Summary
Isekaiis a genre of anime known for new worlds, fresh adventures, and an opportunity for an anime studio to includeexciting art and animation in their story. Nothing feels more exciting than a character coming from a world they’re familiar with and stepping into an entirely new environment, usually with new rules to boot. Protagonists, likeNatsuki Subaru from Re: Zero, usually start their lives in Japan before getting “isekai’d” (often with the common trope of being run over by a truck, known by fans as “Truck-kun”) andtransported to wild new lands.
These lands usually include magical beasts, people with animal features, and even spells and special abilities that the protagonist can use. No matter how safe or dangerous an isekai world may be, they’re usually very interesting to explore and even just to look at. With the right studio, an isekai anime can have some of the mostcrisp and seamless art and animationof any genre.
10Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy Puts More Focus on the Protagonist’s Original World
Misumi Makoto Brings Japan to the Goddess' World
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasyis an exciting take on the isekai genre. While it does a lot of the things you’d expect from an isekai (overpowered protagonist, a harem of overpowered women, etc.), it does so with agood art style and reliable storytelling. The show is filled with lovable side characters that keep things interesting and a band of main characters that drive the story forward with some force. Where the show can really shine, however, is in its animation.
As Misumi Makoto is from Japan, he brings a lot of his homeland with him. Nothing looks better than seeing an anime protagonist break out a suit ofGundam-esque power armorin a feudal isekai society. C2C, the studio that animatedTsukimichi, did an excellent job capturing just how absurd the series can be. They also did a great job with fellow isekai animeShagri-La Frontier, creating a great contrast between the normal world of Japan and the world the protagonist finds himself in.
9Overlord Makes the Villain the Protagonist
Ainz Ooal Gown Makes His World His Own
Overlordis one of thedarkest isekais around— and that’s a good thing. While other characters are tasked with saving the world, Ainz Ooal Gown does what he wants. Unfortunately, for any who consider standing against him, that could mean their destruction.Overlord’sdarker tones, coupled with lighthearted motifs, create a very interesting isekai with a wide range of colors, scenes, and themes. When Ainz is in his headquarters of Nazarick, the show is dark, foreboding, and threatening.
When Ainz dawns his adventurer costume and becomes his alter ego Momon, however, the show returns to its basic isekai roots. The scene that was once filled with death and decay is replaced by a bustling medieval-style town, fit with all the street vendors the early 1300s probably had. This juxtaposition between light and dark givesOverlordsomething most other isekai animes don’t have: variety.
8No Game No Life Is Still One of the Most Original Isekai
10 Years After its Release, NGNL is Still King
No Game No Lifewas released over 10 years ago and is still one of thefreshest isekai in the genre. While its story is incredibly unique, its art style is another huge plusNo Game No Lifebrings to the table. The show is saturated with hues of red and pink, giving the Disboard world the characters find themselves in a soft and rose-like quality.Everything feels like a dream in Disboard(or a nightmare depending on the game), and the two main protagonists, Sora and Shiro, need to do what they can to navigate their rose-colored environments.
While other isekai are set in worlds relatively similar to Earth,No Game No Lifecreates an entirely new realm to explore. Disboard is a world scarred by the Great War fought by those on the Old Deus. Sora and Shiro can see evidence of the war at every corner while they play their game and animation studio Madhouse did a great jobbringing both the excitement and despair to life.
7That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Goes Back to Basics (in a Good Way)
Art is a Matter of Utmost Importance in Tempest
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slimeis another example of an isekai anime that includes a lot of the staples of the genre in a fresh way. Main character Rimuru Tempest is nearly immortal and is stillfinding new powers every day, creating a whole new definition for the word “broken”. The series shines through Rimuru’s efforts in building a nation, which of course makes for an expansive and fascinating setting, but the animation ofSlime’sfights is second to none.
One of the best in the series isthe first fight between Hinata Sakaguchi and Rimuru Tempest. Up until this point in the series, Rimuru has been nigh untouchable. Hinata realizes she has to go all out if she’s going to defeat the leader of the monsters, so she uses the most powerful spell in her arsenal, Disintegration. The ability rains from the sky like a light show and colors Rimuru is a plethora of bursts of energy.
6Saga of Tanya the Evil is Brutally Compelling
Youjo Senki is a Fresh Take on World War I
Saga of Tanya the Evilis very different from most other isekai anime for a variety of reasons: the main character was reincarnated as a vicious little girl, the isekai world is closer to World War I than a nice medieval fantasy, and much more. The World War I setting may seem like an odd choice for an anime at first, butSaga of Tanya the Evilknocks it out of the park.
