor their emotional stability to. And it's not compelling to watch the original character's loved ones get fully duped by a bodyswapper. A lot of manhwa now does still use the villainess bodyswap trope, but it's often unnecessary for the story being told, to the point where I wonder if an editor requested it to be slipped in, or an author thought it was good bait. I hope the trend does settle down, at least for stories where it can easily be written out. To be fair, a lot of villainess reincarnation is about remembering their past life, but from then on, the new villainess will talk about the original villainess as another person they replaced. I'm surprised villainess stories are rarely about a villainess improving themselves (e.g. redoing things themselves, or seeing a bad future), especially when a lot of the normal modern-day girls who replace the villainess usually have a moment where they go "now I see how the villainess must have felt!" While I feel like the premise for a lot of these are, "I could fix this author's terrible writing with my body", a lot of them end up also giving off an "I could do better than the villainess" vibe.

[@bridgettelair370]

I recommend Kill the Villainess or The One Within the Villainess for you then.

[@cherriegetison6093]

@@bridgettelair370 I'm really interested! Thank you! 😊

[@julesdrey7415]

I Was Reincarnated Into a Reverse Harem Game and The Tyrant Empress are other ones you should check out. In both the mc has to deal with the consequences of the terrible actions the original person did, and try to shape the opinion of those around them for the better. The second one even has a twist to it according to the spoilers I read.

[@sweetnova3084]

I really do not like reincarnation trope because I think it is creepy for these characters to take over another person body and have no problem with it.

[@npcimknot958]

@@julesdrey7415 but the problem is, people that go into these new isekai aren't themselves. there is still a story set path even if it's fixing someone else's mistakes.. there's no more fish out of water story

[@xgremlynnx]

thank you for mentioning inuyasha & fushigi yuugi!! two of my favorites and definitely a part of the conversation surrounding isekai.

[@Kiramay]

"Please mention From Far Away, please mention From Far Away... YEEEES. YES." This series does not get enough love and the fact that it does not have an anime is a CRIME. I would crowd fund one right now. So fantastic.

[@shineefeels]

Oh thank you. I grew up on those old series and wondered how tf we ended up with modern isekai. I will say for anyone not familiar with older works, two notable older isekai not mentioned were Escaflowne (1994/1996 - the anime at least felt very shoujo to me) & Twelve Kingdoms (1992 - only 6 months after the first chapter of Fushigi Yugi).

[@losfrail6142]

This video was great! Thank you so much for posting this ^-^

[@campilove]

I'm early yayyyy! Love you Colleen, thanks to your vids I started reading shoujo and I'm so happy I did!

[@Vanbedda]

That skit at the beginning had me cracking up! I love your sense of humor!

[@xLoLRaven]

Wooo! "Familiar of Zero" callout! I loved that series, it's the PERFECT setup for crossover fanfiction. And "My Next Life as a Villainess" is equally as fun. Great job on breaking down the history of this trope. It was interesting to see where a lot of it pulled from.... I knew about "Fushigi Yugi" and "Inuyasha", but a lot of the older series are ones I haven't heard of before.

[@Chihaya13]

You have become one of my favorite KZbinr’s.

[@cynthiasmith2685]

Have you heard of Ascendance of a Bookworm? A nice twist on the Isekai shojou genre. A book lover is reborn in a medieval setting to a poor family, she is a 5 year old sickly child when she starts our, and is so desperate for books she slowly starts to figure out how to create a literate, book-filled society.

[@sadoldguy4380]

I have been absolutely obsessed with bookworm this year, so thank you for suggesting it. The main character is sickly but has an absolutely insane amount of will and learns to truly care for others. The manga adaptation lets the story breathe a bit compared to the light novels but this means that the English version so far has not finished part two, which is really just the prologue. I will note that some people find the main character to be a whiny brat who does not realize how much danger she attracts and the ever increasing burdens she places on others. To me that is one of the points of the story, just how much willful ignorance of societal norms it takes to accomplish everything she does in the story.

[@sadoldguy4380]

I also need to mention that the cast goes from one sick little girl to hundreds of named characters; this goes from humble beginnings to a truly Epic saga. I DID say that I was obsessed.

[@pomaranczowaszarlotka]

Yes! It's a great series

[@Bruhbruhbruhruhruh]

The light novel is insane. I just wished it stayed to its roots. Dont get me wrong. It's an amazing series but spoiler: (further below) but besides that, the LN is a very good fantasy story. The peeps from act 1 will be irrelevant as the series progress. Like seriously so. Nitpick, but i just wished they didnt do my yellow hair boy dirty.

