The isekai genre of anime continues to grow in popularity. At this point, the market is filled to the brim with transmigrated, reincarnated or transported main characters. That usually entails overpowered abilities or talents like in the case of Overlord, or quickly plowing through the power structure and attaining insurmountable might like Rimuru from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
A genuinely underpowered protagonist is a rare sight in the genre, but they do exist. They hold a more relatable charm as they struggle to strengthen themselves or just trying to enjoy their newfound life. Here are a few great isekai anime with an underpowered protagonist.
Ascendance of a Bookworm - An Isekai All About Books
Urano Motosu loved books more than anything else, and she almost got her dream job of being a librarian -- except she suddenly died. She wished for the opportunity to read more books in her next life, but fate might have decided to play a trick on her as she's transported into the body of a young girl named Myne. However, only nobles can access books in her new world in Ascendance of a Bookworm.
The thing about isekai anime is that even slice of life titles like Drugstore in Another World have a protagonist with an overpowered skill. However, not only did Myne not receive any special skill, her body is also extremely frail. In fact, she spends a lot of time fainting from the mere sight of blood, but these disadvantages also make her relatable. Her frustrations and sentiments are very mundane, making viewers want to cheer for her in this fascinating isekai.
Re:Zero - An Isekai With a Repeatedly Dying Protagonist
After buying a couple of items from the convenience store, Subaru Natsuki was mysteriously transported to an unknown street in what seemed like a fantasy realm. After being summoned through this magical procedure, Subaru's fantasy quickly turns into a nightmare. He helps the girl who saved him in looking for something she lost, and although he pinpoints the item's location, the two are brutally murdered a few minutes after. Interestingly, Subaru then finds himself going back in time.
Unlike other isekai anime that love to use game-like features to the protagonist's advantage, Re:Zero uses the same elements to mess with its main character. Subaru may have a time-looping ability, but it proves to be more of a disadvantage -- especially since he accrues emotional damage each time he dies. Even so, the young man refuses to give up and relentlessly works to save everyone in his dark and gritty new world.
The Dungeon of Black Company - An Isekai Climb Up the Corporate Ladder
When Kinji Ninomiya finally reaches the peak of the NEET lifestyle, he's suddenly transported to a fantasy world with nothing but his briefs. Even though he technically isn't a slave, he's forced to work in an exploitative mining company that doesn't give even a bit of care to its employees. Ninomiya must use his cleverness and underhanded tactics to once again climb the corporate ladder in The Dungeon of Black Company.
Since Ninomiya was sent to a fantasy world, he was greatly handicapped for being a human. Not receiving any skill or even an explanation for what happened, he can only rely on his smarts to rise to the top. Ninomiya's journey is neither clean nor smooth, but viewers may find his struggles entertaining and his devious plans interesting.
From a harmless bookworm to a swindling employee, the three aforementioned isekai each offer a different charm. The pool of choices for anime with underpowered protagonists may be smaller than its counterpart, but there are plenty more where these series came from.
