Currently, Solo Leveling is a very popular anime. Although it’s often talked about alongside Isekai shows, it’s not technically one. That’s because the main character, Sung Jinwoo, doesn’t move to another world – a key element of the Isekai genre.
I’m a huge fan of the genre, but it’s hard to ignore how many familiar tropes Solo Leveling uses. People often compare it to other ‘transported to another world’ series, especially ones with that video game-style leveling up system. Honestly, while Solo Leveling is a blast to watch, I sometimes wish it had a bit more depth and a richer backstory. Some other series really nail that part, building incredibly detailed worlds and histories.
Lord of Mysteries
Premiering in 2025, Lord of Mysteries is the new anime everyone is talking about. The series, adapted from a Chinese novel, centers around Zhou Mingrui, who unexpectedly finds himself reborn as Klein Moretti in a Victorian-style world. As he gains extraordinary abilities, known as becoming a Beyonder, Klein embarks on a journey to solve the enigmas of this new world and piece together the secrets of his former life.
Lord of Mysteries is a beautifully written story that many readers find even better than Solo Leveling. Fans are eagerly anticipating Season 2 of the anime, which is already in production.
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
If you’re looking for a popular Isekai series, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is a huge hit. It’s currently the most popular Isekai series in Japan, and like Solo Leveling, it centers around a main character who is incredibly powerful.
The story begins with the protagonist dying in their old life and being reborn as a slime in a new world. This slime rapidly gains power and eventually becomes known as Rimuru Tempest. Rimuru has quickly become a fan favorite among incredibly powerful main characters, surpassing even Sung Jinwoo in popularity.
Re:Zero — Starting Life In Another World
When people talk about popular anime where characters are transported to another world, Re:Zero is always a top pick. The story centers around Subaru Natsuki, who suddenly finds himself in a strange new world. He soon discovers he has a unique ability: whenever he dies, he gets sent back in time, allowing him to learn from his mistakes and try to change his fate.
Re:Zero has a really engaging story and a complex world, suggesting it will have many more seasons. In contrast, Solo Leveling is a shorter story and is likely to have around four seasons total.
Shangri-La Frontier
Fans have really grown to enjoy the Isekai series, Shangri-La Frontier. While Solo Leveling uses video game mechanics, Shangri-La Frontier takes them to a whole new level.
Shangri-La Frontier centers around Rakuro Hizutome, a gamer who enjoys classic, often overlooked games – the kind many now call ‘trash games.’ He dives into the full-immersion virtual world of Shangri-La Frontier, where his skills honed from these older games actually give him an edge. If you’re a fan of stories that really focus on video game elements, you’ll likely enjoy this series more than Solo Leveling.
The Rising Of The Shield Hero
The anime The Rising of the Shield Hero has quickly become a fan favorite in the Isekai genre, and it shares many similarities with the popular series Solo Leveling.
The anime The Rising of the Shield Hero follows Naofumi Iwatani, who is unexpectedly summoned to a new world alongside three other men. While they receive powerful weapons, Naofumi is stuck with only a shield, which initially disappoints him. As the story unfolds, he discovers the incredible strength of his unique abilities. Along the way, he gathers companions and dedicates himself to protecting this strange new world. Like the popular series Solo Leveling, The Rising of the Shield Hero features engaging, video game-inspired elements that viewers will enjoy.
Sword Art Online
Whether or not Sword Art Online truly fits the definition of Isekai is debatable. The characters weren’t transported to another world in the traditional sense, but rather a virtual one. However, Sword Art Online is definitely an Isekai, and it’s largely responsible for making the genre popular outside of Japan.
Sword Art Online centers around Kirito and a large group of players trapped inside a virtual reality video game called SAO. Once you enter the game, there’s no way to log out. The initial seasons focus on their struggle to escape, and many fans consider them to be even more compelling than the anime Solo Leveling.
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2025-12-15 01:35