Isekai is one of the most saturated anime genres, and it can be tough to separate the gems from the cliches. We've gone through all the recent releases to unearth the best new isekai anime to watch right now!
Love it or hate it, there’s something special about the isekai anime genre. These shows are uniquely capable of transporting us to fantasy worlds full of fun, adventure, action, romance and so much more.
This list (in no particular order) includes some of the best isekai of the last year, with hidden gems alongside must-watch classics to tick off your watchlist!
The Eminence in Shadow
Despite first appearing in a stacked Fall 2022 anime season, The Eminence in Shadow more than held its own and is now one of the most highly-rated isekai franchises!
The story follows a boy who fantasises about being a secret hero by living a normal school life. However, he struggles to come to terms with his own powerlessness until he finds himself isekai’d.
Reborn as Cid, a noble son of the Kagenou family and blessed with incredible magical power, he has another shot at living out his dream. Cid creates Shadow Garden, a secret organisation, and the Cult of Diablos, a made-up villain for them to subdue.
However, as Cid ends up with more women joining his Shadow Garden, he discovers that the Cult of Diablos may have a life of its own.
The plot sounds a bit wacky, but The Eminence in Shadow purposely plays with the classic isekai trope of a kid’s deification. If you can connect with that alongside the school humour and large cast, it’s a series well worth watching.
After two successful seasons in 2022 and 2023, Cid is heading to theaters with The Eminence in Shadow: Lost Echoes expected to premiere in late 2024 or early 2025.
KonoSuba
Arguably the most popular isekai comedy anime of all time, KonoSuba is a must-watch for those who love isekai, and even those who hate the genre.
The story starts like any good isekai, with a young NEET male getting hit by a truck – except in this case, Kazuma is just so terrified of a slow-moving tractor that he dies from shock.
What follows is a fantasy adventure led by a cast of hopeless characters, including an arrogant but useless goddess and a wizard who can only blow things up.
While KonoSuba does feel more like a traditional fantasy with an isekai setup, it does enjoy taking apart some of its tropes, particularly through its incredibly selfish cast of characters.
KonoSuba season 3 premiered in April 2024, while there's also a movie release to check out!
I'm in Love with the Villainess
Widely seen as one of the best yuri anime of 2023, I'm in Love with the Villainess offers something different to the growing otome isekai genre.
Overworked adult Rei Oohashi spends most of her evenings unwinding with her favourite otome (dating sim) game Revolution. However, while most players are interested in matching with the Academy's male princes, Rei's heart lies with the game's villain, the noblewoman and bully Claire Francois.
One night, she falls asleep and suddenly wakes up in the world of the game as regular student Rae Taylor. Using her knowledge of the game, she strives to win over Claire's heart, much to the villain's annoyance.
I'm in Love with the Villainess is a good comedy anime that hits a lot of popular notes when it comes to isekai themes. However, it won over a lot of fans for how it portrayed life as a member of the LGBTQ community, addressing some common stereotypes and misconceptions.
The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady
The isekai element in MagiRevo isn't as pronounced as in some other anime. However, it's a very solid fantasy series that made serious waves in Winter 23 thanks to the relationship between the main characters.
Anis is the boisterous princess, foregoing her right to the throne to focus on her passion for magic, despite having no aptitude for magic herself. Her brother Algard, therefore, is forced into a political marriage with a Duke's daughter, Euphyllia.
After falling for a commoner, Algard breaks off his engagement with Euphyllia in a humiliating public display. However, Anis witnesses the event and offers her a new role as her assistant.
The organic yuri relationship that forms between Anis and Euphie created a lot of fanfare and comparisons to 2022's surprise hit Lycoris Recoil.
So, if you're looking for a fun, female-led action series, this could be something to try!
The Rising of the Shield Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero is regarded by many fans as one of the great isekai experiences of all time.
One big reason for its popularity is its rags-to-riches theme, going against the overpowered main character trait seen in many isekai stories.
