The Genre to Replace Isekai - Video Essay

[@quillina]

This low fantasy trend already seems to be super popular with (korean) webtoons, it feels like most of them were inspired or share elements with "Solo-Leveling" but some also mix with isekai und reincarnation elements. Some are quite enjoyable but ive seen them pop up more frequently about 2-3 years ago so im kinda burned out by those concepts already...

[@fayitsa622]

YEA like also omniscient reader,another one that the guy beat the tower...over and over again

[@jasdanvm3845]

This, I have seem then everywhere as webtoons.

[@copyshark2093]

Yea on webtoon low fantasy is everywhere Omniscient reader Lone necromancer Max level newbie Return to player Mythic item obtained I was the final boss Hand jumper (kinda)

[@youtubearmy_bg8265]

Y'all should try SSS class suicide hunter

[@zillva]

For the hype it got, I was extremely disappointed by Solo Leveling.. It honestly offered nothing except for good art

[@dalamusulom6660]

Honestly just insulted that "Low Fantasy" is actually the "Dungeons in the real world" genre a lot of Korean authors have been going absolutely apeshit making, instead of actual low fantasy.

[@holysword876]

I swear this 'mobile game UI appearing in real life at the same time dungeons appear on the world trope' has been going apeshit for a while now. I suppose if people dont read manhwas they might not have much exposure to it outside of maybe hearing about solo levelling, but before I realised this I was genuinely confused how this is the next big thing as it seemed to be the last big thing soon to be replaced by something actually new.

[@Folker46590]

The only one I know of is Dungeon Busters. It was fun at first but by the third volume I was sick of it. Showing how the MC found the dungeon in his backyard, how he hid it (at first), and exploited it was kind of interesting. It made you wonder what you would do in his shoes. But then it dived into BS!! You find out all country's names are changed, that American's and Korea's are all idiots (racism), and only the Japanese can save the world (again, racism). Are there other, better, dungeons in the modern world light novels?

[@Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman]

​@@Folker46590 lol

[@Thrano]

I can kind of see the connection between low fantasy and this, but it's a little far-fetched and only *technically* accurate.

[@mgntstr]

he gets an F for confusing "we where all living in a simulation" / system apocalypse genre with Low Fantasy.

[@ARDIZsq]

Me: "Low Fantasy sounds kinda weird, bringing fantasy elements to the real world. It's like a reverse-Isekai." Also Me: *slowly realizing one of my web novels is basically that same thing...*

[@deathy8412]

Lmao, Low Fantasy is just such a different way to say it that I didn't even realized that I was reading so much of it already

[@mayayamato7351]

all shall be consumed by the isekai. inshallah

[@BioGoji-zm5ph]

What's strange is when you realize that this concept already was done in one of the earliest Isekai anime ever made, Aura Battler Dunbine, which had the fantasy world start merging with the real world partway through the series.

[@Loki-qo2kb]

except low fantasy is trash for a very simple reason: It lacks escapism and world building that even isekai has. Basically boring, bureocratic broken world but with dungeons and climate change

[@BioGoji-zm5ph]

@@Loki-qo2kb I think that's a rather unfair assessment. Every genre has its benefits and detractors.

[@helloyes2288]

Low fantasy typically means settings like Berserk where it's a mostly normal fantasy medieval setting where most people never encounter anything supernatural. What you are describing is the new genre called LitRPG where a story has elements of a roleplaying game... which has already basically taken over isekai.

[@MerlinCross13]

Basically yeah.

[@justanotherwitposter1875]

Yeah, it's weird to use a genre name for something that already exists to describe a completely different thing. From the couple episodes of solo levelling that are out, seems like it's just reverse isekai

[@Mothgoth1]

Beserk is low magic not low fantasy. A quick google search on the definition of "low fantasy" may help clear up your confusion.

[@jjhh320]

At least when it comes to books, I always thought Low Fantasy referred to fantasy but with less magic and fantastical elements -- like early Game of Thrones, where the focus was on fictional kingdoms and their heroes. What you've described is more like Urban Fantasy, where fantastical elements take place in our real, modern world.

[@kamikaze5528]

I see what you mean, but that distinction is a western thing, the genres' definitions are all weird when you translate from such different cultures. On the other hand, I've seen westerners that are not well versed in anime call isekai as "portal fantasy" (think of the Narnia books). You can see where they're coming from, but that definition is not quite right.

[@SoundDarkness13]

low fantasy is a bit more broad than it is defined as in the video. Low fantasy is a low amount of fantasy in an otherwise normal world, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is our real world. It could be, like you said, like game of thrones which is for the most part a normal world with few fantastical aspects. On the other hand you have something like LotR, with hobbits, elves, dwarves and dragons, which is definitively high-fantasy. This trend of portals/dungeons appearing would be an urban setting mid-low fantasy, and if you want, you can add in that they are often high-magic as well

[@TheLegendsmith]

Yes, you're right.

[@ultimaxkom8728]

@@kamikaze5528 Western? You're drunk. The distinction is in the name. Urban, medieval, low, high, etc + fantasy. The only one shown denoting the modern world is the 1st one.

[@kamikaze5528]

@@ultimaxkom8728 In the west, yes. In Japan the genres are different. And I wish I was drunk, at least then I wouldn't have to read what you wrote.

[@Layarion]

bro the Shadowrun book series already beat you guys to the punch with this, only difference is it's in a more distant future and corporations are stronger.

[@TMek42]

The Villainess genre is truly what's rising, we're getting two more next season too.

[@StellaEFZ]

Preach! Villainess genre is the fucking best

[@sheepler3301]

I never understood how people could read all these generic isekai manga that are pretty much all the same until I discovered otome isekai/villainess manga it's like injecting heroin into my eyes I can't stop

[@ulforcemegamon3094]

@@sheepler3301 same lol

[@mallardofmodernia8092]

@@sheepler3301 only into your eyes? Not your ears too?

[@bjorn4266]

Sometimes I forget people have their own preference... Not to say the gene is bad, always found it as just a reverse sub genre of the otome isekai genre though. Romance in those animes and light novels isn't alway that good to me either... Neither do i like animes with girls as the mc, mostsly cus I can't relate to them and a lot of the time I find them annoying. Maybe I'm not finding the right ones though, any suggestions?

[@alkeryn1700]

on point, especially now that we have solo leveling.

[@jamesgreene6113]

5:14 you just described Korean most web novels. My two favourites of which are Solo Leveling and Omniscient Reader’s viewpoint.

[@allan710]

And I heard Omniscient will get an adaptation soon

[@allan710]

World after the fall by the same author is good.

