Overlord defies typical isekai tropes, avoiding contradictions Maruyama despised, proving the genre can thrive with originality and depth.

SUMMARY

Overlord redefined the isekai genre by crafting a protagonist whose rise to power challenges traditional narratives of leadership and morality.
Maruyama transformed his dislike for typical isekai conventions into a unique story, reshaping the genre’s boundaries.
Maruyama openly despised the common isekai trope of protagonists earning loyal followers for no reason.

Kugane Maruyama’s Overlord shows an interesting take on a typical isekai series. With the isekai genre expanding each season with countless releases, Overlord shines as a standout anime in the genre.

There’s a plethora of anime and manga where the protagonist is trapped in an RPG world, but what makes Overlord stand out is its rich narrative and characters, especially the protagonist. The story follows Ainz on his journey as he decides to rule over the new world he’s been teleported to and turn it into a utopia for himself and his allies.

Ainz Ooal Gown in Overlord | Credits: Madhouse

Not to forget, Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom is the first theatrical film from the franchise, which brought the popular anime series to the big screen. Amid rumors of Season 5 being green-lit, Overlord’s author challenged the most acclaimed tropes of the isekai genre, which he intentionally reshaped in his series.

How Overlord‘s Author Transforms the Isekai Genre

Kugane Maruyama is the writer of the Overlord novel series. The novel has received a manga and an anime adaptation by the same name. Overlord is an amazing show that is easily considered one of the best isekai out there.

Ainz Ooal Gown in Overlord | Credits: Madhouse

Despite its immense popularity, the creators took a four-year hiatus, leaving many fans concerned about the series’ future and continuation. Regardless, the anime has garnered a massive following over the years, with several fans patiently awaiting Season 5’s release.

Indeed, Overlord has completely redefined the isekai genre with its captivating storytelling and a dark protagonist at its core.

However, the fandom will be shocked to discover that Maruyama was so repulsed by a common isekai trope that they intentionally avoided it in their work. He revealed:

It was the result of solving the problem of how could he gain loyalty as an absolute ruler. While Ainz is the ruler of Nazarick, he’s originally a normal salary man. With that kind of normal person becoming an absolute ruler, of what kind of being would loyally serve him and that was the result.

Isekai anime typically transports the main protagonist to a new world to explore fantasy themes and drama, often resulting in the protagonist gaining loyal followers and a new existence that clashes with their previous life experiences.

Maruyama saw this trope as a contradiction and a flaw in the isekai genre. As a result, they ensured Ainz was surrounded by loyal NPCs who would never question his morality. He added:

Basically, I took the thing that I couldn’t accept in the internet novels I’ve read and tried changing it around in my own way kind of like writing a fanfic.

He explained that he created NPCs as followers of Ainz due to his real-life background, which was the complete opposite of a natural leader’s role.

Ainz Ooal Gown and his followers | Credits: Madhouse

The author admitted that it was hard to find works that appealed to him or satisfied him. Maruyama introduced the protagonist as an undead, highlighting how Ainz gradually loses his humanity with each episode, ultimately transforming into a dark and cruel lord.

Maruyama’s Unique Choice Behind Overlord‘s Undead Protagonist

Overlord is yet another “trapped in a virtual game” world series with a super-skilled lead character. Choosing to stay in the world until it’s shut off, Momonga instead sees the game not only continue but for the NPCs to suddenly have lives of their own.

Ainz Ooal Gown in Overlord | Credits: Madhouse

Kugane Maruyama once opened up about their decision to use an undead protagonist, and the revelation is truly shocking. He said:

In the process of making an ideal protagonist, I started chipping away problems and as a result it formed as an undead character. If he were human, there would be problems like poisoning or getting attacked in your sleep, but if he were undead it instantly resolves the issue.

As Ainz embraces his new role, the humor subtly shifts toward kingdom-building, yet the anime retains its charm with must-see interactions between Ainz and his followers.

Even those who dislike the trite genre tend to admit that Overlord is “isekai done right,” with the show failing to receive the vitriol that others of its kind do.

Overlord anime is currently available to stream on Hulu.