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Isekai anime is a well-known genre that involves characters being transported to another world or time period. It's a common plot element that seems so familiar for anime fans they might not even register that it has its own designated genre. There's a lot of variety across these shows, with some focusing on the light-hearted comedy of being a "fish out of water," while others focus on the darker aspects of society and human nature.

Whether the protagonist is the character sent through time and space or a friendly fighter met along the way, isekai anime feature some incredibly strong lead characters who prove it doesn't matter where you come from. All that matters is how hard one can fight.

Updated February 2, 2023 by Mark Sammut: Overpowered isekai anime characters are a staple of the sub-genre. In fact, they have become so common, that it is genuinely surprising when a show features a main character who cannot eradicate an army with a flick of their wrist. Winter 2023's strongest isekai protagonists might very well rank among anime's most powerful figures once the season is over, although they will need to contend with some stiff competition.

As these anime utilize incomparable power systems, each protagonist's ranking will be determined by how their strength compares with characters from their own worlds.

17 Kazuma Sato – KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World!

Konosuba - Kazuma Main Character Using Water Magic

A classic case of the shut-in going on an adventure in a strange world, basically the ideology from which the isekai genre is based on. Thrown into an RPG world, Kazuma avoids becoming just another pawn in the game by not choosing a starting class, allowing him to learn and use abilities that would otherwise be exclusive to their respective classes.

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As such, Kazuma turns out to be pretty overpowered, although this is mostly shown in the movie and not the TV series.

16 Subaru Natsuki – Re:Zero – Starting Life In Another World

 Natsuki Subaru in Re:Zero

Subaru is a salty dog; moody and resistant to the social world of the living. Of course, all that changes when he is transported into a fantasy world while coming back home from the store.

Subaru has a unique power though, when he dies he can go back in time a little (basically returning to a previous checkpoint). The power might not seem as action-oriented as some other isekai protagonists, but it comes in handy more than audiences might first expect. That said, it does have plenty of shortcomings since these deaths take a mental toll on the protagonist.

15 Seiya Ryuuguuin – Cautious Hero – The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious

Cautious Hero The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious

As the name of the anime suggests, Seiya is basically overpowered in every RPG category, except one: his own suspicions. Seiya doesn’t seem to trust anyone or anything, despite his immense strength and skill. Seiya’s fear is the source of some hilarious comedy in The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious, but also some interesting use of his own abilities as a protagonist.

14 Diablo – How Not To Summon A Demon Lord

How Not To Summon A Demon Lord diablo anime

An introvert who dedicated all his free time to maxing his character in an RPG called Cross Reverie, Takuma realizes this time was well spent when he is teleported to the game's world as his avatar. Fitting into the Sorcerer class, Diablo has few peers when it comes to magic, and he puts to shame most enemies who dare face him. While not quite as impressive as a melee fighter, the Demon Lord can hold his own in that area as well.

Diablo is certainly overpowered, but his underdeveloped social skills make things harder than they should be for him. The anime's first season leans heavily into comedy as well, which often highlights Takuma's weaknesses.

13 Sora And Shiro – No Game No Life

Sora And Shiro no game no life

No doubt two of the smartest characters in anime, these step-siblings are unbeatable as a team thanks to their calculating logic. The pair find themselves thrown into a strange dream-like world where games and gambling determine everything.

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No Game No Life is a fun anime, but protagonists Sora and Shiro are the ones who make the show so entertaining at the end of the day.

12 Inuyasha – Inuyasha

 Inuyasha in Inuyasha

One of the best-known examples of Isekai anime, Inuyasha is a classic cartoon that was a first for many anime fans back in the 2000s. The series revolves around a young girl who is magically transported from modern-day Tokyo to the Sengoku period of feudal Japan where she meets many strange folk, including the titular character, Inuyasha.

Inuyasha is a half-demon, half-human hybrid who is adept at using his demon powers of strength and agility to vanquish foes. However, he doesn't always know his own strength, as he is prone to letting his demon blood take over his human side.

11 Shiroe – Log Horizon

Log Horizon Shiroe and Naotsugu talking

Log Horizon is another video game isekai anime in which players are sucked into the virtual world and forced to survive via the game's rules. Shiroe was once an awkward student who preferred playing his favorite MMORPG over studying, but now he's living in it.

Shiroe's years of experience make him incredibly strong, especially with magic. With his encyclopedic knowledge of the game world, he creates and leads the Log Horizon Guild in an attempt to restore order.

10 Cid Kageno – The Eminence In Shadow

cid kagenou shadow

Cid yearned to be the shadow that protects society, and he gets to live out that fantasy when he reawakens in a magical world. As the accidental leader of Shadow Garden, Cid unknowingly has an army of powerful warriors at his disposal, most of whom seem to know exactly what he wants out of them.