Saga of Tanya the Evilis primarily set in a desert, butthe series never feels dry. Tanya is constantly at her enemies' throats, either battling brutally in midair or engaging in somehow even more brutal battles on the ground. Battles feel fresh thanks to unique animation from NUT and powerful-looking spells and armaments. Tanya can even gun down her enemies with a submachine gun in one hand, showcasing both her brutality and NUT’s excellent art style.
5The Eminence in Shadow Reveals the Beauty of Darkness
Art and Animation at an Atomic Level
The Eminence in Shadowis another exceptional isekai animethat takes power fantasy to a whole new level. LikeOverlord, The Eminence in Shadowis an anime thatshowcases the beauty of darkness, if the title wasn’t enough of a tell. Shadow, the protagonist of the series and leader of Shadow Garden, drapes himself and his allies in a viscous black material that can adapt at a moment’s notice. It gives the series a cool edge to it that other isekai lose through their vibrant color palettes.
When Shadow isn’t hiding in the night, he’s facing enemies head-on. Shadow’s ultimate Atomic abilities are absurdly strong and visually stunning. He has a combination of Atomic attacks meant to decimate and disintegrate just about anything he wants. When Shadow uses his I… am… Atomic attack, the result is always as visually stunning for the fans as it is devastating for his enemies.
4Konosuba’s Art Leverages Its Comedy Perfectly
Konosuba’s Facial Expressions are Amazing
The art and animation inKonosubaare unique because the series isn’t focused on battle. It’s a series focused on everyday life and comedy shenanigans, and the art reflects that in the best way possible. The story ofKonosubais told through its characters and their incredibly telling facial expressions. When Kazuma is upset, when Aqua wants a drink, or when Megumin is regaling her fake tales of gallantry, their faces tell an entire story.
When Kazuma and his gang are in battle, however, colors are bright and vivid. Other characters are also very expressive, which adds to both the show’s humor and overall animation. The best animated explosions in all of anime might be Megumin’s inKonosuba,where the Crimson Demonlights up the sky with a colorful explosionbefore devastating her target and anything even remotely close to it.
3I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince Has Impressive Art Direction
Using Old Tropes in a Good Way
7th Princeis a fresh and exciting isekai (or tensei, meaning “reincarnation”, to be specific) thattakes old tropes and gives them a new spin. The newly reincarnated 7th Prince Lloyd is a phenom at magic and his spells look incredible on screen. Whether he’s casting a multi-colored barrier for protection or a flame spell mixed with an earth spell to create a magma monster, the animators at Tsumugi Akita Animation Lab make it look amazing.
New Isekai Anime Just Proved A Major Problem With Long-Term Storytelling
I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability’s success can be compared to Hunter x Hunter’s failure.
The best looking moment in7th Princewas Sylpha’s fight with the 8th Class Demon. The swordsmanship on display was already impressive when the Prince’s maid took the animation to the next level. Before the 8th Class Demon could use his strongest attack, Sylpha used her Leading Tiger Bite, showing off the move in a cool 360-degree camera spin anddestroying her opponent for good.
2Re:Zero Stands Out Thanks to the Scale of Its Enemies
Brutal Beauty in Another World
Re:Zerois an incredibly unforgiving anime for a show about a man who comes back to life after he’s killed. It’s set in a visually stunning world filled withsecrets, mysteries, and a lot of death. WhereRe:Zerostands out from other isekai, and other anime in general, is its scale. It presents monsters and enemies on a near unfathomable level, allowing animators at White Fox to bring behemoths to life. These massive monstrosities are wonderful to look at - if you’re not in the way.
Re:Zeroalso animates the most depressing feelings in the best way possible. If other isekai shine through their vibrancy,Re:Zero’sgreatestvisual strengths lie in its melancholy. The deep red of blood on the down-pouring snow when Puck decapitates Subaru is a sight nobody is soon to forget.
1Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Is the Most Artistic Isekai
Stunning Visuals Across Every Environment
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnationdoes a lot of things right. It has great characters that are easy to follow, a well-developed plot, and the best art and animation of any isekai anime. Whether Rudeus Greyrat is fighting monsters in the desert,saving his mother in a labyrinth, or even attending classes at Magic University, the art inMushoku Tenseiis second to none.
Rudeus Greyrat has been gifted magically since he was a baby. His first use of magic was blasting a hole in his family’s home. Now, he’s freezing entire dungeons to get (one of) his ladies back. No matter when he used his magic,Studio Bind made sure the animation popped,bringing life to the show. Colors and art in general inMushoku Tenseireveal an amount of care and artistic sensibility that, unfortunately, most isekai lack, giving this show yet another reason to be so appreciated.
