Isekai animehas been around for a very long time, with shows likeDigimonAdventureandThe Vision of Escaflownedebuting more than a decade beforeSword Art Onlinepropelled the idea into superstardom. Despite attracting a lot of criticism nowadays, isekai’s popularity cannot be denied, andevery season includes a few shows that involve characters being sent to another world(including Earth). In terms of sheer volume, the 2020s have coincided with the theme’s peak, but quantity means very little if it does not come alongside some quality.
For all the hate and ridicule it tends to get, isekai is responsible for quite a few great anime. The concept has delivered escapist fantasies, hilarious comedies, effective dramas, and even some visual masterpieces. While there have been plenty of underwhelming shows, thebest 2020s isekai animeare not only fantastic but also transcend the genre.
Here are some criteria for an anime to qualify:
Honorable Mentions
With so many shows coming out every season, not every worthwhile series can be highlighted. Consequently, let’s mention a few2020s isekai animethat are great in their own right.
A slow-burn success that picked up steam toward the end of its Winter 2024 run,The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trashis one of the most beautiful isekai anime of the 2020s, speaking purely in terms of animation. At times, the visuals look borderline movie quality, particularly the environment. On a pure presentation level, Studio Massket deserves a lot of praise for what it achieved.
Fortunately,The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trashhas a lot more going for it than just pretty animation. In a world where a person’s value is based on their skill level, Ivy, the protagonist, is marked for death by her village when she pulls the short straw. Forced to run away and start living on her own in the wilderness, the young girl makes the most of her harrowing circumstances, relying onher tamer skillsto build connections with monsters like slimes. She also has a voice in her head who provides guidance, and this element is the story’s only isekai element.
After an intense opening few episodes,The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trashsettles into a slice of life adventure rhythm that is mesmerizing.
Once lost, momentum can be impossible to rediscover.Uncle from Another Worldgot off to an extremely promising start, only for a series of delays to derail it. Haphazardly spreading its 13 episodes over eight months, this anime was old news when it finally came to a close, which is a shame as the quality of the episodes never really faltered.
After spending more than a decade being mistaken for an ogre in a fantasy world, Yousuke awoke from his coma on Earth, and he somehow retained his magical powers. Moving in with his nephew, Ojisan details his many misadventures, including multiple run-ins with a tsundere elf.
A clever blend of standard and reverse isekai,Uncle from Another Worldbalances the two sides incredibly well, with both of them producing their share of laughs. Ojisan is the star of the show, but he is surrounded by either likable or hilarious characters.
Heart-pumping action and end-of-the-world scenarios are generally great, but not every story needs them. Sometimes, nothing hits the spot better than a cozy show where nothing of particular importance happens.Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skillis simply pleasant.
While originally summoned by a kingdom to be a hero, Tsuyoshi is instantly left to his own devices as he does not seem to have any useful abilities. However, he has access to a magical shop that allows him to buy all sorts of goods, especially food. With his cooking skills, Tsuyoshi quickly befriends a Fenrir and a slime, forming an unusual party that is primarily motivated by a willingness to seek out mild adventure and a desire to eat great food.
Tsuyoshi, Fel, and Sui make for a delightful trio, and their friendship is not only believable but also grows subtly throughout the first season. It is also refreshing to have anisekai protagonist who is not OPnor completely useless.
Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skillseason 2 has been announced for 2025.
As MAPPA was tight-lipped about the story’s direction,Zenshu’s isekai leaningscame as a legitimate surprise. A superstar animator who is struggling with her sophomore effort, Natsuko does not play nice with others and tends to prefer to be a one-woman team. While eating lunch, she chokes and, somehow, ends up in the world of an anime movie that she has loved ever since she was a kid.A Tale of Perishingis infamous for having an extremely dark and confusing ending, but Natsuko hopes to use her knowledge of the plot AND a unique god-like ability to create a better ending.
