Summary
The isekai genre is filled to the brim with stories about magic, fantasy, and chosen heroes that are summoned from another world to defeat a great evil. However, the current tropes in isekai anime might be a little out of touch with what the genre originally wanted to represent. There are some great examples in older Isekai anime where charactersare not always summoned to another world to save itfrom the Demon Lord.
This topic contains several old isekai anime that could use a remake. From a great story with awesome characters that was ruined by an excess of fan-service scenes, to a heartbreaking tale about war and child exploitation that became a forgotten masterpiece of the travel to another world genre.
1Those Who Hunt Elves
The Characters Were Great, Though It Is Plagued With Fan Service
A classic from the later 90’s,Those Who Hunt Elveswas the precursor of zany humor in the isekai genre, with a cast of characters that included an incredibly smart method actress, a happy trigger gun nerd teenage girl, and a rough-on-the-edges but good-hearted martial artist. It’s topped off with the three of them being summoned together to another world by mistake, alongside a tank, and bound to an Elven sorceress who was cursed to become a small furry animal until they find the spell that brought them to this strange land.
The show was great, though its excessive fan service sometimes outshined its great sense of humor, especially for the fact that the heroes, in this case, are more like satirical villains who drive a Tank possessed by a cat spirit (yeah, that crazy). But, if any smart producer can draw the core essence of the show, and tone down the fan service a bit, it will definitely create something great that modern audiences will be able to enjoy. But if fans do not mind the fan service, then this anime remains a great isekai comedy. Sadly, there are no streaming services that currently have it in their catalog, so finding where to watch it could be quite a challenge.
A fallen prince, an isekai’d school girl, and a giant robot empowered by the hearts of dragons: these three main factors composeThe Vision of Escaflowne, an ode to isekai and mecha anime that no other show was able to emulate since its release back in 1996. This masterpiece was written and co-directed by the legendary Shöji Kawamori (Macross,Cowboy Bebop) so it is no wonder that it combined sword, sorcery, and mechas.
Currently, there are no plans on remakingEscaflownebut since several series from the same period have been remade (LikeSorcerous Stabber Orphen) there’s still a chance that fans will be able to see a newer version of the show in the future. It would be interesting to see how the new designs will change the visuals of the series since the originals were the perfect representation of the ’90s anime zeitgeist:high fantasy, dark and gloomy villains, and a chosen hero.
El-Hazardis temporal and unique while having great character development. Also known asEl Hazard: The Magnificent World,this story narrates the adventures of Makoto Mizuhara, a schoolboy who got entangled in a complicated situation in his school, when opposing Katsuhiko Jinnai, a fellow student and member of the Student Council Board who was trying to rig the elections. Upon confronting him, Makotois suddenly transported to another world, but in the most unlikely of scenarios: turns out he is forced to cross-dress as a missing princess, to reunify a kingdom on the verge of a great crisis.
Meanwhile, the villain (Jinnai) is transported to the same world but becomes the messiah of the “evil army,” which leads to an incredible confrontation between the two of them.El-Hazardwas too advanced for its time, dealing with topics such as cross-dressing, equality, the dangers of alcoholism, and many controversial things. So, why not give it a remake? Modern audiences would be more tolerant and appreciate all that this story has to offer.
There are so many great reasons to remakeThe Twelve Kingdoms. First and foremost, the worldbuilding was incredible, but the animation technology was not advanced enough to reflect the beauty of the original designs, so that’s one point. Then, there are thecharacters with solid background design, incredible motivations, and even better development than what viewers often see in modern anime.
The novels on which the show is based dive even deeper into the conflict caused by cultural differences, something that was not fully explored in the anime. Many other things weren’t fully resolved, since the anime focuses mainly on the character of Youko, while the novels are more objective and tell the story from different perspectives and narrate other characters' struggles in this strange world. Another important thing was the relationship between the monarchs and the Kirin, which is essential to the plot. So, in the unlikely case that a remake is done, it could draw from the vast lore, showcase more of these mythical beasts, and delve deeper into the process of how they select the monarchs to whom they’ll crown and serve.
The story of Shu, a schoolboy with a golden heart, who one day saw a mysterious girl who was seemingly attempting to end her life. Putting his own life at risk, he climbed the chimney of an abandoned factory to convince her to get down. They’re transported to another world, where some strange people driving dragon-shaped mechas attack them and attempt to kidnap the girl.
Now And Then, Here And Thereis a profound treatise about human nature in the form of anime. However, since it has been twenty-five years since its release, it would be great if we get to enjoy this story one more time from another perspective. The showdealt with so many currently relevant topics, such as the impending ecological crisis, the perils of nuclear war, and the uncertainty of mankind as a species, that it would be perfect to remake this show in the current era. Of course, it also has some of the most impressive fighting scenes and its unique art style should remain untouched. After all, it’s part of its charm, and changing it would be a crime.
