One of the most popular genres of anime is isekai. While a consistent presence for the past few decades, in recent years isekai has enjoyed a dramatic surge in popularity. Thanks to series like Sword Art Online, Re: Zero, and standalone titles like Spirited Away, isekai stories have become a fixture in animation.
However, a lesser-known fact about the history of the isekai genre is the role of Mobile Suit Gundam's legendary creator, Yoshiyuki Tomino in the genre's development. In fact, Tomino directed the 1988 Aura Battler Dunbine, a series widely regarded as the "first" isekai. Examining the premise and execution of Aura Battler, in conjunction with the signature style Tomino refined throughout his work on the Gundam saga, puts the controversial genre into an interesting light.
Aura Battler Dunbine follows the story of Shō Zama, a young motocross racer who while racing in Tokyo, is suddenly and miraculously transported to the kingdom of Byston Well. The world of Byston Well is a dramatic blend of technological and Medieval Western aesthetics and settings, such that Sho Zama is recruited to fly mecha by the aristocratic and imperious Drake Luft. Later, it is revealed that Sho has a remarkably powerful "aura," which grants him uncanny abilities in piloting and fighting with his mecha, named "Dunbine."
Predictably, the world of Byston Well seems romantic and idyllic but soon Sho is immersed in both its violence and intrigue, eventually falling for another abducted human warrior, Marvel. With these details in focus -- the sudden transportation to a fantastical world, the discovery of the protagonist as a "chosen one", and his or her enlistment in this world's most climactic struggles -- the premise of Aura Battler Dunbine demonstrates the most recognizable isekai tropes. However, how this premise is elaborated, yet complicated as the series continues, illustrates the influence of Yoshiyuki Tomino on this genre, and how isekai series have matured in the decades since.
Similar to the development of Mobile Suit Gundam into its successor series, the subsequent seasons and arcs of Aura Battler Dunbine complicate its apparent premise. These complications allow both the characters and the setting to remain compelling as they develop organically. Eventually, this realism creep makes the "second" fantastical universe of the isekai ultimately more believable, if not liveable, by presenting its hardships and horrors. In Aura Battler, Sho's eventual disillusionment with Drake Luft and Byston Well's ruling powers precipitated a life-changing decision, the effects of which dovetail both with the difficulties of his relationship with Marvel, and later on his inability to return to his original home and family.
All of these demonstrate a key aspect of Tomino's style; which by going beyond the bounds of its generic premises, demands more from its creators and viewers alike. While this much is a hallmark of the nuanced psychology and complex political intrigue of the Gundam series, these features appear in subsequent isekai as well. Series such as Fuyumi Ono's 12 Kingdoms and Clamp's Magical Knight Rayearth, meet Tomino's mark, in telling stories driven as much by their characters' motivations and psychology as their fantastical settings. This comes to a head in Sword Art Online, with the "virtuality" of the setting and its effect on the personalities trapped in it, becoming more significant in the overall story.
These creative strategies describe the point in which isekai departs from both its traditional and modern analogs, and lessens its collective resemblance to stories such as The Chronicles of Narnia or Alice in Wonderland. A series such as Sword Art Online, wherein "virtual" worlds warp behaviors and beliefs in ways that develop across arcs and seasons allow creators to both present unique characters and personalities, but also speak to issues and crises relevant to their audiences.
Similar to how Tomino's Aura Battler reflects the disillusionment and alienation of modern warfare, so does Sword Art Online introduces online, "virtual" culture as a setting and storytelling tool. With Tomino's work and influence in mind, isekai takes on a much different significance: a form whose fantastical and magical settings ironically serve to illustrate the futility of escapism.