[@epicgaming7813]

In my experience from Korean Manwha not web novels, most of that genre is like solo leveling but worse Except ORV is different

[@Jadez1207]

Omniscient Reader is an S+ tier comic

[@zekenio3824]

​@@epicgaming7813not really, you've probably just read the bad ones like "The Gamer" or something. Try something like SSS-Class Suicide Hunter (I know the name makes it sound bad but its definitely up there with ORV for me

[@diseasel_7800]

Good video essay, you have potential for isekai MC growth

[@ggdionne]

I think isekai is so popular because it has so much value to beginner and practiced writers alike. To me, traditional high fantasy would follow a character born and raised in a different world, Tolkienesque. Comparatively, writing a character from our world who is transported to another is a lot easier, because the author can write the story from their perspective. The ignorance of the protagonist also helps to make the stories relatable, easy to understand, and smooth to develop, as an author could note only the most relevant details, and go deeper as both the reader and the protagonist get familiar with the world, together. The ways in which a protagonist would react to their new world is a great opportunity for character development, both for the protagonist, and for other characters who may pity or prey upon their ignorance. Isekai is very flexible from a narrative perspective too, as there isn't any limit to the type of world in which the character can be reborn. Fantasy? Scifi? Apocalyptic? Steampunk? Lovecraftian? Or what about hobbies? Reincarnated into a video game. Reincarnated as a pirate. Reincarnated in the stone age. Etc, etc, etc. To authors who want to tell a narrative or explore fantastical worlds, I think isekai may slow down, but I also believe it has established a type of permanence due to its strengths as a method of story telling.

[@nullmojo7483]

Isekai is Trash. period.

[@nick-name2k16]

This analysis is a masterpiece. Couldn't have said it any better.

[@jasdanvm3845]

@@nullmojo7483 The fact that a lot of stories are powertrip fantasies without much to tell doesn't make the format bad.

[@animeturnMMD]

"Isekai" has always existed, back in the 80's and 90's, there were a lot of movies about a dude or a child transported to a magical-medieval world, I remember one which was super popular about a guy who kills zombies with a Shotgun in exagerated ways (my dad loved those movies). Until the market was so saturated of low quality "Isekai" movies that people just stop caring about it, even ficking Star Trek has a lot of Isekai like chapters. I think this fantasy subgenre will always exist and will always surge again in one way or another.

[@ThatRandomDude204]

@@animeturnMMD Evil Dead was the movie you're talking about they even have a game about it now

[@mikari0YT]

When you said "battle school harem anime" it made me remember everything from 5000 years ago

[@piotrkozio1554]

Shout-out to everyone working at Asura Scans for letting us enjoy great quality scanlations of the "low fantasy" manhwas ❤

[@Nacho.999.]

pretty sure sites like asurascans reaperscans and flamescans actually steal most of their scanlations but at least it's easely accessible

[@piotrkozio1554]

@@Nacho.999. if that's the case then shout-out to all the scanlators who get their hard work stolen!

[@cryptic_z1198]

@@Nacho.999. I can assure you that asurascans and flamescans dont steal any of their work, as far as my knowledge goes atleast

[@meathir4921]

@@Nacho.999.They don’t, that’s kind of rude lol. Aggregate sites are the ones that steal their scans.

[@the_mad_fool]

@@Nacho.999. They don't, those are first party scanlators who do their own scanlation.

[@puperman4208]

So you're telling me it loops back around to being the same thing

[@bobskywalker2707]

When I saw that "low fantasy" was gonna be the next big thing in manga and anime, ngl, I got a bit excited since it's one of my favorite genres. Unfortunately I was thinking of western low fantasy, basically something like A Song of Ice and Fire, a fantasy world that's more grounded and less magic focused. Don't even know why this is called low fantasy since it's literally just a JRPG but it's in the modern world.

[@darkbringer1440]

What you're describing isn't "Western" low fantasy, it's low fantasy as (correctly) defined by those who create and consume fantasy. The definition he gave is a faulty one from those outside our circles. He's using a (completely useless) definition that delineates between a primary and secondary world based solely on perspective. EG. Living on Earth 0 = Low Fantasy, Going to an identical Earth 01 = High Fantasy even if the story told is for all intents and purposes the same.

[@Salt_Meister]

​@@darkbringer1440That's just blatantly false. The definition of high fantasy is a fictional story that takes place in a setting other than Earth. In contrast low fantasy is a fictional story that can have any number of fantastical elements, but still takes place in a real world location. Even within literary circles these definitions are used.

[@darkbringer1440]

@salty7469 I didn't say "literary circles" I said "our circles" referring to the majority of those who create and consume fantasy. The group you're referring to are effectively normies with no authority to define something with their poorly delineated "definition".

[@gypsyofthebard]

To be honest I was confused by the “low fantasy” tagline as well, as normally I refer to the specific genre as Reverse Isekai

[@justinbeath5169]

​@@darkbringer1440 low fantasy is a setting with magic and other fantasy tropes, but mostly has those in the background while the focus is on more mundane medieval or sword and sandal events. Fantasy that takes place in a real setting is magical realism or urban fantasy, depending on the time period

[@ijfishy7444]

low fantasy is litterally every single action manhwa

[@floatingfroggy]

If you want to see a good example of low fantasy anime, check out Monster Musume, in which monsters live with a normal human guy in an otherwise normal society. Edit: Thanks for 70+ likes! Apparently it's a pretty beloved anime series. Of course, I've probably gotten a good deal of dislikes, but that's okay. Not everyone is a person of culture, you know!

[@based980]

no

[@floatingfroggy]

@@based980 Why not? Is it too weird?

[@based980]

yes@@floatingfroggy

[@itsblitz4437]

Not a bad anime.

[@floatingfroggy]

@@itsblitz4437 I should watch it.

[@royaljunior2125]

you mean the genre i've been in love with for the past few months has been called low fantasy? nice to finally put a name to it

[@eloohag]

I've been kinda wondering about this exact thing myself, seeing stuff like the vending machine isekai pop up nowadays and thinking that the genre feels kinda worn out and can't possibly go on forever like this. Thanks for the insight and the laughs!

[@whome9842]

Handyman is pretty good. The guy get no super powers or even an enhanced body. He is a regular dude with normal skills making do in a world with wizards and monsters. So he fixes equipment, lock-pick chests, tell the rest of the spell to the high level wizard because he gone senile and keeps forgetting the words from the chant, etc. The people in the fantasy world are not morons who need the mc to tell them how to use spices or to not shit in the water they drink and even when he had the chance of having a dwarf make a gun he ended up choosing not to because it could make child soldiers viable

[@graphite7898]

I also thought Vending machine isekai was gonna be pretty bad but I have been honestly shocked by just how stupidly creative it is, it's not just a gimmick but a wacky story idea that the author takes to the extreme. It's super dumb but weirdly thought out.

[@dreading_bread5062]

​@@graphite7898one thing it bugs me the most is when he could gain 1 wish if they could get all the coins and go into final dungeon to use the wish he thought of returning into human would make him a useless person again but not thinking about getting a wish to speak normally while still being vending machine

[@graphite7898]

@@dreading_bread5062 Everything regarding that wish also annoyed me to no end, maybe this is a stretch but couldn't Boxxo wish for the ability to just transform back and forth from human to vending machine? Seems like the best middle ground to me. Even if somehow he couldn't do that why doesn't he just as you be able to talk? Really does seem like the author didn't quite think that part through in time and realized that logically Boxxo would be at least somewhat normal again so they had to come up with something on the spot to avoid going down that route.

