6 Best Isekai Anime & Manga With Middle-Aged Protagonists

While there seems to be a near-endless supply of protagonist types in anime and manga series, the number of middle-aged protagonists is apparently few and far between, and even fewer in isekai anime or manga. Typically, the situation in most isekai anime and manga, where characters often find themselves transported to fantastical realms, is that the focus is usually aimed at youthful heroes embarking on epic adventures.

However, this piece will spotlight the best isekai series with much older main characters. These characters often navigate their second chances with a good mix of humor, nostalgia, and experience, making for compelling narratives that resonate with more mature audiences. So, for this piece, here are some of the best isekai series with middle-aged protagonists.

6 Uncle From Another World

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.8 / 5

The Uncle From Another World presents a rather funny narrative that follows the life of the central character, Takafumi Takaoka, and his uncle, Yousuke ‘Ojisan’ Shibazaki. The series kicks off after Yousuke Ojisan enters into a coma for seventeen years after an unfortunate accident with a truck. Things get very confusing for Takafumi suddenly after Ojisan mysteriously regains consciousness, claiming to have been transported to another world called Gran Bahamal, where he gained magical powers.

Takafumi dismisses his uncle’s ramblings until Ojisan magically makes a cup of water float. At this juncture, Takafumi comes up with the supposedly brilliant idea to open a YouTube channel to showcase his uncle’s abilities. Fresh out of a 17-year-old coma, Ojisan struggles with the advancements made in his absence. Together with Takafumi, the pair focus on growing their YouTube channel with Ojisan’s new powers and otherworldly experiences.

5 GATE: Where The JSDF Fought

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.2 / 5

• Creator(s): Sao Satoru, Yanai Takumi
• No. of Chapters: 136 (Ongoing)
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

The GATE series presents a unique isekai trope, where it’s neither reincarnation nor transmigration but the coexistence of two worlds that seem more likely to merge than simply collide. The story’s protagonist, the off-duty Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel, Youji Itami, finds himself at the center of the narrative after a mysteriously large gate suddenly appears in the middle of the city, spawning different supernatural creatures and warriors, on his way to his favorite doujin convention.

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Swiftly moving into action, Youji saves as many people as he can in the time the rest of the JSDF can mobilize. Three months after the attack, Youji once again finds himself at the forefront of the special reconnaissance team of the JSDF to be sent into the world beyond the mysterious gate. As leader of the recon team, Youji soon realizes that the fate of two worlds rests on whether he and his team fail or succeed in their mission.

4 The Great Cleric

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.1 / 5

Hard work in this series seemingly does not work out as well as reality suggests, and the prime example of this is the story’s protagonist. Initially, Japan’s hardest-working salaryman who worked and toiled every day till his untimely and unfortunate death, and now reincarnated into the world of Galdardia as Luciel, he is not especially eager to slave away another life. Quick with his head and hands, Luciel decides to tread the path of a healer and heads towards the small town of Merratoni.

There, he learns of the rare value of healers in his new world and joins the Healers’ Guild, unlocking his potential for magic and as a healer. Luciel comes to a decisive point when he fails to save someone, and due to the guilt of the person’s death, he decides to get stronger for the sake of helping others. To follow through on his decision, Luciel becomes an adventurer and makes his way through the lands of Galdardia, earning the reputation of a selfless healer.

3 Saga of Tanya the Evil

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.2 / 5

A tale of wits between a human and a god, The Saga of Tanya the Evil follows the life of the infamous “Devil of the Rhine.” The story’s protagonist, Tanya Degurechaff, is a child soldier of the Empire. However, beneath the child’s skin lies the soul of a man who challenged the Being X and lost, leading to his reincarnation as Tanya.

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Still bent on defiance, Tanya is convinced she can achieve world peace by her methods and is determined to climb the Empire’s military ranks as fast as she can. But, between her infamy on the battlefield and the constant state of warfare of the Empire, Being X looks like the biggest hindrance to her ambitions. However, her highly perceptive actions and ingenious tactical methods seem to have an unprecedented imprint on the Empire, quickly making it into one of the most feared nations in history. It remains to be seen if Tanya can outlast a god.

2 Log Horizon

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.1 / 5

Virtual reality mixes with reality in the Log Horizon series, as thirty thousand Japanese gamers suddenly find themselves trapped in the famous MMORPG Elder Tale. The story’s protagonist, Shiroe, the socially awkward college student, also finds himself among those trapped within the game.

An expert at Elder Tale, Shiroe finds no time to sulk about his situation and instead makes his way to explore the limits of his new and sudden reality. With tasteless in-game food, revivals from death, and boring NPC conversations, Elder Tale couldn’t look any closer to the reality the players left behind. Shiroe, on the other hand, alongside his allies, is determined to adjust to this new reality without standing out as much as possible.

1 Overlord

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.2 / 5

The quest for world domination in the Overlord series begins as a whimsical suggestion birthed from a seemingly impossible situation. The story takes place in the identical world of the famous MMORPG Yggdrasil, where the protagonist expected to spend what would be the last moments within the game until its servers shut down.

Things start to get serious when the timer finally counts down, and the protagonist, Momonga, finds that he can no longer log out of the game. Left with the immense powers of his characters to the mysteriously real version of Yggdrasil, Momonga looks to try his hand at world domination— a seemingly possible feat for the arch lich. With the aid of his generals, Momonga begins his search for worthy opponents while investigating the possibility of other players like himself in this new world.

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