Erika Ishii: Fantasy has been trapped in Tolkien's shadow for too long

Actor and superfan Erika Ishii has criticised modern fantasy for over-relying on J.R.R. Tolkien's tropes — elves, dwarves, orcs, ancient prophecies and sprawling quests. She argues that elements Tolkien created more than 70 years ago have become so ingrained in the genre that creators treat them as obligatory rather than original. Ishii is calling on fantasy storytellers to break free and forge bolder new identities.

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