Isekai anime are inescapable. Without fail, every season includes a few shows that send their protagonists to alternate worlds filled with magic, wonder, danger, elves, and dungeons. Oftentimes, these average guys (or gals, rarely) gain incredible abilities that allow them to lead carefree lives defined by wealth, freedom, power, and harems. Occasionally, they find themselves stuck in a dark fantasy realm where one false move could spell their end. Love or hate them, these series are popular and are here to stay.
As overexposed as this concept has become, isekai anime have an undeniable charm to them, even the so-called "trashy" ones. Even at its worst, this theme can still work as a tension-free escape from reality that asks nothing from viewers. Conversely, the best isekai anime are fantastic works of art that offer adventure, comedy, action, world-building, character growth, and stellar animation. To simplify the rummaging process, let's highlight isekai's greatest animated efforts.
Updated on January 11, 2026, by Mark Sammut: The new season is slowly starting to release episodes, and most of Winter 2026's isekai anime have debuted. While it is way too early to rank any of them, we can at least recommend a few of them for anyone looking to expand their simulcast lineup. A section dedicated to Winter 2026 isekai anime has been added at the end of the article.
Reverse isekai anime deserve their own article.
Why This Isekai Anime List Matters In 2026
Isekai has been arguably the biggest genre in anime since roughly 2015, and each season adds at least half a dozen new shows. Yes, the concept feels like it has been stagnant for years, and many isekai anime seem happy to just recycle the same themes, concepts, and archetypes. As frustrating as it can be at times, safe stories will never fully go away as they minimize risk, something all studios need to take into account if they want to stay afloat.
Every New Isekai Anime Announced For 2026
2026 will be filled with otherworldly adventures, as the year is packed with isekai anime that will strive to entertain or bemuse audiences.
The thing is, like any other genre, isekai is constantly evolving, and in 2025 alone, we saw more series than usual that are willing to explore darker themes or challenge conventions. Due to the sheer volume of isekai anime out there, a high-quality show that takes no chances will be forgotten quicker than a middling anime with a unique hook. As much as I try to find the good in every new isekai, I cannot recommend that anybody else watch every seasonal show that covers the theme, many of which have no staying power. Burnout will set in quickly, and you will end up hating the concept sooner rather than later.
I have been updating this article since 2021, and I've watched hundreds of shows during this time. Yes, there are plenty of terrible stories that helped make isekai synonymous with trash; however, there is a lot of good out there as well. This list serves as both a celebration of the greatest isekai anime but also as a guide to help you avoid isekai fatigue.
Beyond just pinpointing the best shows, this article also highlights isekai's underrated range, as we have classic fantasy, dark fantasy, military, slice of life, comedy, drama, action, and so on.
This ranking reflects cultural impact, staying power, and influence on the modern isekai boom, not just popularity at release.
45 I'm In Love With The Villainess
MyAnimeList: 7.35
I'm in Love with the Villainess
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2023 - 2023
- Network
- Tokyo MX
- Japanese Title
- Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou
- Studio
- Platinum Vision
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Inori
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Villainess stories are starting to become commonplace, with most seasons seemingly producing a new variant. I'm In Love With The Villainess presents a nice twist on this formula since the protagonist awakens as an otome game's heroine rather than its villainess; however, she decides to romance the latter rather than any of the reverse harem's male candidates.
Inori's manga and light novel are both highly regarded, setting the stage for a potentially brilliant anime; ultimately, the adaptation fell slightly short of expectations, but it was still solid. Although the humor can get repetitive since jokes tend to follow a similar setup and payoff, in a vacuum, the punchlines are funny. Rae and Claire have a fun dynamic right from their first scene together, and their one-sided love affair is gradually shifting from stalker-ish behavior to something a little more wholesome.
44 Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious
MyAnimeList: 7.48
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 2, 2019
- Japanese Title
- Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru
- Studio
- White Fox
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator
- Light Tuchihi
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Isekai loves an overpowered protagonist who can blast through skyscraper-sized enemies while barely breaking a sweat. When the goddess Ristarte summons Seiya to help her save a world on the brink of annihilation, she gets a hero who is only willing to dive into threatening situations when victory is 100% assured. Basically, this means a lot of training and taking no chances during battles.
