It’s hard to imagine what the anime industry would be like without Isekai now. Over the years, the genre has grown in scale, and now there’s Isekai anime everywhere you look. From fantasy thrillers to romantic comedies, there’s an Isekai anime for everyone. Of course, many people are looking for the right show to add to their watchlists.
We’ve spent hours becoming Isekai experts. From recent hits to classics of the genre, we’re here to share the current top 10 Isekai anime. We eliminate the guesswork for you, so if you want to see what Isekai is all about, this news is definitely covering you.
Top 10 Isekai Anime:
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation might be the current leader when it comes to Isekai anime. Since its debut in November 2012, the anime adaptation of the story has enchanted fans with the help of protagonist Rudeus Greyrat. The story follows a 34-year-old man who sacrifices his meaningless life to save some young people in the real world. When he wakes up, he finds himself reborn as Rudeus in a new world and, years later, ends up in the midst of a magical catastrophe.
The Eminence in Shadow
If you enjoy dark fantasy, The Eminence in Shadow has got you covered. The Isekai follows a young boy who dreams of ruling the world from the shadows, but he is killed at a young age. Reborn in a fantastical world as the protagonist Cid, he starts anew by creating a cult based on a lie. However, it turns out Cid’s lie is true, and he gets dragged into a truly dangerous power struggle with his fake cult.
The Rising of the Shield Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero is an Isekai filled with comedy and action. Created by Aneko Yusagi, the series follows Naofumi, who, along with three others, is summoned to a new world and crowned as one of the Cardinal Heroes. While others are given weapons like swords, Naofumi is bestowed with a shield that doesn’t impress the people. Betrayed and framed, Naofumi finds himself working to prove why he deserves respect as a Shield Hero with the help of his companion Raphtalia.
Inuyasha
If you’ve been in the anime fandom for a while, you know the name Inuyasha. The series is considered a classic shonen at this point, and Inuyasha has produced many memes. However, the story stands well as an Isekai. It tells the tale of Kagome, a high school girl who falls into a well and ends up in Japan’s past era. Kagome learns that she is the reincarnation of a priestess obligated to protect a relic known as the Shikon Jewel. The only problem is that demons from everywhere want the jewel, and this situation forces Kagome to team up with Inuyasha, a half-demon who dreams of becoming a full-fledged demon, albeit unwillingly.
Log Horizon
This series has a story of an Isekai adventure that transports characters into a video game world. Sword Art Online mastered this plot, but Log Horizon takes this metaphor to new heights. The science fiction story follows players of the Elder Tale game. When 30,000 fans of the game get trapped in it, tensions arise between players and the game’s NPCs. As a result, a player named Shiroe comes together to form a guild to survive while looking for ways to escape Elder Tale.
Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World
Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World could be one of the funniest Isekai anime ever created. Created in December 2012, Konosuba is now seen as a gold standard for anime fans seeking a good laugh. The series tells the story of Kazuma Satou, a young man who dies embarrassingly and meets the goddess Aqua in the afterlife. Accepting to help the goddess, Kazuma is reborn in a parallel world of magic and, as a result, becomes part of a dysfunctional party with the hope of killing the Demon King.
Sonny Boy
If you prefer more serious stories, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Isekai Sonny Boy. The original series was created by Shingo Natsume and follows three middle school students transported to a strange liminal world. This new world, filled with unique rules, grants supernatural powers to our protagonists. However, as friends fight each other while trying to return home, they still struggle to navigate the thousands of people trapped in this dimension.
My Next Life as a Villainess
Sometimes being bad is good. My Next Life as a Villainess proves this with its romantic comedy that tells the story of a young woman who learns she has been reincarnated in a new world after dying. The girl, now named Catarina, lives in the world of an otome game called Fortune Lover. However, there’s a catch – Catarina is the villainess! Desperate to avoid her bad fate, Catarina tries to avoid the pitfalls of the otome universe she played in the real world, but her unique choices affect the otome world in tons of strange ways.
Ascendance of a Bookworm
If you love a good book, Ascendance of a Bookworm was created for you. This fantasy series tells the story of Urano Motosu, a hopeful librarian killed by her own books. When she wakes up, the girl, now named Myne, finds herself in the worst nightmare. Our heroine is reborn in a world where only the elite have access to books, so Myne takes matters into her own hands. The young girl starts writing her own books, and this move brings all kinds of unwanted attention to the book-loving girl.
Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World
When it comes to Isekai anime, no series is better known than Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World, and there’s a good reason for that. Created by Tappei Nagatsuki, this Isekai adventure has everything you could want in a story. From death to love and drama, Re:Zero, with the help of Subaru Natsuki, covers it all. The boy finds himself transported to a fantasy world and is quickly killed to discover his unique power. Subaru can’t die; he just resurrects himself in a time before his death. Using his power, Subaru can befriend the next queen, Emilia, but threats to this friend put Subaru in a corner at every turn.
