Rising of the Shield hero isn’t for the faint of heart. It drops you right into the horrific reality of this fantasy world. Don’t get me wrong; this fantasy world is filled with magic, giant birds, and animal people. But it hits you where it hurts as you see the protagonist Naofumi Iwatani struggle to make it through this fantasy world. 

So this might be one of the few entries on this list with a fully adapted story. With four excellent seasons and two movies (and a third on the way), Nanatsu no Taizai takes you to a world of giants, fairies, demons and angels while bringing you the action and magic you crave from a show like this. The first season is centred on Meliodas, Elisabeth and Hawk as they search for Meliodas’ Holy Knight group, the Seven Deadly Sins. Then once you finish with that, you can read the follow-up manga, the Four Knights of the Apocalypse.   

Mushoku Tensei is another Isekai, where our protagonist reincarnates into the body of Rudeus Greyrat, a spellcasting protege. Despite its controversies, Mushoku Tensei builds a massive and textured world that we, viewers, only get a taste of. Mushoku Tensei treats its worldbuilding like a labour of love, with a layered history, fanatical detail to the different kinds of magic and fighting styles and clues to a history I want to see more of. 

Demon Slayer is one of the few entries on this list that isn’t set in a fantasy world of dragons and magic. Demon Slayer is a story set in an almost pre-industrial era of Japan, where the magic of the old is at odds with the future technology. Demon Slayer is set in a world where blood-sucking demons plague the world, and Tanjiro Kamado is one of the people tasked to exterminate these demons. With films like Mugen Train and stunning animation, Demon Slayer has skyrocketed in popularity and is perfect for someone looking for an action-filled story with a great cast of characters.

Bofuri is a cheat on this list; it brings us a story set in the world of an MMORPG. The protagonist, Maple, is a charmingly oblivious character who begins her journey into the game world by maxing out her defence and quickly becomes one of the most powerful characters in the game world. Bofuri is a comedic adventure into overpowered characters and just how crazy they can become. 

Overlord is an Isekai with a twist. Our protagonist, Ainz Ooal Gown, reincarnates into a new world with the tomb of Nazarick, a dungeon filled with an army of completely loyal NPCs. But one of the biggest twists with Overlord is that it brings you the story of the world, told from the perspective of the people living in it. The second season of Overlord is told from the perspective of a tribe of lizardmen. Overlord works hard to present a world faced with the danger of a new powerful force. Overlord doesn’t shy away from the dark side either, the forces of Nazarick are truly evil while being directed by the titular Overlord.

Black Clover is a shonen that puts the magicless Asta in a world of action and adventure. We see Asta take on a cast of magical characters to reach his goal of becoming the Wizard King. It's a standard shonen story that brings you characters with unique personalities and magic. I’d recommend Black Clover to anyone looking for a new shonen to invest in. 

Attack on Titan is another story with a fairly unique setting, with a pre-modern level of technology where our protagonists take on giant beings known as titans with cannons and 3D manoeuvre gear. Attack on Titan brings us a world of mystery and politics, paired with action-filled scenes of people sailing through the air and taking on threats bigger than themselves. Attack on Titan has four seasons, with the final part of the series being released in 2023. 

Coming from the world of Isekai, That Time I got reincarnated as slime is a light-hearted adventure where the protagonist Rimuru, goes from salaryman to slime. With a cast of goblins, oni, dwarves and demon lords, That Time I got reincarnated as a slime brings you a charming adventure in a sorcery world. Don’t expect Rimuru to struggle through every fight, but That Time I got reincarnated as a Slime brings us a beautiful and lively world framed in an entertaining premise.

Full Metal Alchemist is a world that beautifully mixes magic and technology. The story follows Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse trying to find the philosopher’s stone. The world of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood brings us a world with a magical force called Alchemy, which lets people transform one thing into another of equivalent value; this is mixed with the world's technology, like Automail, which is a mechanical prosthetic.  

Vinland’s main character is based on the real-life Thorfin Karlsefni, who is one of the most famous explorers from the Norse region around the time the series takes place. Thorfin wrote a series of stories about his travels, which is what the series draws from.

Thorfinn’s father, Thors, is an anime-only character and does not appear to fight any conquests, at least at the time the series is set. A character inspires Thors in Norse Legends, known as Thord Horsehead. However, his name was shortened to Thors. 

Leif is based on the historical Leif Erickson, an explorer credited in modern times with discovering the North American continent where Vinland is located.

Askeladd, the leader of the Vikings, is based on inspired by a Norse folklore character called Askelladden. But it's believed that Askellad was purely designed to act as a mentor character for Thorfinn. As a half-welsh, half-dane warrior, Askellad is meant to hint at the intermingling that happens from Viking raids. 

