転生

• Reading: てんせい
• Romaji: tensei
• Kanji breakdown: 転 (turn/revolve) + 生 (life/birth) → rebirth/reincarnation
• Pronunciation: /teɴ.se.i/

Meaning

Reincarnation — a core concept in isekai genre where a character dies and is reborn in another world.

転生 literally means 'reincarnation' but in modern otaku culture it is primarily associated with the isekai genre where protagonists die (often hit by a truck, known as トラック転生) and are reborn in a fantasy world. The term has expanded beyond fiction — fans joke about wanting to 転生 into their favorite anime world, and virtual content creators 'reincarnate' when they restart under a new identity.

Examples

1. 異世界に転生するなら何のスキルが欲しい？ If you were reincarnated in another world, what skill would you want?
2. またトラック転生ものかよ。 Another truck reincarnation story, seriously?
3. あのVTuber転生したらしいよ。 I heard that VTuber reincarnated.

Usage Guide

Context: anime discussion, isekai genre, VTuber culture, social media

Tone: playful, genre-specific

Do Say

• 転生したらスライムだったって面白い？ (Is 'That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime' good?)
• 推しのVTuber転生先わかった？ (Do you know where your favorite VTuber reincarnated?)

Don't Say

• 仏教の文脈で使う「転生」とアニメの「転生」を混同しない (Don't confuse Buddhist reincarnation with anime isekai reincarnation)

Common Mistakes

• Not understanding the VTuber usage of 転生 (when a VTuber retires and starts a new channel/identity)
• Thinking 転生 and 異世界 (isekai) are synonyms — 転生 is the mechanism, 異世界 is the destination

Origin & History

Originally a Buddhist term (転生/てんせい) meaning rebirth/reincarnation. Adopted into anime/manga vocabulary through the 2010s isekai boom, catalyzed by web novels on なろう (Shōsetsuka ni Narō). The 'truck-kun' trope became a meme.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s isekai boom, Buddhist term repurposed

Generation: Millennials and Gen Z

Social background: Anime/light novel/VTuber community

Regional notes: Used across Japan. トラック転生 (truck reincarnation) has become a widely recognized anime trope worldwide.