Magic

Cultural Influence

British folklore and mythology

European fairy tales

Japanese folklore and mythology

Magic Tricks

Ultra-capable

VIsuals

Magic = Escapism

Surya Raj: The primary demographic which consumes this genre is the late teen or young adult male (This is true for anime/manga in general as well though). In an increasingly urbanizing and consumerist world, with a dizzying array of products being marketed and sold, entertainment available at the click of a button; the race to achieve material success; the decline of religion — one eventually finds himself losing meaning in their world.

That’s one of the downsides of long-term prosperity and peace. There’s a certain kind of excitement or pleasure human beings derive in crisis, conflict, adventurous pursuits, seeking new experiences, clarity in purpose etc. The monotony of modern urban daily life seems to fail in providing all this. To escape that ennui, many people take to discussing politics. Others find religion. A few become abject nihilists. What about those who strive for meaning through entertainment?

This is pretty much true of the demographic that consumes these stories. Thus, it is indeed natural that self-insert fantasies will become popular. (The indian equivalent to this idea maybe the typical masala bollywood romance flick)