Highlights
- Dive into vibrant, charming isekai worlds full of endless possibilities with various genres like action, comedy, and character-driven plots.
- Despite overpowered protagonists, most isekai anime lean into drama, whether combat-based, romantic, or political, creating a captivating escape.
- Not all isekai shows are worth watching, but By the Grace of the Gods presents a different take with likable characters and solid world-building.
Love or hate them, isekai anime can offer a great escape from reality. When done right, they whisk viewers away from their everyday routines and drop them into vibrant, charming, and fantastical settings that hold endless possibilities. As “isekai” is just a theme, these types of stories cover a wide range of genres and tones. Some series focus on extreme action (Ishura and Drifters), others are outlandish comedies (KonoSuba and The Eminence in Shadow), and a few are character-driven studies (Mushoku Tensei and Re:Zero).
Even if the suspense is undermined by overpowered protagonists, most anime lean into drama, be it combat-based, romantic, or political. Only a few isekai shows purposefully strip themselves of tension, opting to create a carefree atmosphere where everything will always work out fine. And, only a handful of these anime are worth watching.
5 By the Grace of the Gods
A Blessed Life
By the Grace of the Gods tends to divide people. It is either the dictionary definition of wholesome or a boring slog with an insipid story that slowly goes nowhere. In truth, both views are valid, and someone’s reaction will likely come down to expectations. Many isekai anime are power fantasies featuring over-worked protagonists who are gifted a rewarding second life, and By the Grace of the Gods just opts to go down a different route than an OP MC who can one-punch every monster in their path.
During his past life, Ryoma suffered from severe loneliness; consequently, when it comes time for his reincarnation, the gods stack the deck in his favor to ensure he leads a peaceful and social existence. The result is a life defined by good fortune, affable interactions, and success. While not the most exciting journey, By the Grace of the Gods is a fun escape with likable characters and decent world-building.
4 I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level
A Peaceful Immortal Life
Another overworked protagonist, Azusa is rewarded with immortality for her second life, an opportunity she uses to craft an anxiety-free existence. Her daily routine mostly involves killing a few slimes, interacting with the locales, and just generally keeping away from any potential conflict. Unfortunately, after a few hundred years of grinding, Azusa has leveled up so much that she becomes one of the most powerful witches in the world, which naturally attracts unwanted attention.
While her peaceful life is technically threatened, Azusa’s days are generally tension-free, with any dramatic situations being mostly played for laughs. Due to being a slice-of-life comedy, I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level largely revolves around Azusa’s daily misadventures, none of which challenge the protagonist in any way. Before long, the show becomes almost an ensemble comedy as the focus shifts to Azusa and a few other girls, creating an almost found-family situation.
3 The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Running A Country Is Surprisingly Carefree
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime balances action, comedy, and drama quite well, and the sequel seasons introduce political intrigue to complement the generally great world-building. Although not devoid of slice-of-life moments, the main series has way too high stakes to qualify for this article; however, The Slime Diaries is the perfect alternative.
More often than not, spin-offs are inconsequential and designed to be completely skippable, and that technically can be said for this show. However, The Slime Diaries does a fantastic job of spotlighting the average days of Tempest citizens, telling stories that demonstrate how this inclusive society functions. As its leader, Rimuru’s hands are full, but his days are mostly filled with laughter, silliness, and sweet food.
2 Restaurant To Another World
Food For The Soul
Weirdly enough, two isekai anime exist about restaurants. Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World is a pretty good series in its own right, but Restaurant to Another World is a better candidate for this discussion. Every Saturday, an Earth-based restaurant (called Nekoya) opens its door to a fantasy world, welcoming an eclectic range of customers who wish to feast on human food.
Covering an array of races, Nekoya’s clientele have diverse backgrounds that are explored to an extent during their visits; however, they are not the show’s main attraction. Restaurant to Another World primarily focuses on food, going to great lengths to showcase and promote every dish. With a rotating cast of characters (along with a few staples) and an episodic format that generally ignores an overarching narrative, Isekai Shokudou is a consistently drama-free watch. That said, the anime follows a fairly strict format that can get repetitive, making it not that suitable to binge-watch.
1 Farming Life in Another World
Who Knew That Farming Could Be So Cozy?
When picturing an easy life, “farming” is probably not the first occupation that comes to mind. Yet, when offered the possibility to shape his next life, Hiraku asks to become a farmer. Given a few cheats to facilitate his growth, the protagonist succeeds in creating a cute and ever-expanding homestead that quickly transforms into a small village with an assortment of monsters (most of whom are girls).
Stationed in a fairly dangerous forest and having to form relationships with other cities, Farming Life in Another World sets up plenty of potential obstacles and challenges, only for them to be overcome by Hiraku’s positive outlook and general kindness. Within a few episodes, any dramatic elements fade completely away, leaving behind a cute anime about outcasts who come together to create a near-utopian society.
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