10 Years Ago, This Anime Series Set the New Standard for the Isekai Genre

When KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World first aired in January 2016, it looked like many other fantasy anime where characters are transported to another world. But a closer look revealed it wasn’t trying to fit the typical formula. Instead, it playfully satirized common tropes that were already well-known and joked about within the anime fan community. After a surge in slice-of-life anime in the late 2000s, many wondered if this new wave of “isekai” stories would become the next big trend.


