Isekai Anime & Manga That Have Many Summoned Characters

Summary

• Isekai stories can feature protagonists versed in traditional martial arts, community dynamics, and varied genres beyond action and adventure.
• No Longer Allowed in Another World
  parodies the genre with a middle-aged protagonist and comedic twists.
• A NEET’s Guide to the Parallel World: Healer
  showcases revenge, unique powers, and early character development.

Isekai is popular for its flexibility in setting and story, a mixing pot of genres and plots that are fun to watch and read. While most are categorized as action and adventure, there are plenty that focus on daily life, romance, and other genres. These stories normally feature one to three protagonists and follow their lives in the new world, and often they work together.

Sometimes authors decide to transport large groups of people to other worlds, which often changes the dynamic of a traditional isekai that fulfills one person’s wish. With a community experiencing a new environment, conflicts arise that would be impossible if there were a single person. Things like resource management, leadership, and distribution of work are all things that must be considered, which can add depth to both characters and the plot.

Updated December 13, 2024 by Garrett Huon: When it comes to isekai, the story generally focuses on a single character, even when many people have been transported to different worlds. It can be difficult to determine which manga and anime actually involve multiple summoned people. This update will add No Longer Allowed in Another World and A NEET’s Guide to the Parallel World: Healer, the Strongest Cheat?

1 No Longer Allowed In Another World

A Depressed Author’s Journey To Become A Hero

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.30
• Episodes: 12
• Aired: 2024
• Genres/Themes: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai, Parody
• Studio: AtelierPontdarc

Characters are often isekai’d at the most inconvenient times, and that couldn’t be more true for a certain unnamed writer. While in the middle of completing his suicide pact with his girlfriend, Sensei is hit by a truck and sent to another world. Lamenting his inability to die, he leaves the church where he appears to find a suitable resting place, but he regains his will to live when he remembers his girlfriend, Saa-chan, is somewhere in the new world.

Isekai parodies are always fun because they add a much-needed spin to the genre and never take themselves too seriously. Sensei is a fantastic protagonist because he’s so different from other isekai characters; he’s a middle-aged man, has a comedic desire to die, and a morose personality. It’s an interesting portrayal of someone in a “hero” role.

2 A NEET’s Guide To The Parallel World: Healer, The Strongest Cheat?

He’s A Healer, But He’s Ready To Fight

• MyAnimeList Score: 6.85
• Published: 2019 to Present
• Genres/Themes: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Maehata
• Illustrator: Romero Jouryuu

When a whole class gets isekai’d, the protagonist is usually in the seat farthest in the back. However, in this manga, Masamune Hidaka had just jumped off the roof when a white light teleported everyone to another world. Masamune was driven to the brink by constant bullying and harassment, which didn’t end in the fantasy world. He is cast out because of his “Healer” class, which is known to be the weakest.

This is a pretty common revenge story where the protagonist is abandoned and must survive on his own, using the same archetypes and clichés. Although this manga might not seem like much, it actually does some interesting things with the protagonist’s powers, which also hint at future developments in the story. Most importantly, the revenge happens pretty early, which is the main reason people read this manga.

3 Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren’t They?

An Island Of Games For Kids With Special Powers

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.42
• Episodes: 10
• Aired: 2013 to 2013
• Studios: Diomedéa
• Genres/Theme: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai

In most isekai scenarios, the characters gain their special powers and abilities after they go to the new world. But in this anime, the three protagonists are already amazing people. Sakamaki Izayoi, Kudō Asuka, and Kasukabe Yō all have incredible psychic powers, allowing them to talk to animals, strengthen their bodies, or control people.

One day, they all receive an envelope that sends them to a different world called Little Garden. In this place, communities of people with psychic powers compete in games to earn wealth and fame for their respective factions. Having been bored with their lives, the three protagonists charge head-first into the competition.

4 Digimon Adventure

Summer Camp Becomes A Different Kind Of Field Trip

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.78
• Episodes: 54
• Aired: 1999 to 2000
• Studios: Toei Animation
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai

Digimon is one of the most well-known isekai’s ever made, even if the isekai part isn’t what made it memorable. The story starts when a group of children at a summer camp are suddenly transported into the digital world where they meet little creatures called digimon.

Although the original Digimon Adventure is listed here, there have been many series and reboots in the franchise, and many of them are isekai stories. Each story is incredibly unique, involving different characters, different digimon, and different settings. There’s something for everybody.

