While not a recent invention,isekaihas grown especially popular in manga andanime over the last decade. The success of series likeSword Art Onlinehelped usher in a new era when everyone and, occasionally, their mother is being sent to alternate worlds defined by RPG mechanics. As tired as the formula can get at times, isekai has produced some gems that serve as fantastic wish-fulfillment series.
Which are thebest isekai game anime? Synonymous as the theme might be with RPGs, only a handful of shows state that they take place within games, even though plenty of shows are set in fantasy worlds built upon traditional gaming conventions. Therefore, let’s explore those shows that specifically send their protagonists into video games.
Along with quality, the rankings also take into account the importance the isekai anime gives to the “game” aspect of their worlds.
Updated July 17, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Winter 2025is steadily approaching its end, and the lineup’s solitaryisekai game animewill likely rank very highly, as long as it nails its landing. For fans who have already exhausted all the options, a section dedicated to isekai anime with gaming mechanics that are not set in games has been added at the end of the article.
Winter 2025 has plenty of isekai content to satiate fans looking for otherworldly experiences. As always, quite a few of these shows incorporate video game elements, although perhaps not at the same level as most other seasonal lineups.Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another WorldandPossibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Timeincorporate plenty of RPG mechanisms, whileThe Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World,The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World, andHeadhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Fouroccasionally throw in some gaming-related terminology. However, none of theseisekai anime are set in games, so they do not qualify for this discussion.Zenshumight be able to scratch a similar itch, although its protagonist is teleported into a movie rather than a game.
That leavesFrom Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated!, the latest villainess isekai anime. As with most entries in this popular subgenre, the protagonist finds themselves in the world of an otome game, forcing them to balance harem routes and quirky power systems to try and craft a future that does not end with their death. As suggested by its title, this show shakes things up by focusing on a father, Kenzaburou, who is in his 50s and is only somewhat familiar with the game, although he is a big enough otaku to have a general idea of how these stories go.
From Bureaucrat to Villainessis one of thebest Winter 2025 anime, an achievement that very fewisekai game animeclaimed during their runs. The premise lends itself to parody, and the execution delivers on that front. Kenzaburou’s parenting his way through an otome game’s clichés produces plenty of hilarious moments, as does his tendency to trigger romance flags for both his character, Grace, and the heroine, Anna. As the love interests, the student council members are purposefully archetypal, although they are surprisingly likable. Finally and most importantly, the anime also explores how Kenzaburou’s wife and daughter are dealing with their father’s recent situation.
From Bureaucrat to Villainesshas not been officially ranked yet, as that will happen once the season ends.
Honestly,The New Gatewas probably the most lacklusterSpring 2024’s isekai anime. While not necessarily the worst (Re:Monsterwas far more frustrating), it was the most forgettable and bland. To its credit, the story gets off to a fairly promising start, shaking things up by taking place at the end of a “stuck in a game” situation. As he defeats the final boss, Shinya frees all the humans trapped in the eponymous MMO, allowing them to return to their normal lives; unfortunately, he is the exception. Rather than exit this world, Shinya is sent 500 years into the future, finding himself as the only remaining higher human.
This concept had potential, some of which was realized. It is interesting to see how the NPCs mythified the departing humans, turning them into heroes of legend. Despite the gap in years, Shinya is still fairly familiar with the world, allowing him to settle down quickly. After the initial episode,The New Gatefinds a slow-life rhythm that does not go anywhere particularly interesting, and, at times, it kind of feels like a sequel to a story that never came out.
The Spring 2022 season was stacked with isekai anime, quite a few of which were happy to directly state they occur within game worlds.Skeleton Knight in Another Worldfollows Arc, a gamer stuck as their reasonably powered character in a fantasy world defined by discrimination. Also, as the title suggests, Arc has a skeleton avatar, which is not a common sight in this universe.
Skeleton Knight in Another World’s strength lies in the relationships that form between the main characters. Arc, Ariane, and the adorable Ponta have a charming rapport that brings out the best in each of their personalities. As the story allows all the heroes to shine rather than just Arc, they come across as a genuine party whose members are equally vital in their own ways. For all its positives,Skeleton Knight in Another World’s tone is all over the place, and the story often struggles to balance its mature themes and lighthearted banter.
In the Land of Leadaleis anenjoyable slow-lifeshow about a woman who is reincarnated in a world based on a virtual reality MMORPG she used to escape to during her life. Not everything about Leadale is exactly as Keina, or Cayna in-game, remembers, but the one thing that has remained the same is the world’s fantastical elements.
Putting aside the occasional action sequence,In the Land of Leadaleis predominantly happy to allow Cayna to exist peacefully in her new home. The protagonist (and audience) is not on a mission to defeat some huge threat, even though she is quite powerful, but she primarily focuses on crafting a quiet and peaceful place in this universe. This premise makes for a relaxing isekai anime.
