sudo isekai in an empty world with heavy memory loss
its like searching a store for chicken, but instead of presenting delicious meat you present the skeleton. i mean, yeah, sure it is a chicken, but it isnt what people who are searching for chicken are looking for.
In Kuro no Shoukanshi the mc have memory loss too but it's still considered an isekai and even got a manga and anime adaptation. The fact your mc don't have any memory doesn't change the fact that it's an isekai. You didn't said his memory will never come back or that he doesn't take anything from earth and even if that the case, that change nothing at all. You shouldn't bother much about this, even more if it's just an only reader who said this. If he want a isekai with the mc using his knowledge from earth then you story ain't what they looking for, that all.
that would mean anything not set on earth would be isekai....ie pokemon or gintama. it would lose all meaning on its own and just become a synonimn to the fantany genre. it would lose its relavent meaning and no longer be a genre
that would mean anything not set on earth would be isekai....ie pokemon or gintama. it would lose all meaning on its own and just become a synonimn to the fantany genre. it would lose its relavent meaning and no longer be a genre
Here is the situation. I try to listen to any sort of feedback in order to make the best version and fix any sort of errors in my novels. Today, I re-released one of my novels, and I've made it clear that any sort of feedback is more than welcome.
The story is about a guy who has been trapped on a floating island in the middle of a void. (basically, another dimension)
The main character has spent so long trapped on that floating island that he barely has any memories of what his life used to be like. I specifically mentioned it in the narration that the mc doesn't remember. This is an important part of the story about why the mc doesn't remember and a logical explanation about why. But I didn't want to go into many details since I wanted to leave it a bit open, for the readers to guess why.
(Some of the readers, when they read the beta version, even gave some clever and interesting intel on how the mc has become delusional and lost him mind.)
Now here is the problem, one of the readers decided that this novel is not considered Isekai because the main character doesn't have memories. And I should remove the "Isekai" tag from my novel or remove the fact that the mc doesn't have memories, because that makes him a different entity.
I gave my opinion on this fact and tried explaining that this novel indeed has the isekai genere, because the main character can also cross worlds through a door. (It's basically a dungeon, meant to clear challenges.) But in the very first chapter, another character gets trapped/summoned to this world as well. So it should be considered isekai? Right?
I was going to reply again to that reader, but he/she/it seemed convinced that I was wrong, and he was right.
I can guess that this reader didn't even consider reading this novel because he/she/it didn't stop and think about why the character didn't contact his family even though he has been trapped there for thousands of years. The narration in the novel mentioned that any attempt to contact or interact with humans is pointless as it is restricted by something.
So should I remove the Isekai tag from my novel, or should I keep it?
TLDR : A trapped protagonist on a floating island, devoid of memories, sparks a debate over whether the story should be classified as an Isekai, with a reader arguing that memory loss negates the genre's definition.
You have to look at their point of view. Isekai is a genre where a person from this world goes to another world and presents the adventure based on their perspective as a former denizen of this world, or vice versa.
You can argue that it is a different world, but if you do not present the experience, then can you truly call that isekai? Wouldn't you just be abusing the market, promising apples but when the customers asked, "Where are the apples?" and you said, "Just because there's apples in the logo and my business is registered as Great Apples, doesn't mean I sell apples".
Ai-chan never read your story and Ai-chan may misunderstood the narration. But while the very barebone definition of isekai is crossing to another world, it's pointless if it doesn't present the experience of a man living in that world while referencing their former world.
For an example of a truly horrible misuse of the term, you can read Tale of the White Kingdom (shirou no koukoku monogatari). The protagonist had a migraine and collapsed. When he woke up, he became a legendary white haired king who brought glory to the kingdom. Then he died and woke up in the hospital. In no part was it ever mentioned that he compared his new life with his old life, no reference to his old life, no decisions made based on his original world's perspective. Technically, it is isekai, but it might as well not be isekai as the isekai part is just to capitalize on the popularity of isekai genre. It might just as well be only fantasy genre, as the isekai part is just him getting a migraine. That's it, him getting a migraine.
@AliceShiki , you a right. There are some marginal cases, like transported to the very similar world with alternative history (classic example is "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick), where I simply don't know, will it receive in Japan "Isekai" genre or not, but it still formally suits the definition.
Here is the situation. I try to listen to any sort of feedback in order to make the best version and fix any sort of errors in my novels. Today, I re-released one of my novels, and I've made it clear that any sort of feedback is more than welcome.
The story is about a guy who has been trapped on a floating island in the middle of a void. (basically, another dimension)
The main character has spent so long trapped on that floating island that he barely has any memories of what his life used to be like. I specifically mentioned it in the narration that the mc doesn't remember. This is an important part of the story about why the mc doesn't remember and a logical explanation about why. But I didn't want to go into many details since I wanted to leave it a bit open, for the readers to guess why.
(Some of the readers, when they read the beta version, even gave some clever and interesting intel on how the mc has become delusional and lost him mind.)
Now here is the problem, one of the readers decided that this novel is not considered Isekai because the main character doesn't have memories. And I should remove the "Isekai" tag from my novel or remove the fact that the mc doesn't have memories, because that makes him a different entity.
I gave my opinion on this fact and tried explaining that this novel indeed has the isekai genere, because the main character can also cross worlds through a door. (It's basically a dungeon, meant to clear challenges.) But in the very first chapter, another character gets trapped/summoned to this world as well. So it should be considered isekai? Right?
I was going to reply again to that reader, but he/she/it seemed convinced that I was wrong, and he was right.
