10 Best Written Isekai Heroes Whose Character Arcs Keep Fans Coming Back

Isekai anime heroes have the unique opportunity of getting a second chance in their new lives. They usually come to their new world either as a baby, retaining all of their memories from their past life, or in their current, weakened form. No matter how they arrive in their new homes, they usually bring their problems with them. As they learn to live in their new world, they can have great character development, learning to get over previous issues through the help of newfound friends.

Fulfilling character arcs are some of the most cathartic reasons to watch a series, and isekai is full of them. There’s a ton of great isekai series that place a character in a new setting with the same old problems, giving them a chance to rise above their issues. The best written isekai heroes don’t necessarily need to have gone through a dramatic change in character, but the new world they find themselves in still has to provide them an avenue to explore parts of themselves that their previous life didn’t.

10 Subaru

Re: Zero -Starting Life in Another World-

Natsuki Subaru has a brutal power in Return by Death. Every time he dies, he’s able to return to life at a previous, seemingly random point in time. He feels every death and remembers them all the same. Even though he’s dealt a difficult hand, he doesn’t let it get the best of him. He’s a headstrong hero who always puts his friends above himself, showcasing his courage and honesty time and time again.

When Subaru gets transported to his new world, he’s a weak, cowardly, confused young man who wants to be abandoned by his parents. After meeting Emilia and Returning by Death a couple of times, however, he grows to be a brave, forward-thinking character who’s willing to go to incredible ends for the people around him. It’s a great character arc that looks like it’ll only get better as Subaru supports Emilia through the Royal Selection.

9 Kazuya – Realist Hero

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Kazuya Souma is a rare case of a character getting transported to a new world and not bringing many problems with them. While other isekai stories are about the new world helping the main character, How a Realist Hero Would Rebuilt the Kingdom tells the other side of that same tale: what if a main character came to help the world? Kazuya does a great job of rebuilding the Kingdom from within. He’s a fresh character in a genre filled with overpowered fighters and one-dimensional mages.

Kazuya’s ability to find a way out of every situation makes Realist Hero a fun watch. He was initially confused by his transportation into a new world, but has quickly become acclimated with the situation around him. If characters like Madara Uchiha are some of the best fighters in anime, Kazuya has to be one of the best planners.

8 Rimuru

The Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Rimuru was transported to his new world as a lowly slime, a blind, sleepless, entity without much power. After wanting a conversation partner for 90 days, the skill Great Sage emerged, giving him one of the best he could have asked for. He then wandered around the cave he was transported to before finding the Storm Dragon Veldora, who named him and gave him even more power.

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Rimuru tries his best to lead the calmest life possible, but it isn’t always that easy. He’s constantly getting interrupted by scheming Demon Lords or jealous merchants that want a piece of his pie. No matter the issue, Rimuru does his best to keep a cool head, trying to find the best ending to every situation he’s in. His character arc is consistent, reliable, and a great reason to watch That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

7 Makoto

Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy

Misumi Makoto is a typical isekai hero with a ton of power, beautiful followers, and a solid vision for the future. Most of the events of Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy happen to Makoto, so he doesn’t have much time for character development. He’s usually fighting on his backfoot, as the Goddess will drop him off in the middle of a fierce battle out of nowhere.

When Makoto was transported to his new world, the Goddess treated him horribly. She made sure he couldn’t speak Common, the main language used by Hyumans, and dropped him off in the middle of a wasteland. Makoto has since made a ton of powerful friends, set up a new home in the Demiplane, and has even become strong enough to contest the Goddess herself. His character arc has been refreshing in the face of the Goddess’ rudeness, and it’ll be even more satisfying to see him usurp her one day.

6 Tanya

The Saga Of Tanya The Evil

Tanya von Degurechaff came to her new world under specific circumstances. When she was in her previous life, she was a normal salary man working in the Human Resources Department. When he died, he met Being X, an entity claiming to be God. The salaryman said he didn’t believe in metaphysical entities like God or the Devil, and said that if Being X really was the manager of humanity, he’s been doing a pretty bad job of it.

