60 Best Isekai Anime of All Time, Ranked
The term isekai is of Japanese origin and can be translated as “another world” or “otherworld”. It also signifies a genre of light novels, manga, anime, and video games that revolve around a person who is transported to and has to survive in another world, such as a fantasy world, virtual world, planet, or parallel universe.
This plot device allows the audience to learn about the new world at the same pace as the protagonist. Isekai is a rather popular genre and in this article, we will give you a list of the best isekai of all time.
This awesome list will include a total of 60 best isekai anime titles, ranked from 60th to 1st, based on their quality. We are going to give you some basic production information about each series, as well as a short overview of the plot. We tried to be as diverse as possible and to include different types of isekai shows that have marked the genre. So, what are the best isekai anime of all time?
List of Best Isekai Anime
The titles on this list are going to include all of the famous isekai anime titles ever since the genre became a popular one in the world of anime. Isekai sees characters from our world enter a different world, one of fantasy, and this list is going to introduce the diverse plethora of worlds we’ve seen throughout the years. We have a list of the best isekai manga too, give it a look if you’re interested.
60. Ya Boy Kongming!
Ya Boy Kongming! revolves around a strategist from ancient China who managed to reincarnate as himself in modern-day Tokyo. Being a brilliant strategist, Kongming found a natural fit for his career – managing a young singer on the rise Eiko Tsukimi. He uses his analytical skills to launch her career in stardom and in the meantime, the two go on some pretty funny and exciting adventures. If you’re a fan of reverse iskeai, this one is a natural fit for you.
59. Hinamatsuri
This one is technically a reverse isekai. Hina, a powerful telepath escaped from her alien world due to being used and abused as a mere tool. Any alternative was better than staying home and this turned out to be true. Hina found herself face down in the apartment of Nitta, a yakuza member. Hinamatsuri is anime filled with adventure. This is one of the best representatives of the mafia anime genre you don’t want to miss.
58. Princess Connect! Re: Dive
Princess Connect! Re: Dive is isekai anime adaption centered around the video game franchise of the same name. The story takes place in a different world, where Yuuki suffers from amnesia and needs to uncover his memory with the help of a Goddes. Yuuki will eventually try to find a way to return to his old world and his family. If you’re a fan of video games and adventures, Princess Connect is the perfect isekai for you.
57. Otherside Picnic
This next isekai anime is marketed as shojo ai and features a romance between 2 female protagonists. Toriko and Sorawo, college students, have an unusual hobby that can be summed up as traversing between dimensions and exploring an alternate parallel universe called “Otherside”. They are on a mission to find Toriko’s teacher Satsuki who mysteriously vanished while exploring the Otherside. This isekai is filled with challenges, adventures, and shocking twists.
56. Meiji Tokyo Renka
Depending on how technical you want to get and how strict you are about what anime goes into isekai genre, this one might technically not be isekai. You see, Mei Azayuki is not transported to a different world, she is transported back in time. While there she figures out that a lot of events and a lot of history, in general, have been erased. This historic world of the past is much more exciting than she could have ever imagined.
This is not the only twist in the series, Mei soon discovers she is Tamayori, a fancy name for a person that sees ghosts. She also meets loads of historical figures and makes connections with the whole community. Eventually, Mei discovers that she does not want to leave this new and exciting place.
55. Kamigami no Asobi
Yui Kusanagi one day found a sword and coincidentally got transported to a different world. There she met Zeus, and I know it sounds bizarre but hear me out. Zeus had a special purpose for her, she was to teach the other gods about humanity to improve the relations between the two species. The gods are not particularly looking forward to it. But if they want to escape this buffer zone that Zeus created they need to get along with this and they need to befriend Yui, and sometimes even more than that. A classic romance anime packed into a bit of isekai.
54. Angel Beats
Next isekai, Angel Beats takes place in a world that is very similar to our concept of purgatory. Sadly, the young teens that die in tragic ways and are unfulfilled get a new chance to relive life. Our main character Otonashi befriends the destroying angel and manages to even fall in love. But not everything in this new world is a second chance to be happy.
The rules are not quite explained, they are not aware of what exactly should they do to “ascend” to a new level and “escape” purgatory. When they do manage to leave purgatory, they get swept off to a new different, and confusing world. The twist is, that Otonashi’s destroying angel friend is the one in charge of transferring people to new worlds. This anime starts of tragic, but once when you get pulled into the story it’s even intriguing.
53. Mushoku Tense: Jobless Reincarnation
The miserable and overall unhappy man has suddenly reincarnated in a form of a child and things get even better when he realizes he has magical powers. Naturally, he starts working on his powers and picks up adventuring. On those adventures, he meets several girls, and the twist? He likes all of them to a certain degree. Jobless Reincarnation is sort of a crossover between different anime genres like ecchi, harem, romance, and isekai. If you like a little bit of everything make sure to check this anime out and prepare for a kiss or two.
52. The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent
Sei Takanashi is a fairy regular person, one day she is heading home from her fairly regular work and suddenly, she gets pulled into a different fantasy world. If that fact alone wasn’t bizarre and shocking for her, she got transported into another world in a form of a Saint, and her new job is – to destroy the monsters that have been ravaging the lands of Salutania. Sei is not the only Saint in Salutania though, and that fact alone leaves her horribly confused and without any real purpose. She manages to find a new occupation, she starts dabbling in herbal medicine when she meets the commander of the Third Order of Knights. This is a great romance isekai anime example.
