Highlights
- Summoner class is often relegated to a supporting role in anime due to the popularity of brawler characters.
- Summoned creatures in anime are visually impressive, with flashy effects and colors.
- The content mentioned includes various isekai anime and manga with different themes and storylines.
Summoner is a popular class in roleplaying games known for its ability to call on animals and monsters to fight. In anime and manga, it can be rare to find a protagonist wielding this power, and for the most part, it’s relegated to a supporting character—most likely due to brawler characters and close-range fighters being more exciting to watch.
6 Best One-Shot Isekai Manga, Ranked
Despite being limited to one chapter, these one-shot isekai manga offer complete and compelling narratives perfect for a light and quick read.
Of course, that’s not always true. Summoned creatures are usually large spectacles with flashy effects and colors, giving them an edge in the aesthetic department. As a character grows, it usually means they can use bigger, stronger monsters, resulting in some of the best fight scenes.
7 She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man
MyAnimeList Score: 6.33
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: 2022
- Studios: Studio A-CAT
- Genres/Themes: Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Magical Sex Shift
Games coming to life is nothing new to anime, but what happens when a player falls asleep when it becomes reality? In this anime, the player Dunbalf falls asleep while customizing his appearance, and when he wakes up, he is in the body of a teenage girl.
This anime is lighthearted and funny, but it’s in the way things that don’t make sense are funny. The story is quite convoluted with a lot of lore being explained in huge chunks, so it’s sometimes hard to follow. However, it can be a good choice to watch when serious, dark anime are too much.
6 The Black Create Summoner: Revolt Of Reincarnated
MyAnimeList Score: 6.17
- Authors: Sora Ikui
- Illustrator: Hiroki Ugawa
- Published: 2017 to 2020
- Genres/Themes: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai
Living a worse life after being reincarnated isn’t common, but sometimes Japanese students die and get sent to a place where having black hair and black eyes is a trait of demons. That’s how this manga begins. Tsuguna, the protagonist, escapes from prosecution to a different country.
17 Isekai Anime That Have Awesome World Building
World building is essential for the success of an isekai anime, and these titles succeeded in creating some of the best isekai worlds.
It doesn’t help that he can summon demonic beasts, but otherwise, he’s a normal person in the other world. While this is a standard hero’s journey, the rebellion against the existing political and religious powers is what makes this story interesting.
5 The Mochi I Drew Is Tasty Today Too
MyAnimeList Score: 6.83
- Authors: Mata Mochimochi
- Illustrator: Asuka Baito
- Japanese Name: Kyou mo E ni Kaita Mochi ga Umai
- Published: 2021 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai
Summoning can take different forms. Sometimes it’s bringing a magic beast from one place to another, and sometimes it can be giving life to a creature on the spot. In this manga, Tougo is a high school student obsessed with art and drawing. When he finds himself in an unknown forest one day, he discovers he can bring his drawings to life.
This is where the title comes from. The first thing Tougo drew in the new world was a piece of mochi. This reflects the overall atmosphere of the story, leaning towards slice-of-life rather than action.
4 Drawing: The Greatest Mangaka Becomes A Skilled “Martial Artist” In Another World
MyAnimeList Score: 6.84
- Authors: Dal Young Im
- Illustrator: Kwang Hyun Kim
- Japanese Name: Saikyou Mangaka wa Oekaki Skill de Isekai Musou suru!
- Published: 2021 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
As is normal in isekai stories, the real adventure begins when the protagonist learns of his powers. In this case, a former mangaka is reborn into a world of swords and magic, and while he has no talent for either of those, he’s able to use his drawing skills to replicate them.
This story is geared toward action and fighting, introducing concepts like heroes and cults very quickly. The main character, Akira, is dedicated to living a slow life, but protagonists with that intention never actually do. Still, it’s entertaining, if not a bit cheesy.
3 Black Summoner
MyAnimeList Score: 7.08
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: 2022
- Studios: Satelight
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
The biggest benefit a god bestows upon reincarnators is the memories of their past life. Using that information, they can be geniuses in their new life. In this anime, Kelvin trades all his memories for power in the next world, and that’s how he becomes the strongest summoner.
Despite the interesting premise, the rest of the story is pretty generic. Memory loss doesn’t factor into the plot much, and there aren’t any permanent antagonists to add actual conflict. Black Summoner is best seen as a slice-of-life anime, since those scenes are more developed than the action shots.
2 Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing
MyAnimeList Score: 7.05
- Authors: DHamuo
- Illustrator: Enji Tetta
- Published: 2020 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
Overpowered protagonists are fun to watch, but after so many of them, a main character who truly struggles to get stronger is quite refreshing. In this manga, Kenichi Yamada transmigrates into Allen, a child serf with the SSS-class, Summoner. His goal is to help his family rise out of serfdom.
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Fans who enjoy Rising of the Shield Hero should find these other great isekai anime very entertaining.
In many ways, this manga is similar to many other generic isekai, but this one takes the time to actually tell the story of the protagonist’s world. Most of the training and leveling up is on-screen, and the supporting characters get just as much of a spotlight as the protagonist. Overall, it’s a well-developed story.
1 The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World
MyAnimeList Score: 7.17
- Episodes: 13
- Aired: 2023
- Studios: Studio Blanc.
- Genres/Themes: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
The protagonists in isekai manga and anime normally adopt the power system of the new world they’re in, eventually becoming the strongest. However, this anime doesn’t do that, which is why it’s so interesting. The main character can’t use magic, but he can still use the exorcist techniques he had in his past life.
Though this anime is brightly colored, the protagonist actually fits a dark hero archetype, which creates a contradiction in the atmosphere. It’s a completely serious protagonist living in an idyllic fantasy world.
