Isekai animeare inescapable nowadays. Every season seems to include at least five shows that involve characters being sent to other worlds, most of which tend to be Medieval-style fantasy realms that incorporate magic and utilize RPG-like mechanics. While they overlap regularly and are occasionally used as synonyms of each other, isekai and reincarnation are different genres. Not every isekai story involves reincarnation, and the same holds true in reverse.
While there are quite a fewisekai reincarnation anime, the selection is not as vast as some people might assume. Most shows tend to fall into just one bracket, and the vast majority of isekai series avoid having their protagonist start their new life from scratch. Let’s take a look at the best anime that satisfy both themes.
A slow-burn success story,The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trashsteadily gained momentum as theWinter 2024 seasonprogressed, eventually transforming into one of its better isekai offerings. Although it is not unusual for the theme to ignore a protagonist’s previous life,Weakest Tamerbarely mentions Ivy’s past, only revealing that she died fairly young. This creative decision complements the story’s slow-life nature and emphasizes Ivy’s innocence and lack of experience. Unlike so many isekai stories that feature children as protagonists, Ivy genuinely acts her age, with her “past” consciousness serving as a guide rather than her dominant personality.
Initially,Weakest Tamermight seem to be a dark fantasy, but that is not really the case. Due to lacking star skills, Ivy is not only abandoned by her village but also marked for death, forcing the terrified girl to run away in search of freedom and safety.Tragic as this premise is, the animequickly adopts an adventurous and curious tone, which reflects the protagonist’s demeanor. Ivy’s journey to find a community that accepts her is filled with excitement, gorgeous animation, and cute creatures.
Isekai loves its tropes, and they are popular for a good reason. A common “event” utilized by many stories is the protagonist having a pre-teleportation meeting with a god. In most cases, the deities apologize to the main characters for cutting their lives short and then offer to send them to a new world with a few cheat codes enabled. Anime likeTsukimichi,Cautious Hero, andKonoSubapresent comedic twists on this formula, typically presenting the goddess as either incompetent or awful. However, no story subverts this cliché as thoroughly asSaga of Tanya the Evil.
Needing to be punished for his lack of faith, a guy is actively killed by Being X and forced to reincarnate as a little girl in a world inspired by World War 1. Tanya, the protagonist’s new persona, must survive to live a full life to defeat god; unfortunately, that is easier said than done as she finds herself joining the military before even hitting puberty. With a unique setting and a central conflict that is quite unlike anything else in the isekai genre,Saga of Tanya the Evilis bombastic, gritty, and a thrill ride from beginning to end.
At times, it can seem like isekai light novels/manga/anime are just cycling through new professions or creatures that have yet to be covered. Before too long, these gimmicks subside in favor of a traditional story structure that plays things very safe. WhileThat Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slimefits this descriptor in many ways, Fuse’s novel played a central part in popularizing many of these tropes, and its anime adaptation showcases that predictability is only an anchor when combined with poor execution.
On a random day, Satoru is stabbed to death, bringing to an end an average life. Fortunately, the protagonist is granted an opportunity to start fresh in a new world; unfortunately, he is reincarnated as a slime, the weakest monster possible. Thanks to an ability that lets him gain the skills of monsters he consumes, Satoru quickly powers up, eventually even consuming a powerful dragon and gaining the name “Rimuru.” From that point on, Rimuru sets out to establish a new home, not just for himself but also for the various other monsters that make up this world.
In an era that has seenprotagonists reborn as vending machines, swords, and hot springs, a slime seems almost quaint. However,That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slimesets itself apart by featuring one of the strongest roster of supporting characters in the isekai genre, many of whom eclipse Rimuru in nearly every way. That said, the protagonist is nevertheless a delight, with his unflinching optimism being countered by a willingness to shed blood to safeguard his people.
A standard criticism of isekai is its bland attempts at creating “everyman” protagonists. When so many stories revolve around self-insert characters with loosely defined personalities best summarized as “ordinary,” the shows start to feel interchangeable. Just to be clear, these types of protagonists can work if they are complemented by fantastic world-building or great secondary characters, two things that are hardly common in isekai anime. For all its flaws and controversies,Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnationcannot be criticized for utilizing a nondescript protagonist. For better or worse, Rudeus is one of a kind.
After leading a less-than-admirable life, a guy dies as a consequence of performing a rare good deed. To his surprise, he awakens as a baby in a magical world, granting him a chance to grow and make amends for his past failures. However,Rudeus' former personality shines through his actions, and a lot of it is not positive. Out of all thebest isekai reincarnation anime,Mushoku Tenseidedicated the most time to chronicling its protagonist’s journey, one that has quite a bit of self-reflection and hints at maturity. The anime starts with Rudeus' childhood and slowly ages him, leading into adolescence and eventually approaching adulthood.
The Eminence in Shadowis the ultimate wish-fulfillment isekai anime, and it is completely self-aware. In normal Tokyo, Kageno wanted to guide the world from the shadows, a dream that came to an end after a collision with Truck-kun. Reborn into a world that has magic, Kageno is now Cid, a ridiculously overpowered child who grows up to (accidentally) lead an army of powerful women known as Shadow Garden. Bothintelligent and oblivious, Cidtakes on the persona of Shadow to fight the manipulative and dangerous Cult of Diablos, a make-believe organization created by the protagonist that actually exists.
An isekai parody that also works as a traditional entry in the genre,The Eminence in Shadowis stupid but glorious. Although way too overpowered to ever be in any danger, Cid’s desire to remain unknown means he constantly plays the part of an average Joe, and these moments often produce some of the anime’s biggest laughs. Compared to every otherreincarnated isekai protagonistmentioned during this discussion, Cid arguably changes the last throughout his anime; however, he is also by far the most entertaining.