Shield Hero follows Naofumi Iwatani, an ordinary boy summoned to the fantasy world of Melromarc to take the role of one of four legendary heroes, each imbued with a legendary weapon.
Naofumi is declared the titular Shield Hero, a role seen by many as weak and useless compared to the others. A big betrayal leads to Naofumi becoming an outcast, forced to build his reputation back from zero in order to fulfil his role and find a way back home.
The first season of Shield Hero is still seen as one of the best isekai series of all time. While the second season in 2022 didn't reach the same levels, the third season, aired in late 2023, was widely seen as a return to form.
A fourth season of The Rising of the Shield Hero has also been confirmed.
I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Too
Sometimes, you just need some generic, self-fulfilling isekai junk TV. We get it! Iseleve might be the perfect definition of the cookie-cutter isekai, but that doesn't mean it's not entertaining.
Yuuya is a shy kid who is bullied for his appearance, but that doesn't stop him from trying to help others. One day, he discovers a door to an abandoned house in another world, where he develops magical powers that also transform his appearance.
Now with more abilities and good looks than anyone could ask for, Yuuya starts to attract attention in both the real world and the fantasy world.
Some people have criticised Iseleve's story for how it depicts the importance of people's appearances.
However, it is still popular with fans because, sometimes, just looking at attractive characters doing cool things is fun. And often, fun is exactly what isekai is about!
Cheat Skill in Another World premiered in April 2023, and another Iseleve animation project, expected to be season 2, has been announced.
Overlord
Frankly, I would be impressed if you're an isekai fan and you haven't watched Overlord. Still, if we're making a list of the best isekai out there, Overlord has more than earned its place.
Set in the VR-MMO world of Yggdrasil, the story follows Momonga, one of the game's most powerful players. With the game about to shut down, he decides to spend the last moments online with his loyal NPC servants.
However, when the servers go offline, Momonga still finds himself in his virtual body. Not only that, the NPCs suddenly develop their own personalities and behaviors.
Seemingly trapped in a new body inside a videogame world coming to life, Momonga sets off on a journey with his crew to understand what's going on.
If you somehow haven't seen Overlord yet, it's getting the big screen treatment with the Holy Kingdom Arc movie coming out this year, so now's a great time to start!
Farming Life in Another World
Not all isekai are grand action adventures. If you want something to chill out with, Farming Life in Another World is a good slice-of-life anime in its own right.
Hiraku Machio, upon passing due to a terminal illness, is granted his dream life. Gifted an incredible shape-shifting farming tool, he is reincarnated into a fantasy forest where he can live the farm life of his dreams!
Over time, Machio transforms the forest into charming farmland, slowly developing the land into a thriving fantasy society.
With a similar vibe to chilled crafting and farming sim games, this is a great series if you want something full of soft charm!
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Mushoku Tensei's first season was released to critical acclaim in 2021, making its sequel one of the most anticipated anime of recent years!
On the surface, Mushoku Tensei's story isn't particularly unique. A mid-30s NEET dies at the hands of a speeding truck and reincarnates as Rudeus Greyrat, a young child with a particular affinity for magic.
Just as he begins to settle into his new life, a calamitous event sends him to the other side of the world, where he must fight his way back home.
While Mushoku Tensei isn't remarkable on paper, many fans have praised its emotional storytelling, with great highs and terrible lows for Rudeus, including some twists that have stayed with fans ever since.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 premiered in July 2023, while part 2 of that season began in April 2024.
Arifureta
While not getting as much hype as some other isekai on this list, Arifureta has consistently been one of the most popular new series of the last few years.
Similar to Shield Hero, Arifureta is a rags-to-riches isekai. Hajime and his classmates are transported into a fantasy world, and while many of them receive exceptional powers, Hajime gets a seemingly weak transmutation ability.
While on a dangerous expedition, Hajiime is betrayed and left for dead. While fighting for his life, a vampire named Yue – abandoned in a similar way to Hajime – decides to help him. Slowly, they form a crew as Hajime builds up his abilities and tries to return home.
