Is it considered Isekai?

[KrisVFX]

Here is the situation. I try to listen to any sort of feedback in order to make the best version and fix any sort of errors in my novels. Today, I re-released one of my novels, and I've made it clear that any sort of feedback is more than welcome.
The story is about a guy who has been trapped on a floating island in the middle of a void. (basically, another dimension)
The main character has spent so long trapped on that floating island that he barely has any memories of what his life used to be like. I specifically mentioned it in the narration that the mc doesn't remember. This is an important part of the story about why the mc doesn't remember and a logical explanation about why. But I didn't want to go into many details since I wanted to leave it a bit open, for the readers to guess why.

Spoiler: Spoiler

(Some of the readers, when they read the beta version, even gave some clever and interesting intel on how the mc has become delusional and lost him mind.)

Now here is the problem, one of the readers decided that this novel is not considered Isekai because the main character doesn't have memories. And I should remove the "Isekai" tag from my novel or remove the fact that the mc doesn't have memories, because that makes him a different entity.

Not an Isekai... A true Isekai requires all memories to be intact. Removing any memories creates a new being, meaning that nobody crossed world's, proving that it's not an Isekai. Remove all mentions of memory loss, or remove that iskeai tag, and I'll give it another chance. I didn't read even a single word after the mention of memory loss. I'm tired of seeing authors use the "Amnesia-kai" excuse. It's just the same as the " Orphan trope" or the reborn in another world only for the new family to die a few chapters later trope. All horribly overdone and used because the author is too lazy to write a compelling backstory, or develop the family members characters.

I gave my opinion on this fact and tried explaining that this novel indeed has the isekai genere, because the main character can also cross worlds through a door. (It's basically a dungeon, meant to clear challenges.) But in the very first chapter, another character gets trapped/summoned to this world as well. So it should be considered isekai? Right?

Now let's see what the word isekai means. (Results from asking google)
Isekai is a Japanese genre of light novels, manga, anime and video games1. The term isekai comes from the Japanese word 異世界, which translates to “different world” or “otherworld”12. It is used to describe a lot of anime, manga, or light novels that revolve around a person who is transported to and has to survive in another world, such as a fantasy world, virtual world or parallel universe1.

I was going to reply again to that reader, but he/she/it seemed convinced that I was wrong, and he was right.

if it was thousands of years and he had internet access things would have changed at home. Would internet even exist? Why didn't he track his family and descendants through whatever social media? No, I'm sorry, your excuse is contrived and this is NOT an Isekai. No story that messes with memories at all is, even popular ones like "Grimgar". To qualify the person needs to be the same person on both worlds and this isn't, period, end of discussion. My upcoming review will reflect that, and this stories bandwagon tagging just to saddle into the popular Isekai genre.

I can guess that this reader didn't even consider reading this novel because he/she/it didn't stop and think about why the character didn't contact his family even though he has been trapped there for thousands of years. The narration in the novel mentioned that any attempt to contact or interact with humans is pointless as it is restricted by something.

So should I remove the Isekai tag from my novel, or should I keep it?


TLDR : A trapped protagonist on a floating island, devoid of memories, sparks a debate over whether the story should be classified as an Isekai, with a reader arguing that memory loss negates the genre's definition.

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

So should I remove the Isekai tag from my novel, or should I keep it?

Keep it. It is isekai.

 

[HelloHound]

if your character is aware that he's in another world and recognizes the differences between the new world and the original

 

[KrisVFX]

if your character is aware that he's in another world and recognizes the differences between the new world and the original

Yes, it's mentioned how the mc is bored in this world and how he has been trapped there. So, he is well aware that something has happened to him since he was trapped in that land.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Yup, sure sounds like Isekai. The genre literally means "transported to another world", coming from the Japanese word for "different world". So your MC remembering or not remembering does not change the genre. Unless MC gets out of the void during the story and the void is part of the world MC came from, in which case it's just entrapment instead of being sent to another world.

