Best Isekai Anime Of All Time

Isekai anime are inescapable. Without fail, every season includes a few shows that send their protagonists to alternate worlds filled with magic, wonder, danger, elves, and dungeons. Oftentimes, these average guys (or gals, rarely) gain incredible abilities that allow them to lead carefree lives defined by wealth, freedom, power, and harems. Occasionally, they find themselves stuck in a dark fantasy realm where one false move could spell their end. Love or hate them, these series are popular and are here to stay.

As overexposed as this concept has become, isekai anime have an undeniable charm to them, even the so-called “trashy” ones. Even at its worst, this theme can still work as a tension-free escape from reality that asks nothing from viewers. Conversely, the best isekai anime are fantastic works of art that offer adventure, comedy, action, world-building, character growth, and stellar animation. To simplify the rummaging process, let’s highlight isekai’s greatest animated efforts.

The rankings are regularly updated with new isekai anime since there is always something fresh to watch.
Reverse isekai anime
are also featured in a separate article.

Updated November 26, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Galleries have been added for every isekai anime highlighted in this article.

Fall 2024 Isekai Anime

A new anime season has not only arrived but is already nearing its end, and Fall 2024 is packed with isekai content. Unlike Summer 2024, most of the shows are sequels to well-established properties.

While exciting on paper, the focus on continuations could also be seen as a negative since they require viewers to be caught up, which is easier said than done. Still, Fall 2024 does have two new isekai anime: I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History and Loner Life in Another World. Neither of them is amazing, but the former is a decent entry in the villainess subgenre. The latter has some OK humor that is very hit-and-miss.

Let’s highlight the season’s most exciting isekai series.

• Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3 – By far the biggest and, well, best isekai anime of Fall 2024 (if not the whole year), White Fox’s Re:ZERO is back, this time covering the fifth arc from the light novel series. Subaru and Emilia find themselves defending a city from Witch Cultists, setting the stage for a war that should lean quite heavily into action.
• Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest Season 3 – Despite a fairly poor start, the Arifureta anime improved during its second season, setting the stage for what could be the best entry yet. Season 3 has continued that upward momentum.
• As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World Season 2 – Building on the Spring 2024 season, this anime sets itself apart by focusing on a protagonist whose special skill revolves around other people rather than themselves. While not amazing, the first cour was decent, and season 2 has maintained the same level of quality.

Now, on to the best isekai anime ever…

38 Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious

MyAnimeList: 7.48

Isekai loves an overpowered protagonist who can blast through skyscraper-sized enemies while barely breaking a sweat. When the goddess Ristarte summons Seiya to help her save a world on the brink of annihilation, she gets a hero who is only willing to dive into threatening situations when victory is 100% assured. Basically, this means a lot of training and taking no chances during battles.

Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious is a mostly lighthearted adventure built upon the love/hate dynamic between Seiya and Ristarte. Driven primarily by humor, the anime uses its protagonist’s unique mindset to produce comedy gold.

37 No Longer Allowed in Another World

MyAnimeList: 7.30

While looking to end his life with his lover, Osamu Dazai is hit by a truck and wakes up in a fantasy world where he is quickly informed about his status as an Other Worlder with heroic ambitions. However, the Japanese author is not particularly pleased with this turn of events, and his goal is to find his partner and end his love. Fortunately, he quickly becomes surrounded by girls who would rather keep him around.

A dark comedy with a charming protagonist, No Longer Allowed in Another World is a clever isekai parody that includes a few subversions of the theme’s tropes and cliches. More importantly, Dazai is just an enigmatic lead who feels very fresh compared to most modern isekai MCs. As with all comedies, the humor does not always hit the mark, but enough jokes land to make up for the misses.

While always comedic, No Longer Allowed in Another World has some surprisingly poignant episodes, particularly during the second half of its run.

36 I’m In Love With The Villainess

MyAnimeList: 7.34

Villainess stories are starting to become commonplace, with most seasons seemingly producing a new variant. I’m In Love With The Villainess presents a nice twist on this formula since the protagonist awakens as an otome game’s heroine rather than its villainess; however, she decides to romance the latter rather than any of the reverse harem’s male candidates.

Inori’s manga and light novel are both highly regarded, setting the stage for a potentially brilliant anime; ultimately, the adaptation fell slightly short of expectations, but it was still solid. Although the humor can get repetitive since jokes tend to follow a similar setup and payoff, in a vacuum, the punchlines are funny. Rae and Claire have a fun dynamic right from their first scene together, and their one-sided love affair is gradually shifting from stalker-ish behavior to something a little more wholesome.

