In this anime verse, reincarnation is real! And, if you have ever dreamt of waking up in another world, as a hero, villain, or maybe…slime, this one is surely for you. Isekai anime is pretty popular among anime lovers. So, here are the top 10 best isekai anime to watch right now, featuring our absolute favorites!
Isekai quite literally means “different worlds” in Japanese. It’s an anime subgenre where the main character is suddenly transported, reincarnated, or trapped in fantasy worlds. Below are our personal favorite isekai anime of all time you should watch right now:
10 Best Isekai Anime to Watch Right Now
Below are some of the best isekai anime to watch right now, if you love fantasy.
Sword Art Online
This isekai anime is all about your online battle getting all real! When the Sword Art Online game launches, thousands of players are excited to jump all in and play the most viral VR game ever. But as they join the game, they realize there is no going back. And, if you die here, you die in real life too!
The story starts with Kirito, a skilled player and a lone wolf, who is one of the players trapped inside the game. He takes on the responsibility to clear out all 100 floors of the floating fortress and free everyone who is trapped inside.
With multiple movies and three seasons, Sword Art Online is perhaps one of the best anime right now, at least on our watch. The anime is available to stream on Netflix and Crunchyroll. Moreover, the next season, based on the Unital Ring arc, is yet to come. Release date is not yet confirmed, but fans anticipate the season could drop in late 2025 or 2026. Why watch Sword Art Online? Well, apart from some awesome music tracks, the anime seriously converts a thrilling game into something deeply emotional. It has fear, connection, backstories, boss fights, and loyalty. No character is a random being existing. The story is quite nicely interconnected with every arc coming.
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
This one is another video game thriller. When an ordinary high school student, Hajime Nagumo, plays a video game with a bunch of other classmates, things slowly take a darker turn when he is left with a weak transmutation ability while his classmates gain powerful combat skills.
While working together to defeat a monster, his classmates abandon him during the dungeon raid. However, he survives and learns to transform himself by crafting weapons, devouring monsters and doing all his fights alone.
This best Isekai anime to watch is available to watch on Hulu and Crunchyroll. Moreover, the anime currently has three seasons, with the launch of season 4 highly anticipated. The insiders suggest that the anime would most likely have another season. That said, fans can expect a season announcement sometime in early 2026.
Overlord as the Best Isekai Anime to Watch
This one adds yet another touch to the isekai anime realm. Adding a new touch to this verse, the story starts when the protagonist joins an online game, thinking this would be his last session. But when something breaks hard and the server goes offline, he finds himself stuck in the video game world with NPCs acting like humans with real souls.
When Momonga gets stuck in the video game world, he becomes the skeletal sorcerer king Aniz Ooal Gown. After realizing his powers, he sets out to explore the new reality, uncover some hidden truths, and protect his NPC followers.
You can watch all four seasons of Overlord now on Crunchyroll. You can also buy episodes or seasons on Apple TV and Amazon Video. There are about 52 episodes available from all four seasons.
And, if you’re wondering, the Overlord franchise is still very much alive. That said, fans anticipate that season 5 is highly likely. However, it may arrive in 2026 or even later.
One of the reasons this is on our best isekai anime to watch list is the fact that it flips the usual Isekai hero plot. Rather than having a kid explore his latent powers, we have Momonga, who becomes the ultimate sorcerer. The anime combines supernatural, strategy, dark fantasy, and hardcore action in the best way.
The Rising of the Shield Hero
This one feels like an actual fantasy dream. When four ordinary men are summoned to a parallel world as heroes, each of them wields a special weapon. But, for our protagonist, Naofumi Iwatani, the weapon is purely defensive. After his peers find out he can’t attack, he is labelled as weak, betrayed, and falsely accused of a crime, and shunned from the kingdom.
After going all bitter, this anime is about Iwatani’s survival and redemption. Along the way, he teams up with Raphtalia and Filo and faces demons to protect their words. Eventually, from outcast to a leader who protects, Iwatani becomes a symbol of power. This popular anime right now can be streamed on Crunchyroll, with all three seasons available in stubbed and dubbed versions.
The first season of The Rising of the Shield Hero first aired in 2019, with 25 episodes. With three seasons now out, there is no official confirmation on season 4 yet. However, based on fans’ speculation and the original Manga, this best Isekai anime has a lot of material left.
Personally, one thing that makes it the most popular anime right now is the fact that the character has a lot of emotional depth. Rather than being an overpowered hero, Naofumi actually has to work his way up the ladder. The anime also covers themes of endurance, patience, and strength. Plus, mixing that emotional tone with casual humor also adds a great touch to the series.
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World
KomoSuba takes a comedy hit in the world of Isekai anime. Turning every fantasy trope upside down, the plot starts when our protagonist, Kazuma Satou, a gamer, dies in a heroic yet embarrassing act. In the afterlife, he meets a goddess, Aqua, who gives me two options. He can either go to heaven or choose to reincarnate in a magical world to defeat the Demon King.
