Mizushima Tooru is a high schooler living in a world where every single youth has a special power they call “Iris”. Unfortunately for Tooru, however, he is one without an Iris and consequently, Tooru has lived a difficult life led by one simple rule: minimal exposure, avoid getting any attention whatsoever. His peaceful high school life is changed forever when he meets the school’s idol, Sasamori Koyuki.

Iris Zero is similar to The Isolator in the way in which the two are set out: a high school environment where characters live in a world changed forever by the appearance of strange powers and abilities. Both main characters, Tooru and Minoru, share a common trait in the fact that they have unresolved trauma which has changed their entire worldview in one way or another. Iris Zero also looks markedly similar to The Isolator in terms of art style.

Kuzumi Taiga was asked a strange question at his interview as a prospective student for Seinagi Private High School. “What would you do if you could use magic?” was the question, to which he replied, “Take over the world”, a statement which garnered roaring laughter from another prospective student. Naturally, Taiga did not make it into the school and he does not remember much from that day, apart from the laughter of the girl who was present that day. He believes that she’s to blame for his failed application and so he wanders around outside the school one day, only to be blocked by an invisible barrier at the school’s entrance when he dares to set foot inside. To make matters worse, Taiga is mistaken for a student ditching class and dragged into the school through the barrier by a Mr Hiiragi. It is then that Taiga learns the truth: Seinagi Private High is a magic school – but Taiga has no magical powers.

Another title set in a high school, Mx0’s greatest similarity to The Isolator lies in the fact that it is set in a world where certain characters have powers of some sort. For the characters in Mx0, this is magical affinity and an entire institution dedicated to honing that craft, while for the Isolator, it is the abilities which manifest within upon exposure to one of the “Eyes”.

In this world, humanity is no longer top of the food chain. With the appearance of Ghouls—ravenous predators who live under the veil of society by day and satisfy their hunger for human flesh by night—humans live in tandem as well as in fear of the Ghouls. To make things even more difficult, Ghouls cannot be identified as they disguise themselves as humans – a fact which 18-year-old Kaneki Ken learns when his date turns out to be a Ghoul herself. Barely surviving the incident, Kaneki soon learns that he has become half-ghoul due to receiving Ghoul organs during his surgery. However, due to his human past, Kaneki cannot bring himself to satisfy his hunger for human flesh but is taken in by the Ghouls of Café Anteiku, who help Kaneki learn more about what his double-sided existence means. However, Kaneki soon learns that life as a ghoul is more violent than he could have ever imagined.

At first glance, it may seem like a mismatch; however, as you read further, Tokyo Ghoul will show you, Kaneki and Minoru are both protagonists who the internet would say, “did nothing wrong”. Both these main characters achieve their powers/abilities not by their own will. Much like in The Isolator, Ghouls have their identities hidden from humans; however, other Ghouls are capable of seeing through the rouse. This is similar to the way in which the Red and Black Eye hosts seem completely normal to the untrained eye.

After seeing her entire family brutally murdered, Hosho Aiko wakes up on a laboratory table unscathed… or at least she was until she noticed the horribly disfigured arm grafted onto her body. She has been infused with the DNA of a mysterious beast known the Chimera, and the arm acts upon the desires of its master – on pure impulse. Unable to stop it, Aiko comes to the bitter realisation that her life will never be the same again.

Variante is an incredibly dark permutation of the trope which sees main characters gaining immense power which unfortunately works against them. With her Chimera Arm, Aiko is an unbelievably powerful entity, much like Minoru from The Isolator. Another similarity between Variante and The Isolator is their tortured protagonists, who both had the misfortune of being present to see their entire families’ murders. Dark, dark stuff.

Kanou Taisuke is an average sixteen year old boy with two close friends named Hirose and Megumi. Hirose has a bit of a problem with bullies and Taisuke is always ready to jump in and help but he normally gets beaten up himself. One day during class, Taisuke is hit by something not quite of this world and for a brief moment, he saw the universe. Walking home from school that day, Taisuke has the misfortune of seeing a girl die in front of him, but instead of feeling sympathy for her, he felt… envious. He soon finds out that the feeling he felt spread throughout the country, causing people to either commit suicide or “evolve”. The evolved; however, seem to have dark intentions for everyone else…

Much like the appearance of the Red and Black Eyes in The Isolator, the feeling of jealousy at the sight of another individual’s death in Alive is a sudden event which completely changes the world for the protagonist. Much like The Isolator, Alive features humans who have supernatural abilities of some sort, as well as battles between these characters or factions.

Nara Shika High School is a high school where students enjoy a vibrant high school experience while receiving a top-tier education and several extracurricular activities… except that it is not so normal, or so pleasant. Within the school’s walls, students are struggling for their very survival. Upon entering the school, Momiji Rokudou and the rest of the students were tasked to write down a kanji that they will need for the future. Rokudou writes “change”. Suddenly, monsters appear from the ground and the kanji chosen by the students will be their weapon. Those who survive a year will graduate. Can Rokudou survive that long?

Aphorism and The Isolator’s most important similarity is the setting as well as the device they use for the characters: high school and unique powers depending on the kanji they chose. Much like The Isolator, characters in aphorism have special powers; however Aphorism takes these powers and pits them against monsters. Much like The Isolator, Aphorism explores its characters through the choice of character, which is akin to the way in which the Eyes in The Isolator use memories when forming one’s special ability.