Mistakes Isekai Characters Repeat All The Time

Key Takeaways

Isekai main characters show off their talents, draw unwanted attention, and complicate situations.
Escalating conflicts due to lack of common sense leads to an endless cycle of violence.
MCs tend to risk becoming public enemies by solving everything through violence.

As someone who’s spent a considerable amount of time immersed in the realm of RPGs and fantasy, I can’t help but shake my head at the antics of these Isekai protagonists. It seems they’ve forgotten more about survival than most seasoned adventurers ever knew!

Lovers of fantasy anime ought to understand that protagonists of Isekai genre rarely grow from their blunders, and quite often, these imperfections turn into difficulties for them or cause harm to supporting characters.

The habit of considering oneself superior due to possessing deceitful abilities has evolved into a common shortcoming among most characters in Isekai anime, causing them to repeatedly stumble over the same obstacle again and again. This stems from flaws born out of arrogance and a false sense of invincibility, leading these main characters to repeat similar mistakes.

7 Showing Off Their Talents

It Draws Unnecessary Attention And Always Complicates Things

When It Happens: Guild scenes/every time MC interacts with others
Consequences: Draws jealousy and ill intentions from others

It seems that every protagonist in Isekai stories has a strong impulse to make a grand entrance into the kingdom’s infamous lists, often with flamboyant displays instead of being subtle and avoiding attention. Instead of trying to blend in during their ability evaluations or rank tests, they tend to draw excessive attention. This habit frequently leads to chaotic situations that stir up trouble in their new worlds, which one might think is counterproductive since they’re supposed to be solving the problems of the world they’ve been summoned to. However, they seem to cause more and more issues wherever they go. The series No Longer Allowed in Another World and Konosuba both illustrate well the chaos that otherworlders can create in fantasy realms, with Goddess Eris trying to clean up the mess left by Aqua’s reckless actions in summoning a horde of clueless individuals into an otherwise peaceful world.

In most contemporary Isekai series, the protagonist is consistently placed front and center. This occurs in nearly 90% of instances. However, if one were to travel back in time to the early days of the Isekai genre, they would find a different narrative. Back then, the “spirited away” trope wasn’t as familiar, and Japanese characters transported to fantasy worlds weren’t as accustomed to their new environments.

6 Escalating Conflicts Everywhere They Go

Diplomacy Fails All The Time When You Lack Basic Common Sense

When It Happens: Every time a conflict sparks
Consequences: An endless cycle of violence

Main characters in Isekai stories often have a flamboyant, assertive style, entering every location as if they are its rightful owners. They seem unaware of subtlety, restraint, or keeping a low profile, and appear to be less versed in the nuances of society’s unspoken rules that emphasize conflict avoidance to prevent unwanted complications. However, since these characters are shielded by plot armor and feel incredibly powerful, it makes sense for them to showcase their strength to gain respect from others. This tendency is particularly prevalent when the narrative includes familiar tropes such as joining a guild or confronting guild ruffians.

The issue lies in the fact that, often, these thugs who can initially be overpowered easily, tend to return seeking revenge and bringing more allies with them. These newcomers, too, are usually defeated, only to bring others into the fray. This cycle of escalating conflict is quite common in many Isekai anime, a pattern that fans have come to expect. However, one must wonder if these patterns are essential for the storyline or if they merely serve as filler. The reality is that not all Isekai protagonists possess the wisdom to prevent such escalations, and the same can be said about their creators. This leads one to speculate that Isekai authors might approach every Tabletop RPG as a group of killers, seldom using negotiation or deception to avoid unnecessary fights.

5 Turning Themselves Into The Public Enemy

That MC Necessity Of Solving Everything Through Violence Is A Problem

When It Happens: When the MC forgets about his human side
Consequences: The summoned one becomes the new evil in the world

In addition to recurring themes, there are instances where the main character becomes so estranged from humanity that they no longer value sentient life. Anything in their path is seen as an obstacle, and they don’t mind being considered an enemy if their autonomy is threatened. When they possess overwhelming power, the question arises: why settle for just one victory? Shouldn’t they continue to dominate everyone else, given that attitude? Characters like Ainz Ooal Gown from Overlord, Shadow from Eminence in Shadow, and even Hajime from Arifureta often exhibit this behavior, never seeming to have enough. Are they sociopathic or insane? The answer remains elusive, and more often than not, the story concludes without revealing their ultimate objective.

Power often corrupts, turning benevolent leaders into tyrants who crave conquest. It’s easy for these powerful figures to slip into the stereotype of becoming the next malicious villain. In a universe where there are no universal threats, but instead internal conflicts among factions that could be resolved through non-violent means, it remains perplexing as to why they persistently resort to all-out war. Some argue this is simply human nature, and these characters mirror the true essence of humanity. However, one might question whether this is truly an accurate portrayal of human nature or merely a lazy attempt at creating conflict in the storyline.

