Isekai animewill not be going out of fashion anytime soon. In every recent year, plenty of guys and gals seem to launch new lives in other worlds. Some characters enter MMOs (Skeleton Knight in Another World), others find themselves in otome games (Trapped in a Dating SimandI’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss), while most have to make do with medieval fantasy worlds. The premise produced comedies (Uncle from Another WorldandLife with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout), action shows (Reincarnated as a Sword), and everything in between.
2023 offered more of the same, with the anime industry producing more than 30 shows that fit the theme. Let’s go through all thenew 2023 isekai anime.
In some cases, an isekai anime might eventually reveal itself to be a reincarnation story. To avoid spoilers, if the opening episode sets up an isekai premise, a series will still be included regardless of any subsequent twists.
Updated Jun 17, 2025 by Mark Sammut:The year is almost at an end. Putting aside the question of quality, 2023 cannot be accused of holding back on isekai anime goodness. Every season featured a plethora of shows that fit the theme, to the point of exhaustion. While not consistently great, the level of quality was not particularly low either.
Based on a light novel by Kinosuke Naitou, which has already been adapted into a manga,Farming Life in Another Worldfalls within the slow-life isekai category. These series are typically easy-going, essentially telling fantastical slice of life stories.
Hiraku Machio succumbs to an illness, and he is allowed to start fresh by a deity. Granted a couple of wishes, Hiraku asks for a healthy body and a relaxing life. He also wishes to be reborn as a farmer, and it does not take too long for theprotagonist to attract a harem.
Isekai stories have a habit of sticking too closely to certain conventions. Consequently, a story can stand out by simply deviating from the beaten path.Handyman Saitou in Another Worldforegoes the typical overpoweredisekai protagonist in favor of a character designed to play a supporting role.
After being reincarnated in a fantasy world, Saitou realizes that his handyman talents can come in handy during quests. Rather than being randomly granted new abilities, Saitou’s contributions are entirely dependent on skills picked up during his previous life. The anime is quite funny, although the show knows when to get serious as well.
Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirementis another light novel that offers a slight twist on the isekai formula. Mitsuha, the female protagonist, unlocks the ability to jump back and forth between Earth and a medieval world after she falls off a cliff. She uses this skill to achieve financial security by selling (cheap) modern luxuries for a premium price in the fantasy realm.
FUNA’s light novel debuted in 2017 and was adapted into a manga in the same year.Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirementis a fine watch with an amusing gimmick, and fans of FUNA’sDidn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!will probably enjoy the Winter 2023 series.
Based on a light novel by Kiichi Kosuzu,The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another Worldcenters around Haruyoshi, a powerful figure who is betrayed and left for dead. After executing a reincarnation spell, the protagonist wakes up in another magical world.
While he is born to a magically-inclined family, Haruyoshi is not apt at magic; at least, that initially seems to be the case. In truth, he has access to his previous life’s abilities, making him one of the most powerful people in his new home.
Tsuyoshi Mukouda has a relatively typical origin story. An average joe, he is summoned to a fantasy world to serve as its hero. So far, soThe Rising of the Shield Hero; however, after witnessing his summoner’s buyer’s remorse, Tsuyoshi quickly realizes that he was brought in by accident. Left to his own devices, Tsuyoshi sets out to make a good living for himself.
The protagonist’s unique ability is, essentially, Amazon. He can buy things through a magical online shop that has items from Earth, which he uses to complement his cooking abilities. Tsuyoshi gains two familiars before too long, both of whom have awesome personalities that complement the human lead. While it had a slow start,Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skilleventually established itself as one of the best isekai anime of Winter 2023. It is a must-watch for anyone looking for a fluffy and relaxing series.
In aseason overflowing with isekai and fantasy anime,The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Ladyrose to the top as arguably each genre’s best Winter 2023 representative. In a refreshing change of pace, the story skips over the whole “being sent to another world” angle, opting to only provide hints that Princess Anisphia was reincarnated into the show’s magical after living her previous life on Earth.
The girl’s drive to achieve flight is influenced by her past existence, as is her tendency to analyze situations from a scientific rather than a magical perspective. The anime revolves around Anisphia and Euphyllia’s friendship, and both characters are inherently likable.
Based on Mo Yashuu’s light novel,The Aristocrat’s Otherworldly Adventureis the definition of aprototypical isekai. A teenager dies and is reincarnated as a child in a fantasy world. As the son of an aristocrat, Cain is part of this society’s elite; furthermore, his magical prowess puts everyone else to shame.
Even though Spring 2023 was a very strong overall season, its isekai offerings really ran the gamut in terms of quality.The Aristocrat’s Otherworldly Adventure: Serving Gods Who Go Too Farwas among Spring’s most forgettable shows, and the anime did not do much to distinguish itself from most other stories with overpowered protagonists. At times, the series comes across as self-aware regarding its reliance on tropes, but it is still mostly happy to repeat them with little variety or creativity. That said, it is fine as a distraction.
Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirementis not the only 2023 anime to tap into the potential of a dual-world premise.I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Toofollows Yuuya, abullied teenagerwho stumbles upon a door leading to a fantasy world. By traveling through, the protagonist receives a physical makeover along with several overpowered abilities. He can also travel back to Earth, which he does frequently.
I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Toodevotes quite a bit of time to exploring Yuuya’s trauma stemming from years of mistreatment, especially during its opening chapters. That said, it is otherwise a relatively typical entry in the isekai genre, one that quickly bumps up the protagonist’s power and makes him the center of the universe. Still, it is interesting to see Yuuya try to deal with his mental anguish and low self-esteem stemming from years of mistreatment, even if the manga and anime cover similar ground asThe Fruit of Evolution, another story by the same creator. While the protagonist’s sudden transformation is a cheap way to circumvent these struggles, the story does show that Yuuya is a good person before that point.
Based on a manhwa by Milcha,Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke’s Mansionfollows Eunha, a woman who is reincarnated as a secondary character called Raeliana in a novel. More importantly, her character is not long for this world, so Eunha must use her knowledge of the book to try and change her fate. She decides the best way to accomplish this task is to strike a deal with Duke Noah Wynknight, who is hardly someone who can be trusted.
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Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke’s Mansionhinges on the dynamic between the leads, and they are both fascinating characters in their own right. Stuck in a desperate battle for survival, Raeliana’s resourcefulness constantly shines through, although she is still very much flawed and far from infallible. The anime does a great job of highlighting Noah’s public and private personas, all the while retaining an element of mystery surrounding his motives and desires. Despite not really liking each other at this point in the narrative, the characters already have great chemistry.
My One-Hit Kill Sisterfollows in the footsteps ofDo You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?, where the male protagonist is sent to a magical world with a family member who is far more powerful than them. In thisisekai anime’s case, the latter is Maya, the main character’solder and affectionate sister.
Konoe’s manga debuted in 2020 and is a seinen series, which reflectsMy One-Hit Kill Sister’s willingness to touch upon more mature content. The anime is an acquired taste since most of the humor revolves around Maya’spassionatelove for her brother, which can get tiring if that punchline fails to land with a viewer. Nevertheless, the show has delivered a couple of fun action sequences, while the characters themselves are generally amusing.
