Best Isekai Anime With No OP MC

Summary

• Not all isekai feature overpowered protagonists, with shows like Grimgar showcasing regular characters facing brutal realities.
• Anime like The Twelve Kingdoms and The Boy and The Beast feature protagonists who must overcome challenges in new worlds.
• Shows like Re:ZERO and Konosuba challenge the idea of an overpowered protagonist, with characters facing unique struggles and weaknesses.

The idea of isekai has been around since the 60s, but for many, the first recognized isekai anime came in 1983 with Battle Aura Dunbine. Since then, isekai grew in popularity until it exploded in the 2010s with titles like Sword Art Online.

The introduction of SAO popularized the trope of the overpowered protagonist. Today, most isekai feature a protagonist who is head and shoulders above everyone else. However, there are several great shows that tell a story of another world without an overpowered main character. These shows are impressive entries into the isekai genre, and deserving of respect.

10 Shuuzou Matsutani (Now and Then, Here and There)

Shuu Is Powerless Against Hando

Shuuzou Matsutani is a student and kendo practitioner. While trying to stand up for his new friend, a quiet, mysterious girl named Lala-Ru, he is transported to another world called Hellywood, which is ruled by the tyrannical Hando.

Shuu isn’t granted any special powers for his transportation to this new world, and he suffers many hardships there. He can only fight back due to his tenacity and unquenchable hope.

9 Miaka Yuuki (Fushigi Yuugi)

The Young Schoolgirl Is Almost Helpless In The New World

It was a lot more common in older isekai to find characters that were transported to another world with little power, as opposed to tremendous power. This idea seemed to be to create a different sort of fantasy story, and Fushigi Yuugi was one of them.

Pulled into another world from a book in the school library, Miaki Yuuki and her friend Yui find themselves in an unfamiliar environment. Miaki, upon learning that she is a legendary priestess, must go in search of seven Celestial Warriors to summon the god Suzaku. However, she has very little power and often must rely on the warrior, Tamahome.

8 Haruhiro (Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions)

The Entire Party Is Severely Underpowered

Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions depicts the brutal honesty about the realities of being transported into a fantasy world as a regular human being. In Grimgar, a group of people arrive in another world and must earn their keep, which involves killing monsters and going on quests.

While Haruhiro is the protagonist, one could say that the entire cast of main characters were in the same nasty boat — they were high school kids with no powers. The story of Grimgar is, well, grim. The protagonists have to improve through sheer hard work and perseverance, without an OP character in sight.

7 Hitomi Kanzaki (The Vision of Escaflowne)

Hitomi’s Foresight Is Unwieldy and Marginally Helpful

The Vision Of Escaflowne is another of those classic isekai shows that aired before the current isekai meta. Therefore, it tells a story that is a lot more complex than many modern isekai.

Hitomi, the heroine in the series, is brought to another world where she has to help Van fight the Zaibach empire. Armed only with her wits and an ability to foretell some events, Hitomi needs all the allies she can get. She’s a strong character, but that is more down to personality than ability.

6 Owner (Restaurant To Another World)

The Only Thing OP Here Is The Food

Restaurant To Another World is as relaxing as isekai gets. It is about a restaurant called Nekoya, which runs normally in Tokyo, but once a week, closes down to open up to another sort of clientele: monsters from another world.

The owner of the restaurant is the main character for the most part, but as this is more of an Iyashikei anime, which focuses on healing and relaxing the viewer. There are no battles, no political intrigue, no harems…just food, smiles and peace. Incredible powers aren’t necessary here.

5 Toyohisa Shimazu (Drifters)

An Honest, Bloody, Isekai

Drifters was a 2016 show that was a little different from the isekai shows of the time. It took historical figures and put them in a fantasy world that is thrust into turmoil due to the activity of the Ends.

There’s plenty of fighting, blood, and some disturbing imagery. While the protagonist, Toyohisa, is an absolute badass, he cannot be considered overpowered. He bleeds, he struggles, and is just as much in a fight for his life as his companions.

4 Youko Nakajima (The Twelve Kingdoms)

A Story Of Overcoming The Odds

Youko’s dream had always been to be a normal girl. Unfortunately, she was anything but, as it soon becomes evident that she is actually a queen in another world. On getting to the world, Youko receives some tools, including a very powerful sword and the help of some powerful creatures.

However, Youko’s life is anything but easy. She is a fish out of water in her new setting, and must persevere to survive in the new world. Youko’s character develops over the course of the series, and she is victorious with the help of allies, and due to personal growth.

3 Ren (Boy And The Beast)

A Father And Son Drama With Heart

Ren is a young boy who runs away from his family and is taken to the beast world. There, he is mentored by Kumatetsu, a beast who wants to be the next ruler, but must show that he is worthy of the title.

The story of Boy And The Beast is like a tug-of-war between two sides of oneself. It tells a very real story with a fantasy setting and therefore does not need an overpowered protagonist.

2 Kazuma Satou (KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!)

Kazuma Is A Menace, But In More Hilarious Ways

Konosuba is one of the funniest isekai shows ever made. It follows the recluse Kazuma Satou who dies in the most hilarious way and is transported to another world. He is given a choice to pick an item to help with his quest, and decides to pick the very goddess that gives him the option.

However, as it turns out, the so-called goddess is useless. Kazuma is joined by other characters like Megumi and Darkness — all strong, all ridiculous. Konosuba plays with tropes and makes fun of them, but it never makes its characters stronger than they need to be.

1 Subaru Natsuki (Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-)

Subaru Holds A Unique Power, But It Is A Costly One

Subaru can’t really die, and that could be considered an OP skill, but upon closer examination, it is actuallysad. Subaru can be killed, but will resurrect at an earlier time. It seems like an OP ability, but as events unfold, fans are made to witness how horrifying Subaru’s ability is within the context of the world he is in.

Subaru is weak. As he tries to help Emilia and uncover the secrets of the world he is in, he is made to face his helplessness again and again. Subaru is no OP hero. If anything, he is underpowered.