Carlos

“The Twelve Kingdoms is great as a classic, no doubt — but if we’re being honest about impact and relevance, it never actually hit mainstream popularity.

It has strong world-building, but compared to the series in this list (even Shield Hero), it never reached the level of hype, sales, or cultural presence needed to stay in the conversation.

Being underrated doesn’t automatically mean it belongs on a popularity-based ranking. If anything, the fact that it didn’t break through despite being around for decades kind of proves it wasn’t a hit.

Great show? Sure.

A giant in the genre? Not even close.”

Brandon @Brandon Appreciate the “facts”, bro 😄

But here’s the thing about Shield Hero: its popularity doesn’t erase how uneven the show actually is.

Season 1 had a strong start, but then it turns into long stretches of filler pacing, a power-creep that kills tension, and character arcs that go nowhere (especially after the Spirit Tortoise).

That’s why many people like me put it low:

– great premise,

– poor execution,

– and every new season feels like a downgrade instead of growth.

So yeah, I get why people enjoy it, but calling it one of the “top Isekai” just because it keeps getting seasons doesn’t mean much.

Longevity doesn’t equal quality — it just means it sells.

For me it’s easily one of the weakest in the list, and that’s also facts 😆

otto Otto, you're right that this is a popularity ranking based on Abema’s numbers – but that doesn’t mean it’s free of opinion.

The decision to call “most streamed on one platform” the “best isekai” is already an opinion. It’s one specific way of measuring “best” among many (sales, critic scores, story quality, personal impact, etc.).

And those numbers themselves aren’t some neutral truth detached from taste – they are just millions of individual opinions aggregated into a stat. So the ranking is a snapshot of what this slice of the audience likes the most, not an objective answer carved in stone.