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious is a mostly lighthearted adventure built upon the love/hate dynamic between Seiya and Ristarte. Driven primarily by humor, the anime uses its protagonist's unique mindset to produce comedy gold.
43 Ishura
MyAnimeList: 6.68 (Season 1)
Ishura
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2025-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Passione, Sanzigen
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Keiso
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
As isekai anime have a habit of playing things too safe, a show that is willing to take risks should be commended. However, just because something is different does not automatically make it good, and Ishura does not leave a great first impression. In a world with many Visitors and other superpowered entities, city-destroying conflicts are always on the horizon, especially since the True Demon King's death left a power vacuum.
Ishura is structured unusually for not only an isekai but also anime in general. Rather than focusing on a single character, the show dedicates the first five episodes to introducing different OP archetypes, dedicating about 10 minutes to each. As these stories are only loosely connected, the first half of season one is confusing and hard to follow. However, things come together nicely in the second half, when all these characters clash in a war between two empires.
Although not devoid of world-building or political intrigue, Ishura's selling point is its fights pitting overpowered characters against each other, and the roster is diverse and absurd. Season 2 is a bit more focused than its predecessor, but it mostly exists for the same reason.
42 KamiKatsu: Working For God In A Godless World
MyAnimeList: 6.71
KamiKatsu: Working For God In A Godless World
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 6, 2023
- Japanese Title
- Kaminaki Sekai no Kamisama Katsudou
- Studio
- Studio Palette
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Aoi Akashiro
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
The son of a cult leader, Yukito, is killed by his father as part of a ritual, and he reawakens in a world with no concept of gods. Although not as exciting as he was hoping it would be, Yukito eventually comes to see his new life as a big step up from his previous existence; however, that changes when he learns that two of his friends have been chosen to be killed simply because they fear death. A lack of spirituality has, for some reason, spawned a society that treats death as a mundane event and villainizes anyone who does not share that mentality. Luckily for Yukito, his former cult's deity pays him a visit.
A Spring 2023 anime, KamiKatsu might as well be called Tonal Whiplash: The Anime, and that is somehow a compliment. The series jumps back and forth between fairly juvenile comedy and shockingly dark scenes, and the story's frantic pacing means these moments can take place within the same minute. Depending on the viewer, this isekai anime could be deemed awesome or terrible, but almost nobody will find it boring.
41 From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated!
MyAnimeList: 7.43
From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated!
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2025 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC
- Japanese Title
- Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Ojisan
- Studio
- Ajia-do
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Michiro Ueyama
- Streaming Service(s)
- HIDIVE
Nowadays, every season seems to include a villainess isekai anime, and Winter 2025 was no exception. Fortunately, these shows have been consistently decent, and From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated continued that trend. In fact, this series is one of the better representatives of this subgenre, largely thanks to a delightful protagonist and a fun twist on the otome game formula.
A dad in his 50s, Kenzaburou meets truck-kun and reincarnates as the baddie of an otome game. While he has fragments of memories of his daughter playing the game, Kenzaburou has to mostly rely on his parental instincts to navigate the challenges of adolescent relationships and prejudice. While trying to set up a romance for the game's heroine, he inadvertently sets the stage for a reverse harem for his character. In a refreshing twist, the anime also jumps back to Earth to show Kenzaburou's family, and they end up contributing in their own ways.
40 .hack//Sign
MyAnimeList: 6.94
.hack//Sign
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 4, 2002
- Directors
- Kōichi Mashimo
- Writers
- Kazunori Itô
- Number of Episodes
- 26
- Creator(s)
- Kazunori Itô
While far from the first to tackle the concept, .hack is generally regarded as the ancestor of video game-focused isekai anime like Sword Art Online. However, most of the anime are not part of the genre, since they usually do not revolve around characters who are trapped within a game. The main exception is .hack//Sign, the first anime set within this universe.
At its core, this story is about Tsukasa, a boy who is trapped within the virtual world of an MMO. While this premise might conjure up memories of dozens of subsequent shows, .hack/Sign has a wildly different tone than most of its successors. Moving at a purposefully slow pace, this isekai anime is surprisingly contemplative and mysterious, opting to ask challenging questions rather than provide satisfying answers. The result is a polarizing show that is ambitious but not necessarily all that entertaining.
