What would you consider to be the epitome of the Japanese reincarnation/transmigration MC?

[Discount_Blade]

The chinese are known for open plagiarism. The japanese modify stuff and then claim those as their own.

Transmigration motifs have been around for a long time, but when the japanese put their stamp on it, people now call it isekai even when it's not a japanese story.

Cuisine. A lot of that isn't even truly japanese cuisine. There are also authors who seem to have been sniffing vetsin half their lifetimes that they only describe food in terms of umami. Coz it's yet another trending term.

Many people nowadays have to use web portals to look up stuff, oftentimes things they learned before but already forgot. Some can't even do 2-digit mental multiplications. Are you honestly convinced that they are able to bring tech knowhow somehow when they get dimensionally displaced?

I still get occasionally triggered when people say curry is the best thing ever as far as Japanese cuisine. And believe me, there are a lot of these people. First off...curry IS NOT JAPANESE. AT ALL. EVER. Just because characters in anime start talking about making curry, doesn't mean it's endemic to their culture. It has rice in it. That is the ONLY reason it's being mentioned AT ALL.

 

[Discount_Blade]

the world will always, ALWAYS somehow end up a fantasy world. never once had I seen someone reincarnated into a cyberpunk universe, or a twisted reality, or any of that sort. it's always Tolkien esque with none of the charm

I'd love to see someone pop up in a fantasy-like modern world. Just imagine an Orc screaming about taxes and calling the President or Prime MInister that "damned elf". The milk man or cashier's at the gas station or corner store are a goblin or a troll, both of which in some form or another, try and oversell you everything because goblins be crafty yo!! And "can't trust a troll to not try and sell you that bridge in queens if you're naive enough to fall for it."

And imagine a human being neighbors with a beastkin and they having some kind of neighborly like feud. (Remember those?) "Damned furry fucker". "Damned hairless bastard".

 

[AliceShiki]

I still get occasionally triggered when people say curry is the best thing ever as far as Japanese cuisine. And believe me, there are a lot of these people. First off...curry IS NOT JAPANESE. AT ALL. EVER. Just because characters in anime start talking about making curry, doesn't mean it's endemic to their culture. It has rice in it. That is the ONLY reason it's being mentioned AT ALL.

I liked eating curry in a cheap Japanese restaurant that was near my house! \(^^)/

But yeah, it was nothing special tbh, it was just... Cheap and tasty. I liked it.

 

[Discount_Blade]

I liked eating curry in a cheap Japanese restaurant that was near my house! \(^^)/

But yeah, it was nothing special tbh, it was just... Cheap and tasty. I liked it.

Yeah it's ok. The one and only time I ate at a japanese steakhouse...great steaks by the way,....this guy practically crucified me because I thought sushi was chinese. Apparently its originally japanese and the chinese in america have superseded it...at least in America?

Was embarrassing having an old Japanese dude chew me out over food origins in public.

 

[Reciful]

What's better/popular isekai MC character in people opinion anyway? as far as I can see people tend to hate any type of Isekai MC anyway~

What do people want I wonder

Japanese Isekai MC(Virgins)?
Or
Chinese Isekai MC(Rapist)?

I haven't notice Korean Isekai MC is there even any?

 

[Discount_Blade]

What's better/popular isekai MC character in people opinion anyway? as far as I can see people tend to hate any type of Isekai MC anyway~

What do people want I wonder

Japanese Isekai MC(Virgins)?
Or
Chinese Isekai MC(Rapist)?

I haven't notice Korean Isekai MC is there even any?

Personally, I find manhua's (korean) to be higher quality in practically all forms, especially writing an characterization. The only thing Koreans tend to do that seems like a bad trend to follow (in fiction anyway), is what the Chinese do in nearly EVERY thing they write. Express unnatural amounts of nationalism for their country in a fantasy world that just doesn't know what the hell you're talking about any way. Chinese are the biggest offenders of this. Korea probably comes second of the three. I've seen it yes, but its rare to see Japanese practically swinging their countries flag around like a bat in a fantasy world.

But then, I find Chinese stories to be cancerous in most aspects anyway. To me, they are the lowest quality tier in everything fiction.

 

[ChronicleCrawler]

Wimpy and depressed MC.

An OP blockhead.

An egomaniac.

A funny fool.

Of course, theirs also good ones. It's only a matter of delivery.

 

[Discount_Blade]

Wimpy and depressed MC.

An OP blockhead.

An egomaniac.

A funny fool.

Of course, theirs also good ones. It's only a matter of delivery.

an actually funny fool? Do tell. I haven't seen that fabled creature....at least not in a JP MC unless you have something to recommend with one? A lot of the humor in manga/light novels tends to devolve into slapstick comedy and that's an acquired taste I have not acquired.

 

[AliceShiki]

Yeah it's ok. The one and only time I ate at a japanese steakhouse...great steaks by the way,....this guy practically crucified me because I thought sushi was chinese. Apparently its originally japanese and the chinese in america have superseded it...at least in America?

Was embarrassing having an old Japanese dude chew me out over food origins in public.

Ah, where I live everyone knows that Sushi is a Japanese food... But well, over here Japanese presence is a lot stronger than the Chinese.

