The Best Isekai Anime With Mage Protagonists

Summary

• Isekai anime showcases characters that thrive by acquiring new skills, offering dynamic, growth-centered stories.
• Protagonists in isekai worlds often benefit from extra-large mana pools, previous life knowledge, and creating new magic applications.
• Popular isekai anime like Mushoku Tensei, The Eminence in Shadow, and Uncle From Another World focus on mage protagonists with mastery over magic.

Isekai anime category has always fascinated its audiences by transporting or reincarnating modern-day people into magical realms where they must adapt to new rules, tackle challenges, and go on epic adventures. Moreover, they have their previous lives and experiences intact to help navigate the new world without starting from scratch. They go on to learn about a new world teeming with fantastical creatures, ancient secrets, and epic conflicts.

One of the most common introductions in these isekai worlds is the concept of magic. Due to being reincarnated or transmigrated, the protagonists receive a larger mana pool than usual, which allows them to master it faster than others. They can also use their previous life knowledge and experiences to experiment and unlock new ways of using magic that have been unheard of in the new world. While some of the following isekai anime introduce proper mage protagonists, some have expert control of their magic to use in close combat in unprecedented ways.

10

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

A Powerful Mage With No-Chant Skill And Huge Mana Capacity

A 34-year-old unemployed person tries to do something heroic but fails and meets an untimely end. However, he reincarnates into a magical fantasy world as Rudeus Greyrat, born into a loving family in the countryside. He quickly adapts to the new world with knowledge and experience from his previous life. He also discovers his magical powers and becomes adept at them. While trying to navigate the new continent, he becomes entangled in various scenarios that force him to start acting his actual age (including his past life).

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is one of the most popular isekai anime on par with That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and Overlord. It is well-known for its intricate world-building and unforgettable characters. Although not all may like the protagonist, the show still holds up for its fantastic lore and magic battles. The protagonist has a near-infinite pool of mana and can conjure magic faster than others due to his previous life knowledge. Moreover, he primarily uses a staff and heavily relies on magic when facing his opponents.

9

The Eminence in Shadow

Excellent Control Over Magic With The Power To Split An Atom

Since childhood, Minoru Kagenou has long been fixated on becoming the strongest person who hides his absolute powers. As a result, he has undergone rigorous training in various fields to try and improve himself for the better. However, he still lacks and believes that only magic can make him achieve his long-lasting desire. His life is cut short during the process, and he reincarnates in a fantasy world. With the introduction of magic, he is now ready to achieve something he has only dreamt about.

The Eminence in Shadow is an excellent example of isekai anime with a mage protagonist who uses magic for close combat fights. Although he has training in martial arts and sword fights, he uses his magic to create armor and weapons. He also uses magic to fly around and be able to temporarily move so fast that it appears time has stopped only for him. Moreover, he is an expert at analyzing magic, which allows him to undo the “possession” of his female followers. He is also capable of nuking enemies when Cid uses magic to split an atom. It can be linked to expert magic control because the witch of calamity tried to do the same. However, her body was unable to handle the magic overload.

8

That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime

Devours Enemies To Gain Skills And Increase Magic Capacity

Satoru Mikami is a 37-year-old corporate worker with a monotonous lifestyle without a girlfriend or a lover. While meeting with his colleague, a crazed killer tries to hurt him, and Satou takes his place and gets stabbed instead. As he’s dying, he rambles a bunch of wishes, which a mysterious being grants him as skills while reincarnating. The next thing he realizes, he is reborn as a slime in a magical fantasy world. He stumbles upon the sealed catastrophe-level storm dragon called Veldora, who is awaiting his end. Taking pity, he becomes his friend and devours him as he prepares to venture into the world for the first time.

That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime is a favorite isekai anime with little to no fan service and beautiful storytelling. The protagonist, Rimuru, begins his otherworld journey as a slime but gains many overpowered skills during transmigration. Moreover, meeting Veldora early and devouring him gave him a significant boost to his magic powers. As the story goes on, he uses the skills gained by devouring other magic beasts to become stronger. Later, he uses magic and skills for long-range and close-range combat against enemies.

7

Overlord

Powerful Archmage With Huge Mana Capacity

After the end of the popular game Yggdrasil was announced, a gamer spends the last hour as master of the dark guild Ainz Ooal Gown. As he reminisces about spending time with his guild mates, the final hour strikes and he is still in the game. Moreover, all the NPCs around him also gain sentience, and he cannot log out of the game. After a few minutes of coming to terms with it, he commands his loyal servants to assess the situation. He exclaims, taking over the new world in a fleeting moment, and all his servants believe it to be his ultimate goal. Now, he has no choice but to follow along with their misunderstandings.

Overlord is another great isekai anime with a mage protagonist where the protagonist relies on both magic and items for battle. He is also one of the few protagonists who can shapeshift into another variant that focuses entirely on close combat. In his original persona as Aainz, he is the ultimate cheat character from the otome game Yggdrasil with ultimate magic skills and abilities. He also has a treasure room that houses rare items of his and his friends from playing the game.

6

Uncle From Another World

Mage Who Knows Various Useful & Destructive Spells

Yousuke Shibazaki is the uncle of Takafumi Takaoka, who wakes up after being comatose for seventeen years. However, Takafumi soon realizes that his uncle is delirious when he exclaims that he has returned after spending time in a magical fantasy world. Although he doesn’t believe it to be true, his uncle displays his magic powers, and Takafumi has a bright idea for making a YouTube channel to showcase his skills. As time passes, his uncle shares his experience and story from the otherworld.