5 Grimgar Of Fantasy And Ash

How Normal People Handle Being Isekai’d

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.65
• Episodes: 12
• Aired: 2016 to 2016
• Studios: A-1 Pictures
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Isekai

Grimgar is an isekai anime known for its great characters, writing, and world-building, especially since it accomplishes so much in just twelve episodes. The story follows a group of teenagers who are transported to another world with no memory of what happened. To ensure their survival, the group splits up, with the strong in one group and the weak in the other.

This story follows the weak group as they struggle to acclimate to the world and work as adventurers. It paints a realistic picture of what it would be like to be isekai’d and learn how to use magic and skills, but it also shows how they live as a makeshift family in an unfamiliar place.

6 Log Horizon

When Fun & Games Become Too Real

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.56
• Episodes: 25
• Aired: 2014 to 2015
• Studios: Studio Deen
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Adult Cast, Video Game

Anime about video games and virtual worlds have always been popular, and one of the most popular isekai series in that genre is Log Horizon. One day, the real world becomes integrated with the video game “Elder Tale,” trapping all active players on the server. In the new, yet familiar world, they all must find a new status quo.

To adjust to this new environment, Shiroe teams up with his friends Naotsugu and Akatsuki to learn more about the world and the game mechanics that still exist. This proves to be difficult as game events become real dangers and players begin abusing the system.

7 High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even In Another World

National Geniuses

• MyAnime List Score: 6.36
• Episodes: 12
• Aired: 2019
• Studios: Project No.9
• Genres/Theme: Isekai, Action, Adventure, Fantasy

The victims of isekai are often loners and outcasts in their community, having only one or two friends and maybe living alone. These characters are defined by how normal they are. This is done to make it easier for the audience to insert themselves into the protagonist’s shoes. In this anime, it’s the opposite. Every character is a genius in their field.

A group of highly skilled students are traveling when their plane crashes, and they end up in another world. They are taken in by a nearby village, and in compensation, the students use their various abilities to improve the lives of the villagers, bringing safety, technology, and medical supplies.

8 My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One In This Other World Stands A Chance Against Me!

The Most Overpowered Isekai Protagonist Wants To Go Home

• MyAnime List Score: 6.30
• Episodes: 12
• Aired: 2024
• Studios: Okuruto Noboru
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai, Parody

While passing through a tunnel on a school trip, a class of third-year high school students find themselves in a vast plain with nothing in sight. They are soon enlisted to become Sage Candidates and provided powers like any other isekai. They’re instructed to go to the capital city to begin training. Unfortunately, Yogiri Takatou and Dannoura Tomochika are left for dead for not receiving powers.

Takatou actually does have powers, but not from this new world. Since he was born, he’s been able to cause death simply by thinking about the target. Using his ability, he and Dannoura must find their way to the other students to get Shion to take them home.

9 Arifureta: From Commonplace To World’s Strongest

From Zero To Hero

• MyAnime List Score: 6.71
• Episodes: 13
• Aired: 2019
• Studios: asread., White Fox
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Harem, Isekai

When an entire classroom is summoned to an alternate world, they are asked to be the heroes of the kingdom and given skills. Hajime Nagumo is given the skill “Transmutation,” letting him shape raw materials. After being belittled and ultimately betrayed by his classmates, he’s sent to the bottom of the Labyrinth, a dangerous dungeon full of monsters.

In the depths of the dungeon, Hajime is able to learn the true power of his ability. Fueled by his revenge and will to survive, he creates gear for himself and starts leveling up. Above everything else, he wants to go home, and he’ll stop at nothing to do it.

10 So I’m A Spider, So What?

One Girl Experiences The Most Unfortunate Reincarnation

• MyAnime List Score: 7.45
• Episodes: 24
• Aired: 2021
• Studios: Millepensee
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery, Isekai, Reincarnation

When an explosion occurs at school, the students are reincarnated into another world filled with magic and castles. Many ended up as children of nobility, but others were not as lucky. The main character is reborn into a spider monster freshly hatched from its egg, but things are not peaceful. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and she needs to survive.

Despite being a spider, she still has the perks of being a reincarnated person, namely a status board and a skill tree. However, since she’s a monster, she has an evolution tree as well, a way to change her form and power. The protagonist takes this all in stride, keeping a positive attitude to mask the sheer panic.

