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Isekai is a subgenre of fantasy anime, telling a story where its characters find themselves transported into a new and unfamiliar world. With so much of an isekai anime's story revolving around this new world where the character is taken, it's important for a good isekai anime to be successful with its worldbuilding.
The best isekai of all time bring these fantasy stories to life in exciting ways as their protagonists go on epic adventures in new and exciting realms. The most successful isekai anime worlds delights fans with well-thought-out environments that are different from our own, allowing its viewers to escape into an exciting new world — even if it sometimes has parallels to our own.
Related
10 Most Questionable Isekai Romances
The isekai sub-genre of anime is full of problematic romances, including the likes of Sword Art Online and Kakuriyo Bed and Breakfast for Spirits.
15 GATE Sees Fantasy Powers Meet Modern Technology
GATE Is a Harem Anime With Epic Battles
Gate explores a common fantasy idea that isekai doesn't use that often: what happens when magic meets modern technology? It takes place in a world where one day a magic portal opens in the middle of Tokyo, with fantasy creatures pouring out and causing chaos. In response, the Japanese Defense Force manages to push them back, but also decides to travel across the gate to establish relations.
While the series still has some of the more common isekai tropes like harems, Gate's worldbuilding is still pretty solid. It balances both worlds well, offering a glimpse into how conflicts might play out between magic users and a military force. Clearly a ton of time went into researching military weaponry, which makes each combat scenario compelling without giving too much to one side or the other.
Gate
TV-14
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
War
Original title: Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri.
A gate appears in modern-day Tokyo which allows access to a fantasy world. A Japanese military squad is formed to establish ties between both worlds.
- Release Date
- July 4, 2015
- Cast
- Jun'ichi Suwabe , Nao Tôyama , Haruka Tomatsu , Hisako Kanemoto
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 2
- Creator
- Takumi Yanai, Tatsuhiko Urahata
- Production Company
- A-1 Pictures
- Number of Episodes
- 24
14 Drugstore in Another World Makes Even The Slow Life Seem Like Fun
Reiji Doesn't Want to Fight, Just Help
Most of the time, isekai tend to focus on characters who are great at combat. Drugstore in Another World instead follows a man who just wants to run a medicine shop and help people. In his old life, Reiji Kirio was just another cog in the corporate wheel. In his new world though, he has incredible medicinal knowledge, and has decided to put that to use for the good of those around him.
Drugstore in Another World might focus on just Reiji and his employees, but there's still plenty of worldbuilding for attentive viewers. Humanity is at war with a demon king, leading their forces to require Reiji's aid. It also focuses on the work that goes into all the different potions Reiji has to make for his customers, whether they're villagers or adventurers from out of town.
Drugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist
TV-14
Anime
Comedy
Fantasy
A salary worker comes to another world and takes it easy with a slow life running a drugstore.
- Release Date
- July 7, 2021
- Cast
- Jun Fukushima , Akane Kumada , Risae Matsuda , Mariko Higashiuchi , Satsumi Matsuda , Fumiko Uchimura , Kôji Fujiyoshi , Taku Yashiro
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 1
13 No Game No Life Reminds Us Power Isn't Everything
Disboard's World is All About Intelligence Over Power
No Game No Life is one of the 2010s isekai fans keep begging to come back, in part because of its incredible worldbuilding. When siblings Sora and Shiro get pulled into the world of Disboard, they quickly learn there's only one way to get back. They'll have to make the human race number one among all the other races on the planet to talk to the god of Disboard, Tet. Fortunately for them, all conflict is settled through games, and they've never lost a game working together.
Related
10 Isekai Protagonists Who Aren't Totally Useless
A good isekai protagonist isn't necessarily that different from a great lead in other genres like high fantasy, science fiction, or romance.
5
No Game No Life's world is split among 16 races that each have their own unique rules and society. Every episode offers tantalizing bits about some of the races that help viewers learn a bit more about the world Sora and Shiro are immersed in. The result is a series that feels just as interesting for the setting as it does for the hilarious characters.
