Isekai has been a prevalent genre among anime watchers. If you are unfamiliar with the ‘Isekai’ term, it means transported into a different world. Isekai animes are imaginative and fun. The isekai genre focuses on characters who are transported to another world and must find a way to survive while usually completing several types of quests or missions. The entire premise of the genre allows for action, fantasy, adventure, introspection, and personal growth. Every year, many animes that fall into the isekai genre are released. This article will present the top 5 isekai anime released in January 2023.
1. Saikyou Onmyouji no Isekai Tenseiki
English Title: The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World
Alternative Titles: Saikyou Onmyouji no Isekai Tenseiki: Geboku no Youkai-domo ni Kurabete Monster ga Yowasugirunda ga
Haruyoshi, the strongest diviner, was on the verge of dying after the betrayal of his companions. Hoping to be happy in the next life, he attempted the secret reincarnation technique and was sent to a different world. He reincarnates into another world as part of a family of magic users. Born into a family of magicians, the magic he did not inherit paled compared to his previous abilities as an onmyouji. While he is judged to have no magical ability, Haruyoshi perceives the magic in this world as being inferior to the onmyouji powers he still possesses and thus believes that he can get by without it. “Who needs magic? I will survive in this world with my old techniques!”
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Fantasy |
| Release | Winter 2023 |
| Aired | 7 January 2023 |
| Episodes | 13 |
| Theme | Reincarnation |
| Other Names | The Reincarnation of the Strongest Onmyouji in Another World: These Monsters Are Too Weak Compared to My Demons; The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World: These Monsters Are Too Weak Compared to My Monsters; 最強陰陽師の異世界転生記 ～下僕の妖怪どもに比べてモ |
2. Isekai Nonbiri Nouka
English Title: Farming Life in Another World
The story revolves around Hiraku Machio, who died of sickness at the age of 39 years. Having passed away at the age of 39 from a terminal illness in his past life, he is given the opportunity to go to another world. Taking pity on his unfair life in the past, a Godlike figure decides to reincarnate Hiraku in another world where he can live as he pleases. When God asks what his wish is, he requests to have a healthy body, offered a second wish, he chooses to live peacefully, a third wish to know the local language, and for a final wish, to be able to be a farmer.
God gifts him a powerful new body and the magic Almighty Farming Tool, which can summon any tool he requires and be used without growing tired. Wanting to try farming in this new life, he is bestowed with an all-in-one “Omnipotent Farming Tool” that can transform into any useful implement he wishes. Hiraku is then transported to a forest seemingly far from civilization. Awakening in a forest far from civilization, he plans to build and farm everything from scratch, gradually developing the lifeless area into a thriving new society.
| Genre | Fantasy, Harem, Isekai, Reincarnation |
| Release | Winter 2023 |
| Aired | 6 January 2023 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Theme | Isekai, Reincarnation |
| Other Names | Farming life in another world; 異世界のんびり農家 |
3. Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku
English Title: Handyman Saitou in Another World
Saitou, a young handyman from Japan, has been feeling inadequate in his job, despite the skills he developed. Despite being a handyman with a wide range of skills, he is severely undervalued and underpaid. When he complains, his boss fires him, claiming that he is easily replaceable. In his sadness over getting fired by his unappreciative boss, he accidentally walked in front of a speeding truck.
As if his fate was not bad enough, a truck suddenly hits and kills Saitou on his way home. Surprisingly enough, Saitou does not die. Instead, he is transported to another fantasy world. There, he meets a party composed of the female knight Raelza, the mage Morlock, and the moonlight fairy Lafanpan, who are all coincidentally looking to recruit a new member with a skill set like Saitou’s.
Saitou forms a dungeon exploring party with Raelza – a beautiful & strong warrior; Morlock – a powerful magician who keeps forgetting spells due to his senility; and Lafanpan – a cute but miserly fairy. His handyman experience is helpful when they need to open a locked chest or fix their armour. With the party members’ personnel quirks hindering their performance, Saitou begins lending them a helping hand, carrying essentials, picking locks and giving them vital reminders, thus making him indispensable to his new friends.
Throughout their time together, Saitou uses his expertise to assist his fellow party members. Soon, he comes to receive the recognition he never thought was possible. However, Saitou’s presence may be just the catalyst that will connect a diverse cast of people from different places, slowly uncovering the fate that could bring a splendid change to this world.
| Genre | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai |
| Release | Winter 2023 |
| Aired | 8 January 2023 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Theme | Adult Cast, Isekai |
| Japenese Title | 便利屋斎藤さん、異世界に行く |
| Other Names | Handyman Saitou in Another World; 便利屋斎藤さん、異世界に行く |
4. Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi
English Title: Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
A group of four Japanese citizens, comprising three high school students and one adult, are magically summoned to a parallel fantasy world by the Kingdom of Reijseger. The kingdom asks them for help in their war against the demon folk. As a result of the summoning ritual, the three students appear to have several powerful magical abilities and are accepted as “Heroes”. However, the adult, an ordinary salaryman named Mukouda Tsuyoshi, is found to have only the power of an “Online Supermarket“.
