Go Tokyo Your Experience
In recent years, works with the theme of reincarnation in another world have become very popular in the Japanese anime scene. Although these works have typical patterns and seem repetitive, they reveal a key difference: whether the protagonist desires to return to their original world. Some protagonists strive to go back, while others accept their fate and decide to start a new life in the alternative world.
So, what factors influence their choices? Japanese netizens have proposed a viewpoint, believing it may be related to the age of the protagonists. Let’s explore these opinions together.
At first, I thought the protagonist didn’t want to return to the real world; it was merely the ‘fate of creative logic’ and not a genuine psychological state. However, after deeper reflection, I realized that the desire to return to the real world is a trait of young people. Adults typically become accustomed to leaving home to make a living and create a new life elsewhere. If they can establish themselves in another world, they naturally would not want to return.
The Internet user ‘すきえんてぃあ’ provided a unique analysis on this, sparking widespread discussion.
This netizen mentioned that he previously thought the setting of reluctance to return was unreasonable and seemed to be a necessary push for the plot. But as he thought deeper, he realized that if the protagonist is already an adult who has entered society, it is more natural to accept life in another world. In contrast, those characters who want to return seem to still be naive children who are unaware of the world.
This theory resonated with some netizens:
Indeed, if adults build new families and achieve themselves in another world, they probably won’t be fixated on returning.
I agree, ‘wanting to go home’ is a typical psychology of children under the protection of their parents. However, the audience for isekai (another world) reincarnation works is mostly men in their 30s and 40s, perhaps deep down everyone wants to escape the pressures of reality.
However, some have proposed different views:
Conversely, those who developed and succeeded from rural areas often find themselves reminiscing about their hometowns as they get older.
In student times, it was common to see friends and family. After entering society and living alone, even old colleagues may lose contact due to job changes. Therefore, it is not surprising for adults to act as protagonists, even if they do not wish to return home.
In addition, the quality of life in the other world also determines the protagonist’s stay or departure:
Ultimately, it depends on which place is more satisfying. If the other world is poor and conditions are harsh, it will undoubtedly encourage one to return to reality.
Many netizens believe that if one can thrive in another world or if the living conditions are favorable, it is naturally hard to give it up. However, if the circumstances are poor, one will inevitably miss various aspects of reality.
Of course, some netizens analyze it from another perspective:
Even if adults are independent, relationships in real life, such as friends and lovers, may still make people willing to return. Unless one is already alone and helpless in reality, or no longer has anyone they care about.
Rather than saying that adults do not want to return, I think it is more akin to the mentality of someone in their late teens. After growing up, one always thinks of contributing to their hometown, but if the protagonist’s memories are filled with bullying, then it is hard to talk about repaying kindness.
In the end, netizens summarized that different story settings will affect this mentality: If the protagonist has died when reincarnating, then returning seems hopeless; however, in the case of spiritual possession, there still exists a chance to return to reality.
Despite the diverse insights, some people’s attitudes are quite firm:
If I were in a reincarnation situation in another world, I would do my utmost to find a way back to the real world.
Through these discussions, we not only explored the deep psychological motivations behind otherworldly reincarnation works, but also glimpsed the audience’s reflections on the subtle relationship between reality and fantasy. Such discussions reveal the diverse attitudes people have toward life in otherworldly works, as well as the profound social psychology behind them.
