The Longest Isekai Anime With The Most Episodes

Key Takeaways

• The isekai genre is popular due to normal people in fantastical worlds. Examples like
  Overlord
  have video game adaptations.
• Some isekai anime have long runs, like
  Aura Battler Dunbine
  with 49 episodes, predating the modern trend.
• Classics like
  Inuyasha
  with 219 episodes and modern hits like
  Re:Zero
  showcase the diverse appeal of isekai anime.

Next to shonen, isekai is currently one of the most popular anime genres around. This genre is known for telling the stories of seemingly normal people being transported or reincarnated into fantastical worlds, escaping the drudgery of everyday life in the process. It’s easy to see how this genre has grown in popularity so quickly. Some of the biggest examples have evolved into entertainment powerhouses and have received some great isekai video game adaptations.

If fans of the genre have one complaint, it’s that they can’t get enough of their favorite anime. Many modern isekai tend to have short runs and often don’t get past the 20-episode mark. Thankfully, there are a handful that have managed to last much longer than that. We’ve compiled a list of the isekai anime with the most episodes, ranked by their episode count. Some of them may look familiar, but a few have been included that are so old they predate the current isekai trend.

10 Aura Battler Dunbine

Ran From 1983-84, Has 49 Episodes

• Release Date: February 5, 1983
• Creator: Yoshiyuki Tomino
• Genre: Action Adventure, Sci-Fi
• Streaming Services: Prime Video, Roku

Aura Battler Dunbine is one of the anime on this list that predates the isekai classification. First released in 1983, it had a good run and produced 49 episodes over the following year. Its success isn’t all that surprising given the fact that the anime was created by Yoshiyuki Tomino of Astro Boy and Gundam fame. The anime’s protagonist is earthling Sho Zama, who is transported into the fantastical world of Byston Well after crashing into a rival during a motocross event.

Byston Well is a fairly standard medieval Europe-flavored isekai fantasy setting, except there’s one big twist. Alongside the usual monsters, castles, and knights, there are giant insect-inspired mecha called Aura Battlers. These mecha are powered by a magical power source called “Aura”, something that Sho has in excess. The series shows him being drafted into a war that is raging across Byston Well and given a mech. Today, the anime is fondly remembered by fans for its well-written story and how it blended mechs, fantasy, and isekai. Much like Tomino’s other works, Aura Battler Dunbine can get pretty heavy, and it’s the kind of anime where no character is safe. Even forty years on, it is arguably still one of the best isekai mecha anime series.

9 Paul’s Miraculous Adventure

Ran From 1976-77, Has 50 Episodes

• Release Date: October 3, 1976
• Creator: Hiroshi Sasagawa
• Genre: Fantasy
• Streaming Services: Plex

Whether Paul’s Miraculous Adventure is the oldest Isekai anime is up for debate, but it’s certainly one of the earliest. On his 10th birthday, protagonist Paul is given a stuffed dog named Pakkun as a gift from his parents. What his parents don’t realize is that Pakkun is actually the guardian of a portal that connects Earth with a fantastical alternate world called the Land of Wonders. Upon discovering this, Paul and his best friend Nina hop across for a quick exploration.

Things quickly go south, however, when Nina is kidnapped by the anime’s antagonist, Belt Satan, who rules over the Land of Wonders. Paul attempts to save her, fails, and is forced to return home without his best friend. Nina’s parents aren’t exactly thrilled and accuse the young boy of murdering their daughter. Paul returns to the fantastical land to rescue Nina, fighting its many monsters with his magical yo-yo (it was the 70s) along the way. Aimed at kids and not of the highest quality, Paul’s Miraculous Adventure isn’t an easy watch today. Still, it’s an interesting lesson in the early origins of a growing genre and includes many of isekai’s hallmarks, like having a reluctant isekai hero, a fantastical setting, and a protagonist seeking revenge in an alien world.

8 Overlord

Ran From 2015-2022, Has 52 Episodes + 1 OVA

Based on the light novel series by Kugane Maruyama, at first glance, Overlord doesn’t really stand out when compared to other modern isekai anime. The series begins in 2126 with protagonist Suzuki Satoru playing his favorite DMMORPG (a more futuristic version of our MMORPGs) called “YGGDRASIL”. The game has been running for 12 years but is about to be shut down. Suzuki Satoru is a long-time fan and, playing as his Lich Overlord character Momonga, is the leader of the game’s most powerful clan. On the game’s last day, he invites his clan mates to meet him in the game for one last time. When none of them turn up, he decides to watch the clock tick down until the servers go offline.

