<p>The earliest show I can think of where a character is trapped inside a video game is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.hack//Sign">.Hack//Sign</a>, which aired in 2002.</p>

<p>However, this isn't purely an anime feature - I read many books with similar situations, some dating before 2002. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heir_Apparent_(novel)">Example 2002</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28695.City_of_Golden_Shadow">Example 1998</a></p>

<p>Presumably this genre is a type of mutation of the <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TrappedInTVLand">'Trapped in the TV' trope</a>.</p>

<p>It's an easy way to legitimize a fantasy world for an author, so it's become a common staple in teen/young fiction.</p>

<p>Whilst not exactly the same, there are earlier media like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons_(TV_series)">The 1980's Dungeons &amp; Dragons</a> cartoon that have characters magically transported to a fantasy world. Or even books like <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/TypewriterInTheSky">Type Writer in the Sky (1940s)</a> in which characters are transported to a foreign land through the pages of a novel. <strong>It's simply modernization of this trope.</strong></p>

<p>So, to answer your question - 2000s and onwards is a good starting point, but you might find similar shows with a slightly different approach earlier than that if you want. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-11T07:13:41.563Z
2015-09-11T07:13:41.563Z
Toshinou Kyouko
<p>I got hooked on the lost-in-the-MMO genre with SAO (Sword Art Online), but I didn't even know it was a genre until a few weeks ago.  I caught up on Log Horizon, and now I'm watching Overlord.  Obviously, MMOs are a relatively new phenomenon, but approximately how old is this genre of anime?</p>

<p>I am curious because I'm about to go looking for more titles and I'd like to know how far back to search and/or when to stop looking.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-11T05:23:32.900Z
are you asking what the first MMORPG Themed anime/manga is? because currently how i am reading this is a recommendation request which is off topic
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-11T06:55:02.703Z
@Memor-X: It's asking for the start of the lost-in-MMO genre, not asking for recommendation.
nhahtdh
<anime-history>
MMO RPG anime are great! Is this a new trend, or are there older anime in this genre?
# MMO RPG anime are great! Is this a new trend, or are there older anime in this genre?
Posted by: username_0 on 2015-09-11
I got hooked on the lost-in-the-MMO genre with SAO (Sword Art Online), but I didn't even know it was a genre until a few weeks ago. I caught up on Log Horizon, and now I'm watching Overlord. Obviously, MMOs are a relatively new phenomenon, but approximately how old is this genre of anime?

I am curious because I'm about to go looking for more titles and I'd like to know how far back to search and/or when to stop looking.
**Tags:** anime-history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: are you asking what the first MMORPG Themed anime/manga is? because currently how i am reading this is a recommendation request which is off topic  
> **username_2**: @Memor-X: It's asking for the start of the lost-in-MMO genre, not asking for recommendation.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2015-09-11. Score: 10 | Accepted answer
The earliest show I can think of where a character is trapped inside a video game is [.Hack//Sign](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.hack//Sign), which aired in 2002.

However, this isn't purely an anime feature - I read many books with similar situations, some dating before 2002. [Example 2002](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heir_Apparent_(novel)), [Example 1998](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28695.City_of_Golden_Shadow)

Presumably this genre is a type of mutation of the ['Trapped in the TV' trope](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TrappedInTVLand).

It's an easy way to legitimize a fantasy world for an author, so it's become a common staple in teen/young fiction.

Whilst not exactly the same, there are earlier media like [The 1980's Dungeons & Dragons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons_(TV_series)) cartoon that have characters magically transported to a fantasy world. Or even books like [Type Writer in the Sky (1940s)](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/TypewriterInTheSky) in which characters are transported to a foreign land through the pages of a novel. **It's simply modernization of this trope.**

So, to answer your question - 2000s and onwards is a good starting point, but you might find similar shows with a slightly different approach earlier than that if you want.
---