Arifureta ticks off a lot of popular isekai tropes, notably an edgy main character with a harem of women in his crew. As a result, it's not a particularly popular series with people who don't like isekai.
However, many isekai fans have noted that this series does a particularly good job with those classic isekai beats. There's a reason why Arifureta Season 3 is one of the most-anticipated new anime coming in 2024!
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Slime, or TenSura, is one of the most recognisable isekai anime around. It's also one of the biggest, with multiple seasons and a movie now part of the franchise!
Satoru, an ordinary salaryman in Tokyo, is murdered and isekai'd into a fantasy world as a weak slime monster. However, he has a unique skill which allows him to take on the skills of whatever he devours.
Befriending a powerful dragon named Veldora, the slime is blessed with the name Rimuru Tempest and sets off on a journey to make the most of his new life.
Nation-building is a big part of TenSura, which gives it a sense of growth and development that few other isekai can match.
Instead of bouncing from one mission to the next with a core following, Rimuru's focus is largely on the community he finds himself in. Slowly, his crew grows larger until he basically controls a whole civilization and army of fellow monsters!
TenSura's third season is airing as part of the Spring 2024 season.
No Longer Allowed In Another World
Arguably the most anticipated new isekai anime coming later this year sees Osamu Dazai, Japan's famously bleak cultural icon, get the isekai treatment!
In Isekai Shikkaku (a play on Dazai's famous novel Ningen Shikkaku), one of Dazai's suicide attempts ends with him being isekai'd into a fantasy world. Instead of being the gallant hero their world needs, Dazai is more interested in finding a way to die once more.
Based on a manga series of the same name, Isekai Shikkaku looks set to be a bleak rendition of comedic isekai tropes. Hopefully, the interesting setup will add something new to the world of isekai comedy!
Re:Zero
Re:Zero is one of the best isekai anime of all time, and with a third season arriving in Fall 24, it's a great time to jump in if you're yet to start.
In this series, Subaru is magically transported into a fantasy world. However, unlike many isekai protagonists, he is seemingly given no skills. Trying to become a hero for a mysterious girl named Emilia only leads Subaru to an unpleasant death.
That's when Subaru discovers his magical ability to return to a moment in the past upon being killed. Armed with second chances, he endeavors to keep Emilia safe.
Similar to other big-hitting isekai like Mushoku Tensei, Re:Zero is excellent at moving from light-hearted comedy to heavy-hitting drama. That being said, Re:Zero is certainly darker than the average isekai.
Subaru's psychological torture plays a big role in the series as he witnesses himself and his friends suffer various gruesome deaths, giving the series a slightly grittier edge than others on this list.
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
Tsukimichi seemed destined to be a one-season wonder. However, the show's surprise second season this year reintroduced this hidden gem for new isekai fans.
Unlike the most common isekai method, Makoto is actually sent to the fantasy world by his parents as part of a contract they signed long ago.
There, Makoto meets a goddess who, disgusted by his appearance, banishes him to the furthest wastelands with the cursed ability to speak all monster languages but no human ones.
However, Makoto also awakens to incredible magical potential and slowly wins the adoration of various demons, including a mythical dragon named Tomoe and a much-feared spider named Mio.
Working alongside various monsters, Makoto builds a community while trying to discover the secrets behind his parents and, ultimately, get revenge on the goddess.
Tsukimichi, like many great isekai anime, does a great job of balancing fantastical drama with down-to-earth comedy.
Despite having an OP protagonist supported by two similarly overpowered monsters, Makoto, Tomoe and Mio are surprisingly normal in the way they interact together.
The comedy series thrives off the irony that, despite being super powerful and trying to live relatively quiet lives, they frequently get pulled into strange schemes concocted by lesser characters.
I hope this list has helped you to find a new isekai anime to watch! If not, check out our more specific lists, including the best isekai anime with romance, or the best reverse isekai anime to watch right now!
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