Anime

Becoming a film snob in 2025 mostly just means drunkenly binge watching David Lynch films while crying yourself to sleep so yeah don't worry about it, glad I could help.

Genre deconstruction comedy

If this is up your alley, KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! is just a straight parody of wish-fulfillment fantasy isekai. Unfortunately later on the jokes start to dip into problematic homophobic/transphobic territory which is why I didn't recommend it initially, but it mostly works as a comedy show barring that.

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady and The Executioner and Her Way of Life are recent examples I think (although maybe not exactly as revolutionary as I hyperbolically suggested).

There are other LN's and manga's that haven't been adapted to an anime yet, there were threads here about a manga that for the life of me I can't remember the title, will look later.

Good rule of thumb for all media, the queerer it is (usually) the more radical it is.

I kinda agree that Girmgar is mid, but sadly a mid isekai is above average compared to the rest of the genre. Something actually good like Now and Then, Here and There sadly remains the purview of the 90's. But also I dunno if I'd recommend that one, there are some really strong CW's and I haven't watched it recently to see if it holds up.

I only saw the first season of Re: Zero, thought it was trying for the Evangelion/Madoka "this is the edgy subversion of the genre" style but I don't know whether it succeeds at it or not because I didn't watch the other seasons since I couldn't get invested in the characters.

Likewise only saw the first season of Slime isekai but the "we must build society by going through the means of production" premise held some promise, unfortunately I couldn't care about the characters for the life of me.

Still I have to say the examples you give seem to be basically having all the same faults within category of its genre just shifted a bit more towards having bit of character exploration and a touch of self-awareness.

In a lot of ways, yeah. Like I'm in Love with the Villainess is 100% still a wish-fulfillment fantasy about a depressed gay office worker getting to have a healthy, normal life with the video game character she developed a parasocial relationship with and also she has cheat powers and complete meta knowledge of the setting and everything that's going to happen to accomplish that goal with, but it's also self-aware and includes cogent commentary on real-life LGBT issues.

Honestly, I think the biggest trend I've noticed is that an isekai with a female protagonist (whether they're the isekaid hero or someone else) tends to be meaningfully better even when it's still horny trash or just fluffy slop, while isekai centered on male protagonists tends more towards the "incel loser gets a harem by redeeming special good boy points in another world, continues being awful" pattern. Though I will say that for all the scorn that SAO (deservedly) gets (seriously, it's a bad series from a mid author who just can't help but write bad and gross things even when he's earnestly trying to be better about it), it does get some credit for making Kirito end up a well-adjusted, sociable guy with a diverse friend group who just kind of ignores the harem shit because he's too earnest a wife guy to ever think about anyone other than Asuna.

Fundamentally, if I'm having a serious discussion, you're completely correct. In short, "things for losers", as seen via popular culture and stereotypes correlate highly to things like "things for people with neuro-divergence" or "social quicks" or "family/isolation issues" or "anxious self-aware types" or simply those who developed quicker in certain ways, or are more introspective and unimpressed by the most common "popular stuff" for their age-group which doesn't challenge them intellectually or morally, or socially. (We could say both anime and VG are now those popular things. As a guy in my late-30's, that was very much not the case growing up.) But these are the things which I'm lampooning with my hyperbole types and various other groups you'd like to include.

That said, as someone who doesn't watch anime, and with full knowledge there is good "anime" (and having watched some good ones, imo) and having a story told via an animated medium doesn't somehow make a well told story inherently bad.

Also said, anime is for loser weebs and attracts pedos who excuse themselves because "technically she's 900 years old, because the other pedo who wrote this said so, so it's cool bro"

Also said, as someone who plays video games, video games are for fat loser virgins' dopamine addicts too, and they also double up on many of anime's issues and absurd sexualization.

Not because either is, as it stands fundamentally true as some natural law... but because, sociologically/psychologically the only people who are truly personally upset and offended by those dumb, worthless, statements, frankly, almost certainly, deserve to be upset. These things are entertainment, not moral failings or moral superiority. Realistically, someone who "likes anime" should see that stupid statement and think, "Yeah, wish those losers weren't associated with this entertainment medium I enjoy." rather than "Sorry, I an ANIME/GAMER guy, so if you insult ANIME/GAMER, you insult me! GAMERS RISE UP!"

