Most fans are familiar with the idea of isekai, thanks to the popularity it has gained over the years. This sub-genre of fantasy anime and manga primarily involves taking the main characters to an alternate world. The mode of transportation to this alternate or fantasy world is either through reincarnation (that is, the protagonist dies and their soul goes to another body), or through transportation via a portal.
The fantasy world where the protagonist finds themselves could be good or bad. Unfortunately, some protagonists find themselves in worlds that will severely test them and wreck their mental health. Regardless of the conditions they find themselves in, they must often strive to survive.
Now and Then, Here and There
InNow and Then, Here and There,Shuu ends up in Hellywood after attempting to save Lala-Ru from the machines that are after her. Hellywood is not a world for adults, let alone kids, but unfortunately, Shuu finds himself here and undergoes unimaginable pain and suffering. Hellywood is a dystopian world, meaning suffering and injustice are the order of the day regardless of an person’s age and gender.
In this world, basic amenities like water are scarce. Children are soldiers, and they undergo sexual abuse, physical assault, and more trauma. In addition, Hellywood has a ruthless dictator who believes in violence and getting what he wants through any means necessary. Leaving modern-day Japan, where peace reigns, and coming to this dystopian world is a nightmare for any character. But Shuu does not let the atrocities of Hellywood distract him from his goal of saving Lala-Ru.
Saga of Tanya the Evil
InTanya the Evil, the Empire is a country in Europe that is constantly under attack due to an ongoing war. Leaving normalcy and teleporting to this world is a huge task, but the Japanese salaryman who took over Tanya’s body did his absolute best to survive. Instead of dying, the Japanese salaryman, with the help of a ‘god’,reincarnates as Tanya Degurechaff, a young girl who is a brutal soldier.
This world mimics real-life history around the time of World War. Tanya has an edge because she has magical powers, and the Empire has strong military forces. These magical powers helpTanya and her battalionof men overwhelm their enemies and take them a step further to attain peace and become a powerful nation.
Overlord
In most isekai anime, the world where the character comes from is usually normal and similar to modern-day Japan.Overlordis an exception. The World of 2138 is wherethe main character, Suzuki (Ainz), comes from, and it is years ahead of the modern-day world. One would expect it to be a highly advanced version of today’s world, but it is not.
It might be a good thing that protagonist Suzuki (Ainz) found a way out of this world because of how dangerous it is to humans. His world is severely damaged, and pollution has affected every area of life. The water and air need to go through a filter before humans can drink and breathe. Also, humans cannot go out with a high-grade mask.
Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation
Rudeus Greyrat was oncea Japanese shut-in, but now he is a young mage in Buena village. As he grows older, his father sends him to the Asura Kingdom to tutor a young girl to earn money. Although this world, the Central Continent, is quite peaceful, a strange phenomenon happens that causes utter confusion and havoc. This event, a mana calamity, teleported people in theMushoku Tenseiworld to various continents, some with their loved ones and others alone.
Rudeus and Eris find themselves on the Demon Continent, and it is not a place for humans. These two might not have survived in this world withoutthe help of Ruijerd. The Demon continent is a world with little to no civilization. It feels like a desert, but with rocks and mountains everywhere. Teleporting to this world without knowing a demon might be the worst thing to happen to a character.
3City Of The Dead
The Faraway Paladin
The setting ofThe Faraway Paladinis known as the City Of The Dead. Just like the name implies, this city lacks human touch and civilization. In this world, the only human is Will, and he arrives here through reincarnation. Given the choice, Will might have chosen to end up in another world.
In this world, Will meets three undead individuals, Blood, Mary, and Gus, who take him under their wings and familiarize him with his new world. As the only human, Will starts to have questions about the world he is in and why he happens to be different. This place is a nightmare for any character, but Will bravely sets out to unravel this world.
2Templar
Kiba
The world of Calm inKibais the opposite of its name.Kibatells the story of two boyswho want to leave their world because of how bad it is. There is pollution, crime rates are up, and everything is just not working. These boys, Noah and Zed, want out. Any character that finds themselves in Calm might have a hard time surviving because of its harsh living conditions.
Luckily, through teleportation, they are able to leave Calm. Zed finds himself in Templar, a world of magic and war, while Noah finds himself in Neotopia. Templar’s only advantage is that it has magic and magic users, but this country is under attack, meaning there is no peace. However, Zed likes it here because the magic fascinates him, and for once, he is not running from the authorities.
Grimgar Ashes and Illusions
Grimgaris a fantasy world with monsters, and characters here have tofight for their livesagainst these monsters. Without much experience in battle or with weapons, it is tough to survive in this world. The protagonists of this anime had a difficult time settling in, as they had to fight not only for their lives but also to make money.
Coming into this world unprepared puts the characters at a disadvantage, and they even lose Manhato while trying to combat an ambush. Usually, when characters find themselves in an isekai world, they usually get special powers to compensate for the change in environment. However, these characters do not, and even worse, they have no recollection of how they got to Grimgar.
