Since the early 2010s, isekai anime has been firmly established as a staple of the Japanese animation industry. Each seasonal lineup includes between 5 and 10 shows that fall under the genre, be it sequels or newcomers. “Trapped in Another World” stories have proven to be very successful, not just in anime but also in adjacent media like manga, light novels, visual novels, and manhwa. The concept is not going anywhere, but the sheer volume of options out there can make it difficult for unfamiliar viewers to pick a gateway into this category. What are the best starter isekai anime?
The thing is, isekai is a theme rather than a conventional genre, so its representatives target various tones, demographics, and prioritizations. Some focus on action, while others are more interested in humor or romance. Consequently, let’s go over the best isekai anime for beginners that also showcase the concept’s range.
Re:Zero and Mushoku Tensei are two of the greatest isekai anime ever, but they are not particularly accessible. Their protagonists are also notoriously polarizing.
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Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
A Wholesome Slice Of Life Isekai Anime With Charming Characters
Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill
- Release Date
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January 11, 2023
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill is delightful. Blending humor, lovable characters, and gorgeous food, the anime follows Tsuyoshi and his two familiars, Fel and Sui, as they enjoy the quiet life. Summoned to be a hero, Tsuyoshi unfortunately does not have any OP abilities, which instantly sees him lose favor with his summoners. However, he has access to an online store packed with all sorts of goodies, including food. The latter allows him to win the favor of the powerful Fel, along with the adorable Sui.
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With no harem traces and only splashes of action, Campfire Cooking is somewhat of an atypical isekai anime, which is also what makes it a great introductory option. This show proves that isekai can be the perfect fit for slow-life stories that rely on a small group of charming characters to carry them.
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Reincarnated as a Sword
Action Fantasy With Snippets Of Darkness And Centering Around An Endearing Friendship
Reincarnated as a Sword
- Release Date
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September 28, 2022
In such an overcrowded market, writers must get creative to set themselves apart from the crowd. Many isekai anime try to accomplish this by reincarnating their protagonists as unusual things, be it a goblin, pig, or even a vending machine. More often than not, these unique premises quickly give way to generic stories that follow the basic isekai blueprint, ultimately dooming the show to wasted potential.
Reincarnated as a Sword is not one of these anime, and its success is built entirely on a precious central relationship. Shishou is the reincarnated sword in question, and while quite powerful, he needs a suitable wielder. He finds that person in Fran, a beast girl who has been through discrimination, abuse, and slavery. Slowly forming a father-daughter dynamic, these two bring out the best in each other, both in combat and as individuals.
Although not reaching the heights of some other series, Reincarnated as a Sword is nevertheless the full package, nailing its characters, action, humor, and world-building. While not devoid of light, this series also has enough dark fantasy elements to warrant a recommendation for people into that genre.
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My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
The Best Starter Villainess Isekai Anime
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
- Release Date
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2020 – 2021
- Writers
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Megumi Shimizu
Isekai has a couple of subcategories that produce a new series in nearly every season. Reverse isekai is one of them, with shows like Uncle from Another World, Hinamatsuri, and Re:Creators being excellent entry points for beginners. However, in the last few years, villainess isekai anime has become a fixture of the industry, and that is likely to remain the case for quite a while longer due to the premise’s popularity in light novels.
A couple of exceptions aside, these shows nearly always involve a female lead reincarnating as an otome game’s villainess, forcing them to use their past life’s knowledge to navigate the story and avoid a bad ending. They generally prioritize romance and, sometimes, slip into reverse harem territory. My Next Life as a Villainess opened the floodgates for villainess isekai anime, and it is still the definitive example of this concept. The first season is hilarious and surprisingly intense, while the sequel plays out closer to a slice of life comedy.
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Overlord
Not All Isekai Anime Are About Heroes
If somebody wants to immerse themselves in isekai, they will need to have an appreciation for overpowered protagonists. They are a cornerstone of the theme, with most shows revolving around OP heroes who can topple giants without breaking a sweat. Overlord is very much one of these types of stories, albeit with a crucial twist: Momonga is far closer to a villain than a hero.
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When his favorite MMO shuts down, the protagonist finds himself trapped in the body of his evil mage character and stuck in a world similar to the game, although with a much lower power ceiling. Momonga is also surrounded by his former guild’s NPCs, which are all OP in their own right. While he initially tries to play nice, Momonga gradually (and accidentally) starts to take over the world, destroying human armies in the process.
3
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
The Ultimate Comedy Isekai Anime
Many comedy isekai anime are parodies that count on viewers being familiar with some of the theme’s tropes. As hilarious as they are, The Eminence in Shadow and Uncle from Another World should not be somebody’s first exposure to isekai.
While this extends to some parts of KonoSuba, the anime’s laughs mostly derive from the four main characters’ big personalities and banter, two aspects that stand on their own. A love (or hate) for isekai is not required to “get” KonoSuba, and its sense of humor is irreverent but also relatively broad. As long as somebody does not mind following a group of characters who are, at times, the absolute worst, they should enjoy this series.
2
Digimon Adventure
An Isekai Classic That Has Stood The Test Of Time
Digimon Adventure
- Release Date
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March 7, 1999
In 1999, “isekai” was not a well-known term, at least in Western nations. As the word did not become common knowledge until the 2010s and Sword Art Online‘s explosion in popularity, older shows that predate Kirito are sometimes not identified as isekai. Well, Digimon Adventure is not only isekai, but also a proven gateway anime.
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Admittedly, this recommendation is primarily for younger viewers who are looking for an adventure anime with a continuous story, decent action, and a relatively mature tone. Older viewers might prefer to check out Digimon Tamers or Digmon Adventure Tri, although they might still enjoy the original series even if they do not have any nostalgia for it.
1
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
A Traditional Power Fantasy Isekai Anime Executed To Near Perfection
Re:Zero might be brilliant, but it is not representative of isekai on the whole. In fact, there is arguably no other show exactly like it. Conversely, there are dozens and dozens of anime similar to That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Putting aside the slime protagonist aspect, TenSura is the quintessential power fantasy isekai anime.
The anime features an OP protagonist who generally has good intentions, a mostly traditional medieval fantasy world, safe but enjoyable action, some political intrigue, and supporting characters who lean into archetypes but are not consumed by them. TenSura is isekai.
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