Isekai Anime Protagonists Who Are Reincarnated As The Strangest Things

Isekai is one of anime’s most popular genres yet, and as more series and Manga are released, the more it attracts new fans every day. The genre started a few years ago with classics like Inuyasha or Sword Art Online, where the protagonist is typically sent into another world and must learn to adapt.

In more recent years, the isekai genre became synonymous with the concept of reincarnation as some of their protagonists tend to enter new worlds reincarnated as someone or something else. Reincarnated As A Slime is a perfect example of this trend and stands as one of the pillars of this particular category.

Updated on October 28, 2024, by Mark Sammut: The Fall 2024 anime season has plenty of isekai anime, but none of them revolve around protagonists who are reincarnated as unusual things. At most, I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History might be a candidate, but characters reincarnating as otome game baddies are seasonal staples by this point. As no new series fits the bill, two older anime have been added as recommendations.

In this case, “things” does not refer only to physical entities but also to strange or unusual circumstances.

13 Re:Monster

Goblin

Kogitsune Kanekiru’s Re:Monster light novel ended its run in 2017, and an adaptation took a very long time to materialize. Airing during the Spring 2024 season, Studio Deen’s adaptation attracted a fair amount of attention, at least compared to the other new isekai anime that aired during this period; however, the series was still dwarfed by a few sequels, specifically KonoSuba, Mushoku Tensei, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

At a glance, Slime and Re:Monster might appear like they are cut from the same cloth, with the latter just reincarnating its protagonist as a goblin. They both feature overpowered leads who gain abilities by consuming monsters and steadily building a kingdom that can easily crush human armies. However, the similarities are superficial, and Re:Monster is simultaneously much darker and also more generic than Slime.

After being brutally murdered, Rou finds himself in the body of a baby goblin, a species that has a short life expectancy. Fortunately, his heightened consciousness gives him an edge over his peers, allowing Rou to quickly take charge of his clan and become something of a warlord. Like so many isekai leads, Rou also builds a harem, including human women who are introduced as captives.

12 Skeleton Knight in Another World

Skeleton

Honestly, Overlord‘s popularity has somewhat neutered the surprise of being reincarnated as a skeleton, but it is still an unorthodox choice compared to most other isekai stories. Rather than highlighting Madhouse’s series, Skeleton Knight in Another World seems like a better pick since the protagonist’s physical status is treated like a big deal, to the point that a prominent subplot involves Arc trying to turn from an undead skeleton to a human.

As far as quality goes, Skeleton Knight in Another World is somewhat of a mixed bag. The anime has decent action and a solid roster of core characters, with Arc being supported by the elf Lalatoya, the adorable Ponta, and the beast-girl Chiyome. Whenever the show is trying to be a lighthearted romp, it works pretty well; however, Skeleton Knight in Another World gets surprisingly dark, including an aggressive opening sequence. Both tones can be fine in isolation, but the anime struggles to balance them.

11 Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated Into A Total Fantasy Knockout

A Charming Girl

Gender-bender isekai and reincarnation stories are not that rare, especially the latter. In most cases, the gender-swap element does not amount to much beyond some initial surprise, but Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated Into A Total Fantasy Knockout is different. For one, the anime follows two adult guys who are brought to a new world by a goddess, which is already a fresh premise. When they do not show appreciation for this turn of events, the deity pouts and punishes them by turning Tachibana into a girl who also has the power to charm every guy she comes into contact with, including the other MC.

Although quite repetitive, Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated Into A Total Fantasy Knockout is not a terrible isekai comedy by any stretch of the imagination. The two leads are both likable and somewhat relatable, and the anime does eventually lessen the impact of charm to allow their relationship to grow more naturally.

10 Butareba: The Story Of A Man Turned Into A Pig

Pig

A young man who spends his days secluded in his room living an Otaku lifestyle finds himself in a new world and inside a body that is not his own. Unfortunately, the young man quickly realizes that he has been placed into the body of a pig. With little to go on and even less in options to fix his predicament, the young man catches his first break when he realizes that the girl who owns him can read minds.

With his timely demise ahead of him, the adventures come flooding in as the pig and the young girl get to know each other. Butareba is a weird show that can leave a fairly negative first impression, although it does have a sense of mystery that helps bring some intrigue.

9 Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

Bear Warrior

Yuna was already a high-ranking heroine in the VRMMO called World Fantasy Online, that is, until she unsuspectingly accepted a gift that initiated her Isekai experience, accompanied by a dominating kawaii factor! Emerging as a level one cutie pie, Yuna has no choice but to fight in a cuddly bear onesie, arguably winning the word for the most absurdly dressed (yet still overpowered) Isekai protagonist.

Thankfully, her bizarre attire comes with some added perks; each of her hand-puppet-type mittens represents her oversized bear familiars, named Kumakyuu and Kumayuru, who are willing to fight by her side. In fact, any magic ability with a bear theme is automatically enhanced while wearing this mortifying armor, turning Yuna into the most adorably dominating force around.