51. Wise Man’s Grandchild
This one is for all lovers of romance and isekai out there. The plot of Wise Man’s Grandchild revolves around a fairly dim-witted young boy that gets swept up and transported to a different world. There, Sage Merlin names him “shin” and takes over the role of his mentor and guide. Shin managed to ascend to the position of a powerful magician but due to his isolation and focus on studies he never quite developed some basic life skills such as common sense and social intelligence. For that reason, Merlin enrolls him in Magic Academy where he will be forced to assimilate and meet new friends.
50. Digimon Universe: App Monsters
Episodes: 52
Original Run: October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017
We start our list of best isekai anime with Digimon Universe: App Monsters.
Haru Shinkai is a fifth-year student far from being touched by this kind of formula, who leads his mundane little life. Although she is not disagreeable, the boy with little confidence persists in thinking that he is not the hero; unlike his childhood friend Yûjin.
But when a strange monster named Gatchmon appears from his phone and offers him to become a real hero by accompanying him on his adventures in his new life in a different world, Haru walks away, not feeling himself up to the task.
49. Mashin Hero Wataru
Episodes: 142 (+ 5 OVA + 9 ONA)
Original Run: April 15, 1988 – September 24, 1998
While on his way to school, Wataru a young boy of about ten, finds on his way to Sylph Lake a strange necklace of red stones. He decides to donate it to the spirit of the lake and ends up arriving late for school.
During a plasticine competition, Wataru makes a robot and realizes that the necklace of stones is in his pocket, without really trying to understand how the object got to him, he puts the necklace around the neck of his robot and wins the competition. On the way back he stops at Sylph Lake and baptizes his robot.
48. Aura Battler Dunbine
Episodes: 49 (+ 3 OVA)
Original Run: February 5, 1983 – January 21, 1984
This next isekai anime story takes place in Byston Well, a parallel world resembling medieval Europe. Wars are fought there using insectoid mecha armor called Aura Battlers. The events of the anime unfold 700 years later, the Dark Knight Rabaan kidnaps Princess Remul of the Baran-Baran Kingdom to conquer Byston Well.
But the princess manages to escape and the kingdom of Baran-Baran decides to defend itself using their Aura Battler, Sirbine, piloted by the young man Shion, against the Dark Knight and his minions.
47. Gate
Episodes: 24
Original Run: July 4, 2015 – March 26, 2016
Second Lieutenant Itami, taking advantage of permission to go to a fanzine convention, finds himself in a train station in the Ginza district of Tokyo, while at the same time a giant door appears and transports him to a fantasy world. In this new world. Numerous medieval soldiers, dragons, and other wonderful creatures come out of this gate and pointlessly attack anyone they meet. His life got complicated real fast.
While Itami helps civilians to flee, the Self-Defense Forces arrive and quickly neutralize these otherworldly enemies, for the modern military arsenal is far more effective than the old-fashioned arsenal of these enemies. This is one of the best isekai anime out there
46. Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
Episodes: 13 (+ 2 OVA)
Original Run: July 8, 2019 – present
Hajime Nagumo is an ordinary high school student persecuted by the rest of his class because of his relationship with the class idol, Kaori.
When he and the rest of his class are transported to a fantasy world, all of his classmates gain high stats and powerful magical abilities, while Hajime only gains mediocre stats and the ability to transmute solid materials, a common skill among craftsmen and blacksmiths.
During a dungeon raid, he is betrayed and left for dead, but he manages to survive.
45. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Episodes: 24 (+ 2 OVA)
Original Run: April 5, 2020 – September 18, 2021
Duke Claes’ only daughter, Catarina Claes, was proud and selfish because she was spoiled by her parents. However, when she was eight, her father took her to the royal castle where she bangs her head against a stone. As a result of this, she recovers memories of her previous life as a young otaku girl who lost her life in a traffic accident in another world.
This different world seems familiar to her, she notices that it is that of the otome game, “Fortune Lover”, which she played before her accident and of which in reality she has been reincarnated as the rival of the heroine and antagonist of the game. Her new life suddenly got scary but exciting. If you’re a fan of anime with shocking twists My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! is the perfect anime for you.
44. In Another World with My Smartphone
Episodes: 12
Original Run: July 11, 2017 – September 26, 2017
The 15-year-old Tōya Mochizuki is accidentally struck by lightning and killed by God. As an apology, God allows him to be reborn in a fanciful world but very different from his old world with one special request. Tōya uses it to bring his smartphone to the new world with him.
God also amplifies his physical, mental, and magical performance to apologize again for killing him. Enjoying his second life, Tōya befriends many different people in this new world. He begins to travel from one world to another world. No best isekai anime list is complete without “In Another World With My Smartphone”
43. The Ambition of Oda Nobuna
Episodes: 12
Original Run: July 9, 2012 – September 24, 2012
For fans of gender bender anime a true classic. Yoshiharu Sagara, a high school student passionate about video games about feudal Japan, especially Nobunaga’s Ambition games, suddenly finds himself in the new world Sengoku era in the midst of battle. He is saved by a man who would later become Hideyoshi Toyotomi, but at the cost of the latter’s life.
