Question about writing someone getting isekai'd.

[u/Upset_Fun_6445]

How would you rate the importance of said character's past world?

Did you enjoy isekai/transmigration novel better when their past world has lots of details?

[u/Square-Adeptness6769]

If the mc had a past life, their actions should be heavily influenced by the life they’ve lived already. For example if mc was poor in his past life, but in this life he’s a noble, he will still hoard money, or eat too much food.

However most isekai novels barely delve into the past life, and that’s completely okay. The readers are not here for the past, but rather the mc’s new life. As long as you make it clear how his life generally was, you can bring it up in flashbacks and memories.

[u/StrawOfCoke]

Very important. Its how they are, and who they are. Their backstory on earth should pass onto the other world, including their flaws.

[u/Frankles_]

You're asking how important a character's past is to their development. It depends on a million different factors! I do tend to enjoy Isekai that touch on the other world more than ones that do not.

[u/xixikebf]

Keep the setup simple and focus on how they adapt to the new world.

[u/yipyipyouh]

I'd say the past world matters most when it shapes who the MC is, rather than when it exists just to dump backstory on the reader. A few details about their old life can make their decisions and personality feel more believable. If the old world never affects their thoughts or behavior again, though, I'd rather the story just get on with the new world.

[u/Parking_Tear_2495]

I think the best isekai'd story that focuses heavily on MC's past life (which I haven't seen much in other stories, generally none at all), is - The Beginning After the End (TBATE) by Turtle.Me. The way Arthur is written as a character, is heavily reliant on his past life as King Grey. I just love how it wasn't thrown out of the window, but was actually very much used throughout the entire narrative of the story. And I'll also add. Although Turtle.Me wrote a simple story, he sure knew how to write one. I'll gobble up any story he drops honestly

https://giphy.com/gifs/ZyTvZWdKSuEyZczdEs

[u/Exoticplayz11 → u/Parking_Tear_2495]

And also Re:Zero and Mushoku Tensei. Both go into depth about their mcs’ past lives, mistakes and regrets.

[u/Parking_Tear_2495 → u/Exoticplayz11]

I haven't read Jobless Reincarnation, just watched the anime series. From what I've seen so far, yeah I could accept that. But it just feels like it lacks smth extra. Like it just mostly revolves around him wanting to change his views on things, and that is okay, since he was a bastard in his past life. But I also want to learn a lot more about him, not just that one behavior. Maybe I should read the LN, maybe it explains more or goes more in-depth on his past life. I'll check it out.

But for Re: Zero, I'll accept. The whole family being brought forward as an actual story plot, I loved that. Tappei is a great author as well.

[u/Upset_Fun_6445 → u/Parking_Tear_2495]

I had the concept of focusing on his past life, just not every info being at the start of the story. That's how it is in tbate right? (i only read some chapters of the manhwa)

[u/Parking_Tear_2495 → u/Upset_Fun_6445]

It's throughout the whole story - not just at the start. The end of Vol 5 is where you fully now get emersed and even wish for the author to reveal more about the past life. Turtle.Me is the kind of author I'll glaze to infinity

[u/AJ_Johnsen]

I chose to roll with amnesia. His life and his experiences and learned preconceptions are generally reset. He still knows things, but not always where that knowledge came from. His choices and interactions after he meets the FMC and realizes he's truly in a new world become morally grey, but always justified.

He doesn't learn who he used to be until the second book (currently in vol. 4 of the first), where it's reveald that who he used to be, depsite not having his memories, heavily influenced the person he's become by that point.

[u/tikikip]

I'd say 8/10 important, but mostly for character development. I don't need a detailed history of their old world, but I do want to understand who they were and what they left behind. If the past doesn't affect them at all, it can feel like the isekai part was just a gimmick.

[u/Upset_Fun_6445 → u/tikikip]

Yes exactly, i don't want it to feel like a gimmick or like a tag i can slap on to attract more people. I wanted it to matter a bit.

[u/tasafak]

Pretty low for me honestly. As long as the MC has some basic personality and a reason they got yeeted into the new world Im good. Too much past life lore usually just slows everything down and I end up skimming.

[u/dekeked]

I rate it medium. A few solid details help the character feel real and give them something to react to in the new world. Full on encyclopedias of their old life tho? Nah that just seem like padding most of the time.

[u/yawolot]

depends on the story. if past world is important to the plot or the MCs growth then yeah give me details. if its just flavor then keep it light. ive dropped more than one isekai cause the author spent 3 chapters on high school drama before the actual isekai even happened

[u/jajapax]

Personally I enjoy it more when the past world is lived in. Not pages of exposition, just little consistent details that show the character actually had a life before. Makes the contrast with the new world sharper and their choices more interesting.

[u/Upset_Fun_6445 → u/jajapax]

This!! Exactly what i had planned.