TNT: Isekai and Tensei

Hey all I’m back with a quick information post on some terms I realize I didn’t explain for some readers. It’s all about Isekai and Tensei!

Isekai, Tensei?: I’ve been throwing these terms around and I really should’ve made an explanatory post a long time ago. My apologies, I do get busy with devouring enough material to keep writing this blog in addition to my book and game reviews.

Isekai is a term that the Japanese have termed for a genre, which literally translates into “Another World”. It revolves around the idea of a character, or characters, being transported in their current bodies into another world completely, often a brand new dimension. Some examples of this is Death March, Shield Hero and Arifureta. There are of course plenty of examples, some I’ve even covered in other columns, but those are some quick and easy ones.

What is Tensei?: Well Tensei translates into “Reincarnation”. However there are couple branches of the genre. These can be termed as Reincarnate and Transmigration.

Reincarnate: This is to completely be born again, from infancy. This is the most standard and typical Tensei route, but there can be some differences between stories. Sometimes characters will remember everything from their past life, other times it’ll just be hazy memories or nothing at all until an event shocks them into remembering. Mushoku Tensei is a good example of this occurring. Rudeus grows up from infancy with memories of his past life. And that influences him greatly in his new one.

Transmigration: This is a little different, as this involves someone’s soul taking over another’s body, often right as they would otherwise die. Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss is an example of this, although there are plenty of other examples out there you could find.

That’s it for this week’s Translation Necessary Thursday!

TNT: Breakers Arc 02 by Chwiryong

This week for Translation Necessary Thursday I’m back with the continued adventures of In-gong. It’s Breakers Arc 02 by Chwiryong!

Plot Synopsis: Having been transported into the world of his favorite game Knights Saga, In-gong is now the Ninth Prince and one of the children of the Demon King. But he had never played as Shutra before, because the only playable characters were Zephyr, the Second Demon Prince and Locke the Human Hero. Now armed with knowledge of the game he loved, he’s begun to change the story so he can prevent the massacre of all his new siblings by one of their own. The strongest and most powerful being after the Demon King, The Second Prince Zephyr… He only has a little over two years to change the world to prevent ending up a corpse.

Plot: This second arc is short, only a few chapters long, but it really sets up the rest of the series and builds off the first arc wonderfully. I won’t spoil what happens, but it’s the beginning of ripples that will affect the story Shutra knows that is suddenly his new reality.

Characters: We don’t really get introduced to any characters in this Arc, but that’s okay because we get more interaction between Shutra, Carack, Caitlin and Chris.

Overall: This is an excellent second arc, and although still a foundation arc, it’s not at all boring.