Instead, he discovers he’s been transported into YGGDRASIL’s world and placed in the body of Momonga. With no explanation to be found, he decides to go out and look for other players while trying to solve the mystery of what has happened to him. Despite the rather generic “stuck in a video game” plot, several things make Overlord stand out. For a start, it’s much darker than the majority of isekai anime, and is full of morally ambiguous characters and brutally graphic violence. Momonga himself, as a Lich Overlord, is a villainous protagonist, and often acts as such. The franchise is still going strong, and the film Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom, was recently released. The lore has gotten pretty deep at this point, and there are lots of things fans should know before watching it.

7 Digimon Adventure

Ran From 1999-2000, Has 54 Episodes

Was Digimon a fairly shameless attempt to cash in on the 90s Pokemon craze? Absolutely. Do plenty of 90s kids have fond memories of watching the original Digimon anime? Sure thing. Digimon is an isekai anime that stars seven children who are transported from summer camp to the Digital World after “Digivices” appear in front of them. Upon arriving, they befriend their starter Digimon, and discover they are the “DigiDestined”. That means they’re destined to save the Digital World and will have to fight threats like Etemon, Devimon, and the four Dark Masters.

Outside the whole catching, fighting, and evolving of monsters, Digimon Adventure has very little in common with Pokemon and is much closer in style to other isekai anime. While it never rose to Pokemon’s heights, the show was popular enough to spawn two direct sequels and several spin-offs (and a recent remake). With the passage of time, it has stepped out of Pokemon’s shadow and is seen as one of the best isekai anime with child protagonists.

6 Log Horizon

Ran From 2013-2021, Has 62 Episodes

Log Horizon is another great example of a “stuck in a game” isekai that managed to set itself apart from other entries in the genre. This time, the game is “Elder Tale”, and 30,000 Japanese gamers are trapped in it when its twelfth expansion, Homesteading the Noosphere, is released. Anyone familiar with the idea of homesteading should be able to guess what sets Log Horizon apart.

While many isekai focus on overpowered protagonists and fantastical elements, Log Horizon is far more concerned with world-building, politics, and economics. The 30,000 gamers trapped within the game world have to build a functioning society to survive, which means dealing with things like governance and trade rather than taking part in epic battles (although viewers will still see some of those too). The anime’s protagonist, Shiroe, is also a far cry from the usual isekai hero. He’s far more cerebral and strategic, and his greatest power is arguably his intellect. The Light Novel series is still ongoing, but so far, there’s been radio science as to if/when fans can expect season 4 of the anime.

5 Re:Zero -Starting Life In Another World-

Ran From 2016-Present, Has 79 Episodes So Far

Ever since it debuted back in 2016, Re:Zero has been one of the most popular isekai anime around. At least part of that success is largely due to how it plays with the familiar tropes of the genre. For example, its protagonist, Subaru Natsuki, isn’t a normal isekai protagonist. Rather than the usual entering a video game, being hit by a truck, or being murdered methods of being “isekai’d,” Subaru simply “blinks” into Re:Zero’s alternate world. Then, rather than discovering he’s some overpowered hero in this world, he promptly dies while trying to help the first person he meets.

It turns out Subaru has the Return By Death power. Every time he dies, he wakes up several hours before his death with his memories intact. Trying again, he saves the person, an elf name Emilia, who is a candidate to become ruler of the Kingdom of Lugunica. Subaru ends up working as a butler while using his power to protect Emilia when he can. Not a very glamorous new life. In this fantasy setting, Subaru isn’t some mighty hero, and as the series progresses, he becomes increasingly haunted and traumatized as his death count racks up. This powerlessness and general vulnerability make him one of the best isekai protagonists, and a breath of fresh air in the genre.

4 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

Ran From 2018-Present, Has 86 Episodes So Far

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is currently one of the biggest anime in the world. Part of that success is probably down to just how quickly its studio has managed to pump out quality episodes, OVAs, and films without sacrificing quality. The anime stars Satoru Mikami, a 37-year-old average Joe who is stabbed while trying to save his coworker in the street. As he dies, a voice in his head asks him a series of seemingly random questions. He then wakes up in a strange world in the body of a slime. The answers to his questions have decided what special powers he has in this new form.

