Isekai has quickly become one of anime’s hottest genres at the moment.Japanese entertainment company Kadokawahas just releaseda financial reportrevealing massive successes specifically within this genre. One isekai manga in particular is dominating all the rest, and it’s not the series anyone was expecting to be in the lead.
AlthoughSword Art Onlineseemed to be a solid contender for the #1 isekai spot, since it has influenced and shaped the fantasy subgenre in many distinct ways. However,RE:Zero - Starting Life In Another Worldwas the ultimate champion, increasing Kadokawa’s overall sales more than any other current isekai.
RE:Zero Is Kadokawa’s Best-Selling Isekai, Toppling Sword Art Online
Based solely on manga sales,Sword Art Onlineis technically in the lead as Kadokawa’s second bestseller within the “Publication/IP Creation” section of the report, falling belowPan Dorobou.Accounting for animation, film, and other forms of media,RE: Zerois well in the lead, at the very top of Kadokawa’s “Net Sales of the Top Ten Best-Selling Titles.”
Intriguingly, once animation is integrated into the series' rankings,Sword Art Onlinefalls way behind, and is not even in Kadokawa’stop ten isekai anime.RE: Zerowas the indisputable cash cow, earning over 500 million JPY alone. Other notable isekai series within the top 10 includeThe Gorilla God’s Go-To Girlat #2 andDelicious in Dungeonat #9.
As a company, Kadokawa has been struggling lately, despite Sony’s affiliation with the company and intentions to acquire it. Heavy hitters likeRE: Zeromay be just what Kadokawa needs to improve overall sales and draw in new audiences, especially consideringthe isekai genre’s explosion in mangareadership and anime viewership as of late.
Per anAnime News Network report,the isekai boom in 2024caused 15% of new anime that year to fall within the isekai genre. Although series likeMy Hero AcademiaandDemon Slayermake shonen a difficult giant to defeat, isekai stands out as the star of 2024 and much of 2025 so far, and Kadokawa’s report is further proof.
Kadokawa Vows to Focus On Quality Over Quantity to Improve Isekai’s Popularity
RE:Zero’sOctober 2024 season three releasecaused interest in the isekai series to spike even further, contributing to its success noted in Kadokawa’s sales report. Not every series Kadokawa released was a winner, but going forward, Chief Anime Officer, Takeshi Kikuchi, has ambitious plans to improve those numbers with a quality over quantity approach to content production.
In order for genres like isekai to continue reigning supreme, the key is not releasing a massive quantity of new series, but investing in those that have garnered fan appreciation and stand out within the sea ofendless new isekai anime.RE:Zerois one such anime, boasting quality animation, lovable characters, and a plot that keeps fans coming back.
Other genres, like reijo, which translates to “noble daughter,” threaten to overtake isekai. Kikuchi’s plans to create more of the isekai series fans already love rather than bombarding the charts with new animes may be the genre’s saving grace as it dwindles in popularity. Kadokawa’s report shows thatRE:Zerois a perfect series to kickstart isekai’s improvement.
