What's the Appeal of Cultivation, Wuxia, and LitRPG stories?

[dlamp]

Just something I've been curious about for a while now. I've noticed a lot of Cultivation/Wuxia, Isekai, and LitRPG stories these past two-ish years from sites like this and I've always wondered about the appeal of the latter two. I'm admittedly still very new to this site and publishing web novels in general, but as both reader and writer I've been curious about the appeal of these genres.

Isekai I can understand because easy self-projection, good excuse for world-building exposition, and having an obvious and immediate audience surrogate has too many advantages on paper to resist at least trying. I've got my opinions about its abundance, but that is neither here nor there.

Cultivation and Wuxia I'm just ignorant on in terms of the appeal. From my understanding this genre started gaining traction as translations of Chinese web novels came in, but as far as Western appeal to this specific genre I'm clueless. I mean, I'm a fan of cheesy kung fu films and have a few martial arts stories in the works, but the concept of Cultivation and general Wuxia and Xianxia aside from the Ancient China aesthetic is just lost on me, at least as a Westerner. As a self-admitted weeb that drools over anything samurai/feudal Japan-focused I get the idea of its appeal, but I just don't see the story advantage like I do with Isekai aside from popularity.

And LitRPG... I'll admit, I'm confused by the very term, but from my understanding the idea is a story set in a game world like Sword Art Online or a game-like world like Danmachi. I... sort of get this one. I'm a huge gamer myself, but I just couldn't see the appeal in reading about someone gaming when I could do it myself, virtual reality or no. Stuff like Danmachi have an interesting, decontructive edge to it, but that's all I can think of in terms of appeal. But maybe that's the cynical side of me reeling its ugly head. This is a specific genre I'm more negative about due to me seeing too many bad/below average anime covering this genre, but I'm curious as to why people stick with it.

But yeah guys, if you guys wanna' explain why you like writing/reading these genres I'm all ears. I'm not trying to come at this like a cynic, I'm genuinely curious since this isn't my main interest but I see it in a lot of web novel sites. Sorry if this came off as pretentious or sarcastic.

 

[YuriDoggo]

If Isekai is power fantasy, then xianxia and isekai xianxia is power fantasy on steroids.

If isekai is power fantasy, then litrpg is power fantasy displayed to you where every time you get stronger, you see it. You get the anticipation of getting stronger with new gear in MMOs without the grind.

 

[Xiaoshen]

The appeal of xianxia is seeing the main character eventually punch God-Kings in the face with the Laws of the Universe. It's all about truly ridiculous levels of power being thrown around and absurd characters being humiliated in absurd ways while absurd shit blows up in the deep, pretty much.

 

[Ace_Arriande]

My we know all know this is actually the truth shit takes:

Wuxia/Cultivation/Xianxia is just the Chinese version of fantasy for the Chinese version of weeaboos.

LitRPG is for epic gamer bros who have no time to grind in games anymore, or who are salty by the fact that no good MMORPGs exist excluding FFXIV so they take the easy way out of reading about other people playing games that don't exist. It's like why people watch Let's Plays instead of playing the games themselves, except reading LitRPGs is even lazier and lets them self-insert into it.

 

[dlamp]

The appeal of xianxia is seeing the main character eventually punch God-Kings in the face with the Laws of the Universe. It's all about truly ridiculous levels of power being thrown around and absurd characters being humiliated in absurd ways while absurd shit blows up in the deep, pretty much.

Y'know... that's pretty fair, I can get behind that.

 

[YuriDoggo]

My we know all know this is actually the truth shit takes:

Wuxia/Cultivation/Xianxia is just the Chinese version of fantasy for the Chinese version of weeaboos.

LitRPG is for epic gamer bros who have no time to grind in games anymore, or who are salty by the fact that no good MMORPGs exist excluding FFXIV so they take the easy way out of reading about other people playing games that don't exist. It's like why people watch Let's Plays instead of playing the games themselves, except reading LitRPGs is even lazier and lets them self-insert into it.

Let's plays (especially of MMOs) are fucking boring. In the words of our lord and savior Kirigaya Kazuto, there's nothing more boring than watching someone else play an MMO. Much better to just read a time-compressed version of pure fantasy gaming TM.