35 So I’m a Spider, So What?

MyAnimeList: 7.45

Hey, not everyone gets to reincarnate as a powerful human with ties to nobility. Some folks must draw the short straw, and Kumoko gets the worst of it when she starts a new life as a spider. Yes, the poor girl is just an ordinary monster, albeit one with a pretty high power ceiling. Focusing on dungeon crawling, Kumoko sets out to become her best spider-self, all the while making a few notable friends along the way.

So I’m a Spider, So What? is a show of two halves. Whenever Kumoko takes center stage, the anime is fun, light-hearted, and even quite epic. She is an awesome MC and carries the show on her back. Unfortunately, the series is pretty evenly divided between Kumoko and the human characters (some of whom were also isekai’d), and the latter’s storylines and scenes are nowhere near as captivating.

34 KamiKatsu: Working For God In A Godless World

MyAnimeList: 6.71

The son of a cult leader, Yukito, is killed by his father as part of a ritual, and he reawakens in a world with no concept of gods. Although not as exciting as he was hoping it would be, Yukito eventually comes to see his new life as a big step up from his previous existence; however, that changes when he learns that two of his friends have been chosen to be killed simply because they fear death. A lack of spirituality has, for some reason, spawned a society that treats death as a mundane event and villainizes anyone who does not share that mentality. Luckily for Yukito, his former cult’s deity pays him a visit.

A Spring 2023 anime, KamiKatsu might as well be called Tonal Whiplash: The Anime, and that is somehow a compliment. The series jumps back and forth between fairly juvenile comedy and shockingly dark scenes, and the story’s frantic pacing means these moments can take place within the same minute. Depending on the viewer, this isekai anime could be deemed awesome or terrible, but almost nobody will find it boring.

33 Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion

MyAnimeList: 7.53

After being pushed to her doom, Rinko awakens as a supporting character in a fantasy novel she once read. To make matters worse, her host, Raeliana, is destined to meet an untimely end at the hands of her fiance. As Rinko would very much like for that to not happen, she sets out to strike a deal with the powerful Noah, a duke who appears charming and noble but is really quite devilish and complicated.

Raeliana/Rinko carries the entire show on her back, and she is more than strong enough as a protagonist to bear the burden. Smart without being omnipotent, Raeliana works as a surrogate for the audience while also having a clearly defined personality that elevates her beyond self-insert leads. Noah is also fun and mysterious, with his actions and motives being difficult to pin down.

32 The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic

MyAnimeList: 7.53

Out of Winter 2024’s many isekai anime, The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic has been the biggest surprise. The show follows Ken Usato, who is summoned to another world alongside two classmates. While the latter were picked as hero candidates by their summoning kingdom, Ken was just an accident, although he proves to be a valuable ally as he is capable of using healing magic. Before long, Ken finds himself under the tutelage of Rose, a terrifying leader who plans to whip her new student into a soldier.

The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic is a show of two halves. The first couple of episodes lean heavily into comedy, and they are consistently funny thanks to Rose’s intimidating demeanor and Ken’s hilarious reactions. As the season has progressed, the humor has subsided in favor of drama courtesy of a pending war with demons, which is now in full swing. Although arguably better as a comedy, The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic works quite well as an action drama, even if the animation could be slightly better.

31 King From Now On!

MyAnimeList: 7.62 (Season 1)

King From Now On! starts with its protagonist, the unassuming Yuri Shibuya, having his head flushed down the toilet, an ordeal that teleports him to another universe. Before long, he finds himself crowned as Demon King, a role that puts him right in the middle of the demon world’s strained relationship with humans. This bizarre start reflects the rest of the show’s direction, as Kyou kara Maou! often blurs the line between silly high jinks and dramatic intensity.

King From Now On! is a relatively old show that has somewhat slipped from the public consciousness since its original run. While by no means perfect, this 2000s isekai anime is generally decent, mainly thanks to characters like Wolfram and, yes, Yuri. The show does have some pacing issues and can get a bit formulaic at times, but it is worth a watch.