Like... There are some uhn... I dunno the word, districts within a city? Well, some of those are dedicated solely to Japanese immigrants... There is also a fair amount of Japanese restaurants over here as well.

Meanwhile, Chinese presence is like... I know one Chinese restaurant in one city, and one cafe with Chinese owners in another, and that's all I know of Chinese establishments.

So I guess it's normal for me to know that Sushi is Japanese when the Japanese presence here is this stronger! XD

What's better/popular isekai MC character in people opinion anyway? as far as I can see people tend to hate any type of Isekai MC anyway~

What do people want I wonder

Japanese Isekai MC(Virgins)?
Or
Chinese Isekai MC(Rapist)?

I haven't notice Korean Isekai MC is there even any?

Ah, I'm fine with isekai actually, I just want 2 things out of it.

1) Good character development.

2) Make the isekai aspect matter... Which can be further split into 2 more things.

2.1) Make previous world/life memories matter.
2.2) Make the MC feel troubled by the change in circumstances.

Do that, and I'm good with isekai! \(^^)/

 

[ChronicleCrawler]

an actually funny fool? Do tell. I haven't seen that fabled creature....at least not in a JP MC unless you have something to recommend with one? A lot of the humor in manga/light novels tends to devolve into slapstick comedy and that's an acquired taste I have not acquired.

Humor is a subjective topic. Nevertheless if your talking about slapstick comedy like konosuba. Then, yes its something like an acquired taste. If you want something refined then go for Bakemonogatari series. It's both funny and psychological.

 

[Yorda]

// They always seem to be beta males or girls who can't make up their minds. When they can make up their minds they are usually lowkey callous scum, which readers usually tolerate their reprobate actions to a certain degree.

// Usually, these characters have no clear goal or go off on terrible tangent arcs where they accomplish nothing. When they do have goals it is often some stupid carefree air-headed life goal. "I wanna run a bakery. Tee hee." "Slime farming." "Gotta grow and cook rice!" "I dun wanna be a corporate slave." Look buddy, you're in another universe now, I understand you wanna be lazy AF, but can you please take this seriously.

// They're so indecisive it hurts.

// Do they really have to be pacifists? "Oh, those slave traders are so mean to have just killed some children! But I can't kill them; I'm a pacifist. It's better if I give these evil men money for my slave waifu so that they can continue their lifelong trade of slavery, debauchery, and villainy. I don't wanna kill them because it's against the law in my new country that says slavery is A-OK."

// And when they aren't pacifists they are people like ex-yakuza or karate masters. People like the karate masters go from a mindset of "killing people is against the law" to "killing people is not against the law and I have no problem ending anyone's life now" in a few moments. Basically, the non-pacifists are usually high-functioning sociopaths that weren't free to murder before.

// A lot of these people are purported to be 'normal'. However, they are far more confident and capable at everything they do than 'normal' people would be. From my own experience, the difference between having casual knowledge about a subject and actually applying it to create something or accomplish something significant is a rocky path.

// They never have REAL mental breakdowns from being thrust into a different world. It's usually just a somber attitude, a little homesickness, and angst. If I was thrown into another world I would feel serious pressure and dread on my mind at all times. I would be thinking about god. What is reality? My soul? I'm terrified of enslavement magic, and all the sick things people might make me do.

 

[Yorda]

Yeah it's ok. The one and only time I ate at a japanese steakhouse...great steaks by the way,....this guy practically crucified me because I thought sushi was chinese. Apparently its originally japanese and the chinese in america have superseded it...at least in America?

Was embarrassing having an old Japanese dude chew me out over food origins in public.

Sushi is Chinese! OMG
Sounds so wrong.
As a part Japanese person this just hurts my soul. LOL
Life is a lie!

 

[binarysoap]

Yeah it's ok. The one and only time I ate at a japanese steakhouse...great steaks by the way,....this guy practically crucified me because I thought sushi was chinese. Apparently its originally japanese and the chinese in america have superseded it...at least in America?

Was embarrassing having an old Japanese dude chew me out over food origins in public.

Sushi is Chinese! OMG
Sounds so wrong.
As a part Japanese person this just hurts my soul. LOL
Life is a lie!

You know that it's ironic because Sushi actually originated in South East asia, and then adopted by the Chinese, and then later it spread to Japan

History of sushi - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Yorda]

You know that it's ironic because Sushi actually originated in South East asia, and then adopted by the Chinese, and then later it spread to Japan

History of sushi - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Well, I read it, but narezushi (fermented fish with discarded vinegar and rice) isn't exactly what people would call sushi these days. As I understand it now, the modern sushi that we have is all developed in Japan after they took a liking to vinegar rice. Southeast Asia and China taking credit for sushi because they put vinegar on rice is like ... well, China has always like to toot their horn when it comes to Asian history, technology, and culture (AKA the everything Asian originated in China theory).

 

[Discount_Blade]

// They always seem to be beta males or girls who can't make up their minds. When they can make up their minds they are usually lowkey callous scum, which readers usually tolerate their reprobate actions to a certain degree.