These events have completely changed the story, and Yoshiharu will try to put things back in order. However, the story takes a different course than what he learned in the game. Nobunaga Oda is now a bright young girl, but the young one is not named Nobunaga Oda but Nobuna Oda.
42. How Not to Summon a Demon Lord
Episodes: 22
Original Run: July 5, 2018 – June 11, 2021
How Not To Summon a Demon Lord is quirky, original, and overall funny isekai anime. Takuma Sakamoto is an ordinary human who is mysteriously transported to another world of his favorite MMORPG, Cross Reverie in the guise of his own character, the mighty Demon King Diablo.
The two young girls who summoned the Demon King, Rem, and Shera, attempt to use a spell to make Takuma their servant, but the spell is considered and they end up with magical necklaces tied around their necks, thus becoming his slaves to the demon lord and starting their new life.
With a serious case of social anxiety, Takuma still decides to take on the role of his character in the game while interacting with others and uses his high stats and vast knowledge of Cross Reverie to survive in his new environment, traveling with him. How Not To Summon a Demon Lord easily deserves its place on this list.
41. Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
Episodes: 12
Original Run: October 2, 2019 – December 27, 2019
To manage Geaburande is a different world with an S-rank salvation difficulty, to which the goddess Ristarte has been assigned, the latter summons a hero to help her in her task in order to become a truly accomplished deity. However, while Seiya Ryūgūin is exceptional in every way, she didn’t expect him to be “incredibly careful”.
And the latter is not a dead hand, he is ready to equip himself heavily by buying several armors at once or by using powerful abilities against small slimes! Rista must therefore resign herself to being accompanied by a very anxious hero to save this fantasy world that looks like a video game. If you’re a fan of overpowered main characters and video games, Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious is a great anime for you.
40. The Familiar of Zero
Episodes: 49 (+ OVA)
Original Run: July 3, 2006 – March 24, 2012
The Familiar of Zero is set in the world of Halkeginia, all nobles are born with a gift that allows them to use magic. However, the young Louise Françoise Le Blanc de la Vallière, a student at the Magic Academy of the Kingdom of Tristain, presents such disastrous results in her various attempts that her comrades doubt her powers, hence her nickname of “Louise the Zero”.
Being in her second year, she wishes to take advantage of the familiar ceremony to prove to everyone that she has powers, a ceremony which consists of the summoning of a being who will accompany her mage until the end of her days.
39. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
Episodes: 12 (+ OVA)
Original Run: January 11, 2016 – March 28, 2016
No anime list is complete without Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash When the main character, Haruhiro wakes up, he is in the dark. He doesn’t know where he is, why he is there or where he was coming from. Around him, there are more people in the same circumstances. He realizes he has been transported to another world.
Haruhiro and his companions find themselves in a world called Grimgar, there they must form a team, cooperate, and learn new skills to survive together in this hostile new world.
38. The Rising of the Shield Hero
Episodes: 25
Original Run: January 9, 2019 – present
Naofumi Iwatani was summoned to another world along with three other boys from parallel Japan to become the “Legendary Four Heroes”, or “Four Ancestral Saints,” of this world.
Each of the Heroes was equipped with their own legendary equipment as soon as they were summoned: Naofumi received the “Legendary Shield”, the only defensive equipment of the four, while the others respectively received an offensive weapon.
Due to Naofumi’s lack of charisma and experience, he ended up with only one teammate to accompany him, an attractive young woman, while the others received several: unfortunately, on the second day, Naofumi is betrayed, stripped, and falsely accused by a said teammate. The Rising of the Shield Hero is one of the best isekai anime out there.
37. Restaurant to Another World
Episodes: 14
Original Run: July 4, 2017 – present
This one is a reverse isekai Western Restaurant Nekoya is a restaurant located in a mundane corner of a Tokyo shopping district that offers non-Japanese cuisine, most of the food is from the Western world. It is open on weekdays according to normal opening hours and is closed during holidays and weekends.
But in reality, the restaurant is secretly open on Saturdays for a rather special clientele, in fact, during the weekends’ doors connecting to the restaurant appear in another world. Restaurant to another world is as good as it is bizarre. It Definitely deserves its spot on this list of best isekai anime. And if you’re a foodie check out our list of best cooking anime.
36. Drifters
Episodes: 12 (+ 3 OVA)
Original Run: October 7, 2016 – November 30, 2018
Toyohisa Shimazu, a young samurai taking part in the Battle of Sekigahara, during the time of feudal Japan, suddenly finds himself plunged into another world. Quickly, he discovers that several other famous warriors have drifted into this dimension.
The young man finds himself plunged into a merciless war of which he still does not know the ins and outs, a war he must lead alongside two famous Japanese historical figures, Oda Nobunaga and Yoichi Nasu, before being joined by other fighters and strategists from various eras, such as Hannibal Barca and Sundance Kid.
35. Nobunaga Concerto
Episodes: 10
Original Run: July 12, 2014 – September 20, 2014
This isekai anime story takes place in the twenty-first century in Japan. On his way home from school and by a crazy coincidence, a student named Saburo is transported to another world, the sixteenth century in the Japan of the Sengoku era. There he meets Oda Nobunaga, chief of the Oda clan, and a very influential person in the country’s history.