Being X, enraged, decides to experiment on the salary man, reincarnating him as Tanya. In his new life as Tanya, the former salary man is a mastermind on the battlefield, taking out scores of enemies all by herself. Even with Being X’s constant intervention, Tanya’s character arc hasn’t changed a bit. She’s still the determined, tenacious fighter that doesn’t believe in anything outside of her comrades.

5 Kazuma

KonoSuba

Satou Kazuma pulled a fast one when he got transported into his new world. When the Goddess Aqua offered to give him anything he wanted to take into his new life, he had an idea. She had just made fun of Kazuma previously, so he saw an opportunity to get his revenge and he took it. It’s a early and clear example of just how petty Kazuma is, a key part of his character that doesn’t change at all. Kazuma’s pettiness and Aqua’s ignorance are two cornerstones of KonoSuba, and they make each episode funnier for it.

Kazuma’s character arc hasn’t changed much since he came to his new world, and that’s for the best. KonoSuba is a hilarious series because of how unwilling Kazuma is to change. He’s pretty strong and one of the smarter characters in the series, but he’s too lazy to do anything about it.

4 Senku

Dr. Stone

Senku Ishigami has his hands full in Dr. Stone. He’s recently awoken from thousands of years of petrification, with the world around him coming to a standstill. He wants to revive as many people as he can, but towards the beginning of the series, he comes to terms with just how hard that might be. Senku’s story is fairly straightforward until he meets Tsukasa, a character who doesn’t agree with Senku’s wishes.

Tsukasa is a great piece for Senku’s character development because, up until this point in the series, Senku hadn’t had any adversity from his fellow man. He had been living a simple life of trying to revive as many people as possible before Tsukasa made him operate differently, forcing him to develop his character quickly. Senku quickly turns into a much more mature young man, realizing the scope of both his desires and how hard he’s going to have to work to get them.

3 Cid

The Eminence In Shadow

Cid Kagenou is the leader of Shadow Garden and an altogether aloof character. He’s too strong to care about the events around him and instead spends his time trying to find the best ways of enjoying himself. When he gets isekai’d into his new world, all he wants to do is create a shadow cabal that controls the scenes without anyone knowing. It’s a fairly funny, maniacal goal that he achieves easily. While other character arcs might be entertaining to watch because of their ability to overcome conflict, Cid’s is great because there isn’t any conflict to overcome.

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There isn’t an enemy in The Eminence in Shadow that would make Cid’s heart rate increase. He’s too strong for the world around, creating a unique character that looks for adversity instead of shying away from it.

2 Ainz

Overlord

Ainz Ooal Gown has a sad existence in Overlord. He’s the only real player left in the world of Yggdrasil, and he spends his time looking for more real people that could be there too. When he first learns he can’t log out of his game, he’s fairly content with his situation, relying on the NPCs around him for some company.

Ainz’ character arc is a great watch because he plays the role of tyrant perfectly. He’s an evil figure to most of his world and doesn’t care at all. To find another real person, Ainz comes to the conclusion that he has to subjugate the entire world. It’s a very interesting decision that no other anime character can pull off quite as well as the leader of The Great Tomb of Nazarick. Ainz becomes more reliant on his NPCs as the story progresses, allowing them to help him become the Overlord he wants to be.

1 Rudeus

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation’s Rudeus Greyrat is in a league of his own in terms of character development. Rudeus flat out has more character than other characters – he’s simply more than them. While other isekai heroes touch on their past, Rudeus’ past is a big part of his story. He comes to his new world as a baby and remembers all 34 of the years that he lived previously. Mushoku Tensei itself is a story about Rudeus and the man he becomes.

Rudeus comes to his new world smart, mature (in some ways), and relatively responsible. While he does have 34 years of life experience to draw upon, he’s a little kid at the same time, making the same mistakes most people in his position would. There are a lot of controversial aspects to Rudy’s story, but there’s no arguing how compelling it is. Mushou Tensei shows the end of Rudy’s previous life and the entirety of his current one, leaving no character developing stone unturned along the way.