They said the genre is oversaturated, and that most shows look the same each season, which I partly agree with. But there are golden nuggets now and then. And not all isekai revolve around an MC going on a journey to defeat the big evil boss and becoming the destined (overpowered) hero. If you just want to enjoy comfy interactions in a fantasy world, then check out my picks for these truly wholesome isekai title.
10. Drugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist
Premiering in 2021’s Summer Season, Cheat Kusushi no Slow Life: Isekai ni Tsukurou Drugstore clearly set itself as a lighthearted isekai from the get-go. Reiji Kirio is the titular owner of Kirio Drugstore who’s been gifted with extraordinary intelligence in the field of pharmacy. Together with the adorably fluffy Noera and the hilarious ghost Mina Fleuret, he caters to the medical needs of the citizens of the Kingdom of Grand and regularly meets interesting folks. These include not only nobles and fellow shop owners, but also a literal demon king, who may or may not end up working for Reiji. Essentially, this is about Reiji enjoying his comfy life away from the hustle and bustle of being another corporate slave.
9. Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear
From the whimsical title alone, The Bears Bear a Bare Kuma is already a surefire cozy watch. At the heart of it is Yuna, a 15-year-old gamer who spent an absurd amount of time playing World Fantasy Online. In fact, her dedication (or video game addiction, admittedly) got the attention of the VRMMO’s admins. They gave her a bear costume that not only had ultra-powerful characteristics but also isekai-ed her to a fantasy world. Is Yuna terrified? Far from it — and that’s why I love watching her journey. She doesn’t have to follow main quests or anything. Yuna is free to do whatever she wants, which allows her to explore the world and its inhabitants the way players normally do in MMORPGs (except that she’s stuck in an OP bear costume).
8. The Devil is a Part-Timer!
Hataraku Maou-sama! is a reverse isekai where Sadao “Demon King” Maou flees to the human world after the heroine Emi Yusa nearly vanquishes him and his army. Emi follows him to finally put a stop to his evil ways, but both end up becoming mostly ordinary humans. So the show follows Sadao and Yusa as they strive to be the best employees, whether at call centers or fast food chains. Granted, watching low-ranking workers do menial tasks might sound boring. But it’s really the opposite when you have an evil king shifting his goals of domination over to the corporate world, while one of his generals (Shirou Ashiya) spends his days doing household chores. Plus you’ve got a second season to watch too.
7. Ascendance of a Bookworm
Honzuki no Gekokujou introduced anime fans to Myne, the 5-year-old blue-haired girl who loves books. In her previous life, she was a college student named Urano Motosu who was set to work her dream job as a librarian. Sadly, she had a fatal accident. Before she took her last breath, Urano wished to read more books in her next life. Did she get her wish? Not exactly. There are books in her magical world, but she’s a commoner in the medieval era. Only the elites can afford and access books. Myne is determined to read more titles, however, so she decides to make her own books and continue pursuing her goal of being a librarian. Soon enough, her bookworm life opens up as Myne meets people and shares her vast knowledge with them. With two successful seasons and a third on its way, Ascendance of a Bookworm is headed to isekai and slice-of-life glory, perfect for folks in search of relaxing fantasy titles.
6. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Hamefura is the most popular entry on this list. Featuring Catarina Claes at the helm, this isekai is unlike others in its genre, because the setting is an otome game. So this series is brimming with beautiful men and women, all of whom Catarina must carefully build relations with to avoid death flags. Why? She was luckily reincarnated in one of her favorite otome titles but (unluckily) became the primary villain. If Catarina wants to stay longer with her beloved characters, she must utilize her proficiency in all things otome to change her fate and prevent bad endings. Hilarious, endearing, and characteristically romantic, Hamefura holds a special place in my heart.
5. I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level
I unironically love the premise that Azusa spent three entire centuries of her new immortal life growing her farm and beating low-level slimes. Azusa didn’t think much about it – but the meager experience points grew enough to make her reach 99, the highest possible level. And with great power comes great gossiping about the max-level Witch of the Highlands, so all sorts of individuals begin appearing at her doorstep either seeking help or a challenge. To be honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy Slime 300 as much as I did. But seeing Azusa happy in her solitude while also learning the need for (and benefits of) companionship warms my heart – especially since she originally did nothing but work nonstop in the office until she eventually died because of it.
4. The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
We’re moving from an anime about a slime-slaying witch to an isekai about a slime MC. Tensura Nikki: Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken is the slice-of-life spinoff of the popular TenSura series. Rather than climactic events, this diary-style series focuses on the mundane and lighthearted aspects of Rimuru’s daily life as he leads his kingdom’s people. These include farming, organizing summer festivals, and bracing for the winter season with familiar faces like Benimaru, Shuna, and Milim. If the main series made you tense because of the second season, this is designed to soothe your soul. There’s even the obligatory (but much-welcomed) beach episode if you’re a fan of Shion and the other TenSura girls.
3. Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World
It’s always interesting to see how foreigners react to local food. Isekai Izakaya: Koto Aitheria no Izakaya Nobu gives this idea a fantasy twist: Instead of folks from other countries, patrons of the Nobu izakaya are from an entirely different world. In Each episode, Nobuyuki Yazawa prepares fine drinks and Japanese (and eventually Western) cuisine for newcomers and long-time customers alike from Aitheria. And in exchange, these folks young and old share facets about their life. This is a criminally underrated and underwatched series, partly because it’s an ONA and arguably not for everyone. But if you’re a fan of chill isekai and cooking anime (without lewd reactions like in Food Wars), this is a perfect recommendation.
2. By the Grace of the Gods
Despite being an extremely exploited salaryman, the muscly 42-year-old Ryoma Takebayashi unfailingly chose to be kind to others. So when he passed away, three gods rewarded him with a new life as an 11-year-old in a different world. For three years, Ryouma basks in his newfound solitude, living in a forest and taking care of slimes with distinct beneficial capabilities. In particular, metal slimes and sticky slimes help him with his Laundromat called Laundry Agency Bamboo Forest. An eventful day leads to a meeting with the esteemed Jamil Household and his foray beyond the forest, but the series remains largely comforting and offers whimsical interactions with each new character the MC comes across. Like Slime 300, Kami-tachi ni Hirowareta Otoko portrays the relaxing “redemption arc” of someone who lived a stressful life yet yearned and deserved a slower-paced and more peaceful life.
1. Restaurant To Another World
A year before the Isekai Izakaya adaptation, Silver Link already graced viewers with Isekai Shokudou. Instead of an izakaya, it has the Western Restaurant Nekoya that could be accessed from a different world through mysterious doors. Furthermore, the customers don’t just differ in social status and class – but also in race. Alongside human knights and admirals, there are fairies, elves, leonine fighters, reptilian warriors, and mighty dragons. But they don’t cause serious trouble at the restaurant. At worst, they get into silly arguments over their food preferences. And I really like the peaceful nature of the series from beginning to end. It’s a reminder that food unites everyone regardless of their differences. All the characters are united by ‘exotic’ food from the human world. And in seeing how they relish their plate of spaghetti, katsudon, or curry rice, viewers may better appreciate their ordinary yet scrumptious food. Restaurant to Another World changed studios from Silver Link to OLM for its second season – but it still has its unique charm, fascinating characters, cozy background music, and delicious anime meals.
