The 15 Best Isekai Anime Of 2025, Ranked By Fans

Every anime fan dreams of being whisked away to another world… preferably one with great food, cool magic, and absolutely zero surprise homework. That’s exactly why isekai refuses to slow down, and 2025 has delivered one of the most stacked lineups we’ve seen in years. Sequels, webtoon hits, villainess chaos, overworked adults changing jobs to “Demon King HR” – it’s all here.

To build this list, we looked at fan-voted rankings for 2025 isekai, especially the 15-title list compiled and ranked by users on Ranker, then cross-checked it with streaming availability, review chatter, and general hype across major anime communities. The result? A fan-centric snapshot of which new and returning isekai actually won people’s hearts in 2025 – not just what studios tried to push.

How this 2025 isekai ranking was put together

Rather than one person yelling “trust me, bro” on the internet, this ranking is anchored in fan voting data. The backbone is Ranker’s “Best Isekai Anime of 2025” list, updated in October 2025 and built on hundreds of user votes. From there, we layered in:

• Streaming lineups and promo pushes from Crunchyroll and other platforms.
• Episode guides, reviews, and previews from anime news and entertainment outlets.
• Background info from official sites, IMDB entries, and series wikis.
• Ongoing fandom reactions – from “anime of the year” hype to “please fix this animation” petitions.

The order below follows the fan ranking, but the commentary digs into who each show is actually for: cozy-watch fans, plot enjoyers, chaos gremlins, or all of the above.

The 15 best isekai anime of 2025, ranked by fans

1. The Water Magician

Premise in a nutshell: Ryo is reborn in the world of Phi with water magic and the kind of Eternal Youth buff every gacha player dreams of – he can afford to grind for decades. Of course, Phi is less “tranquil lakes” and more “monster attacks and political headaches,” so Ryo’s peaceful life plan doesn’t stay peaceful for long.

Why fans put it at #1: On paper, “guy with water magic in a fantasy world” sounds standard. In practice, this series leans into strategic magic use, character chemistry, and a surprisingly hopeful tone. Instead of the usual edgy power fantasy, you get a lead who’s optimistic without being naive and fights because he has something – and someone – worth protecting.

If you like classic fantasy with a modern production glow and a main character who thinks before spamming attacks, this is the 2025 isekai to start with.

2. Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra

Premise in a nutshell: Takuto dies young and wakes up inside his favorite strategy game, not as a hero, but as an “evil” god of the apocalyptic nation Mynoghra. Traits and alignment matter in this world, so he has to balance his own morals with a system that expects him to be a walking disaster.

Why it’s so high on the list: Fans love how it leans into the “evil civ” concept without making the main character a cartoon villain. The show plays with game mechanics – traits, nations, and moral choices – in a way that feels like watching a dark fantasy 4X campaign unfold. It’s heavier than your average isekai comedy, but that’s exactly why strategy and lore nerds keep voting it up.

3. Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits – Season 2

Premise in a nutshell: Aoi Tsubaki, who can see flesh-eating spirits, once again navigates the Hidden Realm, paying off her grandfather’s debt by cooking for supernatural beings instead of marrying a terrifying ogre innkeeper. Season 2 doubles down on food, folklore, and Aoi’s stubborn refusal to accept a life she doesn’t choose.

Why fans still adore it: This isekai is more about emotional nourishment than fight scenes. The second season expands on Japanese mythology and food culture, turning each episode into a cozy hangout in a fantastical ryokan. If your ideal isekai night is tea, snacks, and low-stress episodes with gorgeous spirit designs, this is your comfort-watch king.

4. The Rising of the Shield Hero – Season 4

Premise in a nutshell: Naofumi’s journey as the much-hated Shield Hero continues as he leaves behind the early arcs and heads toward new lands and new threats. The fourth season keeps the world-saving stakes while exploring the political, moral, and personal fallout of everything that’s come before.

Why it’s still a lightning rod: Shield Hero remains one of the most polarizing isekai out there. The slave-buying plotline and false-accusation storyline keep it in the middle of heated debates, but that same controversy pushes fans to keep up with it so they can join the discourse. Season 4 rewards long-time viewers with expanded worldbuilding, more refined power systems, and character arcs that recognize how broken Naofumi and his party really are.

5. Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!

Premise in a nutshell: Office worker Kazuhiro has been visiting a fantasy world in his dreams since childhood. That’s all fun and games until he wakes up with his elf companion in his Tokyo apartment, proving the “dream world” is real and two-way. Now he’s balancing salaryman life, fantasy adventures, and being a cultural tour guide for a sword-swinging elf.