Canute’s real-life equivalent was an actual Danish king. When initially introduced, Canute was mistaken as a woman, which reflects the real-life Canute who was meant to have beautiful looks. Cabyte is also known as one of the first Viking rulers to support Christianity, which plays a large part in the series. Canute was an exceptionally strong person, unlike what we have seen from the character so far. 

Thorkell is probably one of the most accurately depicted characters in the series. Known in real life as Thorkell the tall, he was a feared warrior who defected to the English and fought against Canute before returning to his side and becoming one of his strongest generals. The only place where he falls short is his personality; the real Throkell was meant to be much more measured and calculating than the battle-hungry version seen in the series.

The first entry on this list brings us a combination of space travel and westerns. The series follows a group of bounty hunters, Spike Spiegel, Faye Valentine, Jet Black and Edward, who hunt criminals across space. The Cowboy Beebop anime brings a great self-contained story in each episode while hinting at a larger story. The series came out in 1998, so it looks a little dated compared to modern standards, but the story holds up as a cool space story. 

Dr Stone is a great series exploring what life would be like from 0. In the world of Dr Stone, our protagonist Senku and the rest of humanity have been petrified for 3,700 years. With modern innovations lost to time, Senku and his friends must start building science back up. The series is genuinely interesting and brings us a great primal world with mysteries surrounding petrification.

Parasyte is a series set in the modern world, where a new species of creatures takes over the bodies of its victims. Parasyte is a great series if you love body horror; the designs of the creatures evoke scenes from The Thing; this is mixed with the struggle the protagonist Shinichi goes through with an alien parasite infecting his hand as a literal interpretation of alien hand syndrome. Parasyte: The Maxim is a great alien invasion story, told from the perspective of a single character and is perfect if you are in the mood for some extra-terrestrial violence. 

The next entry on this list brings us a story set in the not-so-distant future, where giant mechs are commonplace. The series follows Lelouch vi Brittania as he mounts a rebellion with a resistance movement. Code Geass brings a supernatural flair to the genre by giving the protagonist Lelouch, the ability to give a single command to anyone he sees. Code Geass is an amazing story told from the perspective of a deviously intelligent protagonist as they take on the corrupt government of Britannia.

Psycho-Pass is set in a dystopian future where your mental health decides everything in your life, from your career to your societal position. The series follows a squad of police officers as they use futuristic weapons called Dominators to take out dangerous criminals. It's an interesting series exploring mental health, morality and the idea of the greater good. 

A mad scientist, time travel and alternate timelines all amount to a fantastically mind-bending story with a wonderfully complex story. The story follows Rintaru Okabe and his reluctant team of friends as he invents a device that lets him send text messages back in time. Steins; Gate brings us a great story with a complicated cast of characters that will leave you wanting more, which is good because Steins; Gate is followed up with a film and a sequel series following one of the alternate timelines explored in the anime.

The Promised Neverland displays the loss of innocence, unlike any series I've seen. We follow the cast of children, barely 11 years old, as their world collapses around them. We see the characters fall apart and see the people they thought they could trust betray them. The sci-fi in The Promised Neverland is more subtle than the other entries on this list, but we can see it when we make our way through the story. 

The last entry on this list is perhaps the oldest, with its release in 1988. The series was adapted from a series of ten novels. Suppose you are looking for an interstellar war between a galactic empire and an alliance of free planets. The story is an idealistic struggle between strategic masterminds who clash in this interstellar conflict.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be reincarnated in another world as an inanimate object? No, me neither. Reincarnated as a sword has the protagonist, well… reincarnated as a sword (Isekai isn’t big on subtlety). They are helped along by a telekinetic power that lets them move around and an ability that lets them absorb the skills of their enemies and gain points to level themselves up. It's a fun, and comedic story as the protagonist finds a wielder and takes on this new fantasy world. 

So I’m a spider, so what? It is a story about someone being sent to a fantasy world and reincarnating as a spider. The series follows Kumoko as they struggle to survive a hostile new world. The story splits between Kumoko and Shun, another student who has reincarnated into this new world.  

What Re: Zero does better than anything else on this list is torture the protagonist. In the story, our protagonist Subaru is given the ability “Return by Death”, giving him the ability to respawn at an earlier point. This is a great sound, right? Endlessly come back from the dead with all the knowledge of what happened before. Except Subaru has to die, over and over again, struggling every moment to get the future he wants, and he suffers from it. He doesn’t always handle it with the same unbreakable willpower we see from some other protagonists. 