[@Lilith_Harbinger]

I just want to go back to "normal" fantasy, where the protagonist is not from another world and it's not a video game with menus and skills. Those aspects usually add nothing to the story, they only exist to be similar to popular titles or help the writer explaining the world (in the most cheap and boring way possible).

[@asterion5145]

This is definitely something I've noticed as a guy who reads a lot of translated webnovels since they're usually free Less and less are about Isekai, but rather the normal world with a 'magic twist', ex:Chainsaw Man and Omniscient Viewpoint, which are definitely Low Fantasy-esque.

[@princen632]

Bro just nonchalantly spoiled the future

[@sadorangejuice358]

Ur underrated af I thought there was an k after ur sub count amazing editing

[@TWEAKLET]

4:48 this description is exactly what most korean fantasy light novels are japans got the isekai novels koreas got the modern day with dungeons and chinas got their wuxia the koreans absolutely love their dungeon crawling mixed with modern day stuff its almost all the same setting dungeons appear monsters break out humanity gets half destroyed till they get a handle on the situation and people find out they can use mana people find out they have set ranks and cant grow but somehow the mc is the only one who can

[@anegwa]

And just like isekai by your 2nd book they are all the same and theres no point in reading another (but I still do)

[@zhcultivator]

I wonder if Wuxia and XIANXIA NOVELS would replace the upcoming "Low Fantasy wave" in anime in the future hmmmm....

[@TWEAKLET]

@@zhcultivator they already make wuxia animations they are in chinese most are 8 minutes per episode

[@sicarius6501]

Looks like,Isekai has been tired of truck-kun's shenanigans and has just decided to cut him out as the middle-man

[@Leonlion0305]

After hearing the definition of Low Fantasy, first thing came to mind was Solo Leveling. It is kind of an interesting evolution: Isekai-> going to dungeons in Isekai -> go to dungeons that is like an Isekai in real life I think it is because dungeons are easier to work with for the author since they can create any type of setting they want without having to think about the world map. E.g. no need to make a plot to travel north to fight in the snow, just create a snow dungeon.

[@Vladumere]

Solo levelling is definitely not low fantasy imo, the man *SPOILERS* Literally essentially becomes the god above all in the end lmao, there is not a single thing which can threaten him. Yes the MC has to use his brain and posit solutions to problems early on, but imo low fantasy is kinda defined by the protag not being overpowered, and the world itself being more grounded in reality. There may be a system of magic or levelling, but the combat is fundamentally human in nature, and id say most low fantasy forgo having an OP protag (making OP villains and situations necessary) in exchange for having interesting and varied challenges which the protagonist solves using the tools at their disposal. Allows them to keep things grounded while improving stakes later on by creating more competent villains or higher stakes (allies in danger, etc etc) rather than simply making a bigger kaiju that the protag has to shoot down.

[@Leonlion0305]

​@@Vladumere I've read all of Solo Leveling so I know what happen in the end. The premise still doesn't change: his real world experience magical events. That's what Low Fantasy means as based on what the video defined as. Based on your definition, Goblin Slayer, Konosuba, and Grimgar would all be Low Fantasy. But they are all high fantasy, where the main setting is set in a make-believe world with its own rule.

[@Vladumere]

@@Leonlion0305 spoiler tag is for anyone else lmao. i suppose? Idk, i feel like its sorta a cop out, yes its a real world with the magic tacked on but like... Idk i associate low fantasy moreso with scale. at the very least it might start as one but half way through it doesnt feel like it anymore. And it isnt like a isekai cant be low fantasy, Tanya the Evil is a great example of that.

[@no3ironman11100]

Isekai is really perfect for beginner writers to write. You don't need any plans, you can write as you go along and make up how things work because they don't have to be established until the main character knows

[@ixyrt7096]

But the term of low fantasy used by person making this video is completly incorrect. High/medium/low fantasy is describing amount of magical/unnatural elements in the story. For example Game of Thrones qualifies as low fantasy. Solo leveling is just revere isekai

[@jonharker9028]

I was curious how a video essay could be this short, but it holds up pretty well. There are some quibbles I have - like the use of «low fantasy» to define an archetype so narrowly, rather than leaning on «intrusion fantasy» when you had it right there - but that doesn’t detract too much from the overall video, and others have already raised their concerns. Ultimately, I can’t change trends on my own, so if people abuse «low fantasy» as a misapplied term for the next decade [the same way they’ve tried to overwrite the existence of «portal fantasy» as «isekai»] then I can’t stop them. Either way: cool video, keep on refining your craft.

[@jimjimson6208]

Glad I'm not the only one mad about how people are calling this 'low fantasy' haha. I don't think that they understand how nebulous the term 'low fantasy' is and how much it encompasses. Intrusion fantasy, or even urban fantasy for many of the stories I have seen, would be more a more specific and accurate description.

[@destructor2963]

I'd argue isekai makes more sense than portal fantasy, for most isekai lack any portal between the worlds, it's more of an instant reencarnation or travel, not a "gate", isekai just means "another world", which is the entire main premise, you start at one world, and somehow travel to another one. whilst intrusion fantasy is vastly superior than low fantasy.

[@OzixiThrill]

The thing is, with isekai, the term usage made more sense; It was just the Romanized version of the roughly equivalent Japanese term. It was basically just a different word for the same thing. This, however, is using the same word to describe something radically different. Hell, by the description of it, It's incorrectly used too, as society rapidly adapts and reorganizes around the new, magical nature of the world; That is to say, it stops being low fantasy the moment you're past chapter 1. That shifts it over to either urban fantasy or high fantasy, depending on how radically the world changes.

[@TengokuEXE]

I've thought this myself. But, if you think about it, Low Fantasy getting popular definitely means were going back to Battle Harems. Think about it. Magic or fantasy elements suddenly become part of the real world. Magic schools and adventurer schools open. An mc at the school will inevitably get a harem. Now suddenly, we've gone full circle. Now the real question is, what comes after this "reverse isekai battle harem"?

[@georgeok4582]

what do you mean by "battle harem" don't most shitsekais already have the harem of OP (yet still weaker than MC) girls

[@velzard1068]

@@georgeok4582like infinite stratos or irregular highschooler or date a live, it was a huge genre in the mid 2010s based around a futuristic version of the real world

[@Bronze_Age_Sea_Person]

I don't care if isekais become harem or reverse harem or battle harem, i just wanted the mc to be at least not a dumbass regarding romance. That idiotic "will they, won't they" stupid thing is worse than western romance novels. If the author isn't comfortable with the idea of polyamory or polygamy, why not just have a single heroine? I'd rather read an isekai where the MC is gay and actively trying to romance a guy than a "will they, won't they" harem that never goes anywhere.

[@adrixshadow]

Nah. The trend will be towards Regression. You can't escape from the R's. Returner, Reincarnator, Regressor. If there is going to be a battle royale it's going to be between them.