Uncle From Another World is a different type of isekai anime where the protagonist recollects and shares his story of the otherworld with his nephew. The uncle’s storytelling teaches us about his otherworldly struggles and battles. He also showcases his magic in the real world, using it to fly around, transform, and perform petty magic tricks on his YouTube channel. Moreover, we see his battles in the otherworld through the uncle’s shared memory-screening skills.

5

Tsukimichi – Moonlit Fantasy

Uses Two Separate Magic With His Capacity Growing Exponentially

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.84 (2nd Season)
• Episodes: 37

Makoto Misumi suddenly finds himself prepared to be whisked away to another world as a part of an old contract agreed upon by his parents with a goddess. Not wanting to let his sisters go in his place, he agrees and is transported to the goddess’s domain. However, the goddess banishes him to the edge of the new world as she finds him ugly. Then, another god from his world saves him and grants him the power to help make it into the new world. Makoto manages to survive and wishes to live an everyday life away from the goddess’s eyes and make new connections with fellow humans.

When it comes to likable, down-to-earth protagonists, Tsukimichi – Moonlit Fantasy is an excellent example of it. Makoto is one of the rare protagonists with no remarkable looks but is humble and kind to a fault. His character shows phenomenal growth as the story progresses and is overpowered due to the earth god’s blessings. Makoto also uses his magic in modern ways, like firing fireballs like a Gatling gun. He also uses magic to fire arrows imbued with certain elements. Additionally, he can use magic to strengthen himself and create an armor of pure mana.

4

The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat

Can Create New Spells Or Edit Existing Ones With A Skill To Boost Magic

• MyAnimeList Score: 7.33
• Episodes: 12

Earth’s greatest assassin has long worked and devoted himself to the organization without expecting anything in return. However, the organization to whom he dedicated his loyalty turns against him and tries to silence him as he seeks retirement. During his dying moments, he is whisked away by a goddess who strikes a deal with him to assassinate the hero. He accepts her deal and chooses his new skills before he sets off into a world of swords and magic.

The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat is a rare isekai anime where the protagonist actively uses past life knowledge. Having been an assassin, he is knowledgeable in many areas, including economics, weaponry, and chemicals. As a result, it allows him to use magic creatively to create raw materials and powerful weapons. His notable magic-created weapons include a sniper rifle and a ‘Rod from God’ projectile.

3

Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles

Uses Normal & Spirit Magic With Expert Magic Control

Haruto Amakawa meets an early end after the bus he was in gets in an accident. However, he soon wakes up in the body of a young boy named Rio in a new magical world. As his and the boy’s memories merge, he comes to terms with the new surroundings but is soon caught up in a princess’s kidnapping. After going through many unfortunate events, he is pardoned by the king and allowed to attend the academy where only nobles study. Subjected to bullying and looked down upon, he fakes his death during a class activity and escapes to live the life of an adventurer.

Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles is a unique isekai anime where the protagonist recollects his past life memories after a certain amount of time. As a result, he has memories of both Rio and Haruto, and he wishes to live as Rio more. When it comes to magic, the world has a notable distinction between magic involving mana and magic involving spirit arts. Naturally, Rio is proficient in both and uses his past life knowledge in close combat to use alongside magic for his battles. He uses it to strengthen his body and fly and is also contracted with a human-shaped spirit.

2

Am I Actually the Strongest?

Can Only Use Barrier Magic, But It Can Be Used In Any Scenario

A twenty-year-old shut-in suddenly transmigrates into a new world by a goddess. She grants him a second chance at life with overpowered magical abilities to navigate the new world of swords and magic. Although he was born as a prince, they could not measure his magic power and toss him away. Just then, Gold Zenfis comes and, after masking the baby’s fake death, raises him as his adoptive son. Even in his new life, Haruto (the protagonist) still wishes to live a shut-in life, but his fate (and that of his younger sister) has other plans for him.

Haruto may have only one type of magic in Am I Actually the Strongest? but that doesn’t stop him from being overpowered. He soon figures out how his magic works while still being a baby and continues to build up on it. As time passes, he can use the barrier magic to fly, fight, create items, and transform into a superhero to help those in need. Haruto soon becomes weak for his younger sister and gets tangled in absurd scenarios requiring more magical battles.

1

In Another World With My Smartphone

Complete Magic Affinity With All Known and Unknown Elements

God accidentally strikes down Touya Mochizuki due to a thoughtless blunder. As a form of apology, God offers him a chance to transmigrate into a world of magic and fantasy. Moreover, he gets a wish to take any one item of his choice to this new world without any constraints. Hence, Touya wishes to take his smartphone, and God grants him the same, along with overpowered magical abilities. He soon finds himself in a forest and sees that his smartphone has been altered to match the information of the new world.

Following the usual route, In Another World With My Smartphone is another isekai anime with an overpowered mage protagonist. Due to being killed by God’s mistake, Touya was granted excessive magic abilities in all elements. As a result, he can use it for combat, defense, and creating tools. Moreover, he also has a magical smartphone that allows him to use it along with his magic for convenience. Although the anime is close to the slice-of-life genre, it does have some notable battles.