With how many superb shows fall into the genre, ranking the best isekai anime of all time has become quite a difficult task in modern years. Isekai is one of the most popular genres of anime, involving a protagonist from the real world getting transported to an alternate dimension. Despite a large amount of new entries failing to be more than just uninteresting power fantasies, there are a variety of isekai anime that transcend these tired tropes.
The beauty of the isekai genre is that it contains the potential to tell pretty much any type of story imaginable. An isekai anime could be an intense political thriller featuring various fantastical kingdoms vying for world domination, or it could be an absurdist comedy lampooning typical fantasy tropes. This means that a list of the best isekai of all time will encompass a selection of vastly different stories, but this is a testament to the great appeal of isekai's central premise.
11 The Boy And The Beast
Angry young runaway Ren finds himself in a world of animal spirits where he is hated for being human. He ends up living and training into young adulthood with the world’s other outcast, the gruff but good-hearted bear spirit Kumatetsu. Along with being one of the best isekai of all time, The Boy and the Beast is one of Mamoru Hosoda's best movies, a standout tale of found family and coming of age. Ren is reunited with his biological father, but it's the years he spent learning from his adoptive father Kumatetsu, who in turn shaped up to be a better role model for the child in his care, that turned him into a better man.
10 KonoSuba
Death is nothing like Kazuma Satou imagined: he is met by the goddess Aqua, who offers him the chance to reincarnate in a fantasy world with the destiny of saving it. Kazuma agrees, dragging Aqua in alongside him! KonoSuba has amassed a devoted fan base for its parody approach to the genre, making fun of usual isekai tropes far more than it plays them straight. For instance, rather than being a revered prophetic hero and his noble magic-wielding companion, Kazuma is usually just the butt of everyone's jokes and Aqua is more likely to make fun of someone than help them out.
9 The Vision Of Escaflowne
Hitomi Kanzaki never paid much mind to her occasional visions of the future…until a vision showing her life turned upside down by a dragon-slaying prince comes true. Transported to the world of Gaea alongside Prince Van, Hitomi must help him learn the secrets of the Guymelef mecha. Escaflowne became one of the hits of the nineties for its thrilling story, beautiful animation, and above all, top-tier execution of the isekai genre and all its tropes. It's also one of the few isekai to combine medieval fantasy with the mecha genre: two opposites that normally would not go together at all, but feel natural here. All of this makes The Vision of Escaflowne not just one of the best isekai series, but one of the best 90s anime series in general.
8 Fushigi Yuugi
Miaka and Yui's lives change forever when they are sucked into an ancient library book. Meeting a young warrior named Tamahome is just the beginning of their harrowing journey, as they are caught up in a brewing war. One of the highest-rated isekai on MyAnimeList, Fushigi Yuugi began airing in 1995, and its influence can be seen in many isekai that came out in the almost thirty years since, such as the stranger from Earth being the subject of prophecy and use of Japanese and Chinese legends and mythological creatures to enrich the new world. Its complex story, memorable characters, and mature tone keep it a classic isekai that many fans still regard as one of the best.
7 Ascendance Of A Bookworm
Dying in the real world, Urano Motosu wishes to be reborn, so she can keep reading. She is, but there’s a catch: it’s in a world at a level of technology before the dawn of the printing press, so books are incredibly rare. While some viewers are turned off by its slow pace, others who aren't looking for action find it refreshing to follow an isekai protagonist who aspires to be a librarian rather than a warrior. Urano — now an adorable kid hero named Myne — is determined to spread literature throughout her new world even if she has to hand-copy every single book she’s ever read by memory, a noble goal whose execution is interesting to follow.
6 The Twelve Kingdoms
Youko Nakajima doesn’t have to die to be transported to her fantasy world, but it isn't more pleasant when a strange creature appears to her, declares his eternal loyalty, and whisks her away. Twelve Kingdoms takes a much more grounded approach to the typical isekai premise despite its prominent magical and fantasy elements, with each society and its politics being thoroughly explored. Youko herself goes through a dynamic transformation from a frightened teenager to a confident and wise warrior queen, mastering her powers more realistically than in a flashier isekai that just wants to rush through development to get to battle scenes, making Twelve Kingdoms one of the best series in the genre.
5 The Eminence in Shadow
Cid Kagenou was a Japanese high schooler who always dreamed of being a mysterious figure manipulating events from behind the scenes. When he is transported to another world, he is finally able to live out these fantasies, easily becoming one of his new world's most powerful figures. What makes this show different from the other generic power fantasies that plague the isekai genre is that it takes this premise to a ridiculously delightful extreme. This is what makes it one of the best isekai anime despite its seemingly trashy premise.
4 Re:Zero, Starting Life In Another World
Subaru Natsuki winds up in a world full of magic but only gains the power to return to life at a certain checkpoint in his journey every time he dies. One of the fans’ favorite aspects of this show is that Subaru’s ability to die eternally is usually played deadly seriously. Weak and unskilled, he's overpowered by terrifying beasts several times before figuring out how to beat them, leading to Subaru falling victim to some of the scariest scenes in non-horror anime. Rather than overpower Subaru like a typical isekai hero, the show instead forces him to use his wits, a refreshing change that makes it one of the best isekai anime.
3 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
Former human Rimuru Tempest meets plenty of strong characters in That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime when he finds that he has been granted immense powers of his own when he is reborn as a humble slime in a new world. Fans enjoy its lighthearted fantasy tone and colorful characters and love Rimuru for his ability to befriend everyone he comes across, from dragons to spellcasters. Rimuru's power is one thing, but it takes a backseat to his charisma, which gets him a lot further than magic and is the main reason the show is one of the best isekai anime.
2 Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skill
Mukouda Tsuyoshi joins the ranks of the best chefs in anime when he is mistakenly transported to a fantasy kingdom. Rather than join the heroes' party, Mukouda makes a living using his single special ability: buying food from Earth to cook with. Fans enjoy watching Mukouda become happier and more successful with his new enterprise than he ever was in the modern world: he's too shy and humble for the action-hero life to fit him, either. Just as popular are his answer to an adventuring party: the group of familiars that adore his food and follow him loyally, making up for his lack of combat skill in a hostile world.
1 Spirited Away
Young Chihiro ends up trapped in the spirit world, her parents transformed into pigs for stealing from the spirits and robbed of her name and memories. To return home, Chihiro draws on an inner strength she never knew she had and befriends spirits like the brash Lin and the mysterious but powerful Haku. Spirited Away's masterfully done fantasy elements and coming-of-age story, themes of connection with the natural world and one’s own self, and stunning animation make it one of the best Studio Ghibli films and easily the best of the best isekai around.
While many of the isekai that release each year are boring power fantasies, shows like the ones on this list prove the genre can have some incredible anime. It is a testament to the endless potential of the genre that the shows on this list are all incredibly unique. This is why anime fans owe it to themselves to watch each of these shows, to see the best isekai anime and perhaps change their perception of the genre.