In the world of anime and light novels, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation(Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu) is one of the most popular and discussed works of recent years, considered by many to be the foundational work of the modern isekai genre, its impact has been profound both in Japan and abroad. However, like any great story, its origin was not spontaneous, the author of Mushoku Tensei, revealed 16 titles that he considers key in his development as a writer, what caught the attention was his decision to explain what he learned from each one.
A range of influences ranging from the absurd to the philosophical is how the world of Mushoku Tensei was forged.
In an old chain of tweets, part of a hashtag popular among Japanese writers and illustrators, Rifujin na Magonote author of Mushoku Tensei, opened a window into his creative process by revealing 16 works that deeply influenced him. What was interesting was not only the list itself, but he also explained what he learned from each one, revealing a surprising variety of sources of inspiration, this list not only shows the creative foundations of one of the most influential isekai of the decade, but also offers masterful lessons on storytelling.
Zero no Tsukaima
This light novel of fantasy and romance was key for Magonote to understand the importance of rhythm in a story, from it he learned that each chapter or volume must offer a small advance, no matter how minimal, in the development of the plot, that need for constant narrative movement is something he took as a rule and that is clearly reflected in Mushoku Tensei. Even when there are more introspective chapters, the feeling that the protagonist is progressing is never lost; for Magonote, this was an indispensable structural principle from the beginning.
Bakemonogatari
Nisio Isin’s series taught him the power of keeping the reader hooked through the writing itself, in it, each line contains an idea, a joke or a reflection that motivates to keep reading, and that seemed almost magical to him, Magonote understood that an interesting prose can be as powerful as a good story. And that the content itself must be sustained line by line, this influence is noticeable in Mushoku Tensei in the extensive internal monologues of Rudeus, always loaded with observations or ironies, it is the desire for the reader to enjoy every sentence, not just the scene.
Neko no Chikyuugi
Although not as well known as others, this novel opened his eyes to the potential of written action scenes. Until then, Magonote found it difficult to keep the tension of combat in words, but this work convinced him that battles with rhythm, clarity and tension were possible in written format. To this day, he claims to constantly reread the confrontations described in this story to try to replicate that dynamism, so even though Mushoku Tensei is not an action-centric story, its fights are always carefully constructed to keep the pace up.
Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino’s iconic film marked him by demonstrating that breaking established rules can generate greater impact. Specifically, it taught him that killing off an important character – or the protagonist – can intensify narrative tension, making the viewer lose all sense of security. Magonote applied this principle to play with the reader’s expectations, especially in moments where the story seems stable. This ability to generate uncertainty makes the reader stay alert, even when he thinks he knows the direction of the story.
Anpanman
This Japanese children’s anime is simple in appearance, but it taught Magonote something essential: the value of accessibility. He understood that a truly valuable story is one that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and reading levels. Therefore, Magonote tries to maintain a clear and direct language in his work, his goal is that anyone from a beginner to a veteran reader can enjoy Mushoku Tensei without feeling excluded.
Accel World
From this series, Magonote extracted a lesson of narrative humility: it is not necessary to look for innovative structures if the story is complex by itself, Accel World taught him that, in worlds with elaborate rules and fantastic elements, it is best to follow a traditional and clear narrative. This makes it easier for the reader to get immersed without getting lost, therefore, Mushoku Tensei opts for a classic adventure, training, drama progression that does not unnecessarily complicate the understanding of the universe, the important thing is that the story flows naturally.
Hoshi no Samidare (Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer)
This work was revealing for Magonote as it showed him that the growth of a character is not always linear or positive; he understood that change, even if it is for the worse, is still a form of evolution. This vision helped him to mold Rudeus as a deeply human character, full of contradictions and mistakes, but constantly changing. For him, the protagonist’s development is not based on becoming better, but on facing his own transformations, an approach that allows for more real and less idealized stories.
One Punch Man
This parody of the superhero genre taught him that conflict should not always revolve around power, in a world where the protagonist is invincible, the author learned that the real interest should be in what surrounds the action, the humor, the secondary characters, or the moral dilemmas. Magonote adopted this approach to enrich his story, focusing on the bonds, emotional growth and internal dilemmas of Rudeus, the force, although important, is never the absolute center of the conflict in Mushoku Tensei.
