The term "isekai" may already be familiar to anime fans. But for some people, especially those who don't follow anime, isekai may sound foreign to their ears.

What is Isekai Anime?

Isekai is a subgenre of games, anime, manga, and light novels. If translated from Japanese, isekai means "other world".

The other world referred to in this case is not a world full of supernatural elements, but a fantasy world that is far from the world we live in.

Most of the main characters of isekai series are often boring characters in their original world, then after they get transported and reincarnated, they accidentally get trapped in a parallel world and are given extraordinary powers.

At first, isekai was included in the fantasy genre, but over time, it has become a separate genre as in 2017, there were many light novels and manga with an isekai background. However, in Japan, the isekai genre is still not included in the official genre to categorize a series.

30 Recommended Isekai Anime of 2022

1. Sword Art Online

Who hasn't heard about SAO? Yup, the Sword Art Online series is a valid example of game-themed anime and isekai as well as one that caused the genre to explode! The concept of a full-dive into an MMORPG virtual world seems to be getting closer to reality with the rapid development of virtual reality technology.

The Sword Art Online franchise also has so many anime series. If you plan to watch this anime for the first time, be sure to watch the first season and gradually get to SAO Alicization.

2. Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari

The story revolves around Naofumi Iwatani, an otaku who is summoned to a fantasy world as the Shield Hero. Along with the Sword Hero, Bow Hero, and Spear Hero, they are tasked with stopping the monster attacks that occur every few months.

Unfortunately, Naofumi is betrayed by the kingdom that summoned him. He gets ostracized so that he holds a grudge so deep that leads to him changing his personality180 degrees. In order to survive, the Shield Hero buys a slave named Raphtalia to help his fight against the monsters. Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari reveals Naofumi's adventure with Raphtalia in a world full of darkness.

3. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!

Also known as KonoSuba, this series is the epitome of comedic isekai anime. You'll come across the typical isekai concepts, such as video game menus and fantasy worlds -- but KonoSuba will definitely crack you up every minute.

4. Overlord

A popular virtual reality game called Yggdrasil is closing its servers. A powerful wizard and guild master of Ainz Ooal Gown, Momonga, decides to spend his time in the game before the server shuts down forever.

However, Momonga is still fully awake despite the server closing hours, and he orders his servants to investigate the case and take control of the world.

5. Log Horizon

At first glance, Log Horizon looks similar to SAO, in that the characters are both trapped in an MMORPG world. However, Log Horizon manages to exceed the expectations of the audience. The main character is not only strong but also intelligent, brilliant, and thinks strategically - making Log Horizon feel realistic and relatable yet still imaginative.

6. Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri

If you are into military-themed anime series, you will certainly enjoy this isekai anime. The story begins with a mysterious gate suddenly appearing in Tokyo, Japan. It turns out that the gate is a portal that connects the real world with a fantasy world. There are two sides of the story; the light side, which follows the life of a bachelor and the more serious side, which includes military, political, economic, social, and cultural themes.

7. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken

If you're tired of a series in which the main character gets reincarnated as a hero or adventurer, you should watch this anime. This isekai anime tells the story of a slime. Yet this slime isn't one to be trifled with as he is the reincarnation of a human and is equipped with Great Sage and Predator skills.

The Great Sage skill helps the slime learn everything he questions, just like Google. While the Predator skill allows the slime to learn new skills from devouring anything.

8. Knight and Magic

This isekai anime is perfect for you mecha fans. The story begins with a mecha otaku who dies from work exhaustion. He then gets reincarnated as Ernesti Echevalier, in a world full of magic and giant humanoid robots known as Silhouette Knights.

Due to Ernesti's love for mecha in his previous life, he is determined to create the best Silhouette Knight of his own. In this isekai anime, it also contains a very exciting and tense war conflict.

9. Re: Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

Re: Zero is the second most popular isekai anime behind SAO due to its unique story.

The main character, Subaru, suddenly moves to another world. On Subaru's first day in the cruel new world, he gets killed by someone. He has his real power unlocked after his death -- he is able to restart his life from certain moments, just like in video games where the player gets to use the save-and-load feature whenever their character dies.

10. No Game No Life

No Game No Life boasts an unpredictable story plot, quirky animations, cool background music, and characters are developed in detail. You will love this series from the first episode.

