Isekai anime have become inescapable. Sword Art Online, Overlord, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, and KonoSuba are just a handful of the shows that cemented the subgenre as a staple in the industry. The core premise of someone being whisked to a fantasy world to start anew is innately intriguing and leaves a lot of room for creators to play around with unique settings, quirky characters, and tones.
A human being sent to an MMO is pretty common, but the same cannot quite be said for the direct opposite. Reverse isekai involves a character from another world coming to Earth, and while these anime are not impossible to find, they make up a tiny portion of the overall isekai genre. From the ones that fit the bill, which are the best reverse isekai anime?
A few points worth noting:
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GATE
has been left out since it leans more towards isekai than the reverse version; however, the anime is a good shout for those seeking a military-themed show. - As there are not all that many reverse isekai anime, series will be included if they feature characters who come from very different eras but not necessarily other worlds.
Updated September 29, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Fall 2024 is about to start, but does the season contain any reverse isekai anime?
Does Fall 2024 Have Any Reverse Isekai Anime?
Fall 2024 is just about to start, and the season has quite a few exciting isekai anime. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles, Arifureta, As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World, and Demon Lord, Retry! are all returning for new cours, and they cover a fairly wide gamut of genres and tones. Re:ZERO is the most highly-anticipated sequel, but they all have established fanbases that will be tuning in. In terms of new shows, I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History and Loner Life in Another World should be fun comedic adventures.
Summer 2024 only had one reverse isekai anime, the underwhelming Plus-Sized Elf; fortunately, Fall 2024 seems set to produce a more interesting take on the theme.
Demon Lord 2099
Now, this anime should be fun. Considering the sheer volume of fantasy and present-day isekai stories out there, the fact there are so few sci-fi entries in the genre is disappointing, particularly when it comes to cyberpunk. Demon Lord 2099 envisions a future version of Earth that has been fused with another world, resulting in a landscape that blends science and magic. After hundreds of years, Veltol is revived, only to find himself in a realm that is entirely unlike the one he left behind.
Demon Lord 2099 is built upon such a refreshing concept for an isekai, and the light novel seems to be relatively well-liked. While hardly realistic, the anime’s version of Earth should be at least somewhat familiar, even if it is incredibly over-the-top. Hopefully, this show delivers.
Now, on to the best reverse isekai anime ever…
21 Mirmo Zibang!
MyAnimeList: 7.31
Except for the absolutely biggest shows from the era, most early 2000s anime have been largely forgotten to time, and Mirmo Zibang! is a prime example. This anime lasted for over 150 episodes, producing four seasons across a three-year span. Kaede is a likable girl who is desperately in love with a boy who doesn’t particularly notice her.
Long story short, Kaede winds up summoning a fairy, Mirumo, from another world. While Mirumo is meant to help Kaede find love, the fairy is way more interested in wasting time while making sure he stays as far away from his fiance as possible. Mirmo Zibang! isn’t anything to write home about, but it is a cute, lighthearted anime with mostly enjoyable characters. The type of show that works well as a distraction.
20 Sasaki And Peeps
MyAnimeList: 6.85
Sasaki and Peeps throws everything at the wall to see what sticks, and while not everything works, the ride is certainly entertaining. The story has a talking bird, magical girls, a secret government organization, a world-hopping protagonist, and supernatural powers.
Sasaki, a fairly ordinary office worker, decides to adopt a Java Sparrow to add some spice to his life, and this decision ends up paying off in a far bigger way than expected. Pii-chan, the bird in question, is a reincarnated sage from another world, and he grants Sasaki the ability to visit his homeland. While there, the protagonist finds success by selling items and gradually develops magical powers, although he also gets involved in a war. Sasaki also spends plenty of time back on Earth, and he winds up being recruited by an organization that targets people with supernatural abilities.
Sasaki and Peeps is constantly on the verge of reaching diminishing returns due to its penchant for blending themes and general wackiness; however, the anime just about manages to stay on the acceptable side of unpredictability. While perhaps not a traditional example of the concept, the story’s ridiculousness is triggered through a character who has been reverse isekai’d, and Pii-chan is as central of a figure as Sasaki.
19 Dropkick On My Devil!
MyAnimeList: 7.03 (Season 1)
Quite a number of reverse isekai anime start with a human summoning a being from another world, usually to ask for some assistance. So, in terms of premise, Dropkick On My Devil! is about as predictable as they come; however, the show is anything but typical.
