While the library is pretty great when viewed on the whole, its limitations become apparent when seeking out genres and themes, particularly more niche ones. Despite being arguably inescapable for the best part of the last decade,isekai anime on Netflixare not only hard to come by, but they can also be difficult to find when searching through the library. Consequently, let’s look at the service’s best series about otherworldly adventures.
A reasonably entertaining anime that falls short of greatness,High-Rise Invasionwarrants a mention due to being an exclusive, making it one of only twoisekai anime that are only on Netflix.
Good Night Worldalmost qualifies too, but that show is only isekai-adjacent.
The premise is pretty great. A bunch of people are teleported to a strange world defined by high-rise buildings, and they are forced to take part in adeath game. Armed with a gun and desperate to find her brother, Yuri has to stay one step ahead of a group of murderers who are roaming the rooftops and looking for their next victims.
High-Rise Invasionstarts promising but suffers from having mostly forgettable characters, at least when it comes to their personalities. However, the villains are creepy, the action is decent, there is a good sense of mystery, and the setting is fun. Nothing amazing, but a fine way to spend an afternoon.
One of the mostpolarizing isekai animeof all time,The Rising of the Shield Herois primarily known for delivering a strong opening season and mediocre sequels. Netflix only has the “good” season, which should be more than enough to let viewers know if they want to invest more time in this universe and track down the follow-up entries.
One of four heroes summoned to serve as a kingdom’s protector, Naofumi is betrayed, ostracized, and left to wander the streets with nothing. He eventually acquires a couple of allies, and he sets out to clear his name, get revenge, and even live up to his role as the shield hero.
The Rising of the Shield Hero’s opening few episodes are intense, edgy, and attention-grabbing, painting a slightly inaccurate picture of the rest of the show. After this initial spell, the anime adapts a mostly adventurous tone with some very light dark fantasy elements. To be clear, the first season is constantly entertaining, but it is a relatively traditional fantasy story.
KonoSubais iconic by this point, not only within the isekai genre but also in comedy anime in general. With three seasons, a spin-off series, and a movie, Kazuma and his dysfunctional party have delivered plenty of memorable misadventures over the years, including2024’s best isekai anime season.
Unfortunately, Netflix only has season 1 ofKonoSuba, which is just 10 episodes. As such, most people will probably get through everything in a day or two, especially due to the show’s addictive and bingeable nature. Frustrating as this is, the content on offer is top-notch and packed to the brim with stomach-splitting gags led by four of the most “awful” misfits in the isekai genre.
A parody of not only isekai but fantasy stories in general,KonoSubafollows Kazuma, a guy who gets a second chance at life and drags an incompetent goddess along for the ride. Before he knows it, he is saddled with an explosive mage and a pain-driven crusader.
Uncle From Another Worldhad a notoriously troubled production that resulted in multiple momentum-destroying delays. By the time the 13th and final episode dropped, more than 7 months after the show’s debut, this bizarre isekai tale was old news and largely forgotten. This was a shame, asUncle From Another Worldstill stands among the theme’s funniest and most creative representatives, one that blends standard and reverse isekai tropes to create a story that excels at both sides of the equation.
Yousuke Shibazaki spent 17 years living in another world, while his body lay dormant in a hospital bed on Earth. One day, he reawakened and spoke of his otherworldly deeds, confusing and shocking his nephew in the process. Now living together, Ojisan recounts his horrifying experiences of his time in the other realm, which involved getting mistaken for an orc and being “harassed” by an arrogant elf (who is a tsundere).
Constantly hilarious and packed with surprisingly lovable characters,Uncle From Another Worldis just a fun and silly ride that rarely misses a beat. Ojisan is the star of the show, but he is supported by two great straight-men foils (his nephew and his female friend) and afew colorful fantasy archetypes.
InuYashais arguablyRumiko Takahashi’s masterpiece, although an argument could be made that all the mangaka’s creations should be described as such. LikeRanma 1/2orUrusei Yatsura, Takahashi was ahead of the curve when she createdInuYasha, seamlessly blending fantasy, action, romance, comedy, history, and isekai to create one of the most long-lasting and beloved classics of all time.
Now, technically,InuYashais a time-traveling anime since the characters travel 500 years back into the same world’s past. However, it is still essentially isekai since the eras are so different.
Spanning nearly 200 episodes, which are all available on Netflix,InuYashais largely fantastic, only losing some momentum during a stretch of filler arcs during the second half of the series. While the story is quite epic and ambitious, it is held together by the legendary romance between Inuyasha and Kagome, which still holds up as one of anime’s greatest love stories.
Even if somebody has no nostalgia for this series, they should still check outInuYasha. It is simply one of the best anime on Netflix, regardless of genre or theme.
One of the most popular isekai anime of all time,Overlordis simultaneously a prototypical entry in the genre, while also being one of a kind. Isekai stories love their overpowered protagonists, and they do not come much more OP than Ainz/Momonga. The protagonist spent his time as a powerful mage in a VR game called Yggdrasil, only to find himself stuck as his character when that title went offline.
Surrounded by very powerful subordinates who will do anything he says, Ainz essentially becomes this universe’s “big bad,” starting him on a path of world domination. Although not devoid of comedic moments,Overlordis very much adark fantasy, and it lives up to that billing as Ainz gradually becomes more and more willing to embrace his ruthless persona.
Some missteps and animation issues aside,Overlordis relentlessly entertaining in nearly every area. The characters are, somehow, both lovable and terrifying, while the worldbuilding is among the strongest in the isekai genre.
