The Isekai genre has exploded recently, with multiple shows in the genre airing each season. Although anime has started to become oversaturated with Isekai, there are still standout shows that define the genre. At the time of the start of Isekai, there were 3 or 4 mainstays featured in the series. However, since then, the genre has evolved and there are now new shows that define the genre and reign supreme. Here are the three Isekai shows that make up Isekai’s ‘The Big 3’.
‘The Big 3’ was initially used to describe the reigning giants of the Shounen genre, naruto, Bleachand One piece. Since then, it has been adopted and evolved to encompass new series. This can be expanded to Isekai and the 3 reigning giants of the genre.
The old big 3
Before we jump into the current ‘Big 3’ of Isekai, here are some of the former champions. The beginning of Isekai’s popularity can be attributed to sword art online, which featured players trapped in a video game world. Although extremely popular, he is not considered an Isekai by many fans. However, as the grandfather of the genre, it is worth mentioning.
Isekai’s former ‘Big 3’ can be traced back to a skit titled Isekai Quartet. The show covered the most popular and well-known Isekai, Re: zero, Konosuba, Sir, and tanya the wicked. Although it consists of 4 shows, Konosuba itself is a parody of the Isekai genre, which doesn’t make it as defining as the other 3 shows. Having enough popularity to spawn spin-off parodies, it’s easy to call these shows the ‘Big 3’ of Isekai.
However, as the Isekai genre has exploded, many shows have gained enough notoriety to topple the old ‘Big 3’. The rising of the shield hero, That time I reincarnated as a slimeand Mushoku-Tensei, have exploded, becoming some of the most popular anime of all time, despite only recently coming out. Here’s a look at what makes these shows so popular and why they deserve to be Isekai’s ‘Big 3’.
The rising of the shield hero
The rising of the shield hero aired in early 2019 and quickly garnered a lot of attention. Starting with a one hour episode, shield hero It started with a bang. The show is about the main character, Naofumi Iwatani, being summoned to a new world and immediately declared the Hero of the Shield. Little does he know that the country has an extreme prejudice against the Hero of the Shield, leading to an incredibly disillusioned and vindictive Naofumi.
The show’s appeal comes from a few different aspects. One of them is that Naofumi really wants to return to her world, unlike most Isekai who don’t even think twice before returning. Due to how they treat him, Naofumi somewhat detests the world he was summoned into. This makes him a fascinating main character who stands out from other Isekai shows.
The other draw The rising of the shield hero it’s the interesting mechanics of the world Naofumi is summoned to. The new world replicates an MMO, complete with xp, mobs, weapon upgrades, parties, levels, and much more. is reminiscent of sword art online which also featured the same MMO mechanics. The rising of the shield hero it ranks as the 76th most popular anime on MyAnimeList.
That time I got reincarnated as a slime
That time I got reincarnated as a slime It is about Satoru Mikami, an office worker who is murdered and is reborn as a slime in a strange new world. Satoru quickly learns that he can mimic anything he swallows and gain his appearance and abilities. After freeing a dragon from a 300-year prison, the dragon grants Satoru the name Rimuru Tempest.
One of the incredibly attractive draws for reincarnated as slime it is Rimuru’s approach to trying to make the world a better place. Slowly, Rimuru works from scratch, building an impoverished clan of goblins into a full-strength nation.
The attention to detail and realism that the show uses in its progression is incredibly complex, ranging from politics to engineering. This kind of realistic growth of a nation is what draws many fans to the series, making it the 90th most popular anime on MyAnimeList.
Mushoku-Tensei
Mushoku-Tensei It’s about Rudy Greyrat, who was an otaku locked in the real world. However, after dying in a car accident, he is reborn into a new fantasy world full of magic and adventurers. Given a second chance at life, the show follows Rudy as he grows from a child to an adult, and all the hardships along the way.
that makes Mushoku-Tensei so amazing is the description of Rudy’s life for several years. It is very rare that a program follows the main character from the birth of him, but Mushoku-Tensei it does so perfectly by depicting the bonds Rudy forms over the years and his adventures as he learns about the world around him.
another giveaway for Mushoku-Tensei it’s how he makes his world feel like it’s real. As Rudy slowly becomes familiar with the world, so does the viewer. The slow trickle of details and history about the strange land Rudy finds himself in hooks you and makes you want to learn even more. Even though it recently aired in 2021, the show managed to make it to the 140th most popular series on MyAnimeList.
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