The two young men look alike like two drops of water and Nobunaga has poor health, the latter asks Saburo to take his place. Saburo accepts the request and must ensure that all historical events in Nobunaga take their course if he is to be able to return to his modern times. If you’re a fan of the historical isekai Nobunaga Concerto is a great fit for you!
34. Ascendance of a Bookworm
Episodes: 26 (+ 2 OVA)
Original Run: October 3, 2019 – present
Motosu Urano, a student passionate about books and a future librarian, dies crushed under a pile of books in an earthquake. Before taking her last breath, she expresses her wish to reincarnate in a world where she can read books forever.
Fate has other surprises in store for her as she wakes up in the body of a little girl named Myne, in another world where books are scarce and provided only to elites. Myne, retaining her memories of her previous life, decides to create and print her own books so that she can read again. If you’re a fan of intriguing anime and a bookworm, the Ascendance of a Bookworm is the perfect anime for you.
33. Outbreak Company
Episodes: 12
Original Run: October 3, 2013 – December 19, 2013
Shin’ichi Kanō is a young otaku boy who is offered a job for his extensive knowledge of anime, manga, and video games. However, after his first meeting with his new employer, he is kidnapped and wakes up in an alternate-looking fantasy world.
Shin’ichi is then informed that he is in fact selected by the Japanese government to help improve diplomatic relations with the “Holy Eldent Empire” and to propagate the moe culture in this potential new market. Classic isekai anime if I’ve ever seen one.
32. Amatsuki
Episodes: 13
Original Run: April 4, 2008 – June 28, 2008
This isekai demon anime plot goes as follows: Tokidoki Rikugō, the main character, is an ordinary schoolboy but not very sociable. After failing his history exam, he takes a virtual tour of Japan in the Edo era. In the complex that houses the exhibition, he will meet Kon Shimonome, who will serve as his guide. But Tokidoki will get lost and attacked by a strange puppet riding a ferocious beast.
He owes his salvation only to the intervention of Kuchiha, a mysterious young girl who wields a peerless sword. Upon regaining consciousness, the young man realizes that he has been transferred to a fantasy world identical to that of the Edo period. He will find Kon in this very strange universe where mystical and demonic forces clash.
31. Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!
Episodes: 12
Original Run: October 7, 2019 – December 23, 2019
Misato Kurihara is a genius. This is what she was told ever since her exceptional abilities started to emerge, making people expect a lot of her. But on the day of his high school graduation ceremony, an inattentive driver rushes in the direction of a little girl.
Without thinking, Misato jumped into the street, protecting the little girl at the cost of her life. When she wakes up, she meets God, the Creator, who explains to her that the girl she saved will lead a life of great fame.
30. I’m Standing on a Million Lives
Episodes: 24
Original Run: October 2, 2020 – September 25, 2021
The ninth-grader, Yusuke Yotsuya, is a practical boy with no friends and is not a member of any club. But one day, he and two classmates are transported to another world where they must work together to survive. Yotsuya is a “lone wolf” and has always lived his life satisfying himself, but how will that work now that he is a hero? If you’re a fan of isekai with a “lone wolf” type of character, you should check this one out!
29. Princess Connect! Re:Dive
Episodes: 17
Original Run: April 6, 2020 – present
This isekai is adapted from a video game of a similar name. On the continent of Astraea, a man falls from the sky, with no other memory than his name, Yuuki. An elf named Kokkoro finds him, introducing herself as her guide in the world they are about to cross. With Kokkoro’s guidance, Yuuki can learn how this world works, from fighting monsters to handling currency.
To earn money for their trip, Yuuki and Kokkoro decide to go to a nearby guild association to accept a simple mission. On their expedition, they meet Pecorine, a somewhat gluttonous but charming girl who is an expert in battle.
28. Problem Children Are Coming from Another World, Aren’t They?
Episodes: 10 (+ OVA)
Original Run: January 11, 2013 – March 15, 2013
The story follows Izayoi Sakamaki, the main character, a boy who misses the world. One day, an envelope arrives at his house. By opening it, he finds himself in an instant transported to a parallel world. He was summoned to another world.
From there, he discovers that two other “problem children” have also been carried by the same envelopes: a taciturn girl named Yo Kasukabe, as well as a beautiful and haughty young girl called Asuka Kudo.
Subsequently, a young girl, Kuro Usagi, appears and informs them that she has summoned all three of them to the “No Name” community to overthrow a demon. A classic isekai for fans of the monster girl anime.
27. Kekkai Sensen
Episodes: 24 (+ OVA)
Original Run: April 4, 2015 – December 23, 2017
Three years ago, a rift between Earth and the world beyond opened in New York City. During that terrible night, New York was destroyed and rebuilt, trapping New Yorkers and extra-dimensional creatures in a bubble.
Renamed Hellsalem’s Lot, the city is a paranormal melting pot where magic and madness live alongside the ordinary, where every type of human vermin comes together to harness the supernatural.
Someone threatens to breach the Bull and unleash the horrors of New Jerusalem, but the mysterious super-agents of Libra are fighting to prevent the unthinkable from happening.
