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isekai
What does isekai mean?
A wildly popular genre of anime, manga, and light novels in which an ordinary person is yanked into a fantasy or game-like world, usually with a power-up. The 'getting hit by a truck and reincarnating' setup is its signature cliche.
"Another isekai where the hero is overpowered from episode one."
Origin
From the Japanese 異世界 (isekai), literally 'different world'. The genre exploded in the 2010s through web novels and anime adaptations like Sword Art Online and Re:Zero.
Frequently asked questions
What does isekai mean?
It means 'another world' and refers to an anime genre where the hero is transported into a fantasy or game world, often after dying.
What is Truck-kun in isekai?
Truck-kun is the fandom nickname for the truck that frequently kills protagonists so they can be reincarnated in another world. It's a running genre joke.
Can isekai be used as a verb?
Yes. Fans say things like 'I want to get isekai'd' to mean they wish they could be whisked away into a fantasy world.
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