Based on Tenichi’s light novel series,The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess To Savioris among the better examples of thevillainess isekaitrend. As is often the case, the female protagonist is reincarnated as the antagonist of an otome game who is destined for a rough end; consequently, she must work tirelessly to change her new life’s trajectory.
Last Boss Queenshakes things up by putting its lead in the shoes of a genuinely horrible villainess, rather than one who kind of becomes evil after being rejected. Pride, the character in question, is also powerful, which is not all that common in these sorts of stories.
A seemingly divisive series going by MyAnimeList,Quality Assurance in Another Worldflew under the radar throughoutSummer 2024. While nothing amazing, this anime provides a unique take on the “trapped in a video game” format by focusing on a protagonist who was hired as a quality tester. As normal, a company assigned a group of QAs to investigate an in-development game’s bugs; however, abnormally, the employees found themselves incapable of logging out. A year later, most of the testers have lost the plot and are constantly using their debugger privileges to spread chaos across the world, acting as mini-gods to the NPCs. Haga is one of the exceptions, as he not only refuses to abuse his powers but has also continued to work diligently to test and report bugs.
For the most part,Quality Assurance in Another Worldis an adventure anime that follows Haga and a young NPC girl, Nikola, as they travel, investigate bugs, make friends, and try to undermine the other testers who are causing nothing but harm. Visually, the show is pleasant to the eyes, and there are quite a few creative monster designs. The characters are likable enough to not be off-putting, although they are admittedly quite forgettable.
Quality Assurance in Another Worldis mildly entertaining, which sounds harsher than it is meant to be. This is a standard 5/10 anime that does most things “fine” without really excelling at anything. Its biggest weakness is that the story can be a bit aimless at times.
More often than not, an isekai anime will center around a hikikomori who spends all of his time in an MMORPG. Be it death or a summoning gone wrong, the character ends up in a fantasy world where he is an instant hero, mainly because he retains his stats from the MMORPG.How Not to Summon a Demon Lordis a stereotypical isekai anime in a lot of ways, but it rises above its contemporaries through sheer personality and strong comedic timing.
Although powerful, Takuma Sakamoto, the anime’s resident hikikomori turned Demon Lord, retains his social anxiety while in the game world. Consequently, it is not all smooth sailing for the protagonist.
I’ll Become a Villainess That Will Go Down in Historyis decent, but it does suffer from concept fatigue. In the last two years or so, villainess isekai anime have become common enough to appear in every season. They nearly all take place in otome games, featuring school settings, and follow a protagonist who is just trying to avoid a bad end. None of these shows have been bad by any stretch of the imagination, but they are also so similar that they struggle to stand out. Despite trying a few novel things,I’ll Become a Villainess That Will Go Down in Historystill feels like just another one of these anime.
Still, the story has one major strength that sets it apart from the crowd, at least initially. Alicia, the protagonist, is genuinely trying to play the part of the villainess, all in the hopes of allowing the game’s heroine to reach her full potential. To be honest, she does not actually do anything all that bad, and she mostly just ends up being an accidental hero. Nevertheless, this small twist is appreciated.
Beyond that,I’ll Become a Villainess That Will Go Down in Historyis fine. The anime covers quite a wide spectrum of time, following Alicia from childhood to late adolescence. Due to this structure, the audience gets to see the protagonist grow stronger through hard work and dedication, which is neat.
I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Bosshits a few road bumps but is generally a smooth and enjoyable ride. On the day she has her engagement broken by the kingdom’s prince, Aileen realizes she is the villainess of an otome game she played in her previous life. To avoid a bad ending, she sets out to woo the Demon King, the charismatic Claude Jeanne Elmir.
I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Bossis at its best when focusing on Claude and Aileen’s relationship since they have great chemistry. The story starts reasonably strong as well, but it loses some momentum when Aileen begins to live through the otome game’s sequel; however, the anime ends on a decent note.
“Isekai” is more of a premise than a genre, as any show featuring a protagonist who is transferred to another world qualifies. This premise leaves a lot of room for variety when it comes to tone. For example,Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another WorldandIxion Saga DTare both isekai anime, but the former is grim and complex while the latter is comedic and unapologetically stupid.
A great player in an MMORPG, Kon Hokaze receives a friend request and, naturally, winds up in a fantasy world. Kon meets a princess, joins a party, and sets out to save the world. As its humor is quite immature,Ixion Saga DTis not for everyone, but it can be hilarious at times.
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bearis about Yuna, a girl who gets teleported into her favorite MMORPG with overpowered equipment that trivializes every battle. In this case, the protagonist’s OP status is not that much of an issue as the focus is on Yuna’s friendships with the girls she meets on her travels, and this aspect of the show works well. The characters are likable, their interactions are amusing, and the humor is decent for the most part.
One aspect of the anime that falls flat is world-building.Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear’s World Fantasy Online is devoid of any unique features that separate it from otherisekai anime set in MMORPGs; consequently, the setting is quite forgettable. Still, as a slow-life option, this show does its job.