Konosuba is a delightful story that brings a cast of characters straight out of absurdity. Our protagonist Kazuma Satou is transported to a fantasy world and brings the goddess who sent him there with him, kicking and screaming. Kazuma is joined by the masochistic paladin, Darkness and the explosion-obsessed mage Megumin. Konosuba brings a wonderful take to the Isekai genre with a light comedic feel and wonderfully parodies the Isekai tropes.

Cautious Hero follows a protagonist who is a little too… well, cautious; see what I mean about Isekais and subtlety. Cautious hero plays on the trope of the training arc by having the protagonist Seiya Ryuuguuin, train for his next battle at every possible opportunity. It's a fun take on the genre that makes fun of itself and the tropes of the genre. 

The saga of Tanya the Evil is set in an alternate WW1 where soldiers battle with magic and rifles. It follows the titular Tanya as she battles the omnipotent Being X, who attempts to make life difficult for our protagonist. The Saga of Tanya the Evil is filled with action and premodern battles that will leave you wanting more.

If you want an Isekai that is just a chilled-out adventure, this might be the anime for you. It follows Azusa Aizawa, a witch who is given immortality so she can spend her time doing whatever she wants, but then after 300 years, her life is transformed by a growing cast of characters who help her bring some meaning to her chilled-out life. 

This series takes brings best friends Tachibana Hinata, and Jinguji Tsukasa to a fantasy world, except Hinata, has been transformed into a beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl. It takes a unique perspective in a fantastical world and builds an unexpectedly touching romance with some great comedy. This might be your show if you are looking for romance in your Isekai.

Did you ever obsess over one video game to the point you knew every secret, every ending and every possibility? Well, that's the plot of My Next Life as a Villainess. Our protagonist finds herself inside her favourite game as the villain, Catarina Claes. Catarina needs to do everything she can to avoid banishment or death. The series hilariously presents Catarina’s thoughts by having five mini Catarina debate issues. 

I couldn’t make a list without mentioning That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime. The series parodies the overpowered protagonist trope by making the protagonist Rimuru a slime. The series shows the protagonist’s evolution throughout the series, gaining new skills and new levels of power and expanding the world wonderfully around this single perspective. 

Chainsaw Man comes from the wonderfully violent series of the same name. The series follows Denji as he gains the powers of the chainsaw devil and uses them to take out dangerous devils. After the popularity gained from the manga, Chainsaw Man is a must-see this season. 

This series is a modern sports anime following Yoichi Isagi and his journey to becoming the best football player in the world. Yoichi joins the Blue Lock training regime to become the best, which is designed to create the world’s greatest egotist striker. If you are looking for a new sports anime with intense emotions, then Blue Lock is for you. 

Exception is a new anime coming from Netflix, it follows a crew of 3-D printed humans as they prepare to explore a new planet, but a problem causes one of the crew members to be misprinted as a deformed monster that could threaten their mission. The series promises philosophical questions of humanity, self and life. 

Reincarnated as a sword brings us an isekai with a twist. Our protagonist is reincarnated in a new world as a sword. Our protagonist is joined by a member of the black cat tribe named Fran. It's a funny and entertaining story that parodies the Isekai genre spectacularly. 

This series follows Cid Kagenou as he longs to become the mastermind behind it all. In his previous life, he couldn’t achieve his goals, but after being reborn into a world of magic, he has a second chance to become the true eminence in shadow. The series brings us a comedic fantasy set in a wonderful world you won’t want to miss. 

First, the 6th season of Boku no Hero Academia is on this list. This series will be one of the best, adapting the Paranormal Liberation Front arc. If you’ve read the manga, you know this series will be filled with non-stop action as we see each character take on challenges from all sides. 

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War is the final arc. After the anime ended in 2012, fans waited for an adaption of the final arc, Thousand-Year Blood War. This series brings back our main characters as they face a new group called the Wandenreich. The series brings a modern facelift, promising amazing animation.

Spy Family comes back with the second part of its first series. If you haven’t seen the series, the plot follows a family of a Spy, an assassin, and a psychic in this comedic spy series as the Forger family takes on the problems of daily life and international disputes, all while keeping their secrets from the other members of the family. 

As a new addition to the Berserk series, we have an adaption of the Golden Age Arc film trilogy. This series pays tribute to the amazing mangaka Kentaro Miura who sadly passed away last year. The series retells one of the most heartbreaking stories in the Berserk series. This is a great start if you want to get into the Berserk series. 