26. The Vision of Escaflowne
Episodes: 26
Original Run: April 2, 1996 – September 24, 1996
In The Vision of Escaflowne, Hitomi, a high school athletics champion, versed in the art of fortune-telling, one day finds herself the victim of strange visions and loses consciousness in the middle of training. Soon after, during another class, one of his visions materialized. A column of light forms, revealing in front of it a young man in armor.
This is Van Fanel, heir to the Kingdom of Fanelia. Before she has time to find out more, a dragon appears before the incredulous eyes of Hitomi and two of her friends present, Yukari and Amano.
25. Fushigi Yûgi
Episodes: 52 (+ 13 OVA)
Original Run: April 6, 1995 – March 28, 1996
This isekai follows Miaka who is under the stress of exams. One day, while accompanying Yui, her best friend, to the library, she finds a book called “The Writings of the Four Gods of Heaven and Earth”. But this book is magical, and the two young girls are sucked into it.
In the world of books, which resembles ancient China, she becomes the priestess of Suzaku, one of the four gods, protector of the South country, with the task of protecting the kingdom. If you’re a fan of ancient China, give this isekai anime a try.
24. Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?
Episodes: 12 (+ OVA)
Original Run: July 13, 2019 – September 28, 2019
The main character, Masato Oosuki is a simple high school student looking to get out of his mother’s petticoats who remains very attached to him. One day after taking a random poll, he finds out he’s involved in a secret government scheme and finds himself in a role-playing video game world.
This seems to be a boon for the latter, he who wanted to get away from his mother, and as a passionate player, to be able to quickly show his talents in this new world.
23. Digimon Data Squad
Episodes: 48
Original Run: April 2, 2006 – March 25, 2007
Marcus Damon, a 14-year-old street fighter, meets Agumon, who is also trying to flee the Digital Accident Tactics Squad (DATS), a low-key government organization tasked with defending the real world against threats from the digital world.
After clashing, the two protagonists quickly become friends and, through a series of events, are inducted into the DATS by its commander, Rentaro Satsuma.
The two young recruits are now teaming up with Thomas H. Norstein and his partner Gaomon, and Yoshino Fujieda and his partner Lalamon. Over the course of the episodes, Tohma discovers that the Digimon they are dealing with responding to the dark inclination of humans.
22. KonoSuba
Episodes: 20 (+ 2 OVA)
Original Run: January 14, 2016 – March 16, 2017
After an untimely and embarrassing death, Kazuma Satō, a Japanese hikikomori teenager and main character, meets a goddess named Aqua, who offers him to reincarnate in a parallel world with MMORPG elements, where he can embark on adventure and combat against monsters.
Although offered a divine item or overpowered ability to use in this new world, Kazuma, following a taunt from Aqua, chooses her to accompany him to Axel’s town, where he quickly finds that the latter’s lack of judgment is of little benefit to him.
21. Digimon Hunters
Episodes: 25
Original Run: October 4, 2011 – March 21, 2012
A year after the events of Digimon Xros Wars, Mikey discovers an unstable space between the two worlds and learns that Quartzmon is absorbing data, the DigiQuartz. Tagiru, Gumdramon, and the protagonists rise to the lost Digimon. The series ends with Mikey, Tagiru, and their friends projecting themselves into the future.
20. Bleach
Episodes: 366
Original Run: October 5, 2004 – March 27, 2012
The Bleach animated series adapts Kubo’s manga but also features several original and independent story arcs. In the town of Karakura, 15-year-old high school student Ichigo Kurosaki becomes a replacement for Shinigami when Shinigami Rukia Kuchiki cannot perform her duties after engaging in battle with a, particularly powerful Hollow. Bleach is one of the most famous isekai anime on this list.
Although initially reluctant to accept the heavy responsibility, he begins to eliminate Hollows in Rukia’s place and during this time discovers that several of his friends and classmates are spiritually aware and have their own powers.
Uryū Ishida is a Quincy who can use spirit particles, Orihime Inoue possesses a group of protective spirits known as Shun Shun Rikka, and Yasutora Sado, aka “Chad”, has equal strength to the Hollows locked in his right (and sometimes left arm).
19. The Devil is a Part-Timer!
Episodes: 13
Original Run: April 4, 2013 – June 27, 2013
The Devil is a Part Timer is easily one of the funniest anime on this list and it’s also a reverse isekai. The demon king Satan seeks to conquer the world of Ente Isla by annexing its four continents with the help of his demon lord generals Alciel, Lucifer, Malacoda, and Adramelech.
Following their confrontation with the hero Emilia Justina and her companions, after they kill Malacoda and Adramelech, demon king Satan Jacob and Alciel escape from Ente Isla through a portal that leads them straight to Tokyo. However, due to the lack of magic in the modern world, Satan and Alciel take the form of what represents their human appearance. If you’re a fan of the good ol’ switcheroo and love awkward but funny scenes The Devil is a Part Timer is an excellent anime for you.
18. Log Horizon
Episodes: 62
Original Run: October 5, 2013 – March 31, 2021
Log horizon story revolves around the release of its twelfth expansion pack, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Elder Tale has arguably become the most played MMORPG in the world with a user base of millions of players. Imagine being trapped in your favorite video game. This is exactly what happened to the protagonists of Log Horizon.
However, following the release of its twelfth expansion, Novasphere Pioneers, 30,000 Japanese players, and several thousand others around the world logged in at the time of the update find themselves trapped in the game with no ability to log out.