Sora and Shiro are two hikikomori siblings. They are invited by the god Tet to move into a world where all the rules are determined by games. As the leader of the human race, Sora uses his skills and cunning in strategy and Shiro with calculations to defeat the leaders of other races. The goal is only one, to lead the human race to the pinnacle of civilization.

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11. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, also known as Mushoku Tensei, is a Japanese light novel series written by Rifujin na Magonote with illustrations from Shirotaka. This series is quite successful and loved by many people because it presents a quite unique isekai theme.

The plot of Mushoku Tensei tells the story of a 34-year-old unnamed unemployed man in Japan.

He gets kicked out of his home after the death of his parents. After some self-introspection, he starts to think that his life is meaningless. While walking down the highway, he jumps in front of a speeding truck heading towards a group of teenagers, in a rescue attempt to do something useful in his life, he manages to pull one of the teenagers out of danger before he gets hit by a truck and dies.

Waking up in a baby's body, he realizes that he has been reincarnated in a magical world. He decides to be better in his new life, throwing away his past identity for his new life as Rudeus Greyrat.

Due to his inherited affinity and the training process he undergoes, Rudeus becomes highly skilled in the field of magic with the help of his previous life's intuition. During his childhood, he becomes a student of the demon mage Roxy Migurdia, friend of the half-elf Sylphiette, and teacher of the heir to the throne of noble Eris Boreas Greyrat. Rudeus tries his best to live this new life without any regrets.

12. InuYasha

Inuyasha is a must-watch anime. This anime is an entertaining one, with some interesting romances and fascinating characters. The story follows Kagome, who falls into a well and is transported back in time, where she encounters the half-demon Inuyasha and mistakenly awakens him from a cursed slumber.

13. The Saga of Tanya The Evil

Some isekai series boast an unusual storyline that pushes an anti-hero or outright villain as the protagonist. While the English version of Youjo Senki paints a far more sinister picture of the main character than the one in the anime. Tanya Degurechaff's aloof and cold nature makes her an interesting character, especially given the anime's grim-looking setting.

When a man on the verge of death challenges a self-appointed god called Be X, the latter is reincarnated as a girl in a war-torn world. Using her familiarity with World War II, Tanya sets out to survive and prove Be X wrong.

14. Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen

There's nothing wrong with an escape fantasy show; anime serves as a great way to briefly step away from reality and enjoy a wild adventure that knows no boundaries. Isekai has proven ideal for this, but there are some performances that go against this structure.

Urano Motosu from Ascendance of a Bookworm loves literature before she finds herself reincarnated in the body of a poor and fragile young girl named Myne in a fantasy world with clear social class divisions.

Since she didn't have access to books, Myne decides to make her own. Ascendance of a Bookworm tackles complex themes in a refreshingly mature way, while also presenting a fun protagonist driven by unique desires rarely touched in the anime world.

15. Drifters

Bringing together historical figures, Drifters is a bloody and wildly bizarre isekai series that emphasizes its absurd premise. Basically, historical figures are dropped into a fantasy world to fight over that world as Drifters or Ends.

Drifters act as a resistance against Ends' oppressive regime, leading to many awesome moments like Toyohisa Shimazu confronting the deranged Jeanne d'Arc.

16. Ya Boy Kongming!

The most pleasant surprise of Spring 2022, Yes Boy Kongming! take on a ridiculous premise. The eponymous character refers to a strategist from China's Three Kingdoms period, and after his death, Kongming gets reincarnated as himself in modern day Tokyo.

If that isn’t weird enough, Kongming becomes the manager of the aspiring singer Eiko Tsukimi and uses his brilliant mind to help her grow her following as she pursues her dream of becoming a superstar.

Yes Boy Kongming! radiates positive energy from every frame, with the two leads cultivating a heartwarming relationship that brings out the best of both worlds.

17. Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru

An isekai usually features a very strong protagonist who can blow up skyscraper-sized enemies while barely breaking a sweat. When the goddess Ristarte summons Seiya to help him save a world on the verge of collapse, she finds a hero who only wants to plunge into threatening situations when victory is 100% guaranteed. Basically, this means lots of practice and absolutely no risk during combat.

Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious is a lighthearted adventure built on the love/hate dynamic between Seiya and Ristarte. Driven primarily by humor, the anime uses its protagonist's unique mindset to create comedic moments.

18. Hataraku Maou-sama!

Who could have guessed that a show about the Devil working in a fast-food chain parody would be so much fun? By creating fun and engaging characters, The Devil is a Part-Timer! has risen to the top of many isekai anime fan favorite lists.

19. Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun

Iruma Suzuki is the most unlucky 14-year-old kid. His family's fortune deteriorates, so his parents sell him to the devil. To his surprise, Iruma finds that life as the grandson of the demon school's headmaster is much better than it sounds.

Still, as a human living in the Netherworld, Iruma has to convincingly portray a demon or he might end up being someone's supper.

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun is a complete shonen story that manages to deliver action, comedy, romance, and adventure.

20. The Vision Of Escaflowne

Vision of Escaflowne was an amazing series when it first launched in 1996, but its age doesn't reduce its appeal. Hitomi Kanzaki finds herself in a strange world full of mecha called Gaea, with sophisticated architecture that feels both familiar and foreign, and lots of political intrigues.

Vision of Escaflowne balances various genres while trying to cater to both male and female audiences. This isekai anime offers action, adventure, and romance; more importantly, it juggles these elements very well. The animation, while clearly out of date, is also consistently stunning.

21. Hai To Gensou no Grimgar

On the surface, Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions seems like any other game-themed anime: teenagers wake up in a strange world built on MMO tropes and they have to survive to make it through.

The thing that sets Grimgar apart from most anime is that while the world may be based on an MMO, it's not governed by their rules. A minor threat in another anime can be deadly in Grimgar, and death isn't something that can be simply ignored.

22. Demon King From Today!

Demon King From Today! tells about a character named Yuri Shibuya who often gets bullied. The hardships he experiences cause him to get teleported to another world. Shortly thereafter, he is crowned Demon King, a role that places him squarely in the middle of the demon world's tense relationship with humans.

23. Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play

Fushigi Yugi is a classic film that is still entertaining to watch even today. Miaka stumbles upon a book that sends her to another world, and she soon learns that she is a priestess who holds an important role in governing the gods.

24. Now And Then, Here And There

Now and Then, Here and There is a great option for anyone looking to take a break from the isekai fantasy. The ordinary boy Shuu meets a mysterious girl, and gets taken away by a terrifying monster to a desolate reality, and then spends roughly the next 13 episodes traversing hell.

25. Digimon Adventure

A beloved classic that introduced many children to the world of anime, Digimon Adventure rarely gets a mention on lists of the best isekai anime series, perhaps because most people watched it before they even knew the term.

While the event spends most of its time in the human world, Digimon Adventure mostly revolves around the DigiDestined' time in the Digital World.

This anime blends action, drama, humor, and character development to create an epic journey that continues to be celebrated more than two decades after its end.

26. Sonny Boy

A group of students are sent to a foreign island, and some of them develop supernatural powers. Naturally, this affects the dynamics of the group as well as the balance of power between them.

Sonny Boy is unpredictable, with the series has some underwhelming episodes. This anime also leaves some questions unanswered.

27. Otherside Picnic

Tells the story of a student named Sorawo Kamikoshi who enters another world where the legends of society and the internet really exist. In that world, she is saved by a mysterious girl skilled in using firearms named Toriko Nishina. The two girls finally decided to explore the mysterious world full of these mythical creatures. Even though they initially have different motivations, they start exploring the world together and do their best to survive in this dangerous realm.

28. Magic Knight Rayearth

A classic anime, Magic Knight Rayearth is certainly more than a remnant from the past. Three school girls are teleported to Cephiro, a world that emphasizes one's will, and they quickly find themselves on an adventure to save a princess.

In its early episodes, Magic Knight Rayearth keeps things relatively safe, delivering a lighthearted action-adventure narrative with quirky characters, intense fight scenes, and hilarious villains. As the story progresses, the anime gradually becomes darker.

29. The Eminence In Shadow

The Eminence in Shadow is the best new isekai anime of Fall 2022. After meeting Truck-kun, Cid awakens in a fantasy world that allows him to pursue his dream: to become a mastermind pulling the strings from the shadows.

Since this society has not a hidden organization, Cid chooses to create a secret heroic team designed to combat the rotten cult. To maintain the ruse, Cid pretends to be a commoner in public.

30. The Twelve Kingdoms

Based on the popular novel series by Fuyumi Ono, The Twelve Kingdoms is a phenomenal work of storytelling. While the novel focuses on many kingdoms inspired by Chinese Mythology, the anime narrows it down to the kingdom of Kei.

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