The renowned media Livedoor
News carried out a survey to discover which isekai anime is the
favorite among its readers. The question posed was: « What is your
favorite reincarnation in another world anime? ». With more than
500 votes registered, the result showed that ' That Time I Got Reincarnated
as a Slime ' was crowned the favorite.
The isekai genre, which literally translates as
“another world,” has gained immense popularity in recent years, both in Japan
and internationally. The concept of isekai generally implies that the
protagonist is transported to a parallel or fantasy world, where he experiences
extraordinary adventures that are impossible in the real world. Although
the popularity of the genre has increased recently, its roots date back to long
before the term “isekai” was used.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, several works appeared
that can be considered precursors to the isekai genre. 'Aura Battler
Dunbine' (1983), created by Yoshiyuki Tomino , is one
of the first examples of a series in which the protagonist is transported to an
alternate world. Another notable work is 'Fushigi Yugi' (1992),
a manga by Yuu Watase , where the protagonist finds herself
transported to an ancient Chinese book that acts as a portal to another world.
These stories already contained many of the elements that would define the
genre: an out-of-place protagonist, adventures in an unknown world, and
the search for a purpose or mission in that new environment.
The term “isekai” as such began to gain popularity
in the 2000s, especially with the rise of light novels. A fundamental work in
this process was 'Sword Art Online' (2009), written by Reki
Kawahara . Although technically a VRMMORPG (virtual reality massively
multiplayer online role-playing game), the series shares many characteristics
with isekai, introducing characters who are transported to a virtual world
where they must survive and adapt. This series helped popularize and
further define the genre.
In the last decade, isekai has seen a significant
boom with numerous titles becoming extremely popular. Works such as 'Re:ZERO
– Starting Life in Another World' , 'No Game No Life' and 'The
Rising of the Shield Hero' have captured the imagination of audiences
around the world, thanks to their intriguing plots and complex fantasy worlds.
.
8. The Eminence in Shadow (Kage no
Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute!)
7. Ascendance of a Bookworm (Honzuki no Gekokujou)
6. Campfire Cooking in Another World
with My Absurd Skill (Tondemo Skill by Isekai Hourou Meshi)
5. OVERLORD
4. KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This
Wonderful World! (Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!)
3. Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another
World- (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu)
2. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
(Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu)
1. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a
Slime (Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken)
Source: LivedoorNews
