#the king's beast is v interesting - it's set in a world where beast ppl are considered a lesser species so there's the usual pitfalls w tha

[chadsuke]

Comics Read in 2023:

Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu Vol. 11 by Natsuya Semikawa & Virginia Nitouhei (2020)

Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu Vol. 12 by Natsuya Semikawa & Virginia Nitouhei (2021)

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts Vol. 1 by Yu Tomofuji (2016)

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts Vol. 2 by Yu Tomofuji (2016)

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts Vol. 3 by Yu Tomofuji (2017)

The King's Beast Vol. 1 by Rei Toma (2019)

The King's Beast Vol. 2 by Rei Toma (2019)

The King's Beast Vol. 3 by Rei Toma (2020)

The King's Beast Vol. 4 by Rei Toma (2020)

[ID: Covers of the aforementioned books. End ID.]

[marimopeace]

there's a limit on how much you can be an isekai intellectual...

a bunch of analyses have been popping up before me all day so i wanted to throw my hat into the ring. all love to ppl who are exercising their creative minds + ppl like geoff here who just talk about these things because of fan interest but i feel like there reaches a point where exploring the "types" of isekai is pointless? i've seen ppl list out the different types of villainess revenge isekai or fantasy mmorpg isekai but eh why fit them all into separate boxes like that?

i think it's easier to think of isekai as a "type" (genre) of itself with only two categories: 1) a focus on isekai (lit. another world) 2) tensei (lit. to be reborn). this allows for a variety of applications and thus tropes that ppl see so many trends of!

with isekai - in another world

you see everything from:

pure fantasy (inuyasha, digimon wait maybe not the best example but in my childhood mind i count digimon as pure fantasy, fushigi yugi)

mmorpg inspired fantasy/adventure (.hack//legend of twilight, sao ugh, log horizon, overlord (LOVE OVERLORD!)

otome game-esque worlds >>> this is where it gets complicated with "villainess routes" since i admit there are multiple villainess tropes but this is why it's nice to not think of this as a "sub-type/genre" bc it frees you from those complications! (the saint's magic power is omnipotent, the white cat's revenge as plotted from the dragon king's lap soso cute!, the savior's book cafe in another world, i'm a villainous daughter so i'm going to keep the last boss wait i can't remember if she's reborn in this one lmaooo see this is why rules make everything hard)

with tensei storylines - being reincarnated/reborn in another world as *insert character/role*

you see...

the same tropes!!

pure fantasy (a returner's magic should be special, reminiscence adonis, the lady and the beast, light and shadow, i can't think of a manga off the top of my head for this ah)

mmorpg inspired fantasy/adventure (so i'm a spider so what i stan kumoko so hard, her majesty's swarm, can't name another off the top of my head ah i hate lists shorter than two things...)

self-insert based games/novels (fiance's observation log of a self-proclaimed villainess, who made me a princess, death is the only ending for the villainess, the villainess wants to marry a commoner, honestly games vs novels are different applications but i'm not in the headspace to try to remember a bunch of both lol)

*insert line break to give random ppl a break from scrolling but tl; dr just enjoy things for what they are no need to micro analyze*

similar variations occur in both genres (if ppl want to be super technical i guess i'm arguing that isekai itself is a massive genre that has the "another world" subgenre and "reincarnation" subgenre tl; dr) so i think it's honestly a huge pain to try to separate all these trends into so many different types of stories. for me personally it's easier to not get overwhelmed by this gigantic umbrella of "isekai" that spans light novels, manhwa, manga, and mobile games by just stripping each story down into its trademark tropes (aka character archetypes, story structures) and slapping "oh this is a person going to a world that's not ours" and "this person gets reborn as blank in another world". none of this "omg this power fantasy is such a this kind of isekai moment" or "there are 14 different types of villainess revenge stories and this series fits into this" bc AH labels! limitations! circle-jerks via ppl trying to compartmentalize everything and sound smart for leaving a comment on story analysis instead of ooh-ahhing over a character's face! dividing things into light novel manga vs manga vs korean manhwa ft. female characters!

the last bit is mainly why i feel frustrated by ppl's insistence to group everything?

