J-Novel Club
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Users
    • Login

    Is there any isekai novel without any antagonist?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Light Novel Discussion
    24 Posts 16 Posters 4.4k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • Eternal WandererE
      Eternal Wanderer Premium Member
      last edited by Eternal Wanderer

      Probably only closest example I can think of is I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level. At least as far as volume 4 no truly evil character has appeared, any character that appeared to be antagonistic was the result of a misunderstanding, and even those characters are befriended by the main cast extremely fast.

      Though just so we are clear though do you mean antagonist as in opponent the protagonist must fight and overcome or antagonist as in, any character that tries to impede the protagonist in any way. If your looking for the latter then unless you can find an Isekia where the main character is either isolated from everyone else in the world or is the only person in the world then you probably won't have much luck.

      H 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • ZingZ
        Zing
        last edited by

        Does it count if they are all dead?

        tgquan67T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • tgquan67T
          tgquan67 @Zing
          last edited by

          @zing I'd rather they don't exist from the beginning.

          ZingZ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • Nol_Mimi_ReyaltaN
            Nol_Mimi_Reyalta
            last edited by Nol_Mimi_Reyalta

            This post is deleted!
            tgquan67T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • tgquan67T
              tgquan67 @Nol_Mimi_Reyalta
              last edited by tgquan67

              @sinnoaria it's hard to find a good level to draw a line, so consider this: if you rank them according to how bad/annoying they are on a scale, then try to keep that value as low as possible. And if I have to define it roughly, it should be "people/organizations that scheme directly against MC or MC's side". A passing bunch of bandits won't count, but if some of them survive and go for a revenge, that counts.
              Most opponents in 300 years of slime turned out to be cute and fluffy in the end, so maybe that's good enough?

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • SomeOldGuyS
                SomeOldGuy Premium Member
                last edited by

                If there is no antagonist, it's going to be a rather boring story. And not very realistic.

                In real life, we all have "antagonists" of varying importance and strength. They may or may not be people. But solving the problems they cause is part of living, vs. existing.

                Real Life Antagonist (RLA) #1: Obtaining necessary nourishment to survive. We pick up other RLAs dealing with #1.

                TaedirkT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • ZingZ
                  Zing @tgquan67
                  last edited by

                  @tgquan67 I was thinking about Summoned Slaughterer... There is technically no antagonist, except for protagonist who is his own worst enemy.

                  RaitoiroR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • TaedirkT
                    Taedirk Premium Member @SomeOldGuy
                    last edited by

                    @someoldguy said in Is there any isekai novel without any antagonist?:

                    In real life, we all have "antagonists" of varying importance and strength. They may or may not be people. But solving the problems they cause is part of living, vs. existing.

                    Ooh, is it time for today's Writing Lesson on the types of conflict?

                    SomeOldGuyS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • SomeOldGuyS
                      SomeOldGuy Premium Member @Taedirk
                      last edited by

                      @taedirk I don't know... SOMEONE stole my class schedule, so I have resolve who it is, and squash them like a bug!

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • RaitoiroR
                        Raitoiro Premium Member @Zing
                        last edited by

                        @zing I wasn't able to finish it, but isn't the princess an antagonist in summon slaughter? She may be completely powerless but she is still opposing the MC (or at least trying to).

                        Do you like death, war and misery ?
                        Do you like badass op loli who let nobody got in their way ?
                        Do you like vengeance story?
                        If so then then vote for The girl who ate a death god

                        ZingZ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • ZingZ
                          Zing @Raitoiro
                          last edited by

                          @raitoiro I had to put it on hold after 128 chapters. But she is opposing him only because he thinks it would be fun to let her oppose him.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • H
                            HarmlessDave Premium Member @Eternal Wanderer
                            last edited by HarmlessDave

                            @eternal-wanderer said in Is there any isekai novel without any antagonist?:

                            Probably only closest example I can think of is I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level.

                            I was going to post this. It's a fun, warm-hearted slice of life series.

                            Woof Woof Story is another light and (ahem) fluffy series that I enjoy.

                            Abilities Average is my favorite FUNA series, but the other two are good. (Don't hold your breath on Slow Press releasing volume 2 of 80,000 gold :( )

                            Unwanted Undead Adventurer might fit.

                            Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody is arguable. The focus especially after volume 1 is in being a tourist, cooking, crafting and having slice of life fun with his wards. He fights the occasional demon lord but he is so overpowered that there is never much tension and there is no long-term nemesis that appears over many volumes. (The novels are also more slice of life than the anime, which didn't do a good job of making clear that he is treating his new life as a vacation from his old one. Being a tourist is his motivation not saving the world.)

