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

[Yiphen]

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).

You mean the "God was made in China" theory.

 

[BenJepheneT]

You mean the "God was made in China" theory.

Noah的Arc™ copyright 不要 steal

 

[LostinMovement]

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

That's because Cyberpunk is hard to write. You need to research for it, look for reference in novels and cinema and do actual worldbuilding with real issues and socio-economical background. It is simply too much work so let's just go with your token medieval slash fantasy world. I'm actually guilty of this myself.

 

[LostinMovement]

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?

I have read Solo Leveling and no it is not Isekai. It falls under the 'magical realism' umbrella. Isekai requires the MC to be 'transported' into another dimension, realm or world, not the other way around. At least that is what I believe.

 

[AkalE]

Wow! Now I want to read an Honest Isekai Review story!

 

[JayDirex]

// 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.

Bruh, nobody wants to read about a regular normal person in another world. He would be boring and useless and then sold into slavery.

now the Virgin thing is because Japanese are a bunch of herbivores (betas) and their audiences are all virgins so the MC has to reflect them a little bit. having sex is too OP.

 

[BenJepheneT]

having sex is too OP

right on the top of the power ranking next to racism

 

[AliceShiki]

Bruh, nobody wants to read about a regular normal person in another world. He would be boring and useless and then sold into slavery.

Not necessarily, like... They could join the church and live as a priest/nun foe example, or they could join a brothel and become a sex worker in an R-18 story.

There might be other avenues if one is creative (becoming an apprentice of a traveling merchant might be feasible for example)... And like, that's only with Transmigration, with Reincarnation it is a lot easier as you have time to adapt and you'll have connections to get a job.

And well, I honestly enjoy Slice of Life stories, so I don't see why I couldn't enjoy the life of a normal person in a different setting.

 

[thedude3445]

The epitome of the Japanese isekai MC is the turbonerd. There is a lot of cultural nuance behind turbonerds across cultures, but the
American equivalent is a meninist Redditor who spends all day complaining about TLOU2 and about all of the shallow jerks in his hometown (he still lives in his hometown).