Featuring a cast of fantasy characters who seem like they are ripped from the ’80s and ’90s,Zenshucomes across as a love letter to forgotten anime masterpieces of old, all the while telling a coming-of-age drama fueled by a likable protagonist. The series initially relies on spectacular visuals, family-friendly humor, and genre-bending to get by, which would have been enough to justify a recommendation. However,Zenshureally hits its stride during its final third, transforming from a decent show to one of thebest isekai anime of the 2020s.
Isekai loves its overpowered protagonists. Frankly, it can be downright difficult to find a show that does not feature an OP MC who can wreck kingdoms with a flick of his wrist. There is nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned power fantasy, but isekai does not have a particularly great track record with these types of stories. Most shows seem to either lack the budget to produce memorable action sequences that take advantage of the protagonist’s abilities or the sense of humor to emphasize the absurdity of the situation. These series also have a habit of blurring into each other.
While not necessarily bringing anything new to the genre or OP fantasies,Tsukimichiserves as a prime examplethat this formula can work when executed well. When it comes to “safe” isekai anime with decent characters, action, comedy, and world-building,Tsukimichiis one of the genre’s most well-rounded options of the 2020s, and it even managed to produce a sequel season.
More often than not, isekai is predictable. Familiarity can be comforting, but the concept could use a few more anime that are willing to think outside the box and take genuine risks. They do not even have to be great.Sonny Boycould very well be the most polarizing isekai anime of the decade, to the point that die-hard fans of the genre are not guaranteed to love it. However, even if a viewer ends up not enjoying their time with the show, they will not forget it. That’s an achievement restricted to just the best and worst isekai anime.
Aclass of students is teleportedto a strange reality that exists out of time and space, and some of them start to develop powers. Eventually, they begin to visit other worlds, with these episodes usually highlighting a few characters. There are in-fighting, philosophical quandaries, subtle and obvious metaphors, and a loose art style that is quite captivating.Sonny Boycan be an exhausting watch that threatens to feel pointless, but it is also fascinating and occasionally rewarding.
With 48 episodes spread over three years and four seasons,Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnationhas been a constant presence throughout the 2020s, and the anime is not done yet. A bullied neet gets a fresh chance when he reincarnates as a baby named Rudeus in a fantasy world, and he retains most of his previous bad habits and unflattering tendencies. As he grows up, Rudy gets to experience all the dimensions of life, be it the dizzying heights of young love or the devastating lows of tragedy. He goes on great adventures, meets valuable allies, barely survives against god-like threats, gets married, suffers great loss, and even spends a few months in a school dealing with ED.
Mushoku Tenseiis divisive. Rudy’s behavior during the first two seasons can be hard to stomach, making him an interesting but not necessarily likable protagonist. He does change as the story progresses, but his journey might not be one that everyone is willing to experience in full. Looking beyond Rudy,Mushoku Tensei’s scope, world-building, storytelling, and willingness to take chances put it well above nearly every other isekai anime in existence.
The Eminence In Shadowis pure awesomeness. Parodying isekai stories with OP protagonists, this anime manages to work as both a comedy that pokes fun at genre conventions and an unapologetic celebration of the same tropes. Cid wants to be the puppeteer who protects society from the shadows, but he dies before he can achieve anything. Fortunately, he starts anew in a world where magic exists; more importantly, he has the power to achieve his goal and the unintentional charm to attract an army of women who are willing to die for him. Although he believes they are just playing along with his childish fantasies, Cid leads Shadow Garden, an organization designed to fight a dangerous cult.
Somehow convincingly coming across asboth a genius and an idiot, Cid is always and forever entertaining. His chunibyo-driven antics materialize in scenes that are gloriously over-the-top and frequently hilarious. Although initially overshadowed by their ridiculous master, Shadow Garden’s members come into their own nicely during season 2, eventually becoming strong characters. While humor is its main point,The Eminence In Shadowalso has fantastic action, comfortably among the isekai genre’s best.