Dropkick On My Devil! is a slapstick comedy that generally involves Yurine, a human, deep-frying Jashin-chan, a demon, in quite graphic displays of violence. It’s gloriously over-the-top, and the anime also expands its cast to include other mythological beings. Although repetitive at times, Dropkick On My Devil! works well as an unhinged alternative to an anime like Gabriel Dropout.
18 Magical Witch Punie-Chan
MyAnimeList: 6.93 (Season 1)
An OVA series that came out in 2006 and 2007, Magical Witch Punie-Chan is a parody of, as its name suggests, the magical girl genre. Inline to rule Magical Land, Punie heads off to spend a year in Japan, enrolling in a high school in the process.
Punie might seem like an angel at first glance but the magical witch has a temper, and she does not hesitate to get gleefully violent when necessary. Magical Witch Punie-Chan is a short and funny anime, even if it generally reuses the same punchline a bit too often.
17 Otaku Elf
MyAnimeList: 7.29
Otaku Elf is a wholesome anime about a shrine maiden and an immortal being. Hundreds of years prior to the story’s commencement, Elda was summoned to Earth, where she grew to be seen as something of a goddess due to her immortality. Living at Takamimi Shrine, the elf is taken care of by the Koganei family, with a new shrine maiden taking charge when she turns 16 years old. Koito has just assumed this responsibility, and while she finds some of Elda’s eccentricities frustrating, the teenager cares about her charge. Also, as the show’s title suggests, Elda is heavily into otaku culture, and she also generally tries to avoid interacting with people as much as possible.
Otaku Elf is a slice of life that just happens to be built upon a reverse isekai situation, although Elda has been on Earth for so long that she is almost fully acclimatized to her new home. The anime still has a fish-out-of-water element, but it primarily stems from the elf’s reluctance to leave her shrine rather than her world-traveling origins. Although not the most existing show out there, Otaku Elf is relaxing and charming.
16 Zatch Bell!
MyAnimeList: 7.54
Although not as inescapable as some other battle shonen properties, Zatch Bell! was quite popular during its initial run. The anime holds up reasonably well too, permitting a viewer enjoys these types of shows. Unbeknownst to humans, the Mamodo world exists alongside Earth. Every so often, this realm sends over a couple of its strongest fighters to Earth so they can take part in a tournament to determine their world’s next ruler. To compete, they must partner up with a human who will be granted a book with the Mamodo’s spells.
Zatch Bell is one such candidate, and he winds up teaming with the reluctant Kiya. Zatch Bell! follows an enemy of the week format during its opening chapters, before eventually expanding into longer arcs. Packed with humor and battles, the series does a solid job of balancing comedy and action.
15 Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World
MyAnimeList: 7.46
While overshadowed by another anime with a similar premise that came out a year before it, Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World is nevertheless an intriguing take on the reverse isekai formula. The anime centers around a restaurant that welcomes guests from other worlds, and the focus is chiefly on the food.
No action or tension, Isekai Izakaya is a delightful and relaxing fantasy show with likable characters, gorgeous meals, and a chipper attitude. The episodes are also on the short side, so this is a pretty quick watch.
14 Kuromukuro
MyAnimeList: 7.13
Released through Netflix, Kuromukuro has robots, aliens, and pretty good animation. Following the discovery of a dormant giant robot, humanity built a research center that eventually constructed a few mecha. As it so happens, these mecha prove to be valuable when alien ogres attack Earth. Also, the main character is a samurai who travels hundreds of years into the future through a cube.
Kuromukuro is an entertaining action show that incorporates plenty of anime conventions in satisfying ways. At 26 episodes, it does feel a touch stretched at times, but the content is of high quality.
13 Sugar Sugar Rune
MyAnimeList: 7.44
Even if they are largely seen as their own thing, plenty of magical girl anime are essentially reverse isekai. Ultra Maniac and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha both have reverse isekai elements, but the best of the bunch is Sugar Sugar Rune. A classic 2000s show, this anime follows two witches competing for the Witch World’s throne.
In order to pick a winner, they head to Earth and engage in a contest to see who can collect more human hearts. Rather than action, this shoujo series focuses primarily on the friendship between the two leads, Chocolat and Vanilla, and some romance. Clever, hilarious, and featuring a great art style, Sugar Sugar Rune is a blast.
