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The strength of an anime series’ writing can sometimes be determined at first glance — be it in the context of series famous for their stellar narratives, like Neon Genesis Evangelion or Attack on Titan, or titles tied to acclaimed creators, like Satoshi Kon’s Paranoia Agent. However, not every anime’s merits are as easily discernible from the get-go, and some of the medium’s most narratively compelling exemplars end up being overlooked due to deceiving first impressions.

Powerful writing, nuanced characterization, and evocative thematic substance can sometimes hide in anime series that, to the casual eye, don’t stand out as particularly intelligent or competently written. These anime might not strike viewers as thought-provoking masterpieces initially, yet reward those who give them a shot with some of the most riveting writing in the medium.

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The official X (formerly Twitter) account for The Twelve Kingdoms and series creator Fuyumi Ono today revealed that a stage musical adaptation of the novels' first volume, subtitled "Tsuki no Kage, Kage no Umi", is in the works. Performances will open at Nissay Theater in Tokyo this December before moving through Fukuoka, Osaka and Aichi in January and February next year. Kazuya Yamada directs the production with a script by Tsuneyasu Motoyoshi, who is also writing the song lyrics. Erika Fukasawa is composing the music. The show's confirmed cast so far is as follows: Youko played by Rei Yuzuka / Ririka Kato Rakushun played by played by Motohiro Ohta / Hikaru Makishima Keiki played by Hiroki Aiba Poster Cast Related: Fate/Zero Stage Musical Adaptation Unveils New Key Visual Crunchyroll streams the 2002 anime adaptation and describes the story: Go on an epic journey to the Kingdom of Kei! Upon being confronted by a mysterious stranger,...

The isekai subgenre of Japanese anime has been soaring in popularity in recent years, and every anime season adds a few more titles to the isekai pool. Even if some anime fans feel burnt out by now, plenty more are eager for new isekai anime series to lose themselves in.

Isekai anime features main characters who are either transported or reincarnated, mostly with the help of the infamous Truck-kun, to another world. Whether an anime fan is newly exploring the genre or looking for their next anime to binge-watch, Crunchyroll has the best anime available on stream.

Updated on February 9, 2025 by Ari Night: With the isekai genre showing no signs of stopping its dominance, this article was included to include new entries that are streaming now on Crunchyroll, including some who premiered in 2025. This list was also updated to meet Cbr's most recent style standards

I've Been Killing Slimes...

The debut of Promise of Wizard feels like the type of old-school anime that once explored the concept of protagonists getting transported to other worlds before isekai became an official genre and took the industry by storm. Some might even say that Promise of Wizards gives off Twelve Kingdom vibes, minus the foreboding atmosphere that permeated the latter classic's first episode.

Part of this distinctive overall feel separating Promise of Wizard from modern isekai undoubtedly comes from how protagonist Akira Masaki is transported to the world of magic. There's actually a physical conduit that takes her away, and it's rather appropriately an elevator. More importantly, Akira isn't killed by "truck-san," a god doesn't get involved and give her a "cheat" skill, and she doesn't just suddenly find herself in a new place with no logical explanation, as is all commonplace in modern isekai.

Promise of Wizard Is a Great Fantasy...

This week's batch of licenses from Seven Seas Entertainment has arrived, and it's full of manga, audiobooks and novels, including Fuyumi Ono and Akihiro Yamada's The Twelve Kingdoms novel series. The source for the anime is on the way to stores in July 2025, and you can see everything else in the slate below. Himegasaki Sakurako Is a Hot Mess by Kosuke Yasuda June 2025 Synopsis: Who wouldn’t have a thing for Himegasaki Sakurako? With her blonde pigtails, cute demeanor, and buxom body, she draws all of the eyes at school. If only her crush, Mimori Natsuki, saw her as more than his childhood gal pal! Can this loveable loser stop getting into embarrassing situations and finally land the boy of her dreams? Adored By an Elite Officer: Could This Be Love? by Murasaki Nishino and Gondawara May 2025 Synopsis: Not only has Nagiko’s employer gone belly up, but she...

The Eminence in Shadow is a hilarious isekai series about a character who finally gets his wish fulfilled. While most isekai protagonists go to their new world confused, upset, and missing home, Shadow couldn't have been happier. He's finally able to be the titular Eminence in Shadow himself, leading a covert group of warriors to do his mysterious bidding. It's a hilarious show and one of the funniest isekai series around, and it also features incredible fights and top-tier action sequences that make the show a must-watch.

To be a good isekai series like The Eminence in Shadow, there are a few key traits a show needs to have. It needs to have either a ridiculously powerful main character, a hilarious cast of side characters, or just general themes of hilarity. Not many shows can compare to The Eminence in Shadow, especially when they're narrowed down to just isekai, but...

With the second season of the highly acclaimed Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, coming to its spectacular conclusion this summer, fans of the HBO series are already on the lookout for something new to fill the void during the lengthy wait for the next installment. The unique appeal of House of the Dragon is hard to capture - the series splendid combination of high fantasy, tense political drama, and thrilling interpersonal disputes is not something viewers come by often.

Yet, the medium of anime is surprisingly rich with series that encapsulate the traits beloved by those appreciative of George R.R. Martins work. While the exact formula of HBOs fantasy epic is irreplicable, various anime delve into themes that make up the appeal of the celebrated TV series. Be it fantastical and cruel tales of strife that mirror the TV shows setting or overblown political chronicles with...

Female-led anime series offer diverse storytelling and strong characters. Highlights include Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Canaan, and The Twelve Kingdoms. These series showcase women in leading roles across various genres like fantasy, action-thriller, and isekai.

It's no exaggeration to say that some of the best anime feature strong female characters. Anime is an incredibly diverse media that has something for everyone. Whether the audience is looking for an action-packed, battle-oriented story with larger-than-life characters who possess all kinds of cool powers, or a down-to-Earth, heartwarming tale of everyday life with a relatable cast of characters, there's a whole list of anime to choose from.

From mystery thrillers to magical girl adventures, these are some of the best female-led anime series of all time.

With that in mind, female leads aren't exclusive to magical girl or shoujo outings, either, as plenty of quality romance, isekai, and action-thriller series prominently feature women in leading roles.

Studio Pierrot is known for producing diverse anime content from multiple genres, showcasing their ability to adapt to industry changes. Yona of the Dawn, Twin Star Exorcists, and The Twelve Kingdoms are standout historical and fantasy series from Studio Pierrot. Great Teacher Onizuka, Tokyo Ghoul, Kingdom, Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Naruto are some of the most iconic and influential anime produced by Studio Pierrot.

Studio Pierrot is a Japanese animation studio that was founded in 1972, and it has produced dozens of anime series over the decades. It has also produced over a dozen anime films. The anime industry has evolved quite a bit since the 1970s, and Studio Pierrot has done a fantastic job of evolving with it. Not every series has been a home-run, but Studio Pierrot has produced a lot of great anime content.

Some studios prefer to produce the same genre because they are good at it,...

The Twelve Kingdoms revolutionized isekai tropes with its unique storytelling style and sense of foreboding, which sets it apart from modern-day series. The protagonist Yoko's process of getting "isekai'd" is much more traumatizing, as she experiences random encounters that progressively worsen before fully immersing into the new world. Unlike new isekai protagonists, Yoko doesn't have any prior knowledge or special powers, making her initial foray into the new world overwhelming and unstructured.

Before isekai took the anime world by storm, there were many series that told stories about normal, everyday people getting swept away into magical realms. One of the more captivating and even terrifying examples that too many people have forgotten is The Twelve Kingdoms, a 2002-03 anime that was adapted from a series of nine fantasy novels and two short story collections by author Fuyumi Ono and illustrator Akihiro Yamada.

The Twelve Kingdoms not only revolutionized isekai tropes...

Every anime fan dreams of seeing their favorite ongoing series come to a cathartic conclusion. Even if it takes decades for seasonal shows to finish their run, or even longer if the source material is incomplete, an outstanding anime finale is always worth the wait. However, not every series even receives a proper conclusion, either shut down after the first season or wrapped up hastily while the manga is still serializing.

These heartbreaking cases of anime getting canceled abruptly are the most devastating when the story starts on a particularly strong note. After adapting only a fraction of a grand narrative with limitless potential, these series disappear from radars, leaving fans futilely yearning for more. No matter how captivating of a beginning these shows had, fans might never see them concluded.

Related: 20 Anime Endings That Ruined The Entire Series

Pandora Hearts

Pandora Hearts begins with a plethora of compelling intrigues and mysteries.

With the overwhelming amount of anime that airs every season, some shows are doomed to be overshadowed by more popular or anticipated hits, surpassed by the impossible competition. For the past decade, the isekai genre has been one of the most popular anime categories, each season producing one or more breakthrough hits about a hero trapped in another world.

Related: Top 10 Most Lovable Isekai Protagonists, Ranked

While the demand for isekai adventures hasn't died down quite yet, some series in this enormously prolific genre that had the potential to gain a massive following end up losing against much stronger competitors. Aired alongside some of the biggest hits in the industry, these shows wind up outside the limelight. Despite their seemingly universal appeal and compelling premise, these isekai series wasted their potential to go mainstream by coming out at the wrong time.

Updated on May 16th, 2023 by Maria Remizova: This list...

Spend enough time in anime fandom and you hear a common refrain: "They don't make shows like they used to anymore." Do they? There's plenty of great anime still being made: Fall 2022 alone brought an incredible bumper crop of anime series across multiple genres. Some may prefer the masterpieces of the past, but those masterpieces were exceptional even then. Even so, it is indisputable that certain kinds of anime are simply not made anymore. Original anime series are scarce. Modern shows rarely last beyond 12 or 13 episodes. Robots drawn in traditional 2D animation, outside of specialist studios like Trigger or Sunrise, are rare. Even the newest "Gundam" series, usually the industry standard for 2D giant robot shows, struggled weekly to maintain the standard of its mechanical animation. To find series like the long-running psychological thriller "Monster," or the slice-of-life mystery "Haibane Renmei," you have to go back 20 or 30 years in the medium's history.