The best historical Isekai anime and manga, ranked

The isekai genre has long been popular for its element of escape. Who wouldn't want to be transported from their monotonous life to a more exciting, fantasy-filled one? While a considerable number of isekai worlds go the standard European medieval fantasy route, others get a little more creative and borrow from other historical or mythological settings.

Whether it's Sengoku-era Japan, ancient China, medieval Europe, or a different time in history, these anime take world-building to a whole new level. These series add a certain richness and depth to their fantasy worlds, interweaving elements of time travel, legendary figures, and ancient battles.

8 Amatsuki

Transported to an alternate version of Japan's Edo era

• release date: April 4, 2008
• Creative: Takayama Shinobu
• Studio: Studio Deen
• Number of episodes: 13

Amatsuki is about a high school student named Tokidoki Rikugou. Struggling with history class, he attends a museum lecture with a virtual reality recreation of Edo-era Japan. In true isekai fashion, a series of strange events cause him to become trapped in a fantasy version of the Edo era.

Amatsuki seamlessly blends history and fantasy, combining elements such as yokai, mystical beings, and spirits with Edo-era aesthetics. Fans of both isekai and Japanese folklore will undoubtedly find Amatsuki a delight to watch.

7 How a realistic hero rebuilt the kingdom

Medieval European fantasy with a touch of realism

While the isekai genre is no stranger to worlds inspired by medieval Europe, How a realistic hero rebuilt the kingdom puts a different spin on the formula by discussing real issues of the era such as political corruption, food shortages and inefficient architecture.

Kazuya Souma, a man who was summoned to the fantasy world of Elfrieden, does not wield a sword and has no magical powers. Instead, he uses his knowledge of the modern world to implement sound economic and social policies to strengthen the kingdom. The series is more focused on political strategy and intrigue than fast-paced action.

6 Oda Nobuna's Ambition

Transported to an alternate version of Sengoku era Japan

Oda Nobuna's Ambition brings a light twist to Japan's most emblematic historical figures. It follows a high school boy named Yoshiharu Sagara who is transported back to the Sengoku era, except its famous historical figures reimagined as young women.

Teaming up with the female versions of legendary figures of the Sengoku era, including Mitsuhide Akechi, Hisahide Matsunaga, and Nagahide Niwa, Yoshiharu helps the female Oda Nobunaga (called Oda Nobuna) achieve his ambition for a unified Japan.

5 Fushigi Yuugi: The Mysterious Game

Transported to a world inspired by ancient China

Fushigi Yuugi was one of the first shojo isekai manga, beautifully mixing romance and action in its fantasy world. It tells the story of two high school girls, Miaka Yuki and Yui Hongo, who are transported into the ancient Chinese-inspired world of a novel they were reading.

The series pioneered the isekai genre for the shojo audience and was highly influential for both isekai and fantasy shojo. Fushigi Yuugi also spawned the reverse harem trope, now common in modern shojo isekai stories such as My Next Life as a Villain: All Routes Lead to Doom!.

4 Saga of Tanya the Evil

Transported in a setting inspired by the First World War

For fans wanting a dark and gritty historical isekai setting, look no further Saga of Tanya the Evil. The story follows a mercenary who is transported to a world that bears a striking resemblance to World War I Europe after enraging a god-like being. He finds himself trapped in the body of a young girl and vows to defy the powerful entity to his last breath.

The anime stands out in the isekai world for its morally dubious protagonist and brutal wartime setting. It's definitely not a “turn off your mind and enjoy the ride” kind of show, as it deals with many difficult questions about morality, faith, and power.

3 Inuyasha

Transported back in time to a supernatural version of the Sengoku era

There's a reason why this classic Rumiko Takahashi series is still talked about to this day. Inuyasha combines fantasy, romance, action, and history in a way that appeals to shonen and shojo audiences alike. The story is about a 15-year-old girl named Kagome Higurashi who is transported to the Sengoku period of Japan after falling into a well.

She soon learns that she is the reincarnation of a powerful priestess named Kikyo, and that she carries within her a powerful artifact known as the Shikon Jewel. After accidentally breaking the gem, she teams up with a half-demon named Inuyasha to retrieve its shards before they fall into the wrong hands.

2 The Twelve Kingdoms

Transported to a parallel realm reminiscent of ancient Japan and China

His story The Twelve Kingdoms takes place on a group of islands in another dimension with distinct cultures similar to ancient Japan and China. It follows Yoko Nakajima, a high school student who is unexpectedly taken to this realm by a strange man. She learns to survive in a world of mythical creatures, various kingdoms and complex political systems.

Novels and anime alike were truly ahead of their time in terms of the isekai genre, focusing more on protagonist growth, leadership challenges, and complex world-building than power fantasies or escapism.

1 Drifters

Historical characters are transported to a war-torn fantasy world

A lot of historical isekai stories involve characters traveling back in time to an alternate version of a certain historical period and perhaps meeting famous historical figures as well. How about a series where the historical characters themselves are transported to another world? Created by the same person behind Hellsing, Drifters similarly features dark humor and historical intrigue.

Drifters is about a 1600s samurai named Toyohisa Shimazu who finds himself badly wounded on the battlefield. However, instead of dying, he wakes up in another world with famous historical figures such as Nobunaga Oda, Joan of Arc and Akechi Mitsuhide.