Iruma returns in the 3rd season of Marimashita Iruma-Kun. This charming adventure into the demon world is a great addition to this spooky season and adds a light-hearted experience to the other darker series this season. Iruma takes on a new term at school and tries to rise through the ranks while under further pressure from his celebrity status from the events of previous seasons. 

From the creator of One Punch Man, Mob Psycho has gained popularity with the psychic powerhouse Mob as he tries to fit in at school. Mob Psycho returns with a 3rd season, bringing us an expertly crafted combination of action and comedy. 

Another addition to the ever-expansive Mobile Suit Gundam universe, this series follows Suletta Mercury as she transfers to the Asticassia School of Technology, run by the Beneritt Group, which dominates the mobile suit industry. This series brings us a sorely missed anime staple, the giant mech series. 

Rising of the Shield hero isn’t for the faint of heart. It drops you right into the horrific reality of this fantasy world. Don’t get me wrong; this fantasy world is filled with magic, giant birds, and animal people. But it hits you where it hurts as you see the protagonist Naofumi Iwatani struggle to make it through this fantasy world. 

So this might be one of the few entries on this list with a fully adapted story. With four excellent seasons and two movies (and a third on the way), Nanatsu no Taizai takes you to a world of giants, fairies, demons and angels while bringing you the action and magic you crave from a show like this. The first season is centred on Meliodas, Elisabeth and Hawk as they search for Meliodas’ Holy Knight group, the Seven Deadly Sins. Then once you finish with that, you can read the follow-up manga, the Four Knights of the Apocalypse.   

Mushoku Tensei is another Isekai, where our protagonist reincarnates into the body of Rudeus Greyrat, a spellcasting protege. Despite its controversies, Mushoku Tensei builds a massive and textured world that we, viewers, only get a taste of. Mushoku Tensei treats its worldbuilding like a labour of love, with a layered history, fanatical detail to the different kinds of magic and fighting styles and clues to a history I want to see more of. 

Demon Slayer is one of the few entries on this list that isn’t set in a fantasy world of dragons and magic. Demon Slayer is a story set in an almost pre-industrial era of Japan, where the magic of the old is at odds with the future technology. Demon Slayer is set in a world where blood-sucking demons plague the world, and Tanjiro Kamado is one of the people tasked to exterminate these demons. With films like Mugen Train and stunning animation, Demon Slayer has skyrocketed in popularity and is perfect for someone looking for an action-filled story with a great cast of characters.

Bofuri is a cheat on this list; it brings us a story set in the world of an MMORPG. The protagonist, Maple, is a charmingly oblivious character who begins her journey into the game world by maxing out her defence and quickly becomes one of the most powerful characters in the game world. Bofuri is a comedic adventure into overpowered characters and just how crazy they can become. 

Overlord is an Isekai with a twist. Our protagonist, Ainz Ooal Gown, reincarnates into a new world with the tomb of Nazarick, a dungeon filled with an army of completely loyal NPCs. But one of the biggest twists with Overlord is that it brings you the story of the world, told from the perspective of the people living in it. The second season of Overlord is told from the perspective of a tribe of lizardmen. Overlord works hard to present a world faced with the danger of a new powerful force. Overlord doesn’t shy away from the dark side either, the forces of Nazarick are truly evil while being directed by the titular Overlord.

Black Clover is a shonen that puts the magicless Asta in a world of action and adventure. We see Asta take on a cast of magical characters to reach his goal of becoming the Wizard King. It's a standard shonen story that brings you characters with unique personalities and magic. I’d recommend Black Clover to anyone looking for a new shonen to invest in. 

Attack on Titan is another story with a fairly unique setting, with a pre-modern level of technology where our protagonists take on giant beings known as titans with cannons and 3D manoeuvre gear. Attack on Titan brings us a world of mystery and politics, paired with action-filled scenes of people sailing through the air and taking on threats bigger than themselves. Attack on Titan has four seasons, with the final part of the series being released in 2023. 

Coming from the world of Isekai, That Time I got reincarnated as slime is a light-hearted adventure where the protagonist Rimuru, goes from salaryman to slime. With a cast of goblins, oni, dwarves and demon lords, That Time I got reincarnated as a slime brings you a charming adventure in a sorcery world. Don’t expect Rimuru to struggle through every fight, but That Time I got reincarnated as a Slime brings us a beautiful and lively world framed in an entertaining premise.

Full Metal Alchemist is a world that beautifully mixes magic and technology. The story follows Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse trying to find the philosopher’s stone. The world of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood brings us a world with a magical force called Alchemy, which lets people transform one thing into another of equivalent value; this is mixed with the world's technology, like Automail, which is a mechanical prosthetic.