No Game No Life
TV-14
Adventure
Comedy
Siblings Sora and Shiro make up the most feared team of pro gamers in the world, The Blank. When they manage to beat God himself in a game of chess, they are sent to a world where all disputes are settled with games.
- Release Date
- April 9, 2014
- Cast
- Yoshitsugu Matsuoka , Yoko Hikasa
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 1 Season
- Creator
- Jukki Hanada
- Producer
- Yōhei Hayashi, Shō Tanaka, Mika Shimizu, Satoshi Fukao, Asako Shimizu
- Production Company
- Madhouse
- Number of Episodes
- 12 Episodes
12 Rising Of The Shield Hero Forces Its Hero To Come Up From Nothing
Naofumi Must Master His Shield to Survive
Naofumi Iwatani is pulled into a fantasy universe while looking through books in a library one day. Though the people who summoned him claim they want his help, it isn't long before the citizenry turn against him. Still, if he wants a chance to go home, he'll have to find a way to help them with their problems.
Rising of the Shield Hero puts a surprising amount of thought into what could've been a standard fantasy world. There are intricate explanations for why the systems in the world work, and detailed backstories for where the villains come from. More than that, there's also a fascinating history that's unveiled as the series goes on to keep viewers invested across three seasons.
The Rising of The Shield Hero
TV-14
Action
Adventure
A gamer is magically summoned into a parallel universe, where he is chosen as one of four heroes destined to save the world from its prophesied doom.
- Release Date
- January 9, 2019
- Cast
- Kaito Ishikawa , Asami Seto , Rina Hidaka
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 3 Seasons
- Creator
- Aneko Yusagi
- Production Company
- DR Movie, Kinema Citrus
- Number of Episodes
- 50 Episodes
11 Magic Knight Rayearth Hearkens To The Days Of Old School Isekai
Rayearth Combines Isekai, Magical Girl, and Mecha
Magic Knight Rayearth is an isekai from the mid-90s, meaning it has few of the common isekai tropes fans normally expect. Rayearth begins with three middle school girls are summoned to the world of Cephiro. Immediately, the girls are asked to help a kingdom rescue Princess Emeraude from the clutches of high priest Zagato. Fortunately the girls have element-powered magic to rely on, as well as giant robots called Rune Gods.
Rayearth seems like a straightforward series on the surface, but the second half introduces some fantastic twists. Cephiro exists because it has a Pillar who focuses solely on praying for Cephiro's well-being. Yet what happens when that Pillar wishes for something else? The way Rayearth cleverly twists some of its story beats while also forcing the world to deal with it makes for one of the most compelling isekai anime even now.
Magic Knight Rayearth
TV-PG
Fantasy
Adventure
Mecha
Magical Girl
Shoujo
Lucy, Anias and Marina, three girls from different schools are transported to the world of Zephyr as well as their mission to become Magical Warriors to rescue the captured Princess Esmeralda.
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 17, 1994
- Main Genre
- Fantasy
- Seasons
- Characters By
- Creator
- Production Company
10 The Faraway Paladin Must Forge His Own Adventure
A Young Knight Navigates a Strange World
Will finds himself reborn into a new world in The Faraway Paladin, and he quickly finds himself facing three terrifying monsters: a skeleton, a ghost, and a mummy. However, none of the monsters are anything like what they seem. Instead of being enemies, Will is raised by these unusual guardians, and they teach him important lessons in this coming-of-age fantasy isekai.
In addition to its compelling story, The Faraway Paladin develops its setting uniquely, truly fleshing out the new world where Will finds himself reincarnated. Fans who enjoy The Faraway Paladin's anime adaptation are also likely to love the light novel and manga. Unsurprisingly, the source material takes the series' worldbuilding to a more remarkable level.
The Faraway Paladin
TV-14
Action
Adventure
Drama
A knight raised by three righteous but monstrous guardians sets out on a quest to improve his land.