Among these players, are Shiroe, an unsociable young adult, and his friends Naotsugu and Akatsuki. In order to overcome the obstacles and dangers of this game world now becoming their reality, they decide to team up. If you’re a fan of video game isekai, Log Horizon is perfect for you.
17. Digimon Xros Wars
Episodes: 54
Original Run: July 6, 2010 – September 27, 2011
During this hectic journey, they will meet many Digimon like Cutemon, Dorulumon, or Turtlemon, who will join them in their quest. The fate of the digital world is therefore in the hands of a young boy. Overwhelmed by Shoutmon’s sincere wish to become King of the Digital World.
In order to restore peace there, Mikey decides to help Shoutmon with their friends, and together, they form their own team, the Fusion Fighters, and cross the digital fantasy world in search of the Code Crowns. During their journey, they meet and make friends with many Digimon who join their cause, still confronting the servants of the Bagra army, including the three commanders – Tactimon, Lilithmon, and Blastmon.
They meet Team Blue Flame and understand that the main leader of Team Twilight is currently DarkKnightmon, an overpowered Digimon who uses Nene to fulfill his dark desires. Once Nene is rescued from DarkKnightmon, she and her partner Sparrowmon join the Fusion Fighters.
16. Isekai Quartet
Episodes: 24
Original Run: April 9, 2019 – present
A mysterious red button has suddenly appeared in different universes and the various characters pressing on it are instantly taken to a new fantasy world where they have to start school life. Isekai quartet is a classic that deserves its spot on this list. This isekai anime include protagonists from various different anime on this list like KonoSuba, Overlord, Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World, Rising of the Shield Hero, etc. This anime is unique since it’s sort of a chibi-style crossover between multiple light-novel series. The series is still running and the third season has been announced.
15. Digimon Adventure 02
Episodes: 50
Original Run: April 2, 2000 – March 25, 2001
A new generation of chosen children made up of three new boys, Davis, Yolei, and Cody, and two of the previous generation, Kari and TK, receives a new type of Digivice, called D-3, which allows them to open a gateway that leads directly to the Digital World from any terminal.
Initially, they resort to a new type of Digivolution, the Armor Digivolution, which occurs thanks to special objects called Digi-Eggs (objects very different from the Digi-Eggs from which Digimon are born) and allows their Digimon to Digivolve into more powerful forms.
In this way, after numerous battles, they manage to stop the crazy plans of the Digimon Emperor, whose true identity is that of Ken Ichijouji, thanks also to the sacrifice of Wormmon, the Digimon partner of Ken himself.
14. Re:CREATORS
Episodes: 22
Original Run: April 8, 2017 – September 16, 2017
Another famous isekai anime on this list. At the end of 2016, Sōta Mizushino is a young high school student fan of anime and dreamed of writing his own light novel.
Watching the anime adaptation of mecha Vogelchevalier’s light novel for inspiration, the touchscreen tablet he was watching the series on crashes and pulls him into the anime world, where he witnesses a fight between the character from the anime Celejia Upitiria and a mysterious young girl wearing a military uniform.
After his tablet crashes again, Sōta returns to his world but ends up dragging Celejia with him.
13. Knight’s & Magic
Episodes: 13
Original Run: July 2, 2017 – September 24, 2017
Following a traffic accident in which he dies, Tsubasa Kurata, an otaku genius computer scientist with a passion for mecha and robots, sees his soul reincarnated in a different fantasy world where there are giant robots, called “Silhouetted Knights”, who are the main fighting force in this world.
Medieval knights of this world use these giant robots and magic to fight voracious beasts, demons, and animals that devour whatever is within their sight.
Tsubasa is reborn in this new parallel world as Ernesti Echevalier, a boy born into a noble family; he was able to keep his memories and is still enthusiastic about the mechs. Thus, he is determined to achieve his own figure knight in order to defend his kingdom.
12. The Saga of Tanya the Evil
Episodes: 12
Original Run: January 6, 2017 – March 31, 2017
The Saga of Tanya starts with a simple salaryman. For insulting God, an arrogant Japanese salaryman, at the time of his sudden death on February 22, 2013, is doomed to be reborn in another universe similar to the Europe of the 1910s, in an empire torn by countless wars with all its neighboring countries.
The salaryman is reborn in the guise of an orphan girl, Tanya Degurechaff, Tanya the evil is not your typical waifu, at age 9 becomes a second lieutenant in the Imperial Army. According to God, whom Tanya calls “Being X,” if she is unable to die a natural death or refuses to have faith in Him, her soul will leave the circle and be sent to Hell for the countless sins that Tanya the evil has committed in his previous life. The Saga of Tanya is the perfect unconventional anime for isekai fans of time-traveling anime.
11. Digimon Adventure:
Episodes: 67
Original Run: April 5, 2020 – September 26, 2021
One more famous isekai anime on this list. We are in 2020. Humans can no longer do without the network in their daily life; unaware that a series of cyberattacks across Tokyo are the result of catastrophic events in another world, the Digital World, a kingdom between shadow and light where creatures called Digimon live. The game has suddenly got serious.
Taichi Yagami is getting ready to go to his summer camp while his mother and baby sister Hikari Yagami have taken a train to Shibuya. A major cyberattack hits Tokyo.
