In a recent poll, tens of thousands of Japanese anime fans voted for their favorite fantasy titles, with plenty of isekai anime occupying the top slots. As for the overall winner, the prominent isekai anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime claimed the top spot, beating popular names like Re:Zero, Konosuba, and Mushoku Tensei, among others. Plenty of anime fans have already heard of Tensura, even if they haven’t seen it, though they may wonder how this particular anime ended up as #1 in the poll.
Subjectively, anime fans may have voted for Tensura as the best fantasy isekai anime simply because they were so richly entertained by it, and they might associate the anime with happy memories or experiences of their own, such as a dear friend recommending it to them. On a somewhat more concrete note, anime fans can appreciate a few clear reasons why Tensura won such a competitive poll, with this anime having a few basic but essential strategies for being the best fantasy isekai anime in the eyes of Japanese audiences.
That Time I Got Reincarnated Is the Best Form of Escapism
Tensura Is the Best Example of What Everyone Wants
Image via 8bit
One major reason why Tensura is so popular and a likely reason why it won the online Japanese poll is because it’s the strongest example of what so many anime fans want to see. One of the simplest but most effective ways for any piece of fictional media to cultivate a strong following and establish its prominence in a crowded medium is to figure out what most consumers want, and provide a focused, powerful serving of it to meet that need. It can be almost mechanical in precision, with well-regarded anime studios and isekai light novel and manga authors knowing what audiences crave and deliver it directly. This sets anime like Tensura apart from more experimental, artistic projects which aim to tell whatever story the author wants to share, regardless of viewership numbers. The isekai genre is sometimes criticized for this, but in the case of the Japanese poll, it’s nothing but a boon for Tensura.
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Above all, isekai is escapism, more so than most works of fiction. On some basic and broad levels, many genres and storytelling types are escapism, from exotic space operas to regular high fantasy like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, but isekai takes it further. While plenty of genres will take viewers out of their ordinary lives and transport them to a world of wonder, isekai is a more deliberate effort to completely remove viewers from not just where they are, but who they are. Isekai anime is the gateway to the ultimate escapism, presenting ordinary, self-insert protagonists who fulfill the viewers’ desire to get away from everything they know. Isekai anime protagonists often go to a new world, leaving behind the grind of school or work, and possibly even leaving behind their original selves. While this can lend itself to formulaic and self-gratifying storytelling, some anime still do it well, and anime fans always want to see it.
The best isekai anime of all time handily accomplish the goal of overwhelming escapism, and as the Japanese poll would suggest, none do it better than Tensura. A variety of factors and design choices all came together to make that happen, elevating Tensura from yet another “trapped in a new world” paradigm to become a truly resonant, exciting, sympathetic, and inspiring story of someone becoming far more than they once were. Like its competitors that ranked lower in the poll, Tensura truly transports viewers to another world where every heartfelt and optimistic dreams may come true, and not just for the sake of self-gratification, either. Watching Tensura is the self-serving fun of escaping a repetitive life via isekai, but crucially, it isn’t just that. Some isekai anime are content to go through the motions once the escapism is established, but Tensura goes far beyond that, more than any other isekai anime ever has.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Balances Its Narrative Tones & Character Designs
Tensure Has a Character for Every Anime Fan to Love or Relate To
The sheer escapism is the why of why anime fans like Tensura, but plenty of isekai anime go that far, so what sets Tensura apart is the how factor. To give credit where it’s due, other hardcore escapism anime like Log Horizon and Overlord have impressive merits as well, and they are sometimes compelling in ways not even Tensura can manage. As a whole, though, Tensura is definitely ahead of the pack according to its many fans, and the recent poll helps officially quantify that. Tensura may not do absolutely everything that can make a fantasy isekai anime a worthwhile work of fiction, yet it still does a lot of them, and it does them well.
One major factor of Tensura’s success in the poll is how it has balanced and smart narrative tones and moods. By contrast, moody and dark isekai anime like The Rising of the Shield Hero only appeal to a more limited slice of the anime fandom, and some fans may decry its gritty or even edgy tone. Fans can also criticize Shield Hero for having relatively few likable characters, with too many cast members acting in service of maintaining the gritty, edgy tone. Conversely, fans may like carefree isekai anime like I’ve Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, but that may come at the cost of some substance. I’ve Been Killing Slimes may have a basic level of substance, such a the joy of a found family, but it’s not a complete package. Then, fans get the likes of Tensura, which has it all, and balances it nicely.
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Tensura is goofy and hilarious when it can be, such as comedy-only episodes with titles like “Hey! Butts!”, but it also has grim, heavy story arcs or scenes to create heavy-hitting stakes on every level. Fans can point to examples like Shizue Izawa struggling with the Ifrit spirit, Gabiru’s foolish antics that nearly got his race wiped out, and Rimuru’s murderous rampage against the invading armies of Falmuth and the Church. Isekai anime or not, and fantasy anime or not, Tensura follows all the tried-and-trie rules for balancing an anime’s tone to make it feel like a well-rounded package. Tensureeven beat isekai must-watches like Konosuba in the poll.
Tensura also features excellent character designs, which is important for any anime, with or without the benefit of much-desired escapism. Tensura refuses to coast on the popularity of isekai and fantasy escapism, with the anime delivering on every front there is. In every anime, characters are what drive the story forward, even subversive and flawed ones like in Chainsaw Man, and Tensura is no slouch in this arena. Its hero, Rimuru Tempest, may be OP but is also a terrific human being/slime who is worth getting to know. He even has personal flaws and weaknesses which are addressed over time, to make him that much more relatable and balanced. Fans may also adore the robust supporting cast, who come in a stunning variety of designs, ensuring fans will definitely meet someone they love and/or identify strongly with.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Features Strong Worldbuilding & Diplomacy
Rimuru Has Something to Do Aside From Fighting
Image by 8bit.
Not only did Tensura top the polls with its excellent cast of characters and finely-adjusted tone, but it also boasts strong appeal due to the fact its heroes are trying to do more than one thing. In plenty of isekai anime, the protagonists are devoted to one particular skill or mission, such as defeating an obligatory demon lord, mastering a skill, or running a kingdom via statecraft as a leader. The trick in Tensura is that it does all this and more, juggling them expertly to make Rimuru a hero with diverse skills and interests. Rimuru isn’t just a fighter or a novelty as a powerful slime, and he’s not just a friend to his monster allies. He is also a developing expert in leadership and international diplomacy, which gives him yet more avenues for growth.
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With Rimuru and his closest allies rotating through a variety of jobs and missions, Tensura can make the most of its premise and setting while also making Rimuru more multi-faceted as a hero. He is a powerhouse slime, a form of self-gratifying escapism, a fighter, a friend, and a world leader who’s finding his footing in the world of politics. Any isekai anime protagonist can be halfway decent with one of those traits, but Rimuru does all of them, while still juggling comedy and drama to add more depth to it all. The ever-expanding worldbuilding of Tensura almost rivals that of One Piece and its many islands on the Grand Line. With the characters and world so busy with so many worthwhile projects to keep things fresh, it’s little wonder Tensura topped the poll and maintained its place as one of the best isekai anime to ever hit the airwaves.
AloJapan.com