This article discusses the following topics: suicide, suicidal ideation, and death.
While isekai plots in manga and anime are renowned for their unconventional stories and mind-stretching plots,No Longer Allowed In Another Worldmight just be the most distinct isekai series of all. By subverting thetypical isekai formula, which itself often aims to be subversive, the series crafts an incredibly unique tale that injects a dose of reality into an otherwise fantastical fiction.
Hiroshi Noda and Takahiro Wakamatsu’sNo Longer Allowed In Another Worldtells the story of Sensei, an author struggling to find meaning in life. Feeling hopeless, he and his girlfriend, Sachan, who shares his despair, plan to end their lives together. However, fate intervenes in the form of a random truck, striking them down before they can carry out their plan. Instead of the afterlife, they find themselves reborn in Zauberberg, an alternate world. Unliketypical isekai protagonists, Sensei is reluctant to seize his second chance. Haunted by his past, he doubts his worthiness of redemption and would rather fulfill his original intention,defying the conventional isekai narrativeof personal growth and transformation.
No Longer Allowed In Another World’s Protagonist Is Based on a Real-Life Author
Osamu Dazai Was a Celebrated Japanese Author Who Tragically Ended His Life
While theplot ofNo Longer Allowed In Another Worldis, in itself, a significant departure from the classic isekai narrative, what makes it even more noteworthy is its protagonist, Sensei—a character based on a real-life literary icon with a tragic past. Specifically,Sensei is inspired by Osamu Dazai, one of modern Japan’s most celebrated authors. Dazai’s introspective, often autobiographical explorations of alienation, human weakness, and frailty have drawn widespread comparisons to Fyodor Dostoevsky and Franz Kafka.
Despite his success as a writer,Osamu Dazai struggled with depression throughout his life. As the tenth child of a wealthy and politically connected family, he found it difficult to live up to their expectations, often leading to periods of rebellion and alienation. Consequently, Dazai battled depression from an early age and made multiple suicide attempts. His final attempt occurred in 1948 with his girlfriend, Tomie Yamazaki, tragically resulting in their deaths by drowning in a river near their home.
What Is Osamu Dazai’s Connection to No Longer Allowed In Another World?
Noda and Wakamatsu skillfully intertwine elements of Osamu’s life and works—both widely recognized in Japan—intoNo Longer Allowed In Another World.The title itself is a play on one of Osamu’s most famous and celebrated works, the 1948 classicNo Longer Human. In that story—widely regarded as autobiographical—the protagonist, Yozo, grapples with an acute sense of alienation, feeling like an outsider among his family, friends, and society. Seeking an escape from tension, Yozo partakes in a number of hazardous activities that always seem to decrease rather than increase his quality of life.
Indeed, Noda and Wakamatsu’s depiction of Sensei bears an uncanny physical resemblance to Osamu Dazai—even mirroring the author’s signature black robe and geta sandals, as seen in historical photographs. What makes this portrayal especially compelling is how Noda weaves Dazai’s real-life tragedies, as well as those from his literary works, into the dark fantasy narrative. For instance, Sensei is reimagined as Yozo fromNo Longer Human—but rather than struggling with alienation in the real world, he grapples with it as a literal outsider in a realm of magic and monsters.
No Longer Allowed In Another World Has a Unique Take on Life and Isekai
The Most Original Isekai Out There
By weaving the narrative partly around Osamu and partly around his works,No Longer Allowed in Another Worldcreates something unique—a subversion wrapped in a subversion. Sensei is not your typical isekai savior or hero. First, he has zero interest in “rebooting” his life. He’s completely indifferent to the alternate world he’s been transported to and couldn’t care less about saving it. Second, he lacks any conventional hero traits. He isn’t strong, skilled in combat, or gifted with magic. Nor does he possess any overpowered knowledge from Earth that would give him an edge in Zauberberg.
Instead, as his supposed guide Annette quickly realizes,Sensei represents a completely new paradigmwithin the isekai genre. While he does soon attract a group of companions, it’s far from the typical isekai harem dynamic. He has no romantic interest in them, viewing them more as a nuisance he’d prefer to avoid. Furthermore, rather than being a source of courage, awe, and bravery, his nihilistic attitude frequently disrupts any harmonious atmosphere that develops during group interactions.
The story does not take Osamu’s tragic life lightly. While acknowledging the writer’s struggles with depression, suicidal thoughts, and alienation, it chooses to explore them in a unique and thought-provoking way—one that the creators, it seems, hope will shed light on mental health in a manner that is easier for readers and viewers to digest and process. Naturally, using these themes as a foundation for comedic effect may be seen as disrespectful. However, it is worth noting that Dazai often based characters in his stories on himself as a way to express his views on his own tragedies.No Longer Allowed in Another Worldis, in many ways, a continuation of this practice.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please reach out immediately to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. These services are free and confidential.
