Japanese anime and manga have evolved so much over the years that new genres are always emerging. Manga and light novels have shaped the medium’s subconscious. Much of that is thanks to the genre of the media in question, whether it’s shonen, sci-fi, or romance. Isekai has become particularly popular in recent years, dominating both the anime and manga worlds.
Isekai refers to a genre where the protagonist is transported into another world, whether through death or other means. The genre has seen more popularity in light novels and anime, but isekai manga is gradually picking up steam.
Updated by Sage Ashford on April 6th, 2023: The isekai manga genre continues to expand rapidly, with plenty of popular light novels receiving manga adaptations in addition to getting their own anime. With so many isekai manga new and old, we’ve updated this list to add a number of series that viewers should check out if they want to experience more of this popular genre.
20 Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden
12 Volumes
The original Fushigi Yugi series is an isekai that premiered before SAO, and achieved incredible popularity in the ’90s. Genbu Kaiden takes place almost a century earlier, built around young woman Takiko Okuda. Takiko has absolutely nothing going right for her, right down to having a father who cares more about his research than he does the passing of his wife.
Out of frustration, Takiko takes her father’s research — a translated journal known as “The Universe of the Four Gods” — but when she opens it, she finds herself transported to another realm. There, she learns of her role as the Priestess of Genbu, a legend that will last for decades.
19 Isekai Ojisan
8 Volumes
Takafumi Takaoka’s life is changed forever when he learns his uncle Yosuke has woken up from a near twenty-year coma. Yosuke reveals that he spent the last seventeen years in another world, and has become a master of magic during that time. With Yosuke having been gone for so long, he and Takafumi find a way to help one another.
Takafumi decides to use Yosuke’s powers to create a YouTube channel to make money, while Takafumi is guided through the world he’s missed. Isekai Ojisan is the rare occasion of an isekai storyline that didn’t originate as a light novel, but rather a seinen manga published in the magazine ComicWalker.
18 I Got Caught Up In A Hero Summons, But The Other World Was At Peace!
6 Volumes
Obviously, in this case, the incredibly long title explains the plot of the anime. The protagonist, Kaito Miyama, finds himself summoned to a fantasy world, but it’s one where he’s not being asked to do anything. They aren’t the hero and aren’t being asked to defeat some dangerous, world-ending threat.
It’s not even that hard for Kaito to live since everyone’s taking care of him, and returning to Earth is completely possible. Rather than focusing heavily on action, I Got Caught Up In A Hero Summons is more of a slice-of-life romance. Even the protagonist decides to just enjoy the different world’s sights before deciding to go home.
17 Trapped In A Dating Sim: The World Of Otome Games Is 70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>70x1v39″ title=”tough”>70x1v39″ title=”tough”>Tough For Mobs
9 Volumes
After being forced to play through an otome game, a certain man has an accident on his way to the store, resulting in him being reincarnated into another world. In this new world, he’s known as Leon Fou Bartfort, a noble in the world of the otome game he was previously playing.
In this world, women are in control of the world, leaving Leon to only want to find a kind wife and live life away from the rest of society. To do so though, he’ll have to go against many of the systems already in place, upsetting a bunch of powerful people who only see him as a “mob” character.
16 Reborn As A Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting The Strongest Starship
5 Volumes
One day, Sato Takahiro went from being an ordinary guy in the regular world to waking up aboard a ship within the world of his favorite online game, Stella Online. Unsure of how this world works, Sato has one thing going for him that makes everything else simple: he owns an incredibly powerful spaceship.
This ship allows him to hunt for rare items and do battle with dangerous pirates, and come out completely unscathed. From there, Sato gets to build a new kind of life on a way to reaching his true dream: finding a planet he can settle down on. Reborn As A Space Mercenary stands out for being one of the few isekai series set out in space.
15 Grimgar Of Fantasy & Ash
19 Volumes
Grimgar of Fantasy & Ash stars Haruhiro after he wakes up in darkness with no recollection of where he came from, why he was there, and if there was any way to leave. He was surrounded by other people in the same situation. The darkness faded, and the group was introduced to an RPG set in “Grimgar,” a fantastical world where they have to learn how to fight and survive on their own. Haruhiro builds his own party and they train hard to survive in this new world.