- Release Date
- October 9, 2021
- Cast
- Shoya Chiba , Yui Horie , Katsuyuki Konishi , Veronica Taylor , Bill Butts , Chris Hackney
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 2
- Creator
- Kanata Yanagino and Kususaga Rin
9 The Eminence in Shadow's Magical World Changes Everything
Cid Kagenou Plays Games With Realworld Consequences
For a series that's meant to be parody, Eminence in Shadow takes its lore quite seriously. The Eminence in Shadow finds its protagonist, underdog Minoru Kagenou, reborn into a noble family in a world of magic. In his new life as Cid, he goes on a mission, establishing the Shadow Garden group and trying to stop the fabled Cult of Diablos.
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10 Most Overpowered Isekai Anime Protagonists, Ranked
From powerful shield magic to copying abilities as a slime, these are the most overpowered isekai protagonists.
Though Cid only believed in the Cult as a game to develop his powers, they turn out to be quite real. Fortunately, throughout the series, Cid develops amazing and cool abilities as he becomes one of the strongest characters in this exciting new world. The Eminence in Shadow delivers fantastic lore and an exciting world of magic in addition to its isekai storytelling style.
The Eminence in Shadow
TV-14
Action
Animation
Comedy
Cid Kagenou creates an elaborate plot to fight the Cult of Diabolos and builds his organization, the Shadow Garden.
- Release Date
- October 5, 2022
- Cast
- Seiichiro Yamashita , Rina Hidaka , Kana Hanazawa , Yoko Hikasa , Haruka Shiraishi , Asami Seto
- Main Genre
- Action
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Nexus
- Franchise
- The Eminence in Shadow
- Characters By
- Daisuke Aizawa, Tozai
- Creator
- Daisuke Aizawa
- Main Characters
- Cid Kagerou, Claire Kagenou, Alexia Midgar, Iris Midgar, Rose Oriana, Alpha
- Production Company
- Nexus
- Story By
- Daisuke Aizawa
- Writers
- Daisuke Aizawa
- Number of Episodes
- 32
8 Overlord Delivers a Rich Video-Game World
The Villain Is Actually the Hero in this World
Overlord takes place in the popular virtual reality game Yggdrasil, but as the game's servers shut down, the powerful player Momonga finds himself awakened in a new world, which he and his loyal servants are eager to take over on their mission to discover what happened to them. Overlord is an isekai anime where the protagonist is actually a villain, and its rich fantasy world allows the series to show just how evil he truly is.
Overlord's worldbuilding is as fleshed out as any real video game, with a variety of different races and jobs for its characters. This makes the series even more enjoyable, with Momonga's intense journey taking place in a world that never once feels like an afterthought. Fans who love overpowered characters will adore this series too, as Momonga gets to achieve all his goals by pushing any enemy threat aside with ease.
Overlord
TV-MA
Action
Adventure
An office worker in a dystopian world logs onto a video game for the last time only to find out that he, along with his entire guild, has been transported to another reality.
- Release Date
- July 7, 2015
- Cast
- Satoshi Hino
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 4
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Number of Episodes
- 52
7 Mushoku Tensei's Protagonist is Reborn with His Old Memories
Mushoku Tensei Develops a Truly Captivating World
Mushoku Tensei sees its 34-year-old protagonist quickly face a tragic accident, but rather than dying, he reawakens in a new world and starts life over again as an infant. He retains the knowledge of his previous life and gets a second chance to live a meaningful life while sorting out the trauma of his old one.
Mushoku Tensei is one of the best isekai anime of all time, and part of the reason why it is so beloved is for its worldbuilding. The new fantasy world has its own history, world powers, and villains. Rudeus has to figure it all at out as he goes along, and the series takes its time to explore everything wonderfully, drawing parallels to the real world in the process.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
TV-14
Action
Adventure
A 34-year-old underachiever gets run over by a bus, but his story isn't over. Reincarnated as an infant, he'll embark on an epic adventure.
