The ongoing fantasy anime No Longer Allowed in Another World, or Isekai Shikkaku, has quickly become a standout anime of the Summer 2024 season, not just for its unique take on the isekai genre but for its deep dive into character psychology, dark humor, and a narrative that challenges the typical hero’s journey.
Here’s why, in my opinion, the isekai anime is worth your watch.
The Real-Life Inspiration: Osamu Dazai
The protagonist, known as Sensei, is inspired by Osamu Dazai, a real-life Japanese author known for his melancholic and often dark literature, most famously the 1948 novel “No Longer Human.”
Dazai’s works are filled with themes of despair, alienation, and the desire for death, which perfectly align with Sensei’s personality in the anime as he wanders his new world looking for his girlfriend and suicide partner Sach-chan.
So that, once he finds her, they can both try to commit suicide. Again.
This real-world connection also adds a layer of depth to the typical isekai anime, making Sensei’s journey through another world not just an adventure but a profound exploration of existential themes.
No Longer Allowed in Another World Plot Overview
The story begins with Sensei, a man who, much like the real Osamu Dazai, wishes for death but, upon trying to kill himself, finds himself transported to the fantasy world of Zauberberg instead.
Minutes after his arrival, he is thrust into the role of “hero” by Annette, the person sent to “guide him” on his hero’s journey.
However, unlike traditional isekai protagonists who quickly embrace their new roles, one of Sensei’s first acts is to attempt suicide.
This sets the tone for an anime that is as much about the human psyche, and the hold depression can have on it, as it is about fantasy.
Main Characters of No Longer Allowed in Another World
Sensei (Osamu Dazai)
His character is a blend of cynicism, dark humor, and an underlying desire for absolute peace, even if that peace comes in death.
Unfortunately for Sensei, no matter how much he tries, death neglects to find him. But it does lead him to some pretty interesting circumstances.
His interactions with the world around him, though, while quite droll, are both comedic and tragic, making him one of the more complex and more interesting protagonists in the Summer, 2024 anime season.
Weirdly, and despite his gloomy personality, Sensei is also a massive woman-magnet with women falling all over themselves to get him to notice them.
Annette
Sensei’s elven guide who is initially tasked with helping him adapt to his new role, her patience and understanding contrast sharply with Sensei’s nihilism, creating a dynamic that’s both humorous and touching.
Annette is also the one whose personality is the least “together”. Despite her looking otherwise.
That fact is nicely showcased in Episode 6 when, after Sensei and his party are arrested and locked up, Sensei delightedly wonders how they will be executed, and Nir calmly questions why they were arrested and if it was Tama’s fault, while Annette dissolves into a wailing, blubbering mess begging to be set free.
Tama
We first meet the sexy cat girl with a straightforward approach to life when Sensei comes across her in the grips of a tree monster.
Even then, while captured and restrained by the tree, she is still loud, belligerent and demanding.
Since then, Tama has often provided comic relief while also showing moments of unexpected depth as she wanders through the world like a sledgehammer.
Tama, however, is not who she first appears to be.
Although, once her secret is revealed, you realize her bossy personality was actually a fun clue as to her secret identity.
No Longer Allowed in Another World is a standout in the Summer, 2024 season
Beautiful Art Style and Cool Character Designs
The art style is a true standout of the Summer, 2024 anime season as it manages to be both whimsical and dark, thus fitting the constant and sometimes unsettling mood swings of its narrative.
The anime’s character designs are also beautifully done, with a particular emphasis on features and expressions that convey the ever-changing reality of each character’s emotions.
Sensei’s character design in particular is incredibly unique, as his face often has a look of despair while the constant dark circles under his eyes emphasize his existential fatigue, and constant longing for death.
His expression does shift dramatically, however, when he briefly connects with others or finds something funny.
It is then we see somewhat tragically that, if it wasn’t for the depression that has ruled most of his life, he would have been a fun person to be around.
Storytelling
No Longer Allowed in Another World excels in subverting isekai tropes in its storytelling as, in the place of the typical power fantasies, it delves into the psychological and emotional turmoil of its characters instead.
By doing so, the narrative doesn’t shy away from dark themes, but instead uses humor to lighten the load while never undermining the seriousness of its core message.
The message that, while you might find it disturbing that some people will always choose death over life, those people themselves are perfectly happy with that choice as they can find absolutely no meaning in anything connected to life.
The anime’s plot also features several quite surprising and interesting twists and turns as, even with that message constantly being spelled out for us, both Sensei and the story still refuse to go in the direction you expect.
Themes and Humor
The dark humor is the anime’s backbone, often making light of death and despair in ways that are both shocking and insightful.
This approach not only entertains but also invites viewers to reflect on life’s absurdities while laughing along with the craziness of the anime’s plot and the absurdity of the actions of its characters.
Cultural and Literary References
The anime’s use of Dazai’s persona adds a layer of literary depth, making it not just an anime but a cultural commentary on life, literature, escapism and death.
Throughout the anime’s run, his presence also gives the viewer a bitter-sweet feeling of “What if Dazai had committed suicide in real life, and then woken up with another chance of life in another world? Wouldn’t that have been wonderful”.
I have a feeling too that, for all of his obsession with death, Osama Dazai himself would have enjoyed how his anime alter ego turned out.
No Longer Allowed in Another World stands out for its bold and unique narrative choices, its wonderful art style and unique character designs, and its ability to merge comedy with existential dread.
For viewers looking for something beyond the typical isekai fare, this anime offers a fresh, albeit occasionally melancholic, perspective on what it means to live, die, and everything in between.
All while offering some of the silliest and most laugh-out-loud dark humor this anime season.
No Longer Allowed in Another World is streaming on Crunchyroll.
They describe its plot like this:
Pulled into an otherworldly adventure with cute sidekicks and superpowers, you’d think Osamu hit the jackpot. Nope!
From a time before pixels, the early 20th-century gloomy author just wants to find a quiet place to meet his maker, not to rack up XP. Sadly, his poetic demise is constantly thwarted by inconvenient heroics.
Dive into the hilariously tragic life of the most reluctant hero!
