Sword Art Online is already considered an isekai
The company COLOPL published a new promotional video for its upcoming free-to-play video game "Isekai ∞ Isekai". The video, which sparked enthusiasm and debate in equal parts, reveals that the title will arrive in January 2025 and will feature nine anime series that will be part of its first season. Among the titles announced are iconic names of the isekai genre such as "Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation" and "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime". However, what attracted the most attention was the inclusion of works such as "Sword Art Online" and "Shangri-La Frontier", which are not traditionally considered isekai by a large part of the fan community.
The first trailer confirmed the following nine works as part of the game's initial cast:
- Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
- Sword Art Online.
- Shangri-La Frontier.
- Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill.
- I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince So I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability.
- As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World.
- Uncle From Another World.
- Reincarnated as a Sword.
The game will be available for iOS, Android, and PC via Steam, offering an experience where players will be able to "live the isekai" by collecting characters from their favorite anime. In addition, COLOPL announced the imminent launch of a digital forum called "Isekai ∞ Isekai BBS," where fans will be able to discuss their preferred titles of the genre.
An Expanded Definition of Isekai
The aspect that has generated the most buzz is the inclusion of "Sword Art Online" and "Shangri-La Frontier". Both series have been the subject of intense debates about whether they really belong to the isekai genre, which is traditionally defined as stories where the protagonists are transported or reborn in an alternate world.
- Sword Art Online takes place mostly in virtual worlds within video games, which many argue does not qualify as "genuine isekai" due to the lack of a "literal journey" to another dimension.
- Shangri-La Frontier, on the other hand, follows a similar logic, as it focuses on an expert player exploring a hyper-realistic video game, without any element of reincarnation or transport to another physical world.
The fact that COLOPL catalogs them as isekai could be interpreted as a redefinition of the genre, expanding its boundaries to include stories that share similar thematic elements, such as disconnection from the real world and immersion in a new reality with its own rules. This begs the question: should we accept these works as part of the genre?
Source: Official Site
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