Summary
- Some isekai anime explore darker themes with a grounded approach to storytelling.
- Uncle From Another World, Skeleton Knight in Another World, and The Dungeon of the Black Company tackle mature themes.
- These series delve into consequences, realism, and hardships faced by characters in a new world.
Isekai anime is one of the most popular genres of anime that continually receives new series and continuations of shows every season. The wealth of stories that isekai anime provides is incredible, as the different settings involving a wide variety of main characters experiencing new worlds are always entertaining. Even though a story may begin the same way, no isekai story is like the others, with interesting side characters, different power systems, and unique antagonists that make each series stand out.
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There are a few small isekai anime series that take a darker approach to storytelling and explore more extreme themes. These stories ground their world in consequences and realism, making being transported to another world a not-so-enjoyable experience. Here are some of the best isekai anime that explore more mature themes.
8 Uncle From Another World
A Disheveled Tale Of Unfortunate Circumstances
Uncle From Another World
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2022 - 2023
- Studio
- Atelier Pontdarc
- Creator(s)
- Hotondoshindeiru
- Seasons
- 1
- Number of Episodes
- 13
Uncle from Another World starts with the main character, Ojisan, waking up from a decades-long coma. Secretly, Ojisan was teleported to another world during his coma, where he went on epic adventures and defeated countless foes with incredible magical and physical abilities.
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While Ojisan's journey sounds impressive, he went through a number of hardships, including having an entire kingdom trying to kill him due to his appearance, frequent bullying, and betrayal. Ojisan awakens and falls into the care of his nephew, and now he must adapt to modern-day life with his magical powers still intact.
7 Skeleton Knight In Another World
A Magical Fantasy World With Dark Undertones
Skeleton Knight in Another World
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022-00-00
- Studio
- Studio Kai, Hornets
- Creator
- Ennki Hakari
- Seasons
- 1
- Number of Episodes
- 12
Arc fell asleep playing his favorite video game and awoke in a new world, wearing pristine armor and wielding a magic sword. Surprised and elated to have been isekai'd, Arc quickly takes on the role of the hero he always dreamed of being. After slaying some bandits, saving a princess, and getting used to his new abilities, Arc finally felt the first downside of his new life when he learned he was an undead skeleton.
Skeleton Knight In Another World tackles Arc's challenging journey to adapt to his new environment and lifestyle as a a member of the undead race while sprinkling in mature topics like slavery, trafficking, and corruption.
6 The Dungeon Of Black Company
A Winding Story Of Greed And Slavery
- Studio: Silver Link
- Number Of Episodes: 12
- Streaming: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+
Kinji Ninomiya had finally accomplished his lifelong task of securing a sustainable NEET lifestyle where he would never have to leave his home again. Unfortunately, as soon as his comfy life was secured, he was whisked away to another world and immediately sold into slavery and put to work in a mining camp.
Suffering grueling days of hard labor, Kinji decides to attack his slavers from within and create a new empire to obtain enough wealth and power to control the nation out of spite. The Dungeon of Black Company is a darker isekai series that deals with multiple levels of mature themes, such as human trafficking and torture.
5 The Saga Of Tanya The Evil
Ripped From One World Into Another Plagued By War
Saga of Tanya the Evil
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2017 - 2021-00-00
- Studio
- Nut
- Creator(s)
- Carlo Zen
- Seasons
- 1
- Number of Episodes
- 12
A salaryman comes into a dispute with the God of the world when he is ungrateful for his life after his death. The man finds himself reborn in a new world as a young girl in a spiteful act by the insulted God. Embracing the challenge, Tanya decides to call God's bluff and dive headfirst into this new world that has been plagued by an endless war and live free of God's will.
As a vicious commander, Tanya fearlessly leads a small squad on the front lines of battle, daring God to do their worst. The Saga of Tanya the Evil takes on the true horrors of war, such as child soldiers and civilian casualties.
4 The RIsing Of The Shield Hero
A Hero Endures Unspeakable Hardships
The Rising of the Shield Hero
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- January 9, 2019
- Seasons
- 3
- Creator
- Aneko Yusagi
- Studio
- Kinema Citrus, DR Movie
- Number of Episodes
- 50
Naofumi thought this life was set to take a drastically positive turn when he arrived in a new world, summoned alongside three other individuals to become heroes of the kingdom. While each hero was blessed with a sacred weapon, Naofumi was ecstatic when he received his Shield relic and was brought before the eking. Unfortunately, the high of Naofumi's journey would end there as his predicament would plummet after he was framed for a crime he didn't commit and banished.
With his name stigmatized throughout the land, Naofumi went out on his own and turned his back on being a hero. The Rising of the Shield Hero tackles emotional and physical trauma in a way not often demonstrated in anime series in general, not just isekai.
3 Re:Zero
Transported To Another World And Destined To Die
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Studio
- White Fox
- Creator
- Tappei Nagatsuki
- Seasons
- 1
- Number of Episodes
- 65
Subaru found himself in the middle of a bustling market in a new and shiny fantasy world. Over the moon about his new situation, Subaru could not wait until he could start going on adventures and saving the day as an epic hero. Unfortunately, starting out in another world can be a struggle with no funds, no connections, and no leads.
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Subaru finds himself down on his luck from the very start, and things only get worse from there when he and the only friends he seems to make end up killed. Shockingly, Subaru starts the day over in the same spot with his memories intact. This sets Subaru down a hard road of death and rebirth as he tries to survive as a regular guy in a world filled with giants. Re:Zero takes on portraying mental distress incredibly well, along with several different traumas.
2 Grimgar
A Fantasy World With Real Consequences
Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2016
- Directors
- Ryosuke Nakamura
- Writers
- Ao Jumonji
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Creator
- Ao Jūmonji
- Seasons
- 1
- Number of Episodes
- 12
Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions is a series that grounds the fantastical nature of isekai anime in the real world and follows an unremarkable bunch on a journey of survival in a fantasy world. Haruhiro and his small group of comrades are at the bottom of the barrel when a mass group of individuals is teleported to another world.
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With each of them taking on different roles, such as thief, archer, and mage, they struggle to advance as their physical capabilities leave much to be desired. Grimgar is an excellent example of an average adventurer who faces life-and-death situations just to make it to another day.
1 Jobless Reincarnaiton
A Complicated Main Character Filled With Vices And Virtues
Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- January 11, 2021
- Studio
- Studio Bind
- Creator
- Rifujin na Magonote
- Seasons
- 2
- Number of Episodes
- 39+
In his past life, Rudeus was a self-proclaimed waste of space who was predestined to be a shut-in due to trauma and grief. When his life finally hit rock bottom, he found himself in another world after selflessly sacrificing himself to save a young girl.
Now given a chance to start over in a new world, Rudeus retained his memories and decided to take full advantage of the possibility of starting a new life. Mushoku Tensei Jobless Incarnation shows Rudeus' coming-of-age journey as he develops magical skills, learns how to mature, deals with real loss, and unpacks his past trauma.
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