Nowadays, Isekai anime are inescapable. With almost 10-20 new ones coming out every year, but don’t let the vast number of generic ones distract you from the amazing ones, There’s a great number of underrated isekai anime that are not talked about often.
So, embark on an adventure through uncharted anime territory with our list of ten highly underrated isekai. While titles like “Mushoku Tensei” and “Re:Zero” are widely known and fan favorites, these lesser-known series offer equally interesting stories and immersive worlds. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the genre, these hidden treasures promise to deliver an exhilarating watching experience.
So here is our list of the 10 Highly Underrated Isekai Anime You Should Watch!
1. DRIFTERS
| JP Title | DRIFTERS |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy |
| Themes | Adult Cast, Gore, Historical, Isekai, Military, Samurai |
| Studio | Hoods Entertainment |
| Episodes | 12 Episodes |
Toyohisa Shimazu is the rearguard for his retreating troops during the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and he is critically wounded when he finds himself in a modern, gleaming white hallway. Faced with only a stoic man named Murasaki and hundreds of doors on both sides, Toyohisa is drawn into the nearest door and transported to a world entirely different from his own.
The strange land is inhabited by a variety of fantastical creatures, as well as warriors from various eras of Toyohisa’s world who were previously thought to be dead. Toyohisa quickly befriends the infamous warlord Nobunaga Oda and the ancient archer Yoichi Suketaka Nasu and learns about the continent’s political unrest. Furthermore, they have been summoned as “Drifters” to fight the “Ends,” the people who created the Orte Empire and are attempting to destroy the Drifters. The Empire’s persecution of elves and other demihumans intensifies as the Ends grow in power. Toyohisa and his group of unconventional heroes must fight in a brand-new world war to assist the Empire’s subjects while protecting the land to claim for themselves and challenging the Ends.
2. Saga of Tanya the Evil
| JP Title | Youjo Senki |
| Genres | Action, Fantasy |
| Themes | Isekai, Military, Reincarnation |
| Studio | Nut |
| Episodes | 12 Episodes |
Tanya Degurechaff is a young soldier known for her predatory ruthlessness and uncanny tactical abilities, earning her the nickname “Devil of the Rhine.” Underneath her innocent appearance, however, is the soul of a man who challenged Being X, the self-proclaimed God, to a battle of wits, resulting in his reincarnation as a young girl into a world of magical warfare. Tanya, hellbent on defiance, resolves to rise through the ranks of her country’s military as it slowly plunges into world war, with only Being X proving to be the most formidable obstacle to resuming the peaceful life she once enjoyed. But her perceptive actions and combat initiative have an unintended side effect: propelling the mighty Empire into becoming one of the most powerful nations in mankind’s history.
3. Gate
| JP Title | Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Fantasy |
| Themes | Isekai, Military |
| Studio | A-1 Pictures |
| Episodes | 2 Seasons (12+12 Episodes) |
Three months after the attack, Youji has been tasked with leading a special recon team as part of a JSDF task force that will be dispatched to the world beyond the gate, now known as the “Special Region.” They must travel into this unknown world to learn more about what they are dealing with and to make friends with the locals in the hopes of establishing peaceful relations with the ruling Empire. However, if they fail, they will be forced to participate in a devastating war that will engulf both sides of the gates.
4. Ascendance of a Bookworm
| JP Title | Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen |
| Genres | Fantasy |
| Themes | Isekai, Reincarnation |
| Studio | Ajia-do |
| Episodes | 3 Seasons (14+12+10 Episodes) + 5 OVA Episodes + 2 Special Episodes |
As if fate had heard her prayer, she awoke reincarnated as Myne, a frail five-year-old girl living in the Middle Ages. Her passion is the first thing she thinks about. She tries to find something to read but is frustrated by the lack of books at her disposal.
Without the printing press, books must be written and copied by hand, making them prohibitively expensive; as a result, only a few nobles can afford them—but this will not deter Myne. She will demonstrate that her desire to read is unbreakable, and if there are no books available, she will create them herself!
5. Restaurant to Another World
| JP Title | Isekai Shokudou |
| Genres | Fantasy, Gourmet, Slice of Life |
| Themes | Isekai, Workplace |
| Studio | SILVER LINK. |
| Episodes | 2 Seasons (12+12 Episodes) |
Western Restaurant Nekoya is a popular eatery on a street corner in Tokyo’s shopping district. This restaurant, which serves both traditional Japanese and Western dishes, is popular among Tokyo residents. However, this seemingly ordinary restaurant attracts a different type of clientele…
While the restaurant is thought to be closed on Saturdays, the truth is that on this special day of the week, its doors are opened to the inhabitants of other worlds. This restaurant has a diverse range of customers, including dragons, elves, fairies, and mages. Nonetheless, the enigmatic chef known only as “Master” will be waiting to serve their favorite dishes with a friendly smile, keeping them coming back for many more Saturdays to come.
