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What is otome isekai? |
Isekai means "other world" in Japanese. Isekai stories are those where the protagonist goes to another world. Things like Escaflowne, Sword Art Online, and No-Game No-Life are all forms of isekai. Otome means "maiden" and "otome games" are a type of dating-sim visual novel game for girls and women. The goal is to make choices to navigate various story routes to win the hearts of different capture targets.
In the past, the Isekai genre, which involves characters being transported to another world, was heavily influenced by shoujo themes. Works such as Escaflowne, Magic Knight Rayearth, The Twelve Kingdoms, or Fushigi Yugi typically featured a female protagonist who travels to a world of fantasy, romance, and magic. The protagonist usually possesses a special power, is destined for a great purpose, and falls in love before returning home with newfound knowledge about herself and love.
However, modern Isekai has taken a different direction and has become more shounen oriented. The genre began with .hack and became mainstream popular with Sword Art Online, which focuses on the trapped-in-a-videogame trope. Subsequently, numerous stories emerged with a "my life as a X in another world" premise, featuring male protagonists, action RPG settings, and male wish-fulfillment themes.
Recently, a new Isekai subgenre has emerged, known as Otome Isekai. It is essentially the girly version of modern shounen Isekai, featuring female wish-fulfillment themes. Rather than being stuck in an action game, the protagonist is often trapped in a romance novel or a romantic game. The plot generally centers on a female protagonist who is reborn in another world, rather than being teleported or trapped, and focuses on romantic themes.
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