[@rishiy6183]

Lmao those were so bad I can't wait for those to come back

[@alittleofsomething]

My man, the vending machine isekai is low key good. There's so much personality in it. Even the vending machine itself, he doesn't want to gain the ability of speech telepathically because he's scared he won't be loved or appreciated anymore. That's some layers, man.

[@adrianafamilymember6427]

Yeah, but that is sort of character and writing w/ animation making a gimmick work but if they didn’t have that work then… *flop* also I was gonna write it off but then it was interesting enough. Love the slime one.

[@breadboi420]

i also watched it and i can agree. they actually thought of funny things to incorporate the vending machine capabilities and make it interesting.

[@justsomekid5971]

Low fantasy really blew up after solo leveling, like I knew it was already popular but then suddenly boom I was seeing it posted and published all over the place, similar to how the reincarnated as a villainess anime like holy shet those things had inspired so many amazing, good, mid, bad, ugly stories

[@MasterIceyy]

Reincarnated as a villainess is a derivative of the already popular female version of Isekai, the villainess genre, it really didn't inspire that many, you're probably just unfairly attributing other creations to it, the same with solo levelling. All they did is increase the exposure of these stories which is why you see them more often, not because they inspired people to write these stories

[@justsomekid5971]

@MasterIceyy I never said they invented the genre, and just as you said, they popularised it. Sorry, I my explanation was lacking.

[@smolpener7430]

Isekai functioning properly should just be the Japanese term for "fish out of water", but they left it to the Mary Sue writers and aspies adore the fantasy of being socially competent.

[@deathy8412]

Holy, the moment you brought up the word dungeon, I had a flashback to every dungeon manga that I have read(which are a lot), and I also remembered that Solo Leveling was getting an anime adaption(manga is so good). Then, Solo Leveling was brought up in the video. Good Work on the Video Kai-kun

[@AlexanderVFX]

i think urban fantasy is a more accurate description and its already an incredibly popular genre, Superhero stories like Spiderman can easily fall into the urban fantasy genre making it the most popular movie genre in the last decade

[@allan710]

Don't forget the VMMORPG genre that is still due, and instead of a SAO-like anime, it has its roots in things like legendary moonlight sculptor. The main premise is a world with a new VMMORPG that seems super realistic, and the MC has a cheat ability inside, but he/she doesn't care and wants to make their own thing. They don't have much money at first, but find out you can use the game currency for real money. They start to get in touch with guilds etc. and get teammates that are… weird. Until at some point they become the strongest, famous offline, and the game starts to get at the end. The end may be either the game actually being reality and reality being brought upon the game (it becomes low fantasy) or the MC prevents the game from ending, and we have an open ending. Another genre is the gaming story of a hidden prodigy that wasn't very well known for some reason, but an event brings them to someone who plays the game well, and they see how good they are. Finally, this person plays and wins with progressively better opponents until they fight the ultimate opponent in an international tournament, and they either win or lose and the end. Another one (now in the romance genre) is one in which the MC gets in a contract of sorts with the MC, and they jump directly to an advanced part of their relationship (like marriage) but are still idiots. Tokinawa is one such example, but there are a lot of those out there. And there are the ones about school violence and bullying, which normally have fighting, and the MC is good at fighting, has a bad reputation but is in reality a softie that just fights when it is necessary, or a fighting addict.

[@jonathanwessner3456]

Well, we do need more Bofuri. i want to see how much more monstrous they can make the MC.

[@aceric1646]

for the second one of a gaming story of a hidden prodigy, that's basically been going on for years. there was Haikyuu obviously. but there's also stuff like the Prince of Tennis, Blue Lock, March Comes in like a Lion (kinda), Forest of Piano (also kinda), Hajime no Ippo, Saki (about mahjong), we just have yet to see anything about professional esports. which makes sense since esports aren't very popular in Japan. Don't get me wrong, GAMES are popular in japan, but japan in the esports world doesn't produce that many esports stars. That's taken up by korea and china, we can see that with how esports manhwas and manhuas are common. No-scope, King's Avatar, and Double Click for example. Japan is only famous for their fighting game pros, Apex Legends, and PUBG (for some reason).

[@jonathanwessner3456]

@@aceric1646 If you want Esports, you have to look to China, where "Kings Avatar" is a really good show. The MC is forced to retire because he is *gasp* in his 30's, so he starts playing as a "casual" and starts wiping the walls with the esports players using a class no one plays because it is "trash

[@allan710]

@@aceric1646 No-scope, King's Avatar, and Double Click are very good! The Koreans should also have webtoons on RTS games.

[@carrot708]

I mean, that genre *Was* a thing already too. .Hack, Log Horizon, Bofuri, Accel World, Okaa-san Online....and then there are anime like Overlord and Leadale that kind of blend it with Isekai

[@simoneden3665]

This is so accurate imo. Also think stories like "Gate" and "Solo Leveling" will get even more popular in the future. Really well made video in general too.

[@nerdzone]

Low Fantasy is a term that encompases way more than what you describe. Generally in fantasy High fantasy will mean fantasy story happening in its own world and Low fantasy will mean fantasy story happening in the real world. The dungeon-appearing-in-real-world genre you described fits the definition of Low fantasy but does not exhaust it. Coining a better term should happen at some point.

[@Utrilus]

Royalroad usually calls it system apocalypse. That'd be an English webfiction site. Like a pretty nice and new one of them is called apocalypse me.

[@TheVanOvanShow]

The fantasy got isekaid to Us

[@BigBex]

@@Utrilus i was thinking the same. Low fantasy is the opposite of high fantasy and in a was all system apocalypse are low fantasy but non the opposite.

[@rogueObscura]

Unless I'm mistaken, It's called urban fantasy and it's existed for a long time. Most popular urban fantasy stories like Harry Potter are usually kids' media with a "secret, magical world" trope, but anything mixing magic and modern reality fits the name. An alternative given from this very video is the term "intrusion fantasy."

[@TheVanOvanShow]

@@rogueObscura I thought urban fantasy meant black poc fantasy like urban fiction

[@throughcolouredglasses9300]

This video single handedly managed to explain Why Isekai. I never understood what it happening in anime rn, having last been into it 10-12 years ago. Everything you described about Isekai reminds me so much of the stories on fanfiction sites, the way certain AUs or tropes become so popular they get played out in every variation people can think of until they turn into parodies of their own genre. Truly fascinating to see similar structures in similar but different public online spaces.

[@dealtanace]

funny you say that, because its exactly how the genre started. Most were originally fanfics of a light novel called Familiar of a Zero (Re:Zero is the most famous one of these), but Japan banned fanfiction or smth like that, so all these fanfictions were basically rebranded as their own story and started forging their own identities

[@throughcolouredglasses9300]

@@dealtanace yooo thank you for the background knowledge, that's so cool! I didn't know Japan banned fanfic :o I assume it's about copyright?