Along with three other heroes, 27-year-old Mukouda Tsuyoshi is transported into a fantasy world to rescue a kingdom from a mysterious threat. Mukouda was nothing special in modern Japan, so when he was called to a world of sorcery and swordplay, he thought he was ready for the adventure of a lifetime. However, it soon becomes clear that Mukouda Tsuyoshi has been dragged into the summoning ritual by accident. The kingdom that summoned Mukouda only got him by mistake. His stats were laughable compared to the other heroes. Also, there is something sketchy about this kingdom. Suspicious of the kingdoms’ true intentions, he convinces the nobles that his ability is useless, allowing him to leave and pursue a simple life in the new fantasy world. He immediately escapes making his own way in this other world.
The only thing Mukouda relies on is his unique skill, the “Online Supermarket”, a skill that allows him to buy modern goods in a fantasy world. His only skill turns out a “Food Menu”, which permits him to open an interface where he can purchase and obtain food-related supermarket items from modern Japan. This online Supermarket skill is useless for combat. But if he plays his cards right, he could lead a comfortable life. At least, that is what Mukouda thinks. But, it turns out modern food bought with this skill has some absurd effects. Mukouda introduces tasty contemporary cooking to a fantasy world and gets some ridiculous repeat customers begging for more.
Experimenting with his Online Supermarket skill, he discovers that he is able to order food and other products instantly from Japan. However, his ability to create delicious dishes unknown to this world soon pays dividends, even attracting the legendary wolf Fenrir. During his travels, he meets a mythical beast known as a “Fenrir“, who demands that Mukouda feed him a meal. After numerous servings, Fenrir takes a liking to Mukouda’s cooking. Fenrir, eventually named Fel, is so taken in by the food that the creature immediately forms a contract with Tsuyoshi, becoming his familiar.
Followed by this whimsical mythical being, Mokouda Tsuyoshi takes up a job as an adventurer and merchant, travelling and cooking up mouth-watering meals that never fail to amaze the inhabitants of this fantasy world. As Mukouda continues his journey, he encounters other monsters and gods from the Divine Realm, who grant him familiar contracts and blessings in order to obtain his food and other worldly goods.
| Genre | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Gourmet, Isekai |
| Release | Winter 2023 |
| Aired | 11 January 2023 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Theme | Isekai |
| Japenese Title | とんでもスキルで異世界放浪メシ |
| Other Names | Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill; Regarding the Display of an Outrageous Skill Which Has Incredible Powers; とんでもスキルで異世界放浪メシ |
5. Rougo ni Sonaete Isekai de 8-manmai no Kinka wo Tamemasu
English Title: Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for my Retirement
Mitsuha, an 18-year-old girl, is often mistaken for a middle schooler due to her childlike face and small stature. The story begins when she loses her parents and older brother in an accident and ends up alone in the world. As she worries about how she will survive, she is given the “World Jumping” ability by an interdimensional being that allows her to go back and forth between “this world” and an “isekai”.
One day, Mitsuha gets into a fight with bullies and is pushed off a cliff. But, she lands safely and realizes she has travelled to an alternate world.. By visualizing what her otaku brother might have done, she wanders until she is found and taken in by a girl named Collette. She decides to get used to this new world. While foraging, she and Collette are attacked by wolves. After a near-death encounter with a pack of wolves, she realizes she can transport between two worlds, this new world and her own.
Realizing she can travel between worlds, Mitsuha grabs several weapons, travels back and kills the wolves. She is confronted with a mysterious being. The interdimensional being explains that when she fell off the cliff, her strong will to live stole some of his power, so she can now travel between worlds and heal all injuries.
Taking advantage of this ability, Mitshua decides to live in both worlds and calculates that she will need 80,000 gold coins to be able to retire. Mitsuha realizes she could use her power to become wealthy enough to retire in both worlds. She thus makes it her goal to gather a fortune of 2 billion Yen, roughly 80,000 gold coins. Mitsuha now has to come up with different ways to collect her gold coins.
| Genre | Fantasy, Isekai |
| Release | Winter 2023 |
| Aired | 8 January 2023 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Theme | Isekai |
| Japenese Title | 老後に備えて異世界で８万枚の金貨を貯めます |
| Other Names | Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement, Roukin; 老後に備えて異世界で８万枚の金貨を貯めます |