An adventure is an epic tale that usually features some sort of journey or quest in which the hero has a definite goal and deals with many challenges on the way. This can be paired with so many different genres, including isekai.
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The isekai craze has taken over the anime community and shows no signs of slowing down. That said, when an epic adventure is fused with the idiosyncrasies of isekai, it can make for a very compelling narrative indeed. There are a fair few shows that capture this feeling in particular, and they should definitely be examined.
"Adventure" is quite a vague term that, honestly, could fit most isekai anime. Therefore, we are limiting the selection to isekai adventure anime that really emphasize the "adventure" part. That is why Re:Zero, Slime, and Overlord are not included. They are all fantastic, though.
10 Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
A Chill Adventure Anime With Great Heart
Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2023 - 2025-00-00
- Showrunner
- Crunchyroll
- Japanese Title
- Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi
- Studio
- MAPPA
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
When Tsuyoshi Mukouda is transported to another world and then given the power of Online Supermarket, which enables him to buy items from the real world into the fantasy one. The show’s true strength lies in the dynamic in Tsuyoshi’s team, which comprises of the powerful Fenrir, Fel, and the cute little slime, Sui.
Tsuyoshi is able to use his cooking to capture the hearts of the inhabitants of the new world as he tries to make his way through it while preparing for what looks like a looming war. The more slow-paced progression of the story does it a lot of good as fans get to know Tsuyoshi even better and care for his companions. This isn't always the case with isekai, so having it here is always a good thing.
9 The Rising Of The Shield Hero
An Epic Journey With An Unlikely Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- January 9, 2019
- Studio
- Kinema Citrus, DR Movie
- Japanese Title
- Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Aneko Yusagi
- Number of Episodes
- 50
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Netflix
Certain isekai tropes are so common that they are practically inescapable, and you kind of have to just accept that they will usually be part of a story. Fortunately, when done well, they can elevate rather than worsen a show. For instance, the idea of a group of adventurers being summoned to another world, but one gets a skill that is considered useless. That describes The Rising of the Shield Hero, and roughly a dozen more anime.
After being banished from the land he was summoned to, he journeys with his group to stop the ‘Waves’ that threaten to bring the new world to ruin. Although the sequels are messy and not particularly highly regarded, Shield Hero has a solid opening season, and the anime never drops its adventurous tone.
8 So I’m a Spider, So What?
50% Of A Great Isekai Adventure Anime
So I'm a Spider, So What?
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2021 - 2021-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Okina Baba
- Creator(s)
- Okina Baba
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
With dozens of new isekai anime coming out per year, the genre will eventually (or already has) covered every gimmick imaginable. We have seen stories with protagonists who reincarnate as vending machines, pigs, and hot springs, so a spider is not really that strange. So I’m a Spider, So What? Is the definition of a "show with two halves," only one of which makes for a delightful dungeon-exploring adventure.
Kumoko, the newbie spider, carries this anime on her unique back, and she is hilarious, oddly relatable, and constantly encounters new threats or allies. If So I’m a Spider, So What? Consisted of just these scenes, it would be much higher up in this list; unfortunately, the anime also dedicates a lot of time to the other students who are summoned to this world, and their storyline is just not interesting.
7 Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions
A Ragtag Group Of Adventurers Struggle Through An Unrecognizable World
Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2016
- Directors
- Ryosuke Nakamura
- Writers
- Ao Jumonji
- Japanese Title
- Hai to Gensou no Grimgar
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Ao Jūmonji
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video
Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions is something of a forgotten classic and was something very different to the isekai stories that were being churned out in 2016. Unlike many of those that featured OP protagonists, the team here was anything but. Faced with the daunting task of surviving in a new world and being abandoned by those who were stronger, the rest of the kids transferred from another world had to band together.
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Grimgar really shines in its realistic depiction of an unforgiving world. The themes of grief and healing are heavy here, and to have such a nuanced take on such a difficult topic was refreshing to see in Grimgar.
6 Log Horizon
An Isekai That Focuses On Politics, Cultures, And Exploration
Log Horizon
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2013 - 2021
- Studio
- Satelight, Studio Deen
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Mamare Touno
- Number of Episodes
- 62
- Creator(s)
- Toshizo Nemoto
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Log Horizon is kind of similar to The Rising of the Shield Hero in the sense that they both followed up good opening seasons with mediocrity. Out of the two, Log Horizon is the superior show, particularly if you are looking for a story that emphasizes world-building and party synergy. In a pretty rare move, the protagonist, Shiroe, fulfills a support role rather than acting as a tank or one-person army, and his contributions stem from his class mastery and his ability to bring out the best in his allies. He is also politically savvy, an aspect that is highlighted significantly throughout Log Horizon.