[@dealtanace]

@@throughcolouredglasses9300 idk what it was, its been a long time since I learned this stuff. But just know when everyone calls Mushoku Tensei the "Grandfather of Isekai", its really not, in fact it was even posted on the same site that hosted all the fanfics the year it was banned.

[@dealtanace]

@hazelyhaste its just strict copyright laws, publishing and profiting from using another persons stories and characters. You forget Japan isn't a cute little country, Japan is responsible for some of the worst atrocities in the modern era.

[@dealtanace]

@hazelyhaste its a simple google search really, in 2012 they just tightened their copyright laws and it made fanfic incredibly hard to monetize

[@CaedmonOS]

If you can't go to a fantasy world just bring the fantasy world to you😂

[@Talon97]

Low fantasy is literally just Isekai by another name. It's the same thing for Puma/Panther, two names for the same wild cat. It's the exact same thing here.

[@Supermax10x]

W vid but imo isekai is my bread and butter and I dont want it to be replaced yet

[@kai-kun]

Facts king 👑. I do appreciate both genres but I’m def excited for some low fantasy stories frfr

[@revweb2765]

0:04 this whole intro could be a rap

[@corrinflakes9659]

Technically speaking, much like how high fantasy wasn’t always about Tolkien-like worlds but just any original concept world, like Avatar The Last Airbender is high fantasy but uses a mix of an east/south/SE Asian inspired setting. Low fantasy can be very diverse, it doesn’t need to be a Harry Potter clone and hypothetically it is oversaturated in Hollywood, it’s called superhero movies, especially with Dr. Strange or Thor where they don’t try to justify it with science (which means sci-fi); and the same can be said of many anime including shonen, you can’t be telling me JoJo isn’t low fantasy, especially with how it likes to call attention to real life places and its mystical events, even in the Rohan spinoff going beyond Stands and vampires.

[@wandregisel6385]

I think something like Dr. Strange has more of what you would call "supernatural" elements rather than truly "fantasy". Or else we'd have to call every show/movie with vampires fantasy. Granted, the distinctions seem quite vague.

[@aceric1646]

yeah i hate the label "low fantasy" it makes it sound like it's a lowborn, only commoners read this, elitist title. Even though I know it's not. It's like calling comic book art "low art" making it sound like a effortless mass produced trash. While paintings and sculpture are "high art" with infinite intricacy and worthy of appreciation.

[@corrinflakes9659]

@@aceric1646 it wasn’t really meant as insult. It just means how separated from convention it is. “High art” is kind of a pretentious thing to label at times as well, especially when certain really masterfully-crafted things are barred from the label because it’s fanart but mediocrity is allowed like two wires pointed perpendicular are allowed. But that isn’t what high fanfasy/low fantasy is, high fantasy authors will praise low fantasy works all the time, sometimes citing how influential they were on their own work.

[@aceric1646]

@@corrinflakes9659 yeah I know, but the connotation of "low ___" at first made me think that low fantasy was something not very good compared to high fantasy. 😞 Probably because I grew up in an artists family. High and low something was always used in a sort of pretentious manner

[@corrinflakes9659]

@@aceric1646 I mean as an artist myself, I understand the confusion. I instead use “fine art” or “independent/indie art”, or even “mainstream art” when referring to art made independent of another medium. Like when referring to music released independent of movie, tv, or game soundtracks, I just say “mainstream music” as while mainstream is often used to mean “popular” you could also say it means the main/core stream of music, like a painting or sculpture piece is regardless of movement. And also I do believe fan art and official promotional illustrations to qualify in a gray as they weren’t integrated into another medium, it’s like a painting of a Biblical event, it is in some sense promoting the Bible. Still understand confusion, in some videos on fantasy genre explanations they will as a result preface there is no superiority. The only inherent advantage high fantasy gets is the ability to not mess with real world historical events to sell the audience, but in low fantasy it gives an extra hurdle that will make it impressive if the fantasy is tied in to real world history. Like what did the earth dragon-channeling wizards do in World War II, did Nazi Germany think they were as bad as any minority they also oppressed or did they inspire Hitler's obsession with the occult, two factions perhaps experienced both; were they established since Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, or Ancient China. Or perhaps were they only around since late Roman Empire? Maybe they’re beyond the written record. In high fantasy these questions mostly evaporate, although certain series have poor real world connection twists but another certain series does it perfectly, though it’s a science-fantasy JRPG series, and I’m not saying it’s name for spoiler reasons, but if you know you know.

[@nosidenoside2458]

I don't think that video essays will replace isekai, but good video

[@gkazup]

Just when I thought this kind of sounds like Solo Leveling, you mentioned it in the video too :)

[@cytwo]

4:47 literally every "tower" genre manhwas

[@inrisd3704]

The term we always used was reversekai. Rather than MC being transported to magicland. Magic gets transported to the real world

[@dj_koen1265]

Thats What i would call it Too because at this point isekai run on quite specific rules and by taking those rules to the real world they still have more in common with isekai than regular low fantasy

[@adrianafamilymember6427]

That gate anime… maybe depending what view your looking at

[@neztimar43]

yeah i don't know why he called it low fantasy since thats a completely different thing. I hope reverse isekai gains a lot more traction as a term instead.

[@powwowkid14]

I put this on while doing laundry and loved it. What threw me off was the "Summoning Salt" music at the end lol

[@users4007]

would be interesting when it makes its way to anime, a lot of manhua and manhwa from the last decade can be considered the type of low fantasy you are describing, sometimes a mix of isekai and low fantasy

[@fallenlegend8888]

It would be refreshing for a casual anime fan but if you're an avid Manhwa reader it's just as saturated as Isekai

[@zhcultivator]

I wonder if Wuxia and XIANXIA NOVELS would replace the upcoming "Low Fantasy wave" in anime in the future hmmmm....

[@zhcultivator]

I wonder if Wuxia and XIANXIA NOVELS would replace the upcoming "Low Fantasy wave" in anime in the future hmmmm....

[@jaunks]

yes you just explained every manhwa

[@Gojira-Ultima]

I've been reading Manhwas and Manhuas, and it seems from what I've read that both forms of literature have adapted low fantasy like crazy.

[@miniibeast2687]

Hmm i feel like Manhua hasn't changed in like the past 10 years. It's either badass main character that's constantly looked down upon but either has money or power to put them in their place , or martial art families/clans that hold power in Murim lol. Manhwa though yes. They are pumping the same stuff out at such a rate that they are so similarly named and now making such ridiculously names just like manga has. EDIT: Also, for Manhua add on some mysterious spirit or elder that grants MC extreme power.

[@kittytoe139]

SOLO LEVELING!? Will the cycle ever end or are we doomed to fall ever deeper into this rabbit hole? Why do I feel like I have to go back in time or dig up somebody's time capsule to get a good manga to read?

[@kittytoe139]

Oops I should've just waited 2 minutes and I would've seen that you put Solo Leveling in your video. Wasn't saying it was bad just made me realize the cycle when you said low fantasy and the two clicked. So when does Space Western come back? Another thing, does what you're saying basically explain why when a really good show or book comes out within the next months you'll see these garbage blatant copy-cats show up?

