@4stjack You're right, it's shallow and fake, but at least it's an effort. Maybe I've grown too jaded, but very few isekai in the SAO era even bother to give the MC even the slightest inconvenience. It's always the same drivel. Overpowered people who got their power from god knows what steamrolling their way into the new world while tons of girls swoon at their powers, niceness and astounding knowledge of japanese cuisine.
I'm not an exigent man. I just want conflict. If it at least pretends there's a chance the MC can screw up, be wrong or not get away with it exactly in the way he wants, then I'm in, and sadly the edgy ones are the only ones who dare to do so, at least at the beginning. I'd take evil church empire any day over stupid rich people who don't understand how great the self insert is. That's how jaded I am.
God, I miss Zero no Tsukaima.