- Release Date
- January 11, 2021
- Cast
- Yumi Uchiyama , Tomokazu Sugita , Ai Kakuma , Toshiyuki Morikawa
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Studio Bind
- Creator
- Rifujin na Magonote
6 Rimuru is Reincarnated as Slime in a Fantasy World
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Is Remarkably Political
When a typical office worker meets a gruesome fate, he finds himself reborn as the most unremarkable thing imaginable — a piece of slime named Rimuru. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime mixes action, adventure, and comedy in its interesting isekai world that gives its protagonist a host of newfound powers. While Rimuru has to figure out his powers on the spot, he needs all of them as he battles against other relevant world powers.
Rimuru actually prospers in the new world, becoming one of the most overpowered anime characters in the process. For much of the series, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime offers a rich world as its setting, making Rimuru's wild adventures both thrilling and high-stakes. Meanwhile, the third season spends most of its time focusing on political relations rather than combat.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
TV-PG
Action-Adventure
Average 37-year-old Minami Satoru dies and is reincarnated as the most unremarkable creature imaginable-a slime.
- Release Date
- October 2, 2018
- Cast
- Miho Okasaki , Megumi Toyoguchi , Mao Ichimichi , Makoto Furukawa
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Eight Bit
- Creator
- Fuse
- Sequel
- The Slime Diaries
- Number of Episodes
- 48
5 Youku Becomes Royalty in The Twelve Kingdoms
Youko Learns to Navigate a New Culture
In The Twelve Kingdoms, high school student Youko Nakajima finds herself taken into a strange new world after a man arrives at her classroom and tells her she is the ruler of his kingdom. A horde of otherworldly beasts follows, and Youko and two of her classmates are now stuck in the stranger's realm. This series is a true reminder of the difference between classic and modern isekai, as Youko isn't the instant solution to every problem.
The Twelve Kingdoms has absolutely fantastic worldbuilding, with each of its titular kingdoms feeling thought out, with their own defining culture and politics. The anime does a great job of adapting the novels the series is based on, pulling out all the elements that work best. The series continues to show more of the fantasy world's setting beyond its introduction, which keeps things fresh and exciting in every episode.
The Twelve Kingdoms
Anime
Adventure
Drama
High school student Youko Nakajima is approached by a strange man who claims he's been searching for her and that she is the rightful ruler of his kingdom.
- Release Date
- April 9, 2002
- Cast
- Mari Devon , Kate Higgins , Houko Kuwashima , Aya Hisakawa , Mela Lee , Dorothy , Elias-Fahn , Ai Satô , Kappei Yamaguchi
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 1
4 Urano is Reborn in a World Without Books
Ascendance of a Bookworm Focuses on a Girl's Library Goals
Ascendance of a Bookworm's protagonist naturally loves books and always wants to read and expand her knowledge, which makes her reincarnation into a medieval-era world where books are written by hand and saved for the elite absolutely tragic. The series goes about its worldbuilding in a creative way, centered around Mayne's journey to continue her love of reading. While most isekai protagonists these days want infinite power, Mayne just wants to build her own library.
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10 Best Non-Human Isekai Anime Characters, Ranked
Some of the greatest characters in isekai anime are non-human characters that are from different species like elves, goblins, cat girls and demons.
Mayne's love of reading is honorable, and she's determined to find a way to keep up her hobby, even if it seems impossible. Ascendance of a Bookworm is one of the best isekai anime with a female lead, and its simple twist on the accessibility of books makes for an enjoyable plot that never feels too complex. Still, the author does a great job building the overall world out.
Ascendance of a Bookworm
TV-PG
Adventure
Comedy
Fantasy
Urano, a young Japanese soon-to-be librarian, dies in an earthquake. She is reincarnated in another world as a young girl named Mayne, but learns books are scarce and only provided to prestigious elites.