[@natasagajic1061]

Kanata Kara is so good! You are the first person that I have seen talk about it! I stumbled upon it years and years ago (tho I don't think I ever finished it 🤔) I remember thinking - this is kinda like Fushigi Yugi, but better! I found the protagonist of KK to be really likeable and enjoyed seeing her grow, while the protagonist of FY... I found her to be such an insufferable brat that I dropped the series pretty early on, even tho I liked the premise 😂 And my next life as a villainess is just pure fun, tbh! 😁

[@jenniferstudent5258]

would Winx Club be technically a shoujo isekai? Bloom being the chosen one and going to another dimension with magic, when in earth she was the outcast?

[@valhatan3907]

More like mahou shoujo

[@chiar8476]

hmm since shes not exactly "cut off" frm gardenia or "transported" to the magic world, i wouldnt count it as one. similar to harry potter still having access to the muggle world

[@katarinaclaes96]

Amazing video as always keep up the great work 😁

[@SanaTT]

let's go!!! I'm ready for the tea. also that intro sketch is adorable!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@Asdfghjkl-ee3zw]

To zoom in on the Otome Isekai Reincarnation manwha trends even further: it started with the MC being the heroine of the story. Then once that reached critical mass, the trend was subverted by making the MC a side character or second love interest or the secret Saintess/Heroine who didn't know it yet. After that too gained popularity, then came the best subversion: the MC as the villainess trope. And there's so much flexibility within that too: sometimes the original heroine becomes the villain, or was a white lotus all along, a second reincarnator, sometimes the villainess goes for a revenge plot, and sometimes, like in the case of Catarina Claes, the villainess just wants a second chance at a happy life or to avoid the plot altogether. We've really reached a golden hour in the trend with so many confirmed English official releases and even some confirmed anime! It makes you wonder what's next from here. Thank you so much, Colleen, for talking about a genre of shoujo that's captured my heart!

[@heyitslilah447]

I saw Fushigi Yuugi on the thumbnail and i immediately clicked. One of the very rare anime’s I actually re-watched 3 times! Yes, the world building was amazing and the reverse harem was such a much welcomed change from the anime’s of Tenchi Muyo (don’t get me wrong I loved that series as a tween) but that anime and all the spin offs?? I’m not surprised they inspired so much

[@tartagliasjigglydworshipper]

my favorite Isekai shojou manga is Fushigi Yuugi-Genbu Kaiden. the protagonist, Takiko Okuda, is a strong main lady but doesn't come off as a "Twitter Feminist girl boss". i like her story a lot. she's not an ordinary damsel in distress. and the men in the manga are allowed to show emotions without being made fun because of their expressiveness. it's a lot better than the OG Fushigi Yuugi with Miaka

[@Robin-qn4vv]

now it all makes sense!!! thank you!!!! also, I love your hair color

[@brettscho]

Obviously there are too many shoujo isekai to mention them all, but I was sad that Juuni Kokuki (The Twelve Kingdoms) didn't get discussed. Such an amazing series!

[@vpendr684]

I never thought I'd ever see someone talk about Kanata kara in a youtube video. this just made my day!

[@moominkomet]

Ah yes, the Fushigi Yugi days. I barely remember them because it was soooo long ago. At the time I was also into Escaflowne and Utena….. it’s all mixed up in there… somewhere in my head.

[@codename_yume]

This video introduced me to From Far Away and i am infinitely grateful for that, that manga was absolutely amazing, thank you so much!!!! On the other hand, now i'm on a desperate journey to find and read more like it xd The first one i found was Red River, which while had much more cliches and wasn't an immediate 10/10 like From Far Away was, i still liked it a lot and gave it 8/10. Now i found this manga called Ouke no Monshou and man is that manga a trip, holy hell. The best way to describe it up to the point i read it(62 ch) is very entertaining trash, i give it guilty pleasure/10 lmao If anyone knows more manga like these, please please recommend them, i NEED more😭 I read SO MUCH modern shoujo isekai manga/manhwa that i'm almost sick of the same tropes over and over and these manga are such a breath of fresh air, seriously😭❤

[@batgirl052009ify]

Try Namidaame to Serenade

[@codename_yume]

@@batgirl052009ify Hi, thank you for the recommendation, i will check it out for sure!😄

[@bluejeans]

Great job summarizing how we got to Villainess at the end. I also highly recommend: The Twelve Kingdoms (Juuni Kokki) if you like fantasy Isekai which is very much like From Far Away. Great character growth and world building. Frustrating ending to the anime though.

[@alicat3156]

Oh wow! You just gave me a blast from the past that I completely forgot about with The Pagemaster! Amazing analysis as always!! Your content is always so fun and interesting. ❤

[@lupeylycan]

hope you're having a good one, colleen :~) thanks for the content! also getting isekai'd into a youtube channel sounds like the single scariest thing

[@rowanwax]

I will never watch one of her videos the same way again. It's cannon.

