Summary
As a genre, isekai offers an abundance of freedom when it comes to concepts and ideas. Almost anything can be incorporated into an isekai story, andHeadhunted to Another Worldis a great example. Rather than a student being isekai’d, it’san office workernamed Dennosuke Uchimura. Instead of being a hero, he’s working with the Demon King as a consultant and negotiator. It’s a truly unique concept that creates an entertaining story.
Isekai is known for being quite formulaic, using similar themes and motifs across many stories, so an anime that breaks the formula is incredibly welcome. Anime watchers who are tired of the same protagonists and storylines will be glad to know the anime on this list breaks the mold in their own way. They’re all fun and fresh iterations of the typical isekai journey.
While Dennosuke is summoned to work for the Demon Lord, in this anime Akira Ono becomes the Demon Lord after being isekai’d. After shutting down theservers for an MMORPGcalled “Infinity Game,” he wakes up in the body of the in-game Demon Lord, Hakuto Kunai, possessing all the same magic and abilities. Stuck in a fantasy world, he must learn to adapt and survive as news of his arrival sparks fear across the land.
Demon Lord, Retry!is a rather generic isekai, containing an overpowered protagonist and light harem elements. However, it’s surprisingly fun to watch. LikeHeadhunted to Another World, it focuses more on odd situations and misunderstandings to produce funny, comedic moments. This anime isn’t serious by any means and has an overall light atmosphere. It’s not anything groundbreaking, but it’s good for a laugh or two.
Office workers in isekai usually find themselves in strange situations, like inHeadhunted to Another World.In this anime, Sasaki is one such office worker. After buying a sparrow at the pet store, his life turns upside down because Peep is actually a reincarnated sage from another world. With Peeps’s help, he’s able to establish a life in the other world while also maintaining his current one.
Sasaki and Peepsis a fun anime with an interesting concept. While the story isn’t focused on action and fighting, there are a few episodes that involve them, showing the uses of magic in both worlds. There are even some interesting twists in the story that are completely unexpected. It’s a little all over the place, but that’s also what makes it charming.
One reasonHeadhunted to Another Worldis so interesting is that Dennosuke is isekai’d for a pretty mundane reason.How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdomis another anime that works on the same idea. Although he was summoned to be a hero for a declining kingdom, Kazuya Souma instead offers to find solutions to the kingdom’s debts and infrastructure issues. It’s a story that focuses on management andkingdom-building.
Kazuya’s role is very similar to Dennosuke’s. However, instead of inviting allies to join an army, he’s establishing an economy and settling foreign affairs to prevent sacrificing himself to another nation. This anime has more bureaucracy, but it still has the atmosphere and energy of a typical isekai. It’s a great spin on the typical hero’s journey.
Isekai that have middle-aged protagonists often stand out because they don’t follow a traditional storyline, usually because they don’t care about the powers they have or about being a hero. InNo Longer Allowed in Another World, a writer is isekai’d while trying to commit a double suicide with his girlfriend, but they are separated in the transfer. Although he’s trying to find a place to die, he’s determined to find his girlfriend first.
Atypical isekai storiescan be incredibly fun. As Sensei searches for his girlfriend, he has his party members drag him inside a coffin while he snacks on sleeping pills. It’s not the image of a hero one would expect. Despite this, he stumbles into doing heroic deeds.Headhunted to Another Worldalso has an out-of-the-box plot, following an office worker who negotiates for the Demon King.
One reason Dennosuke readily accepts the Demon King’s offer is that he wasunderappreciated as an employee. Saitou was in the same position before he was isekai’d. On Earth, he was a fixer who repaired items, unlocked doors, and other small tasks. After arriving in the new world, he’s able to make friends and join a party with Raelza, Lafanpan, and Morlock, who are looking for someone with Saitou’s skill set.
Handyman SaitouandHeadhunted to Another Worldrelay similar messages, portraying two men who are underappreciated for their work. Both protagonists are able to find people who are both impressed with their abilities and value their company. Saitou’s story is more in line with an ordinary isekai adventure, and it’s able to reinforce that message through the trials the party goes through.
Rather than epic fights and a hero’s quest,Campfire Cookingtakes a comfier approach to isekai. After accidentally being summoned, Mukouda Tsuyoshi is left to his own devices, wandering in the new world. With his special skill, he can shop for anything he wants or needs, so he sets off on a journey with no destination in mind. Along the way, the smell of his cooking attracts the attention of the mythical Fenrir. Left with no other choice, he makes a contract with the monster, and the two begin traveling together.
Similar toHeadhunted to Another World,this anime is much more laid-back and focuses on certain experiences rather than a grand quest. While Dennosuke works for the Demon Lord, he’s mostly negotiating with other types of monsters. Mukouda travels casually across the fantasy world,cooking food and meeting new people, and eventually adds more monsters to his party, like a slime and a dragon. It’s a simple story with fun characters.
UnlikeHeadhunted to Another World,Tsukimichidoes involve anincredibly powerful protagonist, but the overall atmosphere of both anime is similar. The story follows Makoto Misumi, an ordinary boy living on Earth. Surprisingly, both his parents were actually from another world, and due to a deal made with that world’s god, Makoto was required to be isekai’d. Unfortunately, he was sent to a barren wasteland because the god was unhappy with him.
Like Dennosuke, Makoto is summoned to an area devoid of human civilization, and the first people he meets are monsters, orcs specifically. However, unlike many other fantasy stories, they are perfectly civil and even help him learn magic. The first part of this anime revolves around meeting different types of monsters in the fantasy world, starting his own village, and adjusting to his new life.
