Summary
The isekai genreis popularfor transporting or reincarnating characters in another fantasy or alternate world. Over the years, this genre has become a major player in the anime scene, encompassing an incredibly diverse range of stories. From heroic quests tomagical academies, this genre can be fully trusted to take viewers on fantastical journeys.
However, within this broad genre lies a subcategory that delights in flipping conventional narratives on their heads:the “weird” isekai.Weird can be good or bad, but what makes these weird isekai great is how they distinguish themselves throughtheir unusual premises, quirky characters, and often humorous takes on the traditional elements of fantasy and adventure.
Just like the name implies,Reincarnated As A Swordtells the story of a man from modern Earth who gets reincarnated in a fantasy world, not as a human or heroic warrior, but as a sentient sword. This man barely has memories from his previous life but is aware that he was once human. As a sword, he can move around with telekinesis, and he gains power by defeating monsters and absorbing their skills. Luckily for this sword, his journey to finding a wielder is short, as he comes across Fran, who names him Shishou. Together, they go on adventures, defeating monsters and exploring their world.
Being reincarnated as an inanimate object is weird enough, as there are a thousand and one other living things a protagonist can be reincarnated as. However, this brings a fresh and unique perspective to the isekai anime, as the narrative is told from the sword’s point of view.
Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?
Most teenagers want their personal space, particularly away from their mothers, and in this anime, Masato wants to be free from his mother’s doting behavior. Masato finds himself transported to the fantasy world of an online game, and much to his annoyance,his mother, Mamako, is transported right along with him. To make matters worse for Masato, his mother seems to be more powerful than him, as her stats are greater than his, making it difficult for him to fight enemies and even practice as his mother is already there to swoop in and save him from evil. Masoto grudgingly goes on quests and adventures with his mother, but as the anime progresses,he comes to appreciate his mother’s loveand all that she has been doing for him.
What makesDo You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?weird is the unconventional mother-son duo in agame/adventurous setting—an environment that excites a teenager more than it would excite a mother. This type of pairing is rare in isekai anime, as the protagonists are usually reincarnated without their families. It does not help Masato that his mother is stronger than him in a world where he originally should be strong. This weird pairing makes for a great show as it blends fantasy and slice-of-life moments with heartfelt and relatable family interactions.
My One-Hit Kill Sister
Most isekai protagonists want to be overpowered so that they can easily kill monsters and be appreciated in their new world. However, not everyone is that lucky. Asahi finds himself in a fantasy world, hoping that he has maxed out stats and cheat skills like the characters he is familiar with in his favorite game.Asahi’s older sister, Maya, appears in this new worldas well, and she has all the powers and skills Asahi hoped to have gotten. With no choice, he sticks with his sister as she protects him from danger.
The weird part ofMy One-Hit Kill Sisteris Maya’s appearance in this new world. Asahi was killed by a car, and Maya could not bear being away from her brother, so much so that she knocked her head on a wall with the hopes that she would reunite with him wherever he was. Another weird thing to note is thatMaya has a brother complex, meaning she is obsessed with her brother in a way that surpasses familial love. Maya becomes jealous and possessive when another female tries to talk to Asahi.
Drugstore in Another World
Fantastical creatures have life in them, which means they can fall sick like humans and need drugs to feel better. WhatDrugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacistdoes is takes viewers on a unique journey as the protagonist,Reiji, finds himself in a fantasy worldwith pharmaceutical knowledge. He uses this knowledge to attend to the medical needs ofthose living in the fantasy world with him.
This anime is different from the conventional isekai, where the protagonist is fighting monsters, going on adventures, and saving the day. Instead, it focuses on the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy, treating the sickness of humans and fantasy creatures with special potions, and what makes it even weirder is the fact thatthere are no villains in this world.
Everyone is allowed to be passionate about something, and the main protagonist ofReborn as a Vending Machinewas a Japanese man who was very passionate about vending machines. Unfortunately for him, his passion led to his death, as a vending machine fell on him and killed him. Luckily for him, his life does not end under a vending machine, as he gets lucky enough to bereborn in another world as his greatest passion: A vending machine. Immobile and with limited phrases, this vending machine is happy to exist and serve people until Lammis shows up and takes him on a journey.
What makes this anime weird is that the main protagonist is an inanimate object, a vending machine. Without Lammis, he would not have been able to explore the dungeon he is stationed in. Lammis names him Boxxo and carries him on her back, taking him to her village, where he provides drinks and food for everyone. Boxxo is certainly not the average isekai protagonist, as not only is he inanimate, he does not have special abilities that make him overpowered, and without Lammis to carry him, he would not be able to explore his world and go on adventures.
3I Shall Survive Using Potions!
The Protagonist Relies Solely On Potions
Just like the name of the anime implies,I Shall Survive Using Potionstells the story of Kaoru as she randomly dies on her way to get a drink with her friends. Kaoru’s death was a mishap, and as a way to compensate her, the God of the Earth gave her a new life in a fantasy world called Verny. The Goddess of Verny went ahead and granted Kaoru special abilities, and she specifically asked for the power to create potions.
This isekai anime takes a unique, slightly weird path as the protagonist’s main survival skill is making potions.Kaoru is different from typical isekai characterswho might wield swords or magic, as her toolkit consists exclusively of her homemade potions, which she uses in innovative and sometimes humorous ways.
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
This anime revolves around Seiya, a hero who is summoned to defeat the demon lord who threatens the peace of the fantasy world of Gaeabrande. Seiya is like the typical isekai protagonist, as he is incredibly powerful, buthe has a flaw: He is excessively cautious, so much so that he never faces any enemy until he is well-trained, regardless of whether the enemy is a lowly weak slime or a powerful being. Seiya’s cautiousness causes him to be ready for anything that comes his way, and he ensures that he buys excessive amounts of supplies and equipment so that he is already prepared for any possibility or scenario.
Holding onto hope for 17 years can be mentally taxing, and with a family member in a coma for that long, disagreements and medical fees are bound to be excessive. Takafumi’s uncle awakens after being in a coma for 17 years, and as expected, things have drastically changed, leaving the man in complete confusion. Ojisan, Takafumi’s uncle, has stories to tell about his supposed coma, and Takafumi soon learns that his uncle was not just lying unconscious in a hospital; he was transported to a fantasy world where he lived a full life of magical adventures. Back in the modern world, Ojisan struggles to adapt to the changes, but thankfully, he has Takafumi at his side, who helps him and is interested in his stories about the magical world.
Uncle From Another Worldis weird because it deviates from conventional isekai anime in numerous ways. The first is that, unlike most isekai protagonists who are transported upon death or incident, Ojisan being in a coma gave him access to his fantasy world, where he lived for 17 years. Another weird aspect of this anime is the reverse isekai element. Not only did Ojisan return from the fantasy world, but he brought back memories, experiences, and magical abilities. Takafumi is interested in his powers and realizes he could monetize them by creating a YouTube channel with his uncle, showcasing his powers to the world.
