Highlights

• Isekai has evolved into a versatile premise allowing shows like Diablo's How Not to Summon a Demon Lord to blend humor, fantasy, and action seamlessly.
• Campfire Cooking in Another World offers a lighthearted, slice-of-life take on isekai, charming viewers with a relaxed and casual tone.
• The Devil Is a Part-Timer! flips the script, making a demon work at a fast-food joint in the human world for hilariously mundane situations.

Although not a recent creation, isekai anime has become borderline inescapable over the last decade. The unstoppable success of Sword Art Online propelled forward a new era dominated by teenagers being transported to alternate worlds typically (but not exclusively) based on MMORPG mechanics.

Ultimately, isekai is a premise; a launching pad for a franchise that can then go on to set its own tone. Shows such as Now and Then, Here and There and Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions opt to tackle mature subjects in a semi-realistic manner; on the other hand, some anime prefer to adopt a lighter touch. For those looking to explore a new world and have a laugh along the way, these are the best comedy isekai anime out there.

Updated April 14, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The Spring 2024 season is underway, and comedy isekai anime fans are eating well as KonoSuba is airing its latest batch of episodes. The theme's other seasonal shows do not prioritize humor, although That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and Chillin' in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers might produce some giggles.

22 How Not To Summon A Demon Lord

MyAnimeList Score: 6.85 (Season 1)

Similar to Overlord, How Not to Summon a Demon Lord derives its humor from an overpowered "evil" protagonist who is out of his depth, at least on a personality level. While Overlord's Momonga has a built-in mechanic that helps him keep up the charade, How Not to Summon a Demon Lord's Diablo is left to fend for himself.

Whenever Diablo's mask falls off, hilarity ensues thanks to the character's great voice acting and comedic timing. During the first season, Diablo walks a fine line between being overpowered and a bumbling fool who is just trying to survive in an unprecedented situation. Unfortunately, the second season falls short in the humor department.

21 Reborn As A Vending Machine, I Now Wander The Dungeon

MyAnimeList Score: 6.53

Except for Mushoku Tensei Season 2 and, to lesser extents, The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen and The Great Cleric, Summer 2023 was not a particularly strong season for isekai. Of those three highlights, only Mushoku Tensei is really worth watching, and even that show tends to be polarizing. To be fair, The Great Cleric has a few fine comedic moments, but the anime is also too slow-paced for its own good. Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon also aired during Summer, and while far from great, it is a pleasant watch.

Considering its premise, Reborn as a Vending Machine plays things a bit too safe. This series might have been better served by embracing its potential for weirdness rather than settling for a slow-life comedy tone with spurts of action. Still, there are worse ways to spend a few hours.

20 Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skill

MyAnimeList Score: 7.67

Comedy comes in many forms. Some series go for broke as they seek to leave audiences crying on the floor with laughter; meanwhile, other shows are happy to just paint a constant smile on a viewer's face. Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill falls within the latter category. Tsuyoshi is summoned to a fantasy world in search of heroes; however, his summoners are not particularly impressed with his ability to use a magical version of Amazon, so he is left to his own devices. Using his gourmet skills, Tsuyoshi quickly befriends a powerful Fenrir (Fel) and a cute Slime (Sui), who agree to become his familiars. The anime follows this peculiar trio as they visit a few cities, battle goblins, and eat all sorts of yummy treats.

Campfire Cooking has a carefree tone, almost to the point that it starts to feel like a slice of life. The three main characters are not only likable but also have consistently funny banter, particularly Tsuyoshi and Fel. While rarely laugh-out-loud hilarious, this Winter 2023 comedy isekai anime is amusing.

19 Princess Connect! Re:Dive

MyAnimeList Score: 7.05 (Season 1)

An adaption of a mobile RPG, Princess Connect! Re:Dive drops a player stand-in into a fantasy world, gives him a harem of girls, and sets them along a lovely adventure packed to the brim with humor. Princess Connect! Re: Dive's stars are its trio of main girls, Karyl, Kokkoro, and Pecorine, all of which are delightful and come with some hidden depth.

The anime's season 1 devotes most of its time to following the four main characters in their everyday lives, providing very little in the way of plot progression. Humor is very much the name of the game here.

18 Drifters

MyAnimeList Score: 7.89

Drifters is deranged. Teleporting an array of historical figures to a dark fantasy world and then throwing them into a war against each other, Drifters is gruesome, violent, and unpredictable. This is predominantly an action anime and a pretty gory one at that.

When not filling the screen with blood or fire, Drifters loves to suddenly throw out some slapstick. These shifts in tone might sound jarring, but Drifters is so constantly over-the-top that the action and humor end up complementing each other. It is similar to Golden Kamuy in this regard.

17 Overlord

MyAnimeList Score: 7.91 (Season 1)

Like most isekai anime, Overlord isn't predominantly a comedy but uses humor to endear its characters to audiences and as a juxtaposition with the show's many dark moments. Although quite sparse, Overlord can be surprisingly hilarious when it feels like it, with most of the laughs deriving from its protagonist's conflicting natures as a human trapped in the body of a powerful evil wizard.

Momonga is also aided by secondary characters with big, lovable personalities, with the Great Tomb of Nazarick consisting of almost nothing but funny characters.

16 So I'm A Spider, So What?

MyAnimeList Score: 7.45

On a seemingly random day, a disaster strikes a class, sending its members to an alternative world. Unfortunately for Kumoko, she wakes up in the body of a spider, a lowly monster stuck in a cave who is destined to die sooner rather than later. Rather than give in to despair, Kumoko energetically sets out to escape her den and make a life for herself.

So I'm A Spider, So What? owes all of its success to its lead. Kumoko is irresistibly charming and has just the right blend of sarcasm, optimism, and fear. Even though the rest of the show is hit-and-miss, the protagonist is more than capable of carrying the anime on her back.

15 Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious

MyAnimeList Score: 7.48

Tropes are popular for a reason – they work, provided someone is willing and able to present them in a unique and fun way. Cautious Hero hits many of the basic chords of a modern isekai: an overpowered protagonist, a goddess sidekick, and a stereotypical fantasy world.

However, the light novel (and anime) sets itself apart by making the main character overly careful, leading to plenty of hilarious moments. As the goddess who summons Seiya to be her savior, Ristarte frequently finds herself exasperated by the hero's penchant for overkill or inaction. That said, the show eventually provides context for the protagonist's behavior that retroactively adds an element of sadness to the silliness.

14 The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

MyAnimeList Score: 7.59

A spin-off of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, a rather funny isekai anime in its own right, The Slime Diaries is a slice-of-life series that highlights Rimuru's mundane daily activities. More Laid-back and slower-paced than the parent show, The Slime Diaries gives Tempest's residents room to breathe.

Although not often laugh-out-loud funny, The Slime Diaries' relaxed and casual tone should inspire plenty of smiles. Fans of the main series should allocate a bit of time to watch this spin-off as it does a great job of fleshing out the characters.

13 Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord

MyAnimeList Score: 7.13

Villainess anime have steadily become commonplace as the 2020s have progressed, and a few series lean into comedy. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! is pretty amusing, and the same can be said for I'm in Love with the Villainess, even if not all the humor lands. So far, Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord is the theme's best comedy isekai anime, solely due to featuring a hilarious and charming protagonist. Reincarnated as the hidden boss of an otome game, Yumiella wants to lie low while attending school, hoping to avoid clashing heads with the heroine and an eventual bad end. Unfortunately, she cannot help but attract attention.

Yumiella's deadpan humor and lovable awkwardness make this anime, allowing the character to be relatable despite her overpowered nature. The protagonist struggles to read social cues, and she generally does not understand that her love for grinding dungeons is not universal. This leads to quite a few memorable interactions with other students, particularly Patrick (Yumiella's love interest) and Alicia (the game's heroine).

12 El-Hazard: The Magnificent World

MyAnimeList Score: 7.26 (OVA Season 1)

A '90s classic, El-Hazard is simply fun. Whether watching The Magnificent World OVAs or its alternate retelling called El-Hazard: The Wanderers, this franchise can be relied upon to deliver quirky and memorable characters, a chaotic plot that seldom has a quiet moment, and usually detailed and gorgeous animation.

El-Hazard weaves a surprisingly effective storyline and benefits from the fact it never takes itself too seriously. The English Dub is also pretty good and doesn't detract from the show's quality at all.

11 The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

MyAnimeList Score: 7.56

A standout isekai anime of Winter 2024, The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic started and ended strong while delivering a few of the season's biggest laughs. Ken is accidentally summoned to another world alongside two of his classmates who were chosen to act as heroes by a kingdom preparing for a war. Once trapped there, Ken learns that he can use healing magic, a turn of events that ends with the teenager joining a ragtag unit led by the strict Rose. Determined to transform this student into a battle-ready medic, Rose puts Ken through the wringer, and their relationship is both adversarial and oddly wholesome.

The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic is at its best when focusing on humor. Ken and Rose have big personalities that play off each other well, and they are both pretty reliable forces for slapstick comedy. The secondary characters are also funny in their own right, particularly the heroes. As funny as this isekai anime can be, The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic loses some points for including a stretch of episodes that focus entirely on drama and action, and they are just fine.

10 Handyman Saitou In Another World

MyAnimeList Score: 7.45

Winter 2023 had a surprisingly strong lineup of isekai anime, and Handyman Saitou was among the season's more original entries in the genre. As its title suggests, the series revolves around a handyman who is teleported to a new world with his toolkit intact. He gains no fantastical or overpowered abilities, but his unique skillset proves to be helpful to his party. Saitou also acts as the comedic straightman to the rest of the characters, particularly the wizard Morlock who basically strikes a double act with the Earthling.

Handyman Saitou is a show of two halves. Initially, the anime plays out like a skit-based comedy, with each episode chronicling a few short misadventures. Eventually, the series adopts a more conventional structure, which also comes with a shift toward a more serious tone.

9 No Game, No Life

MyAnimeList Score: 8.07

No Game No Life's humor can be divisive as quite a bit of it comes at the expense of the likable Stephanie. However, when it clicks, No Game No Life is about as funny as any isekai out there.

The comedy is almost entirely dependent on Sora, the (somewhat) arrogant protagonist who is just unbeatable at games and loves to make sure everyone knows it. Madhouse's animation elevates the humor significantly due to how expressive the characters can be. That said, the show's regular putdowns of Stephanie get tiresome quickly, and the fanservice sequences can be difficult to sit through.

8 Ixion Saga DT

MyAnimeList Score: 7.14

Ixion Saga DT embraces stupidity with the intensity of a thousand suns. Kon Hokaze winds up in a game he likes and then proceeds to spend the vast majority of his immediate future trying to leave said RPG. Weirdly enough, it is refreshing to have a protagonist who is genuinely unhappy that they have been teleported to a dangerous fantasy world.

Ixion Saga DT's humor is often random and absurd, with quite a lot of gags feeling like they belong in a sketch show rather than an adventure series.

7 The Devil Is A Part-Timer!

MyAnimeList Score: 7.74 (Season 1)

The Devil Is a Part-Timer! is a reverse isekai since the demonic protagonist, Sadao Maou, is sent to Earth. Stripped of most of his power, Satan takes a job at basically a McDonald's, a position the Demon Lord excels at. The Devil Is a Part-Timer! takes its ridiculous characters and drops them in the most unspectacular position possible, crafting a fish-out-of-water story that felt fresh when the light novel and anime debuted.

More importantly, the series does not present an especially exaggerated depiction of Fast Food life; in fact, it is quite grounded. The work's mundane nature contrasts beautifully with the over-the-top characters, granting the perfect juxtaposition for hilarity to ensue. Sadly, the long-awaited season 2 failed to capture the magic of its predecessor on nearly every level, including humor. While the original season holds up as one of the funniest isekai anime of all time, the sequels are gradually chipping away at the franchise's legacy.

6 Isekai Quartet

MyAnimeList Score: 7.38 (Season 1)

Is this cheating? This feels like cheating. Isekai Quartet brings together some of the most popular isekai shows of the last decade, including KonoSuba and Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious, and drops their characters in a high school setting. So, technically, this is a reverse, reverse isekai anime.

All the laughter derives from the way these personalities mingle, permitting sillier characters like KonoSuba's quartet to bounce off Overlord's Floor Guardians and Re:Zero's Subaru and Emilia. While the anime is still funny in a vacuum, familiarity with the original shows is recommended to fully appreciate Isekai Quartet.

5 KamiKatsu: Working For God In A Godless World

MyAnimeList Score: 6.76

KamiKatsu has terrible CG monsters, a few truly detestable characters, and a willingness to embrace stupidity with every fiber of its being. The anime does not leave the greatest of first impressions since, initially, it can be difficult to tell what is meant to be an intentional joke; however, after a few episodes, it becomes clear KamiKatsu knows exactly what it is doing, and the anime does not care what anyone thinks.

While the show's self-aware nods to its low budget produce some huge laughs, KamiKatsu is also funny on a narrative and character level. Yukito, the protagonist who reawakens in a world with no concept of gods, is unapologetically manipulative, particularly to Mitama, the goddess who quickly arrives to help her favorite follower. Speaking of the deity, she is an absolute riot who is nearly always doing something hilarious, even when she is just in the background of scenes.

4 Uncle From Another World

MyAnimeList Score: 7.82

Due to suffering multiple delays, Uncle from Another World struggled to maintain momentum following a promising start. Putting its production issues aside, the Summer 2022 show has a lot to offer isekai fans, particularly ones who also love Sega.

After spending more than a decade in an unforgiven fantasy world, the eponymous uncle returns to Earth and moves in with his nephew. As he still possesses abilities he acquired during his travels, Ojisan starts to recount his adventures to his relative, mesmerizing him with tales of dangerous battles, mistaken identity, and tsundere elves. Uncle from Another World is a full-blown comedy that parodies isekai and RPG tropes.

3 Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun

MyAnimeList Score: 7.75 (Season 1)

Iruma has lived a hard life thanks to his irresponsible parents, and that seemed set to continue when they sold him to a demon named Sullivan. Suddenly finding himself in the Demon World and attending a school with an anthem that gleefully refers to humans as food, the likable protagonist could be one wrong move away from his death. Yet, before long, Iruma realizes his new home might be far better than his previous one.

Despite sharing some similarities with battle shonen shows, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun is predominantly a comedy. Iruma is a decent lead, and he is backed by an array of hilarious characters like Clara and Kalego. A fairly safe shonen show overall, Iruma-kun makes up for a lack of novelty by just packing its cast with lovable personalities, and the sequel seasons do a great job of highlighting other characters besides the core trio.