Hardly groundbreaking or new, but this is a thought that has been swirling in my mind for a few years now.
I once heard older D&D described as "I play Conan, you play Gandalf, lets go beat up Dracula!" and from that mix of medievalism, pulp fantasy, and Tolkien the tropes, language, and expectations of D&D fermented.
Where once Elves, Dwarves, and demi-humans were seen as exotic character options, now demon and dragon kin are core. Even stranger character options are in easy reach of players.
I have spoken at length about my "default" fantasy world, but those expectations are formed largely in the context of classic D&D up through early 3rd edition. As more option are presented that exist outside those expectations, I have needed to make adjustments or handwave aspects in order to allow for them.
My catch all "God War" as the origin of any strangeness works well enough, but I think as a DM approaching the game as it is currently presented, one must consider reexamining expectations.While pondering what a world that is brimming with cat people, demon kin, warlocks, and dragonborn would look like, the notion of D&D is Manga took hold.
Now I use the term Manga in the BROADEST sense, the same broadness that D&D uses "medieval". But I think the general idea holds merit. One need only look over social media to see big eyed drawing of cat-girl druids, twee magic users, and warriors with fabulous hair.But it does seem to provide a framework whereby all these interesting, magical, exceptional player characters get exist in a world and interact to overcome obstacles.
Already we see these "newer" influences start to come into design as the game moves forward, owl-people, magic /adventuring schools, etc. I expect as the trend continues, we will see more mega-cities, and worlds of mixed technology (swordplay and soda machines).
