fantasy
Let an agent explain the fantasy genre and its subgenres and conventions, identify works and creators with sources, describe fantasy across media including games, and support readers, viewers, players and writers.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain the fantasy genre and its subgenres and conventions, identify works and creators with sources, describe fantasy across media including games, and support readers, viewers, players and writers.
A genre of fiction set in imagined worlds or featuring magic, mythical creatures and supernatural elements, in literature, film, television, games and art, with subgenres including high and epic fantasy, low fantasy, urban and contemporary fantasy, dark fantasy, science fantasy and magical girl stories, and forms such as fantasy video games; fantasy draws on myth, folklore and legend and is one of the most popular genres in publishing and media.
What it is for: Fiction with magic and imagined worlds.
It can be explain the genre and subgenres; identify works; describe fantasy across media; support audiences and writers.
Distinguishing features
Magic and the supernatural
Worldbuilding
Mythic roots
Cross-media presence
What it looks like
Not physical; stories in various media.
How it is recognised
Magic, imagined worlds, supernatural elements
Draws on myth and folklore
Science fiction relies on speculative science; horror aims at fear
Related models
is a kind of - category
is related to - fantasy in mass media
is related to - the psychological sense of fantasy
is related to - soundtracks and fantasy in music
In practice
Families and kinds
high and epic fantasy
low and urban fantasy
dark fantasy and science fantasy
children and young adult fantasy
fantasy video games and role-playing games
Standards and regulation
Age ratings for games and films
Copyright and adaptation rights
No regulation of the genre
Failure modes and hazards
Confusing the genre with the psychological sense
Overlooking non-Western fantasy traditions
Spoilers and misattribution
Also called
+40
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.fantasy-communication
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What fantasy is.
Literature.
Genre
Genre and conventions.
Genre
Genre.
- What defines fantasy as a genre, and how does it differ from science fiction and horror? definition
- Is the fiction genre or the psychological sense meant? boundary
Subgenres
Subgenres.
Subgenres
Subgenres.
- How do high, low, urban, dark and science fantasy differ, and what other subgenres exist? provenance
- Which entry fits a specific subgenre? action
Explore Works and media.
Reference.
Works
Works and creators.
Works
Works.
- Which works and creators are central to fantasy in literature, film and television, according to critics and scholars? provenance
- Which entry fits a specific work? action
Games
Fantasy games.
Games
Games.
- How does fantasy appear in video games and tabletop games, and what are the main forms? provenance
- Which entry fits a specific game? action
Create Writing and worldbuilding.
Practice.
Write
Writing fantasy.
Write
Writing.
- How can writers approach worldbuilding, magic systems and mythic sources? action
- Which entry fits creative writing? action
Recommend
Recommendations.
Recommend
Recommendations.
- Which fantasy works might suit this reader or player, considering age and taste? action
- Which age ratings apply? boundary
Learn History and study.
Education.
History
History of the genre.
History
History.
- How did fantasy develop from myth and romance to modern genre fiction, and how do traditions outside the West contribute? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Study
Scholarship.
Study
Scholarship.
- How do scholars analyse fantasy, and what debates exist about its value and themes? provenance
- Which misconceptions arise? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Should each subgenre be a separate entry?
- How should bibliographies be linked?
- How should game databases be linked?