Grimgar of Fantasy & Ash is a unique isekai manga since its heroes aren’t overpowered from their introduction. Instead, they’re introduced as average people who have to overcome their fears and become warriors, making their stories more realistic.
14 Red River
28 Volumes
Red River stars Yuri, an average high school student who’s suddenly isekai’d over to the Hittite empire in Anatolia. The queen orders Yuri for a blood sacrifice to kill off every heir except for her son so she can take over the throne. Prince Kail saved Yuri from the queen’s tyranny and vowed to help get her back home.
However, the stubborn, bloodthirsty queen doesn’t back down so easily and always comes up with new plans to kill them off. Red River is a great blend of isekai, adventure, and romance. It’s one of the best isekai manga because it combines tropes from both isekai and shojo, so it feels familiar, yet totally innovative compared to its counterparts.
13 Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-Kun
29 Volumes
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun follows the titular Iruma Suzuki, a kid forced to grow up too soon and take on whatever dangerous jobs his deadbeat parents asked of him. Unfortunately, nothing ever gets easier for him since his parents signed a contract and sold his soul to a demon named Sullivan.
Iruma was shocked when Sullivan really felt for his struggles and wanted to take him under his wing. Sullivan became a grandfather-like figure to Iruma and enrolled him at Babyls, a demon school where he’d have to keep his humanity a secret from his peers. However, Iruma is far less human than he actually thought.
12 The Eminence In Shadow
8 Volumes
Despite being the protagonist of The Eminence In Shadow, Cid doesn’t want to be the star of the show. He never wanted to have the starring role or even be the ultimate supervillain. Instead, he just wanted to lay low and fade into the background.
Cid was reborn into another world and decides to let his imagination run wild as he’s tasked with leading a secret organization to fight what lurks in the shadows. Though it’s relatively shorter than its counterparts, many fans feel that The Eminence In Shadow is one of the best isekai manga since its protagonist is so unconventional and relatable to some readers.
11 From Far Away
14 Volumes
From Far Away follows Noriko after she’s suddenly thrust into a fantasy world. Izark takes her under his wing and helps guide her through this strange new land, but there’s more to him than what meets the surface. He may seem charming and kind, but there’s a monster inside of him bubbling to the surface.
According to an old prophecy, Noriko has what it takes to bring that evil out of Izark. After discovering this information, Izark and Noriko become allies who need to have each other’s backs in a world where no one else can save them but each other.
10 So I’m A Spider, So What?
16 Volumes
So I’m A Spider, So What? is a story about Kumoko, who has reincarnated into a spider — specifically a low-level monster called the Lesser Taratect. Not only that but she is forced to survive in the game’s most dangerous dungeon known as the Great Elroe Labyrinth.
The manga is faithful to the source material for the most part, but there are some differences such as ignoring some of the side stories present before. So I’m A Spider, So What?’s anime adaptation is wildly popular, so it’s not surprising so many people also think it’s one of the best isekai series.
9 The Twelve Kingdoms
9 Volumes
The Twelve Kingdoms follows Youko Nakajima after she’s forced out of her ordinary high school life and thrust into the world of the titular twelve kingdoms. This new world is unforgiving, harsh, and governed by a delicate moral code that tips society into chaos and poverty if the wrong person ascends to the throne.
Youko must now learn how to survive in this strange new world built to destroy her. Fans appreciate that The Twelve Kingdoms has a strong female protagonist who, unlike some of her male counterparts, actually pulled herself up by the bootstraps and forced herself to adapt.
8 The Saga Of Tanya The Evil
18 Volumes
70-seventy-m7w328nn” title=”70“>70zll0v” title=”origin”>70zll0v” title=”origin”>Originally created by Carlo Zen and drawn by Shinobu Shinotsuki, The Saga Of Tanya The Evil follows Tanya Degurechaff, who previously lived as a ruthlessly effective Japanese salaryman. He wakes up as Tanya in a fantasy version of World War I, where Being X – basically god – reveals that she’ll go to hell if she does not die a natural death or express faith in him.
