Isekai has become one of the biggest genres in anime in the past several years, and anyone who watches anime has probably seen at least one example of the genre. Many otaku simply can't get enough, so the more isekai to watch, the better. Thankfully, Hulu and other streaming services have embraced anime, answering fans' call for adventures in other worlds by offering them tons of isekai anime to enjoy.
As one of the world's biggest streaming services, Hulu is definitely a great resource for anime fans. With a great collection of isekai anime ready for streaming, fans of reincarnations in mysterious settings will always find something that engages their interests.
Updated on December 4th, 2023 by Louis Kemner: This list of the very best isekai anime on Hulu has been updated once again to adhere to CBR's current publication standards.
15 Funniest Shonen Anime, Ranked
Funny shonen anime embrace parody, clever turns of phrase, and comedy of errors plots, such as Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War.Blood Lad Sends an Ordinary Girl the Monster World of Vampires & Werewolves
Blood Lad is a short but fun isekai anime on Hulu that's perfect for viewers who want something Halloween-themed to watch this month. The story follows Fuyumi Yanagi, a kind and soft-spoken high school girl, who ends up in the Demon World and nearly dies. Fortunately, the vampire Staz C. Blood will help her ghost get her life back.
Blood Lad Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.25
- IMDb: 7.0
- Anime Planet: 3.80/5
What follows is a wacky, colorful trek across the diverse Demon World, home to werewolves, more vampires, plant monsters, and even Frankenstein-style villains who have big plans for the Demon World. Staz has his hands full protecting his human/ghost isekai guest and may complain about it sometimes, but he's fully committed to getting Fuyumi back home.
Yashahime: Half Demon Princess Blends Isekai & Reverse Isekai With a New Heroine
Popular isekai and romance fantasy series Inuyasha eventually got a sequel in 2020 with the anime Yashahime: Half-Demon Princess. In this series, half-demon girl Towa is separated from her twin sister Setsuna and gets sent from feudal Japan into modern Japan. She spends ten years in the present before meeting her sister once again, once again in the present. With Setsuna having forgot Towa, Towa goes with her to help Setsuna rediscover her lost memories.
Yashahime: Half Demon Princess Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 6.7
- IMDb: 7.1
- Anime Planet: 3.47/5
Fans of isekai and reverse isekai can start Yashahime and feel right at home. Meanwhile, Inuyasha fans get to meet back up with some characters from the original series, including their favorite shonen husbando, and see where things picked up after over a decade has passed for them. Though Rumiko Takahashi isn't involved, that shouldn't stop fans from delving into this popular fantasy series.
How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom Is About the Politics of Leading a Fantasy Nation
Kazuya Souma is a man with the humble plan of becoming a civil servant until one day he's isekai'd into another world. In the land of Elfrieden, Souma is meant to become an offering to another country to aid in the war effort. Refusing to allow himself to be bargained away, Souma instead asks to help fix the country's financial woes in exchange for staying there. Rather than using military might, he helps them through careful political decisions and reform.
How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.25
- IMDb: 7.2
- Anime Planet: 3.87/5
Realist Hero is exactly what it sounds like — a series that forgoes combat as much as possible. Souma chooses not to use his abilities to fight, and instead builds up the country he's in. People who prefer older protagonists and shows where the lead hero doesn't have unfairly overpowered abilities should look no further.
By the Grace of the Gods is an Easygoing Isekai About a Salaryman Turned Wizard
Ryoma Takebayashi was a mistreated salaryman in his old life, so when he gets reincarnated into a new world, the gods choose to give him his idea of an ideal life. Rather than wanting to rule over people, Ryoma chooses a simple life by himself in the forest until he's discovered by a royal family. The family brings Ryoma into society, where his mastery of magic and slimes turns him into a major player in the world.
