Best Isekai manga have been the biggest craze for a while, and these are MyAnimeList’s top ten picks.
Although the genre has seen a lot of popularity through the light novels or anime adaptations, there is still a lot of solid manga to go through. Adaption or otherwise. Here are the 10 best Isekai manga out there according to MyAnimeList.
10- Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation – 7.94
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is the story about a deceased 34-year old NEET (a person with No Education, Employment, or Training) who decides to change his life after being reincarnated into Rudeus Greyrat following his death. The story follows his newfound life, where he attempts to live it to the fullest.
The series ended up becoming quite popular with numerous adaptations, including a decent manga. The light novel itself becoming one of the most popular works in Syosetu’s website and has gone on to have an anime adaptation scheduled for a 2021 debut.
9- So I’m A Spider, So What? – 7.99
So I’m A Spider, So What? (also known as Kumo desu ga, Nani ka?)is the story about Kumoko, who has reincarnated into a spider — specifically a low-level monster called the Lesser Taratect. Not only that, but she is forced to survive in the game’s most dangerous dungeon known as the Great Elroe Labyrinth.
The manga adaptation is faithful to the source material for the most part, but there are some differences such as ignoring some of the side stories present before.
8- The Rising Of The Shield Hero – 8.03
The Rising Of The Shield Hero is about Naofumi Iwatani, who is summoned along with three others to a new world in order to become the Cardinal Heroes. However, things turn for the worst for Naofumi as the princess betrays him and is shunned by everyone including his allies.
Stuck in rock bottom, the now cynical Naofumi trains alone until he meets new characters and unlikely friends along the way. The Rising Of The Shield Hero is a story about saving the world while also having the hero deal with his trauma.
7- My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom! – 8.04
My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom! is a story about a noblewoman who remembers her previous life after bumping her head on a rock. After this, she realizes that she’s an otaku who was reincarnated into living in the otome game Fortune Lover. Here, she is Catarina Claes: the game’s default villainess who’s fated to be exiled or killed off in every possible ending.
Attempting to overwrite this fate, Catarina tries to create a couple of countermeasures which always result in hilarious and unexpected consequences. My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom!was successful as it garnered an anime and a manga adaptation, which currently has five volumes.
6- No Game No Life – 8.05
No Game No Life takes place in a world where players have to beat the god of games in order to take the throne. Going through a series of boardgames which test the will of the players, it stars Sora and Shiro who make up the undefeated gamer group called Blank.
After defeating the god of games in chess, they are transported to the world of Disboard where everything is decided through games. No Game No Life became quite popular even before it got its anime adaptation, with the light novel selling over three million copies as of 2017.
5- Overlord – 8.07
Overlord was a light novel series created by Kugane Maruyama and drawn by so-bin. Later around 2014, the series eventually got adapted into manga form thanks to Satoshi Ōshio and Hugin Miyama before it became the hit anime it’s known as today.
Taking place during the year 2126, Overlord revolves around the game YGGDRASIL, where players can directly interact with the in-game characters. Following the shut down of the servers, dedicated player Momonga discovers that the game has become its own reality and he’s now trapped in it as his character Ainz Ooal Gown. Deciding to look for others that are stuck in the game world like he is, Ainz sets out to become his new world’s overlord.
4- Re:ZERO -Starting Life In Another World, Chapter 3: Truth Of Zero – 8.12
The dark isekai Re;Zero – Starting Life In Another World is the story of a young man named Natsuki Subaru as he gets suddenly transported into a fantasy world. From there he meets with characters like Emilia and obtains a new ability. Every time he dies, time resets and he is able to relive everything again until something different happens.
The manga adaptation has gotten a solid following, with the third part, in particular, gaining a lot of praise from audiences.
3- Fushigi Yûgi Genbu Kaiden – 8.19
The prequel series to the famous Fushigi Yûgi, the story of Fushigi Yûgi Genbu Kaiden revolves around the creation of “The Universe Of The Four Gods,” the setting of the original series. Not only that, but it also talks about the full backstory of the Priestess of Genbu.
The series started in 2003 while ending in 2013, where it was praised for its compelling story as well as a love story that develops between Takiko Okuda and Uruki.
2- The Saga Of Tanya The Evil – 8.31
Originally created by Carlo Zen and drawn by Shinobu Shinotsuki, The Saga Of Tanya The Evil followsTanya Degurechaff, who previously lived as a a ruthlessly effective Japanese salaryman. He wakes up as Tanya in a fantasy version of World War I, where Being X — basically god — reveals that she’ll go to hell if she does not die a natural death or express faith in him. Tanya, instead, joins the Empire Mage Corps out of spite.
Desperate to gain a high military rank so that she can escape the conflict and (ideally) die of old age in peace, Tanya ends up becoming a great soldier who prioritizes on her own needs over others. Tanya’s stance as an anti-hero has attracted many fans to her unique isekai story.
1- That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime – 8.37
The last but highest rated entry on this list is none other than That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, which is the story of a 37-year old named Satoru Mikami who dies from a stab wound. Waking up in a new fantasy world, he discovers that he has reincarnated into a slime.
Given the name Rimuru Tempest by the imprisoned Dragon Veldora, he travels the world in order to prove himself while also getting used to his new body. Over time he discovers new allies and new places that will start to change him forever.