The central joke of the anime is that viewers expect slime monsters to be weak in video games, but Satoru, who now goes by Rimaru, is completely overpowered. As a slime with the Predator power, Rimaru rapidly builds up new abilities and powers while befriending increasingly powerful monsters. A bit like One Punch Man, he never loses a fight and is largely oblivious to just how powerful he is. Throughout its run, the anime has built up a brilliant cast of supporting characters, and is known for its warm sense of humor and feel-good nature. While it features epic fight scenes, viewers never really have to worry that their favorite monsters are in any real danger, and Rimaru’s mission to build a world where everyone feels safe and happy is heartwarming. No wonder the show has become so popular so fast.

3 Sword Art Online

Ran From 2012-Present, Has 100 Episodes So Far

In a bit of a running theme, Sword Art Online is another hugely popular isekai anime that follows protagonists who get trapped in an MMORPG. This time, the twist is that it’s an MMORPG played with a special VR headset called the NerveGear. On November 6, 2022, 10,000 players become trapped in this virtual world and are told the only way to leave is if they can beat 100 floors of the dungeon Aincrad. Dying in the game, or removing the headset, will kill them.

Luckily for them, they have Kazuto Kirigaya, one of the bravest isekai protagonists, on their side. He was a beta tester for the game, meaning he knows its secrets and how to manipulate its systems. He takes it upon himself to protect the others trapped in Sword Art Online. Over its four seasons, Sword Art Online has expanded to feature new worlds based on other video game genres and has built up character relationships to keep fans hooked. From this simple premise, an anime behemoth has risen, and Sword Art Online has spawned multiple spin-offs, games, and movies.

2 Kyo Kara Maoh!

Ran From 2004-2009, Has 117 Episodes

• Release Date: April 3, 2004
• Creator: Tomo Takabayashi
• Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy
• Streaming Services: Crunchyroll

Despite running for a whopping 117 episodes + 5 OVAs, Kyo kara Maoh! is often overlooked by fans of isekai anime. That’s a pity, because it has an interesting setup. Its protagonist, Yuri Shibuya, is transported to an alternate world after having his head shoved into a toilet and flushed by some school bullies. Rather than drowning or getting a nasty ear infection, he wakes up in The Great Demon Kingdom, aland full of demons that he is destined to lead, as it turns out he is of demon blood.

Kyo kara Maoh! has a lot of fun with its central premise. It’s a fantasy comedy at heart, and mines comedy gold out of Yuri’s predicament. He’s a good person forced to lead a world of demons who would love nothing more than to go to war with humanity. It’s a lot less serious than some other entries on this list, but still manages to explore deeper themes like the nature of leadership and prejudice. Interestingly, early on in the anime, Yuri accidentally gets engaged to a male demon, Wolfram. While their “engagement” is mostly played for laughs, any romance between them is also never fully ruled out. It’s a fun take on the traditional isekai fantasy genre that never takes itself very seriously.

1 Inuyasha

Ran From 2000-2010, Has 219 Episodes

There’s a little bit of disagreement as to how many episodes Inuyasha has. The original series ran for four years and produced 193 episodes (which would still land it at the top spot on this list). However, five years after it ended, a new season, called The Final Act, was released, which added 26 episodes. Because of this five-year delay, some fans might argue the The Final Act is a separate series rather than a continuation of the original. Either way, Inuyasha still counts as the isekai anime with the most episodes…at least for now.

Inuyasha’s central premise is a little too complicated to entirely detail here, but it revolves around a modern-day Japanese girl, Kagome Higurashi, discovering she’s the reincarnation of a priestess from feudal Japan. She’s dragged back in time to 1496 and gets stuck there with the half-demon Inuyasha, her love interest. Whereas most isekai either go with a pure fantasy or sci-fi route, Inuyasha stands out for its historical fantasy setting. It had some great action scenes, but also featured a heavy focus on the race between its two central characters. Inuyasha could get really dark, and by the end, its lore was more than a little complicated. By today’s standards, its art and animation are a little rough around the edges, but for fans of historical fantasy and isekai, it’s still worth a watch.