These days, it is hard to go places and not see anime’s impact. From stores to schools, you can find fans with merchandise all over the place. Shows like Dragon Ball have put anime on the map, and in recent years, the isekai genre has put in serious work popularizing the medium. When it comes to industry trends, isekai is at the forefront of anime these days, and we’re ready to breakdown the top shows everyone should try watching.
First, let’s chat about isekai, alright? If the word is not familiar to you, don’t sweat it. The term is Japanese, and it translates most literally into ‘different world’. The main schtick of the isekai genre is to take characters out of their own worlds and make them interact with another. From virtual worlds to fantasy ones, anything is game when it comes to isekai, and this daydream plot has helped isekai become so popular.
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I mean, let’s be honest here. If you had the chance to visit another world, wouldn’t you want to take a peek? Isekai stories follow characters at their lowest who find a way to rise above in their new worlds. As isekai has grown so too have the number of anime series that flip the script. So if you are looking for an education on all things isekai, we recommend you check out the shows below:
- Re:Zero – Start Life in Another World: Re:Zero is one of the most quintessential isekai shows out there. It is gorgeous, suspenseful, and downright addictive. When our protagonist Subaru Natsuki finds himself in a fantastical world, his life is turned upside down. Things get weird when Natsuki learns he’s gained the power to time travel, but he must die to unleash his skill. This insane power sends Natsuki reeling, and his place in this new world comes under threat just as he begins learning about his time-traveling gift. You can watch this on Crunchyroll right now.
- Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation: Released in 2021, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation takes fans on a fantastical journey with each episode. The series tells the tale of Rudeus Greyrat, a boy born in a fantasy realm after his 34-year-old NEET self dies trying to save some teens in the real world. Given a new chance to live, Rudeus dedicates himself to magic and becomes a great fighter. But when war comes knocking at his homeland, Rudeus’ resolve is tested in all new ways. You can watch this on Hulu right now.
- Log Horizon: If you like strategic video games with RPG elements, Log Horizon is the anime for you. The sci-fi series follows an avid gamer named Shiroe who spends much of his time playing the MMORPG Elder Tale using VR. When the game drops a new expansion pack, Shiroe and his friends become stuck in the game with thousands of others as the NPCs around them come to life. As the players find themselves at war with the game’s NPC, Shiroe and his friends are forced into a political minefield as they must form a guild in hopes of one day escaping their VR world. You can watch this on Crunchyroll right now.
- Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World: If you like rom-coms, Konosuba has what you need. The 2016 anime begins with the death of Kazuma Satou, a teenage NEET who meets a goddess named Aqua in death. He is offered the chance to reincarnate in a fantasy world, but when the pair arrive, Kazuma learns he is destined to fight the Devil King. Unwilling to train, Kazuma does his best to escape his fate despite his friends’ protests, but life finds a way to pit our hero against the Devil King in the most roundabout ways. You can watch this on Crunchyroll right now.
- Overlord: Dark fantasy isn’t often portrayed in isekai anime, but Overlord made it a mission to change that. The hit series came to TV in 2015, and it tells the tale of YGGDRASIL. The game is a hugely popular DMMORPG that brings players into the game, and after a long run, the game sets a shutdown date after 12 years with fans. When one famed player stays logged in after the game’s shut down, Momonga is shocked to find himself taken to a new world where all of YGGDRASIL’s NPCs now live. Fitted with unlimited power, our lead tries to find any other trapped players such as himself, and Overlord explores how Momonga’s isolate in a virtual world turns him into something not quite human. You can watch this show on Hulu now.
- Inuyasha: Do you like history, demons, and romance? Well, then you will want to check out Inuyasha. This classic anime is most definitely an isekai as it follows our heroine Kagome as she enters the world of Feudal Japan through an old well. Ladened with a sacred gem, Kagome becomes a prime target for demons who want her power, so she strikes a deal with a half-demon named Inuyasha to keep her safe. But as their journey carries on, the two travelers find themselves falling for one another in the midst of untold danger. You can watch this on Netflix now.
- Sword Art Online: When it comes to popular isekai series, you cannot make a list without mentioning Sword Art Online. The sci-fi series debuted some years ago and helped put high-tech isekai stories on the map. The series follows a boy named Kirito as he devotes himself to a new VR MMORPG. When the boy and thousands more are stuck in the game’s world, Kirito teams with new friends to beat all 100 flors of Aincrad to return to the real world. But as the reality of their isekai life sinks in, the group is left struggling to survive as the game’s masters try to keep players trapped for good. You can watch this on Netflix now.
- The Twelve Kingdoms: If you like high fantasy thrillers, look no further than The Twelve Kingdoms. The series, which dates back to 1992, tells the story of Yoko Nakajima as the high school girl finds herself confronted by a strange man one day. The pair are thrust into a battle shortly after with demons, and without any warning, the man whisks Yoko and her friends to a strange fantasy world. With arrest warrants on their heads, the group must survive in the wild while learning this world in hopes of learning why Yoko was brought to this new realm. You can watch this on Crunchyroll now.
- Ascendance of a Bookworm: Isekai has tons of fantasy tales and sci-fi twists to browse, but Ascendance of a Bookworm is one of a kind. The slice-of-life tale focuses on a girl named Urano who dreams of being a librarian, but her life is cut short when a pile of books crushes her to death. In her final moments, she prays to read in her next life only to reincarnate somewhere where books are restricted to society’s elite. Determined to change the system, the girl chooses to write her own books, but her retold tales puts Urano on a number of hit lists. You can watch this on Crunchyroll right now.
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: It might not sound like it by the title, but That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is one hell of a watch. The anime debuted in 2018 and took the fantasy genre by storm. The series follows a boy named Satoru Mikami who is murdered in Tokyo and reborn in a new world as a slime. Blessed with the power to mimic others, Satoru finds a group of friends who gift him the name Rimuru. His friends help Rimuru find his dream of ruling a nation of RPG monsters, but as you can imagine, this goal is not one that’s easily seen through. You can watch this on Crunchyroll right now.
What do you think about these isekai anime picks? Do you have any go-to series that didn’t make the cut here? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