However, the world he reincarnates in isn’t ordinary. And his team includes a useless goddess, a mage who can only cast one spell, and a crusader who likes pain a bit too much. This leads to a lot of chaos, humor, and off-course action.
You can watch this best isekai anime to watch on Crunchyroll, which includes all seasons and movies. While season 3 came out in late 2025, there’s still a lot of anticipation for season 4, which is highly likely to be released. The best part about this anime is the characters. Despite all flawed, in one way or another, the group is quite endearing.
No Game No Life as the Best Isekai Anime to watch
No Game No Life is a great blend of style and strategy. For siblings, Sora and Shiro, real life is boring. But in the video games, they are the champions. Unbeatable and unbeaten, the duo has a record high in every game. However, things change when a mysterious boy, calling himself God, summons them to a board game world, where every choice has a consequence.
This isekai anime to watch features the bond of two siblings using their wit and strategy to defeat demons, villains, and win against all odds.
This isekai anime can be watched on Apple TV or Amazon Video.
Re:Zero – Starting Life In Another World
Imagine yourself out getting groceries, and poof- you find yourself in a fantasy world. This is what happens to Re:Zero’s Subaru Natsuki. While this may sound like classic isekai, the protagonist in this anime does not get any cool powers. Instead, his only ability is to die and reset time, making him jump back to the last “save point.” And, the catch? Every death is like real death. It hurts- physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Along the way, he meets Emilia, an elf with a gentle heart and troubled past. Using his new curse-like abilities, Natsuki protects Emilia, saves his friends, and turns out to be a hero no one expected. But with each painful death, the protagonist soon realizes that being a hero comes with a heavy cost in this world.
You can stream all seasons of Re:Zero – Starting Life In Another World on Crunchyroll. Also, season 4 has officially been announced for Re:Zero – Starting Life In Another World. While there is no exact release date, the season might be dropping sooner than anticipated.
Mushoku Tensei
What is the most popular anime right now? Well, in the case of isekai, we’d say Mushoku Tensei. When Rudeus Greyrat fails in life and on the road, he is reincarnated in a magical world after death. However, he is born as an infant and remembers everything that happened in his past life.. This time around, he vows to make it count. He learns magic, makes friends, and follows a long way to become a very powerful mage. It is isekai, but it is also emotional, rich, and follows the theme of growth.
With stunning character development and well-structured plots, this isekai anime is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Hulu. Plus, Mushoku Tensei’s season 3 is official and set to premiere in 2026. You can even watch the new season trailer on YouTube.
Rather than adding a bunch of action scenes, this anime actually has a build. It shows a relatable plot where the protagonist fails and is given another chance at life. If this is relatable, this isekai anime is for you.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
We’re sure you’ve heard of this one before. Bored with his usual routine life, things change for an office worker, Satoru Mikami, when he is stabbed. Instead of simply dying, he reincarnates in a new world- as a slime! The protagonist soon realizes that this is just the beginning for him, not the end.
Mikami accepts his new reality and renames himself Rimuru Tempest. He quickly realizes that his new world is not ordinary. It is full of monsters, demons, and villains. But with his ability to absorb and mimic skills, he fights, wins, grows, and gathers allies to build a peaceful community.
This best isekai anime to watch can be streamed on Hulu. With three seasons, it is a good watch. Season 4 and the second film for The Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime are set to air on February 27, 2026.
Spirited Away is the G.O.A.T. of all Isekai Anime to Watch
There are fewer anime that are as iconic as Spirited Away. The plot uncovers a story of a 10-year-old girl who accidentally enters a mysterious world while moving in with her parents to a new town. When her parents accidentally eat soul’s food, they are turned into pigs. Hayao Miyazaki takes on a job at a bathhouse run by a very powerful witch, where she works and soon discovers her own strength and destiny.
With characters like the protagonist herself, Haki, and No-face, the anime takes a deeper look into themes like courage, greed, love, and personal identity.
This best isekai anime can be watched on Max (HBO Max) or can be rented or purchased on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Isekai Anime to Watch
Below are some of the common questions people have about isekai anime:
What is isekai anime?
Isekai, in Japanese, means another world. Isekai anime is an anime genre where the main character is transported, trapped, or reborn in a new world. Isekai anime usually have themes of fantasy, new worlds, action, and fantasy adventure. They also cover themes like second chance, growth, and escaping reality.
Which isekai anime should I watch first?
If you are new to the isekai genre, the best isekai anime to watch is Slithered Away or The Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. You can also go for Sword Art Online for an action touch and even The Rising of the Shield God, if you love a good story.
Where can I watch isekai anime?
You can watch isekai anime on several streaming platforms. You can find The Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and many others on Crunchyroll. Some can also be watched on Hulu and Netflix.
What is the no. 1 isekai anime?
Based on a recent Japanese poll, the best isekai anime to watch right now is The Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. You can also go for Overlord, Sword Art Online, and Mushoku Tensei.