[@allen2470]

I have seen a increase in low fantasy especially in manhwa's and their popular.

[@kinsleymoore349]

Agreed. It is very prevalent in a lot of manhwas that I come across nowadays. Typically involving like towers spawning in the world with game abilities and such. I think to myself that these stories, that come about in surges thus creating new genres, are of course influenced by the success of the writers’ peers. However, I wonder to myself why do writers tend to take the road of basically copying another story’s premise but with a small twist to it. These types of stories are usually the ones that get clowned on and I imagine don’t do too well due to that. Perhaps the effort of researching and coming up with something original is too difficult to work with, and it is more efficient to use a more outlined type of story like isekai or ‘low fantasy’ and hope your story gets to be the small few that make a hit with the community (the ones that we all come to know like solo leveling or reborn as a vending machine…). Of course when writing a story, these writers have pondered what is best to bring in more readers as that is what gets them to continue writing and doing what they like. I’m probably wrong with my thinking that these stories shouldn’t be bringing in more readers/viewers due to its lack of ingenuity. I do wish though that this formula that has been set out of copying other people’s stories aka more of the same old isekai/low fantasy just wasn’t a thing. The shows that leave an impact the most, the ones that are creative or rather avant garde are typically the ones that appeal to me the most. Hence I wonder if one day this will be the same for the majority of the people. Tldr: i wish the current system of recreating the same stories that were successful with other authors wasn’t a thing and there was more creativity to be accepted by the viewers/readers, so that we don’t get 6 years of the same content over and over again.

[@zillva]

I think there was a rush to publish as many as possible after Solo Leveling had such a huge success. Sadly, SL to begin with was quite bad, and the poor immitations are even worse...

[@muramasa870]

Especially necromancer tropes are fire🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@simplyweird8706]

There’s barely any other manhuas

[@zhcultivator]

I hope more people write Otome Isekai Westerns in which villainess stories are set in a Wild West-ish setting (plus maybe some magic there too)

[@JDcrashed]

dude i have been waiting for these to get adapted into anime so long

[@cabbagexu]

I'm 4:40 into the video, heard you refer to yourself as Kai-kun, got curious about the uploader, and noticed the subscriber and like count. You deserve so much more imo, it has been such an enjoyable video so far.

[@zekthesnack1093]

Okay but hear me out, handyman in another world actually slapped

[@ren_sensei]

Right, reverse isekai was the popular term amongst isekai fanatics. But man your narration is entertaining, continue making vids like this, looking forward to see your exponential growth.

[@LOgomon20]

I would argue that the logical evolution of Isekei is the Returner genre where the protagonist returns either from the future or from being isekeied usually both and uses their acquired powers to undo past mistakes.

[@averagefatefan]

This is already being proven to a degree. If you look at newly releasing manga then you can start to notice more and more low fantasy appearing. At the moment it is still dwarfed by the amount of isekai, but I wouldn't be surprised if that begins to change. The other interesting thing is that with the genre having started more as a Korean phenomenon (with Solo Leveling as the most famous example) then a lot of the new Japanese low fantasy manga are actually releasing in a webtoon format, just like the Korean counterparts. I'd be interested to see if this leads to more webtoon adaptions overall, as right now they are exceptionally rare.

[@tejcaffe2658]

WHEN YOU DEFINED LOW FANTASY I GASPED solo leveling being the start probably cause IVE BEEN ADDICTED TO THIS GENERE Edit: JUST SAW THE PART

[@YugenTFT]

Wow, I never realized that such a significant portion of anime originates from light novels. One out of 10 is quite a staggering ratio! Thanks for sharing that info-it adds a whole new perspective to the anime industry. Also, I found your point about the Low Fantasy genre intriguing. It immediately reminded me of Solo Levelling and several other battle Manhwa that share similar themes. It's fascinating how certain genres can gain popularity and influence across different mediums. Great insights in your video!

[@Gargoyle364]

The moment you said Low Fantasy my mind immediately went to Conan the barbarian by Robert E. Howard.

[@miszamojcyszschmidt1746]

Calling it "Low Fantasy" is such a bad idea. Term "Low Fantasy" exists, it's known used and applies to a lot of things. Trying to patch it to such a specyfic genre will be counter productive since it will generate more confusion than clarity. Intrusion Fantasy on the other hand is a fitting name, that is just precise enough for a wide genre.

[@jjhh320]

I agree. What he describes is more like Urban Fantasy than Low Fantasy, but I like your term for it

[@miszamojcyszschmidt1746]

​@@jjhh320 That's not even my term. He said himself - "that is called Low Fantasy or Intrusion Fantasy" - and one of those terms is better than the other. He said it at 4:35

[@jjhh320]

@@miszamojcyszschmidt1746 ah i missed that but you're right he did say it as an alternate name

[@IncomingLegend]

lord have mercy on my soul, I recognize all animes that appear in this video, I might not be able to name them all but I do recognize them

[@Supuri_]

Im so afraid because as someone who reads Manhwas, Low fantasy has already been extremely popular and I DONT like it at all. Exactly as you said, it replaces isekai as popular trash. I will admit Solo Leveling got me into Manhwas but damn I hate it now. Started this whole hunter trope wave that doesnt seem to stop. But yeah, I think you are spot on with this video.

[@mgntstr]

this "Low fantasy" is like vodka put in a Low Alcohol container, it is not fooling anyone.

[@davidebic]

NOOO PLEASE NOT THE KOREAN GATES TROPE ALL OVER AGAIN

[@davidebic]

Anyone who reads manwha knows what I'm talking about... even today we still haven't escaped this endless cycle of gates appearing

[@putsagatinmeltyblood7679]

TRUE. I can't express how accurate this is. We're in for another decade of slightly different wish fulfillment power fantasy shit. We can only pray some truly original bangers of a different sort of work shows up here and there. Battle harem, Isekai, Tensei, I'm so tired of shit lol. Occasionally you get a vinland saga though.

[@nullmojo7483]

agree. and perhaps they should make another scifi anime instead like AI no Idenshi.

[@Ariaelyne]

The fact that it took Vinland Sage 14 years to get an adaptation says a lot.

[@excalibro8365]

@@Ariaelyne Seinen manga being hard to adapt is normal in Japan, because it's less safe therefore less marketable for TV.

