Spring 2022 has been great for anime, especially when it comes to isekai shows. Nowadays, it is basically a given that every season will include a couple of series about characters being whisked away to other worlds, but Spring has delivered quantity and quality. It is not just that these isekai anime are pretty good, but they are also different enough from each other to stand out, be it through their settings (Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs), disarming protagonists (Skeleton Knight in Another World), or blending of genres (Ya Boy Kongming!).
The Executioner and Her Way of Life has a stellar twist on the isekai concept as it takes place in a world with a long history of summoning people, some of which receive powers that can cause widespread devastation. Consequently, Menou works as an assassin who specifically eliminates otherworlders, with her current target being a girl named Akari who seems to refuse to die. So, they go on a journey together to fix that.
Surprisingly gory and packed with mystery, Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road has been a fun ride so far. Here are some anime like The Executioner and Her Way of Life fans should try.
6 Talentless Nana
Japanese Title | Munou na Nana |
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Studio | Bridge |
Where to Stream |
Most of the similarities between these two shows subside after the first episode, however, fans of The Executioner and Her Way of Life should still check out the entirety of Talentless Nana. In the latter's universe, certain teenagers have powerful abilities stemming from humanity's need to develop a defense against strong enemies. Naturally, not everyone has these special powers, creating something of an imbalance.
Talentless Nana takes place in an academy filled with these singular students, although there are some exceptions. Graphically violent and fond of throwing out plot twists, Talentless Nana is quite a ride.
5 The World's Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated In Another World As An Aristocrat
Japanese Title | Sekai Saikou no Ansatsusha, Isekai Kizoku ni Tensei suru |
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Studios | SILVER LINK. & Studio Palette |
Where to Stream |
While their stories are quite different from each other, The World's Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat and The Executioner and Her Way of Life are both isekai anime that focus on assassins who are committing kills to protect their respective worlds. In the former's case, Lugh Tuatha Dé is that figure, a deadly assassin who gets a chance at a second life if he can take out his new world's hero.
The World's Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World has plenty of satisfying action and secondary characters, while the show also dedicates a decent amount of time to showing Lugh's growth as a person.
4 Re:ZERO -Starting Life In Another World-
Japanese Title | Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu |
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Studio | White Fox |
Where to Stream |
Except for Sword Art Online, Re:ZERO is probably the most well-known modern isekai anime, and it is also among the best. Subaru is suddenly teleported to a fantasy world, and while initially excited by the prospect of playing the hero, the protagonist quickly realizes that one wrong move could result in a vicious death. Luckily, Subaru can reverse time by reviving at a previous checkpoint.
Re:ZERO is very much its own beast with no direct isekai peers, and the anime is quite slow-paced compared to The Executioner and Her Way of Life. However, both series can get incredibly dark, involve characters with time-manipulating abilities, and explore the political climates of their fantastical worlds.
3 Drifters
Japanese Title | Drifters |
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Studio | Hoods Drifters Studio |
Where to Stream | N/A |
A short-lived anime that desperately needs a second season, Drifters teleports prominent figures from history into a fantasy world. Then, it divides them into two teams and tells them to wage war. They are more than happy to engage in some bloody and ferocious fights.
Drifters is over-the-top, gory, and irresistibly entertaining. The anime blends action and comedy, arguably managing the tonal shift a bit better than The Executioner and Her Way of Life.
2 Assassination Classroom
Japanese Title | Ansatsu Kyoushitsu |
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Studio | Lerche |
Where to Stream | Adult Swim (Season 2), Crunchyroll, DirecTV (Season 2), Funimation, Hulu, Spectrum (Season 2) |
Menou wants to find a way to kill Akari, and if she has to die, the latter wishes it to be at the hands of the assassin. This goal guides their journey, inspiring many of the discoveries revealed in the anime so far.
Assassination Classroom is another show about a seemingly indestructible being who purposefully surrounds himself with hopeful assassins. Koro-sensei's relationship with his students serves as Assassination Classroom's heart in the same way that Menou and Akari's blossoming friendship fuels The Executioner and Her Way of Life.
1 Log Horizon
Japanese Title | Log Horizon |
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Studios | Satelight & Studio Deen |
Where to Stream |
Log Horizon is in many ways the prototypical isekai anime. Abruptly unable to log out of Elder Tale, an MMORPG, thousands of players must find a way to exist within this fantasy world. One such person is Shiroe, a veteran player who prefers to assume a supportive role in battle rather than fighting on the front lines.
Log Horizon focuses heavily on the "real" people's attempts to adapt to their new home, which includes living alongside NPCs. Conversely, The Executioner and Her Way of Life envisions a world greatly influenced by the influx of summoned Japanese people. Both anime study the impact isekai'd folks can have on the society they join.