Image: Eight Bit
Isn’t the thought of being whisked away into a magical land where you become powerful, or different problems exist quite tempting? Has it ever crossed your mind?
That’s probably the allure of isekais—typically bringing an ordinary person with a mundane life (plenty of times either as a student or an office worker) and bringing them into a world of adventure where they are beautiful, powerful, and find the love of their lives, as well as embarking on a great quest that is fulfilling and makes them forget their old life.
At the same time though, with so many animes already released, the formula gets old at some point. What’s the formula, you ask? Well: step 1. Get hit by a truck or die from overwork Step 2. Get “isekai’d” Step 3. Embark on an adventure and fall in love or save the world.
However, there are some unique, hilarious, or really fun isekais in anime that don’t fit the stereotype and are actually worth watching, for one reason or another.
And if you’re on the hunt for such standout titles, we’ve got you covered. Here are five Isekai anime that break the mould.
Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon
Number of episodes: 12
If there’s anything anyone might not want to be reborn into, it’d be an inanimate object such as a vending machine. That’s exactly what this anime is all about—and it’s fresh yet hilarious at the same time.
In this anime, Boxxo, the protagonist, dies in the real world from an accident that involved a vending machine. And when he reawakens, he literally becomes an immobile vending machine in another world that can dispense items and speak limited pre-recorded phrases.
However, he meets Lammis, a kind-hearted and super-strong adventurer who discovers his usefulness and carries him on her back. Together, they explore a dungeon filled with dangers and mysteries, and despite being a vending machine, Boxxo finds usefulness and helps other adventurers along the way.
Unlike most isekai protagonists gifted with godlike powers, Boxxo’s capabilities are tied to the mundane functions of a vending machine—but after Lammis discovers him and brings him along, the dynamic shifts to one of teamwork. And instead of superpowers, the series shows the smartest ways Boxxo becomes useful throughout the adventure.
A second season for Reborn as a Vending Machine, I now Wander the Dungeon is in the works.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Number of seasons: 3
Number of episodes::72
In typical isekai, you’d imagine you’d turn into some warrior or beautiful being with powers right away, but That time I got reincarnated as a Slime has probably one of the most hilarious twists to the tried and tested formula. The anime follows a 37-year old salaryman who got reincarnated as a slime in a fantasy world after being stabbed to death in the real world.
He becomes Rimuru, a literal slime, but with great stats and superpowers. With the help of a Storm Dragon named Veldora who he frees from a centuries-long imprisonment, Rimuru sets out to create a peaceful haven for monsters hoping to build a world where they can co-exist with humans.
Uncle from Another World
Number of episodes: 13
Also known as Isekai Ojisan, this anime shows the life of Takafumi’s uncle, who wakes up from a 17-year coma where he apparently had been transported to a magical world all this time.
Now back in modern-day Japan, he retains his abilities and recounts his misadventures in the other world to Takafumi.
This is an interesting take on the genre because it focuses on what happens when a protagonists returns from the isekai world, and how they adjust to the modern world, more than a decade later.
The series pokes fun at the typical isekai tropes, where he isn’t amazing or revered—and retains his awkwardness through and through.
Campfire Cooking in another World with my Absurd Skill
Number of episodes: 13
I’d give anything to have Mukoda’s “absurd skill.” Unlike his companions who have speed, strength, and magical powers, all summoned as heroes of the world they were called into, Mukoda’s absurd skill seems to be the best, and probably the most relatable to all of us: Online shopping!
Opting out of the hero business, he travels, purchasing items, especially food and cooking equipment to make his meals as he embarks on his own kind of journey, and even feeding any companions he may encounter with good food. The aroma of his cooking piques the interest of a powerful Fenrir spirit, who enters into a contract with Mukoda in exchange for some really mouthwatering meals!
If you love food and adding items to cart, as well as a little bit of adventure, this light-hearted isekai is the way to go. There isn’t any huge conflict and some of the scenes make you really hungry—and watching each episode just makes you feel good in the end.
A second season has been announced for 2025.
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Number of seasons: 3
Number of episodes: 36
Isekai worlds are typically unrealistic, with challenges that are too far apart from typical everyday life. However, in Ascendance of a Bookworm, the main character is transported to a world where there is some magic, and books are rare, expensive, and reserved for the nobles. This world also has the typical real-world problems you can expect from reality.
Fortunately, the main character, Urano (who got reincarnated into the body of Myne), is a complete bookworm. She uses most of her knowledge from the modern world to solve societal problems, overcome challenges, and even introduce new technologies.
Ascendance of a Bookworm proves that everything you learn has a purpose and that knowledge is power—all wrapped up in an intriguing story and an unusually physically weak main character.