The circular line where his mother and sister circulate is out of control, the young boy listens only to his courage and tries to save them but he is suddenly transported into the digital network, where he joins forces with Agumon to protect the population. of a most terrible crisis. Truly one of the best isekai anime out there
10. No Game No Life
Episodes: 12
Original Run: April 9, 2014 – June 25, 2014
No best isekai anime list is complete without No Game No Life. Sora and Shiro are inseparable brother and sister, both in reality and in video games (they are not actually brother and sister but see each other as such). As a team, their individual skills make them invincible: Sora has a shrewd intuition, great culture, very high intelligence, and unwavering insight, while Shiro possesses an intelligence beyond genius.
In the real world, they are reclusive, antisocial, and hikikomori. In the video game world, they play together as 『 』 (white), a mysterious group of online gamers unaware of defeat, finishing first in every game they participate in. Because character account names are always empty space, they are known as “White”. If you’re a fan of intelligent protagonists and amazing fantasy worlds, No Game No Life is anime for you.
9. Overlord
Episodes: 39 (+ 1 OVA and 34 ONA)
Original Run: July 7, 2015 – present
If you’re a fan of isekai anime, you probably heard of Overlord. The story begins in Yggdrasil, a very successful online virtual role-playing game, which is about to close for good after 12 years of existence. The main protagonist, Momonga nevertheless finds it difficult to accept it, he has no family, no friends, no girlfriend, and no longer finds meaning in living in “reality”.
He is the leader of one of the 10 best guilds in the game, the Ainz Ooal Gown guild, composed exclusively of “non-human” characters, and whose headquarters is the “Great Tomb of Nazarick”. The member of Ainz Ooal Gown guild are among the most overpowered characters, nevertheless, it’s a classic and you should check it out!
8. Sword Art Online
Episodes: 96
Original Run: July 8, 2012 – September 20, 2020
The story of Sword Art Online takes place in the year 2022, when a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing video game – VRMMORPG, for its acronym in English (Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) – called “Sword Art Online” has just been released.
There, characters, or rather, players can control their avatars in the game just as they would their real bodies through the NerveGear, a virtual reality headset capable of stimulating their five senses through their brains. However, players find that they cannot get out of the game. This one is one of those isekai anime you either love or hate.
7. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Episodes: 60 (+ 5 OVA)
Original Run: October 2, 2018 – June 22, 2021
Satoru Mikami, the main character, is a 37-year-old single salaryman living in Tokyo: he would be almost satisfied with his monotonous life if he could have had a girlfriend. While he meets his younger brother in the street, who introduces him to his fiancée, panic takes hold of the sidewalk when an imbalance armed with a knife rushes through the crowd.
Satoru is fatally injured in the back while intervening to protect the couple. As he conducts a brief reflection on himself during his agony, a “voice” listens to him and interprets his “last words”. There are a few anime on this list with plots similar to That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, it’s a popular concept.
6. Digimon Frontier
Episodes: 50
Original Run: April 7, 2002 – March 30, 2003
For a long time, a group of ten Digimon gave their lives to overcome the forces of evil that threatened the digital game world. These warriors created artifacts from their own data, the twelve “spirits” before leaving the digital world in the hands of three celestial Digimon.
However, one of these three Digimon, Cherubimon, decides to imprison these companions in order to reign supreme.
To remedy this situation, another celestial Digimon Ophanimon summons five young children elected from the real world thanks to the Trailmon (Digimon with the appearance of hybrid trains).
In the digital world, these five chosen ones find two spirits, each to transform into Digimon warriors. However, while they find their respective spirits, the five chosen are chased by several Digimon, henchmen of Cherubimon.
After killing four of those five minions by the elect, Koji Minamoto discovers that Duskmon, the legendary evil fifth warrior, is Koichi Kimura’s true twin brother. With Takuya’s help, Koji manages to free his brother and the latter fights alongside them in the form of Löwemon.
5. InuYasha
Episodes: 193
Original Run: October 16, 2000 – March 29, 2010
Japan, at the time of countries at war, was known as Sengoku (before 1600). In these times, humans live alongside “Youkai” or “Mononoke” (also called “demons” or “monsters” or “spirits”). These have different powers and appearances and are very varied; however, most share the same thing in common: the envy of human flesh.
This is why they regularly attack the villages and why the humans are all afraid that one of them will attack theirs. Inu-Yasha is a hanyō, that is to say, a being half-demon, half-human.
One day, he attacks the village protecting the pearl of Shikon, then steals it and runs away. The Pearl of Shikon (her real name is Shikon No Tama) would possess unimaginable powers, including greatly increasing the powers of the demon who possesses it. Inu-Yasha, meanwhile, wants to use this power to transform into a full-fledged demon.
4. Now and Then, Here and There
Episodes: 13
Original Run: October 14, 1999 – January 20, 2000
Shū a young schoolboy passionate about very carefree kendo, meets a very reserved young girl, Lala-Rū. Falling in love with a sudden thunderbolt, he tries to cheer her up by all means when futuristic robots suddenly appear and carry the girl through a kind of energy door.
Shū, armed with his wooden saber, pursues them but ends up being separated from Lala-Rū. She will nevertheless have had time to give him her necklace. Shū realizes in the meantime that he is no longer in his hometown at all, nor even in his world (we guess, during the anime, that this is a very distant future).
