If you’ve been watching anime for a while then you probably know about the isekai genre. In short, this genre is about someone who got transferred to a different world in one way or another. The other world is typically a world of swords and magic. There have been many isekai shows over the years but then Japan said: “These things are waaaay too out there. Let’s make one that’s more Japanese.” And what’s the most Japanese thing in the world? Ramen? No! Kimono? No! Samurai? Ninjas? No. Any ideas yet? Yes. Office work. (I’m too lazy to explain this part so just search it up on Google)
Outbreak Company
Outbreak Company is an anime series released in October of 2013 which is an adaptation of a light novel released in December 2011. This anime is about a jobless weeb who found a weeb job listing off of Craigslist, passed the weeb entrance exam, passed the interview, and got sent to a different world through the portal found by the Japanese government on the base of Mount Fuji in order to work in weeb cultural exchange. That’s the premise. The anime was kinda meh but still, it’s a “Japanese” Isekai.
GATE: And so the JSDF fought
Then Japan was like: “Let’s make more!!!” So along came GATE which was aired in Summer of 2015. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s about a weeb who’s in the JSDF or the Japan Self-Defense Forces who got sent to another world for exploration because he saved people when a gate leading towards said other world appeared in the middle of Tokyo and spawned other world people to kill the people in Tokyo. Makes sense? I liked the anime because of “le hot girls” but the anime overall was not too bad. Anyway.
The more “Isekai” japanese isekai
Then along came this. Its title is “Salaryman Ga Isekai Ni Ittara Shitennou Ni Natta Hanashi” which means something like “Story About a Salaryman Who Became one of the Four Heavenly Kings When He Went to Another World”. Yes, this is a manga. Nope, there’s no anime. BUT STILL. How do you make it less Japanese but still Japanese? Throw away the weeb, keep the office work. Done. Now how do we make it more isekai? Hit him with truck-kun!! Summon him through magic!! Nah, how about we just mix ‘em? Ladies and gentlemen, this is an isekai manga about a salaryman who got run over but then got summoned by the Demon King to help with the corporate work. Yes. The Demon King. Anyway. I’m not gonna spoil it so read it if you want more details. I put the MAL link here for easier access.
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