For me, I’m torn between Mushoku Tensei (very good worldbuilding) and Uncle From Another World (has the better direction)
Space Jam.
Honest answer, much like typical shonen series I find isekai really boring and hard to watch. If I see “reincarnated” or “another world” in a show’s title it’s pretty much an instant pass from me.
Give me more DanDaDan dubs pls.
Being a parody, it subverts most tropes of isekai anime. Its humor is exactly my type too.
Honorable mentions:
Most other isekai anime have the same cookie-cutter plot, making them so predictable and boring. Or they have an interesting premise, but waste it with poor writing and dumb characters.
Digimon & Inuyasha
My favorite isekai is Farscape.
But if it has to be anime: Inuyasha.
Overall, probably Slime Isekai. It’s got a good mix of wholesomeness, action, comedy, and world building. And it has just the right amount of OP in the MC.
Overlord is a good runner up. Great character development, good story and humor, intriguing world, etc.
Mushoku is easy top 5 but the bullying and horny drop it down a few notches for me.
Konosuba is also top 5. It nails the parody.
For non-anime, Reincarnated as a Sword is my favorite isekai light novel series, not that I’ve read all that many isekai light novels. However the anime adaptation was mediocre at best. It barely touches on the deep world creation and character development found in the LN.
For video game isekai, Shangri-La Frontier. No trapped in a video game nonsense. No completely unrealistic game mechanics. The game feels like it could be a real game. And the MC is OP only in the sense that they’re good at games, not because of cheats.
Villainess isekai is practically it’s own thing now and I have my favorites there as well but the classic is All Routes Lead to Doom.
I really love isekai so I could keep going but I’ll stop here before I start talking about Trapped in a Dating Sim.
Every one you mentioned is great! I really enjoy all of the villainess isekai, and Trapped in a Dating Sim is really a hilarious variation that came early in the dating sim sub genre. I love it when the main character is a villain.
Ngl, the Trapped in a Dating Sim anime is what got me reading more light novels. The anime wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was still so good. I wanted more of that world and the light novels didn’t disappoint.
I’ll let you guess from my instance 😁
Ascendance of a Bookworm. A really good one!
Mushoku is probably the best by such a large margin i couldn’t think anyone answering different was serious. Log horizon is probably the only isekai that’s done the modern game junk well.
I stopped reading the manga after the erectile dysfunction at magic high school arc dragged on for months and ended with a relationship that still puts me off when I think about it. It’s like the author just can’t stop reminding the reader of what an unlikeable turd the MC can be. It is a very good story aside from those aspects, but that’s not enough for me to agree with your bold statement. I much prefer Iruma-kun, Overlord, Konosuba or Tsukimichi.
My biggest problem with Mushoku, and why I feel like I literally cannot recommend it, is because of the weird pedo stuff. It would be fine and easy to forget I guess if the show stayed in fantasy mode, but for whatever reason any time there is something slightly sexual the show writers decide to remind the viewer “erm actually the main character is a 40+ year old man.” That just pulls me right out of the show.
The other parts are cool, but that one thing really stops me from enjoying it more.
Reincarnated as a vending machine, I now wander the dungeon is my latest favorite. It’s funny and a cute show.
At risk of showing my age, The Twelve Kingdoms blows most modern isekai out of the water, even with its flaws. The MC‘s journey and character growth is amazing, and the world building is incredibly unique.
Re:ZERO or Ascendance of a Bookworm (underrated in my opinion).
Ascendance of a Bookworm is a favorite of my wife and I. We’ve rewatched it a few times, as it has a cozy feel to it sometimes. I really hope they continue the story but it is at a decent enough stopping point if doesn’t get any more seasons.
The next season was announced in December of 2023 and it’s changing studio to Wit Studio, so hopefully they do a good job of it. I’ve rewatched it and it’s great for being both relaxing and engaging at the same time, planning to read the light novel at some point.
Ascendance of a Bookworm is amazing. I really hope it gets some more seasons soon.
I liked Grimgar a lot.
It has unique visuals, but what really sets it apart is the great - what do I even call it - significance through realism? It has a lot of depth and is very different. It has my definite recommendation too.
I wish we had more Grimgar.
Like most I’m already tired of the over the top plot of most fantasy stories, I just want the shenanigans.
I really want Frieren but with a permanent base and more adventurer politics.
I guess there’s Goblin Slayer but IMO their character especially the supporting one isn’t as developed.
Konosuba
I’m Standing on a Million Lives - My First and Favourite
Konosuba Since it’s a parody.
I don’t like isekai.
Re:Zero, Konosuba, Overworld, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime are some of the best, alongside SAO which started the modern version of the genre.