30 The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash

MyAnimeList: 7.56

A bit of a slow-burn success story, The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash takes a short while to fully find its feet and tone. Initially, the anime can be a touch overwhelming, with the first episode introducing Ivy (the protagonist), the concept of skills that determine people’s worth, and the very subtle isekai element. Rather than start with the whole reincarnation process, Weakest Tamer has an MC who is guided by a voice born from their past life, and they are not directly heard either.

Due to getting a zero-star rating as a tamer, Ivy is seen as deadweight by her village, to the point of being marked for death. She goes on the run and tries to survive in the wild, while gradually making connections with other villages and towns. Despite this fairly dark premise, Weakest Tamer is mostly a cute and relaxing slow-life story, one driven by a lovable and endearing protagonist. Also, the animation is shockingly good, way better than most isekai anime.

29 Grimgar: Ashes And Illusions

MyAnimeList: 7.65

On the surface, Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions seems like any other game-themed isekai anime: teenagers wake up in a strange world constructed on MMO tropes and they must get by. The thing that separates Grimgar from most other shows is that while the world might pull from MMOs, it is not governed by their rules. Minor threats in other anime can be deadly in Grimgar, and death is not something that can be just waved off.

Grimgar moves at quite a lethargic pace, focusing more on establishing its quite big cast of characters as it (harshly) eases them into its world. Unfortunately, the anime only scratches the surface of the source material, ending after just 12 episodes. While still worth watching, the show is little more than a sample of the light novel.

28 Uncle From Another World

MyAnimeList: 7.81

Suffering multiple delays that caused its single cour run to stretch over nine months, Uncle from Another World started hot and ended ice-cold. By the time the final episode aired, the comedy anime was old news, relegating it to a footnote of 2022’s anime offerings rather than a potential highlight. As frustrating as these issues were, nowadays, Uncle from Another World can be watched in its entirety; however, is it worth it?

Well, the answer is subjective, as most comedies tend to be. After spending nearly two decades in another world, Ojisan awakens in a hospital bed on Earth and reunites with his nephew, Takafumi. While initially skeptical of his outlandish claim, Takafumi becomes a believer when Ojisan displays magical powers, including a TV-like ability that acts as a flashback machine to show his adventures in the other world.

Uncle from Another World uses its clever premise to parody isekai tropes, all the while throwing a bunch of references to the ’90s (and, mainly, Sega). That said, the show’s humor is rather juvenile, particularly when it comes to Ojisan’s interactions with a female elf, so it might not be to everyone’s fancy.

27 Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play

MyAnimeList: 7.61

Fushigi Yugi is a minor classic that, while far from unwatchable, has not aged especially well over the last 25 years. In this day and age, someone’s appreciation for this show might come down to whether they have any nostalgic attachment to it, or if they are at least fond of older shojo tropes. Miaka reads a book that sends her to another world, and she quickly learns that she is a priestess who will play a pivotal role in conjuring a god.

Miaka can only complete this ritual if she is, well, a virgin, so quite a few episodes revolve around ensuring this remains a fact. Containing a love triangle and a fully realized fantasy world that is fascinating to learn about, Fushigi Yugi is an engrossing series despite its share of frustrations. Considering its animation was not even great for the mid-’90s, this anime could really use a modern adaptation.

26 The Rising Of The Shield Hero

MyAnimeList: 7.94 (Season 1)

The Rising of the Shield Hero‘s reputation declined as its first season progressed, and the sequel only exasperated matters. Naofumi Iwatani is summoned to a fantasy world to serve as its shield hero, only for the protagonist to be falsely accused of a crime and then shunned.

Although far from subtle, The Rising of the Shield Hero‘s opening few episodes are purposefully infuriating and gripping. They also suggest this is going to be a more mature and darker than normal isekai anime, something the series doesn’t fully live up to later down the line. Even though this anime is divisive, those seeking a power fantasy-style show can do much worse than The Rising of the Shield Hero.

MyAnimeList: 7.78

A beloved classic that helped introduce countless children to the exciting world of anime, Digimon Adventure is not commonly cited among isekai shows, perhaps because most people watched it before they were familiar with the term. While the show spends a decent chunk of time in the human world, Digimon Adventure predominantly revolves around the DigiDestined’s time in the Digital World.

Focusing on the original series, Digimon Adventure has aged shockingly well. The anime confidently blends action, drama, humor, and character development to craft an epic journey that continues to be celebrated more than two decades following its end. Digimon Tamers is also fantastic but the main characters spend far less time in the Digital World than Tai and company.

