The concept of Isekai in anime is the genre of fantasy where a character journeys from a familiar and known world to unfamiliar territory. An Isekai anime usually revolves around the protagonist who after death gets reincarnated in a fantasy world where the character has to survive by facing all odds that come across while completing a mission.
Isekai’s world is the art of storytelling with full of fiction, imagination, fantasy, action, and triviality with hearts poured out. Isekai anime is the ground for the best storytellers who let their imagination run wild turning out to be the best storytelling art in the anime world. This is what has drawn maximum anime fans to watching and always debating on the best Isekai Anime of all time.
Here we have compiled a list of arguably the best Isekai Anime of all time. This is a debatable topic as there is much classic anime that have been released and are getting added every year. Many have their favorites that might not match mine. However, I would love to hear from you the reason and the names of the best Isekai anime you watched from beginning to end.
List of the Best Isekai Anime
Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World
Re:Zero is an iconic and the best Isekai anime that has ever been produced to date. It is the story of the death of the protagonist in his routine life to get reincarnated in a fantasy world. However, Subaru gets trapped in real life where death accompanies him always. “Re:Zero” has some of the best storylines of all the Isekai for the reason that it does not give its main character, Subaru, the traditional ‘superpowers’. The quality of writing followed by the animation and adaptation by White Fox studios has exceeded all expectations. Easily the darkest Isekai but one of the best Isekai anime I’ve seen so far. Subaru suffers the worst out of all these protagonists.
Japanese Title | Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu |
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Studio | White Fox |
Genre | Adventure Dark Fantasy Isekai Psychological Thriller |
Written By | Tappei Nagatsuki |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll, HBO Max, VRV |
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World!
When we talk about the Isekai anime, it is not restricted to any genre. Rather it is a concept that can weave thrillers, comedy, supernatural, historical dramas, and horror too. three animes instantly pop up in our mind-Sword Art Online, The Rising of the Shield Hero, and of course, Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World. What makes Konosuba different from the other anime of this genre is its integration of humor and satire that changes the otherwise serious mood of the genre.
Konosuba is centered around the adventures and eccentricity of Kazuma Sato, who, after his comical and untimely demise, encounters the Goddess Aqua, who reincarnates him in a fantasy world. He soon finds himself distressed as he is given the task of defeating the demon king who has terrorized the neighboring villages. The job seems almost impossible to accomplish as he is teamed with the most dysfunctional group ever.
“KonoSuba”, the main character is as eccentric as one can find with others equally powerful in their disciplines. In essence, “KonoSuba” is the quintessential best comedy Isekai with the ridiculousness that forms around its characters is one like no other anime in its category. It’s pure comedic gold and a great subversion on the usual Isekai tropes.
Japanese Title | KonoSuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World! |
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Studio | Studio Deen |
Genre | Fantasy comedy, Isekai |
Written By | Jitakukeibihei (Natsume Akatsuki) |
Where to Stream | Netflix |
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
“Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken” Isekai anime is the opposite of “Re:Zero” where the protagonist is reincarnated in a world which constantly puts him on the ropes. On the other hand, “That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime” turns its protagonist into a slime having the capability to act as a sponge for all the techniques and energies that shroud him. Like many isekai titles, the protagonist Satoru Mikami dies and is somehow reborn into a different world. But weirdly enough, he is reincarnated as a slime in a different world.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime or Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken manga is published by Kodansha in its Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine and has been in publication since 2015.
What makes it stand apart from others, is its engaging characters, and compelling comedy, definitely one of the most enjoyable and the best isekai anime to watch.
Japanese Title | Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken |
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Studio | 8bit |
Genre | Isekai, Comedy |
Written By | Fuse |
MAL Rating | 8.4/10 |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll, Funimation |
Log Horizon
Following the concept of another equally famous Isekai, “Overlord”, the anime “Log Horizon” presents the scenario of being trapped in the reality of Elder Tale. It completely rejects the idea of reincarnation. The protagonist finds himself out of the material world in the material plane and has become part of the video game itself. It is a trapped-in-a-video game isekai, with lots of players being trapped together.
Among other things, “Log Horizon” separates itself from other isekai anime by placing its protagonist at the center of stratagems, giving him more of a tactical image role. It has the benefit of having 62 episodes to really flesh out its world and characters.
Japanese Title | Log Horizon |
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Studio | Satelight & Studio Deen |
Genre | Isekai, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction |
Written By | Mamare Touno |
MAL Rating | 7.0/10 |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll, Netflix, Funimation |
No Game No Life
“No Game No Life” anime is a forerunner to the current success of isekai anime. It is more fascinating because it deals with the psychology of Hikikomoris. In “No Game No Life”, the main protagonists are both Hikikomori. “No Game No Life” presents an escape route that allows its characters to shine through their only vibrant abilities outside of everyday life. It can be rated as the best Isekai anime.