// Usually, these characters have no clear goal or go off on terrible tangent arcs where they accomplish nothing. When they do have goals it is often some stupid carefree air-headed life goal. "I wanna run a bakery. Tee hee." "Slime farming." "Gotta grow and cook rice!" "I dun wanna be a corporate slave." Look buddy, you're in another universe now, I understand you wanna be lazy AF, but can you please take this seriously.

// They're so indecisive it hurts.

// Do they really have to be pacifists? "Oh, those slave traders are so mean to have just killed some children! But I can't kill them; I'm a pacifist. It's better if I give these evil men money for my slave waifu so that they can continue their lifelong trade of slavery, debauchery, and villainy. I don't wanna kill them because it's against the law in my new country that says slavery is A-OK."

// And when they aren't pacifists they are people like ex-yakuza or karate masters. People like the karate masters go from a mindset of "killing people is against the law" to "killing people is not against the law and I have no problem ending anyone's life now" in a few moments. Basically, the non-pacifists are usually high-functioning sociopaths that weren't free to murder before.

// A lot of these people are purported to be 'normal'. However, they are far more confident and capable at everything they do than 'normal' people would be. From my own experience, the difference between having casual knowledge about a subject and actually applying it to create something or accomplish something significant is a rocky path.

// They never have REAL mental breakdowns from being thrust into a different world. It's usually just a somber attitude, a little homesickness, and angst. If I was thrown into another world I would feel serious pressure and dread on my mind at all times. I would be thinking about god. What is reality? My soul? I'm terrified of enslavement magic, and all the sick things people might make me do.

To be honest, I can say for absolute certainty that if I was thrust into a new fantasy world, but had badass powers to be cheaty and an OP existence/God/King/Warlord/whatever in this new world...I could care less about Earth. I know it for a fact and would LOVE for some God or Goddess to toss me into a fantasy world so I could go around kicking asses and taking names. But then, while I have friends and a little family here and there, I could leave them if I knew something like THAT was coming up in my near future.

Maybe that makes me callous? Dunno. Dun care. I am me and I wanna be a isekai protagonist who becomes OP warrior in other world. So sue me XD.

So I can see how protags in other stories are only concerned for a few days, maybe a week at most because I can see myself being/doing the same. So its not really farfetched to me.

 

[weakwithwords]

@Reciful, The Returner, FFF Trashero, Seoul Station's Necromancer. The dungeons in korean web novels are usually other worlds or connected to other worlds. Also, novels by Toika (toy car).

Author Toika - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

@Yorda, Cologne (Ranma 1/2) often glorifying thousands of years of chinese amazon history.

@Discount_Blade, coincidentally, I just recently finished watching Curry The Taste of Curry (KBS drama special) in youtube.

---

Transmigration is usually a blatant tool to mark the mc as formerly chinese. Almost always has no impact or relevance to the story.

Japanese isekai mc will just suddenly mention how medieval fantasy gold, silver, copper coins somehow convert into yen. (Almost as silly as fan translators pointlessly converting a story's local currency into us dollars. They disregard future readers who will be stuck with obsolete conversions. Also jarring since characters are at times very obviously using yen, RMB, won, baht, etc.)

You will sometimes still see corporal punishment in korean web novels which is a fading cultural artifact of an older era.

 

[AliceShiki]

Japanese isekai mc will just suddenly mention how medieval fantasy gold, silver, copper coins somehow convert into yen. (Almost as silly as fan translators pointlessly converting a story's local currency into us dollars. They disregard future readers who will be stuck with obsolete conversions. Also jarring since characters are at times very obviously using yen, RMB, won, baht, etc.)

Oh, I hate the yen conversions... I actually actively removed those from my translations because I didn't feel like they held a purpose.

 

[BenJepheneT]

I'd love to see someone pop up in a fantasy-like modern world. Just imagine an Orc screaming about taxes and calling the President or Prime MInister that "damned elf". The milk man or cashier's at the gas station or corner store are a goblin or a troll, both of which in some form or another, try and oversell you everything because goblins be crafty yo!! And "can't trust a troll to not try and sell you that bridge in queens if you're naive enough to fall for it."

And imagine a human being neighbors with a beastkin and they having some kind of neighborly like feud. (Remember those?) "Damned furry fucker". "Damned hairless bastard".

We had a movie about that called Bright

and I wished we hadn't

 

[Discount_Blade]

We had a movie about that called Bright

and I wished we hadn't

I didn't get what was so bad about Bright. It wasn't exactly a masterpiece but I don't think it deserves all the crap it gets. If you look past the thinly veiled attempt at racial politics (which I don't care much about since in my experience, several stereotypes I've heard growing up, are more often than not, tend to be true at least in NYC but people don't like hearing what they don't like hearing,) it was a fairly good movie.

 

[Reciful]

@Reciful, The Returner, FFF Trashero, Seoul Station's Necromancer. The dungeons in korean web novels are usually other worlds or connected to other worlds. Also, novels by Toika (toy car).

I wonder if the korean Manhwa "Solo Leveling" can be counted as Isekai? I recently start reading it due to several people recommend it.... that story is basically go to a portal that leads to a alternate dimension... Perhaps its isekai too?