I can guess that this reader didn't even consider reading this novel because he/she/it didn't stop and think about why the character didn't contact his family even though he has been trapped there for thousands of years. The narration in the novel mentioned that any attempt to contact or interact with humans is pointless as it is restricted by something.
So should I remove the Isekai tag from my novel, or should I keep it?
TLDR : A trapped protagonist on a floating island, devoid of memories, sparks a debate over whether the story should be classified as an Isekai, with a reader arguing that memory loss negates the genre's definition.
To me Isekai mean is go to another world with some memories of their past life with their body intact.I say this because if u get reborn in another world as baby or take over someone body after their death that count as reincarnation instead.
Its not. Losing memories makes a new identity and since that new identity hasn't existed in multiple worlds it can't qualify. The new identity is a new person not the same person.
Here is the situation. I try to listen to any sort of feedback in order to make the best version and fix any sort of errors in my novels. Today, I re-released one of my novels, and I've made it clear that any sort of feedback is more than welcome.
The story is about a guy who has been trapped on a floating island in the middle of a void. (basically, another dimension)
The main character has spent so long trapped on that floating island that he barely has any memories of what his life used to be like. I specifically mentioned it in the narration that the mc doesn't remember. This is an important part of the story about why the mc doesn't remember and a logical explanation about why. But I didn't want to go into many details since I wanted to leave it a bit open, for the readers to guess why.
(Some of the readers, when they read the beta version, even gave some clever and interesting intel on how the mc has become delusional and lost him mind.)
Now here is the problem, one of the readers decided that this novel is not considered Isekai because the main character doesn't have memories. And I should remove the "Isekai" tag from my novel or remove the fact that the mc doesn't have memories, because that makes him a different entity.
I gave my opinion on this fact and tried explaining that this novel indeed has the isekai genere, because the main character can also cross worlds through a door. (It's basically a dungeon, meant to clear challenges.) But in the very first chapter, another character gets trapped/summoned to this world as well. So it should be considered isekai? Right?
I was going to reply again to that reader, but he/she/it seemed convinced that I was wrong, and he was right.
I can guess that this reader didn't even consider reading this novel because he/she/it didn't stop and think about why the character didn't contact his family even though he has been trapped there for thousands of years. The narration in the novel mentioned that any attempt to contact or interact with humans is pointless as it is restricted by something.
So should I remove the Isekai tag from my novel, or should I keep it?
TLDR : A trapped protagonist on a floating island, devoid of memories, sparks a debate over whether the story should be classified as an Isekai, with a reader arguing that memory loss negates the genre's definition.
You definition provided proves me correct. The Mc is a new being after losing his memories and an entirely different person. He isn't the same being that lived on earth any longer.
Memories make the man, and you killed the man when you killed his memories.
You must be the same person on both worlds. And no, dungeons Do not count as worlds. And supporting characters are not what that tag is for or else everyone could add that tag by just making a side character.
Wait, did you post your novel here? If yes, you can simply look at the definition of isekai on SH.
Definition: Isekai revolves around a person who is transported to and has to survive in another world, such as a fantasy world, virtual world or parallel universe.
If anyone questions whether you should use it or not, you can simply sent them straight to this definition. If they don't like anything, they can always change the definition.
Are the English Schoolchildren find Gate to Another World stories of C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbitt, Joy Chant and a few others Isekai?
Is the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon Isekai (it could even be argued that the kids died on a faulty roller coaster and the world Dungeon Master brings them to is their afterlife)?
Are the stories where a character dies and a spirit from another world reanimates their bodies (most recent ones I've seen were "The Girl from Paraworld" and "Warrior Soul" on PocketFM - note that in both of these, the new spirit has about half of the memories of the original and most of their own intact) and boosts their power as a result Isekai?
Or does it have to be "character somehow is reborn on another world with power" the "one true Isekai?
@AliceShiki , you a right. There are some marginal cases, like transported to the very similar world with alternative history (classic example is "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick), where I simply don't know, will it receive in Japan "Isekai" genre or not, but it still formally suits the definition.
Other examples (actually cases where time travel CREATES an alternate world) Hayford Pierce's "Napolean Disentimed" and Leo Frantkowski's Conrad Stargard novels ("The Crosstime Engineer", "The Flying Warlord", "The Radiant Warrior", "Lord Conrad's Lady", and one I just found out existed, "Conrad's Last Campaign").
Are the English Schoolchildren find Gate to Another World stories of C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbitt, Joy Chant and a few others Isekai?
Is the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon Isekai (it could even be argued that the kids died on a faulty roller coaster and the world Dungeon Master brings them to is their afterlife)?
Are the stories where a character dies and a spirit from another world reanimates their bodies (most recent ones I've seen were "The Girl from Paraworld" and "Warrior Soul" on PocketFM - note that in both of these, the new spirit has about half of the memories of the original and most of their own intact) and boosts their power as a result Isekai?
Or does it have to be "character somehow is reborn on another world with power" the "one true Isekai?
Other examples (actually cases where time travel CREATES an alternate world) Hayford Pierce's "Napolean Disentimed" and Leo Frantkowski's Conrad Stargard novels ("The Crosstime Engineer", "The Flying Warlord", "The Radiant Warrior", "Lord Conrad's Lady", and one I just found out existed, "Conrad's Last Campaign").
By the definition star wars and star trek are isekai. The definition is far too vague and isn't what anyone expects from an isekai.
The relatability a reader or viewer has with characters that come from their world to another universe is what I believe to be the crux of what an isekai is. Not simply any two worlds. And this requires being the same person mentally from the first to the second. Erasing their memories just makes a blank slate and makes the isekai tag meaningless.
