Isekai anime bring novelty to the table, offering viewers an escapist fantasy and a much-needed break from mundane reality. While the Isekai genre comprises plenty of diverse settings, the most common ones seem to revolve around MMO-style fantasy worlds. Be it Virtual Reality games or worlds with MMO settings, the concept has an alluring appeal for those fond of gaming, evident from the genre’s massive fanbase.
However, video games and MMOs aren’t the only type of popular Isekai settings, as medieval timelines and parallel worlds take center stage in many well-written and promising anime. Such settings give way to mature themes and intricate narratives to easily find their place within the premise, resulting in some very refreshing themes.
7 Kyou Kara Maou
Each series has its own novel method of Isekai travel, with some employing the use of reverse summoning, secret portals, or simply getting hit by everyone’s favorite truck. However, none come close to the absurdity of Kyou Kara Maou’s distinct method of alternating between the two worlds. Yuri Shibuya, the series’ protagonist, finds himself in a strange world after having his face shoved into a public toilet.
In a surprising turn of events, Yuri is deemed the Demon King in this new world, suddenly embroiled in keeping peace between humans and demons. Kyou Kara Maou is one of the few Isekai series that allow characters to go back and forth between the two worlds, therefore keeping some semblance of reality intact. The series also revolves around a few shounen-ai (boys’ love) themes resulting from the misunderstandings between Yuri and Wolfram.
6 The Vision Of Escaflowne
The Vision of Escaflowne is a 90s classic Isekai, revolving around the conflict-laden world of Gaea, a parallel planet to Earth. The story follows Hitomi Kanzaki and her sudden arrival to this odd yet somewhat familiar planet. With political tensions on the rise between the Zaibach Empire and its surrounding nations, Hitomi becomes the centerpiece to quelling an imminent war.
The series caters to a wide range of audiences as several mature themes have been embedded within the plot. From romantic subplots to political commentary, the Vision of Escaflowne never misses with its nuanced storyline and fleshed-out characters.
5 Now And Then, Here And There
Now And Then, Here And There follows a grim narrative of war and slavery, depicted by the dystopian world trapped in an ever-lasting conflict over water, a scarce and precious resource. Shu gets teleported to this post-apocalyptic world when he tries to save a mysterious girl named Lala-Ru from abductors from the other world.
Unlike other Isekai anime where the protagonist gets to live a care-free life of fantasy, Shu finds himself in a despair-ridden wasteland with no hopes of returning home. A ruthless dictator captures him as a slave and uses him as child labor. Now And Then, Here And There depicts the dark side of Isekai, centering around the adversities brought on by war such as famine, sexual crimes, slavery, and child labor.
4 Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun
After being sold off to a demon by his negligent parents, matters seem to be grave for 14-year-old Iruma Suzuki. However, Iruma soon realizes that being adopted by a demon headmaster isn’t so bad after all. He finds himself enrolled in the Babyls School for Demons with a class full of demon kids.
But there’s a catch; no one must know he’s human, otherwise the consequences will be dire. Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun mixes up Isekai with romance and comedy, giving way to a wholesome anime with a bit of everything.
3 The Devil Is a Part-Timer!
The Devil Is a Part-Timer! is a rare reverse-isekai, a type of Isekai series where a character from another world finds themselves on Earth. In this case, Demon Lord Satan escapes to modern day Tokyo after being pushed out of his home world by hero Emilia.
Without magic powers or loyal followers, Satan (now Sadao Maou) is forced to take on a part-time job to survive. The story explores the whims of navigating through the real world as an unskilled part-timer, reframing the entire Isekai concept with a refreshing take.
2 Inuyasha
While popularly categorized as a shoujo romance series, Inuyasha is indeed an Isekai series. The story follows Kagome Higurashi, a young girl from modern day Japan that travels back in time to medieval Japan, although in a slightly different world with demons and spirits.
With the revelation of being the reincarnation of a warrior priestess, Kagome partners up with a half-human, half-demon boy named Inuyasha and sets out on a journey to find the Shikon Jewel’s pieces. Despite being a series from the 90s, Inuyasha’s popularity still seems to be going strong as the franchise’s fan base continues to expand.
1 The Saga Of Tanya The Evil
The Saga of Tanya the Evil is a melting pot of grave subtexts and mature themes, with the grim reality of war at its core and the relevance of faith questioned throughout its run. After an atheist Japanese salaryman finds himself at the brink of death, time stops and an entity claiming to be God appears before him.
Unamused by his remarks, the being reincarnates the salaryman in an alternate world as an orphaned girl in Imperial Germany, set during World War I. The series explores some heavy themes such as war crimes, the need for religious values, and above all, the ruthlessness of war.