- Release Date
- October 13, 2019
- Cast
- Takehito Koyasu , Fumiko Orikasa , Mutsumi Tamura , Satoshi Hino
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 3
- Studio
- Ajia-do Animation Works, Wit Studio
- Creator
- Miya Kazuki
- Number of Episodes
- 36 + 2 OVA
3 Sword Art Online's Video Game Worlds are Massive
Sword Art Online Explores Multiple Video Game Worlds
Sword Art Online is set in a world where thousands of people are trapped in a new virtual reality game, and a beta-tester named Kirito works to beat the game and earn his freedom. However, that's not the end of Kirito's story. Throughout the series, Kirito finds himself in different games, all with their own unique worlds and stories.
Sword Art Online's video game worlds are only part of the series, with the real world also being featured. It allows the show to explore the parallels and shortcomings of our own world, resulting in a great video game isekai anime. The last series, Sword Art Online Alicization, even begins asking compelling sci-fi questions that make the real world even more interesting than the MMOs.
Sword Art Online
TV-14
Animation
Action
Adventure
In the year 2022, thousands of people get trapped in a new virtual MMORPG and the lone wolf player, Kirito, works to escape.
- Release Date
- July 8, 2012
- Creator(s)
- Reki Kawahara
- Cast
- Yoshitsugu Matsuoka , Haruka Tomatsu , Ayana Taketatsu , Miyuki Sawashiro , Ai Kayano
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 4
- Production Company
- Number of Episodes
2 Grimgar is a Life or Death Fantasy World
Grimgar Demonstrates the Necessity of Experience for Survival
Grimgar sees a group of strangers wake up in a new world with clouded memories of their past lives, with only the knowledge of their names to guide them. They quickly join together to explore their new home in an anime that is built on worldbuilding like no other. Suddenly, a group of teens has to learn how to survive in a world where only fighting dangerous monsters will provide them enough money to eat, or even replace their clothes.
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2
While the story may be short, Grimgar remains one of the best isekai anime of its time. The dark fantasy series has lovable characters, and their exploration of the rich new world is top-tier. The biggest drawback to Grimgar is it only ran a single season.
Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions
TV-14
Adventure
Drama
Haruhiro suddenly wakes up, with no memory but his name. There are a lot of people around, but noone seems to know anything. Haruhiro forms a party of some of the people and start exploring.
- Release Date
- January 11, 2016
- Cast
- Yoshimasa Hosoya , Mikako Komatsu (Japanese) , Hiroyuki Yoshino
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 1 Season
- Creator
- Ryosuke Nakamura
- Producer
- Masaya Saito, Naoki Harada, Shigetoshi Sato
- Production Company
- A-1 Pictures
- Number of Episodes
- 13 Episodes
1 Log Horizon's Fantasy World is Unmatched in Scale
Log Horizon Uses MMO to Build Its World
Log Horizon tells the story of 30,000 Japanese video game players who are trapped inside the popular MMORPG Elder Tale. While its premise may not be the most unique in isekai, Log Horizon's worldbuilding is unmatched and sets it apart from its competitors. It feels like it was designed by someone who actually loves MMOs as well, as it uses so many aspects of the genre to augment the combat and story.
The rules of Elder Tale make sense, and characters and skills are constantly being revealed in a world that is well-developed and always logical. The game is full of different races, classes, and exciting combat that keeps it exciting and fresh, with its world always ready to expand in a way that feels natural to the viewer.
Log Horizon
TV-PG
Action
Adventure
Elder Tale is an online fantasy RPG that has become popular worldwide. But when its twelfth expansion package, "Novasphere Pioneers" is installed, thirty thousand players in Japan are trapped inside.
- Release Date
- October 5, 2013
- Cast
- Jad Saxton , Jōji Nakata , Andrew Love , Luci Christian , Maggie Flecknoe
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 3
- Characters By
- Jad Saxton, Mike Yager, Jôji Nakata
- Creator
- Toshizo Nemoto
- Production Company
- NHK Enterprises, NHK, Satelight
- Number of Episodes
- 62 Episodes
- Main Cast
- Mike Yager
- Anime
- isekai
- The Faraway Paladin
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