 

[DubstheDuke]

I mean as far as I see it, LitRPG is kinda like playing DnD but reading.
The characters explore. They have set abilities, inventory items that can be used, enemies to defeat, spells, potions, classes, etc.
They encounter certain events and characters, and so on and so forth.
The appeal is that you get to see exactly how strong the main characters are relative to the enemies, and exactly what abilities everyone can use in a numerical format.
For fights in stories, this allows for perhaps more depth to the actual fighting, which from my perspective is kinda difficult to write out. It can also give the viewers a better idea of how far the main character has progressed over the course of the series, rather than something like "Ok they started out weak and beat enemy 1. Now they're a bit stronger and they beat enemy 2. Now theyre a bit stronger and beat enemy 3."
For novels in particular, it's difficult to portray how strong someone actually is- which is why LitRPG elements can help out with that.

 

[DDTStudios]

Let’s be honest, people kind of wish they could be isekaied off, have op powers, and build a harem with sex girls. Or if monsters invade earth and suddenly they are blessed powers to become super powerful (e.g. Solo Leveling and all that other stuff) personally I’m not a big fan of LitRPG stuff even though I read them and write them for fun. I’m more of a heavy plot fan and I like to see how things, even if they’re tiny, play out. (E.g. Lord of the Mysteris, Throne of Magical Arcana, 48 Hours a Day)

 

[Khiricastares]

Numbers go up. Brain likes this, wants more numbers go up. 3000 chapters later...

 

[gaylolis]

cultivation: i love farming stories like harvest moon.

wuxia: jin yong novels

litrpg: the rpg aspect is pretty lit.

 

[Tejoka]

For wuxia/xianxia, beside the power fantasy, I think it's also the appeal of a different culture and mindset. But beyond that, like LitRPG, it's about the progression of the character's power, in a way that you can easily see and quantify. Also, what I personally like is that it's often the case that everyone can cultivate, not just someone who happens to have been born a mage like in most Western fantasy. Cultivation heros often get by on their "iron willpower" and hard work. (When the author doesn't just hand them ridiculous cheat powers or overpowered items. Let's say, in the less wish fulfillment focused stories). Besides that, it's often a very "kill or be killed" world, which can increase tension, or at least lead to lots of cool fights.
For LitRPG, you have an easy solution to why magic or supernatural abilities work at all, in a familiar framework. It's like adventure fantasy with some conveniences. Or sometimes, it's mixed with dystopian or other sci-fi, when it explores themes like AI or corporate greed, again in a familiar framework.
There's a lot of variety in all of those genres, really.

 

[TotallyHuman]

World building being structured?

 

[Lord_Drakonus]

An Isekai's main attraction for me, is how the MC interacts with his surroundings and people. Plus, fantasy's kind of a drug for me, I'm addicted to it. And ever since I've been exposed to Isekais, I've been gobbling up Isekai animes, mangas, and LNs/WNs, left and right like a drug addict.

Edit: There's also that sweet power fantasy in Isekais. Not the instant "Weak to OP" bs(I used to like these ones, but they got stale for me), but more of the journey that the MC and his comrades go through.

 

[Saileri]

Okay, okay. I went through all those steps as a reader so lemme drop why I did it.

I started as your usual fantasy freak somewhere in the elementary school. Dragons, fantasy races, worlds, magic, shit like that. I read tons of western books and I just loved the theme all along. Then one day I got into weeb stuff and somewhere in the high school, I discovered isekais. I fell in love with them because they introduced something new, something that I didn't think of before, which is yeeeeting the modern world MC into the fantasy world. It began to be fun reading about the MC interacting with the world and doing shit with his modern mindset, while still exploring the best parts of fantasy worlds and stuff. It also became easier to feel like you can relate to the character.

Another then. I always loved tech and obviously was a gamer alongside the bookworm too. MMO and FPS mostly. So for me, having a quantified way of following someone's progress by numbers, skills, quests, achievements just felt like another thing I really love, which is games. So obviously, I didn't say no to that. You could always grasp the situation, how strong is the enemy vs the characters, what clever way will they find out with their skills, etc.

