Anime has had a great 2023. Each season delivered at least a couple of brilliant shows across a range of categories. If someone craved romance, they had multiple good-to-great series they could consume. Prefer comedy, action, or sci-fi? While some were more giving than others, each genre produced gold in some form or another. Naturally, this extended to isekai anime, which were an ever-present fixture throughout the year.
Isekai is not going anywhere anytime soon, and this overexposure has caused the concept’s criticisms to be amplified. For all its flaws, the theme has more than a few success stories to its name, and the best 2023 isekai anime serve as prime examples of its potential for greatness.
Here are the main criteria for this discussion:
- To qualify, an anime (new or sequel) must have started in 2023.
- Fall 2023 anime will be included despite having 1–3 episodes left to air. Unless they experience dramatic shifts in quality, the rankings of the two included shows are unlikely to change.
- Only series will be counted.
- The MyAnimeList scores are included as a reference, but they are not the ranking’s sole determining factor.
- As long as a series initially presents itself as an isekai, it will be considered.
7 KamiKatsu: Working For God In A Godless World
MyAnimeList: 6.75
KamiKatsu leaves a bad first impression. The animation is periodically awful, the characters are obnoxious, and the story is defined by tonal whiplash. However, after a few episodes, it becomes obvious that most of these elements are not only intentional but also, in some cases, inventive ways to get around a potentially low budget. Viewed as an irreverent comedy, KamiKatsu is an absolute delight that delivers some of the year’s biggest laughs.
Beyond its humor, the anime is an intriguing mess. Teleported to a reality where fearing death is basically outlawed, religion is nonexistent, and public suicides are a part of normal life, the shocked Yukito prays to a deity for help when he is about to be executed. To his surprise, Mitama shows up and quickly eradicates the protagonist’s captors. KamiKatsu takes this intriguing premise to plenty of unexpected places, and the story is carried by an entertainingly manipulative protagonist and a goddess who jumps back and forth between all-mighty and pathetic. Strange as it all sounds, the anime kind of works.
6 Dead Mount Death Play
MyAnimeList: 7.30 (Season 1)
On the brink of death, the Corpse God activates a reincarnation spell that causes him to awaken in the body of a recently murdered boy named Polka in modern Japan. Before long, the protagonist finds himself teaming up with a super hacker, the assassin responsible for killing his host, and Polka’s soul trapped in a toy shark. Yes, Dead Mount Death Play can be weird at times.
Airing its first cour in Spring 2023 and following it up with another 12-episode run in Fall 2023, Dead Mount Death Play is more than the sum of its parts. Although the story can be chaotic and muddled, it is packed to the brim with memorable characters, be it the necromancer protagonist himself, the zombie yandere Misaki, or the hilarious Phantom Solitaire.
5 Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion
MyAnimeList: 7.50
Based on a fairly popular web novel, Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion is a mixed bag, but the positives outweigh the negatives. Reincarnated as a side character who dies to get a novel’s main plot going, Raeliana realizes she will need to make noteworthy connections to change her fate. Consequently, she incentivizes Noah, an enigmatic Duke, to play the part of her fiancé in exchange for her preserving his secrets. While they are technically working together, these two characters are also stuck in a battle of wits; in the meantime, romance might also bloom.
The show’s opening half is fantastic, serving up a great female lead alongside an equally interesting male deuteragonist who is simultaneously a love interest and also somewhat antagonistic. However, the story loses a bit of steam in its second half when Raeliana begins to genuinely fall for Noah, causing her behavior to become far less captivating and more conventional for this type of story. Nevertheless, the central mystery around Raeliana’s murder is engaging, as is the looming shadow of the novel’s absent protagonist.
4 Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skill
MyAnimeList: 7.67
2023 produced quite a few relaxing isekai anime that venture into slow-life territory, and while most of them were watchable, they were also generally forgettable. Campfire Cooking is pure comfort food in the most endearing way possible. Tsuyoshi is summoned to a fantasy world to serve as its hero, but he is relieved from his duties when his summoners learn that his unique ability involves ordering items from an Amazon-style site. Left to wander an unfamiliar world on his own, Tsuyoshi’s weak nature makes him vulnerable, although that changes when he acquires two familiars who are enamored by his cooking.
Sui, a slime, and Fel, a fenrir, steal the show, and they have a great rapport with Tsuyoshi. The former is just cuteness personified, while the latter has a refreshingly complex personality that reflects his status as one of this world’s most powerful entities. A lot of the series revolves around cooking, and the protagonist’s creations are as appetizing as any other dishes shown off in 2023. More importantly, the anime emphasizes the budding relationships between the three leads, and by the end of season 1, their friendships are 100% believable.
3 The Magical Revolution Of The Reincarnated Princess And The Genius Young Lady
MyAnimeList: 7.49
Its title aside, The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady reveals its isekai element through an almost throwaway line, and the anime starts long after Princess Anis’ reincarnation in a new world. In a world defined by magic, Anis’ lack of skill in this area puts her at a disadvantage, so she turns to science (and dreams of her old life) to make up for lost ground. She also hopes to use her experiments to make magic accessible to everyone, a goal that goes against the wishes of most of the noble class.
Proactive, funny, and intelligent, Anis is awesome and comfortably among the best isekai protagonists of 2023. However, she is not the show’s only great character, as she shares the stage with Euphyllia, a highly capable magic user who has well-defined insecurities that are challenged throughout the series. Even the antagonist, Prince Algard, gets a fair amount of development, culminating in a spectacular final clash with his sister, Anis.
2 Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2
MyAnimeList: 8.31
Love or hate it, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation always manages to stand out from the crowd. As entertaining as most isekai anime are, many of them play things a bit too safe when it comes to their main characters and storytelling structures, something that cannot be accused of Mushoku Tensei. Rudeus is perhaps the theme’s most contentious protagonist, and his behavior only improves slightly in season 2. Consequently, if someone could not stand him during the previous cours, the 2023 arc will likely not soften their opinion. His growth focuses more on his perceived self-worth rather than directly addressing his actions toward other people, and the story’s power fantasy element means Rudeus is rarely judged too harshly.
All that being said, Mushoku Tensei is a fascinating watch, and season 2 deserves praise for taking a fairly big risk. Compared to its predecessor, this entry is far more slow-paced, eliminating action in favor of some introspection and character-driven drama. This change will not be for everyone, and if someone hates Rudeus, they might struggle to sit through a season driven by the protagonist’s desire to fix his impotence. Mushoku Tensei‘s world-building is among the strongest in the isekai genre, and that is evident throughout season 2.
1 The Eminence In Shadow Season 2
MyAnimeList: 8.55
Expanding brilliantly on the first season’s ideas, The Eminence in Shadow is, arguably, the most fun isekai anime of the last few years. Cid is an overpowered protagonist who is fully aware of the tropes that come with such a role, and he revels in playing the part of Shadow. However, his “mysterious” act often leads to misunderstandings with not only his enemies but also his companions, powerful members of Shadow Garden who are forever striving for Cid’s approval.
While starting well and ending strongly, season 1 struggled to balance its massive cast at times, resulting in quite a few shallow characters who were barely distinguishable from each other. Consequently, Shadow carried the season on his back. Although Cid is still very much the star of the show, The Eminence in Shadow season 2 shines a brighter spotlight on the supporting figures, granting them room to grow outside the protagonist’s shadow. This resulted in a more well-rounded package that balances comedy, action, world-building, and drama incredibly well. The humor might not be for everyone, but The Eminence in Shadow is not only the best isekai anime of 2023 but also the most complete.