39 So I'm a Spider, So What?
MyAnimeList: 7.45
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
- January 8, 2021
- Japanese Title
- Kumo desu ga, Nani ka?
- Number of Episodes
- 24
- Studio
- Millepensee
- Based On
- Light Novel & Novel
- Creator
- Okina Baba
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Hey, not everyone gets to reincarnate as a powerful human with ties to nobility. Some folks must draw the short straw, and Kumoko gets the worst of it when she starts a new life as a spider. Yes, the poor girl is just an ordinary monster, albeit one with a pretty high power ceiling. Focusing on dungeon crawling, Kumoko sets out to become her best spider-self, all the while making a few notable friends along the way.
4 Most Terrifying Spiders In Anime
Spiders can be off-putting for many people. These terrifying arachnids in anime are certain to keep fans up at night.
So I'm a Spider, So What? Is a show of two halves. Whenever Kumoko takes center stage, the anime is fun, light-hearted, and even quite epic. She is an awesome MC and carries the show on her back. Unfortunately, the series is pretty evenly divided between Kumoko and the human characters (some of whom were also isekai'd), and the latter's storylines and scenes are nowhere near as captivating.
38 My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
MyAnimeList: 7.45 (Season 1)
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2020 - 2021
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta
- Studio
- Silver Link
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator
- Satoru Yamaguchi
- Number of Episodes
- 24
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
While it might not seem that obvious at a glance, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Is one of the most important isekai anime of all time. Similar to the light novel medium, this project helped propel villainess stories into the mainstream, triggering a new era of dominance that is still going strong years later. Nowadays, nearly every season seems to include one show featuring a woman reincarnated as an otome game's female baddie, and My Next Life as a Villainess got the ball rolling in a big way.
Due to the influx of similar series, Catarina's journey might not seem all that special nowadays. Like many influential anime, My Next Life as a Villainess is the prototype of this subgenre, one that sets the basics that many of its successors follow. After regaining her memories of a past life and realizing she is a villain who will die sooner rather than later, Catarina sets out to rewrite her destiny, a process she accomplishes through her irresistible charm and positive attitude. She enjoys a bit of romance, develops a harem, and even gets to occasionally show off some cool magic.
My Next Life as a Villainess is just fun, and a lot of that comes down to Catarina. She is just relentlessly endearing, and she has to genuinely work to protect herself during the first season. The sequel is not quite as good since it lacks any real tension, but it is still decent.
37 Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke's Mansion
MyAnimeList: 7.53
Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2023 - 2023
- Japanese Title
- Kanojo ga Koushaku-tei ni Itta Riyuu
- Studio
- Typhoon Graphics
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Based On
- Manhwa
- Creator
- Milcha
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
After being pushed to her doom, Rinko awakens as a supporting character in a fantasy novel she once read. To make matters worse, her host, Raeliana, is destined to meet an untimely end at the hands of her fiancé. As Rinko would very much like that not to happen, she sets out to strike a deal with the powerful Noah, a duke who appears charming and noble but is really quite devilish and complicated.
Best Anime Based On Manhwa, Ranked
Solo Leveling is not the only great anime based on a South Korean manhwa, and it has competition for the top spot.
Raeliana/Rinko carries the entire show on her back, and she is more than strong enough as a protagonist to bear the burden. Smart without being omnipotent, Raeliana works as a surrogate for the audience while also having a clearly defined personality that elevates her beyond self-insert leads. Noah is also fun and mysterious, with his actions and motives being difficult to pin down.
36 The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic
MyAnimeList: 7.53
The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Streaming Service(s)
Out of Winter 2024's many isekai anime, The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic has been the biggest surprise. The show follows Ken Usato, who is summoned to another world alongside two classmates. While the latter were picked as hero candidates by their summoning kingdom, Ken was just an accident, although he proves to be a valuable ally as he is capable of using healing magic. Before long, Ken finds himself under the tutelage of Rose, a terrifying leader who plans to whip her new student into a soldier.
The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic is a show of two halves. The first couple of episodes lean heavily into comedy, and they are consistently funny thanks to Rose's intimidating demeanor and Ken's hilarious reactions. As the season has progressed, the humor has subsided in favor of drama courtesy of a pending war with demons, which is now in full swing. Although arguably better as a comedy, The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic works quite well as an action drama, even if the animation could be slightly better.