By the Grace of the Gods Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 6.98
- IMDb: 7.0
- Anime Planet: 3.90/5
By the Grace of the Gods is a perfect mix of isekai and iyashikei. It's not a series meant to be binged. Instead, it's a relaxing anime about kind characters being nice to one another. Ryoma works to build a happy life for himself and the people around him, and the joy comes in seeing everyone try their best at everything.
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Is a Silly & Fun Game-Based Isekai Title
Yuna is a 15-year-old NEET who spends most of her time playing the virtual reality game World Fantasy Online. One day, she's given a strange bear costume from the makers of the game. Though she finds it ridiculous, she finds it's too good to take off. It drastically improves her stats, making most things in the game a cakewalk. Yuna learns about the suit just in time too, discovering she can no longer log out of the video game.
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.23
- IMDb: 6.7
- Anime Planet: 3.93/5
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear is another isekai that's meant to be watched at a slower pace. Rather than being plot-driven, the goal is just enjoying a series that's built off its likable characters. The series is also surprisingly good at making a gag that should only have been funny for a single episode work across two seasons.
Dr. Stone Is Edutainment Isekai Set in a New Stone Age
Dr. Stone
Awakened into a world where humanity has been petrified, scientific genius Senku and his brawny friend Taiju use their skills to rebuild civilization.
- Release Date
- August 25, 2019
- Cast
- Ayumu Murase , Karin Takahashi , Kengo Kawanishi
- Genres
- Action , Adventure
- Rating
- TV-14
- Seasons
- 3 Seasons
- Creator
- Riichiro Inagaki
- Production Company
- 8PAN, TMS Entertainment
- Number of Episodes
- 55 Episodes
Dr. Stone: How Far Senku Has Come -- and How Much Further He Must Go In Season 3
Senku has overcome many challenges and defeated enemies like Tsukasa. Now, he faces new threats from Ibara and Kirisame in the Petrification Kingdom.The Dr. Stone anime has stronger edutainment vibes than isekai vibes, but anyone who loves a good story about survival in a weird new world will enjoy what Dr. Stone offers. After an energy wave sweeps the globe and petrifies all of humanity, the teenage scientist Senku Ishigami awakens 3,700 years later and vows to rebuild civilization however he can in this new Stone Age.
Dr. Stone Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.28
- IMDb: 8.1
- Anime Planet: 4.33/5
With the aid of new and familiar allies, Senku will harness the power of science and friendship to build his own Kingdom of Science and restore hope for the future. He's like an OP isekai hero who can make anything out of thin air, but it won't be easy. Especially when there are powerful enemies who wish to tear down everything Senku has so carefully built.
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online Is One of the Best Game-Based Isekai Series
In real life, Karen Kohirumaki is a shy college student who's embarrassed about how tall she is. When she tries out the VRMMO Gun Gale Online, she creates the character LLENN, a tiny girl that allows her to feel comfortable in her own skin. As LLENN, Karen builds a name for herself in Gun Gale Online as a dangerous killer, competing in the deadly Squad Jam tournaments.
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.01
- IMDb: 6.8
- Anime Planet: 3.73/5
Sword Art Online Alternative might take place within the same world as the original SAO, but for people who are bothered by the controversial anime series, Alternative isn't the same at all. Instead of Reki Kawahara, the light novel comes from Kino's Journey creator Keiichi Siigsawa, and the lead protagonist is nothing like Kirito. Set in the visually distinctive world of Gun Gale Online, fans and newcomers can experience a world that's filled with fast-paced gunplay and some excellent character writing.
Grimgar Of Ashes And Illusions Is a Fantasy Isekai With Strong Character Development
At a time when isekai anime is obsessed with power fantasy, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash presents something different. The series focuses on a group of teenage adventurers struggling to survive in a fantasy world. With no memory of how they got there or where they came from, all the teens have is each other.