The distinctiveness of not being able to easily go back to whence you came is at least in my opinion an essential part of a story being "Isekai" instead of "just" being a portal fantasy like Narnia, time-travelling like Inuyasha or having a multi-world scenario like Digimon.

 

[Sleds]

Bearly is right, the genre isekai is literraly going to another world by any way possible, summoning, reincarnation, transmigration. Even the portal/gate are a type of isekai they just categorized as multiple world traveling

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

in which case it's just entrapment instead of being sent to another world.

ENTRAPMENT!? What are you the police?

 

[SailusGebel]

Wait, did you post your novel here? If yes, you can simply look at the definition of isekai on SH.

Definition: Isekai revolves around a person who is transported to and has to survive in another world, such as a fantasy world, virtual world or parallel universe.

If anyone questions whether you should use it or not, you can simply sent them straight to this definition. If they don't like anything, they can always change the definition.

 

[J_Chemist]

DIED AND GONE TO A NEW WORLD?

ISEKAI.

CASE CLOSED.

Wow I'm a great detective.

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

DIED AND GONE TO A NEW WORLD?

ISEKAI.

CASE CLOSED.

Wow I'm a great detective.

 

[KrisVFX]

Wait, did you post your novel here? If yes, you can simply look at the definition of isekai on SH.

Definition: Isekai revolves around a person who is transported to and has to survive in another world, such as a fantasy world, virtual world or parallel universe.

If anyone questions whether you should use it or not, you can simply sent them straight to this definition. If they don't like anything, they can always change the definition.

Yes, I did post it on this website as well. And I tried giving the definition as I mentioned in the post above, but that reader, just doesn't really want to continue arguing. Its has already been set.
The novel, btw: Trapped in the inescapable land | Scribble Hub

 

[J_Chemist]

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

Yes, I did post it on this website as well. And I tried giving the definition as I mentioned in the post above, but that reader, just doesn't really want to continue arguing. Its has already been set.
The novel, btw: Trapped in the inescapable land | Scribble Hub

You could report the review if you want.

 

[SailusGebel]

Yes, I did post it on this website as well. And I tried giving the definition as I mentioned in the post above, but that reader, just doesn't really want to continue arguing. Its has already been set.
The novel, btw: Trapped in the inescapable land | Scribble Hub

There is no reason to argue with the reader. State it matter-of-factly. You use SH's definition, if this reader doesn't agree or doesn't understand it, no amount of conversation will help you convince him or her. Ignore that reader. Also report the review, but don't forget to explain that you use SH's definition of isekai.

 

[KrisVFX]

You could report the review if you want.

Nah, I still think that every reader has the freedom to think and express their own opinion. Even if I feel like it's not true, and the reader is letting out some frustration in my novel.
I will wait and see what other readers think of this novel. Which is another reason why I brought this topic up in the Forums.

 

[RepresentingEnvy]

Nah, I still think that every reader has the freedom to think and express their own opinion. Even if I feel like it's not true, and the reader is letting out some frustration in my novel.
I will wait and see what other readers think of this novel. Which is another reason why I brought this topic up in the Forums.

They can have an opinion, but they are just venting about "Amnesia-kai". Their review has very little to do with your novel specifically. They are just bitter, and taking it out on you. They reviewed it after 1 chapter.

 

[SailusGebel]

what eternal queen of the night said.

 

[Tsuru]

Keep it. It is isekai.

+1
@KrisVFX @SailusGebel @RepresentingEnvy

Isekai
Isekai (Japanese: 異世界, transl. "different world", "another world" or "otherworld")

The guy that told you its not isekai. Is dumb. OR not informed enough.

THE WORD itself explain it.

ps :

ps ps : warning FANTASY (aborigene MC in fantasy world) =/= ISEKAI (someone entering another world or some kind of interaction)

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

Show em this thread. It's isekai.

 

[sanitylimited]

sudo isekai in an empty world with heavy memory loss

its like searching a store for chicken, but instead of presenting delicious meat you present the skeleton. i mean, yeah, sure it is a chicken, but it isnt what people who are searching for chicken are looking for.