12 Isekai Quartet
MyAnimeList: 7.38
Isekai Quartet exists somewhere in the middle between a traditional and reverse isekai. The crossover series brings together characters from a few of the most popular isekai anime (KonoSuba, Overlord, Re:Zero, Tanya, etc.) and drops them in a relatively typical Japanese high school. However, the story is not specifically set in Japan but rather in an alternate world that just happens to use a similar aesthetic. While not 100% a reverse isekai, the show fits the genre by throwing extreme personalities in a relatively ordinary environment.
As these types of crossovers rarely happen, Isekai Quartet is certainly worth a watch as a curiosity, although someone’s mileage will depend entirely on their love for the individual series. The humor relies on viewers being familiar with the cast’s backstories, and the show does not have much to offer beyond lighthearted jokes and references. Still, it is fun.
11 A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics
MyAnimelIst: 7.31
Based on a light novel by Yomi Hirasaka, the author behind Haganai and A Sister’s All You Need, A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics offers goofy silliness, which is always welcome. Potentially conjuring up memories of Hinamatsuri, the anime follows Sara Da Odin, a powerful princess who escapes her world and winds up on Earth. Her planetary debut involves a crash landing on Sousuke, a private detective who earns a living by catching cheaters. After a lighthearted threat, Sara convinces the human to allow her to live with him, establishing a reluctant friendship between a jaded guy and an energetic girl who can destroy buildings with very little effort. Also, Sara’s guardian, Livia, follows her princess to Earth and joins the homeless community.
A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics is cute, funny, and periodically bizarre. Yomi Hirsaka’s comedic voice shines during most episodes, and Sara and Sousuke have decent banter. Although initially seeming uninspired, Livia’s storyline has surprisingly blossomed into the best part of the show. The knight’s honorable positivity has led her to some rather unique situations, including becoming the savior of a cult. Silly but hilarious. Honestly, the show’s biggest issue is its similarity to Hinamatsuri, one of the best reverse isekai anime ever.
10 Dead Mount Death Play
MyAnimeList: 7.30 (Season 1)
The Spring 2023 anime lineup was fairly stacked in most areas, but traditional isekai content was not one of them. Except for Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke’s Mansion, the theme’s standard model struggled to produce anything worthwhile; thankfully, two reverse isekai anime managed to pick up the slack. Furthermore, the shows – Otaku Elf and Dead Mount Death Play – could not have been more different than each other.
With his demise imminent, a Necromancer saves himself by casting a reincarnation spell that sends him from his grimdark fantasy world to modern Tokyo. Taking control of the recently killed Polka Shinoyama, the protagonist quickly gets dragged into Japan’s underworld scene courtesy of a chaotic assassin and a high-tech hacker. Before long, Polka realizes that he might not be the only unusual person living during this period. Dead Mount Death Play slowly but steadily builds up a fascinating twisted version of Japan that incorporates mythological and supernatural elements into murder mysteries and even gang warfare. Although a constant presence, Polka takes a backseat at times, allowing the story to flesh out a large roster of characters with fascinating powers and motives.
Dead Mount Death Play‘s first cour set the stage beautifully for the Fall 2023 sequel, with the two parts combining to create one of that year’s best isekai anime.
9 Saint Young Men
MyAnimeList: 7.79 (Movie)
Deciding to head to Earth for a short break, Jesus and Buddha rent an apartment in Tokyo where they get to lead ordinary and relatable lives. Depending on the person, Saint Young Men‘s premise might sound incredible or a recipe for disaster; considering Hikaru Nakamura’s seinen manga has lasted for roughly 15 years and produced 20 volumes in the process, it is safe to assume it is the former.
Saint Young Men has been adapted into a two-part OVA series and a movie, both of which are more than watchable. That said, the feature is comfortably better than the OVAs, to the point that the latter should be regarded as bonus content for anyone who wants to watch more of this story after sitting through the film.
8 Restaurant To Another World
MyAnimeList: 7.40 (Season 1)
Similar to Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World, Restaurant to Another World is, well, about a restaurant that serves customers from other realms. Western Restaurant Nekoya dedicates one day a week to its fantasy clientele, many of whom experience personal growth through their time at the establishment.