Grimgar Of Ashes And Illusions Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.65
- IMDb: 7.3
- Anime Planet: 3.91/5
Thanks to a willingness to show its characters fail and struggle, Grimgar stands out amidst a sea of isekai. It’s far more invested in being a compelling coming-of-age tale than being an RPG with all the cheats turned on. Thanks to that, plus the lush colors provided by A-1 Pictures, it’s one of the best isekai series out there.
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious Is a Humorously Subversive Isekai Adventure
Cautious Hero feels like a cross between an isekai fantasy and a Batman story. True to its name, Cautious Hero is about Seiya Ryuuguuin, a man who has trained to become overpowered to deal with a world under threat by a demon lord. However, no matter how many new threats are thrown at him, Seiya is always prepared, thanks to him being overly cautious.
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.48
- IMDb: 7.3
- Anime Planet: 3.85/5
With Cautious Hero, viewers should expect a comedy that’s experienced enough with isekai tropes to play around with them. Familiar ideas are turned on their head to make a delightful parody series. However, the series also has just enough twists to keep viewers who want more than a comedy watching.
Tenchi Muyo: War on Geminar Throws Giant Robots Into the Fantasy Isekai Mix
With War on Geminar, the Tenchi Muyo franchise finally enters the realm of isekai... and mecha. In War on Geminar, Tenchi’s younger brother Kenshi Masaki is forcibly sent to the world of Geminar. With no foreknowledge about his new world, Kenshi finds himself the bodyguard of royalty after a failed assassination attempt.
Tenchi Muyo: War on Geminar Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.74
- IMDb: 7.0
- Anime Planet: 4.10/5
War on Geminar proves the Tenchi Muyo universe can work within any genre. Abandoning most of the main series’ sci-fi influences for fantasy and giant robot battles, the series still works. This is largely because Masaki Kajishima is so talented at creating endearing casts of characters to watch.
Welcome To Demon School, Iruma-kun! Stars a Helpful Boy in the Demon World
The Best Anime to Watch After Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun!
Iruma-kun! is a charming isekai title starring a kind boy who ended up in a demon school, and fans of this series can try out several similar titles.Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun centers on Iruma Suzuki, a teenager with the worst parents ever. After years of putting Iruma in hard labor so they can pay off their gambling debts, the two eventually decide to sell him to a demon. Fortunately for Iruma, the demon he’s sold to is Sullivan, an older man who just wants a grandchild to dote on.
Welcome To Demon School, Iruma-kun! Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.75
- IMDb: 7.6
- Anime Planet: 4.08/5
Iruma-kun is a spectacular comedy series with the occasional flashes of shonen action for variety. Rather than making Iruma an overpowered lead, the series focuses on how he can live life without anyone in the Demon World realizing he’s a human. It’s not all comedy, either; there are genuinely touching moments of Iruma developing into his own person as he lives a bizarre new high school life in the Netherworld. As a whole, it feels like isekai meets My Hero Academia in the best possible way.
No Game No Life Is the Ultimate Game-Based Isekai With a Brother/Sister Duo
No Game, No Life: How to Get Started With the Anime, Manga & Light Novels
No Game, No Life is a high-rolling isekai full of fun and games, and its luck has seen it become a light novel series, two manga, an anime and a film.No Game No Life introduces viewers to Blank, a brother-sister duo made up of Shiro and Sora, who’ve never been defeated in a game in their lives. After the two of them defeat the god of games in a chess match, they’re summoned to the world of Disboard, where all conflict is resolved through games.
No Game No Life Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.07
- IMDb: 7.6
- Anime Planet: 4.23/5
No Game No Life’s unique premise has stuck with fans for nearly a decade. Unlike most isekai series, Sora and Shiro can’t win their battles physically. Every game has to be won via wits alone. Each encounter being a battle of the minds makes the series closer to Yu-Gi-Oh or Phi Brain than Dragon Ball Z, creating a more captivating series overall. Sora and Shiro are also hugely popular, not just because of their smarts, but their witty and merciless personalities. They make no apologies for being the ruthless gamers they are, and it's refreshing to see.