[@Re_V]

They're out there, just not visible enough because they're not popular thanks to the Japanese audience's preferences. Either the author panders or be left out in the dust. Unless they've got a banger original story that's gonna hook audience on the spot, they're doomed. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

[@whome9842]

Handyman is pretty good. The guy get no super powers or even an enhanced body. He is a regular dude with normal skills making do in a world with wizards and monsters. So he fixes equipment, lock-pick chests, tell the rest of the spell to the high level wizard because he gone senile and keeps forgetting the words from the chant, etc. The people in the fantasy world are not morons who need the mc to tell them how to use spices or to not shit in the water they drink and even when he had the chance of having a dwarf make a gun he ended up choosing not to because it could make child soldiers viable

[@lowskill6406]

One day, the isekai genre will die And get reincarnated in another world

[@niflheimr2236]

so basically you just talking about manhwa but yeah they good. i recommend omniscient reader,sss suicide hunter and pick me up. these 3 are peak fiction

[@typhoic]

bruh this is basically solo leveling

[@sammalsikuri3828]

I've always loved all fantasy, so I don't mind what becomes popular - the low fantasy of systems coming to be in our world is something I've seen trending in the past few years and I enjoy a lot of it. I understand people being tired of isekai though, especially with japanese manga - which, people usually only refer to shounen isekai, but it's also a common trope in the shoujo/josei genre and it can get pretty repetitive. I read a ton of comics online, still some manga but mostly manwha. My usual genre is romance (any kind) esp combined with historical fantasy, but I also read the action genre a fair bit. Though admittedly I read less manga with the latter, as I've kind of grown bored of a lot of shounen tropes (but that also goes for a lot of shoujo - maybe I've just grown out of a lot of the common tropes shown in them) versus stories where the mc possesses a character and retains their sense of self while also receiving the memories and knowledge of the one they possessed). Nitpicking to some maybe, it may be a trope I dislike but won't necessarily stop me from reading, even if it feels dumb at times. But yeah again, I typically see people only talk about shounen when they mention isekai, and rarely see conversation about the trope in other genres - I understand why it is, but I would still hope for more diversity in the conversation about the trope. 😅 I've seen more and more regression replace isekai in the romance genre, but I'd be curious to see how low fantasy would show itself in this genre (as trends from other genres affect others as well) 🤔 Either way, I got here through a random YT recommendation and will stay for now. Good luck with any future essay videos you may make!

[@LonelySkySora]

thats legit most of the korean manhwas.

[@Cardinalsqr]

So much isekai is really bad, but usually in a really fun way. It’s most of what I end up watching. They are usually just such dumb fun. It’s the same with Korean web novels/webtoons, so many are really bad but in a really entertaining and fun way, and I can’t stop reading them

[@user-ke6pc3zu2p]

Congratulations, you have **Trash Taste**

[@zeehero7280]

"Reborn as a Certain vending machine and now I must escape being spin kicked by an electric teenager"

[@velzard1068]

I think a big problem could be the similar shittiness in isekai is also way too present in these “low fantasy” stories. I’ve read too many of these stories with the exact same plots (the amount of times I’ve seen a sick mother in bed unconscious makes me sick). Also they both have huge problems with power fantasies. At least some isekais can focus less on the power fantasy side and more on the high fantasy side (like tensura being mostly about building a civilization or Re:zero being about fixing the past). The problem I find with these “low fantasy” settings is just how limiting they can be to read, it just sucks knowing how the story will turn out after just a couple chapters. I could be wrong but I haven’t seen enough proof that this “low fantasy” setting can actually create different innovative stories without defaulting to a soulless power fantasy. Usually the best isekais are forced to create great world building since they are actually in a different world, most of the “low fantasy” styled stories default to a “29 years ago some incident happened that caused gates to pop up everywhere and give everyone superpowers and there are guilds and S rankers and the main character is an F grade loser who gets some OP power” to a almost funny degree. Now I will admit that these stories can be fun to watch/read but often they are just mindless shit that makes me feel like I’m wasting my time. I really liked Solo Leveling and it’s themes, but I can’t just read 20 solo levelings. Of course isekai also suffers from these repeated tropes but because of the very flexible nature of isekai more varied stories can be made (I think the best isekais don’t focus on the fact that they’re isekais). Of course this is just my opinion and I could be super wrong but I’ve probably read dozens of isekai light novels and “low fantasy” manwhas (and lord I’m not going to even talk about the manhuas)

[@ControversialOpinionGuy]

So from what i can tell... Korean comics...

[@thetoyodacar2264]

Low fantasy is already massively popular in manhua and manhwa. So yeah it's definitively coming. It's fun to read them yeah, but it does get old when 50% of new stuff has the same concept. It's either a "tower" or gates. Gates/towers have time limits, monsters pour out, yada yipa yoda. For most of them the first chapter could literally be the same for every one. They do branch out after that though, and some of them have unique parts as well. I enjoy most of them regardless lol

[@daydreaming5365]

So it'll be another genre i'll be able to count on my fingers the number of shows I actually enjoyed from it.

[@emaa2123]

This gives me hope that omniscient reader will become animated

[@andresantelo4082]

yeah, no shot its in 2026, trust me, as soon as solo leveling drops we will live in a pile of low fantasy by the next season or so

[@bigmanbossman]

Personally, I just want to read a traditional fantasy story. It doesn't have to be something that's written the way Tolkien wrote his mythos: just some fantasy in general. Stories that come to mind are Boukensha ni Naritai to Miyako ni Deteitta Musume ga S Rank ni Natteta (an instant favorite of mine) and Sousou no Frieren (I haven't read this one, but friends have told me that it is good), both of which are getting an anime adaptation. I have a few isekai titles I am reading myself but these fantasy stories scratches the fantasy itch I have perfectly most especially because there's no outside element with overpowered and/or ridiculous powers thrown into the narrative. Do take in mind I stated traditional fantasy and not dark fantasy (Berserk) because while both are indeed fantasy, I personally consider dark fantasy as a different genre of its own although I could very much be wrong

[@Juggs009]

"This is hot garbage, but I can't stop watching" I don't feel that at all.

[@ludewigmariendorf268]

I've been wondering why Spice and Wolf is not even in here. Thanks to Fritz Imperial, I first encountered the term 'low fantasy' with Spice and Wolf as an example, so whenever I hear 'low fantasy' it's gotta be Spice and Wolf and Holo the poster girl of the genre, it's quite nice and is beloved and seems to be getting a remake for next year.

[@TMek42]

its cos his term for Low Fantasy isn't the traditional term for Low Fantasy. He even goes on to give it the moniker of 'Intrusion Fantasy'.

[@yssstuff2769]

bro really thought we wouldn't notice the video being a sponsor.

[@Tech-Kaplan-Kali]

Isn't that urban fantasy? Low fantasy just means a more grounded fantasy with less explicit fantastical elements- in contrast to high fantasy settings- which are ubandant with magic and supernatural phenomenons. Intrusion fantasy certeanly is a better descriptor for what you are talking about.

[@Kromiball]

Magical Realism? We need to sort all this out

[@jjhh320]

@@Kromiball Magical realism doesn't occur in fantasy stories, that'd just be magic which is consistent with the logic of its own setting. Magical realism is when something supernatural and unexplained happens in an otherwise realistic plot, usually to drive the plot along or symbolize a theme. For example, this older 2000s movie had frogs randomly rain down from the sky. A short story had a glass ceiling slowly descending to crush everyone in a town and no one (except a random side character) saw it as a problem worth addressing.

[@DevoDude]

Somebody please reply with all of the music used. I love this vaporwave/synthwave genre of music.

