10 Best Science Fiction Isekai Anime

Isekai animes give their protagonist a rare opportunity and a second attempt at life. Some protagonists come to their new worlds as they were in their previous lives. Others are reborn in a new world, retaining all of their memories from their past lives. Isekai worlds can vary greatly. Some are fantastical, some are futuristic, and some meet in the middle for science fiction. It’s not the most popular subgenre of isekai, but each sci-fi isekai brings something fun and enjoyable to the table.

To be a good Sci-Fi isekai, the show doesn’t necessarily need to be about science fiction. Having science fiction elements can be a great way of adding interesting elements to the overall plot of the show. When protagonists like Cid Kagenou from The Eminence in Shadow are reincarnated into a new world, they bring a lot of technology with them, transforming their new worlds using science.

10 The Eminence in Shadow

Animated by Nexus, Based on the Light Novel Series By Daisuke Aizawa & Tōzai

The Eminence in Shadow is a hilarious isekai starring Cid Kagenou as the Eminence in Shadow himself. Shadow has only ever wanted to be a cool, enigmatic leader of a covert group, and when he’s isekai’d to a new world, he finally gets his chance. He gets reborn in a new world filled with great powers, beautiful architecture, and some of the strongest comrades he can ask for. While his friends are strong, they’re also devout followers who love his every word.

Shadow tells his followers about the art and technology of his home world. While he only meant to pass the time by telling stories, the Seven Shadows decided to bring the tech from his old world into the new one. Shadow is inadvertently responsible for a lot of improvements in his new world, and if he keeps telling Shadow Garden about his old world, the upgrades will just keep coming.

9 Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World

Animated By White Fox, Based on the Light Novel Series By Tappei Nagatsuki & Shin’ichirō Ōtsuka

Natsuki Subaru is one of the most tragic characters in isekai. His power, Return by Death, allows him to come back to life during a pre-determined save point in the past. The problem is that he dies often, and usually, they aren’t pretty deaths. While he’s learning to navigate the world around him, he’s trying to figure out his Return by Death ability. Subaru’s numerous science experiments using his own life as the subject make Re: Zero a compelling and gripping watch.

Subaru learns to game his deaths halfway into the first season. He realizes that by killing himself, he can essentially travel to the past. It’s a sad existence for the isekai’d hero, but he doesn’t see it that way. Subaru is working hard to save his friends, establish a relationship with Emilia, and finally understand his Return by Death ability.

8 Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Animated By Studio Bind, Based on the Light Novel Series By Rifujin na Magonote & Shirotaka

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is a controversial and captivating isekai about Rudeus Greyrat. While Rudeus doesn’t bring new technology to his new world like Shadow does, he studies his new world’s science and tech extensively. Most of the world runs on some form of magic, but it isn’t untraceable. Rudy is able to go to Magic University to study spells, transportation circles, and much more. He meets Nanahoshi, another Japanese person who was transported to their new world.

Nanahoshi wants nothing more than to return to her past life in Japan. She’s working on studying magical circles, and she’s going insane due to her lack of progress. It’s an interesting subplot that shows the other side of isekai. Most isekai protagonists were losers in their previous lives and have no reason to go home. Nanahoshi couldn’t be more dissimilar, desperately experimenting in an attempt to go back home.

7 The Saga of Tanya the Evil

Animated By NUT, Based on the Light Novel Series By Carlo Zen &Shinobu Shinotsuki

The Saga of Tanya the Evil is centered on one of the smartest 12-year-old girls in anime, Tanya von Degurechaff. She’s a military leader, an expert on the battlefield, and an inspiration to her troops. Her tactics and strategies are the key difference between her and her enemy, as Tanya’s genius-level thinking is often the difference-maker. Tanya the Evil mixes magic and technology well, creating a new kind of science fiction in the middle of war.

There’s more than just Sci-Fi on the battlefield, as Tanya is constantly plotting and maneuvering against her enemies. When she gets time to leave the front lines, she dedicates herself to her studies. She’s trying to find the best way to win the war and will experiment over-and-over again on and off the battlefield until she finds her answer.

6 GATE

Animated By A-1 Pictures, Based on the Light Novel Series By Takumi Yanai, Daisuke Izuka, & Kurojishi

GATE is a series that promotes Japan’s military force, the Japan Self-Defense Force. It’s set in Tokyo when a ‘Gate’ from another world appears. Monsters and soldiers in old armor come pouring out and attack everyone they can see. The JSDF repels their invaders and sends a Recon Division to investigate. Main character and Otaku Yoji Itami leads the 3rd Recon Division while they explore the new world. The series puts an interesting dynamic forward, setting its main cast in a relatively primitive world with top-tier weapons and gear.

