Isekai anime has actually existed for decades, and Crunchyroll is home to a number of classic series worth revisiting, along with the genre’s newest instant classics. Crunchyroll’s Isekai anime library also showcases the endless creative possibilities within the genre. The best Isekai anime available on Crunchyroll includes worlds based on everything from video games to mythology, telling stories about main characters reincarnated in all sorts of strange circumstances and even “reverse iskai” story about Fantasy characters entering the real world.
The isekai boom seems never-ending, and every season brings new shows, sometimes pushing the boundaries of genre, sometimes just repeating stories that viewers are now familiar with. familiar. There’s something for every taste when it comes to isekai manga, and here are the 10 best series to watch on Crunchyroll.
10 Online Swordsmanship
Although the long-running Sword Art Online was not the first isekai series, the anime’s popularity and influence played a key role in starting the genre’s boom in the mid-2010s. concept, Sword Art Online is like a Fantasy version of The Matrix. The characters are trapped in a fully immersive virtual reality MMO by the game’s creators and forced to the top floor of the game’s dungeon to escape. Dying in the game means dying in real life, so the stakes for the character couldn’t be higher. It’s an interesting twist on the ostensibly fairly standard setting of Fantasy isekai.
9 Fushigi Yugi
Fushigi Yugi is worth watching for many reasons. Most notably, the series’ setting based in ancient China is markedly different from the typical European-inspired settings of most isekai anime. The classic series is also a fascinating period of mid-90s anime. In fact, the art style and animation of the 90s may be a bit dated after three decades, but they have a charm. undeniable lead. Following high school students Miaka and Yui as they are transported into a mythical world contained within a magical book, the plot rises to the level of an epic, epic war story with a huge cast of characters. Fushigi Yugi has garnered enough fans to be considered one of the best Isekai series of all time. It’s a great anime on its own, but it’s especially worth watching for anime fans nostalgic for the 90s, and for younger fans who may be curious about older anime dictionary.
8 Reincarnated as a vending machine, I now wander the dungeon
More and more isekai anime are making themselves stand out by introducing new twists to the reincarnation premise. Reincarnated as a vending machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon is easily one of the strangest games around. The series is aware of how strange its premise is and fully commits to it. In the darkly humorous opening moments of the series, an unnamed vending machine enthusiast is crushed to death in a tragic vending machine-related accident and immediately realizes himself is reincarnated as a vending machine, a piece of standard modern real-world technology. Fantasy world. Much of the humor, especially in the early episodes, revolves around Fantasy characters constantly being confused by how exactly a vending machine works and gradually figuring it out through through trial and error.
7 So I’m a Spider, So What?
In a way, So I’m a Spider, So What? basically a Slice of Life series. An explosion at a high school results in a group of students being reincarnated into the Fantasy world. While most of these students are reincarnated as heroic adventurers, the series’ protagonist is reincarnated as a low-level spider monster in one of the world’s great dungeons. The early episodes of the series follow the main character, unofficially named Kumoko, as she struggles to survive everyday life in a high-level dungeon where both other monsters and Searching expeditions relentlessly tried to kill her. The plot gradually becomes darker and more intense as Kumoko levels up and becomes stronger thanks to the countless fierce battles she survives, going from a small monster to a powerful boss-level character.
6 Lord
The world of video games is a fairly common setting in isekai anime. Many of Isekai’s main characters have lived in video games. In that regard, Overlord treads quite familiar ground. However, in terms of actual concept, Overlord changed the isekai genre by following villains rather than heroes. Protagonist Ainz is famous for being an intelligent, strong, and ruthless villain towards his human enemies. On the other hand, he manages to maintain a sympathetic protagonist due to genuinely caring for his henchmen. It’s an interesting and quite intriguing approach to the standard Fantasy Dark Lord archetype.
5 Rayearth Magic Knights
Roughly contemporary with Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth shares many similarities with the popular magical girl series, but it is set in a fantasy world rather than on Earth. Like the heroines of Sailor Moon, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are a group of shapeshifting magical girls with elemental powers that they use to fight evil. The surprise for the three heroines of Magic Knight Rayearth is that they have been transported to a Fantasy world called Cephiro. Like Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth has some surprisingly dark moments while still maintaining an overall eerie tone and sense of humor. The isekai premise allows Magic Knight Rayearth to establish a unique identity compared to other magical girl series, giving the series more of an adventurous aspect than the popular Magical Girl series other.
4 Great Jahy will not be defeated!
Great Jahy will not be defeated! Easily one of the best reverse isekai series in recent years. Most of the series’ great sense of humor comes from seeing an over-the-top, stereotypical fantasy villain like Jahy doing everyday things like hunting down grocery deals or arguing about her rent and salary, and dealing with those mundane things. , as well as her ongoing mission to restore the Dark Kingdom, with all the seriousness of an epic quest. For a series whose main character is the Dark Lord, it’s incredibly relatable and surprisingly heartfelt. Jahy’s group of friends, most especially her Boss, are some of the kindest characters in anime and are a steady source of support through the many frustrations and annoyances of Jahy’s daily life.
3 Rise of the Shield Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero’s greatest strength is the unique sonic identity it has established for itself. Dark Fantasy itself is nothing new when it comes to anime, but isekai series are fairly light adventure stories with comedic elements or parodies of the Fantasy genre. As a Dark Fantasy series, The Rising of Shield Hero is a welcome change of pace in the genre. While the dark and cynical tone may turn off some fans of the series, The Rising of Shield Hero is undeniably a smart spin on the isekai premise. After having his reputation unjustly ruined, Naofumi chooses to deliberately cultivate the image of an amoral anti-hero for himself, making him much darker than typical Fantasy heroes.
2 That time I was reincarnated as a Slime
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is perhaps the best example of an isekai series that balances seriousness and humor. For the most part, Rimuru’s adventures and interactions with other characters remain humorous, although there are some extremely dark moments along the way and a fairly realistic depiction of both violence in virtual world and real world. Notably, one of the characters was reincarnated from the real world in the Fantasy world of the series by being killed in the bombing of Tokyo during World War II, and the bombing is depicted realistically. real on screen. These darker moments are uncommon and never feel gratuitous because they are immediately and vitally relevant to the plot and the characters’ backstories. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime takes itself seriously enough without falling too dark for its own good or becoming a parody of itself.
1 KonoSuba
KonoSuba has become one of the most popular isekai anime series and it’s not hard to see why. KonoSuba is not only one of the funniest isekai anime series, but also one of the funniest anime series overall. KonoSuba is a relentless parody of the logic of Fantasy RPG, using all the established tropes of the genre as the basis for jokes. The series’ sense of humor is phenomenal, the comedic timing is great, the contrast between the main cast’s completely over-the-top personalities and the rest of the self-centered world is wonderful, and even simple gags like quick visual gags are brilliantly executed. It’s a fun series, but the main characters still get their moments to shine, overcoming their ostensibly lousy RPG stats by using smart thinking to rack up some impressive victories. statue. With KonoSuba’s long-awaited third season scheduled to air in 2024, this is the best time to start or rewatch the series.
Crunchyroll’s massive library will keep isekai fans busy for a long time. There are plenty of excellent isekai series on offer, from nostalgic 90s classics to the most popular series currently airing. There are many different sub-genres to choose from, so fans looking for a light escapist adventure or a dark and gritty world will find them among the great variety. . isekai anime streaming Crunchyroll.