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • S
                              Skavven
                              last edited by

                              Slave Harem in the Labyrinth of the Other World is a laid back one though the main drawback is that we're lucky to get a chapter a year now, seems author may be focusing on LN amongst other things.
                              Further things others generally complain about:
                              MC's women are all slaves.
                              Too much of MC doing it with his women.
                              Too much slice of life.
                              No over reaching goal/plot/specific endgame.
                              Too much detail, not enough action.
                              (This I kind of agree)MC worries about certain things to the point of almost being a psychosis.

                              Again laid back, SLOW, slice of life with dungeoning, game elements, and harem action that tends to be missing from general mainstream.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • TerrenceT
                                Terrence Premium Member
                                last edited by Terrence

                                Does "Strongest Gamer in Another World" have antagonists? Been too long since I read volume 1. I don't think it had any. Only lasted the two volumes though.

                                Cooking with Wild Game has obstacles to overcome (mostly familial / tribal related conflicts between the main character's cooking or his friend's staying single being a source of conflict for the tribe's men) and animals to hunt for food, but no enemy through two volumes...

                                myskarosM H 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • myskarosM
                                  myskaros Staff @Terrence
                                  last edited by

                                  @terrence said in Is there any isekai novel without any antagonist?:

                                  Cooking with Wild Game has obstacles to overcome (mostly familial / tribal related conflicts between the main character's cooking or his friend's staying single being a source of conflict for the tribe's men) and animals to hunt for food, but no enemy through two volumes...

                                  I would say the Suun clan is a very unambiguous enemy, they just haven't been brought to the forefront quite yet.

                                  Whoever said nothing's impossible never tried slamming a revolving door.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • H
                                    HarmlessDave Premium Member @Terrence
                                    last edited by HarmlessDave

                                    @terrence said in Is there any isekai novel without any antagonist?:

                                    Does "Strongest Gamer in Another World" have antagonists? Been too long since I read volume 1. I don't think it had any. Only lasted the two volumes though.

                                    Book 1 is 90% "player vs. environment" and slice of life but does have one section with antagonists. Book 2 does have an antagonist though much of the content is still slice of life and dungeon maintenance.

                                    That was a nice mostly slice of life short series, but even though I liked it I don't think it fits.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • renofuryR
                                      renofury
                                      last edited by

                                      Reincarnated into a vending machine, could be an option. It mostly business and dungeon exploration

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • KhaosK
                                        Khaos Premium Member
                                        last edited by

                                        A couple I can think may not have (at least currently)

                                        Unwanted undead adventure
                                        Ms. Elf
                                        Middle-aged businessman

                                        Could be mis-remembering, someone correct if wrong please.

                                        H 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • unsynchedcheeseU
                                          unsynchedcheese Premium Member
                                          last edited by

                                          Ascendance of a Bookworm counts, at least for now. I haven't read the webnovel much past where the light novel is currently translated, but so far the conflict is largely in trying to rise out of poverty to have a better quality of life. No real named antagonists specific to the protagonist, unless you count regular business professional competition.

                                          My Life As A Villainess (aka Bakarina) has named antagonists per volume, but they're not really the focus, and most of it is just seeing Katarina blunder about being supremely and unintentionally charismatic.

                                          Me A Genius is also technically isekai, albeit to a near-future (almost contemporary) setting rather than fantasy. No constant antagonists, apart from maybe the (mis) understanding that the protagonist is an amazing genius. Warning that the story appears to be dead, after setting up a plot arc that does hint at a (new) antagonist.

                                          Outbreak Company does technically have antagonists, but they're of the "ruthless and uncaring society" type, rather than someone to beat down. As in, there are situations where people do need to have violence done against them, but that's just for self-defence, and almost always merely a symptom of a greater issue. The focus is on trying not to be colonialist.

                                          hirotoH 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • hirotoH
                                            hiroto @unsynchedcheese
                                            last edited by

                                            @unsynchedcheese said in Is there any isekai novel without any antagonist?:

                                            Ascendance of a Bookworm counts, at least for now. I haven't read the webnovel much past where the light novel is currently translated, but so far the conflict is largely in trying to rise out of poverty to have a better quality of life. No real named antagonists specific to the protagonist, unless you count regular business professional competition.

                                            Doesn't High Bishop qualify as an antagonist?

                                            unsynchedcheeseU 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 2 / 2
                                            • First post
                                              Last post