24 Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skill

MyAnimeList: 7.65

Tsuyoshi Mukouda is summoned to a new world by a kingdom searching for heroes, but he is left to his own accord due to his seemingly weak ability. Rather than overwhelming strength or an affinity for every magic type, Tsuyoshi can order Earth-based items through an app. Using this service, the human indulges in his cooking hobby, which quickly nets him a very powerful and very hungry familiar.

Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill follows Tsuyoshi’s relaxing adventure as he tries to live his best isekai life. So far, the anime has stayed away from fights or even an overarching narrative, opting for a lighthearted and casual tone instead. Tsuyoshi’s friendships with his familiars, Fel and Sui, serve as the story’s heart, and these interactions have been a constant delight.

23 The Magical Revolution Of The Reincarnated Princess And The Genius Young Lady

MyAnimeList: 7.47

The best Winter 2023 isekai anime barely mentions its protagonist’s reincarnation, despite its title. Anisphia is a science-driven princess in a magical world, and her interest in the field stems from visions of a past life set in a realm with flying vehicles. Rather than concentrating solely on the princess, The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady divides its time between Anisphia and Euphyllia, the latter of whom was set to be the kingdom’s new queen before her engagement to the prince fell through.

Their relationship serves as the story’s beating heart, and they complement each other beautifully. Strong-willed and headstrong, Anisphia inspires Euphyllia to live for herself, something she is not accustomed to doing since she has dedicated her existence to filling the role thrust onto her.

22 Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy-

MyAnimeList: 7.71 (Season 1)

Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy-‘s first season is an enjoyable power fantasy that largely sticks to the genre’s standard tropes, which is fine as long as they are executed well. The story’s defining feature is that Makoto Misumi, the protagonist, walks the line between being a traditional-overpowered protagonist and a parody of one. His looks are constantly mocked, and his summoning sequence is close in spirit to KonoSuba; however, he has quietly transformed into a more conventional MC, while still managing to remain likable. Season 2 emphasizes Makoto’s strengths by shining a light on two other summoned heroes who are twisted versions of isekai protagonists (albeit, one more so than the other).

Moving beyond Makoto, Tsukimichi has a strong roster of supporting characters who are allowed to develop identities that go beyond their unbreakable allegiances to their master. In lesser shows, Tomoe and Mio would be little more than cheerleaders who exist solely to stroke Makoto’s ego; fortunately, they shine through as proper characters who are defined by their histories along with their relationships. Season 2 is better than its predecessor, which is decent in its own right.

21 Now And Then, Here And There

MyAnimeList: 7.58

Released right at the turn of the century, Now and Then, Here and There is the ideal option for anyone who wishes to take a break from isekai power fantasies. An ordinary boy, Shuu meets a mysterious girl, gets whisked away by terrifying monsters to a desolate reality, and then spends roughly the next 13 episodes going through hell.

Now and Then, Here and There is a character-driven anime, and its focus goes beyond just the main characters. The 1999 isekai series does a splendid job exploring its roster of unforgettable personalities, and it accomplishes an incredible amount considering it is a single-cour anime.

20 Sonny Boy

MyAnimeList: 7.81

Written and directed by Shingo Natsume, whose previous credits include One-Punch Man, Space Dandy, and Boogiepop and Others, Sonny Boy is an unconventional coming-of-age story that plays out like a more surreal version of Peter Pan. A group of students are sent to a strange island, and some of them develop supernatural powers. Naturally, this influence the characters’ dynamics and power balance, leading to quite a few harrowing sequences.

Sonny Boy is unpredictable, disjointed, and not especially satisfying. The anime leaves quite a few questions unanswered, and picking up all the story’s subtleties will require a second viewing. That said, the anime’s ambition cannot be faulted, and this is evident in its presentation and ambiguous storytelling.

19 GATE

MyAnimeList: 7.68 (Season 1)

A gate to a fantasy world appears in Japan, causing an all-out war to break out between the invading Empire and the JSDF. The latter manages to repel the opposing forces and, in the battle’s aftermath, decides to send a group of soldiers into this new world. One member of that party is Itami, an otaku who eventually befriends a trio of girls who slot into fantasy archetypes.

GATE is an entertaining anime that tells both a standard and reverse isekai story. Itami is nothing more than a decent protagonist, but he is aided by a massive roster of secondary characters. His harem is filled with lovable personalities, and they make the show what it is.