Overview
- Characters undergoing unique challenges in isekai narratives often grapple with psychological trauma stemming from their new realities.
- These protagonists are driven by an overwhelming desire to return to their original worlds while contending with sinister threats.
- Unlike conventional stories, the narratives center around characters who detest their isekai experiences, navigating treacherous circumstances.
In many isekai tales, we witness protagonists adapting effortlessly to their fantastical surroundings, embarking on quests to carve out new lives. However, there exists a distinct subset of stories where being transported to a fantasy realm marks the beginning of their worst nightmare. For these characters, the quest for return is not just a desire; it’s a desperate struggle against peril and hostility in an unwelcoming world.
These characters stand in stark contrast to the usual isekai protagonists. They are not outcasts yearning for adventure; instead, they possess a deep-seated longing to reconnect with their mundane lives. Their journeys are fraught with emotional turmoil, amplifying the gravity of their circumstances as they combat both external dangers and internal conflicts.
1. Please, Let Me Return Home
Running Away From Her Killer Fiancé
- MyAnimeList Score: N/A
- Published: 2021 to 2023
- Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Isekai, Reincarnation
- Author : EZ
- Illustrator : EZ
For most, being isekai’d into a romance narrative seems like a dream, yet for the central character, it occurs at the most precarious moment. Following a chance encounter with her crush, she unexpectedly tumbles into a mirror, becoming Beatrice Ayinphilos, the ill-fated heroine targeted by her fiancé. Now entangled in a murder investigation, she must scramble to clear her name.
This manhwa introduces an unusual protagonist, entirely oblivious to the unfolding story and its conclusion. With no knowledge of the narrative’s direction, she faces the daunting task of avoiding death flags with limited resources. This inventive approach brings a refreshing unpredictability to the tale.
2. Is This Hero For Real?
Born To Be Normal, Forced To Be A Hero
- MyAnimeList Score: 6.70
- Chapters: 101
- Published: 2022 to 2023
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Isekai
- Author: Parnar
- Illustrator: Ppayong
Being unwillingly thrust into heroic duties can be a disheartening experience. When Hansoo Kang’s entire class is summoned by a goddess to become saviors, he decides against participating. Unfortunately, instead of returning home, he finds himself cursed and lost in a bleak forest. A mysterious deity ultimately offers Hansoo a potential path back to Earth.
This narrative portrays a protagonist genuinely uninterested in being isekai’d, resulting in a markedly different tone. Forced to battle through treachery, Hansoo’s only aspiration remains his yearning for home while fighting against the goddess’s malign intentions.
3. Escape From Another World
Getting Isekai’d And Become A Convicted Felon
- MyAnimeList Score: N/A
- Published: 2024 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Isekai, Mystery
- Author: Kim Jun-Hyung
- Illustrator: Kim Jun-Hyung
Typically, being summoned to another realm comes with excitement and the prospect of unique powers. However, in this narrative, Kim Seojoon finds himself wrongfully accused of a princess’s murder and confined to a high-security prison. As he grapples with his unjust fate, he becomes embroiled in a complex struggle among unpredictable factions, finding himself isolated in a world where trust is a luxury.
Escape From Another World explores the grim realities of the isekai genre, depicting Seojoon’s arduous battles for survival filled with torture, imprisonment, and deadly confrontations. His driving motivation is the family left behind, and to reunite with them, he must undergo a profound transformation as he faces increasingly perilous obstacles.
4. FFF-Class Trash Hero
The Most Evil Hero To Ever Exist
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.20
- Published: 2019 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Time Travel
- Author: Parnar
- Illustrator: Kkangmu
It’s a common trope for heroes in isekai stories to leap at the opportunity to save the day. Hansoo Kang was no exception until he faced the harsh truths of heroics. After ten painstaking years battling the Demon Lord in the realm of Fantasia, he triumphs, yet instead of finding solace, he’s sent back to the start of his journey due to his perceived failures as a hero.
FFF-Class Trash Hero cleverly parodies traditional heroic narratives, featuring a protagonist filled with disdain for his isekai experience. The story cleverly employs familiar isekai tropes to reflect Hansoo’s frustrations, ultimately driving him into morally ambiguous choices and entertaining conflicts.
5. Returning With Absolutely Nothing
The Time Travel Story Without Any Power-Ups
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.51
- Published: 2022 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Isekai, Time Travel
- Author: Mongma
- Illustrator : Gangaji Master
Time travel in manhwa often offers characters opportunities to improve and evolve; however, Returning With Absolutely Nothing adopts a distinctively pessimistic tone. Sungmin finds himself in the hostile world of Aeria, where he struggles as a classless individual, facing relentless hardships until a fateful item sends him back to the start of his journey.
True to its title, Sungmin’s initial state left him powerless, intensifying the difficulties of his first life. As he embarks on his second chance, he relies solely on his memories to navigate the treacherous landscape, motivated by a determination to conquer the system and carve out a better existence.
6. Kill The Villainess
The Girl Who Hates Being Isekai’d
- MyAnimeList Score: 7.85
- Published: 2021 to 2024
- Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Psychological, Villainess
- Author : Sawol Saeng
- Illustrator : Haegi
In most isekai narratives, protagonists often embrace their transition to fantasy worlds, but Kill The Villainess diverges greatly. Transformed into Eris Miserian, a supporting villainess, the lead character battles feelings of despair and discontent, relentlessly seeking a way back home, including multiple self-destructive attempts.
This compelling manhwa highlights the psychological complexities of changing identities, exploring Eris’s disaffection with her new reality and her underlying mistrust. It provides a poignant insight into identity dissonance rarely depicted in isekai stories, making her nihilistic viewpoint relatable while elucidating her drastic actions.
7. Villains Are Destined To Die
Living As The Villain In A Game World
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.39
- Published: 2020 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Reverse Harem, Villainess
- Author: Gyeoeul Gwon
- Illustrator : SUOL
Otome games aren’t usually notorious for their dangers, yet for a villainess, the stakes could not be higher. When a college student finds herself reborn into a popular otome game as Penelope, the despised antagonist of the Eckhart family, she navigates a life where a single mistake could cost her everything.
While the fantastical realm resembles a game, the protagonist’s lived experience parallels her real life. Through each challenge, her hatred for the isekai world simmers beneath the surface as she sees Penelope’s struggles reflected in her own life. As peril escalates, her desperation to flee intensifies.
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