Best Kingdom Building Isekai Anime

Highlights

Isekai anime offers various subgenres, with kingdom-building being a rare but impactful one.
Tsukimichi exemplifies city-building in isekai, showcasing expansion efforts and protagonist influence.
Realist Hero fails to fully utilize its kingdom-building theme, but is still worth watching.

As a seasoned anime enthusiast who has navigated through the realms of countless isekai series, I can confidently say that these three anime – Log Horizon, Overlord, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime – stand out as exceptional examples of nation-building in the genre.

Just like many topics, the isekai genre is diverse and varied, with smaller categories even branching off from it. For instance, villainess anime has gained considerable popularity in recent times, while “being trapped in a game” shows have been a part of isekai since its early days. Although several well-known series fall under this category, anime based on kingdom-building in the isekai genre is relatively uncommon, typically resulting in only a couple of series each year.

Although not commonplace, such narratives typically linger in our minds due to their focus on shaping the political landscape of a fresh world through their main character, rather than merely showcasing physical or supernatural prowess. These journeys sometimes align with power fantasies and frequently involve large ensembles of characters. Let’s delve into the top anime that excel in kingdom-building isekai genre.

Honorable Mentions

Farming Life in Another World – This delightful harem anime has all the hallmarks of a kingdom-building story, albeit on a smaller scale due to focusing on a village.
Re:Monster – While very similar to kingdom-building stories, Rou is the leader of a mercenary group rather than a nation. Nevertheless, this anime is a fine option for this type of story.
The Twelve Kingdoms – Packed with political intrigue and fantastic world-building, this classic story is an easy recommendation for isekai fans. That said, Youko is stepping into an already-established kingdom, forcing her to learn to live up to her role as a queen. It is more about maintaining a kingdom than building it.

For our consideration, we’re specifically interested in isekai anime that primarily feature urban environments, provided they are substantial in scale.

5 Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy

Subspace

In essence, Subspace isn’t a kingdom or nation as we traditionally understand them, but rather it’s a vast territory with its unique ecosystem, inhabitants, and diverse population. The main character of ‘Tsukimichi’, Makoto, actively contributes to shaping this space when he transforms an empty area created by his ally, Tomoe, to detain her adversaries. Located in a separate reality disconnected from our world, Subspace maintains minimal interactions with other empires, thereby reducing the scope for political drama typically found in anime focused on kingdom-building.

In my gaming perspective, Tsukimichi truly shines at showcasing the struggles of the character Makoto, who’s on a mission to expand Subspace as a sanctuary for Demi-Humans in a world predominantly inhabited by humans. To ensure that the environment remains suitable, he even organizes interviews to assess if a species would harmonize well with the current conditions of Subspace.

4 How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Elfrieden Kingdom

In theory, “How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom” should be the ultimate kingdom-building isekai anime, given its name alone suggests it. However, the series, unfortunately, doesn’t fully live up to this potential, often presenting political dilemmas and resolutions that are overly simplistic, lacking depth or interest.

Despite being a slower-paced series, “The Realist Hero” is certainly worth watching for those seeking a narrative centered around a mentally strong protagonist instead of physical prowess. The fictional Elfrieden Kingdom, previously mismanaged by its summoned ruler, finds itself in dire straits, potentially facing collapse or subjugation. Fortunately, the royal family summons Kazuya Souma, a character gifted with knowledge from Earth, who steps up to lead them and revitalize the kingdom. Over time, he assumes the throne of Elfrieden, steering the kingdom towards recovery and rehabilitation.

3 Log Horizon

Akiba

Essentially, Log Horizon functions more like a city-building game than a kingdom-building one, yet it meets the criteria because it explores Akiba’s role within the broader landscape.

Recommending Log Horizon as a complete anime can be tricky nowadays. That’s because seasons 2 and 3 aren’t particularly strong, with issues such as weak narrative, inconsistent pacing, and a sprawling cast that often overshadows compelling characters like Shiroe. However, the first season stands out as an exceptional representation of the isekai genre. It tells a more realistic story about a massive group of gamers who are trapped inside an MMORPG.

Instead of solely revolving around the thrill of defeating foes, the anime Log Horizon centers around the players’ efforts to adjust to the rules, systems, and societal connections in their new environment, with Akiba acting as their primary base. The main character, Shiroe, devotes much of his time to enhancing the quality of life in Akiba, a task that involves combining elements from MMOs with practical needs to create a functioning society within an existing culture.

2 Overlord

Sorcerer Kingdom

Emerging from the grand ambition housed within Nazarick and under the unintentional tutelage of Ainz, the Sorcerer Kingdom comes into being at the end of Overlord season 3, paving the way for a swift territorial growth in the following episodes. Despite the long journey leading up to this moment, the narrative of Overlord primarily focuses on the creation and expansion of the Sorcerer Kingdom. The Floor Guardians of Nazarick spend their time gathering intelligence and manipulating organizations with the ultimate goal of placing Ainz, the Sorcerer King, at the helm of global rule.

After establishing his kingdom, Ainz strives to create a paradise for all, irrespective of their race. Though humans rank lower than the residents of Nazarick, they are granted considerable freedom, provided they do not disrespect those in authority. The fourth season delves deep into the political landscape of this world, highlighting human nations struggling to adapt to a new rule by beings who can effortlessly destroy cities.

1 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

Jura-Tempest Federation

Starting from a simple slime form, Rimuru accelerates the process of establishing a country, with the Jura-Tempest Federation officially recognized around episode 15 in the anime. Originally creating a secure sanctuary for demi-humans like wolves and goblins, this safe haven expanded to become a nation that welcomed various monsters. This unique action caught the eye of neighboring kingdoms.

Although immensely potent and able to destroy human armies, Rimuru aims for peaceful coexistence with other realms through reciprocal partnerships. Surprisingly, this approach worked with some smaller nations; however, larger kingdoms like Falmuth chose aggression towards Jura-Tempest, leading to severe repercussions for the attackers. Unlike any other isekai anime, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime offers a detailed glimpse into the lives of Jura-Tempest’s inhabitants, showcasing their daily routines within Rimuru’s kingdom. The series The Slime Diaries, in particular, concentrates on this unique aspect.

In Spring 2024, the third season primarily focuses on delving into the political landscape and tumultuous alliances of the world in “Reincarnated as a Slime.” This includes numerous discussions, conflicts ignited by deceit or control, and fierce power struggles among kingdoms.

2024-08-01 09:24