Then, like around a year ago, after kinda starting to run out of the isekai trash, I stumbled on some Korean and Chinese mangos - cultivations. At first, it was a tough ride. All those new terms, levels of power, etc., but with time I realized it literally is the combination of fantasy and LitRPG, but without the system part usually. They follow the rules and principles, but it's like the way of the world. I started reading it and in half a year my reading list exploded and expanded by around 150 titles. Then there's the reincarnation or the typical isekai element in those novels, which also worked nicely. Following the MC as they grow is just fun to read. And when compared to the usual western or Japanese ones, where MC usually encounters stronger and stronger enemies, in a lot of Chinese novels he can be progressing faster than his enemies, which results in kinda OP MC Japanese trope, but with a lot more ass whooping.

I could also write a lot of facts and principles from the writer's perspective, but I believe a lot of people covered or will cover it, so whatever.

 

[BenJepheneT]

We like seeing numbers go up.

 

[Deleted member 29316]

On a related note, I used to love isekai, especially early isekai (Zero no Tsukaima, anyone?), 'till power-fantasies ruined it for me. LitRPG MCs don't feel human to me, so I rarely read one.

From my experience, it's quite sad to see that the isekai evolved from fantasy and adventure into power-fantasy and over-sexualized genre. There was this one time that when I uploaded my story here for the first time, I was asked 'Will they have sex?'. A reader from WebNovel criticized me for not giving my MC any powers, so he was presumed to be a 'beta', 'simp' and 'weak'.

I won't be pretentious, I also desire that. But what the heck, does every isekai story out there should have cheat powers and sex? Can't they consider an MC using just his wits and goes along with his harem in a deeper relationship than just having sex after being saved?

Well, pardon me. It's just a personal opinion.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

Just something I've been curious about for a while now. I've noticed a lot of Cultivation/Wuxia, Isekai, and LitRPG stories these past two-ish years from sites like this and I've always wondered about the appeal of the latter two. I'm admittedly still very new to this site and publishing web novels in general, but as both reader and writer I've been curious about the appeal of these genres.

Isekai I can understand because easy self-projection, good excuse for world-building exposition, and having an obvious and immediate audience surrogate has too many advantages on paper to resist at least trying. I've got my opinions about its abundance, but that is neither here nor there.

Cultivation and Wuxia I'm just ignorant on in terms of the appeal. From my understanding this genre started gaining traction as translations of Chinese web novels came in, but as far as Western appeal to this specific genre I'm clueless. I mean, I'm a fan of cheesy kung fu films and have a few martial arts stories in the works, but the concept of Cultivation and general Wuxia and Xianxia aside from the Ancient China aesthetic is just lost on me, at least as a Westerner. As a self-admitted weeb that drools over anything samurai/feudal Japan-focused I get the idea of its appeal, but I just don't see the story advantage like I do with Isekai aside from popularity.

And LitRPG... I'll admit, I'm confused by the very term, but from my understanding the idea is a story set in a game world like Sword Art Online or a game-like world like Danmachi. I... sort of get this one. I'm a huge gamer myself, but I just couldn't see the appeal in reading about someone gaming when I could do it myself, virtual reality or no. Stuff like Danmachi have an interesting, decontructive edge to it, but that's all I can think of in terms of appeal. But maybe that's the cynical side of me reeling its ugly head. This is a specific genre I'm more negative about due to me seeing too many bad/below average anime covering this genre, but I'm curious as to why people stick with it.

But yeah guys, if you guys wanna' explain why you like writing/reading these genres I'm all ears. I'm not trying to come at this like a cynic, I'm genuinely curious since this isn't my main interest but I see it in a lot of web novel sites. Sorry if this came off as pretentious or sarcastic.

Whats the appeal of romance? Adventure? Mystery? You dont have to understand it or like it.

Anyway iim sure people will tell you all kinds of reasons they like it.

 

[Saileri]

On a related note, I used to love isekai, especially early isekai (Zero no Tsukaima, anyone?), 'till power-fantasies ruined it for me. LitRPG MCs don't feel human to me, so I rarely read one.

From my experience, it's quite sad to see that the isekai evolved from fantasy and adventure into power-fantasy and over-sexualized genre. There was this one time that when I uploaded my story here for the first time, I was asked 'Will they have sex?'. A reader from WebNovel criticized me for not giving my MC any powers, so he was presumed to be a 'beta', 'simp' and 'weak'.

I won't be pretentious, I also desire that. But what the heck, does every isekai story out there should have cheat powers and sex? Can't they consider an MC using just his wits and goes along with his harem in a deeper relationship than just having sex after being saved?

Well, pardon me. It's just a personal opinion.