4 Shouting The Name Of Their Skills

Seriously, Why Does Every MC Do That?

When It Happens: In almost every battle scene
Consequences: The plot becomes boring and a torture for the audience

Another cliche latched into the anime culture that got transported to every power fantasy and Isekai anime out there is the need to shout out the name of skills/magics when using them. In the second case, it is understandable that these derive from the verbal component of spells that are present in Vancian magic and are also dedicated to famous tabletop RPG systems, but in the case of other skills, it doesn’t make any sense at all. It is annoying and repetitive, drawing unnecessary attention from the animation. On top of that, shouting the name of an ability would make it quite easy for enemies to prepare for an incoming attack.

In the anime titled “I Parry Everything“, the most exasperating and absurd manifestation of this occurs, as the main character (or voice actor) repeatedly shouts “Parry” in every fight scene. This repetitive behavior can grow tiresome quite quickly, leading to debates among fans of popular Isekai series. Interestingly, even the character Rudeus from “Mushoku Tensei” makes a notable comment about this when developing his “silent casting” magic. There are also other characters who might adopt this strategy and focus on the Silent Spell Metamagic Feat to bring relief to many fans’ ears.

3 Trusting Nobility

These Seemingly Trustworthy Figures Can Sometimes Have Ulterior Motives

When It Happens: Every time a hero is summoned by the kingdom
Consequences: Betrayal; the hero gets discarded and sometimes killed

In every “summoned to another world to defeat the Demon Lord” story, there’s always a princess, a priestess, a king, or a queen that demands the heroes to yield their will for a greater cause, and in many of those cases, the Isekaid protagonists just go along with the flow and say yes, without thinking about the consequences of their actions or the looming threat that this supposes. Red Flag number one: If they have the power to break dimensional doors, why not just use that energy to fight the threat? Red Flag number two: most isekai main characters come from the real world, which has a lot of history for them to learn from, and most of that history involves nobility and their bloody quest for power. But the average Isekai MC lacks common sense, and maybe that’s why the young ones are targeted more often than seasoned adults, since they’re easier to manipulate.

Despite the unexpected circumstances, it’s hard to deny the strange nature of receiving a summons from a king without prior acquaintance or being shadowed by an unfamiliar princess in shows like “Rising of the Shield Hero.” This serves as a stark reminder of why Isekai main characters should be wary of trusting nobility under any circumstances. Furthermore, it appears that there’s a recurring narrative across all Isekai realms, suggesting a link between them. It’s intriguing to consider if Japanese-summoned heroes are aware of the predicament they find themselves in and understand the unwritten rules of being Isekai’d. Couldn’t it be beneficial for these protagonists to have this crucial insight shared among them?

2 Ask For Unnecessary Explanations

They Come From A Gaming RPG Heavily Influenced Culture; They Should Know The Rules By Now

When It Happens: In every Adventurer Guild scene
Consequences: Boring, predictable, and tiresome for the audience

In every Isekai anime where there are things like levels, ranks, or mercenary/adventurer guilds, there’s always this scene where the MC enters the turf of seasoned warriors and goes to get an evaluation, alongside a lengthy explanation on how the Rank system (that is always the same) works. That and many recurrent cliches have turned the Isekai genre into an eternal repetition of unnecessary scenes, where the audience (and the protagonists that allegedly share the same reality as them) receive high doses of boring dialogues about the rules of the adventurer guild and the ranking system.

In addition, there’s the training sequence, the tutorial on abilities, the recurring motif where a mysterious entity guides them and us (referencing the fourth wall), among other elements. For individuals deeply immersed in RPGs and fantasy, Isekai protagonists appear to lack understanding of “what it takes to be an adventurer.” The issue lies in that they frequently spend time learning redundant skills instead of focusing on essential survival techniques.

1 Waste Their Time Learning Useless Things, They Ignore The Basics Of Survival

Seriously, Don’t They Know About Self Preservation?

When It Happens: Every time an Isekai MC steps into the wilds
Consequences: Hunger, wounds, predictable outcomes

One way to rephrase the given text could be: It’s detrimental when main characters spending valuable time figuring out guild hierarchies instead of acquiring essential survival skills, considering they may only last a day in the forest. A common pitfall among protagonists is over-relying on their cheat abilities, disregarding other vital skills like constructing simple shelters or providing basic first aid, which could prevent injuries.

In many Isekai anime, protagonists often lack essential survival skills such as navigating with a compass or the sun, setting traps for food, identifying edible plants, and even lighting fires without magic. These oversights can be problematic when they find themselves in the wild. It’s surprising that they seldom attempt to acquire these basic survival abilities, which are crucial for any adventurer, except in rare instances where the characters were summoned with prior knowledge of wilderness survival.

2024-09-11 06:34