6. Knights & Magic
| JP Title | Knight’s & Magic |
| Genres | Action, Fantasy |
| Themes | Isekai, Mecha, Reincarnation, School |
| Studio | 8bit |
| Episodes | 12 Episodes |
Tsubasa Kurata, a modern Japanese otaku who died in a car accident, is reborn in the Fremmevilla Kingdom, a medieval world where powerful mechs known as Silhouette Knights fight horrific demonic beasts.
Ernesti Echevarria, born into a noble family and endowed with extraordinary magical abilities, enrolls at Royal Laihaila Academy. This school of magic teaches young men and women how to pilot the Silhouette Knights, preparing them to defend the kingdom from both demonic and human threats. Ernesti teams up with twins Adeltrud and Archid Olter with the goal of one day creating his own Silhouette Knight, a feat that has not been accomplished in centuries.
7. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
| JP Title | Hai to Gensou no Grimgar |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy |
| Themes | Isekai |
| Studio | A-1 Pictures |
| Episodes | 12 Episodes |
Fear, survival, and instinct. They are thrown into a foreign land with only hazy memories and the knowledge of their name, and all they can feel are these three emotions resonating deep within them. A group of strangers is given no choice but to accept the only paying job in this game-like world—that of a soldier in the Reserve Army—and eliminate anything that threatens peace in their new world, Grimgar.
When all of the stronger candidates band together, those who remain must form a party to survive: Manato, a charismatic leader and priest; Haruhiro, a nervous thief; Yume, a cheerful hunter; Shihoru, a shy mage; Moguzo, a kind warrior; and Ranta, a rowdy dark knight. Despite the resemblance, this is not a game—there are no redos or respawns; it is kill or be killed.
It is now up to this motley crew of unlikely fighters to stick together in a world where life and death are separated by a thin line.
8. Cop Craft
| JP Title | Cop Craft |
| Genres | Action, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi |
| Themes | Detective |
| Studio | Millepensee |
| Episodes | 12 Episodes |
A hyperspace gate appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean 15 years ago, connecting Earth to a strange world inhabited by fairies and monsters. Over two million of these otherworldly visitors called San-Teresa home. Unfortunately, the population boom brought its own set of problems, including drugs, prostitution, and trafficking. To combat the rampant crime lurking in the city’s shadows, a new department was established within the San-Teresa Metropolitan Police.
Kei Matoba, a former JSDF soldier, is one of the best cops the department has to offer, despite his occasional tendency to break the rules. After a fairy trafficking case goes wrong, Kei loses Rick Fury, his friend and partner of four years, setting him on a path of vengeance. To assist him with the case, the department assigns him Tilarna Exedilika, a noble from the Farbani Kingdom. Her duty as a Knight of Mirvor is to rescue the noble fairy Kei encountered during his last case. Despite his distaste for non-humans, he agrees to the arrangement at the request of his superiors. Now, the unlikely duo must work together to return the missing fairy to her home country and avenge Kei’s partner’s death.
9. How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom
| JP Title | Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha no Oukoku Saikenki |
| Genres | Action, Fantasy, Romance |
| Themes | Harem, Isekai, Military |
| Studio | J.C.Staff |
| Episodes | 2 Seasons (12 + 12 Episodes) |
Following the death of his grandfather, 19-year-old Kazuya Souma—an aspiring civil servant—is left alone with no one to call family. He is unexpectedly transported to the Elfrieden Kingdom, a small ailing country in another world, to serve as a “hero.” An ongoing war with the demon army has put the entire world in danger, and Kazuya has been summoned to assist in the conflict as a gift from Elfrieden to its allies.
Dissatisfied with being used as a tribute, Kazuya decides to assist the kingdom in revitalizing its declining economy—not through adventure or war, but through administrative reform. After being declared King of Elfrieden and betrothed to the princess, the “Realist Hero” Kazuya sets out to assemble a group of talented citizens who will help him in his bureaucratic battles to get the kingdom back on track.
10. Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
| JP Title | Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy |
| Themes | Isekai, Parody |
| Studio | White Fox |
| Episodes | 12 Episodes |
There is a popular saying: “you can never be too careful.” It is critical to prepare for any situation that may arise, even if it appears to be an unnecessary waste of time. Furthermore, in games such as RPGs, it is advantageous to outperform your opponents in order to achieve complete victory.
These words describe Seiya Ryuuguuin a little too accurately. After being summoned by the goddess Ristarte to save Gaeabrande from destruction, the hero prepares for his noble journey. While this may seem normal, he spends a significant amount of time training himself, despite his overpowered stats. He fights weak enemies with his strongest skills and buys an excessive amount of supplies and potions in order to stay alive.
While his attitude may be annoying, it could be Gaeabrande’s saving grace, especially in a world where the forces of evil dominate all expectations.
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