the video linked at the beginning of the post (honestly good video essay, i enjoyed it, i just kept thinking in my head the whole time "marimo these are tropes do not take the genre talk literally") has a baby comment thread talking about "korean isekai manhwas" as a genre featuring nothing but reincarnated villainess' and i can't.

like i cannot acknowledge that as a genre of any sort. the energy i felt reading through some of those insights takes me back to 2012 when all yt americans discovered k-pop and deemed all korean music k-pop from then on! (ppl still do this now, yes you are seen and don't talk to me pls i don't like you. k-pop is korean pop music and nothing less and nothing more. take a few seconds and try to parse apart aspects of korean culture instead of slamming everything into a monolithic label that has the letter k and a hyphen.) it feels so odd to see a bunch of young ppl on ig and tiktok acknowledge korean media that happens to be in the form of a webtoon as "oh stories all about young girls becoming villains in stories they made/played" bc it feels so reductive u.u

(positionality disclaimer that i'm praying isn't actually necessary: i am a 3rd-generation korean of japanese descent do not fite me i am exhausted irl of ppl asking for validation/verification bc massive shove off.)

breaking news! korean manhwa...is just as multifaceted as japanese manga...bc how can comics as an art-form not have multiple genres...huh such a shocker?!?! same likely applies to media in other parts of the world like chinese manhwa and french comics--not my place to explain either of those i just know those industries exist bc of wakfu and donghua shows by Tencent.

at the end of the day it's not like analyzing any kind of isekai is wrong--absolutely not!! i think it can be super fun to think about how isekai elements complicate a story (MCs trying to go back home, ppl from the og world, reincarnation plot-twists) or maybe even bash a series for including some kind of other world element when they could have just written a super fun fantasy.

insert marimo's brief ramble that hey you can get sick of truck-kun's hitting disillusioned guys who happen to be super duper smart or girls who happen to be master chefs/craftsmen but transporting a fully-grown being into a fantasy setting is the ultimate cheat code for making mundane modern technology seem cool and overpowered, and being reincarnated as a fully grown person in a world with a pre-made story/game set-up completely bypasses the need for an author to slowly flesh out world-building in a natural progression so isekai is actually a really smart writing tool it's just that there are some series where the author didn't use it well at all and it's cheesy or clearly isekai was misused as a vehicle for character/story development and it was pointless *DEEP BREATH OUT*

in this essay i will argue...lol i am such a culture studies major!! if i were an english major i would be talking all about writing but here i am having a side-tangent about world-building via someone being reborn wow i love this for me (don't get me started on when an author has someone reincarnate as a baby and the story is mostly them having warm fluffy moments with their family--typically father figures--and getting lots of powers i could and would and probably will rant about east asian toxicity)

but anyway am i crazy????? like yes for being passionate about the technical use of a word like genre (i am a scorpio rising let me be fussy pls) but i don't think it's a lot to ask for ppl to not unironically see "villainess revenge isekai" as the definition of korean manhwa.

idk as someone who resonates with why japanese isekai is so popular domestically + why a lot of korean manhwa feat. the same tropes (it's not for great reasons lads it's actually depressing tbh) i'm just starting to feel kind of pained by the generalization and need to separate "cute japanese girl in an otome game"/"japanese boy finds a harem in another world" from "korean girl dies and comes back as a villainess" bc they are just! applications to the same story device!!

recommendations for any who makes it this far down below <3

// also gladly recommend any of the examples i've listed in the above rant as i've read/watched all of them and adore them v much! //

save me princess

super refreshing fantasy manhwa ft. a princess and her ex-boyfriend having to save the world!

the beginning after the end

an AMERICAN web novel turned into a comic (but see it being not korean/japanese doesn't really matter when you just consider isekai as a genre...isn't it nice to not overthink it?) ft. a super-powerful wizard king reincarnated into another world and starting from scratch--gives mushoku tensei vibes but huge twists!

the reason why raeliana ended up at the duke's mansion

love love LOVE this story--read the title and you'll learn how this girl reincarnated as the character raeliana in a book gets married to a duke!

trash of the count's family

such a good novel!! a guy gets reborn as a lazy oaf and he takes the hero of the story under his wing...plot twists come up later on!

this time i will definitely be happy!

v good and refreshing for a shorter series! she's been reborn 3 times and remembers every time the hero's stabbed her in the back, and now she just wants to break up with him!

silver diamond

older manga but v good adventure w intrigue! a boy who loves plants get sucked into a desert world with demonic lizards and a mysterious bodyguard by his side. shonen-ai not BL but wonderful vibes nonetheless + great side characters!

the princess imprints a traitor

adore everything in this from the world (not in that way this society makes me so angry) to the machinations at play and the dynamic between the fl and ml

[akinokisetsu]

Han Seungwoo as your boyfriend ✿

pairing- Han Seungwoo x Reader

category- fluff at first, smutty content in the end. 

warning- smut under cut. 18+ only! 

