2024 produced a lot of anime…more specifically, 2024 produced a lot ofisekai anime. Nowadays, each season is guaranteed to include five shows that fit the descriptor, and that number is conservative. For example, the current year had more than 30 isekai stories, most of which were just kind of forgettable. Still, isekai’s popularity is hard to deny, and the theme can deliver quality alongside quantity.
Theisekai anime 2024lineup had a good mix of new shows and sequels, both of which had their highs and lows.Suicide Squad Isekaiwas probably the biggest letdown, but the same can be said forThat Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime’s third season, which struggled to match the quality of its two predecessors. Rather than focusing on the negatives, let’s highlight the positives and review the best isekai anime of the year.
Honorable Mentions
The following 2024 isekai anime just failed to make the grade, but they should still be watched by fans of the genre:
It was only a matter of time before Osamu Dazai had an isekai adventure. Now, technically,No Longer Allowed in Another Worldonly ever describes its protagonist as “Sensei,” but he is very clearly based on the legendary Japanese author. On the verge of committing suicide with his lover, Sensei is hit by an out-of-time truck and sent to a new world to serve as a hero. However, he has no intention of fulfilling that role, and he just wants to find his partner and end everything. Fortunately, the world and some of its inhabitants are determined to ensure Sensei remains alive.
Initially,No Longer Allowed in Another Worldcomes across as a pure comedy, with the opening episode essentially parodying the isekai genre in general. Sensei, himself, is a primarily comedic character, with the rest of the characters mostly reacting to his pessimistic and nihilistic personality. That said, the anime sprinkles in a few episodic stories that highlight other characters who were also summoned, and these are surprisingly dramatic and even emotional.
Isekai stories tend to stick to tropes so closely, that even small changes can feel massive.The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magicdoes not have all that many new ideas, but the simple decision to focus on a protagonist who is primarily a healer and, more importantly, is summoned by accident sets it apart from most of the genre’s offerings.
As he happens to be around Suzune and Kazuki as they are summoned to another world, Ken finds himself in a strange fantasy kingdom. While his classmates head off to be heroes, the “ordinary” Ken shows an affinity for healing magic, which attracts the attention of the strict Rose, who leads her kingdom’s Rescue Team.
Ken is a solid protagonist, butThe Wrong Way to Use Healing Magicshines due to its supporting characters.Rose is the star of the show, producing big laughs through her harsh training regimes while also adding emotional weight through her tragic background. Suzune and Kazuki complement Ken well, and they are allowed to shine rather than just serve as cheerleaders for the MC.
Reverse isekai animeare not extremely common, but they tend to produce a few options per year. 2024 is no different.A Salad Bowl of Eccentricsis funny and well worth a watch, but the subgenre’s most intriguing new arrival wasDemon Lord 2099. After falling at the hands of humanity’s hero, the Demon Lord Veltol fades away and has to wait 500 years for his revival. However, he wakes up in a vastly different world, one born out of Veltol’s realm fusing with Earth. Fantasy races roam a cyberpunk metropolis where magic and science co-exist in less-than-peaceful harmony, all the while one of Veltol’s commanders has firmly cemented himself as the top dog.
Demon Lord 2099should be a mess. The anime tries to be way too many things, jumping from action to comedy, mystery, power fantasy, and even throwing out a streamer subplot. It is a lot, yet the story manages to be coherent and, crucially, entertaining. Boisterous but not arrogant, Veltol exudes charisma, and he is accompanied by likable characters such as Machina. Even the original hero makes an appearance and strikes up a fascinating dynamic with his old enemy.
While not held in the same regard as the absolute top-tier isekai anime,Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy-is a cut above most of the genre’s offerings, and season 2 further cemented that fact. Building on ideas introduced in the original season, the sequel finds Makoto expanding his safe space for demi-human races that are not generally accepted by hyumans, all the while he gets to teach at an academy.
Prominent secondary characters likeTomoe, Mio, and Shikialso receive plenty of attention, and they are permitted to exist and prosper outside of Makoto’s gravity. This aspect is arguablyTsukimichi’s best feature, as the protagonist enhances those around him without suffocating them. It also helps that Makoto is quite a strong MC who is overpowered but not infallible.
While perhaps not thebest isekai anime of 2024,The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trasharguably has the most likable isekai anime protagonist of the year, which is a good thing as most of the show revolves solely around Ivy. The isekai aspect is also downplayed, with Ivy being quietly guided by her past life as she faces many trials and tribulations.
Ignoring the set-up as it is not that important in the grand scheme of things,The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trashmainly follows its young protagonist as she tries to survive in the wilderness after being marked for death by their village. She can communicate with monsters through her tamer skill, although she is far from powerful. Ivy’s unbreakable spirit makes her impossible to hate, and she acts her age for the most part. While only really shown from her perspective, the world is quite interesting as well.
Splitting season 3 into two halves,Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-aired only eight episodes in 2024, with the rest coming out in 2025. As such, the current arc is hard to altogether rate due to its incomplete nature; however, the available content is just as great as anything else in White Fox’s series. Once finished, season 3 could very well beRe:ZERO’s strongest saga, which would also make it the best storyline in the isekai genre in general.
Subaru, Emilia, and a few other core characters head to Priestella to take part in a meeting involving all theroyal selection candidates. Before long, the city turns into a battlefield due to the arrival of the Witch Cult’s Sin Archbishops, all of whom are dangerous and seem to have fairly different motives. As always, Subaru dies a few times, although this aspect is downplayed quite a bit, at least compared to season 2. Instead, this arc emphasizes action a touch more, all the while diving a bit into the psyches of the Archbishops.
Assuming2025’s Counterattack Arcmaintains the same quality,Re:ZEROseason 3 will be close to perfect.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnationis extremely divisive, with Rudeus being perhaps the most polarizing protagonist in the isekai genre. By this point, people should know which side they fall on, and there is no wrong answer. That said, season 2’s second part is arguably the show’s best work yet.
The cour is divided into three sagas: Rudeus and Sylph’s wedding, Norn’s isolation, and the Rapan expedition. Despite being very different from each other, these storylines emphasize Rudy’s regret, budding maturity, and capacity for growth, creating a complementary whole that leaves the protagonist at a far stronger place than where he started. He experiences the highest highs and the darkest lows, all in the space of a few episodes, and these moments are earned. While one could argue he is still not likable or even beyond redemption, Rudy cannot be criticized for being static, with each step of his journey shaping him in both positive and negative ways.
Ultimately, very little separates2024’s best isekai anime, and the top spot comes down to someone’s preferred style of show.KonoSubais a wildly different beast from eitherRe:ZEROorMushoku Tensei, and when it comes to pure drama, the latter two are in a completely different stratosphere. However,KonoSubaexists primarily to make people laugh by highlighting the lives of the most dysfunctional party in the fantasy genre, and season 3 accomplishes this goal while also showcasingKazuma, Megumin, Aqua, and Darkness’sunbreakable bond. After so many misadventures, they are now family, whether they want to admit it or not.
Season 3 is a lighthearted romp with a surprisingly strong emotional core that fuels nearly all of its silliness, culminating in a great final act that reinforces the heroes' reluctant appreciation for each other. Each episode contains at least a couple of big laugh-out-loud scenes, and there are even a few fun action sequences thrown in for good measure. While not a replacement for other isekai anime,KonoSubaachieved its ultimate form in season 3.
