Post #3848579

read some romance manga today. It is interesting, because there is almost always romance in Isekai and fantasy. I've been reflecting on just what the difference is, and I think I can summarize it. In a modern slice-of-life romance story, there is profound emptyness. Often the male and female lead spend the majority of their time doing busy work at school, or busy-work at a job. The whole promise is that, gaining some sort of romantic relationship will bring meaning to the futile grind of their life. But, it is a false promise, which means the relationship cannot stabilize, and, if it does, then the series immediately ends. Because at that moment, the false promise is broken, and the crushing futility of their life takes over. By contrast a good Isekai or Fantasy story, as step one, breaks the shackles of slavery placed upon the modern man. He too finds romance, and it can be like a meal eaten often. Without the false promise, it can be both sweet, filling, and is just part of the story. I think that is why people hate those kinds of stories, because they have internalized being a slave.