Isekai Manga Exhaustion

[HelloHound]

I'm a fan of the isekai genre (wanting to get tf off the planet atm) and I really wish that the usual "normal dude shows up in fantasy land and gets op" would happen w a lady protagonist; I personally connect more with female protags but those are almost always some sort of romance/drama nonsenses which do have their time and place but god would variety kill them?
I wanna read something with a gal showing up and kicking ass and not having some fucking overprotective dick hanging around her (and maybe f/f harem but that's a big ask I'm aware)

 

[Yatsuki]

I agree, I think the problem is that the current isekai formulas are guaranteed to attract certain amount of readers, so authors/artists don't want to deviate from that anymore aka don't want to experiment. So yeah, until someone bold came along and release something like you said, unfortunately it will still be pretty much isekai female protag = romance. Speaking of which, I think the only female isekai series I've found where there is no romance and not genderbend (eg male reincarnate into or takes over female body) is Kumo desu ga, nani ka?

 

[MrIncognito]

@HelloHound

Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka?/I'm a Spider, So What? - Your general get-transported-to-a-fantasy-world-and-gets-op story, but the protagonist is a girl and also a spider. Romance doesn't seem to be anywhere on the horizon, at least partially due to the fact that the protagonist is a spider

Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! - Protagonist is immediately strong from the get-go, as the title suggests. No romance, but the she does gather a number of girl friends

I've Become the Villainous Empress of a Novel - Protagonist finds herself in the body of a warrior empress. She seems to have a number of love interests but doesn't seem particularly interested in pursuing

Crimson Karma - Assassin gets isekai'd into a fantasy world at war

May I Please Ask You Just One Last Thing? - Not actually isekai but a parody of/homage to otome game villainess isekais. Protagonist solves all her problems by donning a pair of studded gloves and just beating the shit out of everyone, occasionally using extremely powerful magic to beat the shit out of everyone faster and more effectively

 

[HelloHound]

I've noticed that a large amount of isekai manga involve genderbend/ m2f body possession and it's a little odd innit? Especially if the protagonist came over with a friend or something and then theres a whole issue about it for some god unknown reason.
What's also weird is that it's never f2m body possession/ reincarnation even though that goes down a lot of the same alleys that the usual genderbend stuff goes.
Also that manga is super cool: I like the MC

 

[MrIncognito]

oh, forgot Villainess Level 99 ~I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord~

there's a romance subplot in that one but she is literally the strongest living being on the planet and at least two arcs in there hasn't been some bullshit twist causing the protagonist to get damselled or require protection of any sort

 

[HelloHound]

@MrIncognito Thanks for your help!

 

[FohnAhn]

@HelloHound
Not sure if you have read this but here: Her Majesty's Swarm. Only a few chapters but it seems enjoyable.

 

[dudewithmagic]

This is common in any medium and fear not because it turns into a positive with time.

When a genre gets popular, in this case isekai, the demand increases (like in basic economics) which increases the value which then creates an incentive to increase supply(more manga). Currently the supply is becoming large from the abundance of generic fast produced manga and the value of isekai is dropping. When the market becomes stable and the true value of isekai is found (total amount of readers and the total amount of manga that can be supported) the mangaka will then compete and find it necessary to increase in quality and variation. It is likely within the next 2 years we will see a noticeable increase in quality isekai to which you may also receive your well written FL.

I tried to summarize a lot here so forgive me if it doesn't make sense. This is basic supply/demand economics so you could probably find youtube videos explaining it better. I looked for FL but I couldn't find any within the shounen or seinen. Most of them are villainess or otome genre meant to sell to women. If you're not into that I'm afraid there is slim pickings.

TLR Since isekai is so popular many rush manga to get in on profit. When less people are interested, more manga will compete for fewer readers making it more necessary to produce good manga.

 

[rkkn]

@HelloHound

What's also weird is that it's never f2m body possession/ reincarnation

There are a few. This one, off the top of my head

 

[Kookiezi]

https://mangadex.org/title/21828/tensei-kyuuketsuki-san-wa-ohirune-ga-shitai

Idk if you would like this or not