Isekai Anime That Have Rough Starts But Then Improve

As one of the most popular genres in the world of anime, there are a ton of isekai worth watching, but some only make that apparent after a few episodes. While shows like Saga of Tanya the Evil and Sword Art Online start off with jaw-dropping revelations, and intense and noteworthy combat scenes, some shows are much slower and rougher on the uptake.

These shows build their suspense and noteworthy attributes, getting progressively better with each episode. As expected, very few fans would want to endure an anime that gets off to a rough start, but at times, it’s undoubtedly worth it, and some shows have proven it.

8 The Weakest Tamer Began A Journey To Pick Up Trash

Not The Best Start, But A Hidden Gem Emerges

This anime series starts slow and doesn’t garner the most attention in its early stages; however, after a couple of episodes, fans are having intense discussions about it showing it has gotten progressively more intriguing with each episode. Aired in the Winter of 2024 with a 7.56 MyAnimeList rating, The Weakest Tamer Began A Journey To Pick Up Trash has proven itself to be one of those shows worth watching even if it’s only made apparent after a few episodes.

The show focuses on Ivy, a young girl who’s given a no-star tamer skill in a world where the number of stars one’s skill has is everything. Due to the intense abuse she suffered at home for her supposed worthlessness, Ivy runs away to find her path, and hopefully, her value to the world.

7 Didn’t I Say To Make My Abilities Average In The Next Life?!

Overpowered Heroine With Self-Awareness Defies Expectations

Misato Kurihara has always been exceptional, but exceptional people don’t have life as easy as average people think. Oftentimes the expectations and attention can be overwhelming, and they just desire a normal life, and Kurihara had a chance at that. Unfortunately, even though she made a wish to be an average person in her next life, she was born ultra-talented nonetheless.

While the show begins purely on comedic grounds, it quickly turns into a well-balanced one, and situations where the protagonist tries to be “average” but stands out endure, as unlike other isekai characters, Kurihara is very well aware she’s overpowered.

6 Death March To The Parallel World Rhapsody

From Bland Beginnings To Unique Charm

Before playing into deeper themes and getting its viewers hooked, the initial part of this anime series is seen as generic, offering little to no form of uniqueness. The protagonist is overworked, sleeps off due to exhaustion, and wakes up in a fantasy world.

Furthermore, he quickly gets overpowered as he wipes out an army of monsters and levels up to the max. Because of its seemingly generic approach to isekai, many find the show bland, at least initially. However, with further watching, many like the slice-of-life fantasy blend of the show, showing that while it may not be the most revolutionary isekai, it offers its own unique charm.

5 Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious

Repetitive Humor Leads To A Polarizing Start

As the name implies, the protagonist of this series is Seiya Ryuuguuin, a powerful hero, but one that‘s incredibly cautious to the point of being comical. Some fans consider Seiya’s comical behavior as being too repetitive as Seiya has nothing going for him as a character except his repetitive gags.

However, for fans who stay until the later part of the series, Seiya’s backstory is revealed and the reason for his overly cautious nature is revealed. This allows fans to see and understand Seiya’s motivations and the reason for his cautious tendencies and it gives the anime that much more depth that viewers can empathize with.

4 Ishura

For Fans Of Fight Choreography, Ishura Delivers

This anime series doesn’t have a great World building like One Piece or an amazing storyline like Death Note. What it does have, is amazing fight scenes, and that’s what carries the show. With a rating of 6.63 on MyAnimeList, Ishura is undoubtedly not the best of isekai shows.

However, that doesn’t mean it should be slept on, particularly for fans who love good fight choreography. And while Ishura is heavily carried by its fights, as the series progresses, the story and overall lore become more intriguing with more stakes on the line. From the fights, Ishura picks up.

3 Grimgar Of Fantasy And Ash

Putting Survival Over Spectacle Shows Grimgar’s Unique Appeal

In this series, the protagonist Haruhiro starts off so weak that he always gets nervous fighting monsters. While Haruhiro eventually gets stronger, before then; many fans feel like “they’re missing out on all the action” as the protagonist and his companions can only face low-level everyday threats, and still manage to come close to being eradicated every time.

While Grimgar of Fantasy And Ash may not have the best first few episodes, the show picks up and explores a world in which the protagonists don’t have overpowered abilities, but instead must work their way up from the bottom, bearing all the risk with their survival as the reward.

2 Mushoku Tensei

Character Growth At The Heart Of The Series Leads To Slow Beginnings, But Grand Payoffs

For a supposedly action-packed anime, the Mushoku Tensei series started off slow with little action and a protagonist that could be better. However, over the course of more episodes, the show definitely picked up, and fans came to realize that Mushoku Tensei offers more than just action sequences.

A good part of the show is exploring mature and more nuanced themes as Rudeus comes to terms with his past and confronts his insecurities. Over time, Mushoku Tensei has solidified itself as one of the best new-gen anime, and Rudeus Greyrat has grown from various experiences that make his flawed yet relatable character inspiring

1 Log Horizon

A Slow And Steady Start

As an isekai series, Log Horizon doesn’t start off with that suspense and intensity that gets fans hooked. The show starts off slow and overly dry and only a few get captivated. However, for those who are able to persevere or find a sense of worth in the show at the early stages, Log Horizon eases them into its amazing aspects.

The show allows fans to experience something other than fighting or seeking out a big bad boss after getting trapped in an MMO. It instead explores leadership and the building of a community within an MMO world, as the players face the reality that being trapped in the game is not a dream that’ll come to an end.