Isekai is one of the most popular genres in anime. Due to its popularity and endless possibilities, a few isekai titles are always released every season. Following the reincarnation trope, the protagonist could be reborn as overpowered, weak, poor, rich, or simply non-human. Plus, they have their memories intact, which adds to their experience in dealing with new environments, people, and situations.
Anime fans can also brace themselves to explore new worlds and settings carefully crafted from scratch. Shapeshifting is another popular superpower being explored in such a series. Whether for aesthetic purposes or as a power play, shapeshifting opens a new door of possibilities in the exciting genre. Here are the best isekai titles where the protagonist transforms, shapeshifting into people, creatures — even objects!
7 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
Shapeshift Into Monsters MC Has Devoured
37-year-old Satoru Mikami meets an untimely death while meeting his junior coworker in public. In his dying moments, he complained about a few things that a mysterious being turns into skills. As a result, Mikami gets one of the most powerful skills: devouring anything and being able to shapeshift into it and use its abilities. Reborn as a slime, he traverses through the new world and becomes friends with the Storm Dragon, Veldora. Eventually, he becomes the most powerful slime and embarks on a journey to make this new world welcoming to all monsters, humans, and other beings alike.
Hardly any anime fans do not know about That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime. It ticks off most boxes regarding being one of the best anime in plot, characters, and world-building. Plus, the protagonist is amicable, calculative, and intelligent about his actions. He also succeeds in recreating many items from modern Earth to build his monster nation, the Jura Tempest Federation. Although he often switches between his slime and human form, he shapeshifts into various monsters in the early episodes.
6 Re: Monster
Shapeshift Partly Or Wholly Into Monsters MC Has Eaten And Also Evolve As He Levels Up
Tomokui Kanata meets an untimely death at the hands of one of his trusted aides. However, he is reborn as a lowly goblin in another world. Fortunately, he retained his previous skill along with his memories, which grants him a random skill from anything he eats. Ultimately, he goes on to level up and eat new monsters in a new world to become stronger than his past self.
Re: Monster is a recent isekai anime with a creative concept on par with That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime. However, they can’t really compare it in plot, character, or setting. Although the protagonist has a clear goal for what he wants, some fans may find the pacing confusing. Despite that, Re: Monster is still a great anime with a unique premise. Like Rimuru (That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime), Goborou (Re: Monster) can also shapeshift a part of his body entirely by using the skills of monsters that he devours.
5 Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon
Shapeshift Into Different Types Of Vending Machines
A man who loves vending machines meets his demise, trying to save one of the machines in an accident. The next thing he knows, he is reborn as one and finds himself in a dungeon. As he’s trying to figure out his functions, there is not much he can do but protect himself and save those near him. Luckily, he is found by Lammis, a female adventurer who can carry him around and take him to a village. Boxxo (named by Lammis) soon realizes he can continue to grow as he gains experience by defeating monsters and spending coins he earns for his vending services.
Although one may not expect much from a vending machine, Boxxo (the protagonist) uses his best to help those around him with his abilities. As he earns more coins, he can upgrade his skills and learn how to shapeshift into other vending machines. Eventually, he can dispense all types of products, including food, drinks, dry ice, oil, and hygiene products. These help him keep his customers happy and help hunters defeat tough monsters through his wits and knowledge.
4 Overlord
Shapeshifts Between Momonga & Momon
A gamer sticks around as his character during the last hours of ‘Yggdrasil’ as it’s being taken offline. He spends the last few moments reminiscing about his time in the game with his friends/guildmates from Ainz Ooal Gown. Despite the clock striking midnight, he finds himself in the body of his game character, Momonga, in a new world. Unable to log out, the non-player characters around him gain consciousness and develop their personalities. Now, he has to figure out how to get by in this new world and find out if his friends or other players have crossed over.
Momonga, the protagonist of Overlord, may be powerful, but he has to use his wits and experience as a gamer to win his new battles. His underlings may misunderstand his intentions, but it doesn’t stop him from aligning his interests with theirs. Although he is a sorcerer-king, he can shapeshift into a dark knight character called “Momon.” He uses this identity to become an adamantine-ranked adventurer to get closer to humans and gain information to take control over the new world.
3 Demon Lord Retry!
Shapeshifts Between Hakuto Kunai & Zero Kirisame
Akira Oono is an ordinary worker managing the popular MMORPG Infinity Game. When the company decides to shut down its servers, he finds himself as Hakuto Kunai, the game’s demon lord. As he tries to figure out his character, he encounters a demon and defeats it. In the process, he saves a little girl and decides to stick around and help her. However, he has no recollection of creating the demon or the girl and is stuck figuring out his game world.
With a mix of slice-of-life, isekai, and comedy, Demon Lord Retry! It is a great anime that got lost among the popular titles. The protagonist is a level-headed individual who discovers he was summoned to the world by a deity. Eventually, he embarks on a journey to learn more about the deities and find a way back to the modern world. Due to his game’s character and admin access, he can shapeshift into Zero Kirisame — a holy dragon warrior. He uses his other identity to fight the evil forces trying to resurrect their demon lord.
2 Uncle From Another World
Shapeshifts Into Anyone
Yousuke “Ojisan” Shibazaki has been in a coma for 17 years due to a near-fatal car accident. His nephew, Takafumi Takaoka, eventually gets the news that his uncle has regained consciousness. Upon his return, Ojisan seems to be rambling in a foreign language, but later, he reveals that he was transported to another world called Gran Bahamal. With the help of a spell, he can show Takaoka and his friend snippets from his memories of his time there.
Uncle From Another World has been an excellent surprise for anime fans of the isekai genre. With a fresh concept and good comedy, Ojisan and Takaoka try to monetize Ojisan’s magical abilities through YouTube. Having been reverse-isekai’d back into the modern world, Ojisan is still trying to get up to speed with modern technology and his favorite games. Being a great magician, he can shapeshift into anyone but only transforms once into his comrade elf, Suzailgillazegallnelbuzegillreagranzelga Elga.
1 So I’m A Spider, So What?
Evolves As MC Levels Up
A mysterious accident in a high school causes an entire classroom of students to perish out of the blue. Luckily, some students reincarnate as royalty, nobles, and other people with great backgrounds. However, one girl faces an unfortunate fate and is reincarnated as a spider. Left to battle every second of the day to survive, she grows stronger bit by bit. Eventually, she decides to become the strongest being in this new world.
Many anime fans have held So I’m A Spider, So What? in high regard due to its non-human protagonist concept. The series has some creative world-building, but it pales compared to the MC being an exciting and memorable character. Having lived an uneventful life, she gives it her all in this new life, using her wits and strong will. Plus, she gets a game-like system that helps her level up and gain new skills as she defeats new monsters. She also evolves after accumulating specific experience points. In a way, she shapeshifts to accommodate her strength and abilities and eventually achieves a human-like form by the end of the series.