God damn Zero, I pretty much started with that shit, bruh, still one of my faves of faves, idgaf what ppl think about it. Tabitha was one of my first waifus.

About the power fantasy and eroticism. Just how the trend goes and how the majority of readers follow. I'm kinda somewhere in between you and the others. I've hated many novels where the author forcefully tried to avoid the explicit stuff, even though the characters and story unfolded the way where it actually felt proper having it in place and also, on the other hand, I hate stories where they suddenly turn from adventure, exploration, power-fantasy, whatever, into a sex fest.

Personally, I really love having a balance between those things. Like, I'll even use my own example here, which one day may actually show what I mean since it's just only at the beginning stage. I started that story "I Own A Brothel In Another World", and ye, obviously from the title you can guess there will be some hot stuff and such, sometimes even perhaps ever other or 3rd chapter, depending on the arc, but I'm totally spending like 8 first chapters building up the whole premise so the world and characters aren't just some empty sex vessels. I want to deliver some quality lewding to the people, but it being literally pulled out of the ass like MC literally scoring the girl the same day he sees her with a new one each chapter without any kind of backstory or whatever just seems a bit dumb to me.

The other story I'm working on is literally a full fantasy adventure, with most likely at least 2 girls that would end up with the MC, but the main focus is fully on the story and action, yet if at some point I feel like the story and characters developed to the point where they would 'have fun' together, I ain't gonna fucking cuckold everyone and make it behind the scenes or make the MC be the usual harem protag who faints at the sight of a titty. The hot stuff won't start suddenly happening by every other chapter like the girls suddenly turned succubus or went into a fuckin heatfest forgetting who the fuck they are and losing all the personality, but if I feel like it fits the moment, once in like an arc or half of it, why not if they are actually into each other and it fits?

Nonetheless, it's not like I don't enjoy stories without those elements. The third project I have in mind for someday doesn't have even a speck of lewd shit. For me, it all comes to the setting and development. Not every fucking relationship has to end up in sex.

 

[Deleted member 29316]

About the power fantasy and eroticism. Just how the trend goes and how the majority of readers follow. I'm kinda somewhere in between you and the others. I've hated many novels where the author forcefully tried to avoid the explicit stuff, even though the characters and story unfolded the way where it actually felt proper having it in place and also, on the other hand, I hate stories where they suddenly turn from adventure, exploration, power-fantasy, whatever, into a sex fest.

Personally, I really love having a balance between those things. Like, I'll even use my own example here, which one day may actually show what I mean since it's just only at the beginning stage. I started that story "I Own A Brothel In Another World", and ye, obviously from the title you can guess there will be some hot stuff and such, sometimes even perhaps ever other or 3rd chapter, depending on the arc, but I'm totally spending like 8 first chapters building up the whole premise so the world and characters aren't just some empty sex vessels. I want to deliver some quality lewding to the people, but it being literally pulled out of the ass like MC literally scoring the girl the same day he sees her with a new one each chapter without any kind of backstory or whatever just seems a bit dumb to me.

The other story I'm working on is literally a full fantasy adventure, with most likely at least 2 girls that would end up with the MC, but the main focus is fully on the story and action, yet if at some point I feel like the story and characters developed to the point where they would 'have fun' together, I ain't gonna fucking cuckold everyone and make it behind the scenes or make the MC be the usual harem protag who faints at the sight of a titty. The hot stuff won't start suddenly happening by every other chapter like the girls suddenly turned succubus or went into a fuckin heatfest forgetting who the fuck they are and losing all the personality, but if I feel like it fits the moment, once in like an arc or half of it, why not if they are actually into each other and it fits?

Nonetheless, it's not like I don't enjoy stories without those elements. The third project I have in mind for someday doesn't have even a speck of lewd shit. For me, it all comes to the setting and development. Not every fucking relationship has to end up in sex.

Exactly my point.

Not that avoiding the eroticism, but at least put a deeper relationship between the characters before delving into one's skirts.

And yeah, one can have a relationship to the opposite sex without doing the actual act.

 

[Saileri]

Exactly my point.

Not that avoiding the eroticism, but at least put a deeper relationship between the characters before delving into one's skirts.

And yeah, one can have a relationship to the opposite sex without doing the actual act.

Unless obviously it's a pure pornfic. Then I get into it fully knowing what to expect.