And that's why "GAMERS RISE UP!" types are such, sad, pathetic, undeniable losers. Buddy, you play one of the most popular things on the planet, most designed specifically to target and foster dopamine addition and syphon money from you. Playing a good game doesn't make you a hero, even if it bucks the trend and is a quality example. More so, playing mediocre or shitty ones sure doesn't either. Get a real personality. This is like saying "Meat-Eaters rise up!" The fuck are you talking about? You're one of the most common types of people consuming one of the most common types of food, and morally, we can say, overall, it's a negative even if it's "more complex than that." If that's your "personal identity" then you simply don't have one. Not to mention, technically speaking, it's probably better if said identity didn't exist (as a non-vegetarian, I also admit that's a moral failing of mine). You're just a broken person, and some broken people need help to be fixed. Some, unfortunately, need to be shattered completely, though that should never be the default assumption.

John Brown wouldn't give a fuck about your Waifu, or if your favorite character in Marvel Rivals is OP or not. He'd give you a musket or shoot you, depending on which anime you watch or videogames you play. *(Sorry, Gacha gamers, and people who modded BG3 to turn Wyll white, but frankly you deserve it no questions asked)" The truth is, what you enjoy can stand on its own merits, or it can't, in which case you should be a little ashamed. Like me enjoying my treats while living in a dying American empire. Still, McDonalds has a .99cent any-sized coffee on their app I get a few times a week. I'm shit for getting it. Call me out on it, you're right, but I'm not going to cry about it. I know. I know. You're right. Life is dumb, people are hypocrites, including me, and I want my cheap shitty, iced coffee I can get for driving 3 minutes like a car-brained idiot with my doggie who loves rides. I may be shit, but I ain't closest to the most disgusting pile of shit out there. Not even in the top half of "desperately needs to be wiped away" filth. And maybe, I too, need to be cleaned... but, ya know... I'll gladly be wiped away when my turn comes... when it comes. After the black mold and roach infestations are dealt with.

If anyone here is honestly, emotionally, upset I'm ragging on 'gamers', sorry, but seriously... not that important bro (as a person who spends, likely as much or more time playing games as anyone on Hexbear) Likewise with anime. The ability to understand the difference between yourself, and the media you consume, is the difference between us and chuds -- I would hope.

Sure, I lean into being hyperbolic about it at times -- or often -- but that's the point. Taking this shit seriously is a problem. Grave of the Fireflies isn't good (or bad) because it's animated, it's good because of the story it tells. The medium can be replaced. Understanding that is the difference been a mindless "consuuumer" and someone who enjoys something. Me shitting on "anime" doesn't actually distract from the story and the history of a good work of art. Me being a hypoerbolic, pseudo-internet troll doesn't take away from a well told animated story of one of the worst atrocities of human history. And if we're being serious -- I would never disrespect that -- but we're not. We live in post-parody Trump/Elon clown world, where gamers are losers, anime watchers are pedos, and all of us need to do better, but it won't make a difference, so lets play games and watch anime until we finally break and "One Of the Mario Bros" the people who deserve it, because the unfortunate truth is that's the only real difference any of us will make in the world, if we're brave or broken or desperate enough to make it.

Still... gamesbad. Ya know? Sure, Disco Elysium is good but... ya know. It's good because it's atypical for a successful videogame. Harrier may be a depressed, sad, addict loser, cop (and as we all know, ACAB, including him) clinging to the past. But, ya know, that's that makes his story good. That's what makes him good, as a character, even if he's a fucking pathetic loser just trying to survive and taking a world he can't comprehend one step at a time, because he, like all of us, either has to choose to end it all now, or keep moving forward. The medium, video game or not, doesn't matter. I know it's a good game -- because it's atypical. Because the "typical game" is the absolute opposite. I'm considering getting a DE tattoo. A video game tattoo. I look down on people with video-game tattoos, even if just slightly. The truth is, I also look down on myself. Probably more than I do others. The medium might be pathetic, but the story, the art ,and the meaning isn't. Which is why I'm okay dismissing the medium, because the rest of it stands on its own.

Speaking of differing mediums, man, -- Disco Elysium novel -- I'd love to see it.

Also, sorry, I'm drunk but enjoy my diary entry.

Giant Robo the Animation: the Day the Earth Stood Still but it's isekai LN adaptation slop