Isekai is a genre of anime known for new worlds, fresh adventures, and an opportunity for an anime studio to include exciting art and animation in their story. Nothing feels more exciting than a character coming from a world they’re familiar with and stepping into an entirely new environment, usually with new rules to boot. Protagonists, like Natsuki Subaru from Re: Zero, usually start their lives in Japan before getting “isekai’d” (often with the common trope of being run over by a truck, known by fans as “Truck-kun”) and transported to wild new lands.

These lands usually include magical beasts, people with animal features, and even spells and special abilities that the protagonist can use. No matter how safe or dangerous an isekai world may be, they’re usually very interesting to explore and even just to look at. With the right studio, an isekai anime can have some of the most crisp and seamless art and animation of any genre.

10

Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy Puts More Focus on the Protagonist’s Original World

Misumi Makoto Brings Japan to the Goddess’ World

Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy is an exciting take on the isekai genre. While it does a lot of the things you’d expect from an isekai (overpowered protagonist, a harem of overpowered women, etc.), it does so with a good art style and reliable storytelling. The show is filled with lovable side characters that keep things interesting and a band of main characters that drive the story forward with some force. Where the show can really shine, however, is in its animation.

As Misumi Makoto is from Japan, he brings a lot of his homeland with him. Nothing looks better than seeing an anime protagonist break out a suit of Gundam-esque power armor in a feudal isekai society. C2C, the studio that animated Tsukimichi, did an excellent job capturing just how absurd the series can be. They also did a great job with fellow isekai anime Shagri-La Frontier, creating a great contrast between the normal world of Japan and the world the protagonist finds himself in.

9

Overlord Makes the Villain the Protagonist

Ainz Ooal Gown Makes His World His Own

Overlord is one of the darkest isekais around — and that’s a good thing. While other characters are tasked with saving the world, Ainz Ooal Gown does what he wants. Unfortunately, for any who consider standing against him, that could mean their destruction. Overlord’s darker tones, coupled with lighthearted motifs, create a very interesting isekai with a wide range of colors, scenes, and themes. When Ainz is in his headquarters of Nazarick, the show is dark, foreboding, and threatening.

When Ainz dawns his adventurer costume and becomes his alter ego Momon, however, the show returns to its basic isekai roots. The scene that was once filled with death and decay is replaced by a bustling medieval-style town, fit with all the street vendors the early 1300s probably had. This juxtaposition between light and dark gives Overlord something most other isekai animes don’t have: variety.

8

No Game No Life Is Still One of the Most Original Isekai

10 Years After its Release, NGNL is Still King

No Game No Life was released over 10 years ago and is still one of the freshest isekai in the genre. While its story is incredibly unique, its art style is another huge plus No Game No Life brings to the table. The show is saturated with hues of red and pink, giving the Disboard world the characters find themselves in a soft and rose-like quality. Everything feels like a dream in Disboard (or a nightmare depending on the game), and the two main protagonists, Sora and Shiro, need to do what they can to navigate their rose-colored environments.

While other isekai are set in worlds relatively similar to Earth, No Game No Life creates an entirely new realm to explore. Disboard is a world scarred by the Great War fought by those on the Old Deus. Sora and Shiro can see evidence of the war at every corner while they play their game and animation studio Madhouse did a great job bringing both the excitement and despair to life.

7

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Goes Back to Basics (in a Good Way)

Art is a Matter of Utmost Importance in Tempest

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is another example of an isekai anime that includes a lot of the staples of the genre in a fresh way. Main character Rimuru Tempest is nearly immortal and is still finding new powers every day, creating a whole new definition for the word “broken”. The series shines through Rimuru’s efforts in building a nation, which of course makes for an expansive and fascinating setting, but the animation of Slime’s fights is second to none.

One of the best in the series is the first fight between Hinata Sakaguchi and Rimuru Tempest. Up until this point in the series, Rimuru has been nigh untouchable. Hinata realizes she has to go all out if she’s going to defeat the leader of the monsters, so she uses the most powerful spell in her arsenal, Disintegration. The ability rains from the sky like a light show and colors Rimuru is a plethora of bursts of energy.

6

Saga of Tanya the Evil is Brutally Compelling

Youjo Senki is a Fresh Take on World War I

Saga of Tanya the Evil is very different from most other isekai anime for a variety of reasons: the main character was reincarnated as a vicious little girl, the isekai world is closer to World War I than a nice medieval fantasy, and much more. The World War I setting may seem like an odd choice for an anime at first, but Saga of Tanya the Evil knocks it out of the park.