[@die4toast]

I've found one of them which starts around 1:20 - "Imagination" by Rosentwig - Topic. Truly, a banger song

[@mnar.brodcast139]

It’s interesting to see how the stock fantasy tropes change across generations globally too, I know that the generation before me grey up on a lot of urban fantasy (modern setting where the fantastical always existed it’s just hidden) so stuff like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, twilight, vampire diaries, gravity falls. Little magic secret worlds in the corners of an otherwise normal modern setting, but most of that has fallen away most overtly fantastical stuff seems to be otherworldly now (besides paranormal stuff which I always felt should be considered it’s own genre). Nowadays we have isekai as the main fantasy template even in the west we have stuff like over the garden wall, infinity train, amphibia, and the owl house, as well as movie like the Mario movie, and everything everywhere all at once and spiderverse (multiverse stuff) kinda counting as isekai, what’s interesting about low fantasy (I don’t like that name I prefer incursion fantasy) is that it blends elements of both urban fantasy and isekai in that it’s other worldly fantasy in the modern world without the plot contrivance of having it be secret and also always be there instead it’s out in the open. What interesting is that the Barbie movie is simultaneously isekai (from Barbie’s perspective) and incursion fantasy since she’s crossing over into the “real world”

[@danielgwynne7266]

If you want to see high fantasy, urban fantasy and low fantasy done extremely well just read some western books we have stories like, Dresden files, mother of learning, the perfect run, a song of ice and fire, cradle, the first law, jade city, malazan, wheel of time and so many others and I think all of them are better than any fantasy manga out there with maybe only berserk being better than a few other of the worse ones I mentioned.

[@devalinohizkiapradipta2157]

04:40 Here is when he actually talk about the low fantasy

[@arizonarangerwiththebigiro8588]

The same thing has happened in english amatuer novel spaces. On the site Royalroad, in the fantasy genre, isekai style novels have slowly been replaced by low fantasy novels. Especially in the LitRPG genre, pieces have gone from the classic, trapped in a video game/sent to another world into the alien omnipotent system has imposed its video game logic on earth, aka apocalypse LitRPG. It's quite interesting that this change happened at the same time as the light novels changed, if maybe a year or two after.

[@georgeok4582]

Considering that some of the biggest stories from RR are getting webtoons, i think we might be in for a revolution within the internet trash media sphere

[@zhcultivator]

I hope someone makes an "Otome Isekai Western" story one day based on the fusion of Otome Isekai & the Western genre of American fiction typically in the so-called Wild West.

[@tjpprojects7192]

I personally don't agree with the title "low fantasy" in this context. "Low" means that any fantastical events are few and far between. Like how the pinnacle of fire magic in a low fantasy setting should be no more powerful than being able to light a house on fire. Most "low fantasy" series I've read are closer to at least mid-fantasy if not higher. I'd personally go with something like "sudden fantasy", or "system fantasy". Most have dungeons/gates/towers/tombs/etc that literally flip society upside down. I wouldn't consider society/planet altering events to be "low" at all. Kind of like how the word "Drone" has been butchered to hell and back, "low fantasy" doesn't fit what people are trying to make it fit.

[@Utrilus]

Royalroad mostly refers to it as a system apocalypse and the like. That'd be an English webfiction site. Tho when it becomes popular I bet the Japanese or Korean descriptive word is going to overwrite any currently used shorthand for it. As isekai overwrote reincarnation, self insert, and the like.

[@Kkubey]

An important take away in general is that anime is an overview of old trends. Be it manga or pure text. I myself concepted a story that was basically a low fantasy around 5 years back. But contrary to writing trends, whenever I found a story that had something in common with mine, I was less and less motivated to write it and gave up when something came really close. One is never the only one to have an idea, after all. And I was made painfully aware. But overall it seems like there is an invisible force shifting people into liking certain trends all of a sudden. Or old trends coming back, like dungeon stories and vampire stories.

[@TheGhostInThePhoto]

Could be interesting. As something of a writer, I’m always looking for more hot garbage to use to -procrastinate- inspire me. Gotta figure out where the baseline is so I know just how much I have to bash my own characters in the shins with an aluminum pipe (note: I do actually own an aluminum pipe) to make the story actually satisfying (the answer is often “less” these days). This feels a lot more in line with the genre I typically write for, so audience responses should be more useful in gauging what holds up well these days, and I’m absolutely _not_ saying that just because I’m bored and want to see what somebody else does with the ideas for a change.

[@Utrilus]

Do you write on RoyalRoad?

[@TheGhostInThePhoto]

@@Utrilus Given that this is the first I’ve ever heard of “RoyalRoad”, that’s gonna be a “no” from me.

[@Utrilus]

O yea, probably the best place to find stuff to read would be Kindle Unlimited.

[@rapidmontamer]

"I'm standing on a million lives" is another example that already got an anime.

[@RaidenKaiser]

only reason why reincarnated as sword got a pass for me is cuz at least the sword despite the name isnt even the main character its the cat girl lol. Reincarnated as a vending machine tho....ya we are taking this from too far to so rock bottom we sunk past hell and are wading through the abyss

[@scumfungus]

The moment "chained soldier" manga gets animated, the low fantasy tsunami will start.

[@theironphoenix.]

Solo leveling is definitely gonna become the SAO of the low fantasy genre. SAO’s popularity pretty much sky rocketed Isekai’s popularity (even if it isn’t technically an Isekai). I see solo leveling doing a similar thing with bringing low fantasy to the forefront of anime if done well and can lead to a bunch of similar shows being created.

[@paledrake]

It's funny because in a way it is very similar to SAO. It starts strong and like 1/3 through the story it gets increadibly boring because the MC just curve stops anyone that seems like a mild threat. No stakes, he just completely dominates anyone after that point. It's really disappointing because before then it was a lot more close and the MC had to strategize and slowly grow stronger.

[@narudayo5053]

nope and it's not even called low fantasy. Frieren is Low fantasy, Solo leveling is Dungeon crawling urban fantasy (which get repetitive with times)

[@theironphoenix.]

@@paledrake yeah that’s true, however at least in the earlier parts of the series, the writing issues SAO had aren’t really there in Solo Leveling. Instead of how SAO’s popularity already fell by season 2, Solo Leveling will likely be a slow drop off after Jeju Island.

[@paledrake]

@@theironphoenix. Yeah probably.

[@Master_Cumingham_Baragwanath]

This is a masterpiece especially the intro

[@ramirogalletti]

I think there might be a need for a "genre name change" High/epic/low fantasy mean european fantasy of x scale. "Urban fantasy" means "modern world with magic" "Dungeon crawler" is a video game term about dungeon structures being a vig part of the plot. So... "Urban dungeon crawler"?

[@fariysystem8919]

Yes Urban dungeon Crawler would be a better name than low fantasy.

[@tetryzs]

Bro this is just explaining litteraly every single manhwa

[@Jek_Skeleton]

Great video bud. Though, get to the point a bit quicker

[@al470ex12]

You got me excited for moment, I thought we might get a whole bunch of berserk clones. Than you described "once upon a time".