Japanese Title | No Game No Life |
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Studio | Madhouse |
Genre | Isekai, Fantasy, Science Fiction |
Written By | Yū Kamiya |
MAL Rating | 8.1/10 |
Where to Stream | HIDIVE (Including Movie), Hulu |
Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online popularly known as SAO can be visualized as the ‘progenitor’ of isekai anime, or the one responsible to make its popularity skyrocket. It launched not only into exploring fantasy, but also a video game or even the typical protagonist with short black hair. SAO goes against the iskeai’s basic concept of the previous death but it is equally undeniable that it launched a new concept where anime could combine reincarnation and ‘powers’.
Japanese Title | Sōdo Āto Onrain |
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Studio | A-1 Pictures |
Genre | Adventure, Science Fiction |
Written By | Reki Kawahara |
MAL Rating | 7.5/10 |
Where to Stream | Netflix |
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Comedy anime My Next Life as a Villainess is the TV anime adaptation of Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka’s My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! light novel. The protagonist gets reincarnated in the role of a villain in a video game that she played at her previous birth. She is entrusted with a task to turn history towards a ‘route’ that does not end with her death.
Japanese Title | Otome Gēmu no Hametsu Furagu Shika Nai Akuyaku Reijō ni Tensei Shite Shimatta…, lit. “ |
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Studio | SILVER LINK studio |
Genre | Isekai, reverse harem, romantic comedy |
Written By | Satoru Yamaguchi |
MAL Rating | 7.5/10 |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll |
The Rising of the Shield Hero
“The Rising of the Shield Hero” is one of the most recent hits and rated the best Isekai anime, and endows its protagonist with special abilities. The Rise of the Shield Hero blends the dark fantasy (like Goblin Slayer) and isekai genres. A common thread in reviews is that the series provides a fresh take on the isekai genre, which itself has a barrage of fans.
Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the world of the main character is created mainly to generate ‘hatred’ and arise unfair situations that negatively affect him. It deviates from the concept of reincarnation but “The Rising of the Shield Hero” meets all the other elements of a successful isekai.
Japanese Title | Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari |
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Studio | Kinema Citrus |
Genre | Dark Fantasy |
Written By | Aneko Yusagi |
MAL Rating | 8.0/10 |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu (Season 2) |
Overlord
“Overlord” uses one of the most popular concepts of isekai anime and that is getting stuck in the world of the video game. There is no reincarnation concept although what is not lacking are the characters and powers that allow living a pure fantasy story.
Overlord is set in the year 2126 where Dive MMORPGs are a popular phenomenon. Within such a game called YGGDRASIL, the time for the servers of the game to shut down starts drawing close. After having been around for almost 12 years, Yggdrasil has a lot of players who feel attached to the game. A guild within the game called Ainz Ooal Gown is also trying to bid goodbye to its members and players.
Only four members remain, with one of them being the Overlord who maintains their headquarters at the Tomb of Nazarick. The Overlord, Momonga realizes that his friends in the real world have their own lives, and their world in Yggdrasil will have to come to an end. As the servers shut down, Momonga tries to live his final moments in the game before it’s over.
Japanese Title | Ōbārōdo |
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Studio | Madhouse |
Genre | Dark Fantasy |
Written By | Kugane Maruyama |
MAL Rating | 7.9/10 |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll, Funimation |
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Does an isekai anime have to be all about action and constant magic? Well no, Ascendance of a Bookworm is the best example of a really good alternative isekai.
Ascendence Of a Bookworm is an isekai fantasy that follows Urano Mototsu, a college student who dies before being able to fulfill her dream of being a librarian comes true. In her final moments, she wishes to be able to read forever and is thus reborn into another world. As isekai fantasies go, Urano is reborn as Myne, a feeble-bodied five-year-old girl.
Japanese Title | Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan o Erandeiraremase |
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Studio | Ajia-do Animation Works |
Genre | Fantasy |
Written By | Miya Kazuki |
MAL Rating | 8.0/10 |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll |
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
“Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation“, one of the most recent isekai anime has been a hit anime series. Though it starts off with a wretched and unpleasing protagonist who can be abandoned anytime.. but it is in that figure that the effect of reincarnation is really magnified.
The plot for the anime revolves around a 34-year-old hikikomori (shut-in) who is constantly bullied and pushed around. He finally faces eviction after his parents’ death. He resolves to do something heroic but it ends in another awful tragedy – his own death. But instead, he is reborn as Rudeus Greyrat.
The world he is warped into thrives on sorcery and the will of the sword. Rudeus becomes an apprentice of Roxy Migurdia and finally finds a world to belong in. But the challenges and obstacles in his life are far from over.
“Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation” anime has turned out surprisingly to be a fantastic journey through a fantasy world full of adventure in which humor, drama, and action are blended with ease.
Japanese Title | Mushoku Tensei Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu |
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Studio | Studio Bind |
Genre | Fantasy |
Written By | Rifujin na Magonote |
MAL Rating | 8.3/10 |
Where to Stream | Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, Netflix |
Stay tuned for updates on the best Isekai anime and all the good stuff from your favorite titles. Let us know which of these anime made your Best Summer 2022 Anime picks and the ones that make your season’s favorite list!