An adventure story is typically a grand tale involving a journey or quest where the main character has a clear objective and faces numerous obstacles along the way. This type of story can be combined with many different genres, such as isekai.
The popularity of isekai anime is still going strong. When a great adventure combines with the unique elements isekai offers, it can create a really captivating story. Several shows do this particularly well and are worth taking a closer look at.
The term “adventure” is pretty broad and applies to a lot of isekai anime. So, we’re focusing specifically on isekai anime where the journey and exploration are central to the story. That’s why shows like Re:Zero, Slime, and Overlord aren’t on this list – even though they are all great series.
10. Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
A Chill Adventure Anime With Great Heart
Tsuyoshi Mukouda finds himself in a new world with a unique ability: the Online Supermarket, letting him order things from our world to his fantasy location. But the heart of the story isn’t just his power – it’s the great teamwork between Tsuyoshi and his companions, including the strong Fenrir and Fel, and the adorable slime, Sui.
Tsuyoshi navigates a new world using his cooking skills, winning over people as he prepares for a potential war. The story’s deliberate pace is a strength, allowing viewers to connect with Tsuyoshi and his friends – a welcome change of pace in many ‘isekai’ stories.
9. The Rising Of The Shield Hero
An Epic Journey With An Unlikely Hero
Some common themes in isekai anime are almost unavoidable, and viewers generally just expect them. Luckily, when handled skillfully, these tropes can actually improve a show. A good example is the plot where a group is transported to another world, and one member receives a seemingly useless ability. That concept is central to anime like The Rising of the Shield Hero, and many others – there are at least a dozen similar shows.
Banished from the kingdom he was originally called to, he and his companions embark on a quest to stop the destructive ‘Waves’ that threaten to destroy the new world. While the later seasons aren’t as well-received, Shield Hero starts strong with a compelling first season, and consistently maintains its exciting, adventurous spirit.
8. So I’m a Spider, So What?
50% Of A Great Isekai Adventure Anime
As a huge anime fan, I’ve noticed we’re getting so many isekai these days! Honestly, it feels like every possible idea has already been done. Reincarnating as a vending machine, a pig, even a hot spring… nothing surprises me anymore, so a spider wasn’t even that weird! But So I’m a Spider, So What? is a bit of a mixed bag for me. It’s really two different shows crammed into one, and only half of it – the part where we’re exploring a dungeon – is genuinely fun and exciting.
The anime So I’m a Spider, So What? is largely carried by its main character, Kumoko, a spider who is funny and surprisingly easy to connect with. She’s always facing new challenges and meeting different characters, and those parts of the show are really strong. However, the anime spends too much time following the other students who were transported to this world, and their story isn’t nearly as engaging.
7. Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions
A Ragtag Group Of Adventurers Struggle Through An Unrecognizable World
Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions is a bit of a hidden gem, and it stood out from the typical isekai stories of 2016. While many isekai feature incredibly powerful main characters, the heroes in Grimgar are quite weak and vulnerable. They’re left to fend for themselves in a strange new world, abandoned by those with more strength, and must rely on each other to survive.
What makes Grimgar stand out is how realistically it portrays a harsh and challenging world. It deals with difficult themes like grief and recovery in a thoughtful and sensitive way, which feels unique and welcome.
6. Log Horizon
An Isekai That Focuses On Politics, Cultures, And Exploration
Both Log Horizon and The Rising of the Shield Hero started strong but didn’t maintain that quality in later seasons. Log Horizon is the better of the two, especially if you enjoy detailed world-building and a focus on teamwork. What’s unique is that the main character, Shiroe, isn’t a powerful warrior; instead, he’s a support character who excels through skill and by helping his friends succeed. The show also puts a lot of emphasis on his political intelligence.
Even when the later seasons aren’t as strong, Log Horizon consistently expands its world and keeps things interesting with new mysteries. Instead of focusing solely on one character, Shiroe, the story explores a diverse cast of players who find themselves trapped inside a massive online game. The series primarily follows these groups as they venture into uncharted territories.
5. GATE
A Reinvention Of Some Isekai Tropes, And Some Reinforcement Of Others
What set the show GATE apart was how realistically it depicted everyday life. While many shows focus on otherworldly characters being amazed by modern things, GATE established that in terms of sheer fighting power, the other world was usually dominant.
Unlike other stories, in GATE the Japanese Self-Defense Forces were easily able to handle the creatures coming through the portal. The series focuses on Youji Itami, who unexpectedly finds himself in charge of trying to establish communication with the people on the other side.
4. Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy-
Makoto Is Building A Haven For All The Excluded
Makoto found himself in a strange new world, but the goddess who brought him there despised him. She exiled him from human civilization and cursed him with the inability to understand their language.
As is common in these types of fantasy stories, Makoto rapidly gains immense power. However, his goal isn’t just personal strength – he wants to build a peaceful home for monsters. It’s really satisfying to watch him gather allies and create this safe haven, especially because the supporting characters are capable and get their own moments to shine. Despite having everything he could want, Makoto remains a relatable and endearing main character, still curious about the world and prone to making mistakes.
3. The Twelve Kingdoms
They Don’t Make Isekai Like This Anymore
Unlike many modern isekai stories, The Twelve Kingdoms feels like a classic epic fantasy. It focuses on a believable world with consistent rules, rather than relying on tricks or shortcuts. The anime beautifully portrays a rich, detailed world, carefully developing the cultures and societies of the kingdoms central to the plot without getting bogged down in unnecessary details about less important regions.
The show gave viewers exactly what the story required, and Youko’s journey from an innocent teen to a powerful queen is relatively unique among similar anime. The Twelve Kingdoms debuted before ‘isekai’ became a dominant genre in anime, so it avoided falling into predictable patterns. In many ways, it actually feels more connected to the fantasy anime of the 1990s than to the isekai shows of the 2010s.
2. KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
Every Epic Journey Needs A Few Laughs
While KonoSuba is well-known for its comedy, it’s easy to overlook that it’s also a classic isekai adventure story. The main character, Kazuma, finds himself transported to a new world after a comically absurd death. He’s met by the somewhat annoying goddess Aqua, and manages to convince her to join him on his adventure. However, he soon realizes that having her as a partner isn’t always helpful.
Megumi, Darkness, and their companions are a group of adventurers who constantly find themselves in chaotic situations as they journey toward a poorly defined quest involving a demon lord. KonoSuba is consistently hilarious, and despite the main characters being flawed and often unlikeable, they’re still surprisingly endearing. The great dynamic between the team and the show’s skillful blend of comedy and adventure make it a highly recommended anime.
1. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Mushoku Tensei Is A Modern Isekai Classic
Even though it can be controversial, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation really focuses on the idea of being transported to another world. The story follows Rudy as he starts a new life in a dangerous, magical land, forming relationships with his new family and traveling while facing challenges that often feel overwhelming. He meets friends and enemies along the way, and slowly begins to grow as a person. Mushoku Tensei is about both Rudy’s external adventures and his internal development.
This anime stands out because it isn’t afraid to take risks. While the first season had a standard fantasy adventure feel, with Rudy and his friends exploring new lands, the second season surprisingly shifts gears by focusing on Rudy’s time at school. The show demonstrates that adventure isn’t just about traveling to new places and fighting battles – it’s also about a character’s personal growth and life experiences.
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2025-12-03 16:36