Most isekai anime usually start off with either the MC being the lowest in their respective world or being a bottom-tier character when reincarnated in another realm. That’s the amount of disappointment and darkness that most isekai shows tend to incorporate. However, not all isekai anime remain on the path of feel-good vibes mixed with a little bit of romance and action.
Some shows are dedicated to bringing darkness into the plot through tragic character buildup and violence, which may forever traumatize the fans. Dark or mature themes explored in anime aren’t always vaguely related to violence or gore. Sometimes, anime stories tend to reveal the worst of what a person can do or how low someone can stoop in a power struggle. Here are a few isekai anime to watch that will give a dark contrast to reality.
10
Re: Creators Offers A Deep Emphasis on Identity Crisis
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Re: Creators explores the vulnerabilities and insecurities related to a person’s identity, whether it’s a human or an anime character that came to life. The anime does that through a 16-year-old mega anime fan, Sota, who gets absorbed into the mecha anime he used to watch on his desktop. Once inside this new world, he realizes that this realm is filled with heroes from different anime and manga.
However, upon returning to his own world, Sota sees that characters from different forms of media have also infiltrated his world and have somehow developed a sense of self-preservation and become aware of their existence. The anime highlights an existential crisis through the animated characters who have suddenly become self-aware and start questioning their creators and exploring their real purpose.
9
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest Is An Intriguing Tale of Mistrust
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Arifureta follows in the footsteps of a successful isekai trope in which the main character is reincarnated as a low-level nobody. The anime follows the story of a high school boy named Hajime Nagumo, who is severely bullied in school. While it would have been a dream come true for Hajime to be transported to another world where no one can bully, the odds get stacked against him pretty neatly.
Not only is Hajime bestowed with mediocre abilities, but all his bullies are also transported to this new realm with powerful abilities. Arifureta is a painful reminder of the emotional scars given to bullying victims, especially when there’s no end to it. When Hajime experiences betrayal and is left to die, he goes through the transformation for which he had waited all his life. Arifureta has a gritty tone that highlights the unforgiving harshness of human nature.
Arifureta: From Commonplace To World’s Strongest
Seventeen-year-old Hajime Nagumo is your average, everyday otaku. However, his simple life of pulling all-nighters.
- Release Date
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July 8, 2019
- Seasons
-
2 Seasons
- Characters By
-
Matt Shipman, Tia Lynn Ballard, Toshinari Fukamachi
- Creator
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Shoichi Sato, Kinji Yoshimoto, Shirakome Ryou
- Producer
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Aya Iizuka, Satoshi Fukao, Youichi Sekine
- Production Company
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Asread, White Fox, Studio Mother
- Number of Episodes
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30 Episodes
8
Grimgar Of Fantasy And Ash Is A Psychological Struggle
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Grimgar follows the story of Haruhito and a group of teenagers who are one day transported to a hostile new world where they must struggle to fend for themselves. The stronger candidates become soldiers in an elite army while the lot’s gangue members are forced to become adventurers. Haruhito, Manato, and the rest are forced to survive in the wild, where they are faced with life-and-death situations every day.
Grimgar is a dark telling of a survival story where morals are pushed to the limit. The characters are forced to confront their worst fears and even kill to save their own skin. It’s safe to say that the anime offers a more realistic picture of what it would be like if someone were transported to an unknown world. Grimgar shows the true struggle for survival instead of rainbows and sunshine.
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
Haruhiro suddenly wakes up, with no memory but his name. There are a lot of people around, but noone seems to know anything. Haruhiro forms a party of some of the people and start exploring.
- Release Date
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April 22, 2015
- Cast
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Yoshimasa Hosoya
, Mikako Komatsu (Japanese)
, Hiroyuki Yoshino - Seasons
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1
- Studio
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A-1 Pictures
- Number of Episodes
-
12 + OVA
7
The Dungeon of Black Company Talks About Exploitation
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Most isekai protagonists are wannabes or strugglers who are then granted perpetual happiness because of the godly powers they inherit in this world. However, The Dungeon of Black Company takes a different approach to the trope and transports a manipulative and greedy protagonist into an already dark and exploited world. Kinji is transported to a world as a mining company’s laborer that’s famous for exploiting its resources and manpower.
The anime offers a unique perspective on survival and the abuse of power. It uses its characters to highlight and elevate the grimness of its plot and ensures that the story doesn’t lose its sarcasm. The anime may lack violence, death, and insanely dark characters, but it compensates those elements with bludgeoning capitalism.
6
Dead Mount Death Play Puts The Viewers In The Middle Of A “War Zone”
Streaming on Crunchyroll
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The anime has a brilliant strategy of hooking the audience right off the bat with its fantastic battle scene that introduces the audience to the protagonist. A powerful entity known as the Corpse God is on the verge of defeat when he uses a powerful magical spell to reincarnate himself in another world. What comes next is a bit of a surprise, because this “God” was born as a small boy in present-day Japan who was simultaneously killed by an assassin.
Deprived of peace from his previous life, “Polka” assumed he’d find it in his new life, but he was wrong. Dead Mount Death Play bravely deals with the subject of death and depicts how little it means to its characters. They’ve already gone through the worst, whether it’s Misaki’s tragic past or the fact that why she was sent to assassinate Polka in the first place.
5
The Twelve Kingdoms Highlights The Burden of Power
Streaming on Crunchyroll
The Twelve Kingdoms is an unconventional isekai story that deals with the difficulties and unpredictability that come with an important position. When Youko is whisked away to a magical world called the Twelve Kingdoms, the last thing she expects is to be crowned queen. However, for Youko, the title is far from pretty dresses and tiaras. She is forced to perform her role to perfection and thus undergoes intense physical and emotional stress.