Seungwoo naturally oozes warm aura, honestly 

someone you can trust fully, someone who will hear you out any time

someone unbelievably reliable and mature 

that is how you got attracted to him in the first place 

he was different from everyone else and it didn’t take you long to realize that at all

you were the one who fell for him first 

so at first, you approached Seungwoo as far as your comfort zone went

your relationship at first was really good friends 

he enjoyed having conversations and spending time with you 

you two warmed up to each other quite quickly 

even if you fell for him first, you almost never flirted with him 

lowkey scared of his reaction if you did

a lot of comfortable silence together whenever you two meet 

maybe you two both having library dates

or you spending a lot of time in his studio 

enjoys each other’s company a lot no matter what you are doing, tbh

Seungwoo is quite aware of himself and his emotions 

which means, he probably realized right away when he started liking you more than a friend 

it was kind of a surprise to him 

regardless, he isn’t the type to stress over it much 

instead will observe you much more than he did before 

wants to carefully see if his feelings are shared 

he is an incredibly observant man 

in other words, this boy immediately realized his feelings were shared 

even when he realized that, he won’t rush the relationship at all 

is a firm believer of letting things go naturally/by the flow

however from your perspective 

you deadass had no idea if he liked or detested you 

okay, it was obvious he enjoyed being with you but to what extent?

panic panic and more panic 

“maybe... you should try asking him out on an actual date?” 

you confided your secret in your best friend Wooseok, who fortunately kept it a secret 

90% of the conversations you shared was about Seungwoo 

surprisingly, Wooseok didn’t mind much 

“he will just assume it’s one of our friend dates... ah, what do i do now?”

even Wooseok had no idea what you should be doing 

literally nobody will realize you two had a thing for each other

because literally seungwoo was the only one aware of both side’s feelings

when he feels like he had his fair share of fun, he will properly ask you out 

will probably confess after setting the mood just right 

i’m not saying he is a perfectionist- never mind, that is exactly what i’m saying

can and will carefully plan the entire scenario in his head 

wanted it to be something you will remember, but not anything too flashy 

so he decided to ask you out after another one of your friend dates 

after he walked you home, he purposefully kept making small talk in front of your house to give you hint he had something planned 

which you didn’t really pick up tbh

your heart almost leaped out of your chest when he softly covered your hands with his large, warm ones 

wordlessly, he laces your fingers with his 

his eyes never leave your face while doing so 

wants to remember each and every expression you show 

which is absolutely adorable when your whole face slowly go red 

your eyes staring at your feet, refusing to meet his 

but he knew your true feelings from the way your hands softly squeeze his back 

a heartwarming smile appears on his face 

“(Y/n)... look at me.” 

his deep voice sent shivers down your spine 

hesitantly, your eyes met his 

“i love you. i have for quite a while.” 

you struggled to maintain eye contact at his confident declaration 

happiness overflowing, that night ended with unforgettable feelings 

honestly, even after you two got together, not everyone noticed right away

isn’t one for that much skinship 

however, he loves holding your hand or have his hand around your waist 

anything more than that, he is mildly uncomfortable with 

being the kind of traditionalist he is, he wants to save all the affection when you two are alone 

Seungwoo is dad of 10 kids 

first one to know you two were dating was obviously Wooseok 

but he didn’t tell anyone, just assumed they knew already 

next one to realize was Minhee after seeing you two hold hands 

who told Dongpyo 

who blurted out to Yohan and Seungyeon 

no way any secret will stay one after those two hear it

within one hour, all 10 kids realized the new couple 

“HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL ME?” - literally everyone’s reaction at the news 