[@rowanwax]

😂

[@100grinjeibakterije]

I just have to come here and say I absolutely adore your videos. They are so interesting, well made, funny and informative. I'm so glad I came across your channel. Hope you keep growing and making amazing videos. ♥️🥰

[@EnzymaticCatalysis]

This is such a good video, if someone was making a comprehensive history of all isekai media, this would be a good cornerstone for sure

[@ElleDLC]

I just wanna say that I genuinely enjoy your jokes Colleen 😂They are the sprinkles to each of your videos and I appreciate them

[@maryam.m]

The fact that Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto Ikite Orimasu (I will live with humility and dependability as my motto) seems to be on permanent hiatus is truly one of the most tragic things to happen to the modern era of web novels and comics. It set the standard, and I rarely stumble across a villainess work that can come close to it. I hope one day the author returns so that the story can find its proper closure.

[@cjqueen]

Another great episode. I just love your channel. Isekai is one of my favorite genres.

[@almightteacheratua8640]

Thanks for the awesome video! I’ve been really enjoying shoujo isekais, especially in the manhwa side. It’s really fun for me to see female characters growing and changing in the new world they’re a part of. The main critiques I have of modern shoujo isekai is that they’re usually straight, white female leads and the ML rescuing the damsel in distress a lot. On the positive I see many more healthy romantic relationships, FL using their past knowledge (not just about the world) to help their situation, and befriending other women more rather than being enemies.

[@yanstein8464]

ah, yes, the famous white japanese people, always putting white japanese protagonists there's bl and gl isekai, if you prefer queer protagonists, shoujo is predominantly straight romance, and that's by design

[@chiar8476]

bruh

[@PinkGrapefruit22]

Oh, man. Fushigi Yuugi was my Obsession in middle and high school. My fave was Hotohori. I really wanted him and Nuriko to be able to live happily ever after...

[@Arcad1010]

Lmao the song is nice too 🤣

[@69hikikomori]

When did the production quality for this become so good hahaha when I clicked on this video I was like from far away from far away and boom (lol). I mostly only read seinen but it’s awesome

[@PumpkinJamJam]

As I’m not super familiar with Angélique as opposed to other otome games, I was always kind of confused by the “villainess” trope. I’ve played a good amount of Otome and you really don’t see major female villains that often. It’s cool to see the trope’s origin - and realize that I should really read fushigi yugi :0

[@amiarinayl]

As a teen I loved Fushigi Yuugi and it was one of my first manga series, I've read. I've always been intrigued by isekai/transported into another world series, some of which I don't remember the titles of, but when it comes to anime, Digimon comes to mind. That said the male-led otaku power fantasies are generally not my thing. There is always something missing and they feel like copyofcopyofcopyofcopyofpopularseries.jpg. There are a few exceptions. However shoujo isekai always feels interesting to me, even if they reuse tropes like the male-led ones. They kind of...always seem to have higher stakes since they rarely use the cheat power trope (and if they do, it never turns works the way they want), or if they're comedy, they're generally funnier, because they dare to make fun of their protagonist. Anyway, I was surprised to see I live with humility... as one of the progenitors of the modern shoujo isekai. I remember reading that story a few years ago, until the translations stopped and I found out a few years later, the author is on hiatus, sadly. I can absolutely understand the popularity of this series, as it really hooked me and was beyond hilarious and fun. Reika-sama is one of the dumbest amazing characters and I can clearly see, how Katarina from Hamefura was inspired by her. I still hope the story will continue and be finished one day.

[@amiarinayl]

@@marcosdheleno oh, I do know of MKR, read that almost 15 years ago. But yeah I feel you on the harem. I just can't stand that. An people always talk down on reverse harem, when they usually aren't really reverse harem (as in they are all in love with the girl) most of the time just a bunch of pretty dudes but there is only one of them who is actually really into the girl and vice versa. Meanwhile in harem shows they all want into this boring dudes pants for now reason and there is always a sister involved (she may or may not be blood related)

[@Ivyrin-77]

I would be really interested if you ever decide to cover some manwha/manhua shoujos isekais. They are gaining popularity and slowly but surely getting physical releases even overseas, hell, "Why Raeliana ended up at the Duke’s mansion" is getting an anime soon! Though I’d say that "Who made me a princess?" and "Villains are destined to die" are definitely fan favorites.

[@mariii6021]

Wmmap is getting an adaption too

[@AyAReI00]

Is villians destineted to die getting an adaptacion ?

[@pkmnlvr11]

Learning this history really makes "The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs" make a lot more sense- the protag is a reincarnated man who enters the world of an otome game his sister made him play. He meets the game's female protagonist and her rival, as well as the boys the protagonist could romance in her harem. Of course, since he knows the story of the game he messes everything up. But it's cool seeing one of the "origins" of the isekai genre act as a work's setting! Great vid!

