Isekai anime has become one of the most beloved and dominant genres when it comes to anime. Every anime season, new stories are released where an unsuspecting individual is thrust into a completely different world from the one they know by mysterious and sometimes unfortunate circumstances. Whether it be a speeding truck or a portal popping up in their living room, their normal life is over, and they become the protagonist of their own journey.
More often than not, these stories are a ball of fun, tasking the hero with slaying the monster and saving the world. But, on special occasions, isekai anime can tell an incredible story about discovery and coming of age. Joined by well-crafted characters and enveloped by interesting worlds, these anime leave lasting impressions on the viewers. Here are some isekai anime with the best storytelling.
Naofumi is a reluctant protagonist of an isekai anime, as nothing has gone his way since the moment he was summoned to another world. Paired with three other young men summoned as heroes and gifted a sacred weapon, Naofumi is chosen as the Shield Hero. Surprisingly, Naofumi’s arrival is vastly different from his peers as he is framed for a crime, banished from the kingdom, and ostracized from society on the first day. The Rising of the Shield hero handles Naofumi’s struggle well by starting him at the bottom with nowhere to turn to, forcing him to learn the world he inhabits on an intimate level. In addition, Naofumi’s character is tested as he tries to cut off his attachment to people but can’t fight his better nature to want to do the right thing. Each season of The Rising Of The Shield Hero makes a fair amount of progress in not only Naofumi’s journey but his growth as well.
Rimuru’s old life ended in the blink of an eyewhen he was killed protecting his friends from a thug. This one moment paints Rimuru as a kind and caring individual, setting a drastic contrast when he is reincarnated in another world as a monster. The strongest storytelling of the series revolves around Rimuru and how he adapts to his new lifestyle.
While maintaining his kind and gentle nature, as Rimuru developed, it shows that he is also capable of cruel judgment regarding the safety of his people and the lives of his friends. While on the surface, Rimuru appears to be an innocent young boy, the subtle change when he embraces his demon lord status is a sharp contrast that makes the plot of the series interesting at how much Rimuru will change as time progresses.
Grimgar is perhaps one of the most unique isekai anime in the genre, and it handles being teleported to another world in a much more drastic fashion. A large group of able-bodied individuals sprouts in a fantasy world, and while most find their way immediately, a small group of rejects stumbles and become aimless in their endeavors. Coming together, they experience a life of hard knocks where, just to survive and scavenge enough to feed themselves, they must put their lives on the line to slay a few goblins. Grimgar displays a more realistic outcome for ordinary people who are handed magic and a sword and told to live. Each character has their own troubles and grief as they attempt to adapt, fail, and try again. In a world where fortune favors the bold, the meek must struggle and pick over scraps.
When a somewhat narcissistic atheist dies, cursing god on his last breath, he becomes the focus of god, who decides to place him in a world where he must acknowledge his existence or suffer.Reincarnated as a young girlin a world engulfed in war, Tanya decides to spit in fate’s eye and push the so-called god’s patience to its limit. Throwing caution to the wind, Tanya enlists in the military and shortly becomes the most decorated warrior among the magical infantry. Pettiness is a trait that most isekai protagonists lack; however, in Tanya’s story, it is her pettiness that moves the story forward on her battle against the powers that be, trying to prove that they are, in fact, not all-powerful and has no dominion over her.
A young boy named Ren finds himself alone among his own family and stumbles into another world after searching for an escape from his unfortunate circumstances. He gets his wish and begins on a new journey where he finds himself under the tutelage of a beast-man named Kumaketsu.
Each needs the other to push their lives forward from the mundane. Kumaketsu seeks to become the sovereign leader of the beast kingdom, and Ren wants a place to belong. However, as time progresses, the bond created by their agreement heals wounds they didn’t know were present. The Boy and the Beast excels at emotional depth and also does a spectacular job of displaying the differences individuals have when coming from two vastly different backgrounds.
3The Eminence In Shadow
A Main Character Unlike Any Other
The Eminence in Shadow is one of the newer isekai releases and has blown away fans for its drastically different take on the genre and on the classic main protagonist.Cid is slain in his first lifeand finds a second chance after being reborn in another world. Unlike most protagonists, Cid does not dream of becoming the hero but instead the ruler of this new world. Cid increases his power to ungodly levels and begins taking on the pillars of power from the shadows to increase his control of the kingdom. While Cid is indeed a sinister character, the story portrays his methods of madness in an enticing way that makes for pure entertainment. While there have been other isekai that focused on a more villainous main character, none have achieved such aura as Cid and The Eminence In Shadow.
Jobless Incarnationfollows a NEET manwho is given a second chance at life and reborn into a fantasy world with his memories intact. Rudeus takes full advantage of his rebirth and decides to do things differently than in his shameful past life, but it’s quickly revealed that old habits die hard.
Unfortunately, it takes true hardships for Rudeus to realize that not only is he wasting his second chance but that the consequences of his actions are much more dire in this world compared to his last. Jobless Incarnation does an impeccable job of displaying an unseemly protagonist and how maturity is not a time-sensitive journey and takes as long as it has to catch up. The faults of Rudeus and his journey to grow out of them are exceptional character development that is unlike any other isekai anime of its kind.
Subaru is shocked when he pops up into a vibrant fantasy world. Instantly coming to the conclusion that this is his chance to be a sword-wielding hero like in his favorite video games, Subaru takes to this unknown place with optimism and glee. Unfortunately, the rules are not in his favor, as Subaru experiences the downfall of being a stranger in a strange place rather quickly. Just when things begin to take a better turn, Subaru encounters the universal constant in life: death. But to his surprise, yet again, he pops right back into the fantasy world. The concept of Subaru having the power of “last save” is a heavy story element that adds an insurmountable amount of depth to his everyday adventures. While the experiences he has and the friends he makes are entertaining, the thought that it could be lost at a second glance as the threats grow more perilous sets a unique tone throughoutthe story ofRe:Zero.
