Isekai has exploded in popularity over the past few years, as more and more people want to watch series revolving around a character’s life in a new world. The isekai premise is straightforward, and that’s part of the reason why it works so well.
To qualify as an isekai series, an anime needs to center on a character living a life in a world foreign from their own. This usually comes in the form of reincarnation, but there are more than a few ways to make a true isekai situation come to life.
The best isekai series fall into a bunch of different subgenres; there are dark, funny, and even shōnen-esque isekais that are all worth watching. While there are a ton of great isekai series out there, few are worth watching from start to finish. Most great isekai series, likeThat Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime,have huge portions worth skipping. Out of the entire genre,there are a few series that are worth watching from beginning to end.
I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Abilityhas a ridiculously long name, but don’t let that distract from how great the series is. The anime stars Prince Lloyd, the titular 7th Prince who was reincarnated into his new royal life with a unique opportunity.
Before he was reincarnated, he was a commoner. He loved magic, but commoners in Prince Lloyd’s world don’t have access to large pools of mana or resources that would help them learn how to use magic.When he was reincarnated into the royal family, everything changed (for the better).
I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Princeis a great series because it’s exactly what it wants to be: a power fantasy. LikeSolo Leveling,there’s no fat onI Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince,making for a quick, entertaining watch from beginning to end.
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongestis an unapologetically edgy isekai series that is unique in the best way possible.Arifuretatakes some ofthe most common tropes in animeand runs with them, showing that just because they’ve been done before doesn’t mean they can’t be done again.
Arifuretafeatures Hajime Nagumo as an underappreciated character who undergoes a brutal transformation that sees him become one of the strongest characters in the entire series. He changes his personality, gets an amazing arsenal of powerful weapons, and a harem of women who also pack a punch.
There’s no real depth toArifureta,and that’s a good thing.A lot ofanime series leave their viewers with more questions than answers, andArifuretais not one of those series. It’s an easy watch the entire time.
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasystars one of the most reluctantly powerful characters in anime. Misumi Makoto is transferred to a new world against his will. When he gets there, the Goddess of the world that he finds himself in calls Makoto ugly and sends him to the furthest reaches of the world, hoping he’ll die.
It’s a funny premise that only gets better the longer the series runs. Makoto eventually becomes one ofthe strongest characters inTsukimichi,using powers beyond most other characters' comprehension.
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasyis a great isekai series for anyone looking for a nice, brainless watch. Nobody has accused the series of making them think too hard, and that’s a major plus.Makoto is always getting stronger(most of the time by accident) while he looks for new ways to protect his people, and, hopefully, get his revenge on the Goddess that forsook him.
The Eminence in Shadowis easily one ofthe funniest isekai series of all time, and that’s only one of the many reasons to check the series out. It’s one of the few series to star a main character who’s actually happy about his reincarnation, taking full advantage of all the benefits of his new world.
Cid Kagenou has always wanted to be the titular Eminence in Shadow. He’s always wanted to run around in the shadows, dominating his enemies with flair and panache. When he gets hit by a truck and dies in his previous life, he gets his chance.
As Shadow, Cid is everything he’s always wanted to be.He’s the strongest character in the entire series (by far), commands the mighty Shadow Garden, and does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. The series is well-animated, funny from top to bottom, and filled with amazing action sequences that the best shōnen series might be jealous of.
The Saga of Tanya the Evilhas one of the most interestingly unhinged premises in anime. The series stars a normal Japanese salaryman who doesn’t believe in a higher power. When said higher power confronts him as he’s dying, the salaryman doubles down, making “Being X” reincarnate him into a new world to test his faith.
The salaryman is then reincarnated as Tanya von Degurechaff,one of the most bloodthirsty characters in anime.Tanya is born into a world at war and quickly becomes one of the smartest, most aggressive military leaders her new country has.
Tanya isa walking one-man-army, and she’s not even a teenager. She’s relentlessly brutal, blaspheming “Being X” at every corner.The Saga of Tanya the Evilis so good that it can hardly be explained in words, and nobody who’s seen the series has ever regretted it.
Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defensestars one ofthe most adorable characters in anime. Kaedo Honjo starts playing a popular video game, but she doesn’t play like most people would.
Instead of distributing her stat points evenly, Maple decides to puts all of her points into defense. She inadvertently becomes unkillable, and most of the strongest monsters in the series can’t even lay a finger on her.
Bofuriis a hilarious anime series that doesn’t have any low points.It’s only two seasons long too, making for a great watch for anyone looking for a great anime series that doesn’t force them to commit to more than a few stellar episodes.
Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another Worldisn’t like other isekai series. It’s one ofthe darkest anime series ever made, showcasing its main character going through more trials and tribulations every episode than most characters have to go through in an entire season.
Natsuki Subaru is a tragic character inRe:Zero.He’s reincarnated into a new world and gains a brutal ability: Return by Death. Every time Subaru dies, he respawns a set time before his death. He’s the only character who knows about his ability as well, as he can’t even tell someone else about it without them dying as well.
Re:Zerohas a gripping story from the very first episode.Each season expands the world and creates even more problems for poor Subaru, but it’s a treat for everyone who chooses to watch.
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!isn’t just one of the funniest isekai series of all time,it’s one ofthe funniest anime ever made.There are almost no other anime series that can compare to the writing inKonoSuba,as Kazuma, Aqua, Darkness, and Megumin have some of the funniest moments just by interacting with one another.
KonoSubastars Kazuma as a character who died as he awaits his reincarnation into a new world. The Goddess Aqua lets him take any single thing with him into the new world, and when she laughs at him, he vindictively chooses her.
It’s impressive thatKonoSubadoesn’t only maintain its top-tier quality, but builds upon it as the series progresses. The only flaw withKonoSubais that there isn’t more anime to watch, and withthe new season around the corner, that problem looks like it’ll solve itself.