The anime also touches upon some of the issues that would arise if such different worlds were to be linked, mainly through Aletta, a server from the devil race.
7 Gabriel Dropout
MyAnimeList: 7.44
Gabriel Dropout is not traditionally seen as an isekai, but it does have all the trappings of one. Two angels and two demons are sent to Earth from Heaven and Hell respectfully, and they don’t quite act as their backgrounds indicate they might. An angel with a lot of potential, Gabriel becomes enamored with Earth’s offerings, particularly video games, and turns her back on Heaven.
Gabriel Dropout is a “cute girls doing cute things” anime with a reverse isekai twist. Its characters are funny, particularly the demon Satanichia, and the anime doesn’t overuse “fish out of water” humor.
6 The Devil Is A Part-Timer!
MyAnimeList: 7.74 (Season 1)
Probably the first show that comes to mind when people think of reverse isekai, The Devil is a Part-Timer! drops a mighty Demon Lord in Tokyo, zaps him of most of his power, and then sends him to work at a fast-food joint. The premise is genius, and the anime makes full use of its characters’ lack of familiarity with human conventions.
Sadao Maou is great as the Demon Lord, while Emi Yusa is a fun foil to the lead as the hero. However, the anime’s show-stealer is Shirou Ashiya, a demon dragged along with Sadao who is left the take care of the house while the Demon Lord flips burgers. The Devil is a Part-Timer! is at its best when focusing on fish-out-of-water comedy, which dominates the 2013 season. Emi and Sadao’s antagonistic dynamic is also at its best during this cour, producing laughs constantly.
Unfortunately, the sequels are underwhelming, to the point of taking away from the show’s overall brilliance. While hardly unwatchable, The Devil is a Part-Timer! has steadily stripped away the elements that characterized its initial appeal. Sadao’s work life is barely relevant after the first season, and his interactions with Emi have become toothless. Chiho’s role has been expanded from a minor player to a proper protagonist, and she is arguably the least interesting recurring character.
5 Uncle From Another World
MyAnimeList: 7.82
Uncle from Another World is a special case that exists somewhere in the middle between isekai and its reverse counterpart. When he was young, the eponymous Ojisan was sent to a fantasy world where he got to experience his dream life, albeit one that quickly turned into a nightmare. In the real world, his body spent 17 years in a coma, only to awaken when he randomly returns home.
Set after his comeback, Uncle from Another World focuses on Ojisan’s attempts to adjust to the modern world while he simultaneously bewilders his nephew with heroic tales filled with orcs, dragons, and tsundere. An isekai parody, this anime hilariously pokes fun at the genre’s tropes, archetypes, and protagonists.
4 Ya Boy Kongming!
MyAnimeList: 8.16
Ya Boy Kongming! is technically not isekai since the titular tactician merely travels through time rather than swaps worlds. However, China’s Three Kingdoms era is so far removed from modern Tokyo that they might as well be different universes. This anime is delightfully bizarre since it throws Kongming into the entertainment industry as he becomes an advisor to an aspiring singer named Eiko.
As silly as this premise sounds, Ya Boy Kongming! sells it through sheer personality. Kongming and Eiko are fantastic characters who complement each other beautifully, and the story’s minor players help flesh out the anime’s world. The show’s soundtrack serves as the icing on the cake, and this goes beyond just Eiko’s songs.
3 Re:Creators
MyAnimeList: 7.55
In this universe, every fictional story exists in its own world, and problems arise when some of these characters find themselves on Earth. Re:Creators might just have the strongest premise out of any reverse isekai series, one that opens a whole cosmos of possibilities when it comes to character types, abilities, and themes.
While the two leads, Souta Mizushino and Selesia Upitiria, are somewhat bland, the rest of the characters are pretty strong, particularly the main antagonists Altair and Meteora Österreich. Re:Creators‘ animation is also stunning.
2 Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
MyAnimeList: 7.95 (Season 1)
While out on a drunken escapade, Kobayashi winds up sharing a moment with a hurt dragon. Yes, a dragon. The next morning, said dragon shows up at Kobayashi’s place and asks to repay the favor by working as her maid. Oh, and the dragon can transform into a human girl with a tail and horns.
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is a warm and fuzzy anime, the type that inspires constant smiles and more than a few giggles. Although predominantly a comedy, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid‘s content is undercut by genuine emotion and surprisingly deep themes, particularly in season 2.