It’s a challenging journey for Youko as she’s forced to deal with the indifference of those around her and grip her new reality. The darkness in the anime is more psychological and emotional than anything, but the way it’s introduced through the characters is quite compelling and impactful. The political intrigue, the raging war backdrop, and character transformations are the highlights of the anime.
The Twelve Kingdoms
High school student Youko Nakajima is approached by a strange man who claims he’s been searching for her and that she is the rightful ruler of his kingdom.
- Release Date
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April 9, 2002
- Cast
-
Mari Devon
, Kate Higgins
, Houko Kuwashima
, Aya Hisakawa
, Mela Lee
, Dorothy
, Elias-Fahn
, Ai Satô
, Kappei Yamaguchi - Seasons
-
1
4
Drifters Is A Rollercoaster Ride of Violence and Blood
Available for purchase on Apple TV
Drifters is an underrated dark fantasy and isekai anime that fits the profile of a hard-hitting isekai that will make the viewers cringe. Filled with gory battles and bloody encounters, Drifters enhances the isekai aspect of the show with overpowered characters and high-octane matches. The story begins with Toyohisa, a samurai warrior in the 1600s who gets transported from the battlefield into a fantasy realm.
This world is already filled with warriors and heroes plucked from different points in time, all for fighting the evil forces persecuting the creatures of this world. Since it’s a place full of fighters, there’s no lack of bloody battles, but it’s not without remorse or regret. The anime deals with themes of unresolved past, morally grey characters, and the complexities of war, especially when ethics become questionable.
Drifters
Various historical fighters are summoned from across time to wage war on each other, with the fate of the world in the balance.
- Release Date
-
October 7, 2016
- Creator(s)
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Kohta Hirano
- Cast
-
Mitsuki Saiga
, Naoya Uchida
, Yuichi Nakamura
, Takahiro Sakurai
, Daisuke Ono
, Tomokazu Sugita
, Akira Ishida
, Tatsuhisa Suzuki - Seasons
-
1
3
Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World Tells A Captivating Dark Tale
Streaming on Crunchyroll
Re:Zero is one of those titles that has breathed new life into the genre. The anime may not be high on firepower magic or beautifully animated battles, but its main selling point is its impeccable storytelling. The anime revolves around the life of a shut-in named Subaru, who gets summoned to a fantasy world with a mysterious power. Subaru quickly understands that he has the ability to come back to life at any point in the past. This allowed him to conceive and store memories and scenarios of countless timelines.
Although the omnipotence of such an ability may seem like the ultimate gift for anyone, its consequences are much more dire. Not only does Subaru have to live through the agony of dying again and again, but the reincarnation loop takes a heavy toll on his mental health. The sheer capacity of knowledge that he obtained isolated him just like he was in his own world. Re:Zero brilliantly captures the intricacies and complexities of the fragility of the human mind and how vulnerable one can become even with god-like powers.
Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
After being suddenly transported to another world, Subaru Natsuki and his new female partner are brutally murdered. However, Subaru awakens to a familiar scene, meeting the same girl again. The day begins to mysteriously repeat itself.
- Release Date
-
April 4, 2016
- Seasons
-
2
- Studio
-
White Fox
- Creator
-
Tappei Nagatsuki
- Main Cast
-
Yûsuke Kobayashi, Rie Takahashi, Sean Chiplock, and Kayli Mills
2
Saga of Tanya The Evil Explores The Blurring Lines Between Good and Evil
Streaming on Crunchyroll
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Saga of Tanya The Evil is considered a winner in the isekai genre because of its deep exploration of moral ambiguity and the themes of war and violence. The anime offers a unique premise of an ordinary salaryman who is reincarnated as a nine-year-old prodigal soldier who does not believe in a higher power. In this new reality, Tanya’s goal is to achieve omnipotence so she doesn’t have to ask God or “Being X” for help.
Although the dry humor and complex character development are enough for anyone to binge-watch this titular isekai title, the dark elements are what make the anime stand out the most. The World War II setting is the perfect playground for dealing with ruthlessness and fading morality. The anime dives into the psychological warfare of manipulative characters who gain power by fueling conflict. The Saga of Tanya The Evil is a reflection of wrongful ambitions, sinister goals, and oppressive themes.
Saga of Tanya the Evil (2017)
A girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and porcelain skin fights on the front lines of a brutal war and climbs the ranks of the imperial army.
- Release Date
-
January 16, 2017
- Cast
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Monica Rial
, Aoi Yuki
, J. Michael Tatum - Seasons
-
1
- Studio
-
NUT
- Number of Episodes
-
12
1
Now and Then, Here and There Is An Underrated Masterpiece
Available for purchase on Prime Video
This particular isekai anime is criminally underrated despite being ahead of its time. Now and Then, Here and There takes pride in its mature storytelling, especially the way it draws parallels to real-world cruelty and injustice. Shu is a ball of sunshine, but when he’s transported to a dystopian world, he receives a rude awakening and learns just how cruel people can be. Tasked with protecting a mysterious girl, Shu is shocked to the core seeing the moral destruction in this new world which is ruled by a tyrant.
The anime carries a soul-breaking aura and addresses themes that are gut-wrenching. From torture to war crimes and child soldiers, the anime’s narrative is oozing with darkness, which is unfortunately very real and unflinching. It’s safe to say that Now and Then, Here and There is a stark reflection of the world’s inhumane side.
Now and Then, Here and There
A young boy named Shuzo rushes to the defense of a stranger who is being attacked for her magic pendant, only to find himself transported into another world where water is a scarce commodity and he is forced to join an army of children.
- Release Date
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October 14, 1999
- Cast
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Crispin Freeman
, Dan Green
, Lisa Ortiz
, Akemi Okamura
, Kaori Nazuka - Seasons
-
1
- Studio
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WOWOW
- Number of Episodes
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13
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