GATE is a great sci-fi isekai for the distance between technological advancement. The JSDF come to their new world ready to go with the best weapons they could have brought with them. It’s fun to watch dragons and their riders fight against fighter pilots and Roman-style gladiators taking on the modern military.

5 Overlord

Animated By Madhouse, Based on the Light Novel Series By Kugane Maruyama & so-bin

There are a lot of different ways Ainz could have tried to find another player. He woke up trapped in a video game only to realize he might be the only real person left. While other characters might try to put out some kind of message to find a friend, Ainz decides to dominate the world, leading to some of the most tragic moments of destruction in anime history. He looks to become the world’s Overlord, finding another living person one way or another. Overlord is a dark isekai that shows Ainz building his kingdom in his own vision.

Ainz travels to other kingdoms, sometimes in disguise, in an attempt to better understand his neighbors. He wants to find the best way to build his Sorcerer’s Kingdom and will steal from other countries to make it happen. As an incredibly powerful character within the game, Ainz has access to the best technology, strongest abilities, and most lethal allies he could ask for. Instead of learning how to live in his new world, he’s trying to figure out how to take over.

4 How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom

Animated By J.C. Staff, Based on the Light Novel Series By Dojyomaru & Fuyuyuki

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom is an accurate, succinct title that perfectly encapsulates what the series is set on. Kazuya Souma is a civil engineering student that gets transported to the failing Kingdom of Elfrieden. He talks the previous king into trying to fix the economic situation within, inadvertently earning himself the throne in the process. Realist Hero takes a look at a rare side of isekai most series don’t show.

In most isekai series, the hero gains a lot by traveling to a new world. In Realist Hero, the world gained a lot when Kazuya showed up. He’s a smart, calculated character who’s the best choice if anyone is going to rebuild the kingdom. His masterful use of socioeconomic policies eventually puts the Kingdom he was isekai’d to in a much more advantageous position.

3 Knight’s and Magic

Animated By Eight Bit, Based on the Light Novel By Hisago Amazake-no & Kurogi

Some anime protagonists luck out when they get transported to a new world. Tsubasa Kurata was an expert programmer who wanted to do nothing more than work on Mechas. He wanted to program them more than anything else, but that wasn’t exactly a possibility in the regular world. When he dies in a traffic accident, he’s reincarnated in a new world as Ernesti Echevalier. His new world has the exact Mechas he’s always wanted to work on as well.

Knight’s and Magic is easily one of the best sci-fi isekais around. It features an excited scientist in Eru who can’t wait to experiment on his Mecha more. He’s constantly looking for new ways to improve his Silhoutte Knight. He added Magic Jet Thrusters to his Toybox, but had to adjust the power output considerably. While other characters might be upset about having to fix their Silhoutte Knights, Eru couldn’t be happier.

2 Ascendance of a Bookworm

Animated By Ajia-do Animation Works & WIT Studio, Based on the Light Novel Series By Miya Kazuki & You Shiina

If Eru from Knight’s and Magic was reincarnated into the perfect world, Main was reincarnated into the worst one. She’s a simple girl who wants to read books, full stop. When she dies in her previous life as a college student, she’s reincarnated into a new world devoid of her favorite thing. Well, there are a few books in The Ascedance of a Bookworm, but they’re incredibly hard for Main to get access to. She tried creating her own books for a while before joining the Church in an attempt to read more.

Science fiction is all about experimentation, and Main is a mad-scientist in Bookworm. She’s constantly trying new things in an attempt to learn how to read, write, or even create paper. She used different types of paper to try and find out which would be the best one.

1 Dr. Stone

Animated By TMS Entertainment, Based On The Manga By Riichiro Inagaki & Boiichi

Senku Ishigami has Einstein’s Theory of Relativity drawn on his shirt. He loves science so much, he can’t help but wear it. Dr. Stone is a unique isekai series that takes place on the same planet everyone is from, but it’s an entirely new world. Senku wakes up after being petrified in stone for well over 3,000 years. He’s the perfect character to be revived, as he’s set on understanding his new stone world and reviving as many people as he can.

Dr. Stone is the best sci-fi isekai because the entire show is a science experiment. Nothing is written in stone, and it’s Senku’s job to figure out the world around him. Not only does he want to revive everyone who was petrified, but he wants to bring all of Earth’s awesome technology back to life as well.