![]() ![]() ![]() RELATED: The Most Beautiful Studio Ghibli Movies Other critically-acclaimed anime Isekai films came out and solidified the popular genre at the time such as The Boy and the Beast and The Cat Returns. True to Isekai's folkloric roots, Spirited Away also had many folk motifs such as the kami creatures who came to the bathhouse, the idea of purifying the body through water, and the fact that river could have a spirit. The movie was released in 2001 in Japan and really pulled the Isekai genre out of any international obscurity. To this day, it is known as one of the best Isekai anime out there, having won many awards and is beloved by people of all ages and backgrounds. Like other Isekai before it, Spirited Away placed a young protagonist in a fantastical world that she is forced to adapt to. What really put Isekai on the international consciousness was Hayao Miyazaki's 2002 movie, Spirited Away. However, it was not yet at its peak of popularity. At the time, the genre had a perfected storytelling formula. This would force the protagonist to grow up and quickly adapt to this new world, making many Isekai anime of this era serve as coming-of-age stories. The plot of these anime often followed a "chosen one" narrative, with the new world quickly having high expectations of its oddly dressed visitor and throwing them into fantastical situations that they have to overcome. The genre had very little in terms of limitations, with the new worlds ranging from historic China to magical realms with mechs and dragons. While both were Isekai, Mashin Hero Wataru was targeted more towards little boys while Fushigi Yuugi's target audience was older girls. Part of what made the genre so successful is that they could have all kinds of different target audiences. These included Mashin Hero Wataru, El-Hazard, NG Knight Ramune & 40, as well as Fushigi Yuugi. ![]() RELATED: Greatest Isekai Anime Of All Time From Folklore To Anime: Urashima TarōĪnime did not come into the international lens until the 80s and 90s, and plenty of Isekai stories were among them. While this template is popular in with cultures, Japan's connection to Isekai stories can be dated back to a work of fiction. Both the viewers as well as the protagonist are seeing a different world with a fresh perspective. People love to be transported to another world while empathizing with the main protagonist, and that is part of why Isekai is so popular. Non-anime fans should be familiar with the idea due to famous stories like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and so much more. While anime has a particular word for this genre, the story of a character exploring a whole new world is a very old trope that goes as far back as ancient folklore. The character can be any kind of person, and the world they end up in can range from fantasy to sci-fi. Isekai translates to "different world" or "otherworld," and as its name suggests, the genre is all about putting a character in a whole new world. ![]()
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