Saga of Tanya the Evil is primarily set in a desert, but the series never feels dry. Tanya is constantly at her enemies’ throats, either battling brutally in midair or engaging in somehow even more brutal battles on the ground. Battles feel fresh thanks to unique animation from NUT and powerful-looking spells and armaments. Tanya can even gun down her enemies with a submachine gun in one hand, showcasing both her brutality and NUT’s excellent art style.

5

The Eminence in Shadow Reveals the Beauty of Darkness

Art and Animation at an Atomic Level

The Eminence in Shadow is another exceptional isekai anime that takes power fantasy to a whole new level. Like Overlord, The Eminence in Shadow is an anime that showcases the beauty of darkness, if the title wasn’t enough of a tell. Shadow, the protagonist of the series and leader of Shadow Garden, drapes himself and his allies in a viscous black material that can adapt at a moment’s notice. It gives the series a cool edge to it that other isekai lose through their vibrant color palettes.

When Shadow isn’t hiding in the night, he’s facing enemies head-on. Shadow’s ultimate Atomic abilities are absurdly strong and visually stunning. He has a combination of Atomic attacks meant to decimate and disintegrate just about anything he wants. When Shadow uses his I… am… Atomic attack, the result is always as visually stunning for the fans as it is devastating for his enemies.

4

Konosuba’s Art Leverages Its Comedy Perfectly

Konosuba’s Facial Expressions are Amazing

The art and animation in Konosuba are unique because the series isn’t focused on battle. It’s a series focused on everyday life and comedy shenanigans, and the art reflects that in the best way possible. The story of Konosuba is told through its characters and their incredibly telling facial expressions. When Kazuma is upset, when Aqua wants a drink, or when Megumin is regaling her fake tales of gallantry, their faces tell an entire story.

When Kazuma and his gang are in battle, however, colors are bright and vivid. Other characters are also very expressive, which adds to both the show’s humor and overall animation. The best animated explosions in all of anime might be Megumin’s in Konosuba, where the Crimson Demon lights up the sky with a colorful explosion before devastating her target and anything even remotely close to it.

3

I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince Has Impressive Art Direction

Using Old Tropes in a Good Way

7th Prince is a fresh and exciting isekai (or tensei, meaning “reincarnation”, to be specific) that takes old tropes and gives them a new spin. The newly reincarnated 7th Prince Lloyd is a phenom at magic and his spells look incredible on screen. Whether he’s casting a multi-colored barrier for protection or a flame spell mixed with an earth spell to create a magma monster, the animators at Tsumugi Akita Animation Lab make it look amazing.

The best looking moment in 7th Prince was Sylpha’s fight with the 8th Class Demon. The swordsmanship on display was already impressive when the Prince’s maid took the animation to the next level. Before the 8th Class Demon could use his strongest attack, Sylpha used her Leading Tiger Bite, showing off the move in a cool 360-degree camera spin and destroying her opponent for good.

2

Re:Zero Stands Out Thanks to the Scale of Its Enemies

Brutal Beauty in Another World

Re:Zero is an incredibly unforgiving anime for a show about a man who comes back to life after he’s killed. It’s set in a visually stunning world filled with secrets, mysteries, and a lot of death. Where Re:Zero stands out from other isekai, and other anime in general, is its scale. It presents monsters and enemies on a near unfathomable level, allowing animators at White Fox to bring behemoths to life. These massive monstrosities are wonderful to look at – if you’re not in the way.

Re:Zero also animates the most depressing feelings in the best way possible. If other isekai shine through their vibrancy, Re:Zero’s greatest visual strengths lie in its melancholy. The deep red of blood on the down-pouring snow when Puck decapitates Subaru is a sight nobody is soon to forget.

1

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Is the Most Artistic Isekai

Stunning Visuals Across Every Environment

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation does a lot of things right. It has great characters that are easy to follow, a well-developed plot, and the best art and animation of any isekai anime. Whether Rudeus Greyrat is fighting monsters in the desert, saving his mother in a labyrinth, or even attending classes at Magic University, the art in Mushoku Tensei is second to none.

Rudeus Greyrat has been gifted magically since he was a baby. His first use of magic was blasting a hole in his family’s home. Now, he’s freezing entire dungeons to get (one of) his ladies back. No matter when he used his magic, Studio Bind made sure the animation popped, bringing life to the show. Colors and art in general in Mushoku Tensei reveal an amount of care and artistic sensibility that, unfortunately, most isekai lack, giving this show yet another reason to be so appreciated.