[@Orangewillowtree_02]

Edit: Tamahome is getting a Nendroid. That means a possible Nuriko Nendroid. LET'S GOOOOO! Fushigi Yuugi also celebrated its 30th anniversary, where shops were put up and a new oneshot was made featuring the original cast. I love this series and it will forever be in my heart. :>

[@TheRikulen39]

I'm loving the starkid content that you slip it in this video. Always love your content, keep it up ^^

[@spacemonkey7972]

Cant wait for the "content creator isekai" genre to start

[@ColleensMangaRecs]

Honestly 😤

[@hih2430]

i see the budget and production are evolving good for you :>

[@themissingsock2437]

Beginning; hilarious. Lonely Island reference; Hilarious. Also, it's fun learning the history of all of this. I actually have picked up liking shojo manga more, so I appreciate your vids a LOT, as I only know a lot about the history of a different genre of manga.

[@natashatuskovichcoworking]

Thank you for this detailed breakdown!!

[@astoldb]

I'm trying to find the words to express my feelings regarding the topic. I've thought about this a lot in the past and it's just so so interesting to me. Older isekai often involve conversations of someone being fated and responsibility thrust onto the protagonist and she has to navigate living in this new world with this new culture. This is not about starting over again but is often a coming of age story where she finds herself and also comes to accept and own her power. It's this adventure story that is usually coupled with both romance and friendship and is not so much about 'gaining power when you feel useless' but becoming someone worthy of wielding that power. Also I don't really know how to articulate it but it also goes hand in hand with the rise of magical girls in that era. And modern isekai now is a lot about agency I feel. Like the villainess is trying to escape her fate of death! She refuses to bow down to the path written down for her, she refuses to let these characters drag her into a life she doesn't want. She wants her own life! She wants simplicity and a future! It's not about obtaining magical power so much about obtaining power over your own self. I think most of these isekai have a wider age range and is not a coming of age in the same way it is for teenagers but like navigating through adulthood. Like a lot of these stories don't talk about their past lives as much, they mourn the life they had but they're more focused on the present and their future whereas a lot of older isekai, you do see a lot of homesickness I feel? Which makes sense especially with the younger protagonists. It's just SO FASCINATING how the narratives and themes have changed over the years. Both are still relevant and have some wonderful stories, but what is connecting with the readers and authors today are really different. Like male isekai is just...not the same and the implications and storytelling themes are just so different.

[@minniethriver]

Now it makes even more sense why I became such an avid otome gamer, haha! Fushigi Yuugi was my favourite manga during my teenage years (despite some annoying parts of the "will they/won't they" love triangle and the last few volumes lol). I was rather confused by the development of the genre in recent years as neither the villainess nor the sword art online stuff clicked with me this far. On the other hand I loved the FY successor Genbu Kaiden and can't wait for Byakko Senki (I also liked Arata Kangatari, a shonen Isekai but with shojo influences. Watase grew into a really good mangaka). Also, for lovers of older isekais I can reccomend Dream Saga by Megumi Tachikawa. The protag is reeeally young, tbh I have to overlook her age as I found it just ridiculous. But as a whole it's such a magical and heartwarming series and one of my fave manga of all times.

[@sybillelegitime4709]

That intro is CINEMA 🎥 ❤

[@ruieito]

Gosh I really needed someone to talk about their love for Fushigi Yugi. Such a beautiful story.😌 I’m so happy you made this video now I have other manga to read similar to Fushigi Yugi. (The search has been treacherous)😂 Thank you Coleen!🥰

[@taeyongcomeback]

Another wonderful video!!! I love your content and I love the discussions you foster! Thank you! Regarding modern villainess manhwa/manga: I spend a lot of time in otome game communities, (namely the subreddit) and we see a lot of posts of people going "I tried playing otome because I read an otome villainess reincarnation story and it seemed fun, but... Where are the villainesses? This isn't what I wanted.." Because the otome games created in these isekai manhwa are generally not an accurate depiction of the genre at all. You really don't see villainesses - specifically female love rivals - very much in modern otome games. Which I'm very thankful for tbh. Otome is about escapism; The reverse-harem, everyone-is-attracted-to-you situation because hey -- women deserve a little power fantasy too. So many otome reincarnation manhwa games have these "Oh ho ho!" laugh villainesses whose only goal is to make the MC miserable and prevent her from finding love. Which - don't get me wrong, freaking CAMP - I adore them, but are extremely one-dimensional in reality. The trope is tired! I'd rather have girl friends than girl enemies!! I love otome games so much. So many great female friends (that you don't get to romance in any capacity 😭)