Shareloc: An Analysis of Isekai Elements Across Different Genre and Cinematic Cultures

Aug 20, 2026

Isekai stories move characters from a familiar world into a fantastical or parallel reality, and their growing popularity spans many media forms. Less scholarly work addresses how such elements function within films from different cultural contexts. This research investigates Isekai elements in Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, Saranjana Kota Ghaib, Spirited Away, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, linking narrative and visual cues to film genre alignment through qualitative descriptive analysis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Isekai definition and characteristics

Isekai entry methods and types

Film case selection

Shareloc: An Analysis of Isekai Elements Across Different Genre and Cinematic Cultures ARDELIA ELVINA CAHYANINGTYAS1, ARDITA WAHYU SAFITRI2, ANDRIANI IKA SAPUTRI3, SITI KOMSIYAH YULIANA4 1,2,3,4Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta, Sukoharjo, Central Java, Indonesia [1](1 226111073@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id)[ 226111073@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id](1 226111073@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id) [2](2 226111089@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id)[ 226111089@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id](2 226111089@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id) [3](3 226111092@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id)[ 226111092@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id](3 226111092@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id) [4](4 226111100@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id)[ 226111100@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id](4 226111100@mhs.uinsaid.ac.id) Abstract The Isekai genre stories where characters are transported from their familiar world to a fantastical or parallel reality has gained significant popularity across various media. However, its presence in films from different cultural contexts has received less scholarly attention. The objective of this research is to explore the Isekai elements found in‘Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds’, ‘Saranjana Kota Ghaib’,‘Spirited Away’, and ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’. This study aims to analyze how the movie genres aligned with the Isekai elements through the characters journey. This research employed a descriptive qualitative method to analyze both textual and visual elements derived from narrative components and scenes depicting character teleportation or Isekai transitions. The analysis followed Spradley (2016) method, which consists of four phases: domain, taxonomy, componential, and cultural theme. In the domain analysis phase, Mendlesohn (2014) theory of Isekai was applied. The analysis reveals that Isekai appears in various genres, including adventure, action, and horror, in the four selected films, featuring elements such as portal-quest, liminal, and intrusion. This research helps readers apply Isekai elements to diverse creative works, such as video games, novels, films, and poetry. Keywords: Isekai, movie, film studies, fantasy, genre Copyright © 2025 The Author(s) This is an open-access article under the CC BY-SA license. Shareloc: Analisis Elemen Isekai Dalam Berbagai Genre dan Budaya Film Abstrak Genre Isekai, yang menampilkan kisah-kisah di mana karakter dipindahkan dari dunia yang familiar ke realitas fantasi atau paralel, telah mendapatkan popularitas yang signifikan dalam berbagai media. Namun, kehadirannya dalam film dari berbagai konteks budaya masih mendapat sedikit perhatian akademis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi elemen-elemen Isekai yang terdapat dalam film Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, Saranjana Kota Ghaib, Spirited Away, dan Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Studi ini menganalisis bagaimana genre film tersebut selaras denganelemen-elemen Isekai melalui perjalanan karakter. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif untuk menganalisis elemen tekstual dan visual yang berasal dari komponen naratif sertaadegan yang menggambarkan teleportasi karakter atau transisi Isekai. Analisis dilakukan dengan mengikuti metode Spradley (2016), yang terdiri atas empat tahap: domain, taksonomi, komponen, dantema budaya. Pada tahap analisis domain, diterapkan teori Isekai dari Mendlesohn (2014) . Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa Isekai muncul dalam berbagai genre, termasuk petualangan, aksi, dan horor dalam keempat film yang dikaji, dengan menampilkan elemenseperti portal-quest, liminal, dan intrusion. Penelitian ini diharapkandapat membantu pembaca dalam menerapkan elemen Isekai ke dalam berbagai karya kreatif, seperti permainan video, novel, film, dan puisi. Kata kunci: Isekai, movie, film studies, fantasy, genre INTRODUCTION The genre of Isekai has long been gaining popularity around the world. The term Isekai has already become commonplace among Japan enthusiasts. This is a sign that people outside Japan are paying more attention to the Isekai genre than the Japanese themselves. Isekai in E

FAQs

What is the main aim of this research?

To explore Isekai elements found in selected films and analyze how film genres align with those elements through character journeys.

Which films are analyzed in the study?

Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, Saranjana Kota Ghaib, Spirited Away, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

How is the Isekai analysis method conducted?

The study uses descriptive qualitative analysis of textual and visual elements, applying Spradley (2016) stages: domain, taxonomy, componential, and cultural theme.

Aug 20, 2026

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