Best Isekai Anime That Explore Morally Gray Worlds

Key Takeaways

• Isekai anime explore morally gray worlds, creating compelling themes & conflicts beyond conventional morality.
• Characters face dilemmas of morality in settings like war, revealing nuances & complexities.
• In series like “Saga Of Tanya the Evil,” war themes explore no side holding a moral high ground.

Isekai anime are known for being set in realms of high fantasy, meaning these otherworldly settings greatly differ from the usual simplistic black-and-white narratives. This has led to several isekai anime making use of morally gray worlds, giving way to compelling premises that open up room for complex dialogue.

Whether it’s worlds ravaged by war or all-out dystopian settings, these isekai anime are laced with nuances and complexities that go beyond conventional morality. While the characters themselves might not be morally ambiguous, these settings pin the protagonists against the dilemmas of morality, giving way to all sorts of compelling themes.

1 The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic

Showcases The Human Side Of Demons

At first sight, the world of The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic might seem rather black and white. This notion is further backed by the Demon King’s army and their past invasion of the Llinger Kingdom, an event that resulted in tremendous casualties for the kingdom.

However, as the series progresses, it becomes quite evident that things aren’t exactly that unambiguous. After the Black Knight is redeemed, it becomes clear that demons aren’t inherently evil, and they bear emotions similar to human beings. This event, along with a few other surprising revelations, deems the war between two factions quite gray.

2 Gate

Exploring Mystical Realms With A Touch Of Nationalism

Gate may seem akin to any other isekai anime with a ton of harem antics, yet this anime is actually set in a somewhat morally gray world. The story largely revolves around Youji Itami’s efforts to contain the mystical world that has shown up at Japan’s doorstep.

While the anime tries to portray Japan as the “good guy” throughout the anime, it soon becomes evident that the archipelago’s actions within this fantasy world aren’t exactly pure. Moreover, Gate is laden with nationalistic ideals that portray the less advanced fantasy world as nothing more than a primitive land, a subtext that further makes the premise quite gray.

3 I’m In Love With The Villainess

Explores The Rift Between Royals And Commoners

Set in an otome game and based on the villainess theme, I’m In Love With The Villainess initially seems akin to any other lightweight isekai anime. However, the anime immediately defies expectations with several nuanced subtexts, whether it’s the stigma associated with same-sex relationships or the rights of commoners.

By the latter half of the series, it becomes clear that a divide exists between the oblivious royals of the kingdom and the commoners who have been pushed to the sidelines. These events open up a dialogue about the class difference that exists between royals and commoners, a theme that is further examined through Rae Taylor, the series’ protagonist.

4 Grimgar: Ashes And Illusions

Survival Of The Fittest In A Hellish World

Another isekai anime set in a world ravaged by war, Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions focuses on the bonds formed between soldiers embroiled in a conflict that has little to do with them. The anime revolves around a ragtag group of mercenaries who have no choice but to fight for the reserve army after being isekai’d in a strange world.

The anime focuses more on character development and the relationships between the characters. However, the fact remains that the series is set in a world that is forced to recruit children for a conflict that has nothing to do with them.

5 Now And Then, Here And There

A World Ravaged By The Brutalities Of War

Set in a dystopian world ravaged by war, Now and Then, Here and There highlights the effects of war on innocent civilians, coupled with those forced to fight against their will. Shu ends up in this world after trying to protect a mysterious girl named Lala-Ru, a split-second decision that leaves him in an unsettling world.

Child soldiers are sent to the frontlines, while the civilian population is forced to undergo famine, poverty, and abuse — all for a scarce resource. At a glance, the conflict might seem black and white, though as the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is truly no right or wrong side to this brutal conflict.

6 Drifters

Historical Figures Pinned Against Each Other

While anime with war and conflict as a central concept tends to be set in morally gray worlds, Drifters takes this concept to another level by pinning historical figures against each other. Known as the “Drifters” and the “Ends,” these two groups of history’s greatest names are forced to fight against each other in a brutal conflict.

While the Ends are the main antagonistic faction in Drifters, it is revealed that this group is composed of historical figures who have been driven to madness due to the trauma and psychological pain they experienced during their lifetimes. This aspect of their madness reveals that no one is inherently evil, as these characters were forced into antagonism by how history treated them.

7 Saga Of Tanya The Evil

An Otherworldly Retelling Of World War 1

Saga Of Tanya the Evil is a classic isekai series that highlights the aspect of morality in war with its brutal retelling of World War 1. Laced with mature themes such as war crimes, forceful obedience, and consequences of war for innocent civilians, Saga Of Tanya the Evil perfectly highlights how neither side holds the higher moral ground in an armed conflict.

Tanya herself is a rather gray character, which further adds to the series’ theme of highlighting how each side is desperate to survive, and the fact that there are no true victors in war. Despite being an isekai anime, Saga Of Tanya the Evil’s nuanced subtexts hit a bit too close to home with their reflection of the real world.