Isekai is a fertile ground in the world of anime and manga, making audiences never seem to get tired of discovering new adventures. There, the main character is transported to another world, each time with a more creative twist than the last.
It’s as if viewers are in a themed amusement park, where each attraction is a new version of this idea, shining with its own color. While isekai love to take us to worlds where anything is possible, it feels like the tournament rounds have barely shown off their full potential. However, there are still exceptional works.
Below are 5 isekai anime/manga that have interesting and well-built tournaments that make the audience pay attention and watch.
5. The Eminence in Shadow
The Eminence in Shadow is a 2022 isekai anime that takes the idea of being transported to another world after an unfortunate encounter with a truck and adds a main character with ambitions far beyond the norm. . Cid Kagenou is not your typical isekai hero, he has big dreams and a bit of paranoia, as well as magical powers that aren’t for everyone.
“The Eminence in Shadow” gave audiences a glimpse of what a real tournament in this universe would be like, as Cid infiltrated an event of great importance and revealed his skills in an instant. majestic way.
4. Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online was released as a novel in 2009, with an anime adaptation released in 2012, which helped shape the isekai scene we know today. The story begins when Kirito and other players are trapped in an MMORPG, and the only way out is to defeat the final boss.
Essentially, the entire series is a survival tournament. But it’s not until season 2, episodes 8 to 13, that we get “Bullet of Bullets”, a Battle Royale-style tournament in Gun Gale Online that really shows what a tournament could be like .
3. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime created a fresh breeze for the isekai genre. The story begins with the classic premise of rebirth after an ordinary life, which turns into an extraordinary adventure. In which the main character, Rimuru Tempest, is no different from a slime with unique transformation and absorption abilities.
The most anticipated competition in the series, the Tempest Tournament, celebrates Rimuru’s rise to power in a way that only a true isekai can, with a spectacular battle to determine the strongest among number of its allies and opponents.
2. The Misfit of the Demon King Academy
“The Misfit of the Demon King Academy” takes us on a journey where traditional isekai meets tournaments. Anos Voldigold, the demon king with a heart of gold, returns 2,000 years later, after his sacrifice, to find his kingdom in chaos.
The Demon Sword Tournament is where the anime really shines, delivering an engaging storyline that spans multiple episodes and challenges the norm, by allowing the main character to defy the rules, participate, and show off his powers. really yours. It’s a compelling story about strength, strategy, and overcoming prejudice.
1. The Rise of the Shield Hero
The Rise of the Shield Hero follows Naofumi Iwatani on his unexpected journey from a reluctant hero to a protector of the innocent. This anime combines the challenge of tournaments with a deeper story of redemption and overcoming adversity.
Black Coliseum in particular is the setting in which Naofumi must fight not only for glory but also for the freedom of captured villagers, adding purpose and urgency to the typical tournament arc.