The best isekai anime of all time is like looking for a needle in a haystack since isekai has saturated the market at this point. But since isekai has been added as a noun in the Oxford Dictionary, it’s the right time to talk about the 10 best isekai anime of all time.
Ascendance of A Bookworm
Unlike the other shows which all have some focus on combat, Ascendance of a Bookworm is all about a bookworm girl who’s transported into a world without books. In her fantasy world, books are a costly commodity- and only available to royalty and religious bodies. They use books only for record-keeping. She works to change that. Every step of the book-making process is explored through a new lens of fantasy and that’s what makes this one of the best isekai anime out there.
GATE
GATE is a unique isekai where no one is technically transported into a new world but instead, both the real world and the world of fantasy are just connected by a gate that suddenly manifests in both worlds. We see how the typical real world would use their military to deal with this new world and we see how the world of fantasy responds to modern technology, guns, and so on. It’s a fun story with an interesting concept and above all it’s well executed.
The Eminence in Shadow
The Eminence in Shadow is the ultimate trash isekai power fantasy and it knows this and we know this and we love it. The show is essentially a satire and it knows all the generic power-fantasy tropes and it executes them to absolute perfection. If you want to just turn your brain off and enjoy a cool show with badass moments that go extra hard then this is the best isekai anime for you.
No Game No Life
Get this: you’re transported into a world of games- where every conflict and decision can be solved by playing games. There’s no war or physical injury to be wary of. An ideal world of gamers and for gamers. That’s exactly why it’s the dream world for Shiro and Sora- a sibling duo who are known as just “Blanks” in their real world where they have never lost any game other than the game of life itself. They are given a second chance in this dream world and it’s a shame there’s no Season 2 because it is one of the best isekai anime out there.
Log Horizon
Log Horizon feels like a game of Civilization except the protagonist is actually mature and smart. It’s a little different from your typical isekai because several characters are transported into the world of a game they all used to play. But now that they are inside the world, the NPCs aren’t just cardboard cutouts of a character anymore- they are real inhabitants of that world and just as important as the players. If fantasy strategy is your thing then this is the best isekai anime for you.
KonoSuba
The best isekai anime list can’t just weed out the funniest isekai anime of all time. KonoSuba is just that and it is back with a third season after ages. Technically speaking, from the outside, this should be any run-of-the-mill isekai anime with an overpowered protagonist with overpowered party members- but things don’t just work out for our scummy Kazuma and this show is all about them failing upwards and getting lucky.
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
Reincarnated as a Slime has risen the ranks to become one of the best isekai anime around and is also currently airing- and the more it airs, the better it gets. By all means this is a generic isekai but even a generic show can shine bright and leave an impact if the tropes are done right and well-executed and earned. This is why our favorite Slime wins the isekai game- you can feel the heart in every aspect of this show and it’s great for trash isekai enjoyers and connoisseurs of the genre alike.
Re:Zero
If horror was one of the themes you were looking for in an isekai, then Re:Zero might just be your favorite. It’s long been considered one of the best isekai anime due to the handling of its world, its characters, and especially its protagonist- Subaru. We won’t spoil anything but if you want some good old trauma and terror alongwith a great gripping story then this is it.
Jobless Reincarnation
Jobless Reincarnation or Mushoku Tensei is arguably the best isekai anime currently airing. One of the reasons it’s a masterpiece is because the protagonist Rudeus doesn’t forget his roots and his past in the real world. His trauma carries over into his fantasy life. His trauma in the real world informs his actions and behavior in the fantasy world. It takes time but he grows up as a person and the story matures alongside him.
Spirited Away
A conversation about the best isekai anime would be incomplete without the mention of the Oscar-winning Hayao Miyazaki’s Ghibli film, Spirited Away. Here the protagonist gets transported to a world of spirits which is based on Japanese folklore and spiritual beliefs. This film, at the heart of it, encapsulates what an “isekai” or an escape into the absurd fantasy is meant to achieve in a protagonist- change, growth, and maturity are some for starters but there’s more.
- Also Read: Top 10 Airing Anime Right Now
Some honorable mentions in the above list of best isekai anime of all time include Saga of Tanya the Evil, Grimgar: Ashes & Illusions, Overlord, and Re:Creators. Two of these titles and several from the above list are returning for a sequel this year. If you’re curious about the isekai anime returning this year click on the link to find out!
