Whether you’re a long-time anime enthusiast or a recent fan, the isekai genre is probably on your radar. Sometimes it’s stereotyped as “anime with a ridiculously long and specific name where the main character gets hit by a truck and reincarnated in a fantasy world” - and yes, there are quite a few that start off like that, but why not dig a little deeper?
In this guide, we’ll give you a quick rundown of what isekai is, as well as suggest some iconic isekai series for those who haven’t gotten a taste yet. And if you’re already an isekai expert, stick around for some titles that put a different spin on the genre!
Contents
1. What is Isekai?
2. Iconic Isekai Anime
3. Unexpected & Unusual Isekai Anime
So, What is Isekai?
First things first - isekai (異世界) literally means “another world” or a “different world,” as one that’s separate from the “real world,” aka our everyday lives. Generally, the protagonist in an isekai series is a human who is taken to a fantasy world where they have to deal with new challenges, which could be anything from grappling with goblins to simply adjusting to a new lifestyle.
How they arrive is mainly split into two categories: being transported or reincarnated. Examples of getting isekai’d include being reborn as a child after dying by truck (now an isekai icon), being purposefully summoned for help as the “chosen hero” of a fantasy land, or accessing the world of an online game, only to realize that it’s impossible to log out (sound familiar?).
In their alternate world, the main character might receive superhuman abilities or neat weapons… or at least the potential to obtain them. Or perhaps they miss out on any cool new tricks altogether, setting up challenges that need creative solutions.
Let’s go back to the core concept for a minute, though. Of course, travelling to different worlds is a popular trope across all fiction, not just recent anime. Remember stories like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz? That being said, isekai anime - especially where an unremarkable protagonist is reincarnated into an exciting new fantasy world - is everywhere now.
There are plenty of reasons to point to, including the genre’s popularity on the novel publishing website Shosetsuka ni Naro (meaning “Let’s become a novelist”). This site in particular is famous for being the home of countless series picked up to be published as light novels, then adapted as manga/anime that spread isekai to fans all over the world. Oh, and they also happen to have a reputation for lengthy titles that seem to explain the entire story. Novels are a topic for another day, though!
From the perspective of someone consuming isekai content, it can be easy to put yourself in the shoes of an ordinary guy, which is usually a key aspect of the protagonist. It's also comforting to escape from real life with a bunch of new companions who look up to you, as the main character.
Now that we’ve talked about the concept of isekai, let’s move on to some isekai works that defined the genre as we know it today!
Iconic Isekai Anime
Here, we’ve gathered seven series that became not only huge successes in Japan and overseas, but also icons of the genre. Whether you have no idea what series to start with or you just want a recommendation for your next anime, read on for a rough idea of what to expect (no spoilers, we promise!). And if you’re already confident in your isekai experience, feel free to skip ahead to the next section to find some unexpected or unusual isekai series.
*All series are listed in the order that they premiered.
1. Sword Art Online
Premise: A gamer known as Kirito must fight for survival in Sword Art Online, a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing game, after learning that logging out or dying in the game kills its players in real life.
Expect: Quality animation by A-1 Pictures and an action-packed depiction of life and love in a virtual reality, as well as plenty of sequel material to enjoy if you get hooked.
2. No Game No Life
Premise: Hikikomori stepsiblings named Sora and Shiro, who form the unbeatable gamer unit Blank, are summoned to Disboard, a world where conflicts on every level are determined by games. There, they discover their ultimate goal - to deduce, calculate and cheat their way to victory against the God of Games himself.
Expect: Tons of trickery and strategy, fantasy species everywhere, and an intensely vivid color scheme.
3. Overlord
Premise: A salaryman playing as a skeletal lich in a game named Yggdrasil finds himself trapped in an alternate reality recreating the game’s world after its servers are shut down. Taking on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown, the name of his old guild, he ventures on a quest to find out the truth behind his predicament.
Expect: Violence aplenty, but also moments of comedy in a dark MMORPG world.
4. KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!
Premise: After suffering an extraordinarily embarrassing death, 17-year-old game addict Kazuma reincarnates in a fantasy world with an unwilling companion named Aqua, a goddess who likes to learn more party tricks than useful skills. Joined by archwizard Megumin and crusader Darkness, they set out on a quest to defeat the Devil King.
Expect: Laughs all round from self-aware isekai trope parodies and outrageous characters, beginning with our not-so-heroic hero.
5. Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-
Premise: Shut-in NEET Natsuki Subaru is abruptly brought to a fantasy world, where he becomes friends with a half-elf named Emilia, who is also in line to become the kingdom’s next ruler. He spends his new life helping her and other new friends by making use of “Return by Death,” an ability that allows him to go back in time. The catch? He has to die to activate it.
Expect: A surprisingly serious take on the effect of death and sacrifice in a world of colorful characters.
6. The Saga of Tanya the Evil
Premise: An atheist businessman from modern-day Japan is reincarnated as a little girl named Tanya von Degurechaff. Fighting on the frontlines in a world of magic and constant war, he must escape death from non-natural causes and keep faith in the mysterious "Being X" or risk being sent to hell.
Expect: An uncommonly villainous perspective with plenty of strategy and cunning deployed in ruthless battle scenes.
7. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Premise: After he’s suddenly stabbed to death, an average salaryman wakes up as a slime in a fantasy world. Taking on the name of Rimuru, he tries to build a new society where all kinds of species can live together happily.
Expect: An optimistic world full of all kinds of fantasy species and light-hearted comedy.
Unexpected & Unusual Isekai Anime
We mentioned before that the core concepts of isekai aren’t all that new; when you think about it, familiar anime like Spirited Away, Inuyasha and Digimon also fit the bill! That being said, isekai does have certain stereotypes that can be hard to get away from, so take a look below if you’re looking for something a little different.
1. The Vision of Escaflowne
Premise: A regular schoolgirl named Hitomi is transported to the planet Gaea after encountering a young prince, Van. Discovering that her new world is on the brink of war, she must fight alongside Van with the help of her ability to see the future.
Expect: A timeless fantasy story boasting beautiful animation, an epic soundtrack by legendary composer Yoko Kanno, and engrossing worldbuilding.
2. The Familiar of Zero
Premise: Nicknamed “Louise the Zero” for her inability to wield magic, a young noble attempts to summon a familiar, which gives her a completely unexpected result: a regular Japanese teenager named Saito.
Expect: Plenty of slapstick humor and harem elements, plus endless tsundere protesting from Louise as played by Rie Kugimiya, the Queen of Tsundere herself.
3. Re:Creators
Premise: An aspiring light novel creator named Sota is brought to the world of a mecha anime, where he encounters Selesia, the main character. The two manage to return to the real world, where they discover that Selesia isn’t the only character who has made her way out of her original story. Together, they must find the other characters to stop a mysterious military uniform-clad girl from destroying their worlds.
Expect: An intriguing look into anime itself, set to an amazing soundtrack by renowned composer Hiroyuki Sawano.
4. Isekai Quartet
Premise: Characters from popular isekai series Overlord, KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!, Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil find themselves transported to yet another different world after pressing a mysterious button. Transformed into adorable chibis, they begin their new high school life.
Expect: Easily watchable segments that combine high school anime tropes with chibi hilarity.
5. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Premise: One day, a young noble named Catarina realizes that she’s actually an otaku who was reborn as the villain in an otome game. Desperate to escape her inevitable death or exile in each intended ending, she attempts to influence the flow of the game, often leading to unexpected results.
Expect: A fun and novel take on the isekai genre with a cast of charming characters who perfectly fit the otome game setting.
Thanks for making it all the way to the end of our isekai anime guide! Did you find any new anime to check out? If you already knew every single one of these titles, then kudos - here's to all the awesome anime that's still to come!
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.
