MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — If you are an anime addict, you will probably notice that the trend in today’s anime series is isekai where the main character is transported to another world or of a parallel world.
This is most likely through reincarnation or by being summoned through a ritual or by being trapped in a video game.
What makes this parallel world special is that magic here is as basic as breathing, and those persons transported to this world most likely now have insane powers, which they can further develop by usually killing different kinds of monsters.
Isekai, this subgenre of the Fantasy genre in anime (a style of Japanese and television animation), has produced some great anime series that I believe have stood out among the rest.
Here are some isekai series worth spending your time with or that you can binge watch on.
1) “Tensei Shitara Slime Data Ken” or “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime”
Rimuru Tempest | Image credit: tensura_official Instagram
This anime starts with Satoru Mikami, an office worker in Japan, who got stabbed, died and was reincarnated as a slime into another world of magic, storm dragons, ogres, goblins, direwolves, dwarves, dryads, orcs, and demon lords, among others.
His journey to become Rimuru Tempest, the strongest leader of these monsters, is one great anime story to watch.
2) “Tate no Yūusha no Nariagari” or “The Rising of the Shield Hero”
Image credit: shieldheroanime_official Instagram
This anime is said to be based on isekai light novels, and it is one story with a dark theme.
In fact, following the journey of the main character, Naofumi Iwatani, as the Shield Hero is akin to seeing the protagonist being thrown into a bad dream that you think he cannot wake up from.
How he became the strongest among the four cardinal heroes even with only a shield as his weapon makes this anime series worth really watching for.
The twists in the story, the betrayals, the being made an outcast and how the Shield Hero, turned into the strongest of the heroes make this isekai series one that you should not miss to watch.
However, I would only recommend the first season, which I can really say was done like a masterpiece.
The second season was, for me, overstretching things. It seemed like being summoned to another world and then going to another parallel world is like a bad script of a Marvel multiverse movie.
But if you can get over that feeling, then the second season of “The Rising of the Shield Hero” may also be be an entertaining watch for you.
3. “Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou” or “Arifureta: From Commonplace to the world’s strongest”
@ARIFURETA_info
This is another good isekai anime series to put on your anime bucket list that you can binge watch on. It has action and more action with a sprinkling of dry comedy in its episodes.
This is a story of 17-year-old Hajime Nagumo, one of the weakest and bullied students of his class, a situation which also carried over to the world where the whole class was summoned.
However, his fall into the depths of the labyrinth as the whole class went to practice there to hunt monsters changed all that.
The series then picked up its pace after that fall, and it continued with Hajime’s transformation from a mere weakling to a boy with monster and godlike powers.
From there, it was non-stop action in almost every episode as Hajime together with his two female allies battle and kill anyone who gets in the way of Hajime’s goal to return to Japan, no matter what — that he even will kill the gods if they will get in his way.
4. “Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu” or “Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy”
Image credit: tsukimichi_PR Twitter
I highly recommend this isekai. This one has a slightly different comedic twist to what the isekai trend is.
As in most isekai, the protagonist is overpowered. But what makes this a slightly different isekai is that Makoto Misumi, the main character, was summoned and then rejected to become a hero by the Goddess of Light, mainly because he was not handsome.
He was thrown to the dark region of that parallel world instead where monsters and dragons live.
Makoto’s journey in that dark world really makes for one good anime story.
This isekai is full of action, yet it gives a lot of laughs to those watching the anime, provided by Makoto’s allies who compete for his affection.
This is a refreshing change from all that serious slam-bang action stuff of some isekai series.
5. “Sodo Ato Onrain” or “Sword Art Online” (SAO)
Image credit: sao_anime_official Instagram
It is said that this isekai, based on light novels, started the modern isekai series.
It is a story worth watching for—with the premise of the series is being able to survive after being trapped in a virtual game world.
This story has romance, action, despair, and twists in the plot that can really surprise one in the end.
The story focuses on Kirigaya Kazuto or Kirito, and Yuuki Asuna or simply Asuna as they struggle to survive being among the 10,000 people trapped inside the Sword Art Online game world.
Kirito, a double sword wielder; and Asuna, an expert on the rapier; became friends, fall in love as they continue to find a way out from being locked inside this virtual game world.
Some isekai mentions
These are just five of the good isekai that one should watch if you are an anime addict or one who has just started watching anime.
Other notable isekai mentions are “Overlord,” “How a Realist Hero Rebuilt a Kingdom,” “The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Artistocrat,” “Knights and Magic,” and “How Not to Summon a Demon Lord,” among others.
If you are an anime addict, and you most likely have seen these isekai gems, then watch it again. You’ll find out that there are always new things or new perspectives that you may learn or discover from watching it for the nth time.
If you are new to watching anime, then power up your gadgets, sit back or lie down on your bed, and start watching these five isekai shows. You won’t regret it. Enjoy!