Baki (Sikorsky)
From the Baki series, especially the character Sikorsky, Magonote learned an almost comical lesson: a statement said with enough conviction can become convincing, even if it doesn’t make much sense, the use of the emphatic style of aru! in Japanese was a technique that he found effective and funny. This absurd confidence in dialogue is something he himself has used, endowing certain characters with exaggerated phrases that, thanks to the way he says them, are memorable; it is a peculiar way of building charisma and humor.
Melty Blood and other fighting games
These video games not only entertained him: they taught him what real effort means, in these games, progress depends almost exclusively on practice, strategy and emotional endurance, something that Magonote transferred to his work, in Mushoku Tensei, characters rarely win by luck: they do it by perseverance and dedication, training, both physical and mental, has a central place, and that comes directly from his experience with combat titles that reward constant overcoming.
Isekai Meikyuu de Dorei Harem wo (Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World)
This novel was a practical model of writing for the web, Magonote considered it a guide for structuring narratives to be read on screen, especially in horizontal format, he appreciated how its author took advantage of the visual layout and reading pace to quickly engage the reader. He himself tried to adapt that approach to Mushoku Tensei, taking care of chapter breaks, paragraph length and the way emotions are presented, the result is a fluid novel, perfect for digital consumption.
Momoero Noumu Chuuihou
From this peculiar story he understood that a cliché protagonist can become fascinating if the protagonist who accompanies her is crazy enough, that is, that the true dynamism of a story can arise from the contrast between characters. In Mushoku Tensei, this is reflected in how Rudeus with his complicated and often questionable character completely alters the way the female characters are presented, the interesting thing is not only who they are, but how they react when interacting with him.
Soukou Akki Muramasa (Full Metal Daemon Muramasa)
This work showed him that action scenes don’t have to be fast or spectacular, they can be slow, calculated, almost silent, and still be charged with tension, battles that are decided in a single action or psychological dilemma can be even more intense than sword clashes. This philosophy helped him approach the fights in Mushoku Tensei from a more introspective and emotional perspective, preventing them from becoming mere physical confrontations.
Rance
This video game with an absurd and politically incorrect narrative taught him that even the craziest elements can be effective if they are well integrated, Rance demonstrates that humor, absurdity and morally ambiguous characters can be strong pillars for a story. Magonote took this teaching to include characters that, while questionable, are fascinating and plausible within his world; not everything has to follow the rules of good taste if internal coherence is maintained.
Muv-Luv
One of the most emotional lessons he learned came from this visual novel, if you want to provoke impact and despair, you must first show happiness, building an everyday environment full of warmth and joy makes any subsequent tragedy hit hard. This pattern is repeated several times in Mushoku Tensei, where happy moments serve as a prelude to devastating twists, it is a narrative strategy that connects deeply with the reader and amplifies the emotional charge.
Kodoku no Gourmet (The Solitary Gourmet)
A quiet work, focused on the meals and inner thoughts of its protagonist, but one that left a lasting mark on Magonote, what impressed him most was how unusual phrases stick with ease, he understood that expressions that break the norm even if they sound strange are the ones that last the longest. He applied this idea by endowing Mushoku Tensei with a narrative voice that, at many points, is unique and memorable for its witticisms, comparisons and unconventional thoughts.
At the end of his chain of messages from the author, it seems that he did not manage to mention all the works that influenced him, and perhaps simply because he got tired of writing, however, these 16 works already offer a clear picture of the diversity of influences that made the Mushoku Tensei series a reality. Another important fact is that there are many more series that influenced the work, as many other times the author stated, either in an interview, or just by looking at Mushoku Tensei.
Mushoku Tensei is not only a pioneer of the modern isekai genre, but also a combination of learnings, styles and philosophies that its author knew how to absorb and transform into something unique, thanks to this glimpse into the past of Rifujin na Magonote, fans can now appreciate even more the richness of a work that did not come from nothing, but from the love and study of many others.
©理不尽な孫の手/MFブックス/「無職転生」製作委員会