Dongpyo seemed most upset that Seungwoo didn’t tell them 

pouty.kids™️

dating Seungwoo pretty much means you adopted those 10 kids with him, so good luck new mom, you will need it 

teasing, teasing, endless teasing 

which you will get used to quite quickly 

but honestly, they won’t tease their leader that much as they would with other members

moving on 

Seungwoo won’t have you waiting for that long to kiss you 

your first kiss was just str8 outta romance novel 

quite obviously, he initiated it first 

will kiss you while you two are staring at the beautiful sunset in twilight skies just for the aesthetic and memory of it 

once again, you were oblivious to his intentions 

but then again, the mood was set just right anyways

with you leaning on his shoulder, fingers entwined while staring at the beautiful scenery unfold before you 

“(Y/n).” 

“hmm?” 

as he suddenly called your name, you lifted your head and stared into his  beautiful eyes

he won’t really ask for permission tbh 

you got the message when he started leaning in slowly 

as your lips brushed softly against each other, you could have sworn you felt fireworks ignite 

softest and sweetest kiss ever uwu 

however, that was only the first kiss   ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

trust me when i say you two share a lot of different types of kisses 

depending on the mood, he can make you feel like the most loved person on earth 

or leave you all hot and bothered, wanting more 

on the more serious side 

Seungwoo is the type to bottle up his burden and problems so as not to bother anyone 

so please, please talk with this angel from heart to heart

he has a hard time opening up about things like that but he really needs to 

he needs someone to break down his walls and will hear him out 

likes pet names to certain extent 

loves calling you “love” “darling” or “baby” 

your relationship will literally be that type where ppl are like “wait wtf they aren’t married?” 

that’s how comfortable you are with each other 

but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a crackhead because he sURE IS

you two could either be up at 3 am talking about the meaning of life

...or talking about how to go to platform 9 and 3/4 and invade Hogwarts 

there is no in between 

honestly, Seungwoo is just so complex and interesting person so he will surely never ever bore you

most importantly!! 

Han Seungwoo does NOT date just for the fun of it 

he genuinely sees himself marrying you if he’s dating you in the first place

all in all, he is such a wholesome boyfriend and person in general

he deserves all the world, please give it to him because he will sure dedicate everything he has to you ✿

NSFW CONTENT UNDER CUT

sex and making out with Seungwoo is always passionate and really heated

to him, sex is a way of showing how much he loves you with his body 

that’s why he takes it really seriously 

every touch, every sensation will have you grasping the sheets tightly until your knuckles turn white

he is a very observant man, he won’t take long to notice what you love and where your sweet spots are 

making love with Seungwoo is almost overwhelming in a deliciously addicting way 

he absolutely adores every inch of you and will show that with his actions

Seungwoo will make sure to take care of you in every way 

anything you want in bed, he will do it 

his personal favorite is eating you out 

the jerking of your hips when his tongue flicks your clitoris 

god, that is so sexy 

he will have you squirming and moaning mess in minutes 

Seungwoo’s eyes will never leave your face while he is eating you out 

the expression of pure ecstasy alongside your sweet voice?

he could cum in his pants right then and there 

will happily give you oral every time you two make love 

rarely teases, simply because he wants you to feel good 

absolutely in love with your moans and will want you to be as loud as you want 

is plenty good in bed to make your mind go blank and moans spill out uncontrollably anyways 

he is the type to forget his own pleasure instead to please you 

prefers to give than receive 

although the sight of you on your knees will have him hard in no time 

when he wants you, it’s painfully obvious just from the change in his gaze

this man can have you begging on your knees just with his intense stare

his eyes are just so sexy, like holy hell 

is teasing only to show you he wants you 

knows how much you love his tattoos and uses it for his advantage 

wears V necks when he wants to seduce you 

which works almost too well tbh who wouldn’t wanna fuck him when he wears that-

quickie is almost a foreign concept to him 

sex is not something to be rushed, he will take it very slow and sensual 

king of self control, it’s crazy how well he keeps himself under control 

unless it’s a jealous/mad sex ;)

Seungwoo is a really composed man, so if you made him mad/jealous enough to take matters into the bedroom...

well, have fun walking tomorrow ;) 

he can be extremely rough when he wants to be 

will show you the best of both worlds tbh 

a precious prince or beast in bed, you choose darling ;)