Why fans find it so refreshing: Instead of a one-way portal, this series lets the characters hop between worlds. You get the charm of fantasy plus slice-of-life in modern Japan, with lots of fish-out-of-water comedy. The romance is gentle, the tone is wholesome, and the pacing feels like a slow weekend walk rather than a boss rush. Perfect if you’re tired of doom and gloom.

6. Possibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Time

Premise in a nutshell: A plain office worker gets the classic “truck-adjacent” life reset: new body, new world, new alchemy skills. He settles into village life and slowly builds an identity as an alchemist, eventually moving to the city and expanding his craft.

Why it works despite being “standard” isekai: Fans voted this up precisely because it doesn’t try too hard to be edgy or subversive. It delivers comfort food isekai: clear goals, steady progression, likable side characters, and an easygoing tone. If you want something to unwind with after work, this is “a cozy JRPG in anime form.”

7. Headhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Four!

Premise in a nutshell: Dennosuke Uchimura is a corporate worker who has spent his life grinding for promotions. Instead of getting a better position on Earth, he’s scouted to join the Demon King’s army in another world – complete with absurd benefits and workplace chaos.

Why fans are into it: This show treats the Demon Lord’s army like a dysfunctional corporation, and Dennosuke solves fantasy problems with painfully realistic HR and management skills. It’s funny, surprisingly relatable to anyone who’s ever sat through a meeting that should have been an email, and a clever twist on the “overpowered hero” trope: his superpower is… being good at his job.

8. From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated!

Premise in a nutshell: A 52-year-old civil servant gets isekai’d into his daughter’s favorite otome-game world. The twist? He wakes up as Grace Auvergne, the glamorous villainess destined for a terrible ending. Suddenly, dad instincts and knowledge of government paperwork have to save him from doom flags in a frilly dress.

Why villainess fans love it: The villainess subgenre has been crowded for years, but this one stands out by making the villainess a middle-aged dad on the inside. The humor lands, the gender-bending setup leads to sincere and surprisingly tender moments, and the show pokes fun at – while still honoring – otome and isekai tropes.

9. The Beginning After the End

Premise in a nutshell: King Grey, a powerful but emotionally empty monarch, dies and is reborn as Arthur Leywin in a magical world filled with dragons, elves, and political intrigue. He retains his past-life memories and tries to live this second chance more honestly and more connected to the people around him.

Why it became a conversation piece: Based on a massively popular webnovel/webtoon, this adaptation came into 2025 with huge expectations. Fans love the worldbuilding and long-term character arcs, and many are invested enough to watch even while criticizing uneven animation. If you enjoy big, sprawling fantasy with reincarnation, destiny, and messy politics, this is a must-watch despite its flaws.

10. Zenshuu.

Premise in a nutshell: Natsuko Hirose is a rising anime director whose award-winning debut has given her a big reputation – and equally big pressure. While struggling to figure out how to portray romance, she’s suddenly transported into the world of her favorite childhood anime film, effectively living inside her creative inspiration.

Why creatives are obsessed with it: Zenshuu. mixes industry meta-commentary with isekai fantasy. It asks what happens when an artist literally steps into the fiction that shaped them, and it’s animated with the polish you’d expect from a top-tier studio. For fans who loved shows about anime production but wanted a more surreal twist, this one hits the sweet spot.

11. I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level – Season 2

Premise in a nutshell: Azusa dies from overwork and vows never to burn herself out again. Reborn in a fantasy world, she spends centuries casually killing low-level slimes, accidentally becoming one of the most powerful beings alive. Season 2 keeps the stakes low, the vibes cozy, and the found-family hijinks flowing.

Why fans keep coming back: This isekai is practically the anti–grimdark. It’s about healing, boundaries, and building a weird little family of witches, dragons, and demon girls. Season 2 gives more screen time to fan-favorite side characters and leans into gentle slice-of-life storytelling with just enough magic battles to keep things lively.

12. Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World

Premise in a nutshell: A 30-year-old man is reborn as Shion in what appears to be a perfectly normal world… no monsters, no dungeons, no flashy spellcasting. Just when he’s about to write off his reincarnation as a fraud, hints of real magic begin to surface.

Why it stands out: Magic Maker plays a long game with its premise. Instead of dropping the protagonist into an obviously magical RPG-style world, it builds mystery around what “magic” means here – social, emotional, or supernatural. Fans who enjoy slower-burn stories and character development over immediate power spikes really click with this one.

13. The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess

Premise in a nutshell: In her teens, Konoha Satou went through a very dramatic phase and wrote over-the-top romantasy stories. Now she’s isekai’d into that very world as the villainess she created. She thinks she knows every twist – until people and events she never wrote start appearing.

Why it’s catnip for writers (and former cringe-teens): This show weaponizes the horror of your old fanfiction coming to life. Konoha has to confront her “dark history” both literally and emotionally, making the series equal parts comedy and self-reflection. It’s a villainess story that asks what responsibility a creator has for the worlds they build.

