LitRPG isn’t the issue really, its a bit of a tired trope at this point but not inherently problematic. It just seems to be the vehicle of choice for other more prurient and damaging fantasies. If you’re going to hit the adventurous power fantasy why not hit the creepy sex fantasy too?
I’ve been trying to figure out the one that causes the speakers eyes to light on fire, but I can’t find it!
There are really only two good isekai shows: Konosuba, which takes the game angle and leans it far more into dark comedy as to how fucked up a fantasy world is and having awful friends along the way. (It’s probably the closest anime equivalent to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). The other is That Time I Was Reincarnated As A Slime which goes takes the Isekai OP main character and transforms him into chill civilization builder that who is more focused in unifying everyone together through peace.
Right now Dr. Stone is the only anime I’m currently watching this season; cause the hook is pretty amazing and people told me it was one of Shonen Jump’s best new series. It’s funny how it reminds me of that movie The Martian or the recent trend of resource management/discovery games just with that more adventurous shonen bent.
Anyone can be a hero. Fighting monsters and saving maidens is easy.
But the Watchers… they are the ones who are the true heroes. Heroic power - called “Likes” and “Emojis” - are necessary to make a hero’s actions count. The more Watchers follow a hero, the more powerful that Hero’s Monetization power becomes.
Shitty McJoeButtz was at home watching livestreams. He’s probably the most prolific livestream watcher on Earth. He has no job. His few friends constantly make fun of him for watching games instead of playing them. Shy and generic, he hides his true power, unvalued in the culture around him: he is the best livestream watcher the world has ever seen.
A portal opens, McJoeButtz finds himself in a strange new land. A beautiful hero down on her luck beseeches him to save her… by becoming a Watcher.
Yeah, I threw up a little in my mouth. But I fully expect this anime to be made within four years.
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I don’t think it’ll be an anime; but it sounds like a Youtube Red series EASY.
Konosuba definitely also suffers from the annoying twat of protagonist problem.
Thats the point, it leans waaaaay into all the tropes, he’s purposely written as a huge piece of shit, Alway Sunny in Philadelphia style as @Nukerjsr said. It really is why it’s the only good one because it’s taking the piss on all the others.
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Maybe I just don’t see appeal in purposefully shitty protagonist, with purposefully bad supporting cast with bad jokes. Something made to be bad doesn’t make it not bad.