Summary
Isekai has come a long way from itshumble beginnings back in the 80s. In that time, there have been different faces to the sub-genre and many protagonists that have come and gone. In recent times, there have been protagonists with overwhelming power or unrealistic ideas.
However, there have also been some relatable protagonists. These are the ones that the average viewer could see themselves in and can truly empathize with their situation. This could be said to be the true ideal behind isekai as a story that sets a character in another world and invites the viewer to insert themselves in the story.
Myne used to be Urano Motosu, a Japanese girl who loved books so much. She was able to land a dream job as a librarian, but tragedy struck when she was killed in the most ironic way possible— under a stack of books. Her last thought was that she hoped where she was going would have a lot of books.
Myne turned out to besomething of a geniusin her new world, and while not everyone can relate to that, there is a lot to find in common with her obsession with books. She’d read them at any point, and readers indeed tend to have a vast array of knowledge.
Yoko Nakajima was a regular 16-year-old who was worried about fitting in and trying to hide her fiery red hair. She is visited by a man named Keiki, who claimed that she was to be the new queen of a world she had never been to. Thus began her incredible adventures in the new world she was thrust into.
Yoko is one of those individuals who developed as a character throughout the show. What made her remarkable was how honest and natural her progression felt. She didn’t have it figured out, nor was she even initially able to see her failings. But once she realized her errors, she grew and started on the path to becoming a capable leader.
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ashis a somewhatdepressingly realistictake on the isekai trope. Haruhiro is among a bunch of other people who were brought to another world, and the strong banded together to leave the weak behind. Haruhiro, paired with “the weak,” now has to survive with his teammates.
Things are made harder when their reliable leader, Manato, dies. This leaves Haruhiro as the leader of the group. Haruhiro is oppressively self-deprecating, and his inability to ever feel like he can measure up, while frustrating, is all too relatable. People tend to have a sense of impostor syndrome even after carrying out impressive feats.
Subaru is one of the most realistic protagonists found in anime. He was a geek who was transported to another world. He was initially excited at the prospect of being in another world until he witnessed the reality of the new world, which was a lot harsher than he imagined.
Subaru was out of his depth as any normal individual would be, and the loneliness, hurt,and depressionthat came with his situation felt very human. His determination to try his best as a normal person is also admirable and makes Subaru a really cool protagonist.
Konosubais one of thefunniest isekai shows, and the antics of Kazuma, Aqua, Megumi, and Darkness have caused many a guffaw from fans. Kazuma isn’t a stereotypical isekai protagonist; he’s one of those ones that lets the intrusive thoughts win.
Kazuma is lazy, less than noble, and isn’t above pettiness. While a lot of these are played for laughs, it is also what makes him so relatable, as anyone can imagine being in a new world and ditching the expectations of nobility for the chance at an easy life. Kazuma is not a hero, and in truth, not many people are.
Naofumi Iwatani is not everyone’s cup of tea. When the first episode ofThe Rising Of The Shield Herowas released, it caused a lot of discussion. But all in all, the fact that Naofumiwas betrayedand then, in turn, became a lot less trustworthy and angry, is a very relatable situation.
Anyone who has ever been accused of doing something they didn’t do will say that there is usually a lot of anger in the aftermath. The clear discrimination he faced for being the shield hero was also infuriating, and while unpopular, his reaction was quite normal.
Ainz Ooal Gown is considered one of themost OP protagonistsin isekai. The Guild master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick is imbued with unbelievable power. However, behind the great skeletal mass is an unsure salaryman, Suzuki Satoru. At first glance, with all his power and resources, Ainz might seem almost idealistic, but he is, in fact, relatable.
Anyone who is suddenly thrust into a new world with all that power will be nervous and worried about the possibility of beings greater than them turning on them and harming them. In truth, the evil of Ainz slowly eroded Satoru, but experiencing the story through his eyes did feel relatable. He was capable, but hardly ever felt like it; what’s more relatable than that?
Rimuru Tempest is another OP protagonist in the isekai genre. He was an ordinary man who was killed and asked with his dying breath that his computer be destroyed so as not to reveal the secrets in it. Rimuru was blessed with extraordinary power in the new world, but all he wants is to have fun.
Rimuru’s laid-back personality and emphasis on a good time are the things that make him such a relatable character. For many,That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slimeis a realistic look at what they would do if they were transported to a new world and had so much power too.