Even in the weaker sequels, this anime never stops introducing new areas and intrigue, all the while shining a light on a wide range of characters rather than sticking to just Shiroe. Due to revolving around a large group of players who become stuck in an MMO's world, Log Horizon follows the main parties as they constantly try to head into unknown regions.
5 GATE
A Reinvention Of Some Isekai Tropes, And Some Reinforcement Of Others
Gate
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widgetWHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Creator
- Takumi Yanai
- Number of Episodes
- 24
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Takumi Yanai
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
One thing GATE did that was different from many shows was the strength of the normal human world it portrayed. Sure, typically, characters from other worlds are besotted with the things of the modern day. But in raw offensive power, there was usually deference to the other world.
Not so in GATE, as the JSDF, who featured prominently, were more than a match for the otherworlders. It followed the narrative of Youji Itami as he somehow became the leader of humanity’s efforts to communicate with the world on the other side of the portal.
4 Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy-
Makoto Is Building A Haven For All The Excluded
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2021 - 2024
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- C2C, J.C.Staff
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Kei Azumi
- Number of Episodes
- 37
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
When Makoto is transported to another world, he is so hated by the goddess who summoned him that she banishes him away from humanity and makes it so he would not understand their language.
Like with most isekai, Makoto becomes OP quickly, but he also wants to create a world for monsters where they can live in peace. Watching Makoto slowly build up his allies and establish a haven is a joy, and the MC is supported by characters who are competent and allowed to shine away from his shadow. While Makoto has everything one could ask for, he still comes across as a really likable protagonist who is still learning about the world's cultures, and he is not above occasional acts of stupidity.
3 The Twelve Kingdoms
They Don’t Make Isekai Like This Anymore
The Twelve Kingdoms
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2002 - 2003
- Seasons
- 4
- Studio
- Pierrot
- Japanese Title
- Juuni Kokuki
- Based On
- Novel
- Creator
- Fuyumi Ono
- Number of Episodes
- 45
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV
The Twelve Kingdoms is a rarity in the world of modern isekai, as it truly felt like an epic fantasy that did not rely on gimmicks whatsoever in its tale and was mostly grounded within the realistic rules of fantasy. The story brings to life a vast, sprawling world that is fully fleshed out. Along with being visually gorgeous, the anime incorporates a great deal of detail about the life and culture of the most relevant kingdoms without going too deep into other regions that are not really featured in the story.
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It meant that watchers got only what they needed, and the story of Youko's rise from a naive teenager to fearsome queen is something that isn't so common in isekai stories anymore. The Twelve Kingdoms came out long before isekai became a staple of the anime industry, and it was not burdened by the genre's eventual reliance on proven tropes. In fact, it has way more in common with '90s fantasy anime than 2010s isekai.
2 KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
Every Epic Journey Needs A Few Laughs
KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Studio
- Studio Deen, Drive
- Japanese Title
- Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
- Creator
- Natsume Akatsuki
- Number of Episodes
- 31
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Natsume Akatsuki
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
KonoSuba is popular for its many gags and laughs, but people sometimes forget that it is a proper adventure isekai as well. Kazuma is brought into a new world after dying in a hilariously ridiculous way. Greeted by a somewhat obnoxious goddess named Aqua, Kazuma tricks her into being his Plus One for his isekai adventure, a decision that slightly backfires as he ends up with a partner who is only sporadically useful.
Together with Megumi and Darkness, they form a party of adventurers who have a habit of getting in trouble, all the while heading towards a vague goal that should involve a demon lord. KonoSuba is effortlessly funny, and while most of the main cast are truly deplorable people, they are still characters people want to root for. The chemistry between the team and the balance in the themes of comedy and adventure make this anime a must-watch.
1 Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Mushoku Tensei Is A Modern Isekai Classic
Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- January 11, 2021
- Japanese Title
- Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Studio Bind
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator
- Rifujin na Magonote
- Number of Episodes
- 39+
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Divisive as this series can be at times, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation emphasizes the isekai adventure concept. The story chronicles Rudy's new life in a magical world that is cutthroat, as he builds a rapport with his new family and travels across the land while facing considerable threats that go well beyond his skill level. He makes allies, finds enemies, and gradually (but not completely) starts to mature, and Mushoku Tensei is just as much about Rudy's internal journey as it is about his external adventures.
What sets this anime apart from the crowd is its willingness to shake things up. Although darker than average, season 1 follows a fairly typical party-based adventure routine, with Rudy and his companions coming into contact with new cultures. Rather than continuing down this road, season 2 pulls off an audacious left turn as it ties Rudy (and the audience) to a school. "Adventure" covers more than just new regions and bombastic action; it is also about a character's journey through their life.