Demon Lord, Retry Shows the Hero Become the Demon Lord
Demon Lord, Retry!, like many isekai, features a man reborn into the world of a fantasy video game. This time, Akira Ono is stuck inside his own creation, Infinity Game. In the guise of the Demon Lord, he's now both highly respected and a huge target, raising the stakes as he tries to figure out how he ended up inside his own code.
Demon Lord, Retry Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 6.55
- IMDb: 6.7
- Anime Planet: 3.66/5
As the creator of the game, Ono is more methodical and forward-thinking than many isekai protagonists. Demon Lord, Retry! is lighthearted, and while things never get too serious for the reincarnated game developer, it's an engaging and unique isekai story that does new things with an old idea.
Overlord Shows the Rise of a Skeletal Mastermind
Based on a series of light novels, the highly acclaimed Overlord sees a gamer stuck in the world of his favorite MMORPG on the day its servers shut down. Now trapped in the body of a powerful Skeleton Lord, Ainz Ooal Gown finds that the foes who stood in his way are no match for him now.
Overlord Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.91
- IMDb: 7.7
- Anime Planet: 4.21/5
Overlord is such a treat because it takes the concept of isekai series as power fantasies and just runs with it, accurately portraying how a master of a game would absolutely wreck any opposition if he were an overpowered boss. It's a simple high-concept but also brutally fun throughout as the anime builds up its high fantasy world with its own internal politics, kingdoms, and ambitious NPCs/characters.
Wise Man's Grandchild Combines Isekai With Magical School & Harems
Wise Man's Grandchild tells the story of a young man who's reborn in a fantasy world as a baby and is subsequently adopted by a wizened wizard. Unfortunately, the mage teaches the lad, now named Shin, everything that he knows besides common sense, leaving him unprepared for the world at large.
Wise Man's Grandchild Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 6.62
- IMDb: 6.9
- Anime Planet: 3.81/5
Attending a school to hone his magical powers, Shin catches the eye of the resident females there. Combining elements of isekai, "magical school" fantasy, and harem anime, Wise Man's Grandchild stands out by remixing a huge collection of tropes, creating something new in the process.
Arifureta Is an Edgy Isekai With a Blacksmith Hero
Arifureta is a great reversal of fortune isekai, showing a protagonist who's down on his luck with the world against him. After Hajime Nagumo gets reincarnated in another world, he's given only a few basic blacksmith skills while his classmates are reborn with powerful magical abilities.
Arifureta Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 6.7
- IMDb: 7.1
- Anime Planet: 3.82/5
After being betrayed and left for dead, Hajime vows to escape the current status quo, building weapons that allow him to take on incredible opponents. Along the way, he attracts a team of outcast allies, showing how even the weakest individuals are stronger than they seem.
Kemono Michi: Rise Up Shows a Wrestler Befriend Animals in Another World
Kemono Michi might be the silliest and most original isekai of its generation, though anime fans have largely overlooked this gem. In this series, a magical princess transports pro wrestler Genzo to her world to defeat its many evil beasts, but being an animal lover, he beats her up instead and vows to befriend the wayward animals!
Kemono Michi: Rise Up Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 6.61
- IMDb: 6.5
- Anime Planet: 3.45/5
Kemono Michi's plot sounds like a parody of isekai and does a great job of subverting the genre's tropes. However, it also stands on its own merits. Even the most ardent isekai fans should give this smart, funny series a try.
KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World Is a Highly Entertaining Isekai Parody
Everything We Know About KonoSuba Season 3
KonoSuba is a comedy fest and one of the best isekai anime to grace the screens. Now, the show is back for a third season with another studio.After a rather ridiculous death, the goddess Aqua reincarnates Kazuma Sato into a fantasy world. Though Kazuma, Aqua, and their allies initially plan to defeat the overbearing Demon King, they eventually simply give up on this goal and devote themselves to living their best lives.
KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.26
- IMDb: 7.8
- Anime Planet: 4.07/5
KonoSuba is a fun and comforting isekai with a refreshing concept, even if circumstances end up forcing the team to fight their grandiose opponent. It's also a great example of a series that highlights a powerful protagonist who's undermined by his own dysfunction, with hilarious results. But even if Kazuma and his three party members are total misfits, they will still endear themselves to viewers with their relatable flaws and vulnerabilities, especially where the Kazuma/Megumin friendship is concerned.
Sword Art Online Set the Entire Isekai Industry Into Motion With Its "Trapped in a Video Game" Narrative
Sword Art Online
The series takes place in the 2020s and focuses on protagonists Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki as they play through various virtual reality MMORPG
- Created by
- Reki Kawahara
- First Film
- Sword Art Online The Movie
- First TV Show
- Sword Art Online
- First Episode Air Date
- July 8, 2012
Sword Art Online might be the definitive isekai anime. The series follows Kirito and Asuna, two fans of the titular online video game. When they're trapped inside the game along with other players, and faced with the possibility of real death, they realize they'll have to beat the game to regain their lives.
Sword Art Online Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.2
- IMDb: 7.5
- Anime Planet: 3.98/5
Sword Art Online codified expectations and tropes for modern isekai, and its popularity focused the subgenre on MMOs. The anime, based on a light novel series, has had movies and spinoff shows, but it all started with the first season of SAO. The first season focuses on Kirito's adventure in the 100-floor Aincrad dungeon, and later seasons will take him and his gamer friends to all-new worlds with ever greater challenges and new combat systems, such as fairy wings.
Inuyasha Is Isekai, Historical Fantasy, & a Love Story
Inuyasha
A teenage girl periodically travels back in time to feudal Japan to help a young half-demon recover the shards of a jewel of great power.
- Release Date
- October 16, 2000
- Genres
- Action-Adventure
- Rating
- TV-14
- Seasons
- 7
- Studio
- Sunrise
- Franchise
- Inuyasha
- Creator
- Rumiko Takahashi
Back before fans even knew what isekai was, they loved watching Inuyasha on Adult Swim. The series is about Kagome, a teenager who ends up in Japan's distant past. There, she befriends Inuyasha, a human/dog-demon hybrid, as well as a growing cast of allies, as they search the land for the fragments of a mysterious jewel that emerged from Kagome's body.
Inuyasha Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.86
- IMDb: 7.9
- Anime Planet: 3.84/5
Of course, Inuyasha is full of both romance and action, and the general narrative feels different from modern isekai. Still, as the first "adult" anime for many fans, it's a beloved classic for a reason. The Inuyasha anime has broad appeal thanks to its colorful characters, shojo-style romance, creative combat system, and solid humor and drama.
The Rising Of The Shield Hero Challenges Its Protagonist to Win Only With Defensive Shields
The Rising of The Shield Hero
A gamer is magically summoned into a parallel universe, where he is chosen as one of four heroes destined to save the world from its prophesied doom.
- Release Date
- January 9, 2019
- Studio
- Kinema CitrusDR Movie
Shield Hero Season 3 Actually Might Fix Its Worst Cardinal Hero -- Slowly
Motoyasu is taking his first steps toward redemption, but he's got a long road ahead of him. It might even become Season 3's best development.With a sketchy beginning, Rising of the Shield Hero has its detractors, but viewers who buy in beyond its opening will discover one of the best-written contemporary isekai in anime. Rather than having a protagonist who's instantly handed everything, Shield Hero's lead struggles early on, not just for basic resources, but for any support system at all.