The Earth is made up of arid deserts where nightmarish creatures live, and water has become a luxury.
3. Digimon Tamers
Episodes: 51
Original Run: April 1, 2001 – March 31, 2002
The 12-year-old Takato Matasuki is a fan of the Digimon card game. One day, after a game of cards with his two friends Kazu and Kenta, he discovers a mysterious credit card in his storage box. His reflex is to analyze it in his plastic digivice which starts to shine in a strange way.
Takato eventually realizes that he has become a “Digimon tamer,” and accidentally creates his own Digimon partner, Guilmon, out of a drawing. Takato then meets two other children, who are later revealed to be trainers as well: Henry Wong and Rika Nonaka. One hell of a game.
He immediately got on very well with Henry, but the two boys took a while to get to know and team up with Rika, who saw the Digimon as “fighting machines.
2. Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
Episodes: 50 (+ 2 OVA + 50 ONA)
Original Run: April 4, 2016 – March 24, 2021
One more famous isekai anime on this list. One day, leaving a convenience store, a Japanese high school student in a tracksuit named Subaru Natsuki is transported to a parallel world without any explanation. While trying to make his mark in this new world, Subaru is attacked by a band of bandits.
On the verge of death, he is saved by a silver-haired half-elf named “Satela,” accompanied by a cat-like spirit, Pack. To reciprocate, he decides to help her with her daily chores, including finding the badge stolen from her by Felt, a young girl living on theft.
Later, in the slums of the city, they are attacked and killed by a mysterious person. Before dying, Subaru promises Satela that he will do anything to save her. The characters from Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World also appear in Isekai Quartet, a fairly popular anime included in this list.
1. Digimon Adventure
Episodes: 54
Original Run: March 7, 1999 – March 26, 2000
And we’ve reached the best isekai anime (in our opinion). The series initially tells the story of seven protagonists, more precisely Digidestined, named Taichi “Tai” Kamiya, Sora Takenouchi, Yamato “Matt” Ishida, Takeru “T.K.” Takaishi, Koushiro “Izzy” Izumi, Mimi Tachikawa and Joe Kido. As they pass the time in their summer camp, snow accompanied by mysterious small objects falls from the sky.
Each child having respectively acquired his object, they are sucked by surprise into a dimensional portal and subsequently lands in a world composed entirely of digital data, known as the “digital world”, parallel to the “real world”.
As soon as they land, the children discover their respective Digimon dedicated to protecting them and dedicated to fighting different and powerful antagonists threatening the Digital World.
What is the darkest Isekai anime?
Some of the darkest Isekai anime are Overlord, Arifureta, Grimgar Of Fantasy And Ash, Re: Creators and Rising Of The Shield Hero. In case you are looking for dark Isekai anime, you can start with these five. Overlord will soon be getting season 4, and it is a pretty good anime, so it is the best place to start.
What is an isekai in anime?
As we’ve already mentioned, isekai stands for a subgenre of anime in which the character is swept away in a world completely different from his own. It’s not a novelty in works of fiction at all, many popular books through the years have used this concept as a plot device. Isekai anime is just a relatively new subgenre. The concept itself has been seen many times for example The Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and Wizard of Ozz. The protagonists were transported to different worlds where magic and other fantasy concepts were viable and different rules were applied. One popular concept in isekai is being trapped in a game world.
What is the number one isekai anime?
There are many isekai anime out there. We’ve put together a list of the 50 best isekai anime, but when it comes to the best, it’s something you’re going to have to decide for yourself. Many isekai anime on this list such as Digimon, Sword Art Online, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, and Problem Children Are Coming from Another World, Aren’t They? The Rising of the Shield Hero, Log Horizon, etc. managed to gain quite the following and are popular, but are they the best? As we’ve said already tastes differ and there is no objectively “the best isekai anime”.
What anime is popular isekai?
We’ve given you the top 50 best isekai anime out there those are coincidentally quite popular too. But if you’re looking for the most mainstream isekai anime try to luck with: Rising of the Shield Hero, In Another World With My Smartphone, Log Horizon, Sword Art Online, Bleach, No Game No Life, Hunter x Hunter, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, Ascendance of a Bookworm, How not to Summon a Demon Lord just to name a few. I’m sure you’ll find something that matches your likes and tastes. There are some really amazing fleshed-out fantasy worlds out there
How many isekai anime are there?
This question is as hard to answer as the “what is the best isekai anime” is. I suppose it’s hard to guess the real number. If we lower our standards and include manga into the question too, then the real number is probably even higher and there are well over a hundred isekai anime out there. A specific number could be anyone’s guess since I’m sure there are some good anime out there that simply never got the exposure. Or isekai manga that never got the anime adaption. Besides you can follow our list and find all the best isekai anime it’s everything you need really.
Is there romance in isekai anime?
Romance is also quite a popular theme which oftentimes gets mixed in with isekai. There are loads of isekai anime with romantic themes, sometimes the romance is the focus itself. What is more exciting than finding your love in some distant, different, and alien world? We’ve included several romance anime on this list like The Rising of Shield Hero, The Devil is A Part Timer, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom, No Game No Life: Zero, Ascendance of a Bookworm, etc.
