What is Isekai Anime? Definition, Meaning, Example

Where Did Isekai Anime Come From? And Who Was The First Creator?

Isekai anime comes from Japanese folk tales, such as Urashima Tarō, which is a fairy tale anime isekai that originated in 1918 by Seitaro Kitayama. However, the modern version of Isekai as a different anime genre formed during the 1980s and 1990s with series like El Hazard and Escaflowne. These shows laid the groundwork for the immersive storytelling and world-building that define Isekai today. Haruka Takachiho’s novel Warrior from Another World and Yoshiyuki Tomino’s television series Aura Battler Dunbine were the first modern Isekai works.

Is Isekai a Fantasy Anime?

Yes, Isekai anime is a fantasy anime. It often transports characters into a magical world filled with mythical creatures, powerful spells, and unexplored territories. Isekai, one of the largest genres in anime and manga, consists of various tropes, archetypes, and subgenres.

Four Types of Isekai Anime

1). Portal-Quest Isekai

Portal-quest is the Isekai anime type in which the protagonist encounters the marvelous in an isekai that is entered by passing through a portal. The protagonist may or may not cross back through the portal. 

Examples of Portal-Quest stories – 

• Anime Isekai movie – Spirited Away (2001, Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi) watch at Netflix.
• The isekai manga anime series – Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody (2014, Desu māchi kara hajimaru isekai kyōsōkyoku) watch at Crunchyroll.

2). Immersive Isekai

Immersive is the Isekai anime type in which there is no portal between the marvelous and the real world, and all events occur in a marvelous world.

Examples of Immersive Stories – 

• Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989, Majo no Takkyūbin) watch at Netflix.

3). Intrusion Isekai

Intrusion is the Isekai anime type in which the marvelous enters the real world from the Isekai, resulting in changes that must be negotiated.

Examples of Intrusion Stories – 

• Anime Isekai movie – The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013, Kaguya-hime no monogatari) watch at Netflix.
• The Isekai manga anime series – The Devil Is a Part-Timer! (2012, Hataraku maousama!) watch at Netflix.

4). Liminal Isekai

Liminal is the Isekai anime type in which the portal becomes a liminal space where reality and the marvelous Isekai mix. Such stories can also fall into Todorov’s category of the fantastic.

Examples of Liminal Stories – 

• Alternate world bar Nobu (2012, Isekai Izakaya “Nobu”) watch at Netflix.
• Restaurant to Another World (2012, Isekai Shokudou) watch at Justwatch.

5 Top Isekai Anime to Watch in 2024 and These are the Isekai Anime Examples

1. Isekai Nonbiri Nouka (Farming Life in Another World): Watch at Amazon Prime, Vudu and IMDb (7.2)

Hiraku dies by accident because God doesn’t give him good luck. To say sorry, God brings Hiraku back to life in a different world and changes a special object into a useful tool for him. In this new life, Hiraku slowly creates a community and village with different kinds of creatures, and he becomes their mayor.

2. Tate no Yūsha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero) – Watch at Amazon Prime, Funimation, Hulu and IMDb (7.9)

Naofumi is transported to another world with three other young people from Japan. They become powerful heroes and have to fight against scary monsters called Waves that come from different dimensions. Naofumi gets a special shield, while the others get weapons for attacking. The princess of the kingdom betrays Naofumi, leaving him all alone and making fun of him. He trains by himself and buys a girl named Raphtalia, who is not completely human, as well as an egg that later hatches into a monster called Filo. Together, they earn trust and appreciation from people while they uncover the mystery of why the Waves are threatening multiple worlds.

3. Tensei Shitara Suraimu Datta Ken (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime) IMDb(8.1) – Watch at Hulu, Funimation, Amazon Prime.

Satoru Mikami, a 37-year-old worker from Tokyo, is attacked and killed. He then wakes up in a different world as a Slime with the power to eat and copy things. He becomes friends with Veldora, a strong dragon locked away for 300 years, and promises to help set him free. Rimuru (Satoru’s new name) absorbs Veldora to study the spell that sealed him. Without Veldora, Rimuru becomes the leader of the creatures in the Great Forest of Jura and establishes the nation of Tempest. As their strength grows, they catch the interest of foreign powers who want to make alliances or destroy them.

4. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Blade of Demon Destruction): Watch at Hulu, Amazon, Funimation, Vudu, IMDb (8.6)

Tanjiro Kamado becomes a Demon Slayer to avenge his family’s death by a demon. His sister Nezuko is the only one who survives, but she has turned into a demon. Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps to hunt demons and find a cure for Nezuko. Along with his friends Zenitsu and Inosuke, they fight against powerful demons controlled by Muzan Kibutsuji, the first-ever demon. Eventually, Tanjiro marries Kanao Tsuyuri, Zenitsu marries Nezuko, and Inosuke marries Aoi Kanzaki. They live happily in a modern era without any demons around them.

5. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World)- Watch at Amazon Prime, IMDb (8.1)

Subaru Natsuki, who is unemployed and not in education or training, gets called to a make-believe world. He dies soon after arriving but comes back to life in the past with the ability to rewind time after dying. Subaru helps Emilia become the next ruler of Lugunica and becomes a butler in Roswaal L. Mathers’ big house. He uses his power to shield Emilia and help his friends while going through pain and remembering things that others forget when he uses his power.

Conclusion

In summary, Isekai anime draws viewers in with its ability to transport them to magical worlds full of adventure. Its growth from a small beginning to a prominent position in the anime industry demonstrates its lasting popularity. Looking into the future, Isekai worlds hold countless exciting experiences for anime fans looking for extraordinary adventures.

Read about what is Shounen Anime here.

Comment to share your favorite Isekai anime and tell me about your experiences with this genre.