The isekai genre has been soaring in popularity in recent years, and the genre debuts a couple of new titles every season without fail. Even though there is growing displeasure to some viewers, a lot of fans still can't seem to get enough of the other world action.
Isekai anime features main characters that are either transported or reincarnated, mostly with the help of the infamous Truck-kun, to another world. Whether you are newly exploring the genre or looking for your next anime to binge-watch, here are the best isekai anime available to stream on Crunchyroll.
The Rising Of The Shield Hero Tells The Tale Of A Betrayed Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero follows the titular character as he ventures to farm experience, acquire new powers, and generally survive in a world that has forsaken him. This anime is darker than the typical isekai anime featuring a number of betrayals and discrimination. It also tackles more serious themes like religious influences, power struggles, and slavery. Despite the mixed reception to the anime, it is a decent isekai with a unique power system. Fans who are looking for the tried and tested isekai formula can't go wrong with The Rising of the Shield Hero, as it also offers the familiar power fantasy plus more.
Ascendance Of A Bookworm Is The Anime For Booklovers
Urano Motosu is a self-acclaimed bibliophile who can't live without books. But just as she is about to achieve her dream of being a librarian, she meets her demise and gets reincarnated to a medieval age-esque world. The problem, however, is that a division across social classes inhibits her access to books, so she strengthens her will and decides to create them instead.
Ascendance of a Bookworm shies away from the usual power fantasy and tackles mature themes in a non-aggressive manner. It also features a refreshing young protagonist with a very clear motivation, which has nothing to do with getting stronger or killing monsters.
The Crazed And Heartless Saga Of Tanya The Evil
When a salaryman challenges a higher being on his deathbed, he gets reincarnated as a young girl in a war-torn world. She then uses her prior knowledge of the World Wars to prove the god wrong. The Saga of Tanya the Evil pushes a sinister character as a protagonist in Tanya Degurechaff. The young maiden with the mind of an old man does not hesitate to use sacrifices if it means guaranteeing her victory, and her being called evil is not just an empty accolade. Tanya uses every dirty trick in the book for the sake of being promoted to a cushy position away from blood and warfare.
KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World! Has A Good Blend Of Action And Comedy
With the isekai genre's ever-expanding reach, isekai anime often includes other sub-genres. KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World!'s strength lies in comedy. More specifically, the anime has a knack for satirizing typical anime tropes. The anime follows the story of Kazuma, who dies not from getting run over by a truck but from the shock of thinking he did. After his ridiculous death, Kazuma is given the option to ascend to heaven or get reincarnated. He chooses to start all over again and takes the Goddess Aqua, who kept ridiculing him, as his blessing. But instead of being of help, the goddess proves to be more trouble than she's worth, and the same can be said to the rest of his entourage.
Starting As A Monster In That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
As the title implies, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime tells the story of an ordinary corporate worker being reincarnated as the lowest of monsters in a fantasy world. He starts as a slime who can only consume everything available to him, but that quickly changes after he meets a trapped dragon.
Even though it follows the usual isekai tropes, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime's superb execution earns it a place in the annals of not just the isekai genre but anime in general. It features a wide array of characters with unique quirks and personalities, while also continuously improving its main character.
Overlord Is All About Dominion
When his favorite online RPG is about to shut down, Satoru Suzuki finds himself in the body of his in-game character. This time, however, there is no longer an option of logging out. He continues his character's role -- being an almighty evil figure -- and continuously expands his domain. Despite having an anti-hero protagonist like The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Overlord's Momonga avoids any unnecessary evil. Similar to That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, it features a slew of subordinates with interesting personalities.
Sword Art Online Is The Classic Isekai
Sword Art Online is a classic of the isekai genre, influencing the rise of anime with game-like themes. Set in a world where virtual reality has progressed to the point of being able to control game avatars using thought, a nightmare occurred when thousands of players get trapped within the game. To make matters worse, death inside the game equates to real-life death. But that's just part of the anime's charm. The series features a beautifully-crafted world with a heavy emphasis on RPG activities, making it a perfect escape fantasy anime.
Dominating Every Game In No Game No Life
No Game No Life glorifies the shut-in life like no other anime. The series follows the siblings' Sora and Shiro as they get transported to the world of Disboard. In this world, every conflict is settled via games. The word game is also loosely defined. As long as there are set rules, then the game is set. Both Sora and Shiro are geniuses who dominate all kinds of games through analytical thinking and quick brain processing. No Game No Life's brilliant writing manifests through the siblings' ability to find and exploit loopholes within the rules. Unfortunately, fans of the anime will be stuck perpetually waiting for the series to receive a second season.
Go Back In Time In The Ambition Of Oda Nobuna
Yoshiharu is a typical high school boy who gets sent in a not-so-typical world. At a glance, he seems to be sent back to the Warring States Period of Japan, but the setting is not as he remembers them. He meets Oda Nobuna -- yes, not Oda Nobunaga -- and her all-female retainers. Nobuna teams up with Yoshiharu to fulfill her dream of ruling the world.
Unlike most isekai anime, The Ambition of Oda Nobuna is set in a more or less non-fictional world. Yoshiharu also does not receive any perk, skill, or power after being transported back in time. In fact, he remains clueless as to how he gets there in the first place. The anime's implementation of political and military strategies makes it stand out among the dozens of isekai anime of today.