14. The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World

Premise in a nutshell: Tougo Asagaki, a Red Ranger–style tokusatsu hero, is pulled out of his monster-of-the-week battle and dumped into a fantasy world. Unlike most isekai protagonists, he already comes equipped with combat skills and a heroic mindset, so he pretty much speedruns the “learning to fight” phase.

Why fans call it pure fun: Think of it as “Power Rangers meets JRPG party.” The show leans into absurdity: flashy moves, over-the-top villains, and a mage companion who has zero time for sentai theatrics. It’s not trying to be deep; it’s here to make you grin and remind you why you liked color-coded heroes in the first place.

15. Onmyou Kaiten Re:Birth

Premise in a nutshell: Troublemaker Takeru Narihira keeps dreaming about a girl named Tsukimiya. After a fall off a cliff, he wakes up in Denji Heian-kyou, a futuristic-yet-ancient reimagining of Kyoto, where Tsukimiya is very real – and immediately in danger. Their deaths and rebirth loop him into a mission to change her fate.

Why it’s one to watch if you like delinquents and mythology: Instead of another light novel adaptation, this is an original anime that mixes delinquent drama, supernatural action, and onmyouji-style spiritual battles. It has that “late-night cult favorite” energy – stylish, moody, and tailor-made for fans who like their isekai with a hint of urban legend.

What 2025’s isekai wave says about the genre

Look across this list and a few big trends pop out. First, the villainess subgenre is still thriving: From Bureaucrat to Villainess and The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess both spin new angles on “try not to die in a story you already know.” Second, a lot of 2025 isekai focus on working adults rather than teenagers – salarymen, bureaucrats, directors, and burned-out kings all get do-overs.

Third, sequels and spin-offs like Shield Hero season 4, Slime-for-300-Years season 2, and Kakuriyo’s return coexist with original projects and big adaptations like The Beginning After the End. That balance shows how stable the genre has become: studios trust isekai enough to experiment, and fans are picky enough to reward shows that actually try something new.

Finally, the top-ranking series blend strong hooks with emotional stakes. Whether it’s Ryo trying to build something worth protecting in The Water Magician or Arthur trying to live a better life in The Beginning After the End, 2025’s best isekai aren’t just about power levels – they’re about what that power is for.

Watching the 2025 isekai lineup: fan-style “field notes” and tips

Bingeing through 2025’s isekai crop feels like hopping between very different parallel worlds – which is honestly part of the fun. If you’re planning your own watchlist, here’s what that journey is like from a fan’s-eye view, plus a few tips to make it more enjoyable.

Most people discover these shows in clusters: maybe you start with a buzzy title like The Water Magician because social media won’t stop throwing fanart at you. The first few episodes pull you in with slick water magic and a hero who isn’t a jerk, and before you know it you’re refreshing your app for the next simulcast. That’s usually when curiosity hits and you start branching out to the rest of the list – “Okay, what else are people voting up this year?”

A popular pattern is to pair something heavier with something cozy. Fans who keep up with the moral knots and power politics of Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra or the emotional baggage of The Beginning After the End often balance that out by watching I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years or Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! on the side. One show gives you big themes and conflict; the other gives you found family, café scenes, and warm lighting. Your brain gets both stimulation and comfort.

Another common experience in 2025: learning to separate “hype” from “fit.” A series might dominate rankings because it hits a particular niche very well – office-comedy isekai in the case of Headhunted to Another World, or industry-meta fantasy like Zenshuu. You don’t have to love everything the crowd loves, but the rankings are a great shortcut for figuring out which shows are at least doing something memorable. If the premise makes you grin, it’s probably worth trying a couple of episodes.

It’s also a good year to watch with friends. Shows like From Bureaucrat to Villainess and The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World are infinitely more fun when you’re collectively screaming at the screen about dad-logic villainess choices or sentai-style attack names. Even more serious titles, like Onmyou Kaiten Re:Birth, benefit from post-episode chats where you trade theories about time loops, fate, and who’s secretly doomed.

If you’re worried about getting overwhelmed, think of 2025’s isekai slate as a menu, not a checklist. You don’t need to watch every single series. Start with whatever combination matches your mood: something top-ranked and polished like The Water Magician, something talk-of-the-town like The Beginning After the End, and something low-stress like Slimes for 300 Years. If you’re still hungry, move onto the deeper cuts and cult favorites.

Above all, remember that rankings are a snapshot of what resonated with fans this year. They’re not commandments. The magic of isekai is that there’s always another world to try. If one portal doesn’t feel right, there’s another one waiting – and in 2025, there are at least fifteen very solid doors to choose from.