11 The Death Mage Who Doesn’t Want A Fourth Time

A Reincarnator Lives The Best Undead Life

• MyAnime List Score: 7.04
• Published: 2018 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Densuke
• Illustrator: Takehiro Kojima

While out at sea, a class of students die due to an accident, resulting in the boat sinking. Everyone on board is sent to limbo where a strange being offers to reincarnate them. Each person is meant to get two skills, but due to their mistake, Amamiya Hiroto’s skills are given to someone who has almost the same name as him.

As a result, Hiroto spends the entirety of his second life as an experiment subject, facing torturous tests and treatment each day. He ultimately dies at the hands of his former classmates. Hiroto is reincarnated again by the same strange being, but he’s cursed as well due to his animosity. In this third life, he’s determined to live the way he wants.

12 Failure Frame

Status Moves Are Actually Overpowered

• MyAnime List Score: 6.67
• Published: 2019 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai
• Author: Kaoru Shinozaki
• Illustrator: Shou Uyoshi

When a classroom is suddenly summoned to a new world, the students are met with a goddess asking them to become heroes. Each person is given a status board, rank, and a set of beginner skills. Unfortunately for Touka Mimori, his rank is low, and his skills only produce special statuses. When the goddess learns this, she immediately casts Touka away.

He ends up in a dark dungeon filled with horrifying monsters with levels over 900. Faced with threats around every corner, Touka is saved by his skills, which were deemed useless. He can paralyze, poison, and put his enemies to sleep 100% of the time. He changes his goal from surviving to getting revenge.

13 Loner Life In Another World

Being A Loner Has Some Surprising Benefits

• MyAnime List Score: 6.48
• Published: 2019 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai
• Author: Shouji Goji
• Illustrator: Bibi

On a normal day, Haruka is summoned to another world along with his classmates. Before sending them off, God allows each person to pick the skills they want. Unfortunately, these skills were on a first-come-first-serve basis. Haruka, who habitually waited until he was last, only had unwanted skills to choose from.

His skills seem simple, but he’s able to make use of them in creative ways, building a home in a cave and even crafting furniture. While he’s lonely living alone, he can’t form a party with anyone due to his loner skill. However, because he must do everything on his own, he actually becomes stronger than most of his peers.

14 Dungeon Seeker

An Ill-Fated Relationship Leads To An Isekai Adventure

• MyAnime List Score: 6.56
• Chapters: 33
• Published: 2016 to 2019
• Genres/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Isekai
• Author: Sakamoto 666
• Illustrator: Seijuurou Mizu

Junpei Takeda is a timid boy who is constantly bullied at school and only saved by his friend Noriko Tatsumiya. During one of his usual bullying sessions, he and Noriko, along with all his bullies, are summoned to another world. They were intended to be heroes, but all their skills were lacking. They are set free to make a living for themselves.

Junpei and Noriko work as farmers, but life is not easy. To avoid being sacrificed, Noriko tricks Junpei into taking her place in the Space Labyrinth, a dungeon famous for its incredible danger. Against all odds, Junpei survives the first floor, leading him to descend into the labyrinth to grow stronger so he can exact his revenge.

15 Full Clearing Another World Under A Goddess With Zero Believers

It’s Troublesome To Be A God’s First Follower

• MyAnime List Score: 6.62
• Published: 2020 to Present
• Genres/Theme: Fantasy, Romance, Isekai
• Author: Isle Osaki
• Illustrator: Hakuto Shiroi

After their bus falls down a mountain in a landslide, the students inside are transported to another world. There they are given skills and certain aptitudes. The main character, Makoto Tatatsuki, has low stats and poor aptitude, only able to use beginner water magic. Rather than leave as the rest of his classmates do, he decides to study for a year.

After a year of studying, Makoto still has low magic power, but his proficiency in handling magic has grown significantly. He can manipulate water in ways thought impossible. This garners the attention of a minor goddess who has no followers at the time. After much groveling and begging, Makoto agrees to be the goddess’s first follower.

16 Sonny Boy

One Class Learns The Secret Of The World

• MyAnime List Score: 7.79
• Episodes: 12
• Aired: 2021
• Studios: Madhouse
• Genres/Theme: Award Winning, Mystery, Isekai, Super Powers

One day, an entire school is transported into a void world where nothing exists. From the windows and doors, nothing can be seen but black space. While there, the students receive special powers of all types, ranging from a cat-based Amazon service to the ability to manipulate gravity. The students must figure out how to behave and live to make it home.

The main character is Nagara, a young boy who seemingly has no power. He’s a passive bystander in his own life, accepting the good and bad that happen around him because he feels like he has no control over value. As he struggles to confront his insecurities, he must also help discover the rules of the world they are in.