Tanya instead joins the Empire Mage Corps out of spite. Desperate to gain a high military rank so that she can escape the conflict and (ideally) die of old age in peace, Tanya becomes a great soldier who prioritizes her own needs over others. Tanya’s stance as an anti-hero has attracted many fans to her unique isekai manga.
7 No Game No Life
11 Volumes
No Game No Life takes place in a world where players have to beat the god of games to take the throne. It stars Sora and Shiro, who make up the undefeated gamer group Blank as they go through a series of board games that test the players’ wills.
After defeating the god of games in chess, Sora and Shiro are transported to the world of Disboard where everything is decided through games. No Game No Life became quite popular even before it got its anime adaptation, with the light novel selling over three million copies as of 2017. It’s not necessarily for everyone, but its unique art style is easy on the eyes and engaging to read.
6 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
21 Volumes
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime follows Satoru Mikami, a 37-year-old corporate desk worker who is actually content with his otherwise boring life. Satoru’s life turned upside down when he was stabbed out of the blue. The wounds killed him, but he reincarnated as a slime with magical powers in a bizarre new world.
Given the name Rimuru Tempest by the imprisoned Dragon Veldora, he travels the world to prove himself while getting used to his new body. Over time, Rimuru discovers new allies and places that will start to change him forever.
5 KonoSuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World
17 Volumes
KonoSuba stars Kazuma Satou, a total shut-in and NEET whose only passion in life is playing video games. One day, Kazuma ran in front of a truck to save a girl from getting hit. However, this was just another one of isekai’s classic Truck-Kun moments and Kazuma died.
Kazuma woke up in purgatory and had to face Aqua, who told him to choose between going to heaven or being sent off to a world that needs help defeating the Demon King. Kazuma decides to go to the new world with Aqua. Hilarious antics ensue as Kazuma’s total ineptitude is put on full blast as he tries to adapt to this new fantasy world.
4 Overlord
16 Volumes
Overlord was a light novel series created by Kugane Maruyama and drawn by So-bin. In 2014, the series eventually got adapted into manga form thanks to Satoshi Oshio and Hugin Miyama before it became the hit anime it’s known today. Taking place during the year 2126, Overlord revolves around the game YGGDRASIL, where players can directly interact with the in-game characters.
Following the server’s shutdown, dedicated player Momonga discovers that the game has become its own reality and becomes trapped in it as his character Ainz Ooal Gown. Ainz decides to look for others that are stuck in the game world like he is and sets out to become his new world’s overlord.
3 Ascendance Of A Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything To Become A Librarian
29 Volumes
Ascendance Of A Bookworm: I’ll Do Anything To Become A Librarian follows Urano Motosu, who has always wanted to be a librarian. Unfortunately, several books fell on top of her during an earthquake, killing her instantly. She prayed to get reincarnated into a life where she’d be surrounded by literature.
Urano reincarnates as Myne, a five-year-old girl with a chronic illness whose greatest love is reading. However, in the new world Urano’s in, the elites control the flow of media and knowledge. Only the wealthiest can read books, and since Myne is just an average kid, she can’t get her hands on any literature. Myne decides to take matters into her own hands and become an author.
2 Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
24 Volumes
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is the story about a deceased 34-year-old NEET (a person with No Education, Employment, or Training) who decides to change his life after being reincarnated into Rudeus Greyrat following his death. The story follows his newfound life, where he attempts to live it to the fullest.
Mushoku Tensei has become quite popular with numerous adaptations, including a decent manga. The light novel itself has become one of the most popular works on Syosetu’s website and has gone on to have an equally entertaining anime adaptation.
1 Re: ZERO -Starting Life In Another World-
30 Volumes
The dark isekai Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World- is the story of a young man named Natsuki Subaru as he gets suddenly transported into a fantasy world. From there, he meets with characters like Emilia and obtains a new ability. Every time he dies, time resets, and he can relive everything again until something different happens.
The RE: Zero manga adaptation has gotten a solid following, with the third part in particular gaining a lot of praise from audiences. Re: Zero is particularly well-known for its cast of lovable waifus, especially Rem.