The Rising Of The Shield Hero Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.97
- IMDb: 7.9
- Anime Planet: 4.21/5
Rising of the Shield Hero centers on Naofumi Iwatani, a young man brought to another world while reading a book in a library. While there, he's named as one of the Four Cardinal Heroes necessary to save the world. However, as the purely defensive Shield Hero, he's first ignored by the country and then is betrayed by someone claiming to be his ally. Naofumi may question if the world deserves saving, but he may not have a choice.
BOFURI: I Don't Want To Get Hurt, So I'll Max Out My Defense Is OP Isekai Done Right
The isekai power fantasy often involves characters who want to prove their incredible power in battle. However, isekai series like BOFURI are less about displays of dominance, and more about finding inventive ways for heroes to use their incredible powers.
BOFURI: I Don't Want To Get Hurt, So I'll Max Out My Defense Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.53
- IMDb: 7.4
- Anime Planet: 4.05/5
BOFURI focuses on a young woman named Kaede Honjou, who reluctantly joins a popular VRMMO. Upon entering the game, Kaede creates a virtual persona named Maple, but because she doesn't want to get hurt, she places all of her skill points in defense. She winds up with a nearly impervious character, offering her skills even the developers weren't aware of. With these powers, she explores this new world with her friends.
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime Shows a Slime Protagonist Build a Nation For Tolerant Monsters
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Average 37-year-old Minami Satoru dies and is reincarnated as the most unremarkable creature imaginable-a slime.
- Release Date
- October 2, 2018
- Cast
- Miho Okasaki , Megumi Toyoguchi , Mao Ichimichi , Makoto Furukawa
- Genres
- Action-Adventure
- Rating
- TV-PG
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Eight Bit
- Creator
- Fuse
- Sequel
- The Slime Diaries
- Number of Episodes
- 48
The anime that started the "Reincarnated as a" trend, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is excellent. The series largely focuses on worldbuilding, carefully introducing new countries, characters, and a class system without ever throwing too much at the viewer. Sure, it might also have a bit too much fanservice, but it also knows when to dial that back to tell serious stories.
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.14
- IMDb: 8.1
- Anime Planet: 4.38/5
When the middle-aged Satoru Mikami sacrifices himself to save his co-worker, he's sent to another world, reincarnated into the form of a slime monster where he absorbs much of the energy of one of the world's strongest dragons, Veldora Tempest. With this power, he becomes the feared "Great Demon Lord" Rimuru Tempest. As he ventures out into the world, he learns how his very existence has warped the continent's delicate political balance.
Mushoku Tensei Shows a NEET Enjoy His New Isekai Life as Rudeus Greyrat
Mushoku Tensei Might Become a Reverse Isekai
Rudeus is playing with fire, and the consequences could be dire in Mushoku Tensei Season 2, Part 2.Mushoku Tensei features some of the most beautiful animation and world-building in fantasy anime in the last twenty years. Despite its sometimes questionable protagonist and occasional elements of annoying fanservice, Mushoku Tensei is an absolute must-watch isekai.
Mushoku Tensei Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.38
- IMDb: 8.3
- Anime Planet: 4.22/5
When a jobless NEET gets reincarnated into another world, he vows to live a meaningful life. As Rudeus Greyrat, he enjoys a happy existence with his parents and his local neighbors. However, will Rudy be an underachiever in his new world, or will he seize this opportunity to truly reinvent himself?
Log Horizon Traps Its Heroes in a Fantastic MMO Game World
Like Sword Art Online, Log Horizon helped popularize the isekai genre and the concept of heroes trapped in a video game. Log Horizon isn't as well-known as SAO, but it's arguably the better series. Built specifically for fans who want to understand its video game's rules and logic, it's a precise and well-crafted series.
Log Horizon Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.92
- IMDb: 7.5
- Anime Planet: 4.12/5
Log Horizon begins when former players return to the popular MMO Elder Tale to check out its new update. However, they collectively learn that none of them can log out of the game anymore. Even when they die, they respawn instantly, leaving them stuck in this new world. With no way out, can they find a way to salvage their new reality?
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