The Best isekai Anime According to the Japanese

The renowned media outlet Livedoor News conducted a survey to find out which is the favorite isekai anime among its readers. The question posed was, "What's your favorite reincarnation anime in another world?" With more than 500 votes registered, the result showed that 'That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime' was crowned the favorite.

The isekai genre, which literally translates to "otherworld," has gained immense popularity in recent years, both in Japan and internationally. The concept of isekai usually implies that the protagonist is transported to a parallel or fantasy world, where he or she experiences extraordinary adventures that are impossible in the real world. Although the genre's popularity has increased recently, its roots go back long before the term "isekai" was used.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, several works appeared that can be considered precursors of the isekai genre. 'Aura Battler Dunbine' (1983), created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, is one of the first examples of a series in which the protagonist is transported to an alternate world. Another notable work is 'Fushigi Yugi' (1992), a manga by Yuu Watase, where the protagonist is transported to an ancient Chinese book that acts as a portal to another world. These stories already contained many of the elements that would define the genre: an out-of-place protagonist, adventures in an unknown world, and the search for a purpose or mission in that new environment.

The term "isekai" as such began to gain popularity in the 2000s, especially with the rise of light novels. A fundamental work in this process was 'Sword Art Online' (2009), written by Reki Kawahara. Although technically a VRMMORPG (massively multiplayer online virtual reality role-playing game), the series shares many features with isekai, introducing characters who are transported to a virtual world where they must survive and adapt. This series helped to further popularize and define the genre.

In the last decade, isekai has seen a significant boom with numerous titles becoming extremely popular. Works such as 'Re:ZERO – Starting Life in Another World', 'No Game No Life' and 'The Rising of the Shield Hero' have captured the imagination of audiences around the world, thanks to their intriguing plots and complex fantasy worlds.

8. The Eminence in Shadow (Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute!)

7. Ascendance of a Bookworm (Honzuki no Gekokujou)

6. Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill (Tondemo Skill by Isekai Hourou Meshi)

5. OVERLORD

4. KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! (Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!)

3. Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu)

2. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu)

1. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken)

Source: Livedoor News