The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is an authoritative source on the English language, widely recognized and updated regularly, with meanings revised and new words added as our language continues to evolve. Sometimes these words are completely new, while at other times they are borrowed from other languages that have been adapted into English. Recently, 23 new Japanese terms have officially been added to the OED, highlighting the influence of Japanese culture on a global scale.
Notably, one of the new terms that has garnered particular interest from otaku is “isekai,” a term created specifically for anime, manga, and light novels. Today, isekai has become one of the most popular and widely appreciated genres. With its recent inclusion in the OED, “isekai” is no longer just a Japanese term but a valuable addition to the English language, reflecting its growing impact on the global stage in recent years.
The Origin and Significance of Isekai
The term “isekai” is written in Japanese as 異世界, which can be translated as “another world.” For a story to be classified as isekai, the main character must be transported from our world to another world (often a fantasy realm) where they have to learn how to survive, battle to stay alive, and typically have no hope of returning to their original world.
Isekai is a concept that has its roots in Japanese folklore, particularly in the story of Urashima Tarou, a fisherman who is taken to a magical world after rescuing a turtle.
Isekai began to gain traction in the anime world and started becoming popular in the 2010s, but recently it has been catapulted to mainstream success with Studio Ghibli’s “The Boy and the Heron.” This film tells the story of a young boy who is pulled into a magical world through a tower and must find a way back home. Both this film and Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away” have won Academy Awards.
Other notable works in the isekai genre include “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” and “Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World…” All of these have contributed to making isekai a genre that is widely recognized on a larger global scale.
Why Is the Inclusion of Isekai in the OED Important?
With the success of “The Boy and the Heron,” isekai has transitioned from a niche term primarily known among anime fans to a widely recognized concept that many others are now discovering.
This genre has been present for many years in various forms of media, including well-known stories such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Peter Pan,” all of which feature similar concepts. However, the Japanese term “isekai” had not been adequately used to describe them.
Nonetheless, the recent inclusion of isekai in the OED signifies that the term is now being used more widely to describe this phenomenon across the globe.
Additionally, several other Japanese words have been added to the OED, such as “katsu” (a type of fried food), “omotenashi” (a term for hospitality), and “kintsugi” (the art of repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or platinum). These terms were selected by the Tokyo Foreign Language University alongside contributors from the Oxford English Dictionary.