8 The Saga of Tanya the Evil

Twisted Little Girl Soldier

On the brink of death, a Japanese man raises his metaphorical fist at god, blaming the deity for his unfair demise. Unbeknownst to the protagonist, his callout does not fall on deaf ears, and he finds himself reincarnated as a young child in a world caught in a deadly war.

Tania is enlisted in the Empire’s Imperial Armed Forces to fight in this magical war. Her ruthlessness, cold exterior, and calculating mind help her rise through the ranks rapidly, and she quickly becomes the infamous “Devil of the Rhine”.

7 Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs

Background Character

The Eminence in Shadow‘s Cid plays the part of a background character to hide his role as Shadow Garden’s leader, but this charade is self-implemented and not a condition of his reincarnation. Comparatively, Trapped in a Dating Sim‘s Leon is 100% reborn as a mob character in an otome game, one who is destined to never accomplish anything noteworthy. To add a dash of irony, Leon finds himself trapped in the world of a game he hates and contributed to his death; however, this experience allows him to basically cheat his way to power and riches.

Trapped in a Dating Sim is a blast. Leon is not only hilarious but also refreshingly cheeky, granting him way more personality than the typical isekai protagonist. He even builds fun friendships with Olivia and Angelica, the game’s heroine and villainess, respectively.

6 Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon

Vending Machine

Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon was first published in 2018 and focuses on the story of a middle-aged man who has been obsessed with vending machines all of his life, and it’s also the way he dies – crushed by one of them. However, his life didn’t end there. He was reborn as a vending machine in a dungeon packed with dangerous monsters.

As a sentient object, he cannot move on his own and can only communicate with typical vending machine phrases such as “welcome” and “Get one free with a winner”. His new life seemed doomed from the very get-go until the heroine, Lammis, finds him and gives him the name of Boxxo. Having the strength of six men, Lammis carries Boxxo around on her back and goes out for quests while he provides her any items bought from vending machines in his previous life. The two make an unlikely pair of heroes, but nevertheless, this light story has captured the attention of many fans.

5 Reincarnated as a Sword

Sentient Sword

A 30-year-old man dies in a car accident and is reborn as a particular object, a sword. He finds himself in another world full of fantasy, monsters, and magic and must find a way to survive, despite not remembering his name.

He encounters a fleeing slave girl known as Fran, who once belonged to the tribe called the Black Cats, but after years of abuse and mistreatment, she ran away. After being saved by the sword, she named him Shishou, and the two adventurers team up to fight justice within this world.

4 So I’m a Spider, So What?

Spider Monster

A Japanese high school girl named Kumoko died along with many other students when an unforeseen event killed everyone at her school. Fortunately, many of these students reincarnated as people of various social statuses in another world. From nobles to princesses and princes, everyone got a second chance at living their best life except Kumoko.

She was the only one to be reborn as a spider monster and one of the weakest species too. Like many of her favorite games, she realizes that by increasing her stats and leveling up by defeating fellow monsters, her quest for survival and her chance to improve her life will be easier than expected.

3 My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

Otome Game’s Villainess

Catarina Claes, the only daughter of Duke Claes, remembers everything about her past life and how she was reincarnated into this person when she hit her head at the age of 8 years old. She remembers the night of her death clearly. She was playing this otome game called “Love Fortune”– the exact same game she is now trapped in as the villainess.

With her knowledge of the game, she knows the tragic fate that awaits her, and she must try everything in her power to survive. She also must make the right choices that will not send her to her impending death with the help of her friends.

In recent years, quite a few villainess isekai anime have been released; to avoid repetitive entries,
My Next Life as a Villainess
is a stand-in for this subgenre.

2 Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I’m Not the Demon Lord

The Secret Final Boss

As an extension of the villainess isekai subgenre, this Winter 2024 anime deserves special mention for taking things a step further. Rather than enjoy a new life as the chosen heroine, a background character, or even a normal antagonist, Yumiella finds herself cast as the ultimate villain, an otome game’s hidden boss. After unlocking her memories of her past life, Yumiella makes the natural choice to head to a dungeon and train until she is level 99, ensuring that nobody can scratch her.

Once she starts school, Yumiella smartly decides to keep a low profile and quietly help the heroine and her male love interests prepare for their eventual showdown with the story’s main bad guy (if that fails, she can just body the demon lord herself). Obviously, things do not work out that way and she quickly becomes the talk of the academy, along with attracting the ire of the heroes.

1 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

Slime

A thirty-seven-year-old man named Satoru Mikami loses his life by being fatally stabbed in the streets of Tokyo. He awakens in another world and after finding out he has been reincarnated as a slime, he learns he can change its appearance and gain unique abilities depending on what he devours during his journey.

As a lonely slime with no name and friends, when he finally gains Veldora as a companion, he gets named as Rimuru Tempest. Rimuru and Veldora embark on a quest to destroy a magical seal, becoming increasingly more powerful along the way, and racking up a substantial fanbase in the process.