The isekai genrehas received a lot of attention over the past decade. This development is partly due to the genre’s intriguing stories that drops a regular character into a brand new fantasy setting, and interestingly depicts how they interact with otherworldly beings and adapt to their varying customs. However, due to the constant release of titles that lacked any real individuality, creators began finding new ways to make their stories unique and exciting.
This change brought about a new wave of series, each possessing distinct features exclusive to them. Unlike anime with dark themes like Overlord or high school protagonists like Subaru from Re:Zero, these isekai titles focus on the lighthearted aspects of their stories while featuring protagonists old enough to be considered adults.
"Adult" protagonists in this list are characters well above the age of 18 before reincarnation, regardless of their new age and appearance after emerging in a new world. Furthermore, a nime with adult characters but dark undertones like Overlord will be excluded as the focus will be on lighthearted and fun isekai titles.
12 How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom
At the start of the series, the main protagonist Kazuya Souma was a fresh high school graduate who planned on attending college and becoming a civil servant. However, he is suddenly summoned to another world by the king of a nation called the Elfrieden Kingdom.
The king informs Kazuya of his intentions to sell him to another kingdom due to their bankruptcy. However, Kazuya convinces the king to allow him solve the nation's crisis while performing an active role, leading to his appointment as the new king. The anime follows the journey of Kazuya as he resolves multiple issues plaguing the kingdom and its people. He is a caring and considerate king, always going to great lengths to address the needs of his subjects, paying mind to every little detail that might inconvenience even a single individual.
11 I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level
Azusa Aizawa was formerly a regular office worker who unfortunately passed away due to overwork. She was reincarnated afterward and, as the title implies, achieved an absurd level of power after spending 300 years of her new life killing slimes. She is mainly pictured with a relaxed attitude; however, she is greatly troubled whenever she feels a threat to her now peaceful life.
Many shows with an overpowered protagonist tend to follow a certain rhythm, but this slice-of-life approach to the popular trope that firmly deviates from the norm. It focuses on the relationships Azusa has formed and not the foes she has conquered. The story is filled with amusing and wholesome moments as it continually follows Azusa on her many adventures with her new family.
10 Kemono Michi: Rise Up
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Kemono Michi is most likely one of the weirdest anime you’ll ever come across. It is an isekai centered around the life of a pro-wrestler named Genzo Shibata, who has an unnatural love for animals. After being summoned to another world to curb a monster infestation, he goes as far as to suplex the princess responsible for summoning him because he considers monsters the same as animals.
Genzo doesn’t put much thought behind many of his actions and is mainly driven by his extreme desire to protect and domesticate animals. He even opens a pet shop and gathers many companions who are of bestial descent. Now, the rogue hero spends his time rescuing animals, bringing home new pets, and embarking on dangerous adventures that perfectly align with his passions.
9 Demon Lord, Retry!
The main protagonist of the series Hakuto Kunai is one of the more older-looking characters on this list. He was summoned into a game that he created himself without any idea of who summoned him or why he was summoned. Despite this, he quickly adjusts to the situation and embarks on a quest to find whoever was responsible so he can return home.
The story is set in a classic fantasy game world with holy maidens, evil cults, and demon lords. It possesses a somewhat lighthearted tone, regardless of the many battles Hakuto engages in. In this title, a lot more attention given to the new relationships Hakuto forms and how he manages his already existing ones.
8 GATE
The series' main protagonist Yōji Itami is a member of the JSDF and was a part of the group sent into the gate for reconnaissance. The gate is a portal to another world and it first appeared while Yōji was in its vicinity. However, warriors that emerged from the gate indiscriminately attacked civilians, and this event led to orders from the Japanese government requiring the investigation of the gate and apprehension of those responsible for the attack.
Yōji was assigned as the commander of the Third Recon Team in honor of the actions he took to subdue the attackers on the day of the gates' first appearance. He is a relatively laid-back individual who is seen to have a serious passion for doujinshi. Despite being sent to the other side of the gate, considered enemy territory, he befriends multiple otherworlders. He also has them accompany him on most of his travels, forming a family-like atmosphere with his team and new companions.
7 Combatants Will Be Dispatched!
This anime features a wide range of characters who can all be considered rather eccentric. The main character, commonly referred to as Combat Agent Six, is an agent of the evil Kisaragi Corporation that wishes to expand their current rule over earth and conquer multiple other worlds.
He is sent on an infiltration mission to an important kingdom, with the knowledge that success on this task would be a massive step towards realizing his organization's goals. Granted a remarkable cyborg to aid him in his quest, Agent Six embarks on a mission meant to involve betrayal, subterfuge, and cruelty. However, he genuinely befriends those meant to be his enemies and lives a chaotic life as a spy in the kingdom of Grace.
6 Log Horizon
Log Horizon has been one of the most popular isekai since the early 2010s. However, it is unorthodox in the way that it highlights aspects of battle not so commonly referenced in other isekai titles, having its primary focus on strategy. The main character, Shiroe, serves as a perfect representation of this. He is a calm, calculating, and good-natured man who employs profound tactics in the most unconventional ways.
It is a slow-paced series, with heavy battle scenes taking back seat for most of its duration. It instead gives more attention to the political and economic sides of the story, carefully developing its world in a dialogue-heavy fashion. As a result, it is a perfectly enjoyable show for when you want to take things slow and try something new for a change.
5 Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
The story of Mushoku Tensei follows a protagonist who is determined to make the most of his life in a new world due to his old pitiful circumstances. The former 34-year-old recluse, reborn into a small family as Rudeus Greyrat, uses his new chance at life to develop better relationships with his parents and recover from his fear of the outdoors.
After realizing he possessed a significant aptitude for magic, Rudeus’ parents hired a magic teacher to further hone his abilities, after which he was sent off to work as a tutor when he reached the age of 7. He developed a good relationship with his employers, but a disastrous incident left him deserted in an unknown land with the girl he was tasked with teaching. This served as the start of his many exciting adventures; befriending a dangerously powerful warrior, exploring new towns, fighting strong beasts, and traveling across multiple continents in hopes of one day being able to return home.
4 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
Featuring a protagonist who was transported to a new world at the age of 37, this isekai follows the story of the newly reborn slime Rimuru Tempest. Despite largely being considered one of the weakest monsters in most games, this slime possesses an uncanny set of skills that aid him greatly in his many adventures.
Using these useful skills granted to him upon arrival, Rimuru absorbs the powerful storm dragon Veldora and gains access to his earth-shattering powers. With this new power, further aided by his regular abilities, Rimuru sets out on a journey in a fascinating new world with a vast amount of unique characters, gaining countless loyal subordinates along the way.
3 The Devil Is A Part-Timer!
Sadao Maou is the main protagonist and former demon lord of this iconic isekai series. Following his defeat and failed conquest for world domination, he arrives on earth in a weakened state and in need of sustenance. He finds employment at a local fast food restaurant and properly settles into life on earth, living as a regular human being.
However, his peaceful life does not last long as he is found by the hero Emilia who refuses to forgive him for the crimes he committed in their previous world, Ente Isla. The duo are quickly joined by multiple otherworlders, some allies, some foes, each with their own reasons for acting. Despite the few fights with relatively high stakes, it is mostly a lighthearted comedy with characters who gradually develop strong bonds over multiple events.
2 Ya Boy Kongming!
As one of the standout titles from 2022s Spring anime season, Ya Boy Kongming! was a truly special anime deserving of all the praise it received. On the surface, it has a peculiar premise and a wacky title, but once you dive into it, you’re exposed to a multitude of emotions you wouldn’t have expected beforehand.
The story follows the journey of a famous reincarnated Chinese strategist Zhuge Kongming, and a troubled singer Eiko Tsukumi. Kongming immediately sees the potential in her singing and, using his knowledge from his days as a military tactician, begins to guide her on a path to reaching incredible heights. The dynamic between the two is terrific, and the music performances are even more so. There is a vibrant and colorful feel to the entire anime, which draws its audience so close in and never lets them go.
1 Uncle From Another World
In yet another novel twist to the general structure of isekai anime, Uncle From Another World tells the story of a man who is transported to another world, but had already completed his journey at the start of the series. Uncle, otherwise known as Yousuke Shibazaki, started his journey in the other world at the age of 17. Unfortunately for him, the next 17 years of his life was spent there, but his real body fell into a coma.
When he finally wakes up, he is hit with a massive shock as all the trendy things he once loved are either dying out or have died out completely. Luckily for him, though, he retains his powers from his time in the coma. He moves in with his nephew Takafumi and uses his abilities to make a living as a youtuber. The anime follows the hilarious daily lives of Yousuke and his nephew as viewers are consistently exposed to more amusing new ways he can use his powers.