Summary
The explosion of the isekai genre after the success ofSword Art Onlinehas led to a wave ofmore self-aware, comedic entriesinto the genre. Shows likeKonosSubatook the genre in a fresh new direction, inspiring a wave of isekai parodies likeCautious Hero: The Hero is Overpowered But Overly CautiousandDo You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?.
Soon enough, though, these self-aware parodies of the isekai genre became cliché as well, and many fans started craving more serious isekai shows. These anime are more focused on drama than comedy and deconstruct common isekai tropes instead of parodying them.
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongestfollows Hajime Nagumo, a high-school student who gets transported to a fantasy world along with his classmates. While his classmates receive powerful abilities, Hajime gets a weak transmutation skill, and after being betrayed by one of his classmates, Hajime decides to take revenge.
The show has a dark and dramatic atmosphere, focusing on revenge and overcoming adversities. While the anime’s picture dramas are more comedic, the main series isone of the edgier entriesinto the isekai genre.
Grimgar: Ashes and Illusionsfollows a group of strangers who wake up in a fantasy world with no memory of their past lives. They are forced to band together to survive and get by in the world of Grimgar.
The series takes a more realistic approach to the isekai genre, featuring the main characters struggling to adapt to their new reality instead of being overpowered. The story is character-driven, focusing on the protagonists' emotional journeys, as they grapple with their new surroundings.
A unique isekai that blendsfantasy with military fiction,GATEis about a mysterious portal that opens up in modern-day Tokyo, connecting the city to a fantasy realm. Creatures and soldiers from the realm emerge, attacking Tokyo, leading the Japan Self-Defense Forces to be called in to repel the invaders.
While the series does have a few comedic moments to provide levity, they don’t detract from the overall serious tone of the story, delving into themes like war, political intrigue, and cultural clashes.
The Rising of the Shield Herotells the story of an otaku named Naofumi Iwatani, who gets summoned to a fantasy world along with three other men to become the world’s Cardinal Heroes. They are given different weapons to battle monsters known as Waves, with Naofumi being bestowed with, as the title would suggest, a shield.
The series is heavily driven by themes of betrayal and redemption, with Naofumi’sfirst experience in the new world being a false accusation. His journey involves significant emotional struggles and dealing with prejudice, all while trying to survive in a hostile environment.
Now and Then, Here and Thereis an early deconstruction of the isekai genre. It follows a cheery high school boy named Shu who istransported to a post-apocalyptic worldafter trying to save a mysterious girl named Lala-Ru. Unfortunately for them, the world is a hellscape where water is scarce and children are forced into military service.
Now and Then, Here and Theredeals with themes of war, child exploitation, and survival in a dystopian world. It’s a series that explores the psychological impact of such an environment on the characters and makes the viewer think about the consequences of war.
Driftersis about various historical figures who are transported to an alternate world at the moment of their deaths. The world in question is embroiled in a massive conflict between two factions — ‘Drifters’ and ‘Ends.’
Created by the same person behindHellsing,Driftershas asimilarly serious and intense narrative, with morally gray and complex characters. There are comedic moments in the series, but they tend to be rather dark and may be jarring for some viewers.
The Saga of Tanya the Evilfollows a young soldier named Tanya von Degurechaff, who was a cynical Japanese salaryman in her past life. A god-like entity named Being X, angered by his lack of faith, punished him by reincarnating him as a little girl in an alternate world reminiscent of 20th-century Europe.
The anime has a heavy focus on military strategy and the harsh realities of war. With a morally ambiguous protagonist and a subtle critique of Japanese society,The Saga of Tanya the Evilis more thought-provoking than most isekai.
Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another Worldfollows a shut-in NEET named Subaru Natsuki who is suddenly transported to a fantasy world. Unlike other isekai protagonists, he doesn’t become overpowered but instead gains an ability called ‘Return to Death,’ which allows him to rewind time by dying. This leads to him enduring great pain throughout the series just to change the course of certain events.
Re:Zerois one of the most well-known deconstructions of the isekai genre, featuring a protagonist whostruggles greatly in his new world, dealing with the psychological toll of sacrificing himself repeatedly to save his comrades.