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While the assistance is welcome, Cid hardly needs help to overwhelm opponents. The protagonist has complete mastery over magic and swordsplay, granting him access to almost nuclear-level attacks capable of decimating whole cities. More importantly, Cid is ruthless, so he only holds back in battles for his own amusement.

9 Mamako – Do You Love Your Mom And Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?

Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks Mamako

It’s one thing for a character to be transported into a strange surreal fantasy world, but it’s a completely different ballgame when their Mom joins them too. This is exactly the plot of this isekai anime series, following a mother and her son's adventures inside an online video game where stats are king.

Mamako might be a caring and loving mother first and foremost, but she is an extremely capable fighter as well. She never hesitates to put herself in harm’s way for her party members.

8 Kumoko – So I'm A Spider, So What?

So I'm a Spider, So What Kumoko anime

It's common in isekai anime for the protagonist to start off the series as a low-leveled punching-bag. Even for this type of anime, though, a dungeon spider seems a bit harsh.

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Kumoko was a high school girl just minding her own business when a magic spell hit her entire class, bringing her and all her classmates into a fantasy world of demons and heroes. Kumoko is one tough cookie, considering she has to fight for her survival every step of the way.

7 Tanya – The Saga Of Tanya The Evil

Saga Of Tanya The Evil movie, Tanya dancing

Another reincarnation gone awry tale, The Saga of Tanya the Evil follows a Japanese businessman without much faith in the world, who is murdered and reincarnated as an orphan in a strange war-torn industrial society.

Never one to shy away from the battle, the newly dubbed Tanya makes her way through the military rankings to rise to power and control her own destiny. Tanya is also in the running for the creepiest isekai anime protagonist of all time, being a coldhearted man in the form of a little girl.

6 Kirigaya Kazuto – Sword Art Online

Kirito And His Swords (Sword Art Online)

Sword Art Online's Kirigaya Kazuto is complicated. Compared to some other main characters, Kirito is not extraordinarily strong. Obviously, he is a capable fighter who has access to some of the most powerful techniques in each of the game worlds he visits, but those things can be attained by other characters. Kirito should not feel that special.

Yet, Kirito is the poster boy of overpowered isekai anime protagonist. At almost no point in SAO is the protagonist in danger of being overwhelmed, and he often takes down supposedly impressive enemies with ease. All the magic in the world is worthless in the face of unbreakable plot armor.

5 Sadao Maou – The Devil Is A Part-Timer!

The Devil is A Part-Timer

Not every isekai protagonist is some businessman or high school student — even Satan can get thrown into the mix every once in awhile. When the Demon Lord is transported from his sanctuary and into the real world, he has to get a job.

The irony of Satan working at a fast food joint is not lost on anyone, but that's not to say he has forgotten all of his tricks. If anything, the foray into human life has only made him smarter and wiser. However, Satan's power has been neutered, so he cannot unleash all of his strength at the drop of a hat.

4 Ainz Ooal Gown – Overlord

Albedo Informs Ainz About the Attack – Overlord IV Episode 8

Taking over the body of their RPG player is something most gamers have thought about before, but the isekai anime, Overlord, actually makes it a reality.

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After being sucked into his favorite online role-playing game, an overpowered guild leader finds that life is different when you are leveled up to the max. Sometimes, being the strongest player in the game can actually be pretty boring.

3 Rimuru Tempest – That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

Rimuru Tempest of That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is one of the goofier isekai anime series; even the title of the show is silly. But the series is fantastic and is something of a clever parody of the genre.

An ordinary joe in Japan finds himself lost in a strange fantasy world after being murdered, with one big change: he’s now a slime. Rimuru is no one-hit-kill slime though. He possesses the ability to mimic foe’s appearances and skills, making him more dangerous than he looks. It's an interesting take on the genre, and definitely worth a watch.

2 Azusa Aizawa – I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level

I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level anime

Azusa Aizawa was once a workaholic employee who eventually died from her own overworking and was reincarnated as a witch in a fantasy world. Looking to live as stress-free as possible, she simply kills slimes for a few hundred years – only to determine that she has become too powerful for her own good when trouble comes knocking.

Once her ridiculously high level is discovered, Azusa is swept up into adventures involving dragons, slime spirits, and plenty of other creatures in this fantasy universe. Her life never stays quiet for long.

1 Touya Mochizuki – In Another World With My Smartphone

In Another World With My Smartphone anime touya

This anime's title highlights perhaps the most unimpressive thing about Touya. Sure, he has a smartphone that can be used to take pictures and browse the web, but that pales in comparison to his god-crafted body, affinity for all magic types, and unparalleled ability to charm every waifu in the world.

Touya is immediately powerful in the first season of In Another World